The Eagles and Panthers have identical 4-1 records, and both have been efficient on both sides of the ball in recent outings. The Eagles defense forced the Cardinals to gain 276 of their 307 total yards through the air mostly because they built and early 21-0 lead. The Eagles are ranked in the TOP 10 in almost every major offensive category including # 3 in total offense, #5 in rushing offense, # 9 in passing offense and # 6 in scoring offense. The Panthers are 0-6 ATS in their last six games after allowing less than 250 total yards in their previous game. The Eagles had a dominating performance last Sunday at home against the Cardinals, 34-7. Philadelphia QB Carson Wentz had 4 TD's, 21 of 30 passing for 304 yards and 1 INT. In addition, RB LeGarette Blunt rushed for 74 yards and has been tough rushing the ball this season for the Birds. The 3.5 number provides value on the stronger defensive club in what should be a tight Thursday night game.

5* 

The Bears shouldn't be getting three points in this matchup at home, where they've went toe to toe with two far superior teams earlier this season. The Bears predictably made a switch at QB, and the rookie should give the offense a boost, but he won't have to do too much with the running game likely to dominate this matchup, as it did when the Bears beat the Vikings at home last year 20-10. The Vikings have a solid passing attack, but it hasn't played as well on the road, and they even struggled to move the ball at home last week against the Lions. Dalvin Cook's injury is also a huge loss for this offense. I'll back the Bears here at home on MNF.

5* 

The Chiefs are the league's only undefeated team and they're facing a rookie QB on Sunday night. But this is a great spot for the Texans. KC goes on the road on a short week and banged up on both sides of the ball. The Texans are coming off a dominating home win last Sunday 57-14 and when was the last time the Texans scored over 50 points in a single game. Houston rookie QB Deshaun Watson has been nothing but outstanding in his first 3 starts going 2-1 and that one loss was at New England but lost only by 3-points 36-33. Look for the Texans defense to win this game at home Sunday night. 

5*

Going with the Bengals in this match-up against the Bills. The Bengals are looking like that they are coming together now since they made the change at offensive coordinator. The Bengals defense has been solid this year by ranking 3rd in defense that allows 16.8 points per game. Also, they are ranked 3rd against the pass. The Bills should be ready for a let down after beating the Broncos and Falcons and now playing their 2nd straight road game. Take the Bengals here on Sunday.

10* GAME OF THE WEEK 

Wisconsin struggled last week but pulled away in the end. 

 Wisconsin was able to post impressive offensive numbers its first three games albeit against the soft defenses of Utah State, Florida Atlantic and BYU. Last week, facing a bit more resistance, the Badgers managed only 306 total yards in their 33-24 win over Northwestern. The final tally was very deceiving as both teams combined for only 550 yards but five turnovers and a pick six helped it go over the total. Last year's meeting saw Wisconsin grind out a 23-17 win in Madison and I like the Cornhuskers to keep it close.

One noticeable change during Nebraska's two recent wins was a far more conservative game plan. The Cornhuskers ran the ball 85 times vs. only 45 pass attempts. 

Nebraska is very good at home in night games and I like them getting the pts here on Saturday night. 

10* Underdog Game of the Month

This is the first night game ever between these 2 teams and you can expect Michgian to be rocking on Saturday night.

Michigan State has a decent offense, but they do not matchup well against Michigan's defense. The Wolverines will pressure the hell out of the Spartans.

I believe Michigan's defense is better than last years and that is scary. I believe John O'Korn will get the starting job for this game and Michigan will move the ball on offense with ease.  If you factor in the home field advantage especially since it's a night game i don't think Mich State has a chance. 
Michigan wins big on Saturday night!

5*

Purdue has played well against elite teams (Michigan & Louisville) and has the home-crowd advantage, not to mention the emotion of losing coach Tiller earlier this week.  The school plans to honor prior to the game so you can bet there will be a little extra electricity to the home crowd and the players in this one.

Purdue's offense looked awful vs. Michigan with just 10 pts and an embarrassing running game, but I look for them to be focused and bounce back here at home. I think their QB is a talented player as well.

We have Purdue coming off its bye week and playing for Coach Tiller with pride. The Boilermakers are 9-2 SU & 8-3 ATS in their last 11 home meetings with Minnesota. Purdue is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 games after gaining 100 or fewer rushing yards in its previous game. Take Purdue to take care of business and get the WIN and COVER here on Saturday.

10* Oddsmaker Mistake Play

This should be a good chance for Memphis to bounce back coming off of their tough result last week at UCF.

 UConn hasn't been great out of the gate and shown a lot of weaknesses on the defensive side of the ball which isn't ideal coming into this matchup against what can be a very high powered Memphis offensive attack. 

This is a great chance for the Memphis offense to breakout and get a big road win.

I'm laying the points with Memphis on Friday night, as I look for them to bounce back and get a BIG WIN on Friday night.  They were outplayed and out-coached vs Central Florida last weekend.

 UConn is just 5-16-1 ATS in its last 22 home games, and I see the trend continuing here tonight.

Memphis by 24.

5*

The New England Patriots defense is bad and I like TB at home to get us the cash. Tom Brady is on fire and yet the Pats are just 2-2 on the season. They are +5 on the season in turnovers so they've been getting lucky. The Pats are also banged up and on a short week playing on the road. Everyone’s offense gets healthy against this Patriots defense. While I do expect them to get things figured out eventually, I just don’t see it happening on the short week in this game vs. Jameis Winston & the Bucs. Look for WR Jackson and Evans to have big games vs the Pats secondary. Also, the Bucs' defense is pretty good and will generate turnovers.

5* 

Tough to get a read on the Redskins because of how inconsistent they’ve been from week-to-week. What has been consistent is Kareem Hunt and the Chiefs offense. The dynamic duo of Kareem Hunt and Tyreek Hill have turned the Chiefs into a threat to score on any snap from any spot on the field. They have combined for four touchdowns of between 30 and 75 yards. Defensively, their secondary won’t miss many opportunities to take the ball away from the giving Kirk Cousins as the Redskins struggle away from home. Lay the points with the KC Chiefs on MNF.

5* 

The Steelers are a different team on the road than when they play at home. This is a big divisional game and I like the home team to come out on top as the Ravens are off of a poor game with just 186 total yards last week and 3 turnovers. Steelers just don't have their offense hitting on all cylinders yet and have stayed Under in all three and covered just once. Baltimore has covered the past five meetings. Ravens +3 is the play. The Ravens are being seriously undervalued after their poor showing and I expect a nice bounceback from Joe Flacco. Baltimore is 5-1-1 ATS in the last seven meetings.

5* 

The Bills haven't shown much on offense so far, and Atlanta is very explosive and also playing at home with a tough defense up front and will pressure Bills QB Taylor. The Falcons have so much team speed and playing at home will be too much for Buffalo. The Bills rank 23rd in points scored per drive. Look for Matt Ryan to have a big game and Julio Jones to break out with a big performance.

10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK 

When you watch the powerful offensive game of Virginia Tech they score 40 a game, and score quite easily - they can make the tough plays that teams need to - when necessary to win bigger games. Virginia Tech offense can always be counted on for putting up fast points, and will do again. With a season average of 12.11 yards per catch - Ray-Ray McCloud doesn’t produce nearly as much as the Hokies star WR, Cam Phillips and his 15.38 /yards per reception during his season at Virginia Tech - they have far better weapons at WR, and it will make a huge difference. It comes down to the passing game of Clemson - they cant seem to get their own WR involved on the field and get them to step up when needed. Clemson and their very talented RB Travis Etienne need to improve on his pass blocking side of the ball. Virginia Tech has too much attacking skill here.

I think the setting and matchup is positive for Virginia Tech. If they limit big plays and Jackson plays well, they can win this football game. It is going to be a difficult challenge but I like Virginia Tech at home and getting the points. The Hokies will be play outstanding team defense Saturday night and I see the Hokies making a key play on Special Teams to get us the cover and another College Football winner. Clemson is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 conference games and the Hokies are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games. Also, throw in that the home team in this series has covered 5 out of 7 games and Saturday night in Blacksburg will be rocking!

10* 

The misleading final scores from last week’s games provide us with excellent line value on the Spartans. Iowa comes in off a heartbreak loss at home vs. Penn St and still hanging their heads. Despite losing by just two points, Iowa was actually dominated from the line of scrimmage by the Nittany Lions. The Hawkeyes were outgained by over 300 total yards in the loss. Meanwhile, Michigan State is home for the fourth consecutive week and is coming off a 38-18 loss to Notre Dame. Despite losing by twenty points, the Spartans actually outgained Notre Dame by 141 total yards but lost due to 3 turnovers and a ton of penalties. The Spartans have committed the 13th-fewest number of penalties this season (head coach Mark Dantonio is one of the nation’s best) and I expect a focused effort here. The Spartans should get the win and cover here at home on Saturday afternoon.

10* GAME OF THE WEEK 

I think this is going to be a really good close game. Both teams have faced fairly similar levels of compitition so far this year and have very similar stats. I really want to see the orange pull this game out and think they have a better chance than most people are giving them credit for. Syracuse loves to push the pace offensively and run a lot of plays. NC State is more of a patient offensive attack. Defensively, you can give the talent edge to the Wolfpack, but the Orange play well collectively as a unit. This will be a lot closer than people think. Keep an eye on Syracuse QB Eric Dungey to make some big plays.

