I'm taking the points with Valparaiso on Monday night, my CBB Shocker.  When Bryce Drew left Valpo for the Vanderbilt job, the administration took little time turning to Drew's top assistant, Matt Lottich to take over the reigns.  Lottich was an assistant the last three seasons when the Crusaders piled-up 78 wins.  Valpo lost a few players from last year's team, but Lottich received great news when Alec Peters decided to return rather than head to the NBA.  Peters averaged 18.4 ppg and 8.4 rpg a season ago and the forward is off to an even better start this season, averaging 25.8 ppg and 8.5 rpg.  Valpo is 3-1 with the lone loss coming in a near impossible spot, facing Oregon off the Ducks' embarrassing loss to Baylor.  Valpo hung tough until the final 12 minutes of the game.  They'll face a middle of the pack SEC squad tonight, a Tide team that doesn't shoot well, making less than 42% of their shots this season. The wrong team is favored in my opinion.  Valpo enters on a 27-7 ATS run off a SU road loss, while the Tide are on a 1-6 ATS slide against teams with a winning record.  I'm taking the points with Valparaiso, my Monday Shocker.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night.  Memphis has won and covered four in a row while playing tremendous defense allowing an average of 84.5 points during the streak.  The Grizzlies shot just 38.2 percent themselves and still beat Minnesota by 22 points on Saturday. JaMychal Green had a team-leading 19 points and Zach Randolph came off the bench to score 18 points.  And that sets up Memphis in a nice, play-on spot.  The Grizzlies are 27-8 ATS off an upset win by 15 or more points.  The Grizzlies held Dallas to just 64 points in their previous game.  Charlotte has one day of rest after losing 121-116 in overtime at New Orleans as Anthony Davis exploded for 38 points with 16 rebounds for the Pelicans.  Kemba Walker led the Hornets with 25 points and Marco Belinelli added 22 points and 10 rebounds.  Memphis is looking to avenge a season sweep by Charlotte last season and the Hornets have lost three of their last five games and laying too many points in this matchup, as far as we're concerned.  I'm backing the Grizzlies plus the points, my DogPound release.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Eastern Illinois.  We have a rare early revenge opportunity for EIU, a team many, including myself have in the running for an Ohio Valley West Division title.  The Panthers fell 70-67 when these teams met on November 14, thanks in part to a horrible first half led to a 38-27 halftime deficit.  EIU came storming back in the final 20 minutes, cutting the lead to 2 points late in the game before falling short.  Troy barely hung on despite being afforded 17 more FT attempts.  Look for the Panthers to exact a little early season revenge.  I'm laying the points with Eastern Illinois, my Daytime Dominator.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night.  Aaron Rodgers directed his squad to a 35-18 win in DC last January, and while some are calling for the Skins to exact revenge, I believe it'll be a case of Rodgers and company avoiding a fourth straight poor showing and loss. Rodgers still owns the NFL's 6th best Total QBR this season, which is six spots higher than Kirk Cousins.  The offense has scored nearly 28 ppg during their three-game skid, but they need to stay away from turnovers and the defense needs to pick it up.  Reinforcements may be on their way. While he's officially listed as questionable, Clay Matthews was expected to return as of Friday night/Saturday morning, according to reports from trustworthy Green Bay outlets.  The defense allowed roughly 17 fewer ppg with Matthews on the field than they have in their last three without him.  But the bottom line, in a chance to save their season, I expect GB to win this contest with or without Matthews.  NFL road teams with a +3/-3 pointspread range are on a 45-19 ATS run after being beaten by the spread by a combined 28 or more points in their last three games.  The Pack are also on a 7-3 ATS road run.  I'm grabbing the points with Green Bay, my Sunday Smash. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Rams, my Smackdown on Sunday.  Miami is getting some praise around the NFL right now, having won four straight games to push the season record to 5-4. While we give them credit for beating the opponents in front of them, they haven't exactly faced a murderer's row. The Rams are just 4-5 SU, but they're 13 points from a 7-2 mark.  And since Jeff Fisher has been HC of the Rams, in both STL and LA, they're 12-4 ATS in the second half of the season against teams that average at least 5.65 yards per play.  They held those 16 teams to 17 ppg.  We also note that Miami has covered just 2 of their last 11 against teams with a losing record.  