For any resources you could need like sports handicapping odds, handicapping stats, schedules, or handicappers free picks and tips please click on any of the links on the right hand side of this page.
CLICK A CAPPERS NAME TO SEE THEIR PREMIUM DAILY EXPERT PLAYS + PREDICTIONS!
Schedule: NFL |Â CFB |Â MLB |Â NBA |Â CBB |Â NHL
WANT FREE SPORTS PICKS to your inbox? | Newsletter Sign-UP!
Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
01-11-21 | Ohio State v. Alabama -8 | Top | 24-52 | Win | 100 | 129 h 9 m | Show |
Ohio State has its worst defense of recent years especially in the secondary. Alabama has its most explosive offense ever, which is saying a lot. This combination is enough for the Crimson Tide to defeat the Buckeyes by double-digits and cover the spread.  Yes, the Buckeyes have an explosive offense, too. I would take Justin Fields over Alabama QB Mac Jones. The Crimson Tide's defense doesn't have as many dominant players as in the past few years, but their defense still is more talented than Clemson's in the line and secondary. So they are going to get some stops against Ohio State. I don't see Ohio State slowing down Alabama at all.  Jones, running back Najee Harris and wide receiver DeVonta Smith were all Heisman Trophy finalists with Smith capturing the award. Smith caught 105 passes for 1,641 yards and 20 TD's. I've watched Alabama football since the days of Joe Namath being under center and I've never seen a Crimson Tide wide receiver have the season Smith had. Oh, yes, Alabama also has the best offensive line in college football even without injured stud center Landon Dickerson. This group is in the discussion for being the greatest O-line in Alabama history.  Ohio State ranked just 56th in fewest yards per play and that was playing an easier schedule than Alabama. Just last year the Buckeyes ranked first in that category showing what a drop their defense has experienced this season.Â
    |
|||||||
12-31-20 | West Virginia -6.5 v. Army | Top | 24-21 | Loss | -116 | 23 h 39 m | Show |
Army received it's wish to play in a bowl game. Sometimes it's not good, though, to get what you wish. The Black Knights draw West Virginia in the Liberty Bowl. The Mountaineers are a bad fit for Army.  The Black Knights had an outstanding season going 9-2, including highly-satisfying victories against rivals Navy and Air Force. But West Virginia is the wrong bowl opponent for them.  Army is entirely dependent on running the ball averaging just 36 yards passing a game. Only four teams allowed fewer yards per game than West Virginia. The Mountaineers have a very stout run defense allowing 3.8 yards per rush. They have a pair of NFL defensive line draft prospects in the Stills brothers, Darius and Dante.  The Black Knights' glittering 9-2 record doesn't look so shiny on closer examination as three of their victories were against FCS foes Abilene Christian, Citadel and Mercer. Another was against 0-10 Louisiana Monroe. They nipped Georgia Southern by one point. Army's losses came against Cincinnati, 24-10, and to Tulane, 38-12. Those two foes are more in line with the caliber of West Virginia. It's disconcerting to Army that it has been held to 15 points or fewer in three of its last four games.  West Virginia faced much better opposition being in the Big 12 Conference. The Mountaineers defeated TCU and lost on the road to Texas by just four points. Unlike Army, West Virginia has a balanced attack. Army didn't face too many passing teams. West Virginia QB Jarret Doege isn't Trevor Lawrence, but he threw for more than 200 yards in every game and has a 13-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Running back Leddie Brown is a good all-purpose back who rushed for nearly 1,000 yards while averaging 5.3 yards per carry.  The Mountaineers are the fresher team. They last played on Dec. 5 giving them ample time to game plan for Army's triple option attack. Army beat Navy on Dec. 12 and then followed that up by defeating Air Force on Dec. 19. Those were the biggest games on the Black Knights' schedule. So they might actually be in letdown mode despite this being a bowl game.  Army also will be in big trouble if it has to play from behind lacking any semblance of a passing attack.   |
|||||||
12-30-20 | Wisconsin -7 v. Wake Forest | Top | 42-28 | Win | 100 | 29 h 52 m | Show |
Wisconsin has a far superior defense than Wake Forest. The question with the Badgers is producing enough scoring to cover this touchdown spread. I see that happening against a weak Wake Forest defense and with highly-talented freshman Badgers QB Graham Mertz returning to his pre-COVID-19 form.  The Badgers haven't landed a highly rated freshman quarterback like Mertz in well maybe forever. Mertz was living up to the hype, too, with a combined 7-to-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio during the Badgers' first two games - blowout victories against Illinois and Michigan. Then Mertz contracted COVID and Wisconsin's offense went into the tank. Mertz is past the illness now. He doesn't have the skill position weapons of previous Wisconsin teams, but the Badgers have another strong offensive line and running back depth. The Badgers led the nation in time of possession. They also are facing a Demon Deacon defense that allows 31.6 points a game and ranks 107th in total defense. Mertz can pick his spots against a highly vulnerable Wake Forest secondary.  Wake Forest wins with its offense. But the Demon Deacons haven't encountered a defense like Wisconsin's. The Badgers give up the fewest yards per game in the nation and rank sixth in scoring defense holding foes to 15.6 points a game. They rank rank sixth in run defense and seventh in pass defense. Sam Hartman is a good, but not a great quarterback. He plays behind a leaky offensive line that allowed an average of 3.2 sacks per game.  Wisconsin is 4-1 in bowl games under Paul Chryst. The Badgers' lone bowl defeat under Chryst came last season when they were nipped, 28-27, by Justin Herbert's Oregon team in the Rose Bowl. No shame in that especially seeing how great Herbert has been in the NFL.  The Badgers missed games early in the season because of COVID-19 issues. But their season hasn't been nearly as disrupted as Wake Forest's has. The Badgers have played five games in the last six weeks. They defeated Minnesota in their last game on Dec. 19. Wake Forest has only played once since Nov. 14 and that was a horrible 45-21 loss to Louisville on Dec. 12. The Demon Deacons haven't won since October. They played the fewest games of any ACC team this season.Â
   |
|||||||
12-26-20 | Liberty v. Coastal Carolina UNDER 59.5 | Top | 37-34 | Loss | -107 | 16 h 0 m | Show |
What we have in this Cure Bowl matchup of Liberty versus Coastal Carolina is two strong defensive teams going against slow-tempo, run-oriented offenses. So I find this total excessively high.  Liberty gives up the seventh-fewest yards and 10th-fewest passing yards in the nation. The Flames have held their foes to an average of 19.2 points per game. Coastal Carolina has been even stingier limiting their opponents to just 18.7 points a game. The Chanticleers could take advantage of a rusty Liberty offense as the Flames last played back on Nov. 27 and that game was against the worst Division I team in college football, Massachusetts.  Both teams ranked among the bottom 30 in college football in terms of pace.Â
|
|||||||
12-24-20 | Hawaii +11.5 v. Houston | Top | 28-14 | Win | 100 | 25 h 41 m | Show |
This has been a college football season like no other. Houston certainly can attest to that. The Cougars had eight games postponed/canceled/rescheduled because of COVID-19. They have played just once since Nov. 14 -and that was a 30-27 loss to Memphis as 7-point road favorites.  Originally scheduled to be played in New Mexico, this bowl game is now being played in Frisco, Texas, which is near Dallas. Hawaii is excited to come to the mainland and play. It's only their second bowl game outside of Hawaii in 28 years. Houston isn't nearly as excited.   The Cougars could be down up to 20 players because of opt outs, COVID-19 issues and academic ineligibilities. Houston has been particularly hard hit on defense. Sacks leader Payton Turner, tackles leader Grant Stuard and linebacker Terrance Edgeston all are out.  Because of this the Cougars shouldn't be double-digit favorites.  I don't like the track record of Cougars coach Dana Holgorsen in bowl games. He's 0-6 ATS in his last six bowl games dating back to when he was coaching at West Virginia.  Hawaii is from the Mountain West Conference while Houston comes out of the American Athletic Conference. AAC teams went into Wednesday 0-2 in bowl games with Tulane losing as a short favorite to Nevada and Central Florida getting blown out by BYU. Note that Hawaii defeated Nevada, 24-21, on Nov. 28.  The Rainbow Warriors don't have the high-powered attack of past seasons. But neither does Houston. The Rainbow Warriors do have a balanced attack and haven't lost the turnover battle in their past five games.    |
|||||||
12-23-20 | Florida Atlantic +9.5 v. Memphis | Top | 10-25 | Loss | -116 | 13 h 54 m | Show |
I'll take these many points with a much superior Florida Atlantic defense against a Memphis squad that doesn't win bowl games, nor cover games.  Memphis has a potent offense. However, Florida Atlantic gives up the ninth-fewest points in the nation and ranks 17th in sacks. Only twice in eight games did the Owls surrender more than 24 points.  The Tigers failed to cover in any of the four games they were favored against Division I foes. They scored only 10 points versus Navy and 21 against Tulane in two of their past three games. Memphis has lost straight-up and failed to cover each of the last five years in its bowl games, too.  Florida Atlantic has a balanced attack. I don't think the gap is nearly this wide as the point spread indicates. It wouldn't surprise me if the Owls pulled an outright upset. Of Memphis' seven victories, five of them were by a combined eight points.   |
|||||||
12-22-20 | Tulane v. Nevada +2.5 | 27-38 | Win | 100 | 18 h 37 m | Show | |
This is a bad matchup for Tulane. The Green Wave of New Orleans are making a long journey into cold weather where the temperature is going to be in the 20's and the winds will be flapping at 15-25 mph.  Nevada is well familiar with the special blue turf and field conditions in Boise State's home stadium, site of the Potato Bowl.  The Wolf Pack have a monster passing edge with Carson Strong, the best quarterback in the Mountain West Conference. He led the conference in completions, completion percentage, TD's and passing yards. Strong has two all-conference receiving targets in wide receiver Romeo Doubs and tight end Cole Turner. The Wolf Pack also have all-conference placekicker Brandon Talton.  Tulane could be down three starting defensive linemen with two of its starters definitely ruled out. The Green Wave struggled against strong passing opponents. Central Florida put up 51 points on Tulane while Houston scored 49 points on the Green Wave.  The Green Wave are run-oriented, but that's Nevada's defensive strength. Tulane lost its up-and-coming offensive coordinator, Will Hall. He left to become head coach at Southern Mississippi.  Tulane's defensive coordinator was fired so the Green Wave are without both of their coordinators.Â
|
|||||||
12-21-20 | North Texas v. Appalachian State UNDER 68.5 | 28-56 | Loss | -110 | 3 h 58 m | Show | |
This total keeps getting pushed up higher. It's high enough now where I'm going to get involved in the Under.  Yes, Appalachian State is going to produce a lot of points with an offense that averages 31.8 points and is facing a weak North Texas defense. But it takes scoring from both teams to go above a total this big. I don't see North Texas contributing its share of points. The Mountaineers have held opponents to 19.3 points a game. They rank 12th in fewest yards allowed at 312 a game.  North Texas won't have its starting quarterback, Austin Aune, nor its most dynamic player, wide receiver Jaelon Darden, who set a school record with 19 TD catches this season.Â
|
|||||||
12-19-20 | Arizona State v. Oregon State +7 | 46-33 | Loss | -100 | 31 h 36 m | Show | |
Oregon State beat Arizona State at home last season and the Beavers can do it again this season even if their star running back, Jermar Jefferson, can't play because of an ankle injury. It's an added plus if Jefferson can play after suffering the injury last Saturday.  The Beavers and UCLA were the only two Pac-12 schools not to have their schedule and routine thrown out of whack because of COVID-19. Oregon State has played six games going 2-4. Note that all but one of those defeats came by six points or fewer.  Arizona State is 1-2. The Sun Devils are off a monster win against in-state and Pac-12 rival Arizona, 70-7, last week. That victory left the Sun Devils feeling very smug and satisfied. It puts them in a potential letdown spot.  Oregon State has been competitive all season. The Beavers are well-coached by Jonathan Smith. They have covered four of their last five games.