5* 

This is the closest spread in this matchup over the past 10 meetings, but in my mind, it should be even smaller. The Duke defense is one of the best they've had especially against the run. Duke looks like they're one of the teams most overlooked coming into the year in the ACC and I'm looking forward to seeing if the Blue Devils can keep up their high level of play this week against one of the top teams in the conference. Big win for Duke last week against rival UNC and now Duke gets a chance to further their cause to get into the top 25 if they can come through today at home. Miami has had their season altered by the Hurricane, as this is only their 3rd game. Look for DUKE to keep it close throughout behind their defense here at home.

5* 

The Packers are banged up and just played 4 days ago in 90 degree heat.

The Packers defense has struggled against the run this year and I look for a close game here on Thursday night.

 The Bears kept the Steelers in check and being a divisional game I'll take the pts with the Bears here on Thursday night.

5*

The Cowboys were knocked around in Denver last week, but here this is certainly a nice chance to bounce back in all aspects here on MNF.  Look for Dak and Elliott to come up big tonight. With Arizona's David Johnson going down, they are really scrambling to figure things out in the backfield. 

 The Cardinals do not play well on Monday Night Football. 

The Cards are coming off an overtime victory over the Colts in which Arizona's secondary led the way. Dallas struggled against a similarly strong secondary. The difference is that I don’t think the Cards have the ability to run the ball like the Broncos did and Carson Palmer is washed up.

Take the DALLAS COWBOYS to bounce back big on MNF.

5*

The Seattle OL was ripped all week by Pete Carroll. So look for a much-improved performance this week. Russell Wilson has a solid ball-carrier in RB, Chris Carson to keep the Tennessee defense honest as he will get the passing game going and take advantage of a Titans secondary without Safety, Jonathan Cyprien. The Seahawks defense is still very tough and Seattle has a defense that is yielding just 13.0 PPG. The 'dog in this series is 6-0 ATS the L6 meetings. The Seahawks are 7-0 ATS the L7 games played in Week 3 while the Titans are 7-22-2 ATS their L31 games played at home and just dont matchup well. We'll go against the public and take this Seattle team plus the pts on Sunday afternoon.

10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK  

Both teams are undefeated coming into this game, although I have been more impressed with Iowa’s resume, which includes a double-digit win over Wyoming and a road victory at Iowa State. Penn St has played a very weak cupcake schedule so far. The Hawkeyes are averaging 33.0 points and 398 total yards per game at 5.3 yards per play against teams that would combine to allow 5.2 yards per play to a mediocre attack to they are just slightly above average offensively. However, Iowa possesses an outstanding defense especially at home where the Hawkeyes have yielded just 8.5 points and 269 total yards per game at 4.6 yards per play and 31.6 yards per point. Iowa’s defensive backfield has been spectacular this season as well and their linebackers are always tough. Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz is a profitable 9-2 ATS as a conference home underdog of more than seven points, including 7-1 ATS with revenge and 4-0 ATS at home with triple-revenge. Ferentz is also an incredible 19-5-1 ATS when playing with revenge with the Hawkeyes, including 10-0-1 ATS over the last eleven circumstances. Look for Iowa to keep this one close throughout so we are backing the home underdog on Saturday night.

5* 

Fifth-year head coach Mark Stoops finally got the message that in order to compete in the SEC, you have to value the football, run the football, and play solid defense. Through three games, UK is +4 in turnover margin, owns a 121-70 run/pass ratio, and is allowing only 346.7 ypg. For seven of the eight quarters it has played, Florida's offense has been nothing short of abysmal. The Gators managed 11 rushing yards vs. Michigan and if you eliminate their Hail Mary toss at the end of last week's win over Tennessee, they would have been outgained by 125 yards to the Vols. For casual bettors, Kentucky's 30-game losing streak to Florida is going to make this a "Gators or pass" game. But in those 30 games, how many times could you confidently say Kentucky had the ability to win the line of scrimmage battle? I feel they'll do so in Saturday's matchup which is why I'm on the short home underdog to pull the upset at home. 

5*

Arkansas has to try finding more better plays for their top WR, Jonathan Nance. Arkansas has had a steady decline in their offensive output from last season, when they were putting up over 30/game but they'll get back on track here Saturday afternoon. I don't think that Arkansas is going to miss out on a chance to pull a key SEC upset here. Bret Bielema has lost to A&M five straight years, including a 21-point rout last season after back-to-back overtime heartbreakers in 2014 and 2015. Well, it is time for the Razorbacks to snap the streak. This A&M team has issues. Kevin Sumlin has fans and alumni openly campaigning for his firing. The Aggies still have that unreal choke against UCLA hanging over them. They were also unimpressive in a 10-point win over Nicholls State and the Aggies were actually down 21-14 at halftime last week against Louisiana-Lafayette. Arkansas has had two weeks to prepare for this game and lick its wounds after falling to TCU. But that 28-7 loss was a bit misleading, as it was 14-7 with less than three minutes left to play and Arkansas had two missed field goals. I think Arkansas is extremely motivated in this game and I think that they are more focused than the Aggies. There's no way you can trust the Aggies' offense, as its been a mess. The biggest issue is at QB. I like how the Razorbacks are built on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Look for them to bounce back and control the offensive and defensive lines in this one. I like the Razorbacks to get this win here.

10* College Game of the Month 

Dallas handled the Giants with rather ease in their season opener, as they completely flustered them on the defensive end. Dallas allowed just 223 yards total in the process and just 3 points against. They should have a field day vs an inexperienced Broncos QB. The Cowboys offensively saw that Dak Prescott is not going to go through any sophomore slumps. Prescott and the offense put up 392 total yards, the 4th most in the NFL in Week 1. He was a perfect 4-0 vs the AFC last year and he rarely turns the ball over. Dallas is one of the most explosive teams on both sides of the ball. They should be able to handle a Denver team that isn't flashy and likely won't be able to sustain any drives.

5*

The Chiefs are very good on both sides on the ball. Andy Reid got his revenge in his third game coaching the Chiefs with a 26-16 win over the Eagles in Philadelphia. My guess is he will always want to beat the Eagles. KC played last Thursday so they'll have a few extra days to prep for this game. The Eagles got banged up vs the Redskins and that game was a lot close than the final score indicated. Reid has his best team yet in Kansas City and they won 44 games in his first four years. They are as good as the team you watched beat New England. Now this isn't quite the same amount of time as a bye week, where Andy Reid is 16-2 ATS coming off a bye. But he is excellent with extra time to prepare. Take the Chiefs here in their home opener.

10*

I'm looking for this to be a shootout and Texas has too many athletes to pass up this high number. Both teams have found themselves in high scoring affairs in their first two. Their average scores are almost identical: USC 48-27, Texas 46-27. Both defenses have struggled against lesser opponents. Texas lost 51-41 at home to Maryland as an 18-point favorite. USC will get plenty of points, but Texas should keep up. I'm anticipating a close game and Texas to stay within 10 pts. Take the Longhorns as our 10* Game of the Week.

10*

The Fighting Irish are hungry for a big win as they are looking to forget last week's heart breaking 20-19 home loss to Georgia. A look inside the numbers reveal that Notre Dame tends to stay on a roll when they're defense is rolling. They are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games after their defense allows less than 170 yards passing in the previous game. We also see there is a big advantage in this series to being the road team as the home team is a mere 1-4 ATS in the series. We already know that Boston College is a terrible home team, 3-9-2 ATS in their last 14 home games. And we know that when they get crushed they usually take the following week off as they are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up loss of more than 20 points. This BC team is not good and ND had a very focused week of practice. I look for Notre Dame to win by 3 TD's.

5*

New Baylor coach Matt Rhule did a great job at Temple and he will turn this program around, despite discouraging losses in the first two weeks. It won't take long because he has the talent. Going out on the road should take some pressure off the players. Duke has played great in its first two games abut this is a look-ahead spot with rival North Carolina on deck. What would this line have been before the season? My guess would be Baylor -6. But after the Bears lost two home games to Liberty and UTSA, they are now 14-point dogs at Duke. Meanwhile, Duke just blew the doors off Northwestern 41-17 last week. So everyone is high on the Blue Devils now all of a sudden. I think Baylor still has the superior talent in this one, despite the slow start and HC Rhule is 21-7 ATS as an underdog. I think this one stays close throughout.

5*

We all know about the high powered offense that the Cowboys bring to the table. Pitt as we know plays a way different style of football. This is the type of style that generally the Big 12 struggles with because they don't have the big physical lineman. Pitt prefers the ground and pound and just like last year they took the Cowboys down to the wire. So last week this Pitt team if you look at the box score actually out played Penn St. They out gained them by 30 yards had 10 more first downs but had 3 major turnovers. I think they are catching Oklahoma St at the right time here as they have a huge game with TCU on deck next weekend. I'm on the home underdog with the PITT PANTHERS on Saturday afternoon.