The Dolphins are 28th in passing yardage per game and they rank 30th against the run and we believe the Rams will take advantage on both sides of the football. Finally, NFL teams off an underdog SU win and playing .510 to .600 football, are just 21-50 ATS in the second half of the season against teams with a losing record.  I believe the Jared Goff era will get off on the winning foot.  I'm taking the points with the Rams, my Smackdown release.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Vikings, my KO release on Sunday.  Minnesota has hit the skids, losing four straight games, but I believe they're getting "just what the doctor ordered" on Sunday. Arizona's once high-powered offense has been underachieving this season and has scored 20 or fewer points in four of their last seven games, then escaping with a 23-20 win over hapless SFO last week.  The Viking defense is still 6th against the pass and 3rd in total yards allowed per game. They're 3-1 SU/ATS at home this season, just an OT loss to Detroit away from a perfect home mark.  Stefan Diggs had a huge game last week in a road loss in DC and Sam Bradford has 6 TD passes and no INTs in the Vikings' new digs.  I expect the two to hook-up in this one, putting pressure on the Cardinals.  And with Bradford coming up big last week (31 of 40) they should find a little more room in the ground game.  Minnesota is on a 19-7 ATS run at home and they're 11-2 ATS against teams averaging at least 350 yards per game.  Meanwhile, the Cardinals have covered just 1 of their last 9 games against teams with a winning record. I'm laying the points with the Vikings, my KO Game of the Week.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with UCLA, my Rivalry Game of the Month.  Not having Josh Rosen behind center has led to a tough season for the Bruins, who have definitely fallen short of expectations. But while adjustments need to be made by the linesmakers for "missing parts" throughout the course of the season, we feel this line has been adjusted too much.  No one disputes USC being the chalk here, but this is a 17.5 point move from where we have the game after two weeks of the regular season.  The Bruins also showed signs of life in their 38-24 win over Oregon State last time out, extending their chance of gaining bowl eligibility with two more wins (as if these teams need extra motivation when facing each other).  USC is receiving a ton of hype after knocking off Washington in Seattle with some calling the Trojans a legit top-10 football team at the current time.  Yes, they have played well with Sam Darnold at QB, but we expect this one to be close to the very end.  Under HC Jim Mora, Jr., UCLA is 13-4 ATS against teams playing .600 to .750 football, outscoring those 17 teams by an average of 35-27.  Meanwhile, the Trojans have covered just 2 of their last 8 road games, while the Bruins are on a 5-1 ATS series run. The spread has ranged from 2 points to 5 points over the last four meetings and we believe their has been too big of an adjustment in this one.  I'm backing UCLA plus the points, my Rivalry GOM. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with West Virginia, my Top Shocker.  While OU saved what was looking like a potential rough season, the fact is, the Sooners have not beaten a list of challenging foes.  Even the win over Baylor means much less than it would have with Baylor coaches and players alike, seemingly playing out the string ever since they lost their undefeated season a few weeks prior to losing to OU.  The Sooners allow 31 ppg and have been horrible against the pass. They're going to face a WVU squad that's different than the typical Big-12 team in that they play a more deliberate brand of offense, and can run and pass effectively.  They also are unique to the conference in that they play defense, allowing just 20.6 ppg, the 19th stingiest mark in the nation.  Simply put - I believe the better team is getting points and at home.  We note Bob Stoops' Sooners have covered just 8 of 25 after winning seven straight games and they're on a 0-5 ATS slide off a cover.  I'm grabbing the points with West Virginia, my Top Shocker on Saturday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing Virginia Tech, my Knockout on Saturday.  The Hokies travel to South Bend off a tough loss to Ga Tech, snapping a 3-game winning streak.  Va Tech owns road wins over North Carolina, Pitt, and Duke, and one could argue all three of those teams have had a better season than the Irish, even Duke, who beat Notre Dame under the golden dome earlier this season.  Va Tech's defense has been stellar most of the season, one of the top units in college football, while the offense is undervalued.  Jerod Evans can get it done with his arm (22-4 TD-INT) or his legs (600+ yards rushing & 6 TDs), while Notre Dame has been shaky both on the ground on offense and stopping the run on defense.  