7* Indians/Blue Jays ALCS *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto -116

The Key: The Toronto Blue Jays won four straight games to open the postseason.  Down 3-0, they will need to win four straight to win this series against Cleveland.  It starts with one, and that's Game 4 today.  I like Aaron Sanchez, who is 15-2 with a 3.23 ERA in 31 starts this year and wins almost every time he takes the mound.  Corey Kluber has struggled against the Blue Jays in the past, going 2-3 with a 4.37 ERA and 1.600 WHIP in 6 lifetime starts.  He pitched well against them in Game 1, but the chances of shutting down this potent Blue Jays lineup twice in one series is not very good.  Take Toronto.

7* Jets/Cardinals MNF *HEAVY HITTER* on Arizona -7

The Key: The New York Jets are a mess right now.  They are 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in their last 3 games while getting outscored a combined 33-82 in the process.  The Arizona Cardinals are just 2-3, but they are clearly better than their record.  The Cardinals are outgaining teams by 55 yards per game and outscoring them by nearly 5 points per game.  The Jets are getting outgained by 19 yards per game and getting outscored by nearly 9 points per game.  New Yoprk has all kinds of injury problems too.  LB David Harris is doubtful, WR Eric Decker is out, and CB Darrelle Revis, C Nick Mangold and DE Sheldon Richardson are all questionable.  Carson Palmer makes his return from a concussion tonight, and the Cardinals are extra rested after playing last Thursday.  Without Decker, Arizona can put Patrick Peterson on Brandon Marshall, and the Jets are really going to have a hard time moving the football tonight.  Bets against road underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points after scoring 14 points or less last game against opponent after scoring 30 points or more last game are 43-17 ATS over the last 10 seasons.  The Cardinals are 20-7 ATS in their last 27 vs. a team with a losing record.  Take Arizona.

6* Indians/Blue Jays ALCS *CA$H COW* on Toronto -1.5 (+115)

The Key: Marcus Stroman sports a 1.29 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in 2 starts against Cleveland this season.  He has allowed only 2 earned runs in 14 innings in those 2 starts.  Trevor Bauer has never beaten the Blue Jays, going 0-1 with an 8.57 ERA and 1.757 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts.  Stroman has never been beaten in 4 postseason starts, going 1-0 with a 3.91 ERA over the past 2 seasons.  The Blue Jays really need this win, and I think they'll get it by multiple runs tonight behind another dominant performance from Stroman.  Take Toronto on the Run Line.

7* Cowboys/Packers NFC Game of the Month on Green Bay -5

The Key: The Packers are outscoring opponents by nearly 14 points per game in the 1st half of their last 17 home games.  They still have one of the best home-field advantages in the NFL.  The Dallas Cowboys will get a reality check today.  Dak Prescott is going to have to do more than he's used to today, as he has thrown just 5% of his passes more than 20 yards down field.  He's doing the dink and dunk thing well, but he'll be forced to play from behind in this game.  The Packers will stop the run as they rank 1st in the NFL against the run, giving up only 43 yards per game and 2 yards per carry.  That will be the difference.  Take Green Bay.

6* NFL Sunday *UPSET SPECIAL* on Miami Dolphins +7.5

The Key: I think the Miami Dolphins have a legitimate chance to pull the upset today.  It will be the first time all season that center Pouncey and tackle Albert have played together, so their offensive line is getting healthy.  Meanwhile, the Steelers are without two of their best defenders in Ryan Shazier and Cam Heyward.  After back-to-back blowout home wins, the Steelers are overvalued right now.  The last time they were on the road they lost 34-3 to the Eagles.  The Dolphins are playing for their season right now after a 1-4 start and will put up a big fight, likely pulling off the upset.  Take Miami.

6* 49ers/Bills Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on San Francisco +7.5

The Key: The Buffalo Bills are overvalued right now after going 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last 3 games overall.  Now they are laying more than a touchdown at home to the 49ers.  If not for turnovers, the 49ers would have beaten the Cardinals last Thursday.  And now they've had some extra time to prepare for this game and get Colin Kaepernick ready to play quarterback.  They have the element of surprise with him, which I think will be tough for the Bills to deal with.  Take San Francisco.

6* Dodgers/Cubs NLCS *CA$H COW* on Chicago -1.5 (+116)

The Key: Instead of laying -190 on the money line, I'm going to go with the Cubs on the Run Line in Game 1 of this series.  They have had plenty of time off after taking down the Giants on Tuesday, while the Dodgers just finished a tough series against the Nationals on Thursday.  I like the pitching matchup today in favor of the Cubs.  Jon Lester is 20-5 with a 2.35 ERA in 33 starts this year, and 11-2 with a 1.162 WHIP in 16 home starts.  Kenta Maeda has really struggled of late for the Dodgers, going 0-3 with an 11.17 ERA in his last 3 starts.  Lester is 2-2 with a 3.06 ERA in 5 lifetime starts vs. Los Angeles.  In 2 starts against L.A. in 2016, he has given up just 1 earned run and 9 base runners over 15 innings.  Lester is 21-3 (+16.3 Units) against the money line vs. an NL team with a team batting average of .250 or worse over the last 2 seasons.  The Cubs are winning by 2.6 runs per game on average int his spot.  Take Chicago.

6* Mountain West *CA$H COW* on New Mexico +14

The Key: A lot of folks are mistaking this as a home game for Air Force, but that's not the case as it will be played in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, TX.  Both New Mexico and Air Force play similar styles as they are primarily running teams.  And the Lobos get a nice boost this week with the return of top RB Teriyon Gipson.  Since these teams play similar styles, they know each other well, and the results in recent meetings have been nail-biters.  In fact, each of the last 4 meetings have been decided by 12 points or fewer with margins of 12, 4, 8 and 5 points.  New Mexico beat Air Force 47-35 last year and outgained them 512 to 389 for the game.  The Falcons are 6-15 ATS in their last 21 games following a straight up loss.  The Lobos are 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.  Take New Mexico.

6* Conference USA *CA$H COW* on Middle Tennessee -2

The Key: Middle Tennessee is in a great spot here.  It is coming off a bye week, so it has had two full weeks to prepare for Western Kentucky.  This is the biggest game of the season for the Blue Raiders as they feel they are the best team in Conference USA and want to prove it against the defending conference champs.  Middle Tennessee beat LA Tech 38-34 at home three weeks ago.  That's the same LA Tech team that WKU lost to 52-55 on the road last week in a game that was a bigger blowout than the final score would indicate.  WKU trailed 52-31 in the 4th quarter before making a big comeback and was still outgained by 134 yards.  The Hilltoppers continue to be overvalued as they are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall.  Take Middle Tennessee.

7* NCAAF Situational Game of the Year on Virginia +4

The Key: The Virginia Cavaliers have gone 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.  Yet, they still get no love from oddsmakers here.  They are coming off their two best games of the season with a 49-35 home win over Central Michigan as 5-point dogs and a 34-20 road win at Duke as 3-point dogs.  They had a bye last week, so they'll be fresh and ready to go at home against Pitt this week.  Pitt is dead tired right now after playing 6 straight weeks to open the season, and 4 of its last 5 games were decided by 7 points or less.  I believe the Panthers will run out of gas this week, especially after having to face Georgia Tech's triple-option last week.  The home team is 5-0 SU & 4-0-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  The Cavaliers are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 conference games and 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games following a bye week.  Take Virginia.

7* Miss State/BYU ESPN Friday Night Lights on UNDER 56.5

The Key: Mississippi State is 54-36 UNDER in all games with Dan Mullen as head coach.  The Bulldogs are 4-1 UNDER in their 5 games this season as well.  Four of those five finished with 52 or less points.  BYU is 4-2 UNDER in its 6 games this season.  Four of those finished with 45 or fewer combined points.  Given that evidence, it appears the oddsmakers have inflated this total.  Both teams are run-first offenses, and both defenses are excellent at stopping the run, so the matchup favors the UNDER as well.  The UNDER is 30-8 in BYU's last 38 games vs. a team that averages 4.75 or more yards per carry.  Take the UNDER.

6* Blue Jays/Indians ALCS *TOTAL* Annihilator on OVER 7.5

The Key: This is a very short total for two of the better offenses in the American League.  The Blue Jays have scored 22 runs thus far in the postseason.  The Indians have scored 15 so far.  Cleveland is averaging 5.6 runs per game at home this season, making it no surprise that the OVER is 48-32 in their 80 home games.  The OVER is 8-2 in Indians last 10 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.  Take the OVER.

7* DEN/SD Thursday NFL *HEAVY HITTER* on San Diego +3

The Key: The San Diego Chargers are the most underrated team in the NFL right now.  They have held a lead for more minutes than any other team in the league this season.  However, they are 1-4 with their four losses all coming by 4 points or less.  But now the Chargers' season is on the line here against the Broncos.  They can't afford to fall behind any further in the AFC West standings if they are going to make a run.  So with their backs against the wall here at home, I'll back them as 3-point home dogs.  The Chargers are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 off a division loss and 5-0 ATS in their last 5 vs. AFC West foes.  Take San Diego.