|
|||||||
12-19-20 | Arizona State v. Oregon State UNDER 55 | 46-33 | Loss | -110 | 21 h 6 m | Show | |
There are many reasons to like this total Under. A main one being weather. The forecast is a 100 percent chance of rain with wind in the 10-20 mph range.  Arizona State's offensive statistics are skewed from last week's 70-point performance against mistake-prone Arizona. The Sun Devils' offense isn't nearly that good and they are not up-tempo.  The Sun Devils hold opponents to 20 points a game, which is the best in the Pac-12. Oregon State is down two of their starting wide receivers, Trevon Bradford and Champ Flemings. The Beavers' star running back, Jermar Jefferson, is questionable with an ankle injury sustained last week. Oregon State figures to run the ball a lot with or without Jefferson.Â
|
|||||||
12-19-20 | Ole Miss -115 v. LSU | 48-53 | Loss | -115 | 24 h 1 m | Show | |
LSU had its signature victory upsetting Florida, 37-34, as a monster underdog last week. The Tigers were very fortunate to win that game since they were outgained by nearly 200 yards and gave up 8.9 yards per play while having just 4.9 yards per play.  The Tigers are in a huge letdown spot and have nothing to play for since they have a self-imposed bowl ban.  The Tigers will put up plenty of points, but I don't see them keeping up with Mississippi. The Rebels are averaging 39.8 points and rank third in the nation in total yards. LSU allows 33.4 points and is 127th in the country in total defense.  The Rebels will be the far fresher team having last played on Nov. 28. They have had plenty of time to study and prepare for this matchup and unlike LSU they are not in letdown spot. |
|||||||
12-18-20 | Nebraska v. Rutgers +6.5 | Top | 28-21 | Loss | -104 | 38 h 33 m | Show |
On the surface this game doesn't hold much interest. Nebraska is 2-5 enduring another disappointing season under Scott Frost. Rutgers is 3-5. But the game actually means something to Rutgers because the Scarlet Knights has never won more than three Big 10 games since joining the conference in 2014.  "This Nebraska game is everything," Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said.  Schiano has done a nice job with the Scarlet Knights. The game means more to them than the Cornhuskers. I also believe Rutgers is the better team.  Nebraska averages just 22.4 points. The Cornhuskers have been favored twice - and lost straight-up both times to Illinois and to Minnesota last week. Nebraska has had multiple turnovers in five of its seven games. Rutgers leads the Big 10 in tackles for losses.  Rutgers has defeated Michigan State, Purdue and Maryland. All of those wins came on the road, too.Â
|
|||||||
12-12-20 | San Diego State v. BYU UNDER 49.5 | 14-28 | Win | 100 | 66 h 14 m | Show | |
San Diego State completely shut down Zach Wilson and BYU's offense last season in a 13-3 home victory.  While I highly doubt the Aztecs hold the Cougars to three points this time, I do expect a low-scoring game with BYU struggling to solve San Diego State's defense again.  The Cougars were held 17 points in losing to Coastal Carolina this past Saturday. San Diego State has better defensive numbers than Coastal Carolina ranking eighth in scoring defense giving up 16.3 points and third in total defense holding foes to 269.1 yards. The Under is 9-1-1 in the Aztecs' last 11 road games.  Wilson draws a lot of media attention, but BYU has a strong defense allowing just 14.7 points per game. Only three teams give up fewer points per game. The Cougars are seventh in total defense allowing 299.9 yards per contest. The Aztecs are very weak offensively especially their passing attack, which ranks 119th.  San Diego State's game plan is to keep the clocking moving by running the ball and playing for field position trying to make sure BYU has long stretches to go.  |
|||||||
12-12-20 | Louisiana Tech +21.5 v. TCU | 10-52 | Loss | -108 | 53 h 51 m | Show | |
You can't blame TCU if it doesn't get excited about this matchup. The Horned Frogs are off a huge 29-22 home win against then 15th-ranked Oklahoma State last Saturday. This is their only nonconference matchup of the season.  Louisiana Tech is the much fresher team. The Bulldogs have played just once since November and that was last Friday when they defeated North Texas. 42-31, on the road.  The Bulldogs can score averaging just under 32 points per game. They are 27-11 ATS the past 38 times as a road 'dog. TCU has not shined as home chalk going 5-21 ATS the last 26 times as a home favorite.Â
|
|||||||
12-12-20 | Navy v. Army -7 | 0-15 | Win | 100 | 60 h 14 m | Show | |
Many key factors point to Army being the right side, including getting to host this annual rivalry. It's the first time since 1943 the teams aren't facing each other at a neutral site.  Along with home field advantage, Army is in much better current form than Navy. The Black Knights are 5-1 in their last six games. Navy has dropped four in a row.  These teams are all about running the football. Army exceeds, Navy doesn't. The Black Knights are the No. 3 rushing team in the country. They are No. 1 in rushing TD's with 31.Navy is 109th in run defense. Army ranks 23rd in run defense. The Black Knights have permitted only five rushing TD's. Navy still hasn't settled on a quarterback. The Midshipmen have produced just 13 points in their last two games against Memphis and Tulsa.Â
 |
|||||||
12-12-20 | Akron v. Buffalo UNDER 61.5 | 7-56 | Loss | -115 | 110 h 59 m | Show | |
At first glance this total may seem a little low considering Buffalo beat Kent State, 70-41, in its last game.  But Akron is an entirely different opponent. The Zips may not even score. That was the case in last year's game. Buffalo blanked them, 21-0. That total was just 48. Buffalo remains a power in the Mid-American Conference. Akron remains terrible. But this year's total is much higher. I don't think that's justified. Yes, Buffalo can name its score here. The Bulls are going to destroy Akron. But to what extent? The Zips are in the argument for worst offense in the country. They rank 120th in total yards and 114th in scoring averaging 19.2 points. Buffalo is holding foes to an average of 24.5 points - and that's after surrendering 41 to Kent State. The Bulls held Bowling Green to 17 points and Miami of Ohio to 10 in their previous two games.  Akron has been a huge Under team. The Under has cashed in 69 percent of its last 51 games. The last four in this series have gone Under. The weather forecast is calling for a 50 percent chance of rain with 12-15 mph winds. More ammunition to play Under. Â   |
|||||||
12-12-20 | Utah +1 v. Colorado | 38-21 | Win | 100 | 11 h 41 m | Show | |
Colorado is a surprising 4-0. But I don't expect to see the Buffaloes remaining unbeaten after this game. Their record is impressive, but their play hasn't been that stellar. Colorado also has caught some lucky breaks.  UCLA committed four turnovers against Colorado. Arizona was going with a freshman backup QB making his first start when it played the Buffaloes. Yet Colorado still needed a goal line stand to help hold off the Wildcats. San Diego State was riddled with injuries and had to play at Colorado on short notice and Stanford outscored the Buffaloes in the second half in losing by three points. I'm not impressed with Colorado QB Sam Noyer, who has a 4-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio. The Utes are better in the trenches, especially their run defense which holds foes to 3.6 yards per rush. Ty Jordan is one of the better freshmen running backs in the country and veteran transfer QB Jake Bentley has a strong arm. He can take advantage of Colorado's inconsistent defense.  |
|||||||
12-12-20 | Michigan State +15.5 v. Penn State | 24-39 | Win | 100 | 11 h 44 m | Show | |
Don't sleep on Michigan State in this Big Ten rivalry matchup. The Spartans were smashed, 52-12, by Ohio State last week. The Spartans weren't going to win that game even if their QB, Rocky Lombardi, didn't get knocked out.  But there is an overcorrection in the line for this game. Penn State isn't very good this season especially on offense. Michigan State still is worthy of respect. Let's not forget the Spartans own a blowout win against Michigan and a victory versus Big 10 West champion Northwestern. I'm fine if Payton Thorne is Michigan State's QB if Lombardi can't go. The Nittany Lions are 2-5. Their victories have come against Michigan and Rutgers. Penn State is averaging a meager 23 points in their last six games. Sean Clifford has endured a terrible season and the Nittany Lions have been without RB Noah Cain and TE Pat Freiermuth. The weapons haven't been there. Penn State has given up 23 sacks and turned the ball over 15 times in its seven games. Michigan State has seven sacks in its last two games.Â
    |
|||||||
12-10-20 | Pittsburgh v. Georgia Tech OVER 54.5 | 34-20 | Loss | -110 | 7 h 17 m | Show | |
Georgia Tech is giving up an average of 41.3 points during its last eight games. The Yellow Jackets are short-handed in the secondary and their defense is running on fumes as this marks their third game in 13 days. Yellow Jackets QB Jeff Sims, though, should be able to pass on Pittsburgh. Sims is a dual threat. He's rushed for 478 yards and thrown for 1,643. Pittsburgh is geared to stop the run. The Panthers rank 82nd in pass defense. The Over has cashed in each of the Panthers' last seven games. Look for that trend to continue here.