The Irish have won just 2 of their last 6 home games SU and we'll back the Hokies.  Virginia Tech is our Knockout GOM.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the St. Mary's Gaels, my Daytime Dominator on Saturday.  SMC is off to a tremendous start to the season. While the win over Prairie View means little, the punishing double-digit win over Nevada is eye-opening.  SMC is deep and getting outstanding play in the paint and on the perimeter.  They have 47 assists and just 11 turnovers in their first two games, combined.  Five players average between 9.5 ppg and 23 ppg, led by 7-foot center Jock Landale.  They're facing a hamstrung Dayton team.  The Flyers are banged-up on the front-line, missing Kendall Pollard and Josh Cunningham, who're both out indefinitely.  Cunningham was having a big game in the Flyers 77-72 win over Alabama, before injuring his ankle.  It adds up when you consider they already lost Dyshawn Pierre from last year's roster and had to deal with the tragic death this summer of center Steve McElvene.  The Flyers enter on a 2-7 ATS slide in their last nine home games, while the Gaels are on a 9-2 ATS non-conference run and they're on an 8-0 ATS run off a home win by more than 20 points.  I'm backing the St. Mary's Gaels, my Daytime Dominator on Saturday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the short points with Kansas State on Saturday, my Morning Massacre. Assistant coaches are looking for other jobs and have gone behind Jim Grobe's back in their support of former HC Art Briles.  No one has been on the recruiting trail and Baylor has dropped three straight games, allowing a whopping 143 points along the way. It's as though many of the coaches have checked-out.  This might not be one of Bill Snyder's top editions in Manhattan, but the Wildcats play hard for their HC and are in need of another win in order to become bowl eligible. They're also in revenge for a 31-24 loss a season ago.  K-State ran for 6.2 yards per carry in their previous outing, falling short at Oklahoma State.  But they've had an extra week to prepare, and road teams with a -3/+3 line range are on a 40-15 ATS run, provided they average at least 4.75 yards per carry and ran for 6 or more yards per carry in their most recent game.  I'm laying the short points with Kansas State, my Road Warrior against a fading Baylor squad. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Illinois Fighting Illini, my DogPound play on Saturday.  We expect Iowa to fall back to earth in a hurry, following last weekend's home win over then undefeated Michigan.  The Hawkeye offense leaves a lot to be desired and even if leading we suspect they'll have a tough time extending the lead.  Illinois will be a motivated football team, understanding they have a winnable game on senior day against a team in letdown mode.  The home team also expects to have their top QB back on the field with Wes Lunt expected to start.  We believe Illinois has a fighting chance to win this game outright, but we're taking the points for insurance.  My DogPound play is Illinois plus the points.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the LA Clippers on Friday, my NBA Main Event. The Los Angeles Clippers had a wake-up call on Wednesday when their seven-game winning streak was snapped in a 111-107 loss to Memphis, which was a 12.5-point underdog.  The Grizzlies took a 61-46 hafltime lead and never looked back as they made 15 of 26 from three-point range. J.J. Redick led the Clippers with 29 points and Blake Griffin added 25 points but they fell to 9-3 ATS this season.  The Clippers have won six of the last seven meetings and they're 5-1 ATS their last six games in Sacramento. The Kings lost their third in a row 110-105 to San Antonio in a game that wasn't as close as the score indicates as the Kings went on a 16-3 run to end the game.  DeMarcus Cousins finished with 26 points and 17 rebounds but, unfortunately, he just doesn't have enough talent surrounding him to make the Kings a playoff contender.  The visitor in this series is on a 5-0 ATS run and we expect more of the same. Look for Los Angeles to bounce back from Wednesday's loss with the win and cover.  I'm laying the points with the Clippers, my Main Event.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with UConn on Thursday night, my Bailout Blowout. The Huskies came into the season ranked in the top-20, only to start 0-2 for the first time since the LBJ administration was coming to a close.  Kevin Ollie's troops have not shot well through two games, but we believe they're getting "just what the doctor ordered" tonight. LMU coach Mike Dunlap wants his team to focus on rebounding, but they fell six boards short in their 15-point loss to Nevada last time out, while watching the Wolf Pack nail over 56% of their FGA.  Offensively, Dunlap has had a tough time keeping his top scorers in the program.  