Purdue Boilermakers.

BIG DANCE GOY.

Game 656.

11:20 AM PST/2;20 PM EST.

Both Tennessee and Purdue deserve to be here. However, make no mistake of it, the Volunteers are not in the same class as the Boilermakers. Purdue enters this matchup knowing that they took down Tennessee in a late-November matchup, at home 71-67. Since November, the Boilermakers have improved significantly. Don't get me wrong, the Volunteers are a damn good team. But when you have arguably the best college basketball player in the country as you're starting center, it's certainly going to give you a very large advantage. Zach Edey is one of the best college basketball players I have ever seen. He's an absolute monster.  Forget about stopping him. Even if you tried to slow him down, the rest of the starters for Purdue are some of the most unselfish players in the country. On any given day any one of them can step up and take a game on his shoulders. Tennessee is accustomed to playing opponents that can score as much as them. Purdue can do just that my friends. And to make matters worse, they have a very good defense, are second in the nation in shooting from downtown, and on both ends of the court, possess a top-10 rebounding core. This game will get out of hand. Take the Boilermakers. Thank you.

North Carolina Tar Heels.

SWEET 16 GAME OF THE YEAR.

Game 636.

6:40 PM PST/9:40 PM EST.

Whether you are a novice or an expert in college basketball, you are familiar with the history of the Tar Heels. North Carolina is one of the most successful teams in the history of college basketball. Hubert Davis is the head coach of UNC. In his three seasons at the helm, it's been a hell of a ride. Going back even further, his career has been very impressive. He went to North Carolina, winning a national championship, and even averaging over 21.4 points per game in his senior season. He was a first-round draft pick to the New York Knicks, played on six teams in the NBA. He became an assistant coach of the Tar Heels back in 2012, and a few years ago named the head coach. In his first season at the helm, Davis team reached the National Championship game. Oddly enough last season, the team missed the Tournament altogether. Now this season, they come in as a number one seed in the West Region.  I believe it was last year's absence that really lit a fire under this team and motivated them to win. They know they cannot take their opponent here lightly. Alabama is a heck of a team. They finished fifth in the SEC, and own an overall record of 23-11. They are a very good team. But I think we could all agree that when they travel away from the confines of their own home court, they lose a little bit of luster. They are just 5-5 away from home straight up this season. And just 4-4 SU on neutral sites. While, their offense is explosive, their defense is getting shredded for over 80.4 points per game. They're playing against a team which is as complete and well-balanced as any team in the country. The Tar Heels possess height, muscle, speed, strength, depth, and intelligence. Take North Carolina. Thank you.

Duke Blue Devils.

Crusher play.

Game 760.

4:10 PM, PST/7:10 PM EST.

Facing Duke in Tournament play following the Blue Devils back-to-back defeats to end their regular season/conference tournament campaign, is going to prove to be fatal for Vermont. Yes, the Catamounts finished first in the American East. However, this is a team, which really doesn't step up out of their comfort zone very often. As a matter of fact, the only time this season they stepped up and out, would be in mid-December on the road at Virginia Tech when they got crushed, 73-51. Duke has no problems putting the hurt on opponents. As a matter fact, you can even say that they take enjoyment in it. I just don't see their opponent keeping pace with them on the scoreboard here. The Blue Devils average over 80.2 points per game, hit over 48% from the field, 38% from downtown… all this and they are great on the boards as well. Take Duke. Thank you.

Colorado State Rams

Tournament Round 1 Best Bet.

Game 731.

3:50 PM PST/6:50 PM EST.

Guys, giving Colorado State points in a matchup like this I feel as a real mistake. I know there are just the seventh seed in the Mountain West, while Texas is the eighth seed in the Big 12. However, the Rams are surging. They have won five of their last six straight up, and they are playing their best basketball of the campaign so far. Texas has dropped five of their last 10 outings, straight up, and have only covered four of those 10. When asked to step up out of their comfort zone and out of conference play, this team meets all challenges. This is way too many points to give a very talented, very game Colorado State team. Take the Rams. Thank you.

Florida Gators.

Oddsmakers Mistake Play.