5*

We are passing the Thursday NFL and College Football and turn our attention to Friday night College Football here.
Both of these teams are 2-0 to start the season.
Charlie Strong's South Florida team is 2-0 and ranked 21st in the nation and get a primetime game on Friday night.
 South Florida has a prolific offense and an improving defense under Strong.

In the past nine years Illinois has never won more than a single road game in a season and has put up just a 8-33 away record in that time span, are just 5-11 against the spread in their last 16 games as a road dog, are 3-8 versus the number in their last 11 against teams with a winning record and have lost their last 17 straight games against ranked opponents. Now they find themselves traveling to Florida on a short week with injuries on both sides of the ball and facing a USF team that has had an extra week to prepare.
 That should be the difference here in that South Florida's defense should hold against an average Illinois defense and South Florida's offense should still be able to move the ball with all the talent they have.

5*

Both these teams have excellent defenses, but the Broncos lost one of the best defensive coordinators in the league during the offseason and decided to part ways with quality safety T.J. Ward during final cuts. SD also has the better QB by far with Philip Rivers.
Both teams upgraded their O-lines during the offseason, but the Chargers boast a deeper pass rush with Shane Ray sidelined.

The CHARGERS have covered in 5 straight openers and gone 11-3-1 ATS in three-plus years of September outings.
With the unintimidating Trevor Siemian at QB and nice weather in Denver, the Broncos have no business be favored in this game.
Take the SD Chargers with confidence on MNF.

10*

The Eagles are sneakily a contender in the NFC. Their downturn last year was linked to losing Lane Johnson to suspension, and the line will give Carson Wentz plenty of time to move the ball around and he has a solid receiving core. Their weakness heading into the offseason was at cornerback, and Ronald Darby goes a long way towards fixing it. Washington has a big hole to fill on offense after losing their top two WRs and offensive coordinator. I think the Redskins will struggle this year in a major way. Look for Philly to win the battle up front, and for Carson Wentz to enjoy using his new weapons. I'm backing the Eagles here on Sunday.

10* GAME OF THE WEEK 

10* UNDERDOG GAME OF THE WEEK:

The Cornhuskers enter into this game barely getting by Arkansas state last week, and they didn't want to show much while Oregon is still sky high after putting up 77 points in their opener. This will be a great battle in the trenches. Both teams have shown a dedication to the run game, and can run it well. The Huskers, in my opinion, have better weapons on the perimeter and had their number last season. The Cornhuskers are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS loss. Ducks are 1-8-1 ATS in their last 10 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game. I like NEBRASKA plus the pts here on Saturday afternoon. 

Iowa won this rivalry game last year 42-3 as a 15-point favorite, and has the better team once again this year. Iowa has got to try and keep drives going, and they have the better offensive line and better linebackers on defense. The Hawkeyes D played well vs Wyoming, versus a probable NFL QB in Josh Allen of Wyoming. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz always has his teams ready on the road, and the Hawkeyes will have their share of fans in the stadium and I'm backing IOWA on Saturday afternoon as they win by 10 or more.

10* Oddsmaker Mistake Play 

The North Carolina defense looked lost late against a rebuilding Cal team most had relegated to the Pac-12 basement at the start of the year. Louisville a bit ambushed by a fired up and match improved Purdue team and they showed last night the Boilermakers are for real. Lamar Jackson is once again off to a fast start and we can expect a much more focused and prepared Louisville team to take care of business here on Saturday in this early kickoff.

5* 

Purdue's defense was decent in its 35-28 loss to Louisville last week, but it still was the Boilermarkers' eighth loss in a row.

They've covered only twice in their last 10 home games. Meanwhile, Ohio has covered eight of its last nine of the road and a very solid team. What consistently stands out about Frank Solich's Bobcats is their well-coached defense. I like Ohio U to play them tough and get the win over Purdue.

Take OHIO U plus the pts.

5*

Josh Rosen is the key to this game. Rosen is a Heisman Trophy candidate and possibly a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
UCLA head coach Jim Mora is a good coach and will have his boys prepared here at home.
 He was brought in to turn around the program and that is just what he did. Winning 29 games in his first three years was the best mark by any coach in UCLA's history. Throw out last year with the injury to Rosen and an inexperienced offensive coordinator. Jedd Fisch is the new OC and a big upgrade. UCLA also has revenge from last year after losing 31-24 in the Rose Bowl. In that game Josh Rosen threw 3 INT’s. He was learning a new offense that was hurt after 6 games. Rosen is primed for a great season and the Bruins have 9 starters back on offense.
A new A&M QB will be starting here on the road and A&M Myles Garret was #1 overall pick in draft his counterpart at DE, Daeshon Hall, was a 3rd round pick.
Take UCLA here at home on Sunday night.

5*

Marshall really struggled last season with a mark of 3-9 SU, 3-8 ATS. Lone victories included Morgan State and Florida Atlantic. They allowed 200 or more YPG both running and passing and just not a good team. Their QB Litton returns as the starting signal caller, but much of the blame for last year’s internal discord was from him. Until things turn around, we will follow the momentum of each team including that of Miami, Ohio who began last year going 0-6 SU then made the QB change to Ragland (17TD's/1 INT) and the Red Hawks finished the year 6-1 SU, ATS including a narrow miss in their Bowl game, a 17-16 loss (as a +14 underdog to an SEC team) Miss St. Not only did they make it to a bowl game but they gained experience and 3 extra weeks of practice last December. They also have 17 returning starters including QB Ragland and over 80 returning lettermen, and this is one of the most experienced teams in the Nation. I'm backing Miami-Ohio, who is well coached, with solid QB play and their momentum from last season as I believe these 2 teams are headed in opposite directions.

10* GAME OF THE WEEK

There’s a lot of excitement in Austin with the arrival of head coach Tom Herman. The offense will get a big boost under him but its going to take time. I still have questions about the defense as well. Will the Longhorns be able to stop the run? That's what they’ll see a lot of against the Maryland Terps, who boast a deep stable of backs and a strong Offensive-line that can dictate up front and create holes. There are many distractions with flooding and the practices aren't as focused for Texas for obvious reasons. I'm taking Maryland with the points in this battle on Saturday night primetime TV action.

5*

Colorado State's red zone ability has looked like a very consistent threat and an end result concern on every possession for opponents. Whether by running, passing or by good special teams play - the guys gets it done for the Rams. Nick Stevens is a huge threat, in a solid passing game for the Rams as well. Stevens always finds way to keep Colorado State involved throughout their games. Colorado State has too much firepower for Colorado to try and keep in check. Colorado has not scored well, at all, in the last 2 games they have played. The Colorado St Rams are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall

We cashed our 5* BEST BET with Colorado State over Oregon State last Saturday, as CSU blew out the Beavers, 58-27. They'll have a big advantage vs. their cross-state rival, Colorado, as the Buffaloes haven't played any games yet this season to work out any of the kinks. These teams have met every season for the past 22 years, and the team that lost the previous year has gone 15-5-1 ATS, including 8-0-1 ATS when priced from -3 to +6.5 points! With the Rams playing with revenge from a 44-7 loss last season. Co St got crushed last year by Colorado, so they have had this game circled all year and I look for them to get their revenge here on Friday night.

5*

This game might be competitive for a while, but the Cowboys will pull away and win by 21+ I believe. The Tulsa defense won't be able to contain Heisman candidate Mason Rudolph and they should be able to score many and often in this game. This is a veteran team and well coached. Okl St is also my pick to win the BIG 12 conference and I say they come out on fire here at home Thursday night. Lay it with the Cowboys.

5*

UMass went to Hawaii in the regular-season finale last year and they put on a show with 940 yards of total offense. Hawaii won 46-40, but UMass got the +7 cover. UMass went 2-10 last season, but 7-5 ATS. I expect Hawaii to make some adjustments and this UMass defense allowed 35.5 ppg and 453 ypg last year. Hawaii's offense is solid with QB Dru Brown returning big and better. I like Hawaii here who made it to a bowl last season and got 3 extra weeks of practice time. Hawaii gets a rare win here on the road.

5*

I like the Patriots to win based on their defense and I think the spread will go up, so I'm okay with laying -3.  When I look up and down the Falcons' six-game win streak, I see they have beat up on some terrible defenses to pad their stats. The Patriots have allowed just 15.6 ppg the entire season. While Tom Brady gets all the credit, it's the defense that has been responsible for covering 15 of 18 games against inflated numbers.

Bill Belichick-coached teams with 2 weeks to prepare is tough to go against.
 Specific areas of the Falcons offense, like their running back usage, will be addressed by Belichick and his staff. The Falcons secondary is very young with an average of 3 years of experience. I think Brady will be able to exploit them and take advantage.
Finally, there's Tom Brady, who should have enough protection against the Falcons' decent pass rush to make plays downfield. I specifically think the matchups over the middle will pay off for the Patriots, and they should find some success running the ball. Atlanta's run defense is not nearly as good as the numbers have made it look in their two playoff games. The Patriots will win Super Bowl 51 and they'll cover the 3 pt spread here too.

Team to score first?