|
|||||||
12-05-20 | Indiana v. Wisconsin OVER 44.5 | 14-6 | Loss | -105 | 38 h 48 m | Show | |
No, this low total isn't weather-related. The oddsmaker is just giving too much respect to Wisconsin's defense and not enough to Indiana's offense.  Yes, the Hoosiers lost their star QB, Michael Penix Jr., for the season. But former Utah QB Jack Tuttle is one of the better backup QB's. He's a downfield passer with plenty of high-caliber receiving weapons and an excellent running back, Stevie Scott. The Hoosiers just rushed for 234 yards against Maryland in their last game.  Wisconsin's offense is much better than it looked against Northwestern two weeks ago. The Badgers were idle last week after their game was cancelled. The extra time is good for their banged-up receiving corps and gives them ample time and motivation to scheme against Indiana, whose defense heavily relies on turnovers.  Making the Badgers more dangerous than in previous years is the emergence of highly-touted freshman QB Graham Mertz. He could be Wisconsin's best QB since Russell Wilson.  Weather won't be a problem as the forecast is for a clear day with no wind and temperatures in the 30s.     |
|||||||
12-05-20 | Indiana v. Wisconsin -14 | Top | 14-6 | Loss | -110 | 76 h 13 m | Show |
The Badgers ended up having two weeks to stew after their upset loss to Northwestern since last week's game against Minnesota was cancelled. Wisconsin is 15-5 ATS following a bye for 75 percent.  Wisconsin catches a huge break in that Indiana lost its starting QB, Michael Penix, for the season due to a knee injury suffered last week against Maryland. The Hoosiers' strength was their passing attack. Their ground game had been disappointing until playing the Terps.  The Badgers give up the fewest yards in the nation. They also rank No. 2 in run defense. Only two teams allow fewer points per game than Wisconsin, which has held its opponents to an average of 11.7 per game. I don't see the Hoosiers being able to dent Wisconsin's defense with a backup QB and mediocre ground attack.  The Hoosiers have thrived on takeaways coming up with 18, including a nation-best 16 interceptions. Wisconsin is a ground-and-pound team, though, with its best quarterback prospect, Graham Mertz, in a long time. Mertz is back healthy and because of his passing skills, the Hooisers won't be able to stack the line, or play their safeties in the box to load up on the run.Â
 |
|||||||
12-05-20 | Tulsa v. Navy +12.5 | 19-6 | Loss | -104 | 13 h 58 m | Show | |
Tulsa struggles to win by margins with just one victory coming by more than eight points. I can see home 'dog Navy hanging in especially given the weather conditions in Annapolis. Rain and heavy winds, which could turn into gusts, have caused this total to be lowered. Points are more at a premium now. The bad weather is much better for Navy, too. The Midshipmen are heavily ground-oriented while Tulsa is a passing team operating from the spread.  Navy held high-powered Memphis to 10 points in its last game. Memphis averages 33 points on the season.  Tulsa is 0-5 lifetime against Navy in AAC league play. Navy beat the Golden Hurricane, 45-17, last season.  Navy does have Army on deck. That's one of college football's biggest rivalries. Still, Navy has plenty of incentive for this game. It's Senior Day with 26 Navy seniors playing in their final home game. The Midshipmen have won an extraordinary 17 straight games on their Senior Day.Â
|
|||||||
12-05-20 | Bowling Green v. Akron UNDER 57.5 | Top | 3-31 | Win | 100 | 77 h 35 m | Show |
Both teams are 0-4 and have terrible offenses.  Bowling Green ranks 126th in scoring averaging 13.5 points. The Falcons are 111th in yards gained. Akron isn't much better being 123th in scoring at 16.3. The Zips rank 120th in yards gained.  I don't like either of these team's QB's. Bowling Green QB Matt McDonald has a 1-to-6 TD-to-interception ratio. Zips QB Zack Gibson has a 3-to-5 TD-to-interception ratio. So I see this total as being too high.  Akron has a race chance to win. So the Zips are likely to feed the ball a lot to Teon Dollard, their one decent skill position player. A lot of running plays is going to eat clock.  The Under has cashed seven of the last eight times they've met. Â
|
|||||||
12-05-20 | Oklahoma State v. TCU UNDER 52 | 22-29 | Win | 100 | 9 h 24 m | Show | |
Short on personnel because of COVID 19, TCU coach Gary Patterson has made no secret about his game plan - run. The Horned Frogs want to shorten this game by playing ball control keeping Oklahoma State, with its bevy of star skill position players, off the field as much as possible.  The Horned Frogs, though, haven't proven they can effectively run the ball against better defenses. They've padded their status versus lower echelon Big 12 Conference foes.  The Cowboys have been dealing with injuries. Their star running back, Chuba Hubbard, is questionable with an ankle injury. TCU has held three of its past four opponents to 80 rushing yards.  Only once in the past 11 instances have the Cowboys gone Over the total in December. TCU has gone Under in eight of its last 10 December games.Â
 |
|||||||
12-03-20 | Louisiana Tech +2 v. North Texas | Top | 42-31 | Win | 100 | 11 h 22 m | Show |
Louisiana Tech currently is a slight road underdog to North Texas. But the Bulldogs shouldn't be. They have had four weeks to prepare and catch North Texas down in the dumps following a demoralizing 49-17 road loss to Texas San Antonio, probably the Mean Green's biggest Conference USA rival.  Louisiana Tech is a dangerous 4-3 team with two of its defeats coming to Top 15 teams Marshall and BYU and the other defeat coming to Texas San Antonio, 27-26. The Bulldogs haven't played in the last four weeks. But the rust factor is more than offset by being fresh, having good practices and deep preparation for North Texas. The Mean Green, on the other hand, are playing on just five day's rest.  Louisiana Tech is averaging better than 30 points per game and has some excellent skill position talent, including wide receiver Smoke Harris and running back Israel Tucker. They can take advantage of a Mean Green defense that ranks last in Conference USA in scoring defense giving up 41 points a game and also is at the bottom in rush defense and pass defense.  The Bulldogs buried North Texas, 52-17, last season.  North Texas has covered just four of its last 14 home contests and is a dreadful 1-11 ATS versus above .500 opponents.  |
|||||||
11-28-20 | Texas Tech v. Oklahoma State -10.5 | 44-50 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 41 m | Show | |
I want to fade a punchless Texas Tech offense against Oklahoma State, which is in a foul mood after getting blown out by rival Oklahoma last week. The Cowboys still harbor Big 12 title hopes, have many huge defensive edges and are much superior in the skill positions.  The Red Raiders have lost and failed to cover in all three of their road games, all versus Big 12 foes and all by double-digits. They are 2-5 in their last seven games.  Oklahoma State gives up nearly 18 fewer points per game than Texas Tech. The Red Raiders have only reached 400 yards once in their last five games. They aren't going to be able to hang close to Oklahoma State.
|
|||||||
11-28-20 | Kent State v. Buffalo -7 | 41-70 | Win | 100 | 10 h 47 m | Show | |
Both teams are 3-0. But Buffalo is the elite team of the Mid-American Conference. The Bulls are 9-1 going back to last season. Their lone loss? It came to Kent State on the road last season and it came in shocking fashion with the Bulls blowing a 21-point lead with eight minutes to play. The Golden Flashes came up with a recovered onside kick and blocked punt to set up that improbable victory.  The well-coached Bulls haven't forgotten.  Buffalo has excellent skill position talent in QB Kyle Van Treese and running back James Patterson, who is coming off a 301-yard rushing, 4-TD wipeout of Bowling Green. The Bulls won that game, 42-17, but didn't manage to cover the large point spread. They are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games, however. Buffalo also has a strong defense holding foes to 19 points per game, which rates 15th in the nation. Kent has been a nice story this season, but the unbeaten Golden Flashes have played an easy schedule. This includes wins against the two worst MAC teams, Bowling Green and Akron.  Buffalo is the stronger team and has monster revenge. Â  |
|||||||
11-27-20 | Notre Dame -4.5 v. North Carolina | Top | 31-17 | Win | 100 | 48 h 48 m | Show |
The Irish can't afford to slip up here in their hopes of reaching the national title game. And they shouldn't because they are much too balanced for North Carolina.  Both teams have outstanding offenses. But North Carolina is much more vulnerable on defense especially when stopping the run. The Tar Heels also come up with very few takeaways.  Notre Dame ranks fourth against the run and are in the top 11 in total defense and scoring defense - and that's after playing Clemson.  The Irish have scored 40 or more points in five of their eight games, while holding foes under 14 points five times. The Tar Heels can't match that. I don't see Sam Howell being so effective when the Irish take away North Carolina's ground attack.  The Irish have covered the last six times they've been favored by a touchdown or less.Â
|
|||||||
11-21-20 | Liberty v. NC State OVER 65 | 14-15 | Loss | -113 | 10 h 35 m | Show | |
Liberty has been a huge success story this season going 8-0. The Flames have scored at least 30 points in all but one game as Auburn transfer Malik Willis has been brilliant accounting for 24 TD's with his passing and running. I don't see North Carolina State slowing down Liberty's offense. The Wolfpack give up 33.9 points per game and rank 107th in pass defense.  NC State QB Bailey Hockman was impressive in helping the Wolfpack defeat Florida State, 38-22, last week. Hockman has played well in his first two starts. He's surrounded by excellent skill position talent. So the Wolfpack certainly are going to put up their share of points. They average nearly 34 points a game.Â
|
|||||||
11-21-20 | Florida International +7.5 v. Western Kentucky | Top | 21-38 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 19 m | Show |
Florida International's 0-4 record is a bit deceiving and Western Kentucky can't score. The Hilltoppers are near the bottom in college football in points and yards per game. They are averaging 11.6 points in their last six games and haven't scored more than 24 points in a game all season.  The Panthers nearly upset 21st-ranked Liberty, losing 36-34 on the road. They were impacted by COVID-19, but are coming out of that now. Western Kentucky hasn't won a game by more than 3 points all season.  The Hilltoppers are 5-17-1 ATS the past 23 times when laying points and have covered just 20 percent of their past 11 games going 2-8-1 ATS. Florida International, on the other hand, has covered 12 of the last 17 times it has been a 'dog.Â
|
|||||||
11-21-20 | Illinois v. Nebraska OVER 58.5 | 41-23 | Win | 100 | 10 h 54 m | Show | |
Lovie Smith is one of my least favorite college coaches. But he has skill position talent with Isaiah Williams and Chase Brown. Mike Epstein is a reliable running back, too. The Illini ran for 337 yards against Rutgers last week. Nebraska's defense ranks 97th in run defense.  The Cornhuskers are better offensively than they've shown. They've had the misfortune of opening against Ohio State and Northwestern, who have two of the best defenses in the Big 10.  There were 80 points scored in last year's game between the two teams and 89 points produced when the teams met two years ago.  Weather shouldn't be a problem with the forecast calling for temperatures in the 40's, 20 percent chance of rain and nine mile per hour wind.Â
 |
|||||||
11-20-20 | Syracuse +20 v. Louisville | Top | 0-30 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 6 m | Show |
I'll take nearly 3 TD's against a Louisville team that is 2-6 and has lost six of its last seven games. The Cardinals are without their star running back Javian Hawkins, who opted out of the season, and could be minus their star wide receiver, Tutu Atwell, too. He's questionable due to injury.  Syracuse isn't good either. But the Orange will be at full strength for the first time in a month. That will aid their rotation depth. They also are off a bye, which will help freshman QB JaCobian Morgan. Syracuse hung in against Boston College in its last game, losing 16-13 as 14 1/2-point 'dogs. Morgan was 19-of-30 for 188 yards and a TD in that game.  If there's one thing Syracuse does well it is come up with takeaways forcing 17. That ranks second nationally. Louisville, by contrast, has committed 18 turnovers. Only three teams have lost the ball more. Â
|
|||||||
11-18-20 | Western Michigan v. Central Michigan -121 | Top | 52-44 | Loss | -121 | 42 h 55 m | Show |
Spot, double-revenge and superior defense are factors all in Central Michigan's favor. Western Michigan hasn't faced a defense this good yet. It should all add up to a victory for the home Chippewas.  Central Michigan has covered seven of its last eight home games, while the Broncos are 2-7 ATS in their past nine away matchups.  Western Michigan is in a prime letdown spot after the Broncos pulled off a dramatic and highly improbable 41-38 home victory against Toledo last week. The Broncos scored two TD's in the final 45 seconds to achieve the near-impossible. They recovered an on-side kick to set up the final touchdown, which came with 17 seconds left.  Western Michigan's statistics are skewed by getting to play pathetic Akron. Central Michigan has wins against Ohio and Northern Illinois in its two games.  The Chippewas have double revenge and should be highly motivated.Â
|
|||||||
11-14-20 | Oregon v. Washington State UNDER 58.5 | 43-29 | Loss | -109 | 124 h 35 m | Show | |
Oregon served notice that it could have the most defensive talent in the Pac-12 holding Stanford to 14 points last week.  Washington State isn't the up-tempo, throw at will team it was under Mike Leach. The Cougars run far more and play at a slower pace. This is a different type of Cougars team and I expect them to have trouble against Oregon's defense.  The early weather forecast is for heavy winds, too.Â
 |
|||||||
11-14-20 | Arkansas +18 v. Florida | 35-63 | Loss | -110 | 62 h 15 m | Show | |
Florida is vulnerable this week. The Gators are coming off a huge victory against Georgia and taking on a much improved and opportunistic Arkansas squad.  The Gators halted a three-game losing streak to Georgia with a 44-28 victory last week. It's going to be difficult for Florida to get up for the Razorbacks.  The well-coached Razorbacks have been underdogs in each of their six games this season. They have covered every time, including posting three straight-up wins.  Florida QB Kyle Trask is having a huge season. Arkansas, though, has a tremendous pass defense. Only once have the Razorbacks yielded 300 passing yards. Arkansas has picked off 12 passes and is plus 8 in turnover margin. Florida has turned the ball over at least once every game.  Feleipe Franks was Florida's QB before coming to Arkansas. Franks has been solid, connecting on 67 percent of his throws with 14 TD's. He certainly won't lack motivation going against his former team.     |
|||||||
11-14-20 | Baylor +1 v. Texas Tech | 23-24 | Push | 0 | 36 h 12 m | Show | |
Baylor has found a team it can beat - Texas Tech. The Bears have the much superior defense and Texas Tech is the one team they can run on. The Red Raiders are surrendering 40.1 points per game and rank 107th in yards allowed per game. Their defense is the worst in the Big 12. The Bears rank third in the Big 12 in pass defense. Texas Tech hasn't had a 300-yard passing game in its last five games. The Red Raiders have scored 21 or fewer points in three of their last five games.Â
|
|||||||
11-14-20 | Notre Dame v. Boston College +14 | Top | 45-31 | Push | 0 | 106 h 5 m | Show |
This is the mother of all letdown spots for Notre Dame and I'm going to take advantage of it by grabbing two TD's with home underdog Boston College. The Irish are still celebrating Brian Kelly's first win against a top-five program with their 47-40 double overtime win against Clemson this past Saturday.  Boston College is good enough to pull the outright upset. The Eagles lost by just six points on the road to Clemson. They have been a tremendous underdog going 19-7-1 ATS the past 27 times in that role, including covering the past five times at home.  BC coach Jeff Hafley has improved the Eagles defense making it respectable, while Notre Dame transfer QB Phil Jurkovec has a big arm, is athletic and can run. The Eagles aren't lacking in skill position talent with Jurkovec, Zay Flowers, David Bailey and Hunter Long.  Boston College is going to treat this game like a Holy War taking the matchup much more serious than Notre Dame.Â
|
|||||||
11-14-20 | Penn State -3 v. Nebraska | 23-30 | Loss | -110 | 33 h 58 m | Show | |
Something has to give between these two winless and disappointing Big Ten teams. Penn State hasn't had a losing season since 2004. The Nittany Lions have suffered two of their losses to much-improved Indiana and powerful Ohio State. They are more talented than Nebraska. Sean Clifford is one of the better QB's in the Big 10 and Penn State's run defense and pass rush have been there. The team has been hurt by turnovers.  Nebraska has managed only 30 points in its losses to Ohio State and Northwestern. QB Adrian Martinez keeps sadly regressing. The Cornhuskers lack a downfield passing game and their running attack isn't strong enough to offset that.  The Cornhuskers have failed to cover in 9 of their last 11 (18 percent) Big Ten games and are 6-18-2 ATS in their past 26 home games.