2014-15 leading scorer Evan Payne left for Long Beach State after that season, while last year's leading scorer Adom Jacko left early for the NBA. Buay Tuach is the only Lion averaging in double-digits in scoring through the first two games. The Lions have covered just 2 of 13 at home off at least one loss, while cashing just 8 of 25 at home since Dunlap took over the program.  Look for UConn to get in the win column by a spread covering margin.  I'm laying the points with Connecticut, my Bailout Blowout. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with SMU, my Dominator on Thursday.  This marks the second time this season we have been involved with these two teams, going 2-0 thus far.  We went against Pitt on Friday and cashed with Eastern Michigan, then backed SMU and won by 27 when they faced EMU. There are likely to be more early season adjustment from Jamie Dixon to Kevin Stallings for the Pitt Panther basketball program, plus the Panthers no longer have James Robinson to quarterback and direct the team on the floor.  This is a problem against a Southern Methodist squad that owns the perimeter players to drive the Pitt backcourt out of its game.  I expect another strong perimeter performance on Thursday.  Pitt has been a serious bankroll burner, currently on a 13-39-3 ATS slide off a SU win and 2-10 ATS off a win by 15 or more.  Meanwhile, when SMU gets going, they take no prisoners, on a 7-2-1 ATS run off a win by 21 or more.  I'm laying the points with SMU, my Dominator, when they take on Pitt at MSG.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Eastern Michigan, my MAC Game of the Week on Wednesday.  Northern Illinois is used to contending for conference titles and bowl berths, but not this season.  In fact, NIU had their bowl hopes dashed with last week's loss to Toledo in their home finale.  The Huskies are now just playing out the string.  Eastern Michigan is all about the pass on offense, while they're strong against the run on defense.  This means they'll attack NIU's weakness on both sides of the line of scrimmage, making the difference in this game.  The Huskies enter on a 2-8 ATS slide against teams with a winning record, while the Eagles have covered seven of their last eight games, overall.  I'm taking the points with Eastern Michigan, my MAC Game of the Week.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Pacers, my DogPound Crusher.  Cleveland is 9-1 straight up but a money burner with a 1-6-1 ATS record its last eight games, including last night's 121-117 won over Toronto as a six-point favorite.  JR Smith has missed the last two games and is questionable for this one and Indiana is 6-0-1 ATS the last seven meetings with the Cavaliers and the push was a five-point loss in overtime.  Paul George returned to the lineup and scored 13 points with six rebounds in the Pacers' 88-69 win over Orlando on Monday while holding the Magic to 32.1 percent from the field.  George says his ankle isn't 100%, but he has no trouble playing the way it is.  C.J. Miles came off the bench to score a team-leading 16 points and Kevin Seraphin grabbed 10 rebounds.  LeBron James finished with 28 points, nine rebounds and 14 assists against the Raptors and Kyrie Irving added 24 points.  Cleveland is playing a back-to-back and the Cavaliers are 1-5 ATS their last six games in this situation.  I'm taking the points with the Pacers my DogPound Crusher.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Wisconsin Badgers on Tuesday night, my KO release.  Greg McDermott has done a tremendous job making CU a landing spot for high-end recruits and transfers and he has the program back in the top-25 and looking to challenge for a top-3 spot in the Big East by season's end.  The backcourt is strong, do doubt about it. Marcus Foster and Maurice Watson, Jr., are one of the best backcourt tandems in America.  But Watson did have his problems in the second half in CU's season opener against UMKC, a team expected to finish in the lower half of the WAC this season.  Watson committed 7 turnovers and the Jays finished with 17 turnovers as a team. Wisconsin is one of the few teams that can match and surpass CU in the backcourt.  Taking it one step further, the Badger frontcourt should give CU more trouble than it can handle tonight. Everyone is back for Greg Gard's Badgers.  And while Creighton is a Big Dance contender and then some, the Badgers have true Final Four potential.  Wisconsin is 6-0 ATS on the road following a home game under Gard, and they're 11-3 ATS off a SU win.  I'm backing the Wisconsin Badgers, my Knockout release.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Charlotte, my Slam Dunk on Tuesday.  