Patriots (-130)

The Pats have scored first in 15 of their 18 games this year.  Most teams defer when they win the coin toss but the Pats like to take the ball first and score on their 1st possession.  With that said I look for ATL to go on defense first if they win the coin toss.

Odds on which team gets more sacks in the Super Bowl:
* New England: 4/5

Both of these teams had 34 sacks during the regular season, but Brady and the Pats like to throw short quick passes in which the Falcons wont have time to put pressure on Brady. Usually when he feels pressure he just throws the ball way. I expect the Pats defense to get more sacks in the game.

 Will the Patriots convert a fourth-down attempt? (Westgate)

Yes +135

Bill Belichick isn't scared to be aggressive and the Pats like to sneak Tom Brady on 4th down and short.  Also, if the Pats are losing late in the game, it will be 4 down territory for New England.

This game will come down to which defense can you trust. The Steelers are a young group that's playing very good team defense at the most important time of the year. Do we really know how good the New England defense is? The Pats have allowed the fewest points in the league per game at 15.6. Sure looks like a defensive powerhouse, in an NFL era of scoring right. In the regular season 7 of the Pats 17 games vs the 5 worst offenses in the league (41.1% of their entire schedule) They had 10 of their 17 games vs the bottom 1/3 of all offenses or 58.8% of their schedule They had 13 of their 17 games vs the bottom 50% of all offenses or 76.4% of their schedule. They faced just 1 team in the top 9, and that was week 1, so in their last 16 games, they have not faced an offense inside the top 10 in points scored per game. They played 5 games with a team that did not have their starting QB, including their game vs Pittsburgh. Pitt should be able to run the ball in this game. The Steelers team are healthy again at the skill positions and come into this game having won 9 straight games! Pittsburgh's defense has been phenomenal in their last 6 road games as they've allowed 310 yards or less in all 6 games. Pittsburgh has faced the tougher strength of schedule this season and the Patriots are in for a war in this one. I do expect the Steelers to win this one outright but I will, of course, grab the points and hopefully the cash after this one is over. Take PITTSBURGH.

5*

Aaron Rodgers burned me big-time last week, but I don't think he can outscore the NFL's top offense in the Georgia Dome on Sunday. Atlanta is very good especially at home and they have great team speed which will be the difference here. Atlanta looked really good last week while handling Seattle in the divisional round. Ryan threw for 338 and three scores with Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman combining for 102 rushing yards and 102 receiving yards. Both backs scored against the Seahawks defense and Atlanta was able to sack Russell Wilson on 3 occasions, including once for a safety. I think the Falcons defense playing at home with their team speed on the turf will be able to slow down Rodgers and the Packers offense. Three of Aaron Rodgers receivers -- Jordy Nelson, Davante Adams and Geronimo Allison -- are seriously banged up and are questionable. That should enable the Falcons to focus on stopping Green Bay's dangerous tight ends and take care of business here at home. Look for the Falcons to come up big here on Sunday afternoon and advance to the Super Bowl. .10* PLAYOFF GAME OF THE YEAR!

The Steelers throttled the Chiefs early in the season prior to Andy Reid's team going on a bye, and the Chiefs are 10-2 since that blowout loss, dropping two games by just two points each while beating Oakland twice, Denver twice and Atlanta on the road.
 K.C.'s offense has been transformed by the dynamic Tyreek Hill and dependable TE Travis Kelce. Coach Andy Reid's remarkable record with two weeks to prepare -19-2 after a BYE week, including 3-0 postseason and a great KC defense and Special Teams play at home with revenge. The Chiefs take care of the ball and dont make mistakes. Their defense is going to put a lot of pressure on Big Ben knowing he is banged up and not very mobile.
Take the KC Chiefs here on Sunday night.

5*

Ezekiel Elliott ran all over the Packers in the regular-season meeting, and he'll have another big day Sunday in the divisional playoffs. The Cowboys offensive line is that good. The rookie is fresh and recharged after an off week, and his O-line is incomparable. Look for Dez-Witten and Beasley to have big games along with Elliot rushing the ball. In the second half of the season, the Packers have been on fire offensively. They exploded in the second half of their playoff win over the Giants. But defensively, there are still questions about Green Bay and their secondary is not good and they struggle to stop the run. Look for the well-rested Cowboys to benefit from that extra time and feast on the Packers' vulnerable front seven. The GB loss of Jordy Nelson will also hurt the Packers offense. I like Dallas here at home to WIN and COVER on Sunday afternoon.

10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

We are going to play the red hot Seattle Seahawks behind their tough defense and, make no bones about it, the Atlanta defense is a major weakness. That said, the Seahawks have been moving the ball very well and I just don't see the defense of the Falcons as being capable of stopping them.

The Seahawks have outgained their opponent in six straight games and have a ton of postseason experience. This game won't feel too big for them. The Seahawks are 13-3 ATS as underdogs with QB Russell Wilson under center in his career. HC Pete Caroll is also very good in the underdog spot.

 Based on yardage allowed, the Falcons rank 25th in the NFL on defense while the Seahawks rank 5th in the league! Another concern for Atlanta here is that they haven't played tough competition since their very first game of December.
 Seattle did beat the Patriots in New England earlier this season and they are 3-0 ATS as an underdog this season! The Seahawks also won all 4 games this season when facing a team with a winning record and Seattle is 10-2 SU on turf this season!  Take the road dog in this spot with the SEATTLE SEAHAWKS on Saturday.

5*

Alabama was not happy last year even though they beat Clemson. Their defense gave up a ton of yards and points. Nick Saban will have his boys ready tonight. Stepping into the offensive coordinator role for the title affair will be Steve Sarkisian the former USC Head Coach. Sarkisian spent the year as an offensive analyst for Alabama but will step into his new role following the release of Kiffen. He plans on throwing some new looks in the offense and Clemson would know what to expect. I expect BAMA to win by double digits here tonight! ROLL TIDE!

5*

The Green Bay Packers come into this game as one of the hottest teams in the league and with Aaron Rodgers having fulfilled his guarantee to run the table in the regular season it is not time for them to try and translate that to the postseason. The Green Bay Packers passing game has been incredible over the last six games of the season but now have to take on the stingy Giants secondary who are young and have not been playoff tested yet. Green Bay is a team capable of running the ball quite well and defensively they should not be too worried given how lackluster the Giants have been offensively. Eli is usually good for 2-3 turnovers and I like GB here at home by 7 or more.

5*

The Steelers basically had a bye last week when they rested all of their studs...Big Ben, Antonio Brown, and Le'veon Bell. They are playing with revenge also when the Dolphins beat them earlier this season. Pittsburgh had New England on deck and were caught looking ahead. That shouldn’t be the case today. I am looking for them to put up a big number here.

The Dolphins defense has been shredded for the most part this year. They have been outgained in 5 of their last 6 games. We have a warm weather team playing in Chilly Pitsburgh this afternoon we the expected temperatures to be in the 15 degree range. Miami starting their backup QB and all of this spells blowout for the Steelers.

Pittsburgh has played especially well this year at Heinz Field, averaging over 28 points per game and going 6-2 with their only losses coming the two top seeds in the league, Dallas and New England, and I expect that hey will continue that success on Sunday.

5*

The Lions have been off the past 3-4 weeks. QB Matthew Stafford’s injured finger has really affected his throwing and their running back is hurt. This number is inflated because of no Theo Riddick (wrist) for the Lions. That's a big deal. Without Riddick, Matt Stafford hasn't had the bailout move that did so well for him and has been regularly stranded on third-down situations. They blew the NFC North without Riddick, losing their last three games. Detroit hasn't covered the spread in its last four -- all without Riddick. Detroit is also winless straight-up and ATS in outdoor road games. Seattle has never lost outright in a postseason game at CenturyLink Field during the Pete Carroll era. With Russell Wilson at QB, the 'Hawks are 28-15-1 ATS at home. I feel like the Lions are going to have plenty of trouble scoring points in this game. Matthew Stafford has clearly been affected by his finger injury, and now he has to go on the road and try and succeed against one of the league's best defenses outdoors in a playoff environment. The Seahawks are 5-0 under HC Pete Carroll in first round playoff games and have won their last 8 straight going back to 2005. I think this matchup favors Seattle in almost every way and they always step up their game play better during the playoffs. The Seahawks have been hit-or-miss on offense this year, but they've averaged 28.4 points in home games and get to face the 32nd-ranked defense here with the Lions. This is my best NFL Play of the Week. 10* SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

This is going to be a low scoring game and I like the Raiders with the better offensive line and FG Kicker. Oakland also has the better offensive athletes. I like Jack DelRio as a coach and I think the public isn't giving the Raiders a shot but they were underdogs for the most of the season and responded well. Oakland hasn’t shown they can thrive in the midst of tumult at the quarterback position. But I see some other aspects of the Oakland machine stepping up this week, keeping the game close, and registering the cover on the road with a reasonable shot at a win. I'm backing the Raiders here PLUS THE POINTS.