|
|||||||
11-13-20 | Iowa v. Minnesota +3.5 | Top | 35-7 | Loss | -103 | 18 h 41 m | Show |
I trust Minnesota's offense. The Gophers have outstanding skill position talent with Mohamed Ibrahim, who leads the Big Ten in rushing, Rashod Bateman - who is in the argument for being the best wide receiver in the Big Ten - and QB Tanner Morgan. Minnesota has produced 85 points in its last two games, both on the road against Maryland and Illinois.  Now the Gophers get Iowa at home in a major rivalry matchup with the Floyd of Rosedale Trophy at stake. Personally, I feel the loser of this game should own the hardware since it's a trophy of a pig. But these teams really care about owning the trophy.  Iowa is coming off a 49-7 blowout of Michigan State. But I don't trust Iowa's offense the way I do Minnesota's. Michigan State is down this season. Minnesota's defense can handle Iowa QB Spencer Petras, who is completing just 54 percent and has a 2-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio.  Petras isn't a running threat like other QB's Minnesota has faced and had trouble containing. He's also not an accurate enough passer to keep up with the Gophers' high-powered attack.Â
|
|||||||
11-11-20 | Toledo +3 v. Western Michigan | Top | 38-41 | Push | 0 | 17 h 21 m | Show |
Both Toledo and Western Michigan looked great in its opening-week Mid-American Conference victories last week. But I'm not putting much stock into those wins because they were layups against horrible opponents, Bowling Green for Toledo and Akron for Western Michigan.  What I am putting stock in is Toledo's recent history against Western Michigan, the Broncos holding less of a home field advantage than perceived and Rockets' redemption from last year's disappointing season.  The Rockets finished 6-6 last season, their worst mark since 2009. They weren't invited to a bowl game. I'm expecting that to change this season. The Rockets have a healthy QB in Eli Peters and a pair of quality senior running backs, Bryant Koback and Shakif Seymour. Toledo has experience in the defensive line and secondary. I like the Rockets' talent on both sides of the ball.  Western Michigan had to replace its starting QB and also lost MAC Offensive Player of the Year running back LeVante Bellamy.  The Broncos haven't been able to beat the Rockets since PJ Fleck left for Minnesota. Toledo has won the last three in the series, including 27-point victories each of the last two years. Western Michigan is tough at Waldo Stadium, but no public attendance is allowed for the game. The Broncos were fortunate to play many weak teams at home last season. That's not the case here.     |
|||||||
11-10-20 | Miami-OH v. Buffalo -9.5 | Top | 10-42 | Win | 100 | 16 h 45 m | Show |
I believe Buffalo is the best team in the MId-American Conference and the Bulls did nothing to dispel that notion rolling past Northern Illinois, 49-30, during the MAC's opening week.  The Bulls are very well-coached under Lance Leipold. They've been hot since the middle of last season covering eight of their last nine games. They also have covered 77 percent of their past 22 home games.  Miami of Ohio has high expectations, too. But the Redhawks were fortunate to get past Ball State, 38-31, at home last week scoring the game-winning TD with 10 seconds left following a Ball State turnover.  The Redhawks could be without their starting QB, Brett Gabbert. He's questionable after suffering a head injury against Ball State. Sophomore AJ Mayer replaced Gabbert and played well. However, Mayer, who did not throw a pass last year, would be on the road and meeting a far stronger defense. The Bulls also have film on him now.  I don't see MIami of Ohio slowing down the Bulls' strong ground attack, nor being able to put up enough points to stay within double-digits.     |
|||||||
11-07-20 | New Mexico v. Hawaii OVER 61 | 33-39 | Win | 100 | 120 h 53 m | Show | |
New Mexico has played just once this season, losing 38-21 to San Jose State. The Lobos are hurting defensively having lost their top four tacklers from last season. Their offense, though, has potential. New coach Danny Gonzalez is running an up-tempo spread offense. The Lobos did play fast against San Jose State.  Hawaii plays at a quick pace, too, under Todd Graham. This is the Rainbow Warriors' first home game. Their offense drops way down in class meeting New Mexico after having a tough time at Wyoming last week. Wyoming ranks 25th in the country in scoring defense.Â
|
|||||||
11-07-20 | Washington State v. Oregon State -129 | 38-28 | Loss | -129 | 31 h 45 m | Show | |
Oregon State should make some noise this year in the Pac-12 in Jonathan Smith's third season as head coach. The Beavers went 8-3-1 ATS last season.  The Beavers return nine defensive starters and are optimistic this could be their best defense during the past decade. Jemar Jefferson provides Oregon State with one of the top running backs in the Pac-12. The Beavers have an experienced offensive line and are high on Nebraska QB transfer Tristan Gebbia. He has a solid receiving group to throw to.  The Mike Leach era has ended at Washington State. The Cougars have a new coaching staff under Nick Rolovich and new schemes on each side of the ball. It's going to be difficult for the Cougars to get comfortable early due to COVID disrupting their training camp. They don't have an experienced starting QB either as true freshman Jayden de Laura is expected to start. Washington State has only six returning starters on offense. |
|||||||
11-07-20 | South Alabama v. Coastal Carolina UNDER 54.5 | 6-23 | Win | 100 | 117 h 49 m | Show | |
Coastal Carolina's defense is for real. The Chanticleers have given up 13.6 points during their last three games. Coastal Carolina has 20 sacks on the season and eight interceptions. The Chanticleers' defensive front should dominate the line of scrimmage against South Alabama.  The Jaguars are giving up 19.3 points during their last three games, all of which have gone Under.  Neither team plays fast. Both are geared toward ground attacks, which keeps the clock moving.Â
|
|||||||
11-07-20 | Rutgers +39 v. Ohio State | 27-49 | Win | 100 | 17 h 55 m | Show | |
The combination of Rutugers' improvement under Greg Schiano and an Ohio State letdown puts me on the Scarlet Knights getting this many points. Rutgers knocked off Michigan State, 38-27, opening week and hung tough in a 37-21 loss to then No. 17 ranked Indiana in its two games. The Knights' win against the Spartans is made even more impressive after Michigan State defeated Michigan last Saturday.  The Buckeyes could be in letdown mode after defeating then 18th-ranked Penn State, 38-25, last week. Ohio State loses some of its home field advantage as just 1,600 people will be allowed into 100,000-seat Ohio Stadium.  Even if Ohio State builds up a huge early lead there may be a reluctance to humiliate Schiano, who was the Buckeyes' associate head coach and defensive coordinator from 2016-18.Â
|
|||||||
11-07-20 | Tulane v. East Carolina OVER 61.5 | Top | 38-21 | Loss | -109 | 21 h 17 m | Show |
These two teams are a combined 9-2-1 (82 percent) to the Over this season. It's not a surprise as both have strong offenses and weak defenses.  East Carolina has Holton Ahlers, one of the better QB's in the country, back after he missed a game because of COVID-19 protocols. Ahlers should have a big game versus the Green Wave, who rank 100th in pass defense. Ahlers is aided by freshman running back Jahjai Harris, who has put together three straight 100-yard rushing games.  Tulane had allowed an average of 45.6 points and 582 yards during its last three games, until facing Temple last week. The Owls were missing their starting QB Anthony Russo. The Green Wave is averaging 36.3 points and is the 13th-best rushing team in the nation. Freshman QB Michael Pratt has shown continued improvement. He's accounted for 14 TD's during the last four games. East Carolina surrenders an average of 37 points per game. |
|||||||
11-06-20 | San Jose State v. San Diego State -9 | Top | 28-17 | Loss | -106 | 42 h 47 m | Show |
I like the job Brent Brennan has done and is doing at San Jose State. The Spartans aren't a joke anymore. But they aren't good enough to stay within double-digits on the road against San Diego State.  This is the 2-0 Spartans' first road game. They face the premier defense in the Mountain West Conference. San Diego State also is 2-0 beating UNLV and Utah State by a combined margin of 72-13. The Aztecs held those two foes to a combined 6.5 points and 200 total yards of offense.  I don't see San Jose State QB Nick Starkel - who is the Ryan Fitzpatrick of college football with his journeyman background - getting the better of the Aztecs defense. Starkel has played at Arkansas, Texas A&M and Texas.  The Spartans can't match the Aztecs on defense. The Aztecs have an excellent running back, Greg Bell, and a balanced offense.  |
|||||||
11-04-20 | Buffalo -10 v. Northern Illinois | Top | 49-30 | Win | 100 | 56 h 45 m | Show |
Buffalo is favored to capture the Mid-American Conference, which kicks off their abbreviated season Wednesday. The Bulls' opponent is Northern Illinois, which was picked last in both the MAC Coaches Poll and Media Poll.  Closely examining this matchup, it's apparent oddsmakers opened this line too short.  Buffalo hasn't lost in more than a year. The Bulls' 2019 season culminated with a 31-9 blowout victory against Charlotte in the Bahamas Bowl. The Bulls held five of their last six foes to three touchdowns or fewer. The Bulls held opponents to less than three yards per run last season. Northern Illinois lacks an explosive offense and has a weak defense. The Huskies are extremely young, too, with 67 percent of their roster being freshmen. Buffalo has multiple good running backs and a strong offensive line. The Bears have the experience and talent gap to easily cover this margin.Â
|
|||||||
10-31-20 | Arkansas v. Texas A&M UNDER 54.5 | 31-42 | Loss | -105 | 37 h 12 m | Show | |
Sam Pittman is doing an outstanding job with Arkansas' defense. The Razorbacks are giving up 25.5 points a game and lead the SEC with 10 interceptions.  Texas A&M gives up the third-fewest yards in the SEC.  Neither team is explosive or plays fast. I'm not fond of either team's QB. Both are mediocre.  The Under has cashed in nine of the Razorbacks' last 12 road games.Â
|
|||||||
10-31-20 | Notre Dame v. Georgia Tech OVER 58.5 | 31-13 | Loss | -105 | 18 h 4 m | Show | |
Fresh off having a huge game in putting up 45 points against Pittsburgh last Saturday, Notre Dame QB Ian Book gets to face a Georgia Tech defense yielding 41.2 points and nearly 480 yards per game. The Yellow Jackets lack a good pass rush. Look for Book to produce another big performance against a Georgia Tech team allowing 60.5 points in its last two games.  It has been years, but Georgia Tech finally has a passing game of its own. Freshman QB Jeff Sims has thrown for 1,196 yards and 8 TD's while also rushing for 275 yards and scoring 4 TD's on the ground.  The Over has cashed in the Yellow Jackets' last five home contests.Â
|
|||||||
10-31-20 | TCU v. Baylor UNDER 48 | Top | 33-23 | Loss | -109 | 34 h 35 m | Show |
Both TCU and Baylor have struggling offenses while also playing at a slow pace.  TCU QB Max Duggan has been sacked nine times, while Baylor QB Charlie Brewer has shown major regression.  These teams are about defense. Bears coach Dave Aranda is a top-notch defensive guru. He inherited lots of defensive talent from Matt Rhule.  The Horned Frogs have put up 14 points each of the last two weeks against Kansas State and Oklahoma. The Bears are averaging 15 points in regulation during their last two games facing West Virginia and Texas.