Andrew Wiggins went on a tear and scored 47 points in Minnesota's win over the Lakers on Sunday, however, the Timberwolves haven't won two in a row since last season and they're just 3-6 straight up and ATS this season. Charlotte had won four straight before losing to Toronto and Cleveland but the Hornets have the clear defensive edge in this matchup with an opponent field goal percentage of 43.0 percent compared to 47.5 for the Timberwolves, who are allowing 105.1 points per game as opposed to 98.9 for the Hornets.  Charlotte has covered the number four of the last five meetings and Minnesota is 0-4 SU and ATS following a win.  Charlotte kept it close against the Cavaliers on Sunday even while shooting only 37.9 percent and Kemba Walker scored a team-leading 21 points. Finally, road teams are on a 56-25 ATS run if the line is in a +3/-3 range, are off a road loss, and the home team is off a SU win as a dog.  I'm backing the Charlotte Hornets, my Tuesday night Slam Dunk.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Oakland, my Mismatch release.  The Grizzlies no longer have star guard Kay Felder on the roster, he left early for the NBA. But they were hoping transfer Stevie Clark, once a top-75 recruit, could fill Felder's shoes, at least from a play-making standpoint.  If the opening win over Bowling Green is any indication, Clark will fit-in just fine.  The 5-11 guard dished out 9 assists, while finishing with just 2 turnovers in 28 minutes of action. Oakland's backcourt is still loaded with scoring ability, including Martez Walker and Sherron Dorsey-Walker, who combining for 39 points and 20 rebounds (yes, the two guards pulled down 20 boards) in the 78-70 win & cover.  Oakland led Bowling Green by as many as 14 points, but coach Greg Kampe will use Oakland's loss of concentration at one point of the second half as motivation for improvement.  But backcourt is where the Grizzlies own a big advantage over Western Michigan.  The Broncos have too many question marks in the backcourt to hang around in a game where the home team is going to push the tempo in their usual attempt to create a shootout.  WMU is off an unimpressive win over Marygrove College, a team that had already lost by 35, 18, and 24 points to St. Francis (Indiana), Huntington University, and Rochester College, respectively.  WMU is on a 3-13 ATS slide off a SU win, while the Grizzlies have been a serious bankroll builder, including a 25-6-1 ATS run off a SU win.  We have the Grizzlies challenging Valpo for the top spot in the Horizon this season, while WMU is going to have a tough time finishing higher than 5th in the 6-team MAC West.  As far as this game is concerned, I'm laying the points with Oakland, my Monday Mismatch.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with SMU on Sunday, my Daytime Dominator.  We took the points with EMU on Friday night and the Eagles cashed the ticket, covering as a dog in a 93-90 2-OT SU loss to Pittsburgh.  But while we do believe EMU will contend in the MAC, that play was as much against the new-look Pitt Panthers as anything else.  Pitt led 40-31 at the half, but doesn't have the perimeter shooters to handle EMU's 2-3 matchup zone.  SMU owns the type of perimeter plays to shoot over the Eagles, Syracuse-like defensive schemes.  And once Tim Jankovich's troops got rolling, the Mustangs outscored Gardner-Webb 45-16 in the second half en route to a 72-44 victory.  I expect another strong perimeter performance on Sunday.  The Eagles are just 9-19 ATS in their last 28 road games and we'll lay the points with SMU, our Daytime Dominator. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Carolina, my KO release.  Second week in a row we'll lay the FG with the Panthers.  Carolina has looked better on defense, especially after their bye week, helping the team to two straight wins. And let's remember, the Panthers are just seven points away from a 6-2 SU mark.  You can't run on their defense where they're third against the run.  Meanwhile, the Panther offense still owns a top-10 ground game.  And while I'm not trying to say KC isn't a good team, we do note that some of their wins came against the Chargers in OT at home, along with the Jets, Saints, Colts, and Jaguars. The Chargers are 0-3 on the road, the Jets are 3-6, overall, the Saints and Colts are average, and the Jaguars are, well, the Jaguars.  You can beat KC on the ground and I expect Carolina will do so by more than a FG.  KC enters just 1-6 ATS off a SU win, while the Panthers are on an 8-2 ATS run at home. I'm laying it with the Panthers, my KO release.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Eagles, my Wipeout release on Sunday.  Carson Wentz has taken more than his share of blame for the Eagles' current 1-4 SU slide.  But the defense should carry more of the blame as far as I'm concerned.  They have not pressured opposing QBs like they were when everything was going so well.  I do expect that to change this week, facing an Atlanta offense that isn't exactly known for its quickness in completing offensive plays (I'm not the first to mention this).  