7* Appalachian State/LA-Lafayette ESPN 2 *TOTAL* Annihilator on UNDER 48.5

The Key: Lafayette is coming off back-to-back overtime games that have inflated this total.  They were tied with Tulane 16-16 at the end of regulation two weeks ago for 32 combined points, then proceeded to score 48 points in OT.  They were tied with New Mexico State 24-24 at the end of regulation last week for 48 combined points, but added 20 more points in OT.  Last year, Appalachian State beat LA Lafayette 28-7 for 35 combined points, and I expect to see a similar result here.  Three of Appalachian State's five games this season finished with 38 or fewer combined points, including last week's 17-3 win over Georgia State.  Both offenses are subpar, and both defenses are better than average, especially Appalachian State.  Both teams also prefer to keep the ball on the ground as the Mountaineers rush 47 times per game while the Rajin' Cajuns rush 46 times per game.  That will keep the clock moving.  Both defenses are good against the run as App State allows 134 yards per game while Lafayette gives up only 116 yards per game.  The UNDER is 4-0 in Mountaineers last 4 games following a bye week.  Both teams have had extra time to prepare, which also favors the UNDER.  Take the UNDER.

7* Cubs/Giants Game 4 *HEAVY HITTER* on Chicago -119

The Key: The Chicago Cubs are 18-7 in their last 25 games following a loss.  They are 4-1 in John Lackey's last 5 starts.  Lackey is the better starter in this matchup.  He is 11-8 with a 3.35 ERA and 1.057 WHIP in 29 starts this season.  He'll be opposed by Matt Moore, who is 13-12 with a 4.08 ERA and 1.291 WHIP in 33 starts.  The Cubs are 8-2 in their last 11 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.  Take Chicago.

6* Cubs/Giants NLDS Game 3 *CA$H COW* on San Francisco -101

The Key: Madison Bumgarner's success in the postseason is well documented.  He has gone 5-1 with a 0.88 ERA in during the 2014 and 2016 postseasons.  When the Giants have been facing elimination, he's gone 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA while pitching 23 shutout innings.  Jake Arrieta struggled in the second half this season and posted a 4.60 ERA in the month of September.  Bumgarner owns the Cubs as well, going 8-2 with a 2.25 ERA in 12 lifetime starts.  Take San Francisco.

7* TB/CAR Monday Night *TOTAL* Annihilator on UNDER 46

The Key: Turnovers are the biggest reason both of these teams are off to 1-3 starts.  The Bucs have committed 11 through four games while the Panthers have committed 10.  That has led to easy scores for opponents.  I look for both teams to go with a more conservative approach tonight to try and avoid those turnovers in essentially what is a must-win game for both teams.  And the end result is going to be a defensive battle that is much lower-scoring than this 46-point total would suggest.  I also like the fact that Derek Anderson is starting in place of Cam Newton as the Panthers' offense will be less explosive.  He started two games against Tampa Bay in 2014 in place of an inured Newton.  The Panthers won 20-14 and 19-17 in both those games, which saw 34 and 36 combined points, respectively.  Tampa Bay is 21-6 UNDER in its last 27 road games after gaining 4 or fewer yards per play in its previous game.  The UNDER is 7-3 in Bucs last 10 division games.  The UNDER is 14-6 in Bucs last 20 vs. a team with a losing record.  The UNDER is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings in Carolina.  Take the UNDER.

6* Bills/Rams Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Los Angeles +2.5

The Key: No analysis Sunday

6* Titans/Dolphins AFC *CA$H COW* on Tennessee +3

The Key: No analysis Sunday

7* NFC Game of the Week on Detroit Lions +3.5

The Key: No analysis Sunday

6* UCLA/Arizona State Pac-12 *BAILOUT* on Arizona State +10

The Key: Arizona State comes in way undervalued as a 10-point home underdog to UCLA this week.  The Sun Devils were blown out by USC on the road last week while UCLA blew out an injury-ravaged Arizona team at home.  Those two results have created some artificial line inflation this week that we're going to take advantage of.  Another reason the public is all over UCLA is because ASU will be starting freshman QB Brady White.  But White was the top-rated QB recruit in the history of ASU coming out of high school.  He actually led Arizona State on two scoring drives in the fourth quarter against USC last week to get his feet wet.  I think he'll be just fine here, especially in front of his home fans.  Last year, ASU beat UCLA 38-23 on the road and outgained the Bruins by 123 yards.  Josh Rosen only completed 22 of 40 passes in the loss for UCLA and figures to struggle again here.  The Sun Devils are 22-8 ATS in their last 30 home games after failing to cover the spread in 2 of their last 3 games coming in.  The Bruins are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 following an ATS win, 0-6 ATS in their last 6 following a win of more than 20 points, and 0-4 ATS in their last 4 road games.  The Sun Devils are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 home games, and 5-0 ATS in their last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.  These 5 trends off a 27-0 angle backing the Sun Devils.  Take Arizona State.

6* Colorado/USC Pac-12 *CA$H COW* on USC -5.5

The Key: Colorado is getting a lot of love from oddsmakers right now due to a 5-0 ATS start.  But the Buffaloes' luck is about to run out.  USC finally played up to its potential last week in a 41-20 home win over Arizona State.  The Trojans led this game 41-6 entering the 4th quarter before taking their foot off the gas.  Since starting freshman QB Sam Darnold, the offense has really taken off the last two weeks against USC and Utah.  I believe Darnold and company continue to roll and easily cover this small number at home against Colorado.  The home team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings in this series, including a 56-28 and 50-6 wins by USC.  The Trojans have won 7 straight in this series, including 5 of the last 6 by 18 points or more.  Take USC.

7* American Athletic GAME OF THE YEAR on East Carolina +16

The Key: The East Carolina Pirates have been impressive this season.  The beat NC State 33-30 at home, lost at South Carolina 15-20 while outgaining the Gamecocks by 207 yards, lost 17-54 at VA Tech and was only outgained by 19 yards, and lost to UCF 29-47 despite outgaining the Knights by 148 yards.  Their stats have been tremendous considering the competition faced.  They are averaging 523 yards on offense and giving up 393 on defense, outgaining teams by 130 yards per game.  Now they catch South Florida in a letdown spot off a big road win at Cincinnati last week.  The Bulls are simply getting to much respect from oddsmakers here.  The Pirates are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games following a double-digit loss at home.  The Bulls are 3-11-1 ATS in their last 15 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  The road team has won both meetings the last 2 years and 4 of the last 6 outright despite being underdogs for the majority of the meetings.  Take East Carolina.

7* Clemson/BC ESPN Friday Night Lights on Boston College +17

The Key: Boston College has the best defense in the country this season, giving up just 202 yards per game and 3.6 yards per play.  That stop unit will keep the Eagles competitive here against Clemson, which is in a massive letdown spot after the win over Louisville on Saturday.  I like Eagles QB Patrick Towles, who has thrown for 806 yards with a 6-to-3 TD/INT ratio.  I think he can make enough plays to keep the Eagles within striking distance.  Boston College is 3-0 ATS in the last 3 meetings and hasn't lost by more than 17 to Clemson in any of the last 4 meetings.  The underdog is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings.  Take Boston College.

6* MLB Friday Night *CA$H COW* on Washington Nationals +136

The Key: I really like the price we are getting with the Washington Nationals today as home underdogs.  I don't believe there's as big of a difference between Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw as this line would suggest.  After all, Kershaw is 2-3 in the NLDS and 0-3 in the NLCS in his career, so he hasn't stepped up in the postseason.  Scherzer has gone 20-7 with a 2.96 ERA this season.  He sports a 3.29 ERA in 10 games, eight starts, lifetime sgainst the Dodgers.  The Nationals went 50-31 at home this season, while the Dodgers went 38-43 on the road.  The Dodgers are 1-6 in their last 7 road games.   The Nationals are 5-0 in Scherzer's last 5 home starts.  Take Washington.

7* Cardinals/49ers NFC West *HEAVY HITTER* on Arizona -3.5

The Key: The Arizona Cardinals have committed 5 turnovers each in their last 2 games to give away games against the Bills and Rams.  Look for them to shore that up and get a big win here on Thursday night against the lowly San Francisco 49ers.  The Cardinals aren't broken as they rank 4th in the NFL in yardage differential at plus-68.5 yards per game.  The 49ers are 1-3 as well, but they are clearly one of the worst teams in the NFL.  They rank 31st in yardage differential at negative-97.2 yards per game.  They just lost NaVorro Bowman to a season-ending injury, and their defense was already terrible in allowing 390 yards per game on the season.  Drew Stanton, even though he's a backup, should light up this 49ers defense.  And look for Bruce Arians to get stud RB David Johnson going, especially with run-stopper Bowman out.  The 49ers give up 140 rushing yards per game this season.  San Francisco is 1-11 ATS in games with a total of 35.5 to 42 points over the last 3 seasons.  The Cardinals swept the season series last year in winning by a combined 66-20 score over the 49ers.  Take Arizona.

6* Red Sox/Indians American League *CA$H COW* on Boston -140

The Key: Rick Porcello is is a Cy Young contender who went 22-4 with a 3.15 ERA in 33 starts this season.  He'll be opposed by Trevor Bauer, who is 10-8 with a 4.35 ERA in 28 starts, 6-4 with a 4.60 ERA in 16 home starts, and 1-1 with a 6.05 ERA in his last three starts.  Porcello is 10-4 with a 3.35 ERA in 22 lifetime starts vs. Cleveland.  Bauer is 0-2 with a 12.14 ERA in two lifetime starts vs. Boston, giving up 9 earned runs in 6 2/3 innings.  The Red Sox are 11-2 in their last 13 road games vs. a right-handed starter.  Boston is 25-8 in Porcello's last 33 starts.  Take Boston.

6* Temple/Memphis AAC *CA$H COW* on Temple +10

The Key: The Memphis Tigers are coming off their biggest game of the season in a 28-48 loss to Ole Miss on the road.  Now they're on a short week and it will be hard for them to come back from that.  Temple beat SMU 45-20 last week and will have no problem coming back on a short week after that blowout win.  This comes down to me to last year's game, which saw Temple dominate Memphis 31-12 while outgaining the Tigers by 229 yards.  Their defense only gave up 232 yards to the Tigers, and that stop unit is dominant once again this season in allowing only 319 yards per game on average.  Memphis is 3-12 ATS in its last 15 games as a home favorite of 7.5 to 10 points.  Take Temple.

7* Sun Belt Total of the Week on Georgia Southern/Arkansas State OVER 54

The Key: Georgia Southern boasts an offense that puts up 33.0 points and 458 yards per game on the season.  The Eagles are averaging 318 rushing yards per game, making this a great matchup for them.  Arkansas State is giving up 36.0 points per game and 239 rushing yards per contest.  This Arkansas State offense started slow, but it has been much better the past two games with Justice Hansen at quarterback.  He threw for 287 yards against Utah State and 424 against Central Arkansas.  He was actually one of the top-rated recruits coming out of high school when he signed with Oklahoma before transferring to junior college last year and then here.  Arkansas State is 8-0 OVER vs. teams who average 4.75 or more rushing yards per attempts over the last 3 seasons.  The Red Wolves are 8-0 OVER against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.  The OVER is 22-4 in Red Wolves last 26 conference games.  Take the OVER.

6* Giants/Mets National League *CA$H COW* on San Francisco -112

The Key: I'm going with the Giants today to advance to the division series with a win over the New York Mets.  I'll gladly back one of the best big game pitchers in the history of baseball in Madison Bumgarner.  He has gone 15-9 with a 2.78 ERA on the season.  Bumgarner is 5-0 with a 1.80 ERA in 6 lifetime starts vs. New York.  The Giants come in with some momentum having won four straight with a plus-20 run differential during the winning streak.  The Mets are 0-5 in Noah Syndergaard's last 5 starts during game 1 of a series.  Take San Francisco.

7* Orioles/Blue Jays AL *HEAVY HITTER* on Baltimore +133

The Key: The Orioles are 4-0 in games against the Blue Jays in which Chris Tillman has started this season.  He has given up 2 earned runs or less in 3 of those 4 starts.  The Blue Jays are 0-3 in Marcus Stroman's last 3 starts against the Orioles this season.  He has allowed 15 earned runs in 16 innings in those 3 outings.  Tillman is 8-3 with a 2.97 ERA in 14 road starts this year.  Stroman is 4-3 with a 4.59 ERA in 16 home starts.  It appears the wrong team is favored in this matchup as the Orioles have the better bullpen as well.  Take Baltimore.

7* Giants/Vikings NFC *HEAVY HITTER* on New York +4

The Key: The Minnesota Vikings aren't as good as their 3-0 record would suggest.  They are getting outgained by 29.7 yards per game on the season, and their offense is still terrible.  Their defense is the reason they are 3-0 as they have gotten several non-offensive touchdowns already.  The Giants probably should be the team that is 3-0 instead of 2-1.  They are outgaining teams by 57 yards per game.  Each of the Giants' first three games have been decided by 3 points or less.  This one is likely to go down to the wire as well, so the 4 points could come into play.  The Vikings aren't going to keep forcing turnovers at this rate as they are +8 in that department.  The Giants aren't going to keep losing the turnover battle as they are -6 in turnovers this season.  The Vikings are 0-7 ATS in their last seven Monday games.  Take New York.

7* Chiefs/Steelers NFL Total of the Month on UNDER 47.5

The Key: The UNDER is 4-0 in the last four meetings between these teams.  They have combined for 36, 32, 29 and 22 points in those four meetings.  That's an average of 29.8 points per game, which is basically 18 points less than this total of 47.5.  Both the Steelers and Chiefs have very good defenses, while the Chiefs have a terrible offense.  This game should easily stay under the total tonight in a battle between two AFC heavyweights.  Take the UNDER.

6* Cowboys/49ers NFC *CA$H COW* on San Francisco +1

The Key: There's a reason this line was Cowboys -3 and has moved down to Cowboys -1.  The big money is on the 49ers, and I agree that it should be.  They were blown out on the road the last two weeks by two of the best teams in the NFL in the Panthers and Seahawks.  But now they come back home, where they previously beat the Rams 28-0 in Week 1.  The Cowboys are getting a lot of love from oddsmakers because they blew out a hapless Bears team on Sunday Night Football last week.  Dez Bryant is banged up, and I look for Dak Prescott to struggle on the road here against the best defense he has faced since losing to the Giants in Week 1.  Take San Francisco.

6* NFL Sunday *UPSET SPECIAL* on New York Jets +1.5

The Key: The New York Jets committed 8 turnovers last week, which was the only reason they lost 24-3 to the Chiefs.  They were still in the game for the majority of it despite the turnovers.  I think they come back home this week and pull off the upset against the Seattle Seahawks, who have a banged-up Russell Wilson at quarterback.  Wilson did not play well in his only road game at Los Angeles, losing 9-3 to the Rams.  Wilson hurt his knee against the 49ers last week and was pulled from the game.  Without his mobility, he's going to struggle against a Jets defensive line that is one of the best in the business.  Take New York.

7* Pac-12 Game of the Year on Washington State +2.5

The Key: The Washington Cougars won nine games last year and contended for a Pac-12 title.  They brought back a ton of talent from that team, including QB Luke Faulk and 8 starters on offense.  So the 1-2 start is shocking, but it also has the Cougars flying under the radar.  They lost their two games by a combined 6 points, including a 3-point loss at Boise State in a game they arguably outplayed the Broncos.  They gained 520 yards against Boise State and held them to 420 yards.  Oregon is 2-2 and has one of its worst teams in years, yet it is a favorite here.  The Ducks have given up at least 26 points in every game and will have their hands full with Faulk.  Oregon does have another good offense that loves to run the ball, but Washington State counters that with a defense that is giving up only 103 rushing yards per game and 3.8 per carry.  WSU is coming off a bye week, and that's a nice advantage here to prepare for the Ducks, who they are 1-1 against the last two years in games that were both decided by a TD.  Betting against teams who outscore opponents by 7 or more points per game who have allowed 31 points or more in 2 straight games are 27-3 ATS over the last 5 years.  We'll bet against the Ducks here, who fit that criteria.  Take Washington State.

6* NCAAF Saturday *UPSET SPECIAL* on Charlotte +9

The Key: Charlotte is just 1-3 and getting no love from oddsmakers.  But all three losses came in the role of underdogs, including two times where they were big road dogs at Louisville (38.5) and Temple (25.5).  But now they have a winnable game here against Old Dominion, whose two wins have come at home against UTSA and Hampton.  The Monarchs were blown out on the road at Appalachian State by 24 and NC State by 27, failing to cover the spread both times.  Charlotte wants revenge from a 34-37 road loss at Old Dominion as 4.5-point dogs last year.  The 49ers outgained the Monarchs 536-482 in that contest.  I think they can pull off the upset at home this time around, and getting 8.5 points here is way too much.  Old Dominion is 0-7 ATS in October games over the last 3 seasons.  The Monarchs are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 road games.  Take Charlotte.

6* Oklahoma/TCU Big 12 *CA$H COW* on Oklahoma -3

The Key: Oklahoma comes in off a bye week following its bad loss to Ohio State at home.  The Sooners will be looking to get that sour taste out of their mouth with their Big 12 opener at TCU here.  TCU played last week and only led SMU 6-3 at halftime.  This TCU defense isn't very good and Baker Mayfield and company should score at will.  The Sooners have played Houston and Ohio State already, two playoff contenders, and they are still scoring 35.3 points per game while averaging 479 yards per game on the season.  TCU has played the much softer schedule and actually lost to Arkansas at home, which I don't believe is as good as Oklahoma.  The Sooners are one of the best teams to back following a loss as they are 25-11 ATS in their last 36 in this situation.  They get back on track in a big way Saturday.  Take Oklahoma.

7* Stanford/Washington ESPN Friday Night Lights on Washington -3

The Key: The Washington Huskies are ready to change the landscape of the Pac-12, which has gone through Stanford over the past few years.  And with one of the best home-field advantages in the country inside Husky Stadium for this Top 10 showdown, you can bet they are going to be feeding off of the energy.  But the bottom line is that the Huskies are actually the more talented team in this matchup.  They have the better defense, and certainly the more explosive offense as Stanford has been held back by its shaky QB play this season.  The Cardinal were lucky to beat UCLA last week on the road, but they won't be so fortunate this time around.  Take Washington.

6* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Detroit Tigers -145

The Key: Trailing by 1.5 games in the wild card race, the Detroit Tigers really need to sweep the Atlanta Braves if they want any chance.  It starts with a Game 1 victory here Friday.  The Tigers clearly have the edge on the mound behind Daniel Norris, who is 3-2 with a 3.65 ERA in 12 starts this season.  He has really been good down the stretch, going 1-0 with a 2.65 ERA in his last three starts.  He'll be opposed by Matt Wisler, who is 7-12 with a 4.89 ERA in 25 starts, and 1-1 with a 5.62 ERA in his last 3 starts.  The Tigers are 5-1 in Norris' last 6 starts overall and 8-3 in his last 11 road starts.  Detroit is 4-0 in its last four road games.  The Braves are 3-14 in their last 17 interleague home games.  Atlanta is 1-6 in Wisler's last 7 interleague starts and 4-11 in its last 15 home starts.  Take Detroit.

7* Dolphins/Bengals AFC *HEAVY HITTER* on Miami +8

The Key: The Cincinnati Bengals are getting way too much respect from the books as 8-point favorites here over the Miami Dolphins.  I think this game will go right down to the wire, so this is a really nice price for the Dolphins.  We've already seen the Dolphins go on the road and nearly beat both the Seahawks (lost by 2) and Patriots (lost by 7).  They can certainly stay within a touchdown of these Bengals, who have not fared well in losses to the Steelers and Broncos the past two weeks.  The Dolphins are 5-1 SU & 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings in Cincinnati.  Take Miami.

6* UConn/Houston AAC *CA$H COW* on Houston -27

The Key: The Houston Cougars' only loss last season came on the road at UConn when Greg Ward Jr. got hurt.  They have that memory to motivated them this week and to blow the Huskies out of the building, which is precisely what I believe they'll do.  UConn doesn't have the offense to keep up in this one.  Houston is averaging 44.7 points per game this season.  Its defense has been awesome, giving up 10.5 points and 229 yards per game.  The Cougars are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games after scoring 42 or more points in their previous game.  The Huskies are 6-20-1 ATS in their last 27 road games.  UConn is 1-13 ATS in its last 14 games after playing a home game.  Take Houston.

6* MLB Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Pittsburgh Pirates -106

The Key: The Chicago Cubs clearly have nothing to play for right now.  That's obvious by the fact that they are giving Rob Zastryzny a spot start tonight against the Pirates to try and keep their rotation fresh.  Don't be surprised if Joe Maddon rests his regulars the rest of the way.  The Pirates still want to finish .500 or better as they are 78-80 on the season, and they won 8-4 over the Cubs yesterday.  Ivan Nova has pitched very well at home, going 6-3 with a 3.36 ERA and 1.182 WHIP in 13 starts this season.  Nova is 40-17 (+18.8 Units) against the money line when the money line is -100 to -150 lifetime.  The Pirates are 20-9 against left-handed starters this season.  Take Pittsburgh.

7* NL East Game of the Month on New York Mets -108

The Key: The Miami Marlins poured in a lot of effort and emotion to their win on Monday following Jose Fernandez's tragic death.  They fell flat Tuesday in a 12-1 loss to the Mets and now have essentially been eliminated from postseason contention.  The Mets still have work to do and I like their mental state more right now because of it.  I also like Seth Lugo, who has gone 4-1 with a 2.59 ERA and 1.104 WHIP in seven starts this season while filling in admirably in this rotation.  I also like fading Jose Urena, who is 3-7 with a 5.40 ERA in 11 starts, including 0-2 with a 21.60 ERA in his last 2 starts, giving up 12 earned runs in 5 innings.  The Mets are 6-0 in Lugo's last 6 starts.  The Marlins are 1-8 in Urena's last 9 home starts.  Take New York.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on St. Louis Cardinals -1.5 (-104)

The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals are one game back of the Giants for the 2nd wild card spot in the National League.  They have to win this game today against the lowly Cincinnati Reds.  I trust in veteran Adam Wainwright to get the job done and for the Cards to win by 2 runs or more.  Wainwright is 6-4 with a 2.92 ERA in 14 home starts this year. He has given up 2 earned runs in each of his last 2 starts against the Reds this season.  He'll be opposed by Robert Stephenson, who is 2-2 with a 5.59 ERA in 6 starts this year, and 0-1 with a 10.79 ERA in 2 road starts.  He is 0-1 with a 9.25 ERA in his last 3 starts as well.  Wainwright is 50-15 (+27.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a bad team (Win Pct. 38% to 46%) lifetime.  His teams are winning these games by 2.6 runs per game.  The Reds are 33-70 in their last 103 vs. a team with a winning record.  The Cardinals are 46-22 in Wainwright's last 68 starts.  Take St. Louis.

7* ATL/NO Monday Night *TOTAL* Annihilator on UNDER 53.5

The Key: The betting public is all over the OVER in this game because they see two teams with perceived great offenses and poor defenses.  There's some serious line value with the UNDER as a result.  The Falcons and Saints hate each other as they're division foes, and these division games are almost always more low-scoring than expected.  That has certainly been the case in this rivalry.  The Falcons and Saints have combined for 52 or fewer points in 6 of their last 7 meetings with the UNDER going 5-1-1 in that stretch.  They have only averaged 44.2 combined points in those 7 games, which is 9.3 points less than this 53.5-point total.  The UNDER is 9-1-1 in Falcons last 11 divisin games.  The UNDER is 6-0 in Falcons last 6 division road games.  The UNDER is 22-7-1 in Falcons last 30 games overall.  The UNDER is 5-2-1 in Saints last 8 division games.  Take the UNDER.

6* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Texas Rangers -1.5 (+107)

The Key: The Texas Rangers are tied with the Boston Red Sox for the best record in the American League.  With home-field advantage in the postseason on the line, they still have a lot to play for.  I'm going to back them to win by 2 runs or more today.  Martin Perez has been awesome at home this season, going 8-2 with a 2.65 ERA and 1.257 WHIP in 16 starts.  He is 1-0 with a 2.79 ERA and 0.983 WHIP in his last 3 starts as well.  He'll be opposed by Matt Garza, who is 1-6 with a 5.54 ERA and 1.709 WHIP in 10 road starts this year.  Perez is 8-0 (+8.2 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record this season.  The Rangers are winning by 1.9 runs per game in these spots.  Take Texas on the Run Line.

6* Chargers/Colts AFC *CA$H COW* on Indianapolis PK

The Key: The Colts simply cannot afford to fall to 0-3 on the season if they want to get back to the playoffs.  Look for them to come out hungry at home today against the Chargers.  They easily could be 2-0.  They had a late lead against the Lions, but lost 35-39.  They also had the Broncos on the ropes before giving up a defensive touchdown late to lose 20-34.  I'm not ready to buy the Chargers being one of the better teams in the AFC just because they beat the Jaguars and took the Chiefs to overtime, two teams who have struggled in the early going.  The Chargers are without top receiver Keenan Allen and top RB pass-catcher Danny Woodhead, and those injuries will come back to bite them sooner rather than later.  TE Antonio Gates is also questionable for this one.  The Chargers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.  The Colts are 21-9 ATS in their last 30 games following a straight up loss.  The Colts are 25-11-1 ATS in their last 37 home games.  Take Indianapolis.

6* Rams/Bucs NFC *CA$H COW* on Tampa Bay -3.5

The Key: The Los Angeles Rams are in a prime letdown spot here.  They are coming off a huge win over the Seahawks, but only because their defense came through in a big way.  Teams are just 34-58 ATS the week after playing the Seahawks since Pete Carroll took over.  The Rams have still scored just 9 points on the season, and their offense won't be much better this week.  The Bucs will be hungry to play in their first home game, especially after a 7-40 loss to the Cardinals last week.  They turned the ball over five times to let the game get away from them.  Look for them to preach ball security in this one.  The Rams are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 road games off a division win, 0-6 ATS off a win by 6 points or less, and 14-30 ATS as a road dog in the 3.5 to 7 range.  Take Tampa Bay.

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Boston Red Sox -114

The Key: The Boston Red Sox are the hottest team in baseball with 10 straight wins coming into today.  They are closing in on an AL East title, and I believe we are getting them at a great price here of only -114.  Eduardo Rodriquez has been at his best on the road this season, going 3-3 with a 3.90 ERA and 1.157 WHIP in 10 starts.  Jake Odorizzi has struggled of late, going 0-1 with a 5.29 ERA in his last 3 starts.  The Rays are 0-5 in their last 5 games vs. a left-handed starter.  The Rays are 27-55 in their last 82 vs. a team with a winning record.  Tampa Bay has lost 5 of its last 6 games overall.  Take Boston.

7* AFC Game of the Month on Tennessee Titans +1.5

The Key: The Tennessee Titans could be 2-0 right now.  They lost to the Vikings in Week 1 only after blowing a 10-0 lead and giving up two defensive touchdowns in the second half.  They came back with a solid win at Detroit last week.  The NFL is about defense, and the Titans clearly have the better one here.  Their defense has technically only allowed 23 points all season.  Meanwhile, the Raiders have given up 35 points and 517 total yards per game.  This is an early kick out East for the Raiders, which is a tough spot for a West Coast team.  Take Tennessee.

7* Big 12 Game of the Month on Baylor -7.5

The Key: Everyone is down on Baylor because they haven't played anyone.  But they've taken care of business like they're supposed to with all three of their wins coming by 27 points or more.  The fact that they're 0-3 ATS gives us some line value here.  Last year, Baylor beat Oklahoma State 45-35 on the road while racking up 700 yards of total offense and outgaining the Cowboys by 259 yards.  Now they get the Cowboys at home, where they are 17-3 in their last 20 Big 12 home games.  I'm not impressed with Oklahoma State with a loss to Central Michigan and a fortunate win against Pitt, both of which came at home.  The Cowboys are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games as a road underdog of 7.5 to 10 points.  Take Baylor.

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Seattle Mariners -121

The Key: The Seattle Mariners are just 2 games back in the wild card and in need of wins.  A series against the Minnesota Twins, who are 55-99 on the season, is just what the doctor ordered.  The Twins have now lost 7 straight games, including last night's 10-1 laugher in which we backed the Mariners.  I'll get back on them again because they have another huge edge on the mound.  Ariel Miranda is 4-1 with a 3.35 ERA and 1.117 WHIP in 8 starts, including 3-0 with a 0.95 ERA and 0.737 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  He'll be opposed by Tyler Duffey, who is 8-11 with a 6.39 ERA and 1.516 WHIP in 24 starts, including 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA and 2.142 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  The Mariners are 7-0 in their last 7 road games.  The Mariners are 4-0 in Miranda's last 4 starts.  The Twins are 0-4 in Duffey's last 4 starts.  Take Seattle.

6* Florida/Tennessee SEC *CA$H COW* on Tennessee -5

The Key: Florida's 11-game winning streak against Tennessee comes to an end today.  The Vols will simply want this one more.  They led Florida 27-14 on the road last year before giving up 2 touchdowns in the final minutes and losing 28-27.  Now they get the Gators at home.  They will be amped up for this game, just as they were when they beat a very good Virginia Tech team 45-24 in Bristol a few weeks back.  The Vols have as much talent as anyone in the country.  The Gators will be starting backup QB Austin Appleby, and I don't expect him to be able to handle this environment very well.  The Vols are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.  Take Tennessee.

6* Wisconsin/Michigan State Big Ten *CA$H COW* on Michigan State -3.5

The Key: Michigan State continues to lack respect from oddsmakers as only 3.5-point home favorites here against Wisconsin.  The Spartans racked up 501 total yards in a 36-28 win at Notre Dame last week, outgaining the Fighting Irish by 100 yards.  They actually led that game 36-7 and it only became closer in garbage time.  Wisconsin barely survived in a 23-17 win over Georgia State last week after actually trailing 17-13 in the fourth quarter.  Home-field advantage has been huge between these teams.  The home team is 8-1 straight up in the last 9 meetings.  Mark Dantonio is 9-1 ATS versus excellent rushing defenses who allow 90 or fewer rushing yards per game as the coach of Michigan State.  Take Michigan State.

7* NCAAF Friday Night Lights on Utah -2.5

The Key: The Utah Utes are 8-1 at home dating back to last season.  Their stadium, Rice-Eccles, is one of the most underrated venues in all of college football.  The Ute faithful will be out in full force tonight in Salt Lake City with the USC Trojans coming to town.  The Trojans couldn't have looked worse to this point, and now they are starting a freshman QB in Sam Darnold.  Darnold will be up against a Utah team that had 10 sacks last week and boasts one of the best defenses in the nation.  Look for the Utes to play a clean game here offensively, while the Trojans and Darnold make mistakes that will be the difference in this game.  The Trojans are 7-20 ATS in their last 27 road games.  Take Utah.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Seattle Mariners -132

The Key: The Seattle Mariners are 2 games back in the wild card race and in need of wins.  Fortunately for them, they have a series against the worst team in baseball in the Minnesota Twins (55-98) starting today.  The Twins have lost 6 straight, and now they're in a tough spot as they are coming off a double-header against Detroit yesterday.  James Paxton sports a 3.88 ERA through 18 starts this season and is having a fine season for the Mariners.  Kyle Gibson has a 5.10 ERA and 1.551 WHIP in 23 starts for the Twins.  Seattle is 21-6 (+13.0 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -125 or more over the last 2 seasons.  The Mariners are 6-0 in their last 6 road games.  Take Seattle.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on San Francisco Giants -148

The Key: Tied with the Mets and Cardinals for the 2 NL wild card spots, the Giants will be hungry for a win here tonight, especially after losing 4 of their last 5 coming in.  Jeff Samardzija is having a fine season at 11-10 with a 3.97 ERA and 1.219 WHIP in 30 starts, including 0-1 with a 3.20 ERA and 1.169 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  He is 5-2 with a 3.70 ERA and 1.183 WHIP in 9 lifetime starts vs. San Diego as well.  He'll be opposed by Christian Friedrich, who is 5-10 with a 4.82 ERA and 1.453 WHIP in 21 starts.  The Giants are 9-2 in their last 11 Thursday games.  The Padres are 1-7 in Friedrich's last 8 starts vs. a team with a winning record.  Take San Francisco.

7* Texans/Patriots AFC *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston +1

The Key: The injuries the Patriots are dealing with right now puts them at an extreme disadvantage.  I don't trust rookie Jacoby Brissett to be able to do much offensively as he has only 2.5 days to prepare for this game.  Plus, he'll be up against one of the best defenses in the NFL this week in the Texans.  I'll side with that defense and Brock Osweiler and company to come away with a win here.  Bill O'Brien will have his team focused because he knows what the Patriots are capable of with their backs against the wall, as he previously coached there.  Take Houston.

6* Clemson/Georgia Tech *TOTAL* Annihilator on UNDER 58

The Key: I look for a defensive battle tonight between Clemson and Georgia Tech.  These have been two of the best defenses in the country in the early going.  Clemson is giving up 12.3 points and 250 yards per game, while Georgia Tech is allowing 10.3 points and 316 yards per game.  Georgia Tech runs a triple-option offense that will keep the clock moving with the ball on the ground for the majority of the game.  The Yellow Jackets will play at a slow pace to try and slow down the game and keep Deshaun Watson and company off the field.  The last two meetings at Georgia Tech have been low-scoring with 34 combined points in 2014 and 48 combined points in 2011.  The UNDER is 5-0 in Tigers last 5 September games.  The UNDER is 5-1-1 in Yellow Jackets last 7 games overall.  The UNDER is 4-1-1 in the last 6 meetings at Georgia Tech.  Take the UNDER.

7* MLB Tuesday Night *BAILOUT* on Houston Astros -122

The Key: The Houston Astros are 3 games back in the wild card.  They have made a nice push here of late in winning 4 of their last 5 games overall.  Look for their success to continue behind Joe Musgrove, who has given up 5 earned runs over 12 1/3 innings in his last 2 starts against the Rangers and Cubs.  Musgrove pitched 5 1/3 shutout innings in a 6-0 victory over the A's on August 29 in his only start against them this season.  The Astros are 23-6 in their last 29 vs. a team with a losing record.  The A's are 4-14 in their last 18 vs. AL West foes.  Oakland is 0-4 in its last 4 home games.  Take Houston.

6* MLB Monday Night *BAILOUT* on Houston Astros -120

The Key: This series means a lot more to the Astros than it does to the A's.  The Astros are 3 games back in the wild card race and need every win they can get.  The A's are 66-83 and have nothing but pride to play for.  That's why this is a discount of a price on the Astros here today.  Brad Peacock has been brilliant in his 2 starts this season, posting a 1.86 ERA and 1.138 WHIP in starts against the Indians and Rangers this month.  The Astros are 22-6 in their last 28 vs. a team with a losing record. The A's are 1-7 in their last 8 during game 1 of a series.  Houston is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.  Take Houston.

7* Eagles/Bears MNF *HEAVY HITTER* on Chicago -3

The Key: The Chicago Bears need a win to avoid starting 0-2.  They held their own against the Texans last week, but couldn't hold on to a 14-10 halftime lead as they lost 23-14.  Look for them to be hungry here at home on a big stage on Monday Night Football.  The Eagles are getting too much respect now after beating the Cleveland Browns 29-10 in their opener.  They looked good, but this will be a different challenge for rookie QB Carson Wentz in his first start in an NFL road game.  I don't expect him to handle it very well.  The Eagles are 5-12-1 ATS in their last 18 games in September.  Philadelphia is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 Week 2 games.  The Eagles are 0-4 ATS in in their last 4 after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.  Take Chicago.

6* Packers/Vikings NFC North *BAILOUT* on Green Bay -2

The Key: The Packers got their offense going in a 27-23 win at Jacksonville last week.  They will once again be one of the most explosive offensive teams in the NFL now that Jordy Nelson is back.  He wasted no time finding the end zone in his first game back from injury last week.  The Vikings don't  have the firepower to keep up with the Packers.  Their offense only managed 301 yards against the Titans last week and 4 field goals, getting held out of the end zone.  Their defense scored both of their touchdowns.  Adrian Peterson went for just 31 yards on 19 carries.  The Packers held the Jaguars to 48 rushing yards on 26 carries.  They will stop AP and make Sam Bradford try and beat them, and I don't think he will be able to in his 1st start.  CB Xavier Rhodes is a big loss for the Vikings this week because he is their top cover corner.  Even Marcus Mariota threw for 271 yards and a couple TDs against the Vikings last week.  Rodgers will have a big game here and lead the Packers to victory as they avenge their Week 17 loss to the Vikings last year.  Take Green Bay.

6* Colts/Broncos AFC *CA$H COW* on Indianapolis +7

The Key: The Indianapolis Colts are coming off a bad 39-35 loss to the Lions last week, which has them undervalued this week.  They were without 3 of their top cornerbacks, and Matthew Stafford took advantage by guiding the Lions to 39 points.  But this is a better matchup for the Colts this week.  The Broncos are limited in the passing game with Trevor Siemien.  He didn't do much against the Panthers in their opener.  The Broncos won that game with defense and their running game.  That was an emotional win for Denver, and now it will be in a letdown spot here.  They go from being 3-point underdogs to the Panthers to 7-point favorites against the Colts.  I don't believe there is 10 points difference between the Colts and Panthers on a neutral field, so you can see why I believe there is some value here.  Andrew Luck looked like his old self against Detroit, throwing for 385 yards and 4 touchdowns without an interception.  The Colts are 8-1 SU in their last 9 meetings with the Broncos, including 3-1 in their 4 meetings with Luck at QB.  I just think 7 points is too much here.  Take Indianapolis.

7* AFC North Game of the Month on Pittsburgh Steelers -3

The Key: This is one of the most heated rivalries in sports between the Steelers and Bengals.  I'll gladly side with the home team only laying a field goal.  The Steelers dominated the Redskins 38-16 on the road, while the Bengals squeaked by the Jets 23-22 and were very fortunate to win.  The Steelers clearly have plenty of depth to make up for the loss of some key players, while the Bengals do not.  The Bengals are without their best defensive player in Vontaze Burfict, and they are without their TD leader from a year ago in TE Tyler Eifert, who scored 13 touchdowns for them.  The Steelers won their final two meetings of the season with the Bengals last year, both on the road and one in the playoffs.  They have now won 5 of the last 6 meetings with their only loss coming 16-10 in a game where the Steelers outgained the Bengals 356-296 and should have won, but Ben Roethlisberger threw 3 interceptions and was playing injured.  The Steelers are 12-4-2 ATS in their last 18 vs. a team with a winning record.  Pittsburgh is 4-1-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  Take Pittsburgh.

6* Ohio State/Oklahoma Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Oklahoma +1

The Key: Oklahoma hasn't been a home underdog since 2000, where it upset then-No. 1 Nebraska.  The Sooners have an awesome home-field advantage, which is evident by the fact that Bob Stoops is 96-8 at home since coming to Norman.  The Buckeyes have a ton of talent, but this is one of the youngest teams in the country, and this is their first true road game against a veteran Oklahoma squad.  The Sooners are essentially playing for their season here as they cannot afford another loss if they want to get back to the four-team playoff.  Ohio State could recover from this loss.  The edge in motivation and experience makes me like the Sooners quite a bit here.  Take Oklahoma.

6* Michigan State/Notre Dame NBC National TV Annihilator on Notre Dame -7.5

The Key: Michigan State won't be able to produce enough offense to keep up with Notre Dame's high-octane attack in this one.  The Spartans only beat Furman 28-13 at home as 37.5-point favorites in their opener while managing only 361 total yards.  Replacing QB Connor Cook is a problem, and new QB Tyler O'Connor only threw for 190 yards against Furman, while the rushing attack averaged only 4.3 per carry.  Notre Dame puts up 47 points against Texas and 39 against Nevada in its first two games.  The Fighting Irish are 3-0 SU & 2-0-1 ATS in their last 3 meetings with the Spartans, winning by 4, 17 and 18 points.  Notre Dame is 6-0 ATS in home games in the first month of the season over the last 3 seasons. The Spartans are 0-6 ATS in their last six non-conference games.  Take Notre Dame.

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Cleveland Indians -128
The Key: Carlos Carrasco is 11-8 with a 3.32 ERA and 1.141 WHIP in 24 starts this year for the Indians.  He has owned the Tigers of late, going 2-0 with a 0.51 ERA in his last 3 starts against them, giving up only 1 earned run in 17 2/3 innings.  The same cannot be said for Justin Verlander, who has lost 7 straight decisions against the Indians.  He has given up 15 earned runs in 9 2/3 innings in his last 2 starts against the Indians in 2016.  The Indians are 36-15 in their last 51 home games.  Take Cleveland.

7* Alabama/Ole Miss SEC *HEAVY HITTER* on Alabama -11

The Key: Alabama wants revenge from two straight losses to Ole Miss the past 2 seasons.  The Crimson Tide have been dominant in beating USC 52-6 and Western Kentucky 38-10, but they really want this game.  Ole Miss has been shaky with an 11-point loss to Florida State and only a 38-13 win over Wofford in which they allowed over 200 rushing yards.  Alabama gave away the game to Ole Miss last year by committing 5 turnovers.  Look for a more disciplined performance here.  Alabama is 4-0 in true road games against ranked teams since that loss to Ole Miss in 2014.  It has won these games by an average of 22 points per game.  Expect another blowout here.  Take Alabama.

6* Astros/Mariners AL West *BAILOUT* on Seattle -124

The Key: The Seattle Mariners are the hottest team in baseball as they've won 8 straight games to pull within 2 games of the final wild card spot in the American League.  Now they send ace Felix Hernandez to the mound against the Houston Astros at home tonight.  Fernandez is 11-5 with a 3.58 ERA and 1.275 WHIP in 21 starts.  He has gone 3-3 with a 3.45 ERA in 8 lifetime starts vs. Houston.  He has the edge over Collin McHugh, who is 10-10 with a 4.86 ERA and 1.494 WHIP in 29 starts, and 4-6 with a 6.04 ERA and 1.645 WHIP in 15 road starts.  McHugh sports a 4.39 ERA in 11 lifetime starts vs. Seattle.  The Mariners are 8-0 in their last 8 vs. AL West teams and 7-1 in Hernandez's last 8 starts.  Take Seattle.

7* NCAAF Friday Night Lights on Utah State -9

The Key: Utah State has one of the most underrated home-field advantages in the country.  The Aggies have gone 24-3 in their last 27 home games.  They are also 11-4 under Matt Wells coming off a loss.  That's key because they played USC and lost 7-45 last week on the road in a game that was closer than the final.  The Aggies were only outgained by 169 yards in that game.  Compare that to Arkansas State, which was outgained by 290 yards in a 10-31 home loss to Toledo and by 380 yards in a 14-51 road loss at Auburn, and it's easy to see Utah State is the better team.  The Aggies should roll here by double-digits.  Bets on favorites of 3.5 to 10 points in the first month of the season after closing out last season with 2 or more straight losses against opponent that closed out last season with 4 or more wins in last 5 games are 38-12 ATS since 1992.  Take Utah State.

7* Jets/Bills AFC East *HEAVY HITTER* on New York +1

The Key: Injuries to the Bills have them way less than full strength right now.  They had key rookies in DE Shaq Lawson and LB Reggie Ragland who are out and were expected to play significant roles this season.  They are also without LB Ik Enempkpali, starting LT Cordy Glenn and their best DT in Marcell Dareus.  Not to mention, Sammy Watkins is far from 100%.  I just believe the Jets are primed to win this game today not only because of all the injuries, but because they want revenge from losing 5 straight to the Bills last year, including a loss in Week 17 that kept them out of the playoffs.  Take New York.

6* Houston/Cincinnati ESPN *CA$H COW* on Cincinnati +7

The Key: The Cincinnati Bearcats are one of the best-kept secrets in college football.  That's because they underachieved last season by going 7-6 despite outgaining teams by 129 yards per game.  They put up 538 yards per game offensively last year.  Now the Bearcats have opened 2-0 and are playing up to their potential this season, especially in their impressive 38-20 road win at Purdue last week.  Houston couldn't be more overvalued than it is right now with the No. 6 ranking in the country.  Cincinnati is no easy place to play as the Bearcats are 27-5 in their last 32 home games.  They want revenge from their 30-33 road loss to Houston last year in which they outgained they Cougars by 162 yards and dominated really.  Cincinnati is 13-2 ATS in its last 15 games after a game with a +4 turnover margin or better.  Take Cincinnati.

6* MLB Thursday *MOUND MISMATCH* on Kansas City Royals -136

The Key: The Kansas City Royals are holding on to slim playoff hopes because of the work they did in August and early September by getting themselves back into contention.  They aren't ready to give up yet.  The Royals have a decisive edge on the mound tonight with Edinson Volquez, who is 6-3 with a 4.55 ERA in 17 home starts this year.  Daniel Mengden is one of the worst starters in baseball at 1-7 with a 6.39 ERA and 1.686 WHIP in 11 starts, including 0-2 with a 9.48 ERA and 2.188 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  Volquez is 3-2 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.214 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts vs. Oakland.  Volquez is 11-0 (+11.1 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday over the last 3 seasons.  Mengden is 1-9 (-8.5 Units) against the money line vs. teams whose hitters strike out 7 or more times/game this season.  Take Kansas City.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Kansas City Royals -132

The Key: After losing the first 2 games of this series to the Oakland A's, I fully expect the Kansas City Royals to be hungry for a win in Game 3 here tonight.  I believe they have the edge on the mound behind Yordano Ventura, who is 10-10 with a 4.26 ERA in 28 starts, and 6-3 with a 4.09 ERA in 11 home starts.  Sean Manaea is 5-9 with a 4.43 ERA in 20 starts, and 0-6 with a 6.44 ERA in 8 road starts.  Ventura is 16-4 (+11.5 Units) against the money line vs. AL teams scoring 4.7 or less runs/game in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.  The A's are 1-7 in Manaea's last 8 road starts.  The Royals are 7-1 in Ventura's last 8 starts.  Kansas City is 26-10 in Ventura's last 36 home starts.  Take Kansas City.

7* NL East Game of the Month on New York Mets -130

The Key: The New York Mets are in a battle with the Giants and Cardinals for the last two wild card spots in the National League.  They need every game the rest of the way, while the Washington Nationals have little to play for as they already have the NL East basically clinched.  The Mets have the clear edge on the mound tonight behind Noah Syndergaard, who is 13-8 with a 2.49 ERA in 27 starts, and 7-3 with a 2.45 ERA in 12 road starts.  Syndergaard sports a 3.02 ERA in 7 lifetime starts vs. Washington as well.  A.J. Cole has struggled in limited action for the Nationals, going 1-2 with a 4.56 ERA in 4 starts.  The Mets are 25-10 (+14.1 Units) against the money line in road games in September games over the last 3 seasons.  New York is 4-1 in Syndergaard's last 5 road starts.  The Mets are 6-0 in their last 6 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.  Take New York.

7* Rams/49ers Monday Night *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles -3

The Key: This will finally be the year the Los Angeles Rams make a playoff push.  They have been stockpiling talent for the last few years, and they now actually have some of the best young talent in the NFL.  Look for it to come to fruition in 2016, starting with Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers, who will battle with the Cleveland Browns for worst team in the NFL honors.  The Rams' only potential weakness is at QB, but Case Keenum is a batter QB than Blaine Gabbert, and the 49ers have holes everywhere on both side of the ball due to poor management.  Only having to lay a field goal with the vastly superior team tonight is a nice discount.  Take Los Angeles.

6* MLB Dog of the Week on New York Mets +127

The Key: The New York Mets are in a battle with the Giants and Cardinals for the last two wild card spots in the National League.  They need every game the rest of the way, while the Washington Nationals have little to play for as they already have the NL East basically clinched.  Rafael Montero spots a 2.89 ERA in his 2 starts this season for the Mets.  Mat Latos will be making his first start for the Nationals tonight.  he has gone 6-2 with a 4.63 ERA and 1.459 WHIP in 11 starts this year, including 4-2 with a 5.18 ERA and 1.546 WHIP in 6 home starts.  He will be making his first start since June 7 and will likely be on a pitch count.  The Mets are 6-1 in their last 7 road games.  New York is 22-6 in its last 28 Monday games.  The Mets are 4-1 in Montero's last 5 starts.  Take New York.

6* NFL Dog of the Week on Miami Dolphins +10.5

The Key: The Miami Dolphins are showing good value today as double-digit road underdogs to the Seattle Seahawks.  The Seahawks remain a public team in 2016 and are getting the majority of the action, pushing this line higher than it should be.  The Dolphins will be better in 2016 under the guidance of new head coach Adam Gase.  He worked wonders with Jay Cutler in Chicago last year, and he'll have the same effect on Ryan Tannehill and get the most out of him in 2016.  The defense features one of the best pass rushes in the NFL, and they'll get after Russell Wilson and the terrible Seattle O-line.  The Dolphins are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  Take Miami.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on St. Louis Cardinals -164
The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals are right in the thick of the playoff race for the final 2 wild card spots in the National League.  They need every game from here on out, so motivation will not be an issue.  Luke Weaver has performed well since being called up for the Cardinals, going 1-2 with a 3.96 ERA in 5 starts.  He's 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in his lone home start and makes his 2nd home start today.  The Cardinals are 73-29 (+21.3 Units) against the money line as a favorite of -150 or more over the last 2 seasons.  Take St. Louis.

7* NFL Game of the Week on New York Jets +1

The Key: Home-field advantage has been huge between the Bengals and Jets.  The home team is 7-1 SU in the last 8 meetings and 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings.  The Jets have won 6 straight home meetings with the Bengals as well. They should not be underdogs Sunday.  Take New York.

6* NFL Blowout Game of the Week on Philadelphia Eagles -3.5

The Key: The Cleveland Browns are the worst team in the NFL, so we'll take advantage Sunday and fade them as short road underdogs to the Philadelphia Eagles.  This line was actually -7 when the Eagles had Sam Bradford, and now it's -3.5 with Carson Wentz starting.  There's simply not that much difference between those two quarterbacks to warrant that big of a move.  The Browns went 1-7 on the road last season and lost by an average of 12.8 points per game.  Take Philadelphia.

6* NCAAF Dog of the Week on Eastern Michigan +24

The Key: Any time Missouri is a big favorite I will look to fade them.  That's because the Tigers do not have any offense and can't cover big numbers because of it.  They scored a measly 13.6 points per game last season.  Their offense doesn't appear to be much better in 2016 thus far as they only managed 11 points in their 11-26 loss to West Virginia last week.  Eastern Michigan is improved this year and put together a convincing 61-14 rout of Mississippi Valley State in its opener.  The Eagles had 16 starters back this season and a lot more experience.  Missouri only had one win by more than 14 points last year, and that was a 31-point win over SE Missouri State as 41-point favorites in its opener.  The Tigers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games in September.  This is simply too big of a number.  Take Eastern Michigan.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on New York Yankees -137

The Key: Don't look now but the New York Yankees have won 6 straight and are only 1 game back in the wild card race.  Now they get the Tampa Bay Rays again today, who are just 59-81 on the season.  This is a reasonable price for the Yankees at home with ace Masahiro Tanaka on the mound.  Tanaka is 12-4 with a 3.16 ERA and 1.082 WHIP in 28 starts this year, and 2-0 with a 1.96 ERA in his last 3 starts.  Chris Archer has been terrible on the road, going 5-8 with a 5.79 ERA and 1.437 WHIP in 14 starts.  Tanaka has never lost to the Rays, going 4-0 (6-0 money line) with a 2.63 ERA and 0.732 WHIP in 6 lifetime starts.  Take New York.

7* NCAAF Non-Conference Game of the Week on SMU +32.5

The Key: SMU is a team on the rise in the second year under Chad Morris.  They put up 27.8 points per game last year after only averaging 11.1 in 2014.  Morris has a great offensive mind and the Mustangs will have the firepower to stay within 32 points of Baylor today.  Just last year the Mustangs only trailed the Bears 21-28 at half before getting blown out in the second half.  The Mustangs gained 572 yards in a 34-21 win at North Texas last week, outgaining the Mean Green by 178 yards.  Bets on dogs of 31.5 or more points after outgaining their last opponent by 175 yards or more are 26-6 ATS since 1992.  Take SMU.

6* Penn State/Pitt *CA$H COW* on Penn State +4

The Key: James Franklin has his best team in 3 years at Penn State with 14 starters back.  He has a new dual-threat QB in Trace McSorley, which will help improve the offense after a couple of down years on Christian Hackenberg's watch.  Pitt is a solid team, but it doesn't have a QB and only managed 261 total yards in a 28-7 win over Villanova last week.  Pitt doesn't have an offense in general, which makes it tough for it to cover spreads when favored.  The Panthers went 8-5 last season, but 8 of those games were decided by a TD or less.  Franklin is 8-0 ATS lifetime following a game where his team won but failed to cover the spread, as was the case last week in a 33-13 win over Kent State as 21-point favorites.  Take Penn State.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Cleveland Indians -139

The Key: The Cleveland Indians have a big advantage on the mound tonight behind Danny Salazar.  He is 11-6 with a 3.71 ERA and 157 K's in 133 1/3 innings this season.  Salazar is also 6-4 with a 3.37 ERA in 12 road starts.  He'll be opposed by Tyler Duffey, who is 8-10 with a 6.24 ERA and 1.483 WHIP in 22 starts, and 4-5 with a 7.22 ERA and 1.572 WHIP in 12 home starts.  Duffey has allowed 9 earned runs over 12 1/3 innings in his last 2 starts against Cleveland this season.

7* Louisville/Syracuse ESPN 2 Friday Night Lights on Syracuse +15

The Key: I like the direction Dino Babers has the Syracuse Orange headed.  In his first game they beat Colgate 33-7 at home and got their offense going with 554 yards.  Babers inherited 16 returning starters and more talent than most coaches could expect in their 1st year with a new team.  The Carrier Dome is no joke.  Syracuse is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 home games.  The Orange went 3-3 at home last year with a 10-point loss to LSU as 24-point dogs, a 3-point loss to Pitt as 9-point dogs, and a 10-point loss to Clemson as 30-point dogs.  If they could hang with those 3 teams at home, they certainly can hang with Louisville.  Take Syracuse.

7* CAR/DEN NFL Thursday *HEAVY HITTER* on Denver Broncos +3

The Key: The defending Super Bowl champ is 14-2 SU in Week 1 over the past 16 seasons.  The Super Bowl loser from the previous year is only 5-11 SU & 3-12-1 ATS over the past 16 seasons as well.  I feel that the price is right to back the Broncos as home underdogs here Thursday night.  Carolina is not 6 points better on a neutral field, which is what this line would indicate.  The Broncos didn't lose a whole lot from last year, and it's not like Peyton Manning did much for this team.  They still have the best defense in the NFL and a solid running game, along with 2 elite receivers on the outside.  I think they have enough to win tonight and will be inspired, just almost all of the previous year's Super Bowl winners have been.  Take Denver.

7* MLB Run Line Game of the Week on Boston Red Sox -1.5 (-132)

The Key: The Boston Red Sox are tied for 1st place in the AL East with the Toronto Blue Jays.  It's almost like they're playing at home in San Diego because they have had more fans there than the Padres the past two games.  I look for them to take this series with a Game 3 victory by multiple runs.  David Price has really stepped up his game, going 5-0 with a 2.06 ERA in his last 5 starts while allowing only 8 earned runs in 35 innings.  Jarred Cosart gets the ball for the Padres.  He is 0-2 with a 5.14 ERA and 1.673 WHIP in 10 starts this year.  He just gave up 7 earned runs in 4 1/3 innings to the Braves of all teams his last time out.  Price is 32-11 (+17.3 Units) against the money line in road games vs. teams whose hitters draw 3 walks or less/game lifetime.  His teams are winning by 2.1 runs per game in this spot.  San Diego is 39-84 (-39.1 Units) against the money line vs. an AL starting pitcher whose ERA is 4.00 or better since 1997.  It is losing by 1.8 runs per game in this spot.  Take Boston on the Run Line.

7* MLB Dog of the Week on San Francisco Giants +117

The Key: If they San Francisco Giants want to catch the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West, they need to get going now.  They are 4 games back and have been awful since the All-Star Break.  But I have faith in this veteran team to get things turned around.  I like the price we are getting with the Giants behind Jeff Samardzija, who is 11-9 with a 4.06 ERA and 1.225 WHIP in 27 starts, and 1-1 with a 2.50 ERA and 1.222 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  Samardzija really enjoys facing the Rockies, going 3-1 with a 2.13 ERA and 1.026 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts.  San Francisco is 9-1 (+8.6 Units) against the money line after scoring 3 runs or less 4 straight games over the last 2 seasons.  Take San Francisco.

7* Ole Miss/FSU ESPN Monday *HEAVY HITTER* on Florida State -6

The Key: Florida State has 17 starters back this season and is a legit national title contender.  Ole Miss only has 10 starters back this year and is primed for a down year after winning 10 games last year with Hugh Freeze's best team yet.  But Freeze has lost a lot of talent to the NFL and this is probably a rebuilding year.  Look for Florida State to roll in their opener, especially with home-field advantage with this game being played in their home state of Florida.  Take Florida State.

6* Rangers/Mariners AL West *CA$H COW* on Seattle +113

The Key: Any time you can get ace Felix Hernandez as an underdog it's worth a look.  The Mariners are still alive for the wild card in the American League and need a big finish if they are going to make a run.  Hernandez is 9-5 with a 3.48 ERA in 19 starts this year, including 4-2 with a 3.20 ERA in 9 home starts.  He sports a 3.85 ERA in 49 lifetime starts vs. Texas as well.  Cole Hamels sports a 4.13 ERA in 9 lifetime starts vs. Seattle.  He gave up 6 earned runs in 4 1/3 innings in his last start against the Mariners on August 30.  The Mariners are a sensational 12-1 (+12.6 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +100 or higher this season.  Take Seattle.

6* Notre Dame/Texas NCAAF *CA$H COW* on Texas +3.5

The Key: This is the year that Charlie Strong finally makes progress at Texas.  He has his players in place now entering Year 3.  This team is freakishly athletic and physical, which is a staple of a Texas team.  They will have a vastly improved offense thanks to new coordinator Sterling Gilbert, who comes over from Tulsa.  They have 15 starters back this year compared to just 9 returning starters for Notre Dame.  I think the Fighting Irish come into 2016 overvalued.  Plays on dogs of 3.5 to 10 points who have 6 or more returning starters than their opponent in the 1st month of the season are 58-24 ATS since 1992.  Take Texas.

7* National League Game of the Month on St. Louis Cardinals -163

The Key: St. Louis is only clinging on to the 2nd wild card spot in the National League by one game right now.  That's because the Cardinals have lost 3 straight coming in.  It's safe to say that they'll be hungry for a victory Sunday to avoid the sweep against the Reds.  I like their chances of getting in the win column thanks to their massive advantage on the mound.  Carlos Martinez is 12-7 with a 3.07 ERA in 25 starts, 7-1 with a 2.30 ERA in 12 road starts, and 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in his last 3 starts.  Martinez has never lost to the Reds, going 2-0 (4-0 money line) with a 2.63 ERA in 4 lifetime starts.  Take St. Louis.

6* Clemson/Auburn Saturday Night *BAILOUT* on Clemson -8

The Key: After going 14-1 last season with their only loss to Alabama by 5 points in the National Championship, the Clemson Tigers want more in 2016.  They are loaded once again, especially offensively with 8 starters back, including Heisman Trophy favorite Deshaun Watson.  Look for this offense to hang a big number on an Auburn defense that loses 4 of its top 5 tacklers from last year.  Auburn also has questions at QB once again and will struggle to move the ball on a Clemson defense that only gave up 21.7 points and 313 yards per game last year.  Auburn is 1-10 ATS in its last 11 home games, including 0-6 ATS at home last year.  Auburn is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 non-conference games.  Take Clemson.

6* Angels/Mariners AL West *CA$H COW* on Seattle -113

The Key: At 69-65 on the season, the Seattle Mariners are 4 games back of the 2nd wild card spot in the American League.  They need a big push in September to make the playoffs.  They got off to a good start yesterday with an 11-8 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.  I look for them to put up another big number against Tyler Skaggs today.  Skaggs is 2-3 with a 4.75 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in 7 starts this season, and 0-2 with a 6.05 ERA and 1.702 WHIP in 4 lifetime starts vs. Seattle.  Taijuan Walker has been at his best at home this year, going 3-4 with a 3.58 ERA and 1.133 WHIP in 11 starts for the Mariners.  The Angels are 2-11 in their last 13 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.  The Angels are 1-5 in Skaggs' last 6 starts.  The Mariners are 7-1 in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a losing record.  Seattle is 10-3 in its last 13 home games.  Take Seattle.

6* Southern Miss/Kentucky *CA$H COW* on Kentucky -4.5

The Key: I'll gladly back the team from the SEC at home as only small 4.5-point favorites over the team from Conference USA in Southern Miss.  Kentucky has 14 starters back this year, including 9 on offense and will be explosive on that side of the ball.  Southern Miss comes into 2016 overvalued after making the C-USA Championship Game last year.  But now they lost head coach Todd Monken to the NFL, and there will be an adjustment period with new head coach Jay Hopson despite having 13 starters back.  USM has faced SEC opponents the last 3 years and hasn't been very competitive in any of them.  The Eagles lost by 21 to Arkansas in 2013, by 49 to Mississippi State in 2014, by 40 to Alabama in 2014, and by 18 to Mississippi State in 2015.  Take Kentucky.

7* NCAAF Game of the Week on Texas A&M -3

The Key: Kevin Sumlin has a loaded roster in 2016 with 13 starters back and the additions of Oklahoma transfers in QB Trevor Knight and RB Keith Ford.  The defense is one of the best in the SEC with 7 of the top 8 tacklers back from a unit that gave up 22.0 points per game last year.  The offense can only be improved with better QB play from Knight and his set of receivers that are as talented as anyone in the country.  UCLA has all kinds of questions surrounding the offense around QB Josh Rosen with only 4 starters back.  The Aggies have gone 11-4 ATS in their last 15 September games and are 26-2 in their last 28 home openers.  Take Texas A&M.