5*

This Auburn defense is very good. I have said it a couple times this year but it appears that the Big 12 just took the year off on the defensive side of the football and that is no different with the Sooners considering they have allowed almost 30 points on average. If that trend continues, it is really going to be difficult for Oklahoma to win this game despite their weapons on offense. The Tigers have a dynamic rushing attack that can keep the ball away from this Oklahoma offense. The Tigers have averaged 278 yards per game on the ground which officially ranks 6th in the FBS. Running backs Kamryn Pettway and Kerryon Johnson have been excellent in the Auburn backfield. Both tailbacks have average more than 5 yards per carry and are approaching 200 carries each. Together, the two rushers have combined for nearly 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns. I'm taking the points with Auburn, here on Monday night. Auburn has been a solid bowl play under HC Malzahn, losing to Florida State & Wisconsin by identical 34-31 scores, while beating Memphis 31-10 as a 3-point fave last season. Stoops' Sooners have won just five of their last 13 bowls, (4-9 ATS), including 2-6 ATS when favored. I am going with the underdog in this game. I like Auburn’s running style against this Oklahoma defense and I believe the Tigers are good enough to limit the big play ability that Oklahoma consistently relies on. Take Auburn +3.

10*

These are evenly matched teams. Both will come in and try to establish control of the line of scrimmage and put their QB in manageable passing situations. The better defense belongs to the Florida Gators, and they’ve also shown the ability to strike quick in the passing game with WR Antonio Callaway. Florida should have more fans as the game is in Florida.  Also, the Gators played the 3 best defenses in the nation in their last 3 games.  Now rested and playing in the warm weather I expect them to come out firing.

Lastly, things haven't been kind to the Big Ten in bowl season with Ohio State and Michigan coming up short as favorites in their contests recently.

5*

Western Michigan had a tremendous amount of success this season standing 13-0 overall and it’s a shame a group like this isn’t allowed to prove themselves in a bid for the national championship. They have a lot to prove on Monday against a Big Ten team. Western Michigan put up some nice numbers on both sides of the ball this season, but this group builds off of their offense as the Broncos rank 14th in the nation in offensive production and 27th in total defense. Veteran QB Zach Terrell has been a lot of fun to watch during his career and this season he’s thrown for 3,378 yards and 32 TDs to 3 INTs. The ground attack has been anchored by Jarvion Franklin who’s picked up 1,300 yards and 12 TDs. Not the ideal bowl matchup for Wisconsin going against a MAC opponent and the Badgers will get everything they can handle here going against a Western Michigan program that’ll be trying to prove themselves on the national stage. This game means a lot more for Western Michigan and so often these bowl games boil down to who has more motivation coming into the matchup. The Broncos are 10-3 as underdogs since 2014. They've also covered their last six outside of the MAC. Wisky allowed Penn State to throw for 384 yards in the Big Ten Championship Game. Quarterback Zach Terrell has the opportunity for a big game. Take the points with Western Mich on Monday.

5*

You cant just say one team needs to win and bet them. The oddsmakers know all of this and I see it happen every year. People are banking on the Giants sitting a lot of starters. The truth is, the Giants can eliminate the Redskins with a victory, and they don’t have the luxury of sitting guys because of how inconsistent they are offensively. They’ll play hard for 60 minutes, eager to avenge an earlier loss to Washington. These divisional rivals always play close games. Grab the points with the NY Giants here in Sunday late action.

10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

Matt Cassel gets a full week of prep as the Titans' starting quarterback after struggling in relief last week vs. Jacksonville. But the Texans are brimming with confidence after punching their ticket to the playoffs. And with Tom Savage getting his second start, look for his passing to improve and the offense to become more balanced. I also expect Houston's defense to dominate this one and the Texans to keep their confidence and momentum as they go into the playoffs with a win here on Sunday.

5*

Clemson closed out the regular season strong with blowout wins coming against South Carolina and Wake Forest, but in the ACC title game the Tigers had a tough time putting away Va Tech in a 42-35 winning effort. Clemson didn’t quite live up to their very high expectations during the regular season, but this group still put up respectable numbers ranking 9th in the nation in total defense and 13th in offensive production. QB Deshaun Watson has thrown for 3,914 yards and 37 TDs to 15 INTs, while also rushing for 529 yards and 6 TDs.

 Ohio State played well out of conference, but the Buckeyes were mostly fading and struggling to come through with wins during the second half of Big Ten play, even against some of the more manageable steams in the conference.
This isn’t a great matchup for Ohio State in my opinion. The one area in which the Buckeyes match up well is in the secondary. This game will come down to QB play and who can make plays consistently in the passing game. To me, that’s Clemson’s Deshaun Watson.

5*

Alabama is 9-4 against the spread, but this line is high, really high. Nick Saban has failed to cover three of his last four bowl games. Jake Browning and the Huskies are very underrated here and should be able to pass the ball Consider that they have four wins over ranked opponents by an average of 26 points. The key for Washington is to not turn the ball over. A lack of turnovers for Bama's opportunistic defense takes away their biggest strength. I'm not sure Alabama's offense is as good as it appears- they were held to 10 against LSU. Washington is one of the better defenses Alabama will face this season. I think Washington can move the ball downfield and their defense is very athletic. I beleive Washington has enough talent and experience on both sides of the ball to at least keep things close. Head coach Chris Petersen is also a wizard at game planning as an underdog in these tough postseason matchups and had a lot of experience doing that in his time at Boise State. I expect Washington to stay within the number in this one.

10*

Louisiana State are only allowing a puny 3.4 rushing yds/attempt to opponents. Its still just too much to overcome for Louisville to change that.  The offense of Louisiana State has been putting up 28 / game - too much for Louisville. 34 ppg over the last 3 games is hard to overlook and 14 TD RB, Derrius Guice, as a constant scoring threat are too much to try and contain.

The Louisville Oline has looked bad, showing weakness vs giving enough time to throw the ball downfield. Their OTs cannot control Louisiana State's DEs when they starts moving -  especially Arden Key who is responsible for 10 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss.  Louisville isn't going to be able to run the ball as effective as they want to - their running QB isn't showing up here vs the defense of Louisiana State that has only been giving up 3.4 a carry on the season.

The Louisville Cardinals are 1-4 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.

Leonard Fournette is skipping the Citrus Bowl, but he hasn't been 100 percent and Derrius Guice isn't too shabby. He ripped A&M for 285 yards and four TDs in the regular-season finale. Look for the Tigers' defense to contain Lamar Jackson and for the Cardinals to end their once-magical season on a three-game skid. Play LSU in this early Saturday morning kickoff.

5*

We should see a lot of points in this one. Both offenses can run the heck out of the ball. It will come down to which defense you can trust to get a stop. Over the last 3 weeks of the season, the Yellow Jackets played some of their best defense of the year while Kentucky is still high after their big win over Louisville. I like GEO TECH in this one.
Lay the 3.5 points.

5*

Nebraska will go with the ground game for the most part here today. Tennessee had massive problems stopping the run this season – allowing 350-plus rushing yards in four of their final seven games of the regular season. RB Terrell Newby is a little banged up, but his season high so far is 140 yards against Illinois. Big Ten representative Nebraska comes into Friday's contest with an incredible 12 games in the last two seasons decided by a single possession which is great for the underdog Nebraska and now the line is up to 7. On defense Nebraska brings one of the nation's top turnover-generating secondaries into this game. The Huskers have 16 interceptions on the campaign, tied for 13th-most in the nation. Bowl games often come down to motivation, and with hopes of national, conference and even division titles dashed long ago the question for the Vols boils down to just how motivated they'll be to play this one. The TENN defense ranked 109th in FBS in total defense and 73rd in scoring defense, the desire to win a non-traveling bowl game can't possibly get the Vols motivated for this one. Nebraska fans also travel well and I'll back them today plus the points.

5*

The Stanford Cardinal will unfortunately be without their top player and offensive catalyst RB McCaffrey for this bowl game, but it’s understandable as the young man preps for his future in the NFL. Stanford stumbled through the earlier half of their schedule, before closing strong winning their last 5 straight coming into the postseason. In their last outing Stanford went out of conference and beat Rice by a final of 41-17 after coming off back to back road wins against Oregon and Cal. Stanford doesn’t have much offensive punch without McCaffrey and the Cardinals rank 99th in the nation in offensive production compared to 37th in total defense. We really liked the potential of this North Carolina squad throughout the regular season. NC QB Mitch Trubisky is an NFL level talent and he’s been solid throwing for 3,468 yards and 28 TDs to 4 INTs. As for North Carolina, their passing defense has been excellent ranking them No. 14 nationally in yards allowed per game. North Carolina's quarterback flourished in 2016, compiling an impressive 7-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio as well. Stanford is hurt greatly by McCaffrey deciding not to play in the bowl game as he is their key to their offense and special teams. North Carolina stumbled down the stretch, but playing in some better weather should really benefit this offensive attack and their speed. We’ll side with the Tar Heels to push the Cardinal as they go on to cover the spread.