I expect the Eagles pass rush to get back on track and if all goes as planned, the rest of the team's good fortunes should fall into place.  ATL is a short favorite in this one and they're just 2-11 ATS in this role the last 13 times.  Meanwhile, the Eagles are still undefeated at home where they're 3-0 SU & ATS this season.  Bounce back time here and we'll back the Eagles, my Wipeout GOW on Sunday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm grabbing the points with Arkansas on Saturday night.  The Razorbacks are playing their final home game tonight and catch LSU at an opportune time, just like they did the last two seasons. The schedule makers have not done LSU any favors, placing Arkansas on their slate, following the Alabama game for the third straight season.  Two years ago LSU lost 20-13 to Bama, followed by a 17-0 shutout loss to Arkansas.  Last season, Arkansas whipped LSU 31-14 following LSU's 30-16 loss to the Tide.  Here we go again. We also have a Tiger squad that just had any dreams of playing for a national title swept out from under their feet. A lot of emotion and even their physical edge went out the window with the loss after leaving everything on the field in last week's loss. Arkansas, meanwhile, showed serious moxie, whipping Florida 31-10, following an embarrassing loss to Auburn.  QB Austin Allen played well after a sluggish start, leading the offense.  But the bottom line - timing is everything...and timing is certainly on the side of the Hog.  LSU has covered just one of their last six road games, while Arkansas is on a 22-8 ATS November run, getting strong down the stretch, and the Hogs have covered four straight meetings.  I'm grabbing the points with Arkansas, my SEC Shocker of the Year.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Vanderbilt, my SEC Knockout.  The Commodores need to win at least two of their last three games in order to become bowl eligible, and with Ole Miss and Tennessee to close the season, this winnable game becomes even more important.  Mizzou offers "just what the doctor ordered." The Tigers have fallen on hard times, just 2-7 SU on the season and no longer in bowl contention following a 31-21 loss at South Carolina, the Tigers 5th straight loss SU & ATS! The defense looks cooked, allowing an average of 40 ppg during their 5-game skid.  Besides Mizzou's 0-5 ATS slide, we have a Vandy program on a 6-0 ATS run against teams that average at least 275 yards passing per game, and they are on a 6-0 ATS run off a road loss the last two seasons (lost 23-16 at Auburn last week).  I'm grabbing the points with Vanderbilt, my Knockout Blowout.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing Appalachian State on Saturday afternoon.  Both teams are undefeated in the Sun Belt, along with Arkansas State.  But although Troy has played well enough to be in this spot, they aren't at App State's level in the trenches in my betting opinion.  App State's only losses came at Tennessee and at home to Miami (we had the Hurricanes).  They have won six straight games and have owned teams in the trenches on both sides of the line of scrimmage.  App State has out-rushed each of their last six opponents by an average of 243 to 84!  We do believe the Mountaineers will be able to lean on and wear down the Trojans in the second half of this contest. App State has covered four straight road games, while Troy is on a 1-4 ATS slide at home.  And finally, road teams are on a 42-14 ATS run if the line is in the +3/-3 range and they out-rushed their previous opponent by at least 200 yards (out-rushed Texas State 307 to 133 last week). I'm backing Appalachian State, my Saturday Daytime Crusher.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the short points with Navy.  I generally like playing on a ground-control and disciplined football team when facing an uptempo squad. Navy knows how to move the chains and keeps the clock moving when facing a team like Tulsa.  Navy should have little trouble on the ground against Tulsa's middle-of-the-pack run defense.  The Middies knocked off Notre Dame last weekend, but I expect no lull.  After all, Navy is and was the better team at this point of the season, so no surprise in what took place.  The Middies are excellent against teams that rush for at least 230 yards per game, covering 34 of the last 52 times and they're on a 10-1 ATS run at home.  I'm laying the short number with Navy, my Afternoon Annihilator.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with West Virginia on Saturday, my Road Warrior. Back to back wins by the Texas Longhorns, but the struggling defense could be in more trouble this week, likely gassed after facing 196 offensive plays the last two weeks combined.  The Mountaineers pile-up over 500 yards per game, but play a different style than most Big-12 offenses, which includes more ball control and deliberate looks.  