|
|||||||
10-31-20 | Northwestern v. Iowa OVER 45.5 | 21-20 | Loss | -110 | 79 h 32 m | Show | |
Northwestern's offense came out extremely sharp in its opener this past Saturday producing 43 points and 517 yards against Maryland.  Yes, Iowa's defense presents far more of a challenge. But the Wildcats' offense is much improved from a year ago with Indiana transfer Patrick Ramsey at QB. Ramsey has a pair of good running backs in Drake Anderson and Isaiah Bowser. Ramsey completed passes to seven different receivers. The Wildcats also have one of the better kickers in the Big Ten with Charlie Kuhbander.  Iowa gave up 24 points to Purdue in a 24-20 opening-week loss to the Boilermakers last Saturday. Purdue played without its superstar wide receiver, Rondale Moore. Yet the Hawkeyes still struggled on pass defense. The Hawkeyes have a good running back, too, in Tyler Goodson. Iowa's new QB, Spencer Petras, flashed at times. He connected with eight different receivers. Both teams can move the ball on the ground. Ramsey and Petras are good enough passers to be able to take advantage of this by picking their spots and doing well off play-action.Â
|
|||||||
10-31-20 | Northwestern v. Iowa -129 | 21-20 | Loss | -129 | 49 h 13 m | Show | |
It comes down to this: I believe Iowa is superior to Northwestern. But the line is short here because Iowa wasn't sharp in an opening-week loss to Purdue while Northwestern crushed Maryland. Now the Wildcats are stepping way up in class here and they're doing it in Iowa City.  Iowa's new QB Spencer Petras is going to get better. The Hawkeyees were breaking in a lot of new faces at Purdue. Iowa has the best running back in Tyler Goodson and their defense will prove far more challenging for Northwestern than Maryland's did.Â
|
|||||||
10-30-20 | Minnesota -19 v. Maryland | Top | 44-45 | Loss | -112 | 58 h 53 m | Show |
So much for any Maryland improvement this year. The Terps were crushed 43-3 in their opening game last Saturday. No, it wasn't by any of the Big Ten powers. That 40-point loss came to Northwestern!  Minnesota is a better team than the Wildcats.  Maryland surrendered 325 yards rushing to Northwestern. Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim is superior to any of the Wildcat running backs. The Gophers have a huge edge in the passing game with QB Tanner Morgan and Rashod Bateman, who could be the best wide receiver in the Big Ten.  The Gophers were hoping to defeat Michigan in their opener last Saturday. Didn't happen because the Wolverines had too many edges in the trenches. That won't be the case for the Gophers against this foe.  Minnesota should control the line of scrimmage and its skill people are dangerous enough to make this game more of a blowout than the oddsmaker envisions.  The Terps need their offense to at least be competitive. It wasn't against Northwestern generating just an early field goal. Taulia Tagovailoa didn't resemble his brother Tua at all. He was a major disappointment. He ended up getting yanked after throwing three interceptions. I have zero confidence that Maryland coach Mike Locksley can fix things, especially in such a short period of a time.      |
|||||||
10-29-20 | South Alabama v. Georgia Southern UNDER 51.5 | 17-24 | Win | 100 | 39 h 3 m | Show | |
If you think about Sun Belt Conference football - which is totally not a given - you envision up-tempo, high-scoring games.  That's not going to be the case in this Thursday matchup between South Alabama and Georgia Southern.  The run-option Eagles of Georgia Southern are one of the slowest-paced teams in the country. Eagles QB Shai Werts is a much better runner than thrower. Georgia Southern averages just 114 passing yards a game.  South Alabama doesn't play fast either. Both team's defenses are respectable. The Jaguars give up 24.8 points per contest, while Georgia Southern allows 22.8.  The Jaguars held their last two opponents, Texas State and UL-Monroe, to a combined average of 17 points. If you discount a 41-0 win against UMass, the worst team in the FBS, Georgia Southern is averaging 23.7 points in its four other games.  The Eagles have a solid secondary that should be able to contain South Alabama's improved passing attack. Â
|
|||||||
10-24-20 | Wyoming v. Nevada OVER 49.5 | 34-37 | Win | 100 | 111 h 24 m | Show | |
The offenses are in place to produce a strong scoring game that exceeds this total.  Both teams have excellent running backs, promising quarterbacks and returning offensive linemen.  Nevada has all five of its starting offensive linemen back along with its two leading wide receivers and three-year starting running back, Toa Taua. Wolf Pack sophomore QB Carson Strong came on last year to throw for 1,359 yards and eight TD's during the second half of the season. He concluded 2019 by setting a school bowl record by throwing for 402 yards and completing 31 passes against Ohio in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Taua and Devonte Lee combined for 13 rushing TD's last season.  Wyoming returns nearly all of its first and second-string offensive linemen. The Cowboys have a very good running back in All-Mountain West Conference Xazavian Valladay. He ran for 1,265 yard last season.  Sophomore QB Sean Chambers was Wyoming's No. 2 rusher last year. He accounted for 10 TD's. Chambers accomplished this even though he was knocked out for the year with a knee injury in Game 8. He's healthy now and should be able to take advantage of the Wolf Pack breaking in a new defensive scheme with a new defensive coordinator, Brian Ward.  The Wolf Pack gave up the third-most points in the conference last season. It's going to take time for the Wolf Pack to learn this new defense, which features multiple looks. Complicating things even more for Nevada's defensive players is the lack of off-season and practice time. Â
  |
|||||||
10-24-20 | Penn State v. Indiana +6.5 | 35-36 | Win | 100 | 24 h 15 m | Show | |
Don't be shocked if Indiana pulls off the outright upset with a straight-up victory. Penn State lost many key players and Indiana returns a lot.  The Nittany Lions are down their best player on offense and top defensive player. Running back Journey Brown is likely out for the season with a medical condition, while star linebacker MIcah Parson opted out of the season.  The Hoosiers turned the corner last year going 8-5, their best record in 27 years. Indiana QB Michael Penix Jr. is as talented as Penn State QB Sean Clifford. The Hoosiers have outstanding skill position talent with running back Steve Scott, wideout Whop Philyor and tight end Peyton Hendershot. Indiana also returns eight defensive starts, including leading tackler LB Micah McFadden.  Penn State defeated Indiana, 34-27, at home last year. Penix missed that game with an injury.Â
|
|||||||
10-24-20 | Baylor v. Texas UNDER 62 | Top | 16-27 | Win | 100 | 108 h 7 m | Show |
The total is set too high here. Baylor has a strong defense and is coached by defensive guru Dave Aranda. The Bears have played only two games, one of which went into overtime.  Texas' statistics are skewed, too, because of a four-overtime game versus Oklahoma that finished with the Sooners winning, 53-45.  Both teams should have plenty of energy. The Bears have been idle for two weeks. Texas didn't play last week. The Longhorns used their bye to emphasize running the ball better and stopping the run. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger is the Longhorns' leading rusher.Â
|
|||||||
10-23-20 | UL-Lafayette v. UAB +3 | Top | 24-20 | Loss | -105 | 18 h 51 m | Show |
Louisiana Lafayette is 0-5 ATS the past five times it has been favored. I don't see that changing in this matchup. Alabama-Birmingham has the better rushing attack with Spencer Brown, the superior defense and is home.  UAB has covered 72 percent of its past 26 home games.  The Ragin' Cajuns have an up-tempo attack. They play fast and can run the ball well, too. But I like the Blazers ability to maintain ball-control and win the time of possession battle pounding away with Brown.  The Blazers have rushed for more than 200 yards in three of their five games, while going 4-1. Brown has run for 472 yards with six TD's. UAB's offensive line, which has four returning starters, has permitted only three sacks. Lafayette surrendered 212 rushing yards in a 30-27 upset loss to Coastal Carolina in its last game.  |
|||||||
10-17-20 | Texas A&M v. Mississippi State OVER 54 | 28-14 | Loss | -115 | 27 h 58 m | Show | |
Don't be fooled by Mississippi State scoring just two points against Kentucky last week. The Bulldogs were done in by six interceptions. Say what you will about Mike Leach, but he is resourceful and innovative with his passing schemes.  Texas A&M gave up 435 passing yards to Alabama and 312 passing yards to Florida during its last two games.The Aggies surrendered an average of 45 points during those two matchups. I see Mississippi State scoring big like it did against LSU when it produced 44 points.Â
  The Aggies rank 20th in the nation in total yards. They are coming off a 41-point performance against Florida. Mississippi State's defense is stepping up in class after having faced Kentucky and Arkansas in its last two games.   |
|||||||
10-17-20 | UMass v. Georgia Southern -31 | 0-41 | Win | 100 | 26 h 17 m | Show | |
UMass probably was doing college football a favor by electing to cancel its season. The Minutemen would not be missed. They are terrible.  However, UMass decided to opt back in. That was just three weeks ago. You can imagine how little preparation time the Minutemen have. This game wasn't even scheduled until Oct. 8. Georgia Southern had a hole in its schedule because coronavirus forced postponement of their original opponent, far-stronger Appalachian State.  So Georgia Southern won't lose a beat. The Eagles already have played three games. UMass barely has a depth chart. The Minutemen are likely to go with Mike Fallon at QB. He's thrown for 40 years during his four years with the program.  Georgia Southern should bury UMass with its triple-option attack. The Eagles are the fourth-highest rushing team in the country. UMass played Army last season. That was the one foe that also ran a triple-option offense. Army buried the Minutemen, 63-7.Â
|
|||||||
10-17-20 | Central Florida -2.5 v. Memphis | Top | 49-50 | Loss | -109 | 25 h 53 m | Show |
Central Florida has had two weeks to stew and think about its previous game - a home game the Knights lost straight-up to Tulsa as three-touchdown favorites.  The ramifications of that stunning loss are two-fold: The Knights should come out extremely fired-up and ready. They also have discount value as the marketplace has knocked them down to being less than a field goal favorite.  Central Florida is better than Memphis. But that loss to Tulsa hurt the Knights' prestige. They'll look to gain it back here against a foe they are 13-1 lifetime against with 13 straight victories. The teams didn't meet last year, but Central Florida beat the Tigers a combined four times during the 2017 and 2018 seasons.  UCF has too much speed and skill position talent for the Tigers to handle. Knights sophomore QB Dillon Garbriel is one of the more underrated players in the country. Memphis is down from previous seasons because of coaching upheaval and lost talent. The Tigers don't have the defense to keep UCF in check, nor enough offense to keep up with the Knights.  The Tigers' home field advantage is reduced, too, because only around 10,000 fans will be allowed into the 61,008-set Liberty Bowl due to COVID-19 restrictions. |
|||||||
10-17-20 | Duke v. NC State OVER 58.5 | 20-31 | Loss | -110 | 19 h 50 m | Show | |