Game 825.

6:30 PM PST/9:30 PM EST.

Guys, in all sincerity, I think this line should be closer to Pick ‘em. The oddsmakers are being very generous in making Alabama this much of a favorite. I know how good of a team they are. Not looking to ruffle any feathers here. But this team loses a little something when they travel. That's for sure. I mean they're just 3-7 away from home this season. When it comes to neutral site games, I believe they are a dismal 1-4 straight up on neutral site games this season. The Gators can keep pace offensively with the Crimson Tide, for sure. Plus, they are monsters on both end of the court on the glass. Take Florida. Thank you.

Seton Hall Pirates.

Game 751.

6:00 PM PST/8:00 PM EST.

This is a very exciting matchup, in my opinion. The Big East’s third and fourth seeds square off here. The Blue Jays have had their way with the Pirates in this series. They've taken three in a row, both straight up and against the spread, which does include the only matchup this season in January. However, in that matchup, Creighton needed three overtimes to eke out a three-point victory. However, one of Seton Hall's best, Kadary Richmond had his worst night in memory, shooting just 8-for-32. Here is something to think about in this matchup; first of all, revenge. Next, ensuring a top four seed for the upcoming conference tournament. And lastly, the fact that they've won and covered three in a row, they come in here with some momentum. This is way too many points to give a very game and capable Pirate’s team. Take Seton Hall. Thank you.

Alabama Crimson Tide.

Game 753.

6:00 PM PST/9:00 PM EST.

Sometimes records can be very misleading. For instance, Mississippi's overall, 19-8 mark. At first glance, it is very impressive. I mean they're just one victory away from achieving the goal of a 20-win regular season. However, this team was 13-0 in non-conference play. I've got to tell you, some of the teams they went up against, you would be hard-pressed to recognize. Lol. They've had some real pushovers. Their conference record is what intrigues me. They are just 6-8 against SEC opponents this season. Let's face, they've lost by 26 at the hands of Tennessee, 23 at Auburn, by 14 at home vs. Auburn, at South Carolina, at Kentucky, and here by 13 points versus South Carolina on Saturday. Oh, by the way, the Gamecocks were without their leading scorer. This team folds like a cheap suit when going up against solid conference opponents. And let's face it, Alabama is a solid opponent. This is a team that also owns a 19-8 overall record, which does include an amazing, 11-3 mark in SEC play. They have dominated ‘Ole Miss, winning and covering six consecutive meetings in this rivalry. Two of their three remaining regular season matchups after this game, happens to be against upper tier conference opponents in Tennessee and Florida. This is a big victory for the team. I don't see the Rebels slowing down, let alone stopping the Crimson Tides No. 1 scoring offense, which counts over 91.1 points per game. They're in trouble in the paint, from downtown, and on both end of courts on the boards here. Take Alabama. Thank you.

Pitt Panthers.

Game 631.

4:00 PM PST/7:00 PM EST.

Granted, the Panthers fell to the Tigers back in the beginning of December, 79-70 at home. But that was very early on in the campaign, and their new additions were still trying to mesh and find their rhythm. But since that defeat, Pitt has rattled off a 13-6 overall record, which includes conference road victories at Duke, Georgia Tech, NC State, and Virginia. Predictions currently figure Clemson projected to make the field of 68 teams come Tournament time. However, although they own almost an identical record, Pitt is reported to be just outside of the Tournament field. They enter this matchup red-hot, winning and covering eight of their last 10 outings. They were out rebounded in the first meeting with Clemson, but have since significantly improved at both ends of the court on the boards. They are also one of the most frustrating defenses in the nation at defending the arc. Too many points to give them. Take the Panthers. Thank you.

Minnesota, Golden Gophers.

Smart Money Move.

Game 857.

3:30 PM PST/6:30 PM EST.

 Yes, I am aware Nebraska is in astounding, 16-1 at home this season. But are you aware Minnesota is 23-3 against the spread this season? The Golden Gophers took down the Cornhuskers in their only meeting this season back in December at home, 76=65. If you're worried about them being on the road, don't be. Last March, they took down the Nebraska on their own court, 78-75. The Golden Gophers are money, riding a nine-game cover streak. I just think this is way too many points to give a team that matches up pretty evenly. Take Minnesota. Thank you.

UAB Blazers.

Oddsmakers Mistake.

Game, 853.

1:00 PM PST/4:00 PM EST.

 Someone needs to explain to me why a team that is 9-4 in conference play and 17-9 overall is getting points against the team which is 4-9 in the conference and owns a 13-12 overall mark. It just doesn't make sense to me. I actually have the visitor a small favorite here. Yes, Tulane has an explosive offense. But their defense is getting shredded for over 80.1 points per game. Throw into the mix they are inferior at both ends of the court on the boards in this matchup, and it's just doesn't make sense to me to make UAB, an underdog. Take the Blazers. Thank you.

Kansas City Chiefs.

Game 102.

3:30 PM PST/6:30 PM EST.

Hello friends, in all sincerity, I feel both of these teams deserve to be playing in the Super Bowl. As a matter fact, I predicted in the preseason, that these two teams would be playing for this season’s Lombardi Trophy (notice they named it after an Italian lol). Having said that, with all respect to the San Francisco 49ers and Brock Purdy, they just have proven that they could win at this level. I know Purdy was not there a few years back when the 49ers made it to the Super Bowl. But I still feel that they are a little bit short of what they need to do to win the Super Bowl. Whether you like it or not, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are the new Tom Brady and the Patriots. Not only have they gotten here quite a few times over the last several seasons, but they have prevailed on this platform. I have said it before and I will say it again, whatever you did prior to the Super Bowl does not matter. It is a moot point. Patrick Mahomes is a money player. He comes up big in big game situations. If you are worried about the hype about this team not being what they were, or that their defense can't stop the rush, just look at the Conference title game against a Ravens opponent, which happened to be the NFL’s top-rushing offense. They possess a defensive unit that has not allowed a single opponent to put up better than 27 points this season. My friends, after the Conference Title win, Patrick Mahomes was interviewed, and made it a point to say that the team was cognizant of being an underdog there. HMMM. How would you feel if you were the heavyweight champion of the world, and yet you faced the new kid on the block and were an underdog? Trust me when I tell you, Mahomes and the Chief will take care of business here and probably win this game outright. But I will take the points to err on the side of caution. Kansas City is the play plus the points. Thank you.

Props

As far as props go, we are all well-aware that not just in the Super Bowl (which was usually the only major prop contest of the year), PROPS have really exploded over recent years. Every single game in every sport, every day you'll find a list of prop bets available to you longer than your arm. Listen folks, when it comes to props, if it doesn't give you value, step away. If you just want to bet some props for poops and giggles, then bet 20 props for 10 bucks a game, and have all the poops and giggles you can possibly handle. However, if you're serious about making money, be disciplined. Let me tell you what I mean by that: There is a prop out there about Patrick Mahomes throwing a touchdown; Will Mahomes throw a TD? Do I think he's gonna’ throw a TD? I think he's gonna’ throw several TD’s. But the odds on him to throw a TD, ranges from -450 to -500. There is no value in it my friends. There is no value at all. Listen, God forbid on the first series of the game he gets hurt and he is sidelined, then you are screwed. And to be honest with you, unless you're betting hundreds of thousands of dollars, there's no significant profit in it anyway. Let it go. Below are some props that I really feel strongly about. They are all props that I feel give us value.

PROPS

These are the props I feel are most “valuable” and the ones with a star are stronger, two stars are really strong as far as “value” goes.

 Will the game be tied after 0-0? YES +145 *

Shortest FG of game 27.5 yards. UNDER -110 *

 Will there be a ST or Defensive TD? Yes +250 *

Longest rush by Purdy 6.5 yards. OVER Even Money

Total TD passes by Purdy 1.5. OVER -110

Total receiving yards by Kittle 49.5. OVER -110 *

Will Kittle score a TD? Yes +170

Total TD passes by Mahomes 2. OVER +170

Will Pacheco score a TD? Yes +120

10)Total receiving yards by Kelce 72.5. OVER -110 *

11)Longest reception by Kelce 21.5 yards. OVER Even Money

12)Total receptions by Kelce 6.5. OVER -110 **

13) Will Kelce score a TD? YES +105 **

Oregon State Beavers.

Pac 12 GOM.

Game 767.

4:00 PM PST/7:00 PM EST.

Of course, I am aware Oregon State has not won a game yet on the road at 0-5 this season. However, USC isn’t much better. First of all, the Trojans possess the conferences worst record at 2-8 Pac-12 action. They are also just 5-5 straight up at home this season. They enter today's contest on a six-game straight up slide and have failed to cover their last three consecutive outings. The Beavers have won the last two meetings with the Trojans SU, and have covered five consecutive matchups. This is just way too many points to give in a rivalry between two teams that play each other very closely, know each other very well, and dislike each other very much. Take Oregon State. Thank you.

Kansas City Chiefs.

AFC Championship Game Winner.

Game 319.

12:00 PM PST/3:00 PM EST.

There is no question these are the two best teams in the AFC. However, you cannot ignore the success of Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the postseason. As far as Lamar Jackson and the Ravens are concerned, they are certainly a great squad. But let's be honest, when it comes down to the playoffs, Jackson and the team overall, falls a bit short. Trust me when I tell you, Kansas City did what they needed to do on the road in Buffalo last Sunday. Although Baltimore did the same at home against Houston, there is a big difference in the level of opponent from last week to this week for them. The Chiefs are clicking at the right time. They overcame injury issues mid-season. But finished strong, and won and covered both postseason contests. The Ravens have been solid all season long. But at times their defense has shown cracks. I know this somewhat contradicts their top-ranked scoring defense. But hear me out. At times, they showed vulnerability. You cannot say the same for the Kansas City stop-unit. Yes, I am aware that Baltimore's "D" allows just 16.5 points per game, while the KC "D" allows 17.3 points per game. But Kansas City has not allowed a single opponent this season to reach 30 points in scoring (27). Offensively, the Ravens put up more points statistically. They top the league on the ground. But leave a lot to be desired in the air. This is going to be an issue because they are facing one of the toughest pass defenses in football. Kansas City will completely shut down the passing game of Baltimore and allow their defense to key on the running game. The Chiefs have proven they could win a tough game on the road against a solid opponent in the playoffs. They showed us this last week. I also think they are better coached, more disciplined, and a lot more experienced in the postseason. Take Kansas City. Thank you.

Kansas City Chiefs.

AFC JANUARY GAME OF THE MONTH.

Game 317.

3:30 PM PST/6:30 PM EST.

Two of the most acclaimed quarterbacks in the NFL are going to be meeting one another for the seventh time. Kansas City and Buffalo have each won three of the previous matchups. However, Patrick Mahomes has bested Josh Allen when it counts, taking both playoff meetings. I don't want to upset any Bill fans. But I've been doing this for a long time, and I want you to know there are fun players, and there are money players. Josh Allen is the first. He puts up amazing numbers every year. But when it comes down to games he must win, let's be honest, the mistakes pile up and the Bills lose. On the other hand, Patrick Mahomes is a money player. He wins when games are on the line. He wins when crunch time is upon him. And he wins in the postseason. No matter what you do during the regular season, when it comes to the playoffs, it is a whole different monster.  I hear people talking about the weather up in Buffalo. But Kansas City is no stranger to cold weather. I know the Bills closed out the regular season one of the hottest teams in the league. And that did include a three-point outright win on the road at Arrowhead in early-December. But giving Mahomes and the experienced, Kansas City Chiefs points in January is a big mistake. Not only will Mahomes be a major difference in this contest. But the consistently solid defense of the Chiefs will be a major factor as well. This is a squad that has yielded a mere, 17.3 points per game, and ranks fourth against the pass. They are going to get a lot of pressure on Allen and force him to make mistakes. Take Kansas City. Thank you.

Michigan Wolverines.

National Championship Game Winner.

Game 288.

4:30 PM PST/7:30 PM EST.

Just like me, I'm going to keep this game analysis very short and extremely sweet (lol). There is no question that both Washington and Michigan deserve to be here. Both completed the entire campaign perfect, at 14-0. Both played and beat the best in their conference title games. I mean the Huskies took down the Longhorns, 37-31 as a 3.5-point underdog. The Wolverines came on strong at the end of the fourth quarter, and then won in overtime against, what many people thought was the best team in the College Football Playoff, the Crimson Tide. There are a few major disparities here. With all respect to Washington, and their top-ranked, passing offense, they have not faced a defense as complete as the one they are lining up against here. Not only is Michigan the most ferocious and well-balanced defense they will have faced this season, but they are equally strong in the air and on the ground. The Wolverines stop-unit leads the nation, allowing just 9.5 points per game, ranks second against the pass, six against the rush, second in total yards allowed, and sixth in takeaways. On the opposite side of the ball, let's face it, the Huskies give up a lot of points. That rank 50th nationally, allowing 23.6 points per game. That's bad enough. But the Wolverines offense is so well-balanced and so dangerous it is impossible to shut them down. They have a smart quarterback at the helm. And I believe that's where the big contrast will be. The Huskies rank 122nd, defensively against the pass. Quarterback, JJ McCarthy is smart, capable, and must be salivating, knowing he's going to pass the ball at will here. Remember, if the Huskies key on the pass attack of the Wolverines, Michigan could then fall back on the rushing attack of Blake Corum. A lot of talk is that head coach, Jim Harbaugh is going to be departing for the NFL after this game. Now these are just rumors. But there's a lot of talk surrounding his future just might just be in Las Vegas. And if that does happen, he also just might be taking his starting quarterback with him. He will want to leave Ann Arbor with a National Title. Take Michigan. Thank you.

Detroit Lions.

NFC North Game of the Month.

Game 478.

10:00 AM PST/1:00 PM EST.

Detroit currently has the No. 3 seed in the NFC playoff picture. But does have an opportunity to step up to the No. 2 seed with a win here and some help. The Vikings playoffs chances are basically hanging on by a thread. Now normally I would be a little apprehensive about a game like this. But Detroit head coach, Dan Campbell announced he will be playing quarterback, Jared Goff, and his starters in this contest. For how long, who knows. But they want this win. They lost a heartbreaker last week on the road to Dallas by one-point. That ended a two game straight up win streak. But did extend their ATS cover streak to three consecutive games. They don't want to go into the postseason on a two-game slide. They need a big ego boost here. And what better team to face than their hated division rival, which happens to be on a three-game slide straight up themselves. As a matter fact, they've lost five of their last six straight up. failing to cover five straight. One thing for sure, with the announcement that Nick Mullins will start at quarterback for the Vikings, you can expect the Lions to throw a lot of different schemes at him with their very talented defense. On the flipside of the ball, Goff is going to have his best performance of the regular season because most of Minnesota secondary is either banged-up or out here. FYI, Detroit has taken three of the last four meetings in this series straight up and six in a row against the number. Take the Lions. Thank you.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

NFC South Game of the Month.

Game 479.

10:00 AM PST/1:00 PM EST.

Tampa Bay controls their destiny here folks. In other words, they win and they are in the playoffs. Let's throw away the fact the Buccaneers are 7-1 ATS as a visitor this season. Let's throw away the fact Carolina has been eliminated from any postseason chances quite a while back. Throw away the fact that this home team is just 2-14, which is the worst record in the NFL this season. And throw away the fact that Carolina is also just 1-4 SU against division opponents this season. The Buccaneers are a smart, well-coached, disciplined squad, certainly outclassing their opponent in this matchup. They were riding a four-game straight up win streak prior to last weeks, 23-13 loss on the road at the Saints. But did extend their ATS cover streak to three in a row. They have dominated this division rivalry, taking eight of the last 10 meetings, straight up, and covering seven of those 10 matchups. The Panthers aren't going to jeopardize any of their significant starters here. And let's face it, even if they were going to play all out, they just don't have the personnel to contend here. If they did, they wouldn't have finished this season with the worst record in football. Take the Buccaneers. Thank you.