I believe WVU will wear down the Texas defense throughout the second half. I also expect the 3-3-5 defense employed at times by WVU, to throw a wrench into the Longhorn offense.  We'll back West Virginia plus the points, my Road Warrior.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Oklahoma against a Baylor squad that seems to be looking for the end of the season. The coaching staff is looking for jobs at other locales, no matter what they say. No one is recruiting and the program has hit the skids, emotionally.  Baylor has allowed 97 points the last two weeks in losses to Texas & TCU. Three of their last four wins have come against teams who own a combined 3-24 SU record.  The fall from grace continues.  I'm laying the points with Oklahoma, my Morning Massacre GOM. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with South Alabama, my Friday Shocker.  New UNLV coach Marvin Menzies performed well on the recruiting trail and on the floor in his nine seasons in Las Cruces.  His New Mexico State Aggies won 64% of the games he coached.  Menzies takes over a Runnin' Rebel program that doesn't even qualify to be called a shell of its former self.  The program returns only three players who saw more than one minute of playing time last season and the top seven scorers are no longer on the roster.  Menzies himself wasn't one of the program's top three choices to replace David Rice.  But when Chris Beard left for Texas Tech just one week after accepting the coaching job in Las Vegas, the Rebels' administration was left scrambling. Menzies' team of newcomers will face a South Alabama team returning four of its top five scorers and a lot of upperclassmen.  There are also some new faces on this roster, but coach Matthew Graves said this summer's tour of Europe got everyone on the same page.  UNLV enters as the inexperienced team tonight and will likely land near the bottom of the MWC when the season comes to a close. They dropped their final five games of last season ATS and have failed to cover 10 of their last 12 games.  Meanwhile, the Jags closed on an 11-6 ATS run.  And finally, the once impossible venue for visitors, the Thomas & Mack Center, no longer holds a big advantage for the Rebels.  In fact, I won't be surprised if the arena is less than half full for the opener.  I also won't be surprised if USA leaves Vegas with a SU win, but we'll grab the points for insurance.  I'm taking the points with South Alabama, my DogPound release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Eastern Michigan, my Late Release Slammer.  Early season adjustment from Jamie Dixon to Kevin Stallings for the Pitt Panther basketball program, plus the Panthers no longer have James Robinson to quarterback and direct the team on the floor.  EMU enters the new season with solid perimeter and in the paint play, including big-man James Thompson back for another year of potential paint domination.  I expect this battle to be much closer than the line would indicate and I'm grabbing the points with Eastern Michigan, my Late Release Slammer. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Utah Utes on Thursday night, my KO release. Both teams have had a little extra time to prep for this one, but we don't believe anything will help the permissive Arizona State defense.  The Sun Devils have allowed 40 or more points in six of their last eight games, including three straight.  ASU continues to blitz on 3rd down plays and has stuck with that plan despite getting burned time-after-time.  Utah had won three straight and seven of eight before a tough loss at home to Washington last time out.  The Utes took the nation's 4th ranked playoff polls team to the brink before a late punt return for a TD proved to be the difference.  Utah is a grand total of 12 points and two games away from a perfect 9-0 start to the campaign.  The Utes still have a chance at a Pac-12 title game appearance, but need to win out to start, so the motivation is certainly in place.  Utah enters on a 12-3 ATS run on the road against teams with a winning home record.  I'm laying the points with the Utah Utes, my KO release.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Browns on Thursday night.  We know what we're getting with Cleveland and their struggles have been baked into this number.  But Baltimore is also struggling, losing four of their last five games, while last week's 21-14 win over Pittsburgh was misleading. Baltimore scored one offensive TD, a 95-yard pass/run score. The Ravens are 28th in the league running the football and not a whole lot better through the air.  The Browns have not played badly on the road at times, coming within two points of beating Tennessee and taking Miami to OT before losing by six. Now Cleveland will get double-digits ATS from a team averaging less than 20 ppg.  