Thanks to improved offensive line play, Duke's offense is coming on. The Blue Devils scored 31 points versus Virginia Tech two weeks ago and lit up Syracuse for 38 points, 36 first downs and 645 yards this past Saturday. Deon Jackson and Mataeo Durant each ran for more than 160 yards in that game for Duke.  North Carolina State has gone Over in each of its four games. That's not a surprise considering the Wolfpack average 34.3 points a game while giving up exactly 34.3 points per game. The Blue Devils allow 30.6 points a game.  These teams are explosive and up-tempo. I expect each team to hit 30 points again.Â
|
|||||||
10-17-20 | Louisville v. Notre Dame UNDER 64 | 7-12 | Win | 100 | 50 h 41 m | Show | |
Only 7 teams allow fewer points than Notre Dame. But the biggest handicap to the Under is bad weather in the forecast. Heavy winds are being forecast for this matchup in South Bend. There could be gusts in the 30-35 mph range. Neither team plays at a fast pace either. So there should be lots of running due to the weather conditions. |
|||||||
10-16-20 | SMU v. Tulane UNDER 65 | Top | 37-34 | Loss | -114 | 38 h 34 m | Show |
Both teams have suffered key skill position injuries. SMU has lost its best wide receiver, Reggie Roberson, and top running back, TJ McDaniel, for the season.  Tulane is down its best running back, Tyjae Spears, for the year. The Green Wave also suffered two starting offensive line injuries to left tackle Joey Claybrook and right guard Josh Remetich last week. Both are questionable this week. Claybrook is a key because true freshman quarterback Michael Pratt has made just one start. He didn't produce good numbers in his first start against Houston last week.  SMU has held its four opponents to an average of 23.3 points. SMU kept Memphis, which ranks eighth in the nation in yards, to 27 points in its last game.  A key here is Tulane's defense is overdue to play better. The Green Wave start seven seniors and four juniors on defense. They had their entire defensive front four return, including Patrick Johnson and Cameron Sample. Defense was supposed to be a strength. Instead the Green Wave have surrendered 31 points and 395.2 yards a game. Improvement should come.Â
|
|||||||
10-15-20 | Georgia State v. Arkansas State -3 | Top | 52-59 | Win | 100 | 17 h 40 m | Show |
Oddsmakers are projecting another Sun Belt Conference shootout in this matchup. We do have two good offenses going here. But Arkansas State has better defensive players and its defense has gotten healthier. Defensive lineman Forrest Merrill is a pro prospect and linebacker Justin Rice won Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week honors last week. Arkansas State is holding foes to 3.6 yards rushing.  The Red Wolves have played four games this season, including the past two weeks. Georgia State only has played twice. The Panthers were idle last week. So Arkansas State should be the more in sync team. Arkansas State has a strong home field advantage. The Red Wolves have been above .500 at Centennial Bank Stadium during each of the last 15 years. They are 44-10 in their last 54 home games. They also are 16-5 during their last 21 midweek games.  Centennial Bank Stadium holds around 31,000. There will be seating for 12,000, which would give the Red Wolves about 40 percent fan capacity.  Georgia State is 2-10-2 ATS in its last 14 away contests. Arkansas State has covered in four of its last five home games. The Red Wolves have revenge for a 52-38 road loss to Georgia State last year. Arkansas State had won the previous six meetings.  Georgia State is breaking in a new quarterback. The Panthers have committed five turnovers in their two games. That's a red flag and another reason why I like Arkansas State to get the cover.  .  |
|||||||
10-10-20 | Charlotte v. North Texas +3 | 49-21 | Loss | -110 | 16 h 52 m | Show | |
North Texas is averaging 41 points a game. The Mean Green has scored 31 or more points in each of their three games.  However, the Mean Green are surrendering 45.7 points. Their defense should look much better this week getting back linebacker Tyreke Davis and facing a weak Charlotte offense that averages just 18.5 points per game.  I expect North Texas' offense to continue humming if not being even better with the decision to start Austin Aune at quarterback. He threw for 339 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-31 loss to Southern Mississippi last week. If North Texas would have played a clean game it likely would have won. But the Mean Green lost three fumbles. I see them playing better this week. They have a far superior offense and their defense draws a weak offense.Â
|
|||||||
10-10-20 | Kansas State +9 v. TCU | Top | 21-14 | Win | 100 | 25 h 31 m | Show |
Gary Patterson is a good coach, but not when it comes to covering the spread as a home favorite. TCU stunningly has failed to accomplish that 21 of the past 27 (22 percent) times in that role. I don't see the Horned Frogs changing that trend in this matchup.  TCU has a young team and is off a huge road victory against Texas as a double-digit 'dog. So a letdown is very possible.  Kansas State is 6-1 ATS the past seven times as a road 'dog. The Wildcats have shown they are an underrated team upsetting Texas Tech and Oklahoma during their last two games.  The line is too high here. This could be a reaction to K-State QB Skylar Thompson getting injured last week. Thompson could be ready to go here. Even if he isn't, though, I'm fine with backup QB Will Howard, who threw for 173 yards against Texas Tech after replacing Thompson.  The Wildcats have an intriguing weapon in 5-foot-5, 168-pound fresham all-purpose back Deuce Vaughn. He's the only player in the Big 12 to lead his team in rushing and receiving and is the only player in the country to have both 200 rushing and receiving yards.  Some of the Horned Frogs' home field edge is reduced because of limited capacity. Only 12,000 spectators will be allowed into 46,000 Amon Carter Stadium because of the pandemic. Â   |
|||||||
10-10-20 | Arkansas v. Auburn -13.5 | Top | 28-30 | Loss | -110 | 25 h 39 m | Show |
Congrats to Arkansas' first-year head coach Sam Pittman in the Razorbacks upsetting then-No. 16 Mississippi State, 21-14, as 16 1/2-point road 'dogs last week. That was the Razorbacks' first SEC win following 20 straight conference losses.  Don't expect the Razorbacks to make it two straight SEC victories. Not only do the Razorbacks face the challenge of a second straight league road game, but they have to refocus while drawing an angry Auburn. The Tigers lost to third-ranked Georgia last week.  Arkansas has an improved defense. Still, the Razorbacks remain far inferior to Auburn. The Tigers blew out Arkansas, 51-10, on the road last year. There isn't a 41-point difference this season. But the gap still is more than two touchdowns.Â
|
|||||||
10-08-20 | Tulane v. Houston OVER 59 | Top | 31-49 | Win | 100 | 40 h 10 m | Show |
Tulane defeated Houston, 38-31, in one of the wildest games of the season last year. Certainly those like myself, who had Houston plus 4, will never forget it.  Much has changed since then. But one thing should remain the same: This should be another high-scoring game.  Tulane has a very sharp offensive coordinator, Will Hall. The Green Wave posted their third-highest total in points (33.1) and yards (449.3) in Hall's first year last season. Tulane lost a lot of offensive talent from last season. It has taken three games, but Tulane has found its rhythm with the quarterback switch to freshman Michael Pratt. The Green Wave scored 59 points when Pratt took over at QB against Southern Mississippi in a 66-24 victory last week.  Houston ranked near the bottom in the nation in total defense and pass defense, while surrendering 34 points a game last year.  I mention last year's numbers, because the Cougars have yet to play this season due to three straight cancellations caused by COVID-19.  The Cougars also feature an offensive mastermind in head coach Dana Holgorsen. QB Clayton Tune received plenty of experience last season after D'Eriq King sat out the last eight games before transferring to Miami. Tune has proven playmakers around him headed by Marquez Stevenson, one of the better senior wide receivers in college.  This is a step up for Tulane's defense, which has gone against South Alabama, Navy and Southern Mississippi. Certainly, the Cougars will be fresh with lots of energy.   Â
|
|||||||
10-03-20 | Auburn v. Georgia -6.5 | 6-27 | Win | 100 | 34 h 55 m | Show | |
Much is being made of Georgia's up-in-the-air QB situation. The Bulldogs won't suffer there, though. They have plenty of talent. There needs to be some focus about the trenches and that's where the Bulldogs will whip the Tigers. Auburn took some big hits on its defensive lines and has five new offensive linemen.  So I prefer Georgia's offense and pedigree. The Bulldogs have won 12 of the last 15 in this series, including the past three and six of the last seven. They've had 10 victories by seven or more points. Georgia also has a history of fast starts under Kirby Smart opening 5-0 each of the last three years with all but two of those victories coming by 14 or more points.Â
|
|||||||
10-03-20 | Oklahoma -7 v. Iowa State | Top | 30-37 | Loss | -108 | 34 h 56 m | Show |
I want Oklahoma going for me in a bounce-back spot after the Sooners were upset by Kansas State at home last week even though they outgained the Wildcats by 117 yards.The Sooners may have gotten complacent in that game with a 35-14 lead.   The Sooners haven't lost consecutive regular season games in 21 years.  Iowa State has talent, but the Cyclones aren't in the Sooners' elite class. The Cyclones already were beaten by Louisiana-Lafayette as 12-point home favorites and defeated TCU by three points.  Oklahoma has dominated this series winning 20 of the last 21 meetings. The Sooners have won 24 in a row at Iowa State.Â
|
|||||||
10-03-20 | UTSA v. UAB OVER 54.5 | 13-21 | Loss | -104 | 27 h 47 m | Show | |
Both teams have well above average offenses and vulnerable defenses.  UTSA averages 37.3 points and has a balanced attack. UAB puts up 33.7 points a game. The Blazers are balanced, too.  San Antonio's Sincere McCormick and Birmingham's Spencer Brown are two of the best running backs in Conference USA.  The Blazers rank 56th in run defense, while the Roadrunners rank 64th in pass defense.  UTSA ranks 18th in rushing. The Blazers rate among the top 37 teams in the major offensive categories including total yards, scoring, passing and rushing.Â
  |
|||||||
10-02-20 | Louisiana Tech v. BYU OVER 59 | Top | 14-45 | Push | 0 | 17 h 8 m | Show |
This total is high, but not high enough given how balanced and deadly these two offenses are.  Louisiana Tech QB Luke Anthony has thrown eight TD passes in two games spreading the ball around to a bevy of targets. The Bulldogs are the sixth-highest scoring team in the nation averaging 48.5 points.  BYU has scored 103 points in two games, ranking in the top 10 in both passing and rushing. The Cougars rank second in the nation averaging 51.5 points.  The Bulldogs have the offense to hang in for a while, but they could wilt down the stretch playing in mountain altitude leading to a lot of late scoring. Â    |
|||||||
09-26-20 | Kansas v. Baylor -17.5 | 14-47 | Win | 100 | 26 h 28 m | Show | |
Baylor has owned Kansas covering the past eight times. The Jayhawks have been held to less than double-digit scoring each of the past five seasons in this matchup.  I expect Baylor's defense to remain strong with defensive guru Dave Aranda taking over as head coach from Matt Ruhle. Aranda inherits a defense that gave up the 19th-fewest points, was seventh in sacks and No. 2 in takeaways.  The Jayhawks showed they aren't going to be very good again by losing, 38-23, to Coastal Carolina in their first game two weeks ago. Kansas trailed 28-3 in that game.  The Jayhawks' top playmaker is running back Pooka Williams, and he's banged-up.Â
|
|||||||
09-26-20 | Stephen F Austin +35.5 v. SMU | 7-50 | Loss | -110 | 26 h 60 m | Show | |
SMU has a Top 25-worthy offense. But the Mustangs have a leaky defense. The combination of SMU likely dipping into their reserves and their defensive vulnerability should allow Stephen F. Austin to cover this large number. The Lumberjacks are an FCS school. But they've played two FBS teams this season, scoring 24 points each against UTEP and UTSA. Stephen F. Austin is much improved from its 3-9 record of last year.  The Lumberjacks are a decent FCS team. SMU surrendered 24 points to Texas State and 35 to North Texas. Stephen F. Austin has the firepower to produce at least 24 points again.Â
|
|||||||
09-26-20 | Iowa State v. TCU +3 | 37-34 | Push | 0 | 21 h 31 m | Show | |
I'm not buying Iowa State as a road favorite against TCU. The Horned Frogs have defeated the Cyclones four of the last five times they've hosted them. Iowa State is 0-5-1 ATS the past six times it has laid points.  TCU should be improved on both sides of the ball. The Horned Frogs are extremely anxious to begin their season after an early postponement.  Iowa State is 0-1. The Cyclones were upset by Louisiana-Lafayette unable to handle the Ragin Cajuns' big plays. TCU is explosive, too.  Brock Purdy did not have a good game for Iowa State in that loss. Purdy certainly is worthy of respect, but so is TCU's safety tandem of Ar'Darius Washington and Trevon Moehrig. They are considered by some to be among the best safeties in college football.   |
|||||||
09-19-20 | Central Florida -7.5 v. Georgia Tech | Top | 49-21 | Win | 100 | 25 h 54 m | Show |
Central Florida has been one of the most impressive teams in the country during the last three seasons going 35-4 while covering 64 percent of its away contests during this time frame. The Knights are proven road warriors covering 14 of their last 18 away matchups, winning 10 road games by more than a touchdown during this three-year span. The Knights start out fast, too, going 9-0 ATS during the first three games of the season the last three years.  The Knights draw Georgia Tech, which is playing a non-conference game here. The Yellow Jackets opened their season upsetting fellow ACC foe, Florida State, 16-13 on the road as nearly two-touchdown 'dogs. So this is a potential flat spot and letdown spot for Georgia Tech. Not to take anything away from Georgia Tech, but Florida State did not play well.  Central Florida has a much stronger offense than Georgia Tech, which still is in rebuild mode under second-year coach Geoff Collins.Â
|
|||||||
09-19-20 | UL-Lafayette v. Georgia State +16.5 | 34-31 | Win | 100 | 21 h 23 m | Show | |
Louisiana Lafayette cracked The Associated Press Top 25 for the first time since 1943 after upsetting Iowa State, 31-14, as 13 1/2-point road 'dogs. That's heady stuff. But it also puts the Cajuns in a tough spot this week laying more than two touchdowns on the road to Sun Belt Conference rival Georgia State. The Panthers are respectable having gone to a bowl two of the last three years under coach Shawn Elliott. They opened with a victory against Tennessee of the SEC last season on their way to a winning record. The Panthers have 16 starters back. Not to diminish the Cajuns' huge upset of the Cyclones, but they did score touchdowns on a 95-yard kickoff return and 83-yard punt return.Â
 |
|||||||
09-19-20 | Syracuse +21 v. Pittsburgh | 10-21 | Win | 100 | 11 h 45 m | Show | |
I don't want to overreact to these team's opening games. Pittsburgh destroyed Austin Peay while Syracuse got buried in the fourth quarter by North Carolina.  But I do keep in mind that Austin Peay isn't a Division I team while North Carolina is a top-25 team.  So Pittsburgh definitely is stepping up in class. I don't trust Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi to cover a big margin because I'm never sold on his offenses and I'm not a fan of Pitt QB Kenny Pickett. The Panthers also have a bad record as home chalk - 8-19 ATS the past 27 times in that role.  I recall last September when Pittsburgh hosted Delaware. The Panthers were 27 1/2-point favorites. It took a fourth quarter touchdown for the Panthers to eke out a 17-14 victory.  I expect Syracuse to play a full four quarters, something it didn't against North Carolina. The Orangemen were hanging in through three quarters in that matchup before the game got out of hand.   |
|||||||
09-12-20 | UTEP +43.5 v. Texas | 3-59 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 8 m | Show | |
There's not much positive to say about UTEP. But the Miners have already played a game, beating Stephen F. Austin, 24-14, last Saturday. It's worth more this season to have played a game with limited off-season workouts. This is the Longhorns' opener.  The Longhorns are going to treat this matchup as a glorified scrimmage. It's their lone non-Big 12 game matchup. Texas isn't going to waste much energy running up a score on UTEP, while the Miners want to keep things respectable in order to bolster their confidence and improve in-state recruiting. The Longhorns just want to get some rust off their starters and then get their reserves in so nobody important gets hurt.  Texas being home actually helps the underdog with this large of a spread because the Longhorns can dress more players than they normally could if they were traveling.Â
|
|||||||
09-12-20 | Houston Baptist +41 v. Texas Tech | 33-35 | Win | 100 | 11 h 35 m | Show | |
Houston Baptist was one of the teams that played last week. That's an advantage for the Huskies because Texas Tech has yet to see action.  The Red Raiders have a very good QB in Alan Bowman. But he hasn't seen action in a year due to a broken collarbone. The Red Raiders are breaking in two new offensive tackles so they want to be careful that Bowman doesn't get hurt again. If Texas Tech jumps to a big early lead it would be risky and foolish to keep Bowman on the field.  Houston Baptist isn't going to hold Texas Tech in check. But the Huskies can produce points behind a high-volume, spread offense that their offensive coordinator, Zach Kittley, learned during his time as an assistant coach at Texas Tech under Kliff Kingsburgy. The Red Raiders had one of the worst pass defenses last season.   |
|||||||
09-12-20 | UTSA v. Texas State -6.5 | 51-48 | Loss | -110 | 7 h 32 m | Show | |
Both teams were awful last season. Texas State looks improved, though, in its second year under Jake Spavital. The Bobcats hung in against SMU last week, losing 31-24, as 24 1/2-point home 'dogs. Memphis transfer Brady McBride threw for 227 yards and 2 TD's for the Bobcats. Texas State's offense looked much sharper with Spavital taking over the play-calling duties.  SMU has a strong offense. Yet the Bobcats were able to come up with three turnovers and forced the Mustangs to punt three times. Now Texas State drops way down in class. Not only is UTSA a bad team - ranking 117th in points and 112th in giving up points last year - but it hasn't played yet. The Roadrunners have a new coaching staff under Jeff Traylor. Don't look for Traylor to get off to a promising start. His team has had to deal with a coronavirus outbreak with a number of players ruled out for this game because of it. Â
  |
|||||||
09-10-20 | UAB +14.5 v. Miami-FL | 14-31 | Loss | -115 | 31 h 44 m | Show | |
I don't understand why the oddsmaker respects Miami so much in this matchup. I don't see the Hurricanes, a middle-of-the-road ACC team, as being 2-touchdowns superior to UAB, perhaps the best team in Conference USA.  The Blazers have a strong defense, particularly versus the pass, and return 10 starters on offense. They have won 28 games during the past three seasons.  Very important to note here, too, is UAB has played a game. The Blazers beat Central Arkansas, 45-35, last Thursday. That score was misleading considering the Blazers' domination.  This is Miami's first game. The Hurricanes couldn't practice in the spring. They are switching to a spread offense featuring D'Eriq King, who transferred from Houston. King has a big name, but he's one of the more overrated players in my view. I see the Hurricanes struggling against this defense, hurt by not having enough time and practice to learn a new offense and quarterback.  Miami's home field advantage is narrowed, too, because there will be limited fan capacity. Â   |
|||||||
01-03-20 | Ohio v. Nevada +8 | Top | 30-21 | Loss | -110 | 14 h 43 m | Show |
Akron and Bowling Green were the two worst teams in the Mid-American Conference this season. Ohio blew both of them out during its last two games.  If you discount those two games, though, the Bobcats went 2-8 ATS, including an 0-6 ATS mark when favored. They also failed to cover in the four games they played against other bowl teams.  Nevada is undervalued here, too, because while Ohio was blowing out bad opponents the Wolf Pack fell to UNLV as a 6.5-point home favorite in their final regular season game. Nevada is better as a 'dog than favorite. The Wolf Pack defeated Purdue, San Diego State and Fresno State straight-up all as a double-digit 'dog.  The Wolf Pack also knows this venue in Idaho and its higher elevation and unique blue field because they play Boise State being in the Mountain West Conference.Â
 |
|||||||
01-02-20 | Boston College v. Cincinnati -7 | Top | 6-38 | Win | 100 | 30 h 48 m | Show |
Boston College was the sixth-best rushing team in the nation. Most of its rushing yards, though, were provided by AJ Dillon, one of the premier running backs in college football. Dillon is turning pro so he's sitting out this game. Dillon led the ACC in rushing with 1,685 yards.  That's just one of the Eagles' many problems.  BC's coach, Steve Addazio, was fired at the end of the regular season and the Eagles' offensive coordinator, Mike Bajakian, left to take a job at Northwestern. The Eagles lost their starting quarterback, Anthony Brown, to a knee injury and backup QB sophomore David Bailey has been erratic.  Cincinnati is far more stable. The Bearcats have a major edge on defense and a balanced offensive attack with quarterback Desmond Ridder healthy again and solid running backs MIchael Warren III and Gerrid Oaks. |
|||||||
12-31-19 | Kansas State v. Navy OVER 52.5 | Top | 17-20 | Loss | -110 | 15 h 49 m | Show |
Navy has scored a minimum of 31 points in eight of its last nine games. Thanks to QB Malcom Perry, the Midshipmen led the nation in rushing. I don't see Kansas State, with a below average run defense, being able to slow down Navy's option attack. It's Navy's relentless ground attack that wears down opponents not the other way around.  But Kansas State has the skill position athletes and Big 12 pedigree to take advantage of Navy's defense. Wildcats QB Skyler Thompson is a dual threat accounting for 22 TD's this season while passing for more than 4,000 yards and rushing for more than 1,000 during his career.  Navy has to look out for Joshua Youngblood, too. He was the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year. Youngblood has brought back three kicks for TD's in the last four games.Â
 |
|||||||
12-28-19 | Memphis v. Penn State UNDER 60.5 | Top | 39-53 | Loss | -110 | 71 h 4 m | Show |
Memphis has a high-powered offense with excellent skill position players. The Tigers, however, aren't great in pass protection and haven't faced a defense the caliber of Penn State.  The Nittany Lions rank seventh in scoring defense giving up 14.1 points a game and 11th in yards per play at 4.8. Penn State played good competition, too, taking on eight bowl teams. They held those opponents to 18.6 points a game. Ohio State could manage just 28 points against Penn State. The Buckeyes are the No. 1 scoring team in the nation averaging 48.7 points.  Penn State isn't as strong offensively. The Nittany Lions have flashed at times, but their offense is far from dominant. Memphis held six foes to fewer than 350 yards.Â
|
|||||||
12-27-19 | Washington State +3 v. Air Force | Top | 21-31 | Loss | -110 | 82 h 5 m | Show |
You couldn't ask for a bigger contrast in styles with Air Force a top rushing team and Washington State a great passing team. The Cougars led the nation in passing with Anthony Gordon putting up better numbers than any QB, including Joe Burrow.  Gordon has a slew of talented wideouts. Air Force is better versus the run than pass. The Falcons are used to running teams in the Mountain West Conference. Their pass defensive numbers look better than what their talent level is since they played Colgate along with heavily ground-oriented Army and Navy.  Air Force doesn't have the depth in the secondary to hang with Washington State. The Falcons also lack the necessary strong pass rush. If you discount games against Colorado State and Hawaii, the Falcons only had 13 sacks. Washington State is better stopping the run than the pass. The Cougars have covered 15 of the last 22 times they've been underdogs. Â
|
|||||||
12-27-19 | North Carolina v. Temple +5 | 55-13 | Loss | -110 | 72 h 54 m | Show | |
I'm far from sold on North Carolina as a favorite here. The Tar Heels struggled to get to six wins to become bowl eligible. They fattened their stats by beating Mercer, 56-7, and defeated only one bowl team - and that was unimpressive Miami. If you discount the Mercer matchup, nine of North Carolina's 11 games were decided by a touchdown or less. Temple checks a lot of boxes for being a feisty bowl 'dog. The Owls should win the battle of the trenches. They have a strong pass rush and North Carolina has a leaky offensive line that permitted more than three sacks per game. Temple went 7-1 when sacking the quarterback at least three times with the lone loss coming to Cincinnati, 15-13, on the road.  Both teams have good passing attacks. But Temple has the eighth-most efficient pass defense in the country. The Owls have experience with high-powered passing attacks having played Central Florida and SMU.  The Owls certainly have backdoor capabilities if needed with QB Anthony Russo and WR's Jadan Blue and Branden Mack.Â
 |
|||||||
12-26-19 | Pittsburgh -10.5 v. Eastern Michigan | Top | 34-30 | Loss | -110 | 80 h 51 m | Show |
Pittsburgh isn't fancy. The Panthers are meat and potatoes. But they should destroy Eastern Michigan being a Power Five team dropping way down in class to play a Mid-American Conference team in the Quick Lane Bowl.  The bar is not set high here for the Panthers. Eastern Michigan can't stop the run and is going to have problems keeping the Pitt defense off quarterback Mike Glass III.  The Panthers are 5-1 when rushing for more than 100 yards. The Eagles have yielded at least 230 yards on the ground in four of their last five games.  Led by Jaylen Twyman, who has 10 1/2 sacks, the Panthers have recorded 49 sacks and 98 tackles for losses.  So Pittsburgh should control the trenches. The key is motivation. Will the Panthers get up for this opponent? They certainly should. Panthers coach Pat Narduzzi is 0-3 in bowls games at Pittsburgh. The Panthers were nipped, 14-13, by Stanford in their bowl game last year.  The Panthers won't have a better chance than this to get Narduzzi his first bowl win.Â
|
|||||||
12-21-19 | Central Michigan v. San Diego State -3.5 | Top | 11-48 | Win | 100 | 64 h 48 m | Show |
San Diego State's defense is going to trump Central Michigan's offense. The Aztec's finished in the top five in the nation in run defense, scoring defense and total defense. SDS held foes to 12.8 points a game. No team reached 24 points on the Aztecs, who also held all but three of their 12 opponents to 85 or fewer rushing yards.  Central Michigan was stopped by Miami of Ohio, 26-21, in the MAC title game. San Diego State is a much better defensive team than Miami of Ohio. The Chippewas are 0-5 when rushing for fewer than 135 yards. Wyoming was the lone team to rush for more than 135 yards versus SDS. The Aztecs have enough offense to cover this number. The key for them is they don't turn the ball over averaging just 0.6 per game. San Diego State shouldn't lack motivation either coming off an embarrassing 27-0 loss to Ohio, another MAC team, in last year's Frisco Bowl. SDS also lost two years ago to Army in the Armed Forces Bowl so its seniors should have plenty of incentive.  The venue - Albuquerque, N.M. - favors SDS, too. Not only is it closer for SDS fans to travel to but it's in high altitude and the Aztecs have experience playing there having met New Mexico two seasons ago.Â
|
|||||||
12-20-19 | Buffalo -4.5 v. Charlotte | Top | 31-9 | Win | 100 | 263 h 29 m | Show |
Buffalo holds key edges in the trenches both in running the ball and stopping the run. The Bulls' Jaret Patterson is one of the best backs in the nation. He rushed for 1,626 yards and accounted for 18 TD's. Charlotte has a good RB, too, in Benny LeMay. The Bulls, though, rank fourth in the nation in stopping the run, while the 49ers are 99th in run defense. Charlotte has failed to cover five of the last seven times it has faced a winning opponent. The 49ers won seven games to qualify for their first bowl game. But six of those victories were achieved against weak team and the other win came against Marshall when the Thundering Herd were in a flat spot. The 49ers are 5-13 ATS the past 18 times playing a team outside of Conference USA.  Buffalo played in a bowl game last season. So the Bulls have bowl experience. Charlotte doesn't, which is a huge negative.Â
|
|||||||
12-07-19 | Georgia +7.5 v. LSU | Top | 10-37 | Loss | -110 | 23 h 10 m | Show |
I don't see where LSU is a touchdown better than Georgia at a neutral site. George has the better defense and is more experienced in big game neutral site games than LSU. The Bulldogs are 8-1 ATS in their last nine neutral site games.  The Bulldogs rank No. 2 in the country in scoring defense giving up 10.4 points a game. They haven't surrendered more than 20 points all season!  As good as LSU is offensively, Georgia has the better rushing numbers and gives up 2.7 yards per run, while the Tigers yield 3.8 yards a run. When it comes to passing, Georgia allows 9.6 yards per completion compared to LSU's 13 yards per completion.  Georgia needs a victory here to reach the College Football Playoffs, while LSU already is in. So more is at stake for the Bulldogs.
|
|||||||
12-07-19 | Baylor v. Oklahoma -8.5 | 23-30 | Loss | -110 | 19 h 18 m | Show | |
Oklahoma was on the road, playing flat and without its best wide receiver, CeeDee Lamb. This was three weeks ago against upstart Baylor in Waco, Texas.  Baylor jumped out to a 25-point lead against the Sooners. Yet Oklahoma still managed to pull out a 34-31 victory.  Now the teams meet at a neutral site and Lamb is back healthy. The Sooners have loads of big-game, neutral site title game experience. Baylor doesn't  I don't see the Bears being able to hang within single digits of the Sooners especially coming off that recent defeat to Oklahoma.  I like Baylor QB Charlie Brewer. But he's not in the class of the Sooners' Jalen Hurts, who could be the best dual threat QB in college with his passing and rushing ability.Â
 |
|||||||
12-06-19 | Oregon v. Utah UNDER 50 | Top | 37-15 | Loss | -110 | 102 h 50 m | Show |
Oregon and Utah each have star skill position players. The Ducks with QB Justin Herbert. The Utes with running back Zack Moss.  But the key to the success of these two teams is defense. Oregon surrenders fewer than 16 points a game. Utah is even more stingy yielding 11.2 points, third-best in the nation.Â
 It's not just two outstanding defenses that make the Under a good play here. Utah is heavily run-oriented, playing slower than any team in the nation as far as milking clock.  The other factor is weather. This game is being played at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. This is a grass field not known for providing good footing. The forecast is for rain and wind.   |
|||||||
11-30-19 | Arizona v. Arizona State OVER 59.5 | Top | 14-24 | Loss | -108 | 32 h 17 m | Show |
Arizona State beat Arizona, 41-40, last year. Expect a similar high-scoring game this season between the two teams. Arizona has a much better offense than it showed in last week's 35-7 loss to seventh-ranked Utah. The Wildcats have scored at least 31 points in five of their games. J.J. Taylor is one of the better RB's in the Pac-12. Arizona State freshman QB Jayden Daniels has gotten better as the season has progressed. Daniels threw for a season-high 408 yards and three TD's in the Sun Devils' 31-28 upset of Oregon last Saturday. The Sun Devils had 535 yards of total offense against an Oregon defense that is far better than Arizona's.  The Wildcats have the worst scoring defense in the conference giving up 36.8 points a game. They also are last in the league in total defense and run defense.
|
|||||||
11-30-19 | Navy v. Houston OVER 58 | 56-41 | Win | 100 | 31 h 11 m | Show | |
Navy is the No. 1 rushing team in the nation thanks to QB Malcom Perry, who has rushed for 1,354 yards and scored 18 rushing TD's. Houston has a weak defense giving up 32 points a game and ranking 115th in total defense. Navy's relentless ground attack should be even better at this venue on a turf field.  Houston does possess skill position weapons. So the Cougars should contribute their fair share of points toward an Over.Â
 |
|||||||
11-30-19 | Southern Miss v. Florida Atlantic OVER 54 | Top | 17-34 | Loss | -109 | 113 h 29 m | Show |
These are two passing teams who should have a lot of success attacking weak secondaries. Southern Mississippi ranks 18th in the nation in passing averaging nearly 300 yards per game. Golden Eagles QB Jack Abraham is highly accurate completing nearly 68 percent of his throws. Florida Atlantic is 93rd in pass defense. Florida Atlantic has a high-powered attack that ranks 29th in scoring and 35th in yards. The Owls are very consistent. They average 34 points in their last 10 games and have produced at least 31 points in eight of their last nine games. The Owls have one of the best catching tight ends in the country in Harrison Bryant.Â
|
|||||||
11-30-19 | UNLV v. Nevada -7 | Top | 33-30 | Loss | -110 | 27 h 43 m | Show |
Nevada Reno is the superior team, is home and in strong revenge mode after blowing a 23-0 lead to UNLV last season in losing, 34-29, in this annual rivalry matchup. The Wolf Pack eased up in that game and it cost them. That won't be the case this season. Nevada coach Jay Norvell has done everything to fire up his team, including bringing in former Nevada coach Chris Ault to speak to the team.  The Wolf Pack should enter this matchup with a lot of confidence having just upset San Diego State and Fresno State both on the road during their past two games. UNLV, by contrast, lost by 29 points at Fresno State and lost by three points to San Diego State at home. UNLV is off an emotional victory against San Jose State. That was the final game played at Sam Boyd Stadium and the Rebels were fired-up for it. Now reality sinks in. The Rebels aren't going to a bowl game for a fifth straight year and coach Tony Sanchez has been fired.Â
|
- Early Lines
- High Limits
- NEW VIP Rewards
- VIP Program
- Mobile Betting
- Crypto
- VIP Program
- Crypto
- Live & Mobile Betting!
- Crypto
- Live & Mobile Betting
- 48 Hour Payouts
- 35% Crypto Bonus
- Live Betting
- Mobile Friendly
Guaranteed Winners or your money back and Free Picks in the NFL football, NBA basketball, MLB baseball, NCAA college football and basketball, Nascar Racing, Arena Football nhl hockey leagues and more.
We are part of the internets Premier Sports Handicappers League with full documentation of all members on this sports betting news and info portal. Free Membership, Join Today and start Winning!
For any resources you could need like sports handicapping odds, handicapping stats, schedules, or handicappers free picks and tips please click on any of the links on the right hand side of this page.