5*

 This is Oklahoma State's 11th straight bowl trip behind Mike Gundy a former Cowboys quarterback. He received good new that quarterback Mason Rudolph and Justin Hill will be returning for a team that ranked 17th nationally in points scored. This past month was a lot of extra time to practice and prepare with his veteran group. On the flip sode, this is the Buffs' first bowl game since 2007! They've had a tremendous season and finished 10-3 against the number, but dropped their last two against the spread. They were trounced in the PAC-12 Championship game by Washington. Their offense that was averaging 32.8 points per game was held to 10 points. It seemed like COL pounded the weaker teams and struggled with the elite ones.  Its the kids and HC first visit to a Bowl game and are inexperienced.
 Oklahoma State has a solid defense and made 13 interceptions on the season. I believe Mason Rudolph will be the x-factor for the Cowboys. If he plays up to his standards, the Cowboys should win outright.

5*

The ACC has been a pleasant surprise in bowl games this year. Virginia Tech t nearly beat Clemson and this is a very good team. I give VTech the advantage here and their QB makes good decision. Virginia Tech quarterback Jerod Evans. His numbers were spectacular, throwing for 3,303 yards with a 27:7 touchdown-to-interception ratio and leading Virginia Tech with 759 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. Virginia Tech is the real deal having won the ACC Coastal by virtue of victories over North Carolina and Pittsburgh before playing Clemson close in a loss in the title game. VTech's defensive front is going to bring pressure early and often. One of the main themes of the Arkansas season was the offensive line being unable to keep quarterback Austin Allen from getting slaughtered. Defensively, Virginia Tech holds a sizeable advantage, ranking 19th in total defense compared to Arkansas at No. 75. The Hokies have a huge advantage defensively and too many weapons on offense for Arkansas to keep up with. VT also has an advantage on Special Teams. Lets play the Hokies here in this one.   5*

We are going with S Florida in this bowl game on Thursday. Willie Taggart built a very good football team at USF. He’s now gone to Oregon, but the talent still remains. What will give the Gamecocks problems is the 1-2 rushing punch of QB Quinton Flowers and RB Marlon Mack. They will make this a statement victory for the Bulls. This years version of South Florida football is the best in school history with 10 wins and a bowl game against an SEC opponent. The Bulls have not only set school records with 10 wins as well as total offense (6,181 yards). South Florida enters with four straight wins while the Gamecocks were pounded by Clemson 56-7 in their final game. SC basically won their games where their defense got them 3 or more turnovers. I dont see that happening today. South Florida wins and covers ATS this afternoon.

5*

Kansas State definitely finished stronger between these 2 teams but they also played much weaker oppositions. HC  Bill Snyder-led Wildcats doesn't have the talent A&M has. Kansas State is also 1-5 ATS in their last six bowl games.

The Aggies are starting to get healthy with Myles Garrett and Trevor Knight expected to suit up for this game. They just have too many weapons on offense for Kansas State to keep pace with.

Texas A&M  can really run the ball on offense, while their defense was one of the best against the run. And they allowed just around 21 points a game on the season. Look for Texas A&M to get the win and cover in this one

10* Bowl Game of the Week

Outside of the turnovers, Indiana has played pretty well. As stated before, Lagow has racked up more than 3,000 yards passing. Running back Devine Reading has over 1,000 yards on the season and receiver Nick Westbrook has 49 catches for 915 yards and 5 scores as the go to guy on the outside. Therefore, Indiana is plenty good enough to attack Utah's defense on both the ground and through the air. However, I believe Indiana's best chance will be their ability to attack through the air. The Utes defense has been vulnerable to the pass this season so Lagow will have some opportunities in this game but he has to avoid the turnovers to give Indiana a chance.
 
The Utes have struggled down the stretch as Utah lost 3 of their last 4 games, Indiana's defense will feel confident giving extra help to stop the run which could benefit the Hoosiers' chances.
 
I'm backing the underdog in this one.  Take INDIANA.

5*

Most college football programs would love a 10-win season, but disappointing losses to Wyoming and Air Force in the second half of the season cost Boise State an opportunity to play for a conference title and a spot in a New Year’s Six bowl. The Broncos will be hard pressed to find motivation for this game. Overall, Baylor is averaging 34.9 points and 523.3 yards of total offense per game. They've lost 6 in a row but with a month to prepare and a lot of seniors on this team they want to go out with a WIN. It is worth noting that Baylor has played six teams that rank among the top 25 nationally in total offense while the Broncos have faced only one. Also, the Bears held four opponents to 13 points or fewer, while all but two teams scored at least 16 points against Boise State. Look for Baylor to come in closing out an era and playing loose and with not a care. Too many points in this one so take the dog with BAYLOR.

5*

I think we have a very solid play here in the Bowls as the these 2 teams already played this season and the game/score was very misleading. North Texas has lost all of their games by 14 or more points this season and are lucky to be in a bowl game with a 5-7 record. Army already lost to N Texas this season. It was their sloppiest game in recent years. They had 7 turnovers which included 4 interceptions. That’s tough to do for a team that doesn’t throw the ball. Army also committed 9 penalties in this game and I don’t see that happening again. This Army team has a little time to prepare and will have revenge on their mind. North Texas is terrible vs. the run allowing well over 5 yards per carry. They allowed 9.60 yards per carry in their last game alone. Army ran for 302 yards in the last meeting, but the turnovers killed drives. Army’s defense is much better and I see them dominating this game even if it’s in Texas I think they will actually have a slight advantage in the stands. Texas a big military state and they typically have a ton of Army fans at games when Army comes to town. North Texas will get to lineup against the nation's 4th best defense that has allowed just 288 yards per game and hope to outscore their opponent because we know that Army is going to move the football. Again the matchup is just disastrous for North Texas and I think the result will show here on Tuesday afternoon and Army gets a BIG WIN!

10*

This will be a relatively low-scoring game, which makes taking the points more valuable. The line is now up to +6 with Vandy and they are the better defensive team and 85% change of rain throughout the game.
The Commodores won four of their last six, closing with impressive wins over Ole Miss and Tennessee as substantial underdogs.

The NC St Wolfpack offensive line has had some troubles this year and I beleive that will hurt them here on Monday.
 
This Vanderbilt team finds ways to be competitive and their effort level is always noteworthy. Running back Ralph Webb has easily been the most impressive performer for the offense with 1,172 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. Webb went over the century mark in both of those final two games that resulted in big wins to send the Commodores into the postseason and he will be a big part of the offense’s efforts in this game.

Look for NC State to fall to 0-6 ATS in its last six games against SEC teams. Grab the +6 points with Vanderbilt.

5*

This is a HUGE game in the AFC with a lot of playoff implications. The Chiefs lost a winnable game last week, which makes this a must-win scenario at home. I like the Chiefs offense to be able to do enough versus a very tough Broncos defense. Denver’s offense won’t have success against KC’s pass rush. Andy Reid will have his team ready as they rarely have back to back poor games.  CHIEFS big here on Sunday.
 Lay the points.

5*

The Steelers have won and covered in five straight, but I'm not sure I agree with this line with these two teams fighting each other for the AFC North title. Baltimore brings an elite defense into this matchup and has been playing well on offense lately, averaging just under 30 points per game in their last three. Ben Roethlisberger hasn't played that well in recent weeks despite Pittsburgh's win streak, and Baltimore has a defense capable of slowing down Le'Veon Bell. This could turn into a FG battle, and the Ravens have an excellent weapon there as well.

Baltimore has won 5 of their last 7 games, with their losses in that span against the best of the AFC - New England, and the best of the NFC - Dallas, so very interested in grabbing the points this Christmas Day.
That means take the points and the Ravens here on Sunday afternoon.

5*

Blue Raiders RB I’Tavius Mathers is a homerun threat and is facing a Hawaii team whose run defense has been in holiday mode all year. Expect MTSU to be able to run and pass the move the ball at will all night long.

I expect QB Brent Stockstill of Middle Tennessee to attack the CBs of Hawaii all day long. Stockstill will be finding every spot on the field to get his guys involved. Middle Tennessee has a really good rushing game and their offense is something fun to watch, and even tougher to defend.

Hawaii doesn't block coming pressure when it comes off the edge good enough to keep extra rushers coming into their backfield. Middle Tennessee and their numerous explosive offensive threats are going to be a great concern for Hawaii.

Rainbow Warriors are 1-6 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.

Take Midd Tenn St.

5*

I'm taking the points with the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday. Vikes HC Mike Zimmer stated it's time to find out who is going to fight. Despite last week's results, the Viking defense is still 3rd best in the league in both passing yards allowed and total yards allowed per game. Get also get Harrison Smith likely returning to bolster the Minn secondary. They've held their opponents to 21 or fewer points in 11 of 14 games (regulation) this season. Both of these divisional teams know each other well and I'm backing the Vikes plus the 7 points here on Saturday afternoon.

5*

Quietly, the Bears have played solid football lately, covering five straight games. I like how this team has competed since Matt Barkley took over at QB. The Redskins are coming off a short week and this is a quick improving Bears pass rush, Kirk Cousins and Washington's offense will struggle enough to keep this within the number. The Bears have covered five straight and now they're getting leading tackler Jerrell Freeman back from suspension. Look for Chicago to have success running the ball against Washington. Also the Redskins will likely will be without top playmaker TE Jordan Reed who is the key to their offense and reminds me of Gronk. Without him I think they will struggle to move the ball and pick up 1st downs. Grab the points with Washington here with our 10* NFL GAME OF THE MONTH.

5*

Colorado St played a much tougher schedule this year and they should have their way tonight. The Rams defense did some good things this season, such as hold opposing quarterbacks to moderate production and generally just being a very scrappy group that plays in rhythm with the offense. Colorado State has been playing some impressive ball looking strong in their final wins against Nex Mexico and SD St. The blowout win on the road against San Diego State was downright incredible, especially when considering how strong the Aztecs looked in their bowl win. Idaho gets the home state advantage, but Colorado State is bringing in a lot of momentum and are much better on offense and Special teams. Look for Colorado St to score TD's and not FG's and pull away in the 2nd half for the ATS Cover for us.

5*

 Wyoming has a very good QB in Josh Allen and a tremendous RB in Brian Hill who will be playing on Sunday’s.  BYU meanwhile is without their senior leader Tasom Hill who ended the year with another injury.

Wyoming faced 9 bowl opponents and really were in every game.

The Wyoming Cowboys had a great year for their program and head coach Bohl finally has this squad heading in the right direction. The rebuild took a little bit of time, but Wyoming now has the pieces in place to compete not just this year, but in the coming years as well in the MWC. Wyoming was able to win their division in the Mountain West getting past Boise State and New Mexico with the tiebreaker. In the conference title game Wyoming came up just short losing to San Diego State by a final of 24-27 after beating SDSU just a couple of weeks prior. RB Brian Hill did work this season picking up 1,767 rushing yards and 21 TDs.

This should be a great game between these two teams that went through solid campaigns out West. I expect a tight game and like Wyoming plus the points.

5*

Injuries have cost the Carolina defense this season, in addition to departures. Josh Norman’s absence has really been felt in the secondary, as he will be on the opposite sideline in this game.
 The Redskins return home for this game vs. Carolina. Washington's won its last four games at home and playing great football. Last year, the Redskins were blown out, 44-16, at Carolina by the Panthers, so they'll definitely be looking for some revenge tonight. Take the Washington Redskins on MNF.

5*

The Broncos are now in full desperation mode, as they likely need to win out and also get some help in order to stand a chance of defending their Super Bowl title. Their quest starts Sunday in a rematch with a New England team they have dominated of late. Denver’s meager offense has been the primary culprit in its erratic year, especially in last week’s loss to the Titans. But Denver’s defense historically gives fits to Tom Brady, who might have limited options because TE Martellus Bennett is questionable. Defensively Denver has fared much better and ranks 1st against the pass and 3rd in yards against. Their leader continues to be Von Miller, who decimated the Patriots in the January AFC championship by recording 2.5 sacks and one interception as he was constantly in the Patriots backfield either stopping a running play or harassing Tom Brady on nearly every passing play. Look for the Broncos to come up big at home and I'm backing Denver in this prime motivational spot.

10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

This is another game with a playoff feel. Marcus Mariota is starting to come into his own. It will be his mobility that’ll give a great defense in Kansas City some fits. The Titans have the best redzone TD efficiency in the league, scoring a TD in 71.4% of their RZ drives, which is led by the third best rushing offense in the league with 144.5 YPG.  Titans also has the better/hotter QB this game.  I think this one comes down to a FG and I'm taking the points with the TITANS here on Sunday afternoon.

5*

The Houston rush defense was ranked 3rd in the Nation. Their offense was pretty solid for most of the season too, led by a really good college QB in Greg Ward, Jr. With 3328 yards passing, Ward threw 22 touchdowns, also leading he team in rushing with 9 TD runs to boot. The extra time off and practices should also help the smaller Ward, Jr., who was banged up at times this year. Houston averaged 38 points a game this season as well on offense. Houston is as tough as they come with their pass coverage - and their less than 56% completion rate they allow. Houston's secondary has been surprisingly better than expected, with their pass defense - which is going to cause some problems for the less than stellar passing game of San Diego State. Houston comes in off a surprising loss where they gave up 555 yards on defense.

San Diego State doesn't move the ball very well, in the air - and they have had their problems with a lack of pull blocking on their offensive side of the ball. The DLine of Houston will be able to snuff out the majority of what the Aztecs start behind the line - who can start off too slow at times. Aztecs are 2-9-1 ATS in their last 12 non-conference games I think they are the more dominant team and while the season didn't live up to expectations they lost their 5th game so it wasn't like they were undefeated headed into their final game. Now their Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando takes over for this game as their HC Tom Herman took the Texas HC position. There are 16 seniors on the game and Houston will send them off a winner.

10*

The Patriots are looking just fine without the services of Gronk and with their ability to move the ball up and down the field any way they choose it really doesn’t matter how elite the opposing defense is. Tom Brady is leading the New England offense to be top six in the league in both rushing and passing and is not going to be slowing down no matter who is in or out of the lineup. New England is allowing only 17.3 points per game this season and really could be regarded as the best unit on that side of the ball this season. Take the Patriots to get the win and cover in this one as they are the better team in this matchup and now this line has come down to 6 has me licking my chops.

5*

The Saints are sitting at 5-7 and still alive for a playoff spot. New Orleans QB Drew Brees is coming off a tough game where he threw 3 INT's. He normally takes good care of the ball and I expect him and the Saints who have the top ranked offense in the league and 2nd in the league in points to bounce back in a big way on Sunday. The Saints have the top passing offense in the entire NFL averaging almost 320 yards a game and they are scoring almost 30 a game ranking second in the league behind Atlanta. The Saints offense was held in check last week by the Detroit Lions and I do not see that happening again-not two weeks in a row. If the defense can keep Tampa to 20-24 points I think we have a great edge to win this play. Tampa is only 2-4 at home and the Saints have won 8 of the last 9 between the two teams.

10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

Broncos QB Trevor Siemian is reportedly making progress from his foot injury and should play Sunday against the Titans. However, I'd like Denver in this spot, regardless of who is behind center. The Titans have a top-10 offense, but most of their numbers were amassed in a just a couple of games. They have been held to 17 points or fewer four times, and most of their wins have come against weaker competition. The Broncos have one of the leagues top defensive units which is only allowing 192 passing yards a game and have 36 sacks, both of which lead the NFL. While the Titans defense is 21st in takeaways, and 26th in passing. The Titans secondary is also very weak. Take the DENVER BRONCOS in this one.

5*

Navy has won 14 straight against Army, but the Midshipmen will be without starting QB and leading rusher Will North as well as starting slotback and team captain Toneo Gulley. Both were injured in last week's loss to Temple, as were the two back-up slotbacks who are still questionable for Saturday.
Worth and tailback Toneo Gulley were lost last week which was a huge blow to this team. Worth was nearly everything on offense as he led the team with 1,198 yards and 25 touchdowns on the ground while sporting a pretty decent passer rating if you consider Navy’s rugged option style offense. In total, Worth accounted for 47% of Navy’s offense this season in some form or fashion.

Taking over the QB duties will be Zack Abey, who has rushed for 197 yards in parts of three games. He was able to muster only 10 points against Temple's outstanding defense, but is capable of leading the offense. Still, the Navy offense will suffer.  THis is a big rivalry game and I expect it to be a tight hard fought game.

Army can make plays happen behind QB Ahmad Bradshaw  and he'll make things happen.
5*

KC has a very underrated defense and is very good. We always like to be on teams that aren't going to beat themselves, especially in the NFL, and the Chiefs are certainly one of those teams. Since they lost to the Vikings last October (2015) Kansas City has won something like 18 of 21 games. The Chiefs are tough at home and Arrowhead is one of the toughest stadiums to play in, and Kansas City clearly knows the importance of this game if they want to win the AFC West. KC plays smart and doesn't turn the ball over. On the flip-side Oakland is the most penalized team in the league, by far, which is also something that's going to catch up with them. Lastly I also trust Any Reid more than Jack Del Rio and I expect the Chiefs to win by 6 or more tonight at home.

5*

The Colts look like they’ll have the services of Andrew Luck in this game. And while the Jets have played better defensively over the last two weeks, their offense still struggles to find consistency. I think that Indy does have an advantage coming off a longer than usual week, especially as it relates to the health of their injured stars. Luck and Hilton being back at full health is so big for the Colts and the Jets are on the other side of the coin with multiple injuries in their secondary. Indy is far from perfect but they play the kind of style that exposes the weaknesses of the Jets and the normally porous Colt defense is helped by facing a rather unimpressive offense. There isn’t much to play for in New York these days and coming off an emotional week against the Patriots probably puts them at risk for a letdown effort. Trust the team that has the better offense and a much better QB in this Monday night marquee.

5*

This should be a game with a lot of action - Eli Manning vs. Roethlisberger, Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Antonio Brown, with Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell being the x-factor because the Giants continue to not really have anyone at the position that can rival Bell’s production. New York continues to struggle in the running game (only 79.5 ypg – 31st in NFL), but they have done a great job at limiting their opponent’s ability to run as the revamped Giants defense is ranked 5th versus the run thus far this season allowing just 89.1 yards per game. In Pittsburgh I think the Steelers have the better defense, Special Teams and the home field advantage. The Steelers offense would seem to have the edge going into the game, at least on paper and I like them to get the win and cover here on Sunday.

5*

Buffalo Bills are still in the hunt and playing much better. Tyrod Taylor needs to steps up into pocket while continuing his scan of the field - before taking off downfield running. And his 11 TD passes hasn't shown enough to keep teams too concerned about him finding his guys. Taylor is building trust and good faith in his receivers - even though youth and injuries have slowed them down - he has yet to develop that. Sammy Watkins is expected to be back for this game and LeSean McCoy is amped and capable and primed for a big day against a defense that allows 4.6 yards per rushing attempt. Buffalo QB Taylor is going to have to get rid of the ball with a lot of quick throws to avoid that pass rush of the Raiders. The Bills are averaging 25 points per game and have scored at least 25 points in eight of their 11 games. If the Bills continue to protect the ball the way they have, they will have a chance to do some damage on offense. The Raiders defense is far from great as it ranks last in yards allowed per play, 31st in sacks, 23rd in points allowed and 29th in yards allowed. Buffalo has won two in a row following a three-game losing streak. The Bills have been depleted by injuries and suspensions throughout the season, but are starting to get key players back healthy. This is a must win and statement game of the Buffalo and I'll back them plus the points here on Sunday.

10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

Penn State continues to be underrated. The Nittany Lions have been on fire offensively in all facets. Wisconsin plays extremely well defensively but its offense doesn’t have the firepower needed to keep pace. At some point, the Badgers' defense will be on the field longer than expected, and look for Penn State to capitalize. Penn State and Trace McSorley have surprised many this season - and Saquon Barkley is always an option for the Lions offense. His 15 rushing TDs and 5.3 YPC is more than enough to shake any team lined up looking at him in the backfield. And when Barkley has the ball, he can make plays - simple as that. Barkley has put together 7 games with 80+ YDs on the ground - including two games of 200 or more. Different story vs a team that has had a lockdown on running games all season long. PSU knows that when Barkley has the ball - he is very hard to stop with the ball is in the hands, and the Lions will try and get him touches. But it won't be enough. Penn St has won 8 straight and Wisconsin has relied on forcing turnovers the second half of the season, with a +11 margin the past four games. Penn St rarely turns the ball over and I'll take the Red Hot Nittany Lions here on Saturday night plus the points.

10*

The Washington Huskies were the talk of the town in the preseason as a dark horse candidate to win the Pac 12. Washington went on to prove their hype worthy as the Huskies stand 11-1 overall and 8-1 in conference heading into a compelling matchup against the Buffaloes. The Huskies closed things out in impressive fashion getting past Washington State on the road last week by a final of 45-17. Washington’s only loss on the year came a few weeks back at home against USC by a final of 13-26. With the division on the line, Washington played with tremendous confidence and poise in their rivalry matchup against the Cougars. In the win QB Jake Browning went on to complete 21/29 passes for 292 yards and 3 TDs to 0 INTs, while the ground game added 168 yards and 3 TDs on 35 carries. Outside of their loss against USC, Washington has looked consistently dominant in Pac 12 play including a tremendous blowout win against their rival last week. Colorado has been picking up a lot of win in conference play, but there's no question they've had a tough battle getting to this spot with a number of close calls. We like this Washington squad to close the deal as they have the better QB, defense and Special Teams. Take Washington by double digits tonight!  5*

The Dallas Cowboys, coming off a solid Thanksgiving Day win over the Washington Redskins, and now go on the road to take on the Minnesota Vikings who are coming off a loss to the Detroit Lions after a late INT by Sam Bradford.

The Vikings are sitting at 6-5 on the season right now and have to be a little concerned about recent trends as they have dropped five of their last six overall. Sam Bradford seems to not be panning out in Minnesota just like he hasn’t at every stop in his career and is coming off an absolute stinker of a game against the Lions.  Offensively, there is very little to like with the Vikes. Bradford can connect on short passes well, but thats about it.

The Dallas Cowboys are looking like one of the best teams in the league and with two rookies leading the way for the offense you have to look a little deeper to find out why this team is playing at such an elite level. The Cowboys defense has been excellent this season and very much under the radar as the offense really gets all the credit. They play great defense in the redzone and I expect them to blitz the hell out of Bradford.
 The Dallas offense is excellent as their running game is churning out a league leading 157.3 and the passing game has continued to improve as Prescott gets more experience connecting with Witten, Beasley, and Dez.

Take the Cowboys to get the win and cover in this one as they are the better overall team and with the Vikings offense basically looking nonexistent this should be an easy win for Dallas here on Thursday night.  The Cowboys are 9-1-1 ATS this year and I like them to get their 10th spread victory here on Thursday and get us the cash.     

10*

Technically both of these teams are alive in the Playoff hunt, but they’re quickly falling out of the race. Whichever team loses on Monday night might as well turn their attention to next season, and I think that team will be the Packers.

At some point the Packers will start to figure it out on both sides of the ball. GB gave up 515 yards to the Redskins last Sunday so I expect them to be much better vs the Eagles.
They should have also some defensive success against rookie QB Carson Wentz. Like I said last week when we bet against the Eagles in Seattle, Wentz has the worst QB rating since week 5 and has struggled throwing the ball down the field.  Wentz 6 INTs last 6 games
and only 11 TDs on the year with 7 Picks.  Ranked 32 and dead last in the league for QBR.

The Packers enter Week 12 with the 13th-ranked offense averaging 362.7 total yard per game (YPG) and 24.7 points per game (PPG). Their passing game is 10th in league averaging 262.1 YPG, while their rushing game is 19th averaging 100.6 YPG.

 
As for the Eagles, their offense is ranked 19th averaging 340.4 total YPG and 24.1 PPG.

Entering Week 12, Rodgers has completed 259 of 410 passes for 2,761 yards, 25 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, which gives him a 96 passer rating. I like the better QB in a must win game to keep their playoff hopes alive.

5*

Houston is on a short week having played in Mexico on MNF. San Diego is well rested coming off of their BYE week.  SD has the much better QB this game with Rivers and he is coming off a loss and one of the worst games he played in a while throwing 4 INT's.

  All 6 of San Diego’s losses were one possession games.  Texans are only averaging 4.7 yards per play, which is the 2nd worst in the league.  San Diego comes in prepared, rested and they get the WIN on there road here..

10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK!

5*

The most impressive thing is that Atlanta has found a way to win in every way possible, with running the ball, attacking the QB, and even their special teams game. Atlanta has an offense that is virtually impossible to defend.

The Falcons off a BYE and of course are one of the league's premier offenses, leading the league in points scored and net yards per attempt. At home, I think they'll be able to handle a good Arizona defense that hasn't been tested all that much this year.

Carson Palmer has struggled this year and we have a west coast team playing early and the Falcons are rested. Cardinals are 1-6 ATS vs. a team with a winning record

Take ATLANTA at home as Julio Jones has a monster game here.

Last week, the Gators went into Baton Rouge and upset #16 LSU with the help of a defensive stand at the goal line in the waning seconds of the game. The win not only clinched the Gators into the SEC Championship Game but it also sent a clear message that they can compete with any team in the nation.
Florida really only had 1 bad game this year and that was to Arkansas.  They were winning vs Tenn most of the game and fell apart late.

However despite the struggles, injuries, and inconsistencies, the Florida Gators have remained resilient with an 8-2 SU mark on the season. A large part of that success can be accredited to the Florida defense that has yielded just 282 total yards per game which ranks 5th in the FBS.  In fact if you throw out the loss to Arkansas, you could make the case that Florida has been hottest team in the SEC and perhaps one of the hottest teams in the country during the 2nd half of the college football season.

This Florida State’s defense has not been near as strong this year compared to previous season which warrants hope that Florida can snap the 3 game losing streak to the Seminoles.  Also Florida State has some frustration with the way they have defended on special teams and its hasn't been good.
 
Gator's QB Appleby needs to take advantage of a soft Florida State pass defense and give this offense some big play potential down the field.

 
Take the better defense plus the points, even if that defense is banged up. Speaking of defense, Florida State hasn't really stopped anyone all year and we're backing the FLORIDA GATORS plus the points as our College Football GAME OF THE YEAR!

I’ve seen the Terps play live against Michigan State and came away highly impressed with their ability to run the ball and create turnovers. I've seen Rutgers play as well and they are bad.  They've lost four games this season by scores of 39-0, 49-0, 58-0, and 78-0.  As you can see once they fall behind they give up.

RU has major issues on offense, in all three facets: passing, rushing and blocking.
Rutgers has lost 8 in a row and the the coaching staff and players cannot wait for the season to be over!
 
 
The recent scheduling has not been kind to Maryland as they have dropped 4 in a row but their last 3 losses were to top 20 opponents.  Now sitting at 5-6 and with a win at home Maryland will get into a Bowl Game.  Look for them to come out hungry in their final game and the seniors to be fired up while Rutgers is just here for the ride.
Maryland wins by 28.

5*

This matchup should help the Sun Devils get their passing game rolling. They have the better offense and a win here gets them into a Bowl game. I expect the Arizona Wildcats, on the other hand, to spend most of this one in their own territory, as they have not shown the ability to overcome pressure. Back ASU to snap its five-game skid and cover and get the win here on Friday night. Play on ARIZONA St.

5*