The Browns are on a 5-1 ATS run in Baltimore, while the Ravens are on a 1-6-1 ATS slide at home against teams with a losing record.  And finally, NFL winless teams with at least seven straight losses are 35-11 ATS as non-favorites away from home.  The Browns came within five points of Baltimore in a 25-20 loss earlier this season, fell by six in a home loss to the Ravens in last year's second meeting, and actually beat Baltimore 33-30 in OT the last time at this venue.  We expect another close game tonight.  I'm grabbing the points with the Browns, my NFL Thursday Crusher.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Cavaliers on Tuesday, my Slam Dunk. Cleveland got a scare at Philadelphia on Saturday as it blew an 18-point lead and then went down by five before winning 102-101.  LeBron James had 25 points, 14 assists and eight rebounds and the Cavaliers still managed to win even though they shot just 40.7 percent and Kyrie Irving was three of 17 from the field.  Atlanta snapped a two-game losing streak with a 112-97 win over Houston as Paul Millsap led the Hawks with 23 points and Dwight Howard added 20 points and 14 rebounds against his former teammates.  It was the fourth win for the Hawks this season but their other three wins came against opponents who have a combined record of 4-14. Atlanta is 0-5 ATS its last eight games in Cleveland and they're on a 1-8 ATS slide on the road against teams with a winning record. Cleveland swept the Hawks in last season's playoffs and I don't expect revenge here.  Look for the defending champions to be more focused after their close call in Philly.  I'm laying the points with the Cavaliers, my Slam Dunk.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Celtics on Sunday, my Slam Dunk!  Denver won at Minnesota on Thursday but then the second-worst shooting team in the league reverted to form in a 103-86 loss at Detroit last night while making just 31 of 94 shots for a .330 field goal percentage (we had the Pistons). The guard tandem of Jamal Murray and Emmanuel Mudiay are a combined 8-for-43 from the field the last two games, which is 18.6 percent. The Nuggets are playing a back-to-back (1-4 ATS last 5 in this spot) and their fourth road game in seven days.  Boston has been off since Thursday when it lost at Cleveland 128-122 but covered the 10.5-point spread.  Isaiah Thomas scored 30 points and Avery Bradley added 26 points and 10 rebounds.  The Celtics are the top shooting team in the NBA at nearly 50 percent and they're averaging 110.8 points per game, which is third behind the Cavaliers and Golden State. Boston has won the last four meetings (3-1 ATS) and the Nuggets are 1-5 ATS their last six games in Boston.  I'm laying the points with the Celtics, my Slam Dunk!  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Chiefs on Sunday.  Nick Foles will start this one with Alex Smith sidelined by a concussion.  Also likely sidelined is Spencer Ware, but again, KC has a more than capable replacement in Charcandrick West.  Andy Reid owns the depth at key positions to keep the offense from bogging down and I expect Foles and West to flourish in this offense against the Jaguars vulnerable defense, that's 27th against the run and allows 28 ppg.  Offensively, the Jags are middle of the pack through the air and horrible on the ground.  Jacksonville has scored 17 or less in four of their last six games and 14 of their 22 points in last week's loss to Tennessee came in the final three-plus minutes of the game after falling behind 36-8.  We note that KC's defense allows just 19.6 ppg.  Gus Bradley has coached 50 games in Jacksonville, losing 38, with an offense that scores less than 19 ppg.  His teams have covered just 5 of 20 after rushing for no more than 75 yards in a game (48 last week) and KC cashed enters on a 7-2 ATS November run.  I expect another win and cover here and I'm laying the points with the Chiefs, my Knockout Blowout.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Wyoming, my Bailout release.  Many are expecting a letdown & hangover from the Cowboys after they upset Boise State one week ago.  I don't.  And with the number dropping from as high as 7, Wyoming is my side.  First of all, HC Craig Bohl is used to directing college kids to national titles, having done so at North Dakota State before arriving in Laramie.  There are no letdowns in winning multiple national titles and I believe he'll have his troops more than ready.  Bohl also only needs to point out what happened in Logan last season when his team was whipped 58-27 by the Aggies.  Wyoming is also surging, winners of four in a row SU & ATS. They own the running game to slam USU up front, wearing down the short-handed Aggies throughout the course of this game.  USU's offense doesn't run or pass well and they're 101st in the nation in ppg, averaging less than 24 per contest.  Meanwhile, the USU defense has serