6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Minnesota Twins -105

The Key: The Minnesota Twins are just 1.5 games back in the wild card with a fighting chance over their final four games.  They have won four of their last five coming in.  The Twins have a massive advantage on the mound tonight.  Tyler Duffey has been huge for them down the stretch, going 5-1 with a 3.14 ERA in nine starts.  Duffey is 3-0 with a 1.40 ERA in his last three starts to boot.  Trevor Bauer has been ineffective all year, going 11-12 with a 4.71 ERA and 1.339 WHIP as a start, including 5-7 with a 6.02 ERA and 1.465 WHIP in 15 home starts.  Bauer is 1-2 with a 10.33 ERA and 2.118 WHIP in his last three starts as well.  Duffey pitched 6 shutout innings of one-hit ball in a 4-1 win over the Indians on August 15.  Buaer is 1-3 with a 6.00 ERA in 6 lifetime starts vs. Cleveland.  The Twins are 8-0 in their last 8 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.  The Twins are 7-0 in their last 7 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.  The Twins are 7-0 in Duffey's last 7 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.  Take this 22-0 angle backing the Twins straight to the bank.  Take Minnesota.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto Blue Jays -162 (Game 1)

The Key: The Toronto Blue Jays are not only on a mission to win the AL East, they are also looking to earn the No. 1 seed in the American League and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.  They can clinch the AL East for the first time in 22 years with a win today over the Orioles, so they'll be motivated to do so.  They have won five straight coming in and play an Orioles team that has clearly given up.  The Orioles are 0-4 in their last four games overall and have been outscored 3-21 in the process.  They have been shut out three times during this stretch.  Marcus Stroman has lit it up here of late, going 3-0 with a 1.89 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in his last three starts.  He'll be opposed by Miguel Gonzalez, who is 9-11 with a 4.85 ERA in 25 starts, including 0-3 with an 8.59 ERA in his last three.  The Blue Jays are 41-14 in their last 55 overall.  The Blue Jays are 4-0 in Stroman's last four starts.  The Orioles are 0-7 in Gonzalez's last 7 starts vs. a team with a winning record.  Take Toronto in Game 1.

7* Dodgers/Giants NL West *BAILOUT* on San Francisco +125

The Key: As crazy as it may sound, the San Francisco Giants actually still have a shot to come back and win the NL West.  That's because they have won three in a row including Game 1 of this series with the Dodgers.  If they sweep the 4-game series, they'll only be two games back going into their final series.  They clearly have not given up, while the Dodgers have struggled coming in with four straight losses.  Now the Giants send their ace to the mound in Madison Bumgarner and we're getting him as a home underdog, which almost never happens.  Bumgarner is 9-3 with a 1.80 ERA and 0.904 WHIP in 16 home starts this year.  Clayton Kershaw hasn't been as good on the road as he has been at home, going 4-4 with a 2.82 ERA in 15 road starts.  The Dodgers are actually 6-9 (-10.5 units) in his road starts this year.  The Dodgers are 2-9 in their last 11 road games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Giants are 7-1 n Bumgarner's last 8 home starts.  Los Angeles is 0-7 in its last 7 trips to San Francisco.  The Dodgers are 0-5 in the last 5 meetings when Kershaw faces Bumgarner.  Take San Francisco.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Los Angeles Angels -168

The Key: I'm willing to lay this heavy price with the Angels tonight due to what's at stake.  They trail the Houston Astros by just 1/2 game for the last wild card spot in the American League.  They have put themselves in this position by going 5-0 in their last five games overall and playing clutch baseball down the stretch.  The Oakland A's are just ready for their season to be over with.  They are just 1-7 in their last eight games overall and have rarely been competitive as six of the losses have come by two runs or more.  Hector Santiago has been dominant at home, going 4-2 with a 2.53 ERA and 1.166 WHIP in 16 starts this year.  He'll be opposed by Felix Doubront, who is 3-3 with a 5.85 ERA and 1.626 WHIP in 11 starts this season, including 0-2 with a 10.20 ERA in his last three.  Santiago is 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA in eight lifetime starts vs. Oakland, while Doubront is 2-1 with a 4.34 ERA in three lifetime starts vs. Los Angeles.  The A's are 16-40 in their last 56 games vs. a left-handed starter, including 4-23 in their last 27 road games vs. a left-handed starter.  The Angels are 7-2 in Santiago's last nine home starts.  Take Los Angeles.

7* MNF TOTAL OF THE YEAR on Chiefs/Packers UNDER 49

The Key: The Kansas City Chiefs have one of the best defenses in the NFL.  They only gave up 17.7 points per game last season and are even more talented overall on this side of the ball in 2015.  They certainly do not win games with their offense, which is just a mediocre unit.  The Packers look improved on defense this year in limiting the Bears and Seahawks to an average of 20.0 points per game.  Having a healthy B.J. Raji back in the middle has made a huge difference.  Plays on the UNDER on any team where the total is between 42.5 and 49 points (Green Bay) who had a good offense last season and averaged 5.4 or more yards per play, in non-conference games the next season are 60-27 over the last 10 seasons.  The UNDER is 25-10-1 in Chiefs last 36 games following a ATS loss.  Take the UNDER.

7* NFC West GAME OF THE MONTH on San Francisco 49ers +6.5

The Key: This is the most inflated line on the board.  The 49ers are coming off a blowout loss to the Steelers. while the Cardinals are coming off a blowout win over the Bears.  Almost every time you should take the team coming off a blowout loss in this situation because there is value in doing so.  That's what we'll do Sunday as this game is decided by less than a TD.  Take San Francisco.

6* MLB Sunday *MOUND MISMATCH* on Houston Astros -1.5 (-104)

The Key:  The Houston Astros are now in must-win mode after losing three straight.  They are only 1/2 game up on the Angles in the wild card standings.  They cannot afford to lose any more.  They have a massive advantage on the mound today behind Dallas Keuchel, who is 14-0 with a 1.47 ERA and 0.907 WHIP in 17 home starts.  He'll be opposed by Martin Perez, who is 3-5 with a 5.21 ERA in 12 starts, and 0-4 with a 5.59 ERA in 7 road starts.  Take Houston on the Run Line.

6* NFL Sunday *TOTAL* Annihilator on Colts/Titans OVER 46

The Key: These are two very bad defenses going at it Sunday.  I'll take the OVER as a result as I see the Colts putting up a big number on the Titans, but not being able to stop Marcus Mariota and company.  The Colts are 7-0 OVER (+7.0 Units) in road games after a game with a turnover margin of -4 or worse since 1992.  They're combining with their opponents for 56.0 points per game in this spot.  Take the OVER.

6* NFL Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Philadelphia Eagles +2.5

The Key: The Philadelphia Eagles are -2 and in a must-win spot here.  They take on a New York Jets team coming off a massive win over the Colts on Monday Night Football.  So not only are the Jets working on a short week, they're also in a letdown spot here.  The Eagles will simply want this one more and get the win as a result.   The Jets are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  Take Philadelphia.

7* SEC East GAME OF THE YEAR on Kentucky -2.5

The Key: Missouri is the most overrated team in college football.  That has really shown the past two weeks.  The heavily favored Tigers trailed UConn late in the third quarter last Saturday before putting together their lone touchdown drive of the day, then held on for a 9-6 victory on Anthony Sherril's interception on a fake field goal with 39 seconds remaining.  Missouri overcame a seven-point halftime deficit at Arkansas State the previous week to earn a 27-20 decision.  This is the most talented team that Mark Stoops has had at Kentucky yet.  The Wildcats upset South Carolina on the road 26-22, and then nearly upset Florida in a 9-14 home loss last week.  The Wildcats only lost 20-10 at Missouri last season and will be out for revenge here.  They finally have the team to beat Missouri.  They limited the Gators to just 245 yards last week.  Missouri has an awful offense and QB Maty Mauk has thrown for just 293 combined yards against Arkansas State and UConn the last two weeks.  The Tigers are averaging 3.2 yards per rush this season, and Mauk is averaging only 5.9 yards per pass attempt.  Take Kentucky.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on New York Mets -147

The Key: The New York Mets are so close to an NL East title that they can almost taste it.  They have a chance to clinch today with a win and will be hungry to do so.  They get to take on a Cincinnati team that has been a punching bag for the rest of the National League since the All-Star Break.  The Reds have lost six in a row coming in and are 16-35 in their last 51 games overall.  Matt Harvey is having a great season at 12-7 with a 2.95 ERA and 1.030 WHIP in 27 starts.  He'll be opposed by John Lamb, who is 1-3 with a 4.60 ERA and 1.488 WHIP in eight starts, including 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA and 1.762 WHIP in four home starts.  Harvey is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in three lifetime starts vs. Cincinnati.  The Mets are 22-5 in their last 27 road games.  The Mets are 34-13 in their last 47 vs. a team with a losing record.  The Mets are 49-16 (+29.9 Units) against the money line when the money line is -100 to -150 this season.  Take New York.

6* NCAAF Saturday *TOTAL* Annihilator on Ohio/Minnesota UNDER 47.5

The Key: The oddsmakers have missed their mark badly with this total set Saturday, which is my favorite total in college football this week.  Minnesota is 3-0 to the UNDER this season and yet the oddsmakers have still managed to set this total too high.  They combined for only 40 points with TCU, 43 points with Colorado State, and 17 points with Kent State.  They have an awful offense and a great defense, which seems to be the case with them every year.  The Golden Gophers are averaging just 16.7 points and 347.3 yards per game offensively, while giving up 16.7 points and 301.7 yards per game defensively.  Ohio has played a very easy schedule with Idaho, Marshall and SE Louisiana.  The only game they've played that matters is that Marshall game.  And that was a 21-10 win for Ohio and 31 combined points.  The Bobcats held a very good Marshall offense to just 241 total yards in that win.  Minnesota is 8-0 UNDER in its last 8 games after scoring 17 points or less.  Ohio is 8-0 UNDER after outgaining an opponent by 125 or more yards last game over the last 3 seasons.  The UNDER is 19-7 in Bobcats last 26 games overall.  The UNDER is 8-1 in Bobcats last 9 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.  Take the UNDER.

6* NCAAF Saturday *UPSET SPECIAL* on UConn +7

The Key: The UConn Huskies are an improved team this season that could be 3-0.  They beat Villanova and Army in their first two games, and then lost 6-9 at Missouri last week as three-touchdown underdogs.  The key here being that they already faced a triple-option team in Army.  Now they face another triple-option team in Navy.  Having just prepared for this system two weeks ago, that's going to be a huge advantage for the Huskies.  Navy will be hitting the road for the first time after playing a cake home schedule up to this point against Colgate and East Carolina.  The Midshipmen did beat ECU 45-21, but they only outgained them by 51 yards and it wasn't the blowout that the final score showed.  UConn is only giving up 279.3 yards per game this season, including 126 rushing and 3.7 per carry.  The Huskies limited Missouri to only 270 total yards last week.  Plays against road favorites of 3.5 to 10 points in the first month of the season after closing out last season with 3 or more straight wins are 50-15 ATS since 1992.  Navy is clearly overvalued here.  Take UConn.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Houston Astros -125

The Key: The Houston Astros want serious revenge on the Texas Rangers after getting swept in four games from September 14-17.  They now trail the Rangers by 3.5 games in the division and need to really sweep this series to get right back in it.  It starts with Game 1 tonight and the big edge the Astros have on the mound.  Scott Kazmir sports a 2.73 ERA and 1.149 WHIP in 29 starts this season, and a 2.13 ERA and 1.097 WHIP in 15 home starts.  He'll be opposed by Yovani Gallardo, who is 0-2 with a 7.72 ERA in his last two starts, allowing 8 earned runs in 9 1/3 innings.  Gallardo has posted an 8.00 ERA in his last two starts against Houston while allowing 8 earned runs in 9 innings.  Kazmir is 11-6 with a 2.91 ERA in 23 lifetime starts against Texas.  In 2015 alone, Kazmir is 2-1 with a 1.60 ERA against the Rangers in 5 starts, allowing 6 earned runs in 33 2/3 innings.  Houston is 16-3 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in home games vs. a starting pitcher who gives up 0.5 or less HR's/start this season.  The Astros are 43-18 in their last 61 home games.  Take Houston.

7* Boise State/Virginia ESPN Friday Night Lights on Virginia +3

The Key: The Virginia Cavaliers play one of the most brutal non-conference schedules in the country every year.  They have actually held their own this season against a pair of Top 10 teams.  They lost to UCLA 16-34 as 18-point road underdogs, and then they nearly upset Notre Dame as 14-point home dogs with a 27-34 loss after giving up a touchdown in the closing seconds.  I have not been impressed with Boise State in a 3-point home win over Washington and an 11-point road loss to BYU.  The Broncos had to replace their two best players from last year in RB Jay Ajayi and QB Grant Hedrick.  They are already down their starting QB in Ryan Finley, which is going to prove to be a big blow as the season goes on.  They managed fine without him against Idaho State last week, but now they face a different animal here in Virginia.  The Broncos are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.  The Broncos are 3-10 ATS in their last 13 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.  The Cavaliers are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 home games.  The Cavaliers are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 non-conference games.  Take Virginia.

7* Redskins/Giants NFC East *HEAVY HITTER* on New York -3.5

The Key: The New York Giants really should be 2-0 right now had they not blown 10-point leads in the second half of each of their first two games against the Cowboys and Falcons, who are both proving to be two of the best teams in the NFL in the early going.  Now the Giants have to win this game and will be hungry to do so.  They get to play a Redskins team that they have beaten four straight times by an average of 16.3 points per game.  Eli Manning threw seven touchdown passes and only one interception in the two meetings with the Redskins last year.  Washington split its two home games to open the season, but now it goes on the road where it is a combined 2-14 over the past two seasons.  The Giants ranked 3rd in the league in run defense thus far in giving up 68 yards per game and 3.0 per carry.  The Redskins are clearly a primary running team this year as they rank 1st in the league in rushing, so the Giants are equipped to stop them.  Take New York.

6* Cincinnati/Memphis *TOTAL* Annihilator on UNDER 66.5

The Key: Both Cincinnati and Memphis have gone 3-0 to the over through their first three games of the season.  That has forced oddsmakers to set the total for this game higher than it should be, and now the value is clearly with the under as the betting public is all over the over.  Memphis and Cincinnati are putting up big numbers offensively, but that's because they have faces some awful defenses.  That's especially the case for the Tigers, who have faced Missouri State, Kansas and Bowling Green.  But both of these defenses have played pretty well and will step up tonight.  Cincinnati is only giving up 330.0 yards per game and 5.1 per play.  Yes, Temple scored 34 points against the Bearcats, but that was due to five turnovers by Cincinnati.  The Bearcats held the Owls to just 296 total yards.  Memphis is only giving up 354 yards per game and 5.0 per play against teams that average 437 yards per game and 5.5 per play.  These teams have only combined for exactly 55 points in each of their two meetings over the past two seasons.  Cincinnati is 7-0 to the UNDER in road games after gaining 475 or more yards per game over their last 3 games over the last 3 seasons.  It is combining to score 38.6 points per game with its seven opponents during this span.  Memphis is 15-4 to the UNDER in its last 19 versus good offensive teams that average 6.25 or more yards per play.  Take the UNDER.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Texas Rangers -144

The Key: I backed the Texas Rangers with success yesterday and I'll support them again today.  The Rangers are now 8-2 in their last 10 games overall and on a mission to win the AL West.  The A's are the worst team in the American League and have now lost four straight coming in while giving up 33 runs in the process.  Cole Hamels is enjoying pitching for a contender.  He has allowed 3 or fewer runs in six of his last seven starts with the Rangers.  Chris Bassitt will be making his first start since August 26 and is just 1-6 on the season.  The Rangers are 7-0 in Hamels' last 7 starts.  The A's are 2-8 in their last 10 home games.  Oakland is 16-39 in its last 55 vs. a left-handed starter.  Take Texas.

7* MLB 100% Never Lost *MOUND MISMATCH* on Texas Rangers -117

The Key: The Texas Rangers have gone 7-2 in their last nine games overall to take control of the AL West race.  They now lead the Houston Astros by two games and want to keep their foot on the gas to maintain first place.  They continue their series with the lowly Oakland A's (64-87), who have lost three in a row coming in.  The Rangers have a massive advantage on the mound tonight behind Colby Lewis, who is 16-8 with a 4.41 ERA and 1.205 WHIP in 30 starts, and 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA in his last two.  One of those was against Oakland on September 11 as he pitched a 2-hit shutout.  Lewis is now 10-4 with a 3.03 ERA and 1.167 WHIP in 24 lifetime starts versus Oakland.  Felix Doubront is 3-2 with a 4.95 ERA and 1.476 WHIP this season for the A's, including 1-1 with a 7.72 ERA in his last three starts.  Doubront has never beaten the Rangers, going 0-5 with an 11.50 ERA and 2.507 WHIP in five lifetime starts against then.  Enough said.  Take Texas.

6* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Pittsburgh Pirates -139

The Key: The Pittsburgh Pirates have a massive edge on the mound today over the Colorado Rockies.  One of the quietest moves at the trade deadline was acquiring J.A. Happ.  The left-hander has been under the radar, going 5-2 with a 1.96 ERA since joining the Pirates.  He has struck out 26 batters in 18 2/3 innings over his last three starts and has a 1.30 ERA in his last seven.  Chris Rusin is 5-8 with a 5.11 ERA this season for Colorado.  The left-hander has a 9.00 ERA in his last five starts as well.  Happ is 2-0 with a 2.73 ERA and 1.146 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts vs. Colorado. The Rockies are 1-9 (-8.6 Units) against the money line after 2 straight losses by 4 runs or more this season.  The Pirates are 6-1 in Happ's last 7 starts.  The Rockies are 33-81 in their last 114 vs. a team with a winning record.  Take Pittsburgh.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Boston Red Sox -124

The Key: The Boston Red Sox have been playing their best baseball of the season here down the stretch and are nearly back to .500 because of it.  They have gone 20-11 in their last 31 games overall and have not quit.  The Rays have gone 6-12 in their last 18 games and are just looking forward to the finish line.  Henry Owens has been very sharp in his last two starts, allowing just 1 earned run in 13 innings for a minuscule 0.69 ERA.  Those two starts have come against the Blue Jays and Orioles to boot.  Matt Moore has been awful, going 1-4 with a 7.06 ERA and 1.661 WHIP in 9 starts this year, and 0-2 with an 8.64 ERA and 2.040 WHIP in 4 road starts.  Moore is 2-5 with a 7.03 ERA in 7 lifetime starts vs. Boston.  In two starts against the Red Sox in 2015, Moore has allowed 12 earned runs in 8 innings for a 13.50 ERA.  The Rays are 2-10 in Moore's last 12 starts.  Tampa Bay is 0-7 in Moore's last 7 starts vs. a team with a losing record.  The Red Sox are 6-0 in their last 6 vs. a left-handed starter.  Take Boston.

7* Yankees/Blue Jays ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto -131

The Key: The Toronto Blue Jays have lost two of their last three games coming into this one.  They haven't lost three games in a four-game stretch since all the way back on July 24-28.  I look for them to take down the New York Yankees tonight behind a raucous home crowd in Toronto on National TV with this game being televised on ESPN.  Marco Estrada has been one of the most underrated starters in baseball, going 13-8 with a 3.14 ERA and 1.073 WHIP in 25 starts and six relief appearances.  In his last 3 starts against the Yankees this season, Estrada has allowed 6 earned runs over 17 1/3 innings.  Luis Severino is a talented young starters, but the Blue Jays have owned him in two starts this year.  Severino is 0-2 with a 9.72 ERA and 2.041 WHIP in those two starts while allowing 9 earned runs, 3 homers and 17 base runners in 8 1/3 innings.  The Blue Jays are 8-0 in Estradas last 8 starts when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.  Toronto is 38-16 in its last 54 home games.  Take Toronto.

7* Jets/Colts MNF *HEAVY HITTER* on New York +7

The Key: The Indianapolis Colts were a popular choice to win the Super Bowl coming into the season.  They had progressed further in the playoffs each of the last three years, and many thought they were ready to take that next step.  I'm not not one of them.  But that perception that the Colts are a Super Bowl contender has them way overvalued in the early going.  That was the case last week in a 27-14 road loss to the Buffalo Bills.  Now, the Colts have to face a similar team in the New York Jets, who are built behind a Top 5 defense and one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL, just like the Bills.  The Jets thumped the Cleveland Browns 31-10 in the opener.  The Jets were picked to finished last in the AFC East by most media outlets, which has them undervalued in the early going.  This is a much better Jets team than the one Rex Ryan had to work with last year.  Todd Bowles stepped into a great situation with the additions of Darrelle Revis, Brandon Marshall and Ryan Fitzpatrick this offseason.  The Colts could be without top receiver T.Y. Hilton and top RB Frank Gore, who are both questionable to play.  Even if they do suit up, I still like the Jets to stay within a touchdown here and possibly pull off the upset.  The Jets are 5-0 ATS in their last five vs. AFC foes and 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.  They have gone 5-3 straight up in their last eight meetings with the Colts despite being an underdog 6 times, and they are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.  Take New York.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Boston Red Sox +111

The Key: The Boston Red Sox have actually been playing some of their best baseball of the season here down the stretch and are nearly back to .500 because of it.  They have gone 19-11 in their last 30 games overall and clearly have not quit.  The Rays, meanwhile, have gone 6-11 in their last 17 games overall.  Eduardo Rodriquez is having a fine season for Boston, going 9-6 with a 3.94 ERA in 19 starts, including 2-1 with a 1.56 ERA in his last three outings.  Chris Archer is having a good season for Tampa Bay as well, but he's 0-2 with a 4.67 ERA in his last three starts.  Archer does not enjoy facing the Red Sox, going 1-6 with a 5.47 ERA and 1.627 WHIP in 10 lifetime starts against them.  The Red Sox are 9-1 in their last 10 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.  Boston is 7-1 in Rodriquez's last 8 home starts.  Take Boston.

7* NFL *BLOWOUT* GAME OF THE MONTH on Philadelphia Eagles -4.5

The Key: The Philadelphia Eagles should have beaten the Atlanta Falcons last week, while the Dallas Cowboy should have lost to the New York Giants.  But since Dallas won and Philadelphia lost, I look for the Eagles to come out extra motivated for a win this week.  The Cowboys do not have Dez Bryant, and without him they are an average offense at best.  Philadelphia is one of the best offensive teams in the league and will rack up a ton of points in this one behind an inspired effort from ex-Cowboy DeMarco Murray.  The Eagles are 6-0 ATS off a road loss over the last 3 years, coming back to win by an average of 16.9 points per game.  Take Philadelphia.

6* NFL DOG OF THE WEEK on Jacksonville Jaguars +6

The Key: Underdogs coming off a loss against teams that are coming off a win have gone 51-37 ATS in Week 2 since 2003.  Better yet, home underdogs coming off a loss against a team coming off a win in Week 2 since 2003 are 26-12 ATS.  Betting on the Jaguars is like picking up after your dog.  It's not pretty and nobody likes it, but most of the time you don't have a choice.  The Jaguars are one of the least popular teams among spread bettors.  The Dolphins are receiving over 90% of the action in this one after their 17-10 win at Washington last week.  But the Dolphins needed a punt return TD to win that game and were actually outgained by 93 yards by the Redskins.  The Jaguars' 9-20 home loss to the Panthers wasn't as bad as the score looked.  They outgained the Panthers by two yards in that game, and their defense limited them to 263 total yards.  Plays on home underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points who scored 9 or fewer points last game are 47-20 ATS over the last 10 seasons.  Take Jacksonville.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Los Angeles Angels +100

The Key: The Los Angeles Angels swept both games with the Minnesota Twins yesterday to pull within 1.5 games of the Houston Astros for the final wild card spot in the American League.  I look for the Angels to make a big run here down the stretch to give themselves a chance to get in.  Matt Shoemaker is on top of his game right now, going 2-0 with a 0.63 ERA in his last two starts, allowing just 1 earned run and 9 base runners in 14 2/3 innings.  Shoemaker is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in two lifetime starts versus Minnesota.  He faced the Twins back on July 21, pitching 6 shutout innings and striking out 10 batters in a 7-0 Angels victory.  The Angels are 17-5 in Shoemaker's last 22 road starts.  The Twins are 0-5 in their last five games overall.  Take Los Angeles.

6* NFC GAME OF THE WEEK on Chicago Bears +2.5

The Key: Underdogs coming off a loss against teams that are coming off a win have gone 51-37 ATS in Week 2 since 2003.  Better yet, home underdogs coming off a loss against a team coming off a win in Week 2 since 2003 are 26-12 ATS.  The betting public is all over the road favorite Arizona Cardinals this week with 87% of the action going their way.  Chicago actually entered the fourth quarter with a lead against Green Bay last week and outgained the Packers by 80 total yards.  Matt Forte showed he's still an elite back with 141 rushing yards.  Arizona only outgained New Orleans by 19 yards last week, and that was far from the 31-19 score that the final scored indicated.  Take Chicago.

6* AFC GAME OF THE WEEK on Cleveland Browns +2

The Key: Underdogs coming off a loss against teams that are coming off a win have gone 51-37 ATS in Week 2 since 2003.  Better yet, home underdogs coming off a loss against a team coming off a win in Week 2 since 2003 are 26-12 ATS.  Over 80% of the bets are coming in on the Tennessee Titans, who beat the Tampa Bay Bucs 42-14 last week.  But the Titans only outgained the Bucs by 36 total yards, and they somehow managed to score 42 despite just 309 yards of total offense.  Cleveland's 10-31 loss to the Jets last week wasn't as big of a blowout as the score would indicate.  The Browns were only outgained by 12 total yards, and they gave the ball away five times with turnovers.  The perception is that Marcus Mariota and the Titans are the next big thing now, but I'm not buying it yet.  The Titans are 1-9-1 ATS in their last 11 vs. a team with a losing record.  The Browns are 6-0 ATS following 1 or more consecutive ATS losses over the last 2 seasons.  Take Cleveland.

6* NFL Sunday *UPSET SPECIAL* on Washington Redskins +3.5

The Key: Underdogs coming off a loss against teams that are coming off a win have gone 51-37 ATS in Week 2 since 2003.  Better yet, home underdogs coming off a loss against a team coming off a win in Week 2 since 2003 are 26-12 ATS.  The St. Louis Rams are receiving roughly 82% of the spread bets in this one.  This one-sided betting has pushed this line up past the key number of 3 to 3.5.  The Rams are in a huge letdown spot here after beating the Seahawks last week and have fallen flat the next week off a big win under Jeff Fisher numerous times before.  The Redskins looked good against the Dolphins last week in a 10-17 loss.  They actually outgained the Dolphins by 93 total yards.  It took a punt return TD for Miami to win that game and come back from a 10-0 deficit.  The Redskins aren't as bad as they're perceived to be, while the Rams aren't as good as their result last week.  This is a typical overreaction.  Plays against teams off an upset win as a home underdog are 80-42 ATS over the last 5 seasons.  Take Washington.

7* Ole Miss/Alabama SEC West GAME OF THE YEAR on Ole Miss +7

The Key: Ole Miss went 9-4 last year and it would have been much better had injuries not struck them after a 7-0 start to the season.  But Hugh Freeze has improved his team's record in each of his first three seasons in Oxford.  Now he has his most talented team yet, and this is a veteran bunch with 16 returning starters.  In fact, 19 of their starters this season are upperclassmen.  Chad Kelly has been a big upgrade over Bo Wallace at quarterback to this point in leading the Rebels to a pair of impressive offensive showings to say the least.  Ole Miss beat Tennessee-Martin 76-3 and Fresno State 73-21 in its first two contests.  Alabama struggles with up-tempo, spread offenses like this one.  I clearly give the edge to Ole Miss on offense.  Alabama has questions at QB with Jake Coker, who is no more than a game manager.  Ole Miss has a better defense than it gets credit for after giving up 16 points per game last year.  I would actually make Ole Miss a favorite on a neutral field, and I believe Alabama's home field is getting too much credit here.  Ole Miss beat Alabama last year with a worse team than it has this season.  The Rebels are 8-0 ATS in the first half of the season over the last two years.  Take Ole Miss.

6* NCAAF Saturday *TOTAL* Annihilator on California/Texas UNDER 58

The Key: This line is jacked up because the perception is that Cal has an elite offense and no defense based off what it has done over the past two seasons.  It's also way too high because Texas beat Rice 42-28 last week in a high-scoring affair.  Well, Cal does have an elite offense, but its defense is vastly improved this season.  There's no way Rice and Texas should have combined for 70 points when you look at the box score.  Texas actually had just 277 total yards yet managed to score 42 points.  It had two non-offensive touchdowns.  The fact that Texas could only put up 277 yards on Rice just shows how poor its offense really is.  In their last three games, Texas has now managed just 277 yards against Rice, 163 yards against Notre Dame, and 59 yards against Arkansas (in last year's bowl game).  That's an average of just 166.3 yards per game.  The Longhorns are clearly in shambles offensively right now, and Cal's improved defense will shut them down.  I think Texas is good enough defensively to hold Cal to under 30 points in this one as well.  Texas is 11-2 as an underdog over the last three seasons.  The UNDER is 6-1 in Golden Bears last 7 games following a SU win of more than 20 points.  The UNDER is 12-4 in Longhorns last 16 vs. a team with a winning record.  The UNDER is 11-4 in Longhorns last 15 home games.  Take the UNDER.

6* NCAAF Saturday Big Chalk *BEATDOWN* on Arkansas -11

The Key: The public perception is way down on Arkansas right now after it lost to Toledo last week.  Well, there's no way in hell the Razorbacks should have lost when you look at the box score.  They outgained the Rockets by 197 total yards and racked up 515 yards of offense, yet they only managed to score 12 points, which just doesn't add up.  When you put up 500-plus yards of offense, it usually leads to 30-plus points.  I still believe the Razorbacks are a very good team, and they'll be anxious to take out their frustration on Texas Tech this week.  Arkansas beat Texas Tech 49-28 last year, and a similar beat down is in store.  While the Red Raiders have a good offense, their defense remains atrocious.  They only beat Sam Houston State 59-45 in their opener and gave up 637 yards of offense.  That's right, they gave up 637 yards to SAM HOUSTON STATE and were outgained by 26 yards in the game.  Arkansas is going to score and score at will against this soft Texas Tech defense, just as it did last year.  The Razorbacks are 6-0 ATS in their last six vs. Big 12 opponents, which also includes a 31-7 win over Texas in their bowl game last year as they held the Longhorns to 59 total yards.  Take Arkansas.

6* Nebraska/Miami ABC *CA$H COW* on Miami -3

The Key: Miami has opened 2-0 SU & 2-0 ATS with wins over Bethune-Cookman (45-0) and Florida Atlantic (44-20).  I think this team is going to be better than most think, and that is already starting to show up against the oddsmakers.  Nebraska is in a bit of a rebuilding phase with first-year head coach Mike Riley, and that was evident in a 33-28 home loss to BYU.  Miami wants revenge from a 31-41 loss at Miami last year in which the Hurricanes racked up 435 yards of offense.  Brad Kaaya was a freshman last year, and he lit up Nebraska for 359 yards and three touchdowns.  But he did throw two interceptions that cost his team.  Now a sophomore, Kaaya is primed for a big season and a big game Saturday.  He won't make the same mistakes as last year, and he should light up this Nebraska defense again at home this time around.  BYU racked up 511 total yards on Nebraska and 379 through the air.  Miami is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 games following a win by 20 points or more.  Take Miami.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Los Angeles Angels +107 (Game 1)

The Key: The Los Angeles Angels are just 2.5 games of the final wild card spot in the American League.  They actually trail the Minnesota Twins, who are just 1.5 games back.  This is obviously a huge series, and I'll back the better team with the better starter on the mound.  The Twins have really choked here of late, losing three straight while giving up a combined 23 runs in the process.  Andrew Heaney is having a fine season for Los Angeles, going 6-3 with a 3.32 ERA and 1.187 WHIP in 15 starts, and 3-1 with a 2.11 ERA and 1.070 WHIP in six road starts.  Kyle Gibson is having a solid season as well, but he's 0-2 with an 8.55 ERA and 1.600 WHIP in four lifetime starts against Los Angeles.  He has given up 17 earned runs over 14 innings in his last three starts against the Angels.  Los Angeles is 34-13 (+20.3 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.  The Twins are 1-8 in Pelfreys last nine starts vs. American League West opponents.  The Angels are 10-1 in the last 11 meetings, and 5-0 in their last five visits to Minnesota.  Take Los Angeles in Game 1.

6* NCAAF Saturday *UPSET SPECIAL* on South Florida +7

The Key: Maryland surprised folks in the Big Ten last year by finishing 3rd in the stacked West Division.  But this was a Maryland team that returned 16 starters last year with a ton of experience.  Now Maryland has just 10 starters back and this is clearly a rebuilding year.  That was evident in the Terrapins' 27-48 home loss to Bowling Green last week as 7-point favorites.  They gave up a ridiculous 692 total yards to the Falcons and were actually outgained by 351 yards in the loss as their offense only managed 341.  South Florida is a team on the rise entering Year 3 under Willie Taggart.  He has done an excellent job in recruiting.  After beating Florida A&M 51-3 in their opener, the Bulls hung tough with Florida State for four quarters on the road last week before eventually losing 14-34 as 28-point underdogs.  This was a 7-7 game at the half and a 24-14 game in the 4th quarter.  FSU is 31-1 over its past 32 games, so that was an impressive showing on the road by USF to say the least.  I believe South Florida is actually the better team in this one and will win the game outright Saturday.  USF is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 road games off a game where it forced no turnovers.  The Bulls are 4-0 ATS in their last four vs. Big Ten opponents.  The Terrapins are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game.  Take South Florida.

7* FSU/BC ESPN Friday Night Lights on Florida State -7

The Key: Boston College is getting way too much love from the books here due to beating a pair of I-AA teams in Maine and Howard by a combined 100-3.  When you consider the Eagles were 26-point favorites over Maine and 44-point favorites over Howard, it's easy to see how poor those two opponents really were.  Now they take a big step up in competition against what I feel is the best team in the ACC in Florida State.  The Seminoles have played two easy opponents too, but they've at least been FBS foes in Texas State and South Florida, and they've won a combined 93-30.  South Florida is a better team than it gets credit for, too.  Florida State has gone 5-0 in its last five meetings with Boston College with three of the last four wins coming by at least two touchdowns.  The Seminoles have been at least 14.5-point favorites in all five of those games, too.  So now they are only 7-point favorites in 2015 and I believe there is some value here because of it.  Take Florida State.

7* DEN/KC Thursday Night *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 42.5

The Key: The Kansas City Chiefs finished 2nd in the NFL in scoring defense (17.6 PPG) last season despite playing most the year without linebacker Derrick Johnson and safety Eric Berry.  Well, both are back this season and will help the Chiefs challenge for the league's top defense.  Denver finished 3rd in the NFL in total defense last year and will once again be one of the league's top stop units in 2015 as almost everyone is back.  Both defenses are off to resounding starts.  The Chiefs held the Texans to 20 points in the opener, but 11 of those came in the 4th quarter when the came was already decided.  The Broncos held the Ravens without an offensive touchdown in a 19-13 win in the opener.  The only touchdown the Ravens scored came on an interception return.  They held the Ravens to just 173 total yards in the win.  Peyton Manning is on the decline and cannot get it done any more.  He has failed to lead a touchdown drive in his past 21 drives dating back to the preseason.  Alex Smith did not throw a TD pass to a wide receiver once last year, and he didn't in the opener against Houston, either.  I look for this division rivalry game to be a defensive battle.  The UNDER is 27-11 in Chiefs last 38 home games.  The UNDER is 14-3 in Chiefs last 17 games in Week 2.  The UNDER is 7-1-1 in the last nine meetings.  Take the UNDER.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Houston Astros +103

The Key: The Houston Astros are now 1.5 games behind the Texas Rangers in the AL West standings after dropping each of the first three games of this series.  They'll be hungry to avoid the sweep and avoid falling further behind with a win in Game 4 today.  I like them to get the job done at a great price here as underdogs.  Lance McCullers has been one of the most underrated starters in baseball this year.  McCullers is 5-5 with a 3.10 ERA and 1.210 WHIP in 18 starts this season.  Colby Lewis is 15-8 in spite of a 4.45 ERA in 29 starts.  Lewis has been the benefactor of good run support, but I don't expect that to happen today.  Lewis gave up 7 earned runs in 6 innings in his last start against the Astros on August 3.  Texas is 1-9 (-11.0 Units) against the money line in home games after 3 or more consecutive overs over the last 2 seasons.  Take Houston.

6* Clemson/Louisville ACC *CA$H COW* on Louisville +6

The Key: Louisville is 0-2 and undervalued because of it.  It has played a brutal schedule thus far with Houston and Auburn, and it played both of them tough, losing by a combined 10 points.  The Cardinals are still one of the most talented teams in the ACC, and their goals are still right in front of them, which is winning the conference.  They'll come back with an inspired effort tonight against Clemson to try and get their first win of the season.  They'll also be looking to revenge last year's 17-23 loss at Clemson.  The Tigers only managed 226 yards of offense in that game, but they score on an punt return touchdown and a fumble return TD.  Clemson did not score one offensive touchdown in that game.  Clemson has beaten Wofford and Appalachian State, which isn't impressive at all.  The Tigers went 2-3 on the road last season with their only wins coming against Boston College (17-13) and Wake Forest (34-20).  This is going to be a hostile Thursday night atmosphere in Louisville, which is going to really favor the home team.  The Cardinals are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games following a loss.  The Tigers are 0-5 ATS in their last five conference games.  Take Louisville.

7* AL West GAME OF THE MONTH on Houston Astros -147

The Key: The Texas Rangers are in a letdown spot here.  They just overtook the Houston Astros for 1st place in the AL West with another win behind some magic late last night.  Sure, they want to extend the lead, but they will be feeling a sense of accomplishment and will let down today.  I like the Astros to come back hungry today, and I also like the fact that they have a massive advantage on the mound.  Dallas Keuchel is 17-7 with a 2.22 ERA and 0.997 WHIP in 29 starts this season, including 2-1 with a 1.71 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in his last three.  Keuchel is 3-3 with a 3.33 ERA and 1.111 WHIP in 12 lifetime starts versus Texas, including 1-0 with a 1.23 ERA in three starts against the Rangers in 2015.  Martin Perez is probably the worst starter on Texas' staff, going 2-5 with a 5.43 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in 10 starts this year.  The Astros are 9-1 in Keuchel's last 10 starts during game 3 of a series.  Houston is 25-9 in Keuchel's last 34 starts overall.  Take Houston.

7* American League DOG OF THE MONTH on Boston Red Sox +129

The Key: The Boston Red Sox have quietly been playing some of their best ball of the season down the stretch.  They are 7-3 in their last 10 games overall and are playing an Orioles team that is also hot, having won five of their last six.  But the fact of the matter is that neither team has much to play for, so at least they are playing with pride when they don't have to.  The reason I'm backing the Red Sox today is because of the advantage they have on the mound.  Joe Kelly has been on fire, going 8-0 with a 2.59 ERA during his eight-game winning streak.  He has limited opponents to two runs or less in the past seven.  Ubaldo Jimenez is having a decent season at 11-9 with a 4.22 ERA in 28 starts, but this is not a team he has success again.  In fact, Jimenez is 2-4 with a 7.63 ERA and 1.869 WHIP in 10 lifetime starts versus Boston.  Kelly is 14-5 (+11.9 Units) against the money line as an underdog of +100 to +150 over the last 2 seasons.  Take Boston.

7* Vikings/49ers Monday Night *HEAVY HITTER* on Minnesota -2

The Key: The Minnesota Vikings are legitimate contenders to win the NFC North this season.  Their defense was the most improved in the league last year in allowing only 21.4 points per game after giving up 30 points per game the year before Mike Zimmer took over.  Zimmer has even more talent on defense this season.  But the key is getting Adrian Peterson back healthy after he missed all but one game last year.  Teddy Bridgewater went 5-4 over his final nine starts last season and should only be better in his sophomore campaign, especially now that the running game will open up more passing lanes.  The 49ers lost more this offseason than any team in the NFL.  They were fortunate just to go 8-8 last year, and now I view this is a 6-10 team at best.  Their offense is atrocious with a terrible QB in Colin Kaepernick, and now he has a worse offensive line to work with.  The defense will be around league average, but it will certainly take a step back with some massive losses on this side of the ball.  There's a reason this line has moved so much in the Vikings' favor since it first came out.  I believe the betting public is right in doing so, and the Vikings will prove that tonight.  The 49ers are 0-6 ATS when the total is 35.5 to 42 points over the last two years.  Take Minnesota.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Cleveland Indians -137

The Key: The Cleveland Indians remain alive for the final wild card spot in the American League.  They are 4.5 games back and need a big finish.  They have made a nice surge here of late and will be motivated to get back to .500 on the season tonight.  The Royals already have the AL Central wrapped up and have struggled to stay motivated because of it.  They have lost seven of their last nine games overall coming in.  Edinson Volquez is 13-7 with a 3.54 ERA on the season, and 2-0 with a 4.86 ERA in his last three starts.  But he's 2-2 with a 9.31 ERA and 2.378 WHIP in five lifetime starts versus Cleveland.  Carlos Carrasco is 12-10 with a 3.70 ERA and 1.083 WHIP in 26 starts this year.  Carrasco is 4-3 with a 4.20 ERA in nine lifetime starts versus Kansas City, and he's gone 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA in his last four starts against the Royals.  The Indians are 6-0 in their last 6 home games vs. a right-handed starter.  Cleveland is 10-1 in its last 11 during game 1 of a series.  Take Cleveland.

6* Cowboys/Giants NBC Sunday Night *BAILOUT* on New York +6.5

The Key: Four of the last five meetings between these teams were decided by 5 points or less.  New York has lost four straight to Dallas, but three of those losses were by 5 points or less.  I'll back the Giants as underdogs in this one as they'll be motivated to put an end to this losing streak to division rival Dallas.  Take New York.

6* NFL Sunday Afternoon *CA$H COW on Ravens/Broncos UNDER 48

The Key: The Baltimore Ravens have one of the bes defenses in the NFL.  They only gave up 18.9 points per game last year.  The Broncos have one of the best defenses in the league, too. They finished 3rd in the league in total defense last year.   Both teams have new offensive coordinators so I look for them to start slow this year as the defenses carry the weight in the opener.  Take the UNDER.

6* MLB Sunday Afternoon *Mound Mismatch* on Los Angeles Angels +102

The Key: The Angels are trying to chase down the Rangers for the final wild card spot in the AL.  They even have a shot at catching the Astros for the AL West lead, too, as they are just 3.5 games back. Getting them as home underdogs give the situation is a gift from the books.  That's especially the case when you consider Andrew Heaney is 6-3 with a 3.52 ERA and 1.162 WHIP in 14 starts this year.  I give him the edge over Mike Fiers, who is 4-6 with a 3.31 ERA and 1.309 WHIP in 13 road starts this year.  Fiers is overvalued right now because he recently pitched a no-hitter.  Houston is 4-18 (-13.8 Units) against the money line after 2 straight losses by 2 runs or less over the last 2 seasons.  The Astros are 1-10 (-10.7 Units) against the money line in road games vs. teams averaging 2.75 or less extra base hits per game in the second half of the season this season.  Take Los Angeles.

7* NFL Sunday *HEAVY HITTER* on Miami Dolphins -3

The Key: The Miami Dolphins will challenge the New England Patriots for AFC East supremacy this season.  They are in the second year of Bill Lazor's offensive system, and he was with the Eagles before coming over to Miami.  Ryan Tannehill and company will be one of the best offensive teams in the NFL.  But the defense is the reason Miam is legit this year.  They just added Ndamukong Suh for over $100 million, and he'll help a D that finished 14th in the league in total defense last year.  Washington is an absolute mess right now with Robert Griffin III.  The Redskins start a turnover-prone QB in Kirk Cousins, and their defense is horrible. I'll lay the points with the Dolphins in the opener.  Take Washington.

6* LSU/Mississippi State ESPN Saturday Night *BAILOUT* on LSU -3.5

The Key: LSU returned its most starters (15) since 2005.  Last year was a down year because the Tigers lost so much offensive talent with a 3,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers departing.  But they are now loaded with talent and sophomores Brandon Harris and Leonard Fournette are going to build off of promising freshmen campaigns last year where they were forced into action.  Mississippi State returns the fewest starters (7) in the SEC.  It still has Dak Prescott around, but he's not going to be able to carry this young team.  That was evident in an ugly 34-16 win over Southern Miss, which had gone 4-32 over the previous three seasons.  The Bulldogs only led that game 14-10 at halftime and only outgained the Golden Eagles 442-413 for the game.  LSU has won 10 of its last 11 road meetings with Mississippi State with its last coming by a final of 59-26 in 2013.  The Bulldogs' win over the Tigers last year was their first since 1999.  So revenge will be in the minds of these Tigers players as well.  Les Miles is 9-2 ATS as a road favorite of 7 points or less as the coach of LSU.  Take LSU.

7* Oregon/MSU NCAAF Top 10 GAME OF THE YEAR on Michigan State -3.5

The Key: The Michigan State Spartans are out for revenge from their 46-27 loss to the Oregon Ducks last year.  They were in control of that game with a 27-18 lead, but gave up the final 28 points to lose in a game that was much closer than the final would indicate.  It's tough to win in Eugene, but it's equally tough to win in East Lansing.  The Spartans are the most veteran team in the Big Ten with almost exclusively junior and senior starters.  They returned 14 starters and 51 lettermen this year.  The Spartans have gone at least 6-1 at home four of the past five years while going unbeaten in East Lansing on three occasions.  The home team is 5-0 in the five all-time meetings in this series.  Oregon's defense gave up 42 points and 549 total yards to Eastern Washington last week.  Oregon does have a good offense again, but Mark Dantonio has now seen it once and will be much better suited to stop it the second time around.  The Spartans are 9-1 ATS after playing their last game on the road over the past 3 seasons.  Take Michigan State.

6* NCAAF *UPSET SPECIAL* on Nevada +11

The Key: Nevada is extremely hungry for revenge in this game against Arizona.  It has lost two of the past three years to the Wildcats by a combined eight points.  Nevada lost in its bowl game at the conclusion of the 2012 season to Arizona by a final of 48-49.  Then, last year, the Wolf Pack lost 28-35 on the road to the Wildcats as 20-point underdogs.  They were only outgained 507-429 for the game as it was very competitive.  Arizona was one of the most overrated teams in the country coming into 2015 because it managed to win the Pac-12 South and go 10-3 despite actually getting outgained in Pac-12 play on the season.  The Wildcats are missing their best player in LB Scooby Wright, who will miss at least three weeks with a knee injury.  After watching Arizona in its opener against UTSA, it's clear that this team needs to be on upset alert against a hungry Nevada bunch.  Arizona only beat UTSA 42-32 despite being 32.5-point favorites.  It was actually outgained by 133 total yards by UTSA and should have lost, too.  The Wildcats benefited from two defensive touchdowns, which isn't going to happen again.  UTSA racked up 525 total yards on this Arizona defense.  Keep in mind that this was a UTSA team that returned only 6 starters from last year and was very inexperienced.  Nevada beat UC Davis 31-17, which wasn't impressive either, but this team is good enough to hang around with Arizona for the 3rd time in the past 4 seasons.  The Wildcats are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games in September.  The Wolf Pack are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. Pac-12.  The Wolf Pack are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games following a ATS loss.  Ariiona is 11-26 ATS in its last 37 games as a favorite of 10.5 to 21.  Take Nevada.

6* American League *Mound Mismatch* on Boston Red Sox -104

The Key: This is a very good price to get the Red Sox at considering their massive advantage on the mound today.  Plus, the Red Sox have won five of their last seven and have not packed it in.  Rock Porcello has been dominant in his last three starts, going 2-1 with a 1.61 ERA and 0.940 WHIP while striking out 22 batters in 22 1/3 innings.  Two of those starts came against the Blue Jays and Yankees, so it's not like he has faced weak competition.  Matt Moore has been awful since returning from injury, going 1-3 with an 8.04 ERA and 1.914 WHIP in seven starts for the Rays.  Moore is 2-4 with a 6.49 ERA in six lifetime starts versus Boston.  He has allowed 13 earned runs over 7 1/3 innings in his last two starts against the Red Sox.  Meanwhile, Porcello is 4-3 with a 2.97 ERA in nine lifetime starts versus Tampa Bay.  He has allowed only 3 earned runs over 22 innings in his last three starts against the Rays.  The Red Sox are 20-7 (+13.9 Units) against the money line after a loss by 4 runs or more this season.  Take Boston.

6* NCAAF DOG OF THE DAY on Hawaii +41.5

The Key: The Hawaii Warriors are showing excellent value as 41.5-point underdogs to the Ohio State Buckeyes.  This is the best team that Norm Chow had had yet at Hawaii.  He has 14 starters back and the addition of USC transfer Max Wittek, who was one of the highest-rated QB's in the country coming out of high school.  Wittek is looking to prove to NFL scouts that he can make it at the next level in his senior year.  He's off to a good start with three touchdowns passes in the opener to lead the Warriors to a 28-20 victory over an improved Colorado team.  I just think the Buckeyes are going to be lacking motivation here after making a statement with their 42-24 win against Virginia Tech Monday night to get revenge on the Hokies from last year.  But that means the Buckeyes are now working on a short week.  Meanwhile, Hawaii has four more days to prepare for this game than Ohio State does since it last played on Friday against the Buffaloes.  That's a big advantage and one that cannot be overlooked.  All nine of Hawaii's losses last season came by 27 points or fewer, including six by 10 points or less.  The Warriors are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 non-conference games.  Take Hawaii.

6* NCAAF 12:00 EST *CA$H COW* on Miami Ohio +31.5

The Key: Miami Ohio has not been good over the past two years.  Chuck Martin took over an 0-12 team and only improved them by two wins to 2-10.  But they were far more competitive under Martin.  They did not lose by more than 31 points all season, and all six of their MAC losses came by 10 points or less.  They went 5-1 ATS on the road last season with five of their losses coming by 10 points or less, and all six by 24 or fewer.  Miami beat Presbyterian 26-7 in the opener behind a solid defensive effort.  It allowed just 163 passing yards and 3.8 per carry on the ground.  Eight starters are back on this underrated defense.  Wisconsin was outgained 268-502 by Alabama in its 35-17 loss in the opener.  The Badgers could be in a tough spot mentally off such a big game and not be able to bring the kind of focus it takes to put away a scrappy team like Miami Ohio.  Wisconsin has won 19 straight home openers by an average of 21 points per game, but that's still 10.5 points less than this spread.  The Badgers have also won their last 32 non-conference home games by an average of 25, which is still 6.5 points less than this spread.  Wisconsin is dealing with some injuries right now to four starters in LB Leon Jacobs, SS Michael Caputo, RB Corey Clement and G Ray Ball, who are all questionable to play this week.  Take Miami.

7* Utah State/Utah NCAAF Friday Night Lights on Utah -12

The Key: The Utah Utes went 9-4 last season and opened the 2015 campaign with a convincing 24-17 win over the Michigan Wolverines where they allowed a garbage touchdown late to make the score closer than it was.  The Utes are solid in all areas with 14 returning starters this year.  I love their defense and feel like they will shut down this weak Utah State offense.  Utah State is in big trouble in this game after what it showed against lowly Southern Utah in the opener as a 31-point favorite.  The Aggies scored a punt return touchdown late in the fourth quarter to escape with a 12-9 victory.  Their offense only gained 250 total yards in the win.  Chuckie Keaton did not play well as he completed only 16 of 33 passes for 110 yards with an interception.  If that's all the Aggies could do offensively against Southern Utah, they have no chance of having success against this Utes defense.  That's especially the case with WR Hunter Sharp out, who had 939 receiving yards and seven touchdowns last season.  Utah beat Colorado State by 35 points in the bowl game last year, another team from the Mountain West that was better than this Utah State team.  The Utes are 13-1 in their last 14 showdowns with Utah State.  Utah is 8-0 ATS in non-conference play over the last 3 years.  Take Utah.

6* National League *Mound Mismatch* on Chicago Cubs -1.5 (-145)

The Key: The Chicago Cubs have a decisive edge on the mound tonight, which is why I'm willing to lay juice even on the -1.5 run line.  Jake Arrieta is making a strong case for the NL Cy Young award down the stretch and is motivated by it.  He has gone 29 straight innings without allowing an earned run.  He is now 18-6 with a 2.03 ERA on the season.  He'll be up against a Phillies team that has lost six of seven coming in with all six losses by 2 runs or more.  Arrieta will be opposed by Adam Morgan, who is 5-5 with a 4.42 ERA in 13 starts, and 1-1 with a 6.19 ERA in his last three.  Arrieta is 2-1 with a 1.83 ERA in his last three starts against Philadelphia while allowing 4 earned runs in 19 2/3 innings.  Arrieta is 10-0 (+10.0 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -110 or higher this season.  The Cubs are winning by an average of 4.2 runs per game in this spot.  Take Chicago on the Run Line.

7* Steelers/Patriots Thursday Night *HEAVY HITTER* on Pittsburgh +7

The Key: The New England Patriots come into the 2015 season overvalued after winning the Super Bowl last year.  Tom Brady did not play well in the preseason, and while he's a great quarterback, I don't believe he's worth the amount of points the oddsmakers have assigned to him.  The Patriots were going to be roughly 2.5-point favorites when Brady was suspended, and now they're 7-point favorites now that he's going to play.  Pittsburgh does have some key guys out on offense in Le'Veon Bell, Martavis Bryant and Maurkice Pouncey, which is being overblown here.  The Patriots lost their top two corners on defense, including Darrelle Revis.  The Steelers put up over 411 yards per game on offense last year behind a career year from Ben Roethlisberger, who led the league in passing.  The Patriots are missing starting C Bryan Stork, their second-leading receiver in Brandon LaFell, and their leading rusher down the stretch last year in LeGarrette Blount.  So, they are essentially missing the exact same pieces as the Steelers.  Sure, the Steelers' pieces that they are missing are slightly better, but it's not as lopsided as most think.  Take Pittsburgh.

6* LA Tech/WKU Conference USA *CA$H COW* on Louisiana Tech PK

The Key: Louisiana Tech beat Western Kentucky 59-10 at home last year.  It outgained the Hilltoppers by 220 total yards in the win.  I know Cody Sokol was the starting QB for that game and he threw for 335 yards and 5 touchdowns in the win, but the Bulldogs arguably upgraded their QB position this season with Jeff Driskel.  He was the top QB recruit coming out of high school, and while it didn't work out for him at Florida, he is primed for a big season against Conference USA opponents.  He is off to a terrific start by going 12 for 15 for 274 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 62-15 beat down of Southern in their opener.  Driskel has the luxury of having back each of the top 3 receivers from last year and leading rusher Kenneth Dixon, who accounted for 171 total yards against Southern.  Western Kentucky should have lost to Vanderbilt in its opener.  It was outgained by 147 yards by the Commodores but benefited from a +3 turnover differential.  Its offense only managed 246 total yards.  QB Brandon Doughty struggled against LA Tech last year, too, going 14 for 35 for 144 yards with one touchdown and a whopping four picks.  I see no way the Hilltoppers are competitive in this rematch a year later even though they have the home-field advantage.  WKU is 0-6 ATS in its last 6 after forcing 3 or more turnovers in its previous game.  LA Tech is 9-0 ATS when playing with 6 or fewer days of rest over the last two seasons.  Take Louisiana Tech.

7* AL West GAME OF THE YEAR on Houston Astros -147

The Key: The Houston Astros have lost the first two games of this series to the Oakland A's and will be hungry for a victory in Game 3 to avoid the sweep.  The Astros' lead in the AL West has been cut to one game by the Texas Rangers, so they realize they cannot afford to continue losing to poor teams like the A's.  Collin McHugh takes the mound today looking to stop the bleeding.  McHugh is a 15-game winner this season with a 3.54 ERA and 1.260 WHIP.  He has really turned it on down the stretch, going 2-1 with a 1.29 ERA and 1.048 WHIP in his last three starts.  He'll be opposed by Aaron Brooks, who is 1-2 with a 6.91 ERA and 1.463 WHIP in five starts and three relief outings.  Brooks is 0-2 with a 14.40 ERA and 2.500 WHIP in his last three starts, allowing 16 earned runs in 10 innings.  McHugh is 2-1 with a 1.77 ERA and 0.934 WHIP in three lifetime starts versus Oakland.  The A's are 0-7 (-8.9 Units) against the money line after shutting out a division rival this season.  The Astros are 8-0 in their last 8 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.  The Astros are 12-2 in McHugh's last 14 starts versus AL West foes.  Take Houston.

7* MLB Tuesday Night *BAILOUT* on Texas Rangers -121

The Key: The Texas Rangers lead the race for the final wild card spot in the American League.  They are also just two games back of the Houston Astros for first place in the AL West.  The Seattle Mariners are seven games back in the wild card with little to no chance at this point despite having won five of six coming in.  It's too little too late for them.  I'll back the Rangers again tonight with ace Cole Hamels on the mound.  The left-hander has gone 2-0 with a 2.89 ERA over his last four starts and is finding a comfort zone in Texas now that these games matter.  He'll be opposed by Taijuan Walker, who is 10-7 with a 4.51 ERA in 27 starts this season.  Hamels is 10-1 (+9.5 Units) against the money line vs teams who strand 6.9 or less runners on base per game in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.  The Rangers are 8-0 in their last 8 games as a favorite.  Texas is 4-0 in Hamels' last four starts.  Take this 22-1 angle straight to the bank tonight.  Take Texas.

7* Ohio State/VA Tech ESPN Monday *REMATCH* on Virginia Tech +14

The Key: Virginia Tech beat Ohio State 35-21 on the road last season, and now it's a 14-point home underdog in the rematch?  Ohio State cannot possibly be better than it was last season, and it could suffer a hangover from winning the national title as soon as Week 1.  Virginia Tech is the type of team that can upset Ohio State again, let alone stay within two touchdowns.  The Hokies return 16 starters and 58 lettermen.  Their defense is going to be one of the best in the country with eight starters back from a unit that gave up 20.2 points per game last season.  Ohio State is without four of its better players due to suspension to boot.  Defensive end Joey Bosa is a potential No. 1 pick in next year's draft, and he's out.  Also gone are Jalin Marshall, Corey Smith and Dontre Wilson.  All three of these guys had at least 20 receptions for the Buckeyes last season in playing a big role in the offense.  Frank Beamer is 10-2 ATS as a home underdog as the coach of Virginia Tech.  This is his 29th season, so the Hokies are not dogs in Lane Stadium too often.  There's no way they should be catching 14 points in the rematch.  Take Virginia Tech.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Texas Rangers -113

The Key: The Texas Rangers lead the race for the final wild card spot in the American League.  They are also just three games back of the Houston Astros for first place in the AL West.  The Seattle Mariners are six games back in the wild card with little to no chance at this point despite having won five straight coming in.  It's too little too late for them.  I'll back the Rangers and the better starter tonight in Yovani Gallardo, who is 11-9 with a 3.27 ERA in 28 starts, and 2-0 with a 2.20 ERA in his last three.  Gallardo is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA in two starts against Seattle in 2015.  Roenis Elias is 4-7 with a 4.35 ERA in 15 starts this season.  Elias is 0-2 with a 5.00 ERA in his last three starts as well.  Texas is 9-2 (+10.7 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss by 4 runs or more this season.  The Rangers are 8-0 in their last eight games as a favorite.  The Mariners are 1-8 in Elias' last 9 home starts.  Take Texas.

6* Purdue/Marshall NCAAF Sunday *CA$H COW* on Purdue +7.5

The Key: Darrell Hazell enters Year 3 at Purdue and I expect this team to be more competitive in 2015.  It was only outscored by 7.9 points per game last year after getting outscored by 23.1 points per game in his first season in 2013.  That was huge improvement, and now he has his best team yet with 15 starters returning.  Marshall, meanwhile, is in a bit of a rebuilding phase entering 2015.  It went 13-1 last season, but that was only because of playing such a soft schedule as it was favored by 7-plus points in all 14 games.  Now it returns 11 starters and loses its best player in all-time leading passer, Rakeem Cato.  Also gone is leading receiver Tommy Shulder, who had 92 receptions for 1,138 yards and nine touchdowns.  I believe the Boilermakers are more than capable of pulling off the upset in this one and easily staying within the 7.5-point spread.  Take Purdue.

7* NL Sunday Afternoon *Mound Mismatch* on Washington Nationals -1.5 (-113)

The Key: The Washington Nationals are in must-win mode from here on out.  They are 5 games behind the New York Mets for first place in the NL East with 27 games to play.  They have won four in a row coming in while outscoring the opposition 32-8 in the process.  Three of those victories came against the lowly Braves, who have clearly packed it in.  Atlanta is 0-11 in its last 11 games overall while losing by at least two runs in all 11 games, making for a perfect 11-0 run line angle backing the Nationals.  Manny Banuelos is 0-3 with a 5.83 ERA and 2.026 WHIP in his last three starts and has made just five starts on the season.  Joe Ross has been unstoppable at home, going 4-2 with a 1.91 ERA and 0.823 WHIP in six home starts this year.  Take Washington on the Run Line.

6* Ark State/USC Saturday Night *BAILOUT* on USC -27

The Key: USC is a legitimate national title contender in 2015.  It returns 14 starters and the sanctions that had it so short on depth last year are now gone.  The Trojans won't be blowing leads late in games again this season with all of the talent they now have on board with more scholarship players.  Cody Kessler is a front-runner for the Heisman Trophy after throwing for nearly 4,000 yards and 39 touchdowns to only 5 interceptions while completing nearly 70 percent of his passes last year.  Arkansas State does have a good offense, but I don't believe the Red Wolves will be able to move the football much on this elite USC defense.  They only scored 19 points against Tennessee and 20 points against Miami on the road last year.  Arkansas State is not going to be able to do anything to stop USC.  The Red Wolves gave up 30.5 points per game last season, including 63 to Toledo, 55 to Lafayette, 45 to Texas State and 37 to Appalachian State.  USC opened last season with a 52-13 win over Fresno State.  I foresee a similar result in its home opener in 2015.  Take USC.

6* MLB Saturday Night *CA$H COW* on San Francisco Giants +108

The Key: The San Francisco Giants still have an outside shot of making the postseason.  It's going to take something spectacular down the stretch, and I don't think they have thrown in the towel yet.  Getting them as underdogs against one of the worst teams in baseball in the Colorado Rockies is a great value Saturday.  That's especially the case when you consider how poor Chad Bettis has pitched for the Rockies this year.  He's 6-4 with a 4.78 ERA in 15 starts, and 3-2 with a 5.28 ERA in 8 home starts.  Take San Francisco.

6* NCAAF DOG OF THE DAY on Georgia Southern +19.5

The Key: Georgia Southern was one of the biggest surprises in the country last year in its first season as an FBS member.  It went 8-0 in Sun Belt play and finished 9-3 overall.  Two of its losses were by a combined five points at NC State (23-24) as 20-point underdogs and at Georgia Tech (38-42) as 17-point dogs.  The Eagles just aren't getting the respect they deserve to open 2015, either.  They have a lot of talent back from that team with 13 starters and 58 lettermen returning.  The defense returns eight starters after giving up only 23.4 points per game last season.  The offense put up 39.1 points per game last year, and while only five starters return, the Eagles do have all of their top skill players back.  Each of the top three running backs return, led by Matt Breida (1,485 yards, 17 TD).  QB Kevin Ellison is bakck after rushing for 1,096 yards and 12 touchdowns.  While the Eagles won't catch the Mountaineers by surprise like they did most teams last year, they are still good enough to stay within this big spread.  I do think WVU will be better this season with 15 starters back, but it does lose its top two receivers to the NFL, and starting QB Clint Trickett.  I do not feel like the Mountaineers will have the firepower offensively to cover such a big number.  They only had two wins last season by more than this number, which were against Towson and a down Oklahoma State team.  The Eagles are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games overall, and 7-1 ATS in their last eight non-conference games.  The Mountaineers are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 non-conference games.  Take Georgia Southern.

7* NCAAF GAME OF THE WEEK on Penn State -7

The Key: The Penn State Nittany Lions go from having just 64 scholarship players last year to 83 scholarship players in 2015 as the sanctions are now gone.  I look for them to now break through and compete for a Big Ten Championship in James Franklin's second season.  He returns 15 starters this season.  The offense is loaded with talent behind QB Christian Hackenberg and eight returning starters.  Hackenberg is a potential No. 1 draft pick despite struggling last year.  He has his top two receivers, leading rusher, and four offensive linemen back.  The defense is going to be suffocating again with seven starters back after allowing just 18.6 points and 279 yards per game last season.  Temple is also an improved team this year with 19 starts back, but this was a team that was outgained by nearly 70 yards per game in AAC play last year.  The offense isn't very good, and I just don't see Temple being able to score enough points to keep up against this solid Penn State defense.  The Nittany Lions outgained the Owls by 118 yards last year in their 30-13 victory, which was their 31st-straight triumph in this head-to-head series.  That stat alone lets you know that the Nittany Lions should be favored by more.  Take Penn State.

6* NCAAF Saturday *CA$H COW* on Kent State +13.5

The Key: Kent State enters Year 3 under Paul Haynes.  This team only had 11 returning starters in his first season in 2013 and 10 returning starters last year.  It's easy to see why they went just 4-8 and 2-9 in those two seasons, respectively.  This was a big rebuilding job after Darrel Hazzell bolted for Purdue.  But now Haynes will have by far his best team yet with a whopping 17 returning starters in 2015.  The offense will be much improved with RB Trayion Durham returning from injury, pairing him with Nick Holley, who played well in Durham's place last year.  This 1-2 punch in the backfield will be rushing behind a veteran offensive line that returns four starters.  Colin Reardon is a junior QB who has a lot of experience after starting the past two years.  The defense allowed 29.0 points per game last season and should be improved with a whopping nine starters and each of their top 11 tacklers back.  Illinois is in a tough position having just fired head coach Tim Beckman.  Offensive coordinator Bill Cubit takes over the interim role.  The offense is sure to suffer due to the possible season-ending injury to leading receiver Mike Dudek, who had a huge freshman season with 76 receptions, 1,038 yards and six touchdowns.  Illinois did go 3-0 at home in non-conference play last year, but all three wins came by 11 points or less over Youngstown State (28-17), WKU (42-34) and Texas State (42-35).  I look for this vastly improved Kent State team to keep that trend going and stay within the 14.5-point spread Friday.  The Fighting Illini are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 vs. MAC opponents.  Take Kent State.

7* American League GAME OF THE MONTH on Toronto Blue Jays -167

The Key: The Toronto Blue Jays just cannot be tamed right now.  They are 23-5 in their last 28 games overall and determined to win the AL East.  The Baltimore Orioles are stuck in reverse.  They are 2-12 in their last 14 games overall to essentially play themselves out of the postseason.  They aren't in a good state of mind right now like the Blue Jays are.  Betting on Drew Hutchison at home as been a wide move this year.  Hutchison is 11-1 with a 2.46 ERA and 1.061 WHIP in 14 home starts.  He is 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA and 0.774 WHIP in his last three starts overall, saving his best for last.  He'll be opposed by Ubaldo Jimenez, who is 3-7 with a 5.21 ERA and 1.596 WHIP in 15 road starts, and 0-2 with a 7.71 ERA and 1.897 WHIP in his last three starts overall.  Hutchison is 5-1 with a 3.13 ERA and 0.932 WHIP in 10 lifetime starts versus Baltimore.  Hutchison is 9-0 (+9.6 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.  Hutchison is 10-0 (+10.1 Units) against the money line in home games vs. teams whose hitters draw 3 walks or less/game in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.  Take Toronto.

7* NCAAF Thursday Night *HEAVY HITTER* on TCU -16.5

The Key: TCU loaded this season with 15 returning starters from a team that went 12-1 last season.  The offense is going to pick up right where it left off in the opener against Minnesota.  That's because the Frogs return 10 starters from an offense that put up 46.5 points and 533 yards per game last season.  Minnesota went 8-5 last season despite actually getting outgained by 11 yards per game on the year.  Now it returns just 12 starters in 2015.  The Gophers should be on the same level defensively as they were last season with seven starters back, but their offense is going to be even worse even after averaging just 357 yards per game last season.  RB David Cobb and TE Maxx Williams are off to the NFL, leaving the Gophers with no proven playmakers.  They lost four of their top five receivers.  Mitch Leidner isn't a very good quarterback as he threw for just 1,798 yards on 51.5 percent completions last year.  His job is going to be even more difficult now with the loss of his two studs.  Betting on favorites of 10.5 to 21 points who won 80% or more of their games the previous season in non-conference games between two Power 5 conferences are 24-4 ATS over the last 10 seasons.  Take TCU.

6* MLB *Motivational Mismatch* on San Francisco Giants -122

The Key: The San Francisco Giants have lost five straight and are in desperate need of a victory now.  They trail the Los Angeles Dodgers by 6.5 games for the NL West lead.  If they are going to be making the postseason, they have to put together a huge run down the stretch, and it starts with this series against lowly Colorado (54-78), which has the third-worst record in baseball.  Ryan Vogelsong has been an average starter this year at 9-10 with a 4.19 ERA.  He is 6-3 with a 4.41 ERA in 12 starts against Colorado. In his only start against the Rockies this year, Vogelsong pitched six shutout innings of an 11-8 win at Coors Field on May 22.  Chris Rusin is the worse starter in this matchup.  Rusin is 4-7 with a 4.94 ERA and 1.607 WHIP in 16 starts and 5 relief outings, and 1-2 with a 7.41 ERA in his last three starts.  The Giants are 16-5 in their last 21 vs. a team with a losing record.  The Rockies are 0-7 in their last 7 games as a home underdog of +110 to +150.  The Rockies are 1-10 in Rusin's last 11 starts as an underdog.  Take San Francisco.

6* NFLX Thursday Night *CA$H COW* on Minnesota Vikings +2

7* MLB Never Lost *Mound Mismatch* on Texas Rangers -131

The Key: The Texas Rangers have gone 8-3 in their last 11 games overall to take over the final wild card spot in the American League.  They have a lot to play for right now, while the San Diego Padres do not.  Getting Cole Hamels at this price is a gift from oddsmakers.  Hamels is 8-8 with a 3.69 ERA and 1.212 WHIP in 25 starts this year, including 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA in his last three starts with the Rangers.  Ian Kennedy is 8-12 with a 3.94 ERA in 24 starts, and 6-4 with a 4.48 ERA in 12 home starts, which is really poor considering his pitchers in a pitcher's park at Petco.  Hamels is 9-2 with a 2.15 ERA in 16 lifetime starts versus San Diego.  In his last two starts against the Padres, he has allowed just one earned run in 15 innings while striking out 20.  Kennedy is 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA and 1.800 WHIP in two lifetime starts versus Texas, having never beaten the Rangers.  The Padres are 1-8 in their last 9 interleague home games.  The Padres are 16-36 in their last 52 interleague games vs. a left-handed starter.  Take Texas.

7* AL *BLOWOUT* GAME OF THE MONTH on Toronto Blue Jays -1.5 (+100)

The Key: The Toronto Blue Jays are 24-6 in their last 30 games overall.  The amazing part about that is the fact that 21 of their 24 wins have come by two runs or more.  They have been blowing out the opposition on the regular, and after losing yesterday, I look for them to get back to crushing the opposition Tuesday.  Marco Estrada is 11-8 with a 3.19 ERA and 1.094 WHIP in 21 starts and six relief outings in 2015.  He has proven to be a huge addition to the rotation this year.  Cody Anderson is 2-3 with a 4.30 ERA in nine starts for the Indians.  Anderson has really been battered recently, going 0-1 with a 7.24 ERA in his last three starts.  He has allowed 11 earned runs in 13 2/3 innings during this span, and now he faced the most potent lineup in baseball in the Blue Jays.  The Indians are 51-111 in their last 162 games as a road underdog of +151 to +200.  The Blue Jays are 10-2 in their last 12 games following a loss.  The Blue Jays are 41-19 in their last 60 home games.  Take Toronto on the Run Line.

7* Interleague *HEAVY HITTER* on Texas Rangers +114

The Key: The Texas Rangers (68-61) are rolling right now and should not be underdogs to the San Diego Padres.  The Rangers have won four straight and seven of their last nine to take over the last wild card spot in the American League.  Of course, they have a plethora of teams right on their heels, so they cannot afford to let up.  The San Diego Padres (63-67) have nothing to play for at this point, and it has shown with their play of late.  The Padres have gone 2-5 in their last seven games overall.  Colby Lewis has gone 14-6 with a 4.38 ERA and 1.205 WHIP in 26 starts, 8-4 with a 3.71 ERA and 1.141 WHIP in 13 road starts, and 2-1 with a 2.50 ERA in his last three starts.  Tyson Ross is 3-6 with a 4.13 ERA and 1.377 WHIP in 11 home starts this year.  That's pretty bad when you consider he pitches inside pitcher-friendly Petco Park.  He has walked an MLB-high 72 batters this season.  The Rangers are 12-2 in their last 14 interleague games as an underdog.  The Rangers are 6-0 in Lewis' last 6 starts during game 1 of a series. The Padres are 0-7 in their last 7 interleague home games.  Take Texas.

6* Texans/Saints Sunday NFLX *CA$H COW* on Houston +4.5

7* NL East GAME OF THE WEEK on Washington Nationals -1.5 (-101)

The Key: The Washington Nationals have won 5 of their last 7 games overall with each of their two losses coming by a single run.  They are making their move to try and catch the Mets in the NL East.  Now they have a massive advantage on the mound over the lowly Marlins in the finale of this series Sunday.  Stephen Strasburg is 4-3 with a 3.07 ERA and 1.146 WHIP in eight home starts this year.  Strasburg is 2-1 with a 1.89 ERA and 0.737 WHIP in his last three starts overall.  Brad Hand is 1-2 with a 6.27 ERA in four road starts this year.  Hand has never beaten the Nationals, going 0-5 with an 8.19 ERA and 1.921 WHIP in seven lifetime starts against them.  Strasburg is 19-2 (+16.9 Units) against the money line when playing on Sunday for his career.  The Nationals are winning by an average of 3.0 runs per game in his Sunday starts.  Take Washington on the Run Line.

6* Bears/Bengals Non-Conference *Annihilator* on Cincinnati -3.5

7* American League *Mound Mismatch* on Seattle Mariners -105

The Key: These are two teams that don't have a lot to play for right now, but I like what I've seen from the Mariners better here of late.  They have won four of their last six, while the White Sox have dropped four of their last six.  I also like the fact that Seattle has the advantage on the mound in this one.  Hisashi Iwakuma is 5-3 with a 4.29 ERA and 1.036 WHIP in 13 starts, and 2-0 with a 2.97 ERA and 0.960 WHIP in five road starts.  He is also 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA in four starts this month.  But what really stands out is that Iwakuma is 1-0 with a 1.57 ERA and 0.522 WHIP in three lifetime starts versus Chicago.  Jeff Samardzija is 8-10 with a 4.75 ERA in 26 starts this year, including 0-3 with a 5.78 ERA in his last three.  He has pretty much packed it in in the second half.  He is 0-5 with a 9.00 ERA in five August starts thus far.  The Mariners are 9-1 in their last 10 games vs. a right-handed starter.  The White Sox are 1-7 in their last 8 games as an underdog.  Take Seattle.

6* Steelers/Bills AFC *CA$H COW* on Pittsburgh +3

7* Interleague GAME OF THE YEAR on Oakland A's -113

The Key: The Arizona Diamondbacks are extremely deflated right now.  They just got swept in a 4-game series by the St. Louis Cardinals to fall 8.5 games back in the NL West standings.  That series pretty much sealed their fate that they won't be going to the postseason.  I don't see them being able to get back up off the mat in time to face the Oakland A's today, who had yesterday off while the Diamondbacks played and lost Thursday.  Now they have to face one of the best starters in baseball in Sonny Gray.  The right-hander has gone 12-5 with a 2.10 ERA in 25 starts, including 8-2 with a 1.64 ERA in 13 road starts.  Gray will be opposed by Chase Anderson, who is 6-5 with a 4.28 ERA in 22 starts this season.  Anderson is 2-3 with a 4.37 ERA in 10 home starts, and 1-1 with a 5.51 ERA in his last three outings overall.  Arizona is 0-7 (-7.4 Units) against the money line in home games vs. good defensive catchers - allowing 0.5 or less SB's/game in the second half of the season this season.  The A's are 39-18 in their last 57 interleague games as a favorite.  Oakland is 7-0 in its last seven games as a road favorite.  The A's are 7-1 in Gray's last 8 road starts.  The Diamondbacks are 24-50 in their last 74 games as a home underdog.  Arizona is 20-52 in its last 72 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.  Take Oakland.

6* NFLX Friday Night *CA$H COW* on New England Patriots PK

7* National League *Mound Mismatch* on San Francisco Giants -158

The Key: The San Francisco Giants are in a battle with the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the NL West.  They are also chasing the Cubs in the wild card.  They put an end to a 3-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over the Cubs yesterday.  Now, I expect them to win again today and take the series behind their ace in Madison Bumgarner.  The left-hander is 15-6 with a 3.02 ERA and 1.037 WHIP in 25 starts, 7-2 with a 2.05 ERA and 0.989 WHIP in 13 home starts, and 3-0 with a 1.48 ERA and 0.658 WHIP in his last three.  While Bumgarner is pitching his best ball of the season, Dan Haren has gone the other direction.  Haren is 1-1 with a 6.28 ERA and 1.326 WHIP in his last three outings.  Bumgarner is 5-2 with a 2.54 ERA and 1.127 WHIP in 9 lifetime starts against Chicago as well.  Bumgarner is 9-0 (+9.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 to 8.5 this season.  The Giants are 13-3 in their last 16 games as a home favorite.  The Giants are 8-0 in Bumgarners last 8 starts vs. National League Central.  Take San Francisco.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on Pittsburgh Pirates -142

The Key: Off a rare loss to the Miami Marlins yesterday, I look for the Pirates to come back hungry tonight for a win as they continue their pursuit of the St. Louis Cardinals for first place in the NL Central.  The Pirates are still 10-3 in their last 13 games and have been a resilient bunch to boot.  They  have gone 8-1 in their last nine games following a loss.  The Marlins simply aren't very good and I have plenty of confidence in laying this kind of juice to fade them.  Jeff Locke has had plenty of success against Miami.  He is 2-2 with a 3.08 ERA in six lifetime starts against them.  He has given up just 5 earned runs over 20 2/3 innings in his last three starts against them.  Chris Narveson will be making his first start of the season for the Marlins.  The Pirates are 9-0 in their last 9 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.  The Pirates are 9-1 in their last 10 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.  Pittsburgh is 5-0 in Locke's last 5 starts as a favorite of -110 to -150.  Take Pittsburgh.

7* NL *Never Lost* Mound Mismatch on St. Louis Cardinals -119

The Key: We're getting the best team in baseball at a very generous price tonight when you consider they actually have the advantage on the mound, too.  Jamie Garcia has been nothing short of spectacular, going 5-4 with a 1.79 ERA and 0.930 WHIP in 12 starts this season.  He is 2-2 with a 1.32 ERA in five road starts, and 2-0 with a 1.25 ERA in his last three starts overall.  Garcia is also 4-0 with a 2.78 ERA in four lifetime starts against Arizona having never lost.  He'll be opposed by Robbie Ray, who is 0-4 with a 4.45 ERA and 1.422 WHIP in six home starts this season.  The Diamondbacks are 0-6 in his six home starts.  Ray is also 0-3 with a 4.96 ERA and 1.531 WHIP in his last three starts overall.  Take St. Louis.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on Pittsburgh Pirates -153

The Key: The Pittsburgh Pirates are breathing down the neck of the St. Louis Cardinals for first place in the NL Central.  They have gone 9-2 in their last 11 games overall and aren't about to slow down against one of the worst teams in baseball in the Miami Marlins.  That's why I'm willing to lay this kind of juice with the Pirates tonight.  J.A. Happ has pitched lights-out over his last two starts, going 1-0 with a 0.79 ERA while allowing just one earned run in 11 1/3 innings.  Happ is 2-2 with a 3.41 ERA in six lifetime starts versus Miami.  Tom Koehler is just an average starter in this league, going 8-11 with a 4.02 ERA in 23 starts this year, and 0-3 with a 6.23 ERA in his last three.  Koehler has never beaten the Pirates, going 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.625 WHIP in three lifetime starts against them.  Take that 100% never lost angle straight to the bank tonight.  Take Pittsburgh.

6* Cowboys/49ers NFLX *CA$H COW* on Dallas Cowboys +4.5

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Tampa Bay Rays -123

The Key: The Tampa Bay Rays (62-61) are fighting to stay alive for the postseason.  They have won three straight one-run games coming in to give them a ton of confidence.  I look for them to sweep an Oakland A's (53-71) team that is just 2-9 in its last 11 games overall and with little to play for.  The key is that Tampa has a big advantage on the mound.  Jake Odorizzi is one of the most underrated starters in baseball, going 6-6 with a 3.02 ERA and 1.128 WHIP in 20 starts.  Kendall Gravemen has been the weakest link in the A's rotation this year.  Gravemen is 6-9 with a 4.27 ERA and 1.459 WHIP in 20 starts, and 0-2 with a 7.24 ERA and 1.609 WHIP in his last three.  The A's are 0-7 in Graveman's last 7 starts.  Take Tampa Bay.

6* NFLX Saturday Night *CA$H COW* on Jacksonville Jaguars +3

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Texas Rangers -118

The Key:  The Detroit Tigers are so desperate for a starting pitcher that they went out and got Randy Wolf to start a game today against the surging Texas Rangers.  The Rangers are right in the thick of the AL wild card race and playing their best baseball of the season.  I'll back them at this tremendous price Saturday.  Yovani Gallardo is 9-9 with a 3.39 ERA in 25 starts this season.  Gallardo sports a 3.86 ERA in his career against Detroit.  The Rangers are 6-0 in their last 6 games vs. a left-handed starter.  The Tigers are 3-13 in their last 16 games as a home underdog of +110 to +150.  Take Texas.

6* NFLX Friday Night *CA$H COW* on Atlanta Falcons +2

7* National League *Mound Mismatch* on San Francisco Giants -130

The Key: It's getting closer to the postseason, and with the Giants fighting for the NL West title and to stay alive in the wild card, it's no surprise that Madison Bumgarner has stepped up his game a notch.  The left-hander is 3-0 with a 0.71 ERA and 0.632 WHIP in his last three starts to drop his season numbers to 14-6 (2.98 ERA, 1.035 WHIP).  He has pitched two straight complete games, with his last being a shutout and 14 K's.  Bumgarner sports a 2.38 ERA and 1.029 WHIP in five lifetime starts versus tonight's opponent, the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Jeff Locke gets the ball for Pittsburgh and is nowhere near on Bumgarner's level.  The left-hander is 6-7 with a 4.31 ERA and 1.407 WHIP in 23 starts.  Locke sports an 8.68 ERA and 1.822 WHIP in two lifetime starts versus San Francisco.  Bumgarner is 17-1 (+16.5 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 7 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.  Bumgarner is 17-1 (+16.7 Units) against the money line in road games vs. NL teams scoring 4.3 or less runs/game on the season over the last 2 seasons.  Take San Francisco.

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on Washington Nationals -191

The Key: I have won with the Nationals the past two days as they've outscored the Rockies 19-7 while going 2-0.  I'll back them to cap off the sweep tonight due to the massive edge they have on the mound in this one.  Plus, the Rockies are just 1-8 in their last nine games overall and appear to have quit.  Max Scherzer is worth the price of admission today.  The right-hander is 11-9 with a 2.73 ERA and 0.897 WHIP in 24 starts, and 7-4 with a 2.41 ERA and 0.870 WHIP in 13 road starts.  He'll be opposed by Yohan Flande, who is 2-1 with a 4.19 ERA and 1.266 WHIP over 38 2/3 innings pitched this season.  Flande is 0-1 with a 5.87 ERA in three lifetime starts versus Washington.  Scherzer is 24-3 (+18.5 Units) against the money line as a favorite of -175 to -250 over the last 2 seasons.  That's why it's safe to lay this kind of juice with him.  Take Washington.

6* NFLX Thursday Night *CA$H COW* on Buffalo Bills +3

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on Washington Nationals -146

The Key: The Washington Nationals put an end to their six-game losing streak yesterday with a 15-6 victory over the Rockies, who have gone 1-7 in their last eight games overall.  I look for that scoring outburst to be a signs of things to come for the Nationals, who are finally getting healthy.  Stephen Strasburg just recently returned to the rotation from injury, and he has been nothing short of dominant.  Strasburg is 1-1 with a 1.62 ERA and 0.900 WHIP in his last three starts with 23 K's in 16 2/3 innings.  Strasburg is also 3-3 with a 2.77 ERA and 1.077 WHIP in six lifetime starts versus Colorado.  Jorge De La Rosa has not enjoyed pitching at home this year, going 2-2 with a 6.62 ERA and 1.629 WHIP in 10 starts at Coors Field.  De La Rosa sports a 4.12 ERA and 1.445 WHIP in nine lifetime starts versus Washington.  The Nationals are 9-2 in their last 11 games with the total set at 9.0-10.5.  Washington is 4-1 in Strasburg's last 5 starts.  The Rockies are 1-9 in their last 10 games as an underdog of +110 to +150.  Colorado is 0-7 in its last seven games with a total set of 9.0-10.5.  Take Washington.

7* National League GAME OF THE MONTH on Washington Nationals -148

The Key: The time is now for the Washington Nationals to get their act together and make a run at the NL East crown.  They have lost six straight coming in, but now they take on a team that has struggled just as much in the Rockies, who have lost 6 of their last 7.  The Nationals just have a lot more to play for right now, plus they have the clear advantage on the mound.  Jordan Zimmerman is 8-8 with a 3.34 ERA and 1.187 WHIP in 24 starts this season.  He owns the Rockies, going 5-0 with a 2.10 ERA and 1.150 WHIP in 9 lifetime starts against them.  David Hale is 3-4 with a 5.69 ERA and 1.388 WHIP this season for Colorado.  Hale has been brutal of late, going 0-2 with a 7.02 ERA and 1.680 WHIP in his last three starts.  The Nationals are 45-16 in Zimmermann's last 61 starts vs. a team with a losing record.  The Nationals are 63-23 in Zimmermann's last 86 starts as a favorite.  The Rockies are 1-9 in their last 10 games as an underdog of +110 to +150.  The Rockies are 0-5 in Hale's last 5 starts.  Take Washington.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Texas Rangers -124

The Key: The Texas Rangers have won four straight games and are now right in the thick if the AL wild card race.  They are only one game behind the Baltimore Orioles for the final wild card spot.  They traded for Cole Hamels before the deadline, and now that move could really pay off going forward to get them in the postseason.  Hamels is 6-8 with a 3.86 ERA and 1.201 WHIP in 22 starts this season, and 2-2 with a 3.34 ERA and 1.082 WHIP in 10 home starts.  He's better than Seattle's Taijuan Walker, sho is 8-7 with a 4.60 ERA in 23 starts this year, and 6-4 with a 5.03 ERA in 13 road starts.  The Mariners are 17-35 in their last 52 games following a win.  The Rangers are 10-1 in their last 11 home games.  Take Texas.

7* NL West GAME OF THE MONTH on San Diego Padres -103

The Key: The San Diego Padres have gone 4-1 in their last five games overall.  They have not quit on their season and have scored a combined 30 runs in their past four games.  The Colorado Rockies appear to have quit.  They have gone 0-6 in their last six games overall and have scored only 15 combined runs in the process.  The Padres have the advantage on the mound behind Ian Kennedy, who is 7-10 with a 4.37 ERA and 1.283 WHIP in 21 starts, 2-6 with 3.81 ERA and 1.220 WHIP in 10 road starts, and 1-1 with a 3.32 ERA and 1.105 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  Plus, Kennedy is 6-4 with a 2.95 ERA and 1.190 WHIP in 19 lifetime starts versus Colorado.  Chris Rusin is 2-5 with a 4.82 ERA and 1.634 WHIP in 13 starts this year, and 0-1 with a 5.62 ERA and 1.875 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  The Rockies are 0-7 in their last 7 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.  The Padres are 7-0 in the last 7 meetings.  The Padres are 4-1 in Kennedy's last 5 starts versus Colorado.  Take San Diego.

7* Nationals/Giants NL Saturday Night 'Bailout' on Washington -105

The Key: The Washington Nationals will be hungry for a victory after dropping the first two games of this series to the San Francisco Giants.  They have now lost four in a row and are desperate for a victory to turn their season around.  Surprisingly, Gio Gonzalez has been their best starter over the past couple months.  The left-hander is 5-0 with a 1.48 ERA in his last eight starts.  Gonzalez hasn't lost to San Francisco since 2010, going 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in five meetings since.  Jake Peavy is 2-5 with a 3.76 ERA in nine starts this season for the Giants.  Peavy is 4-6 with a 3.72 ERA in 13 lifetime starts versus Washington.  Peavy is 29-57 (-23.5 Units) against the money line as an underdog of +100 to +150 in his career.  The Nationals are 13-3 in Gonzalez's last 16 starts vs. National League West.  The Nationals are 47-23 in Gonzalez's last 70 starts as a favorite.  The Giants are 0-6 in Peavy's last 6 starts vs. a team with a winning record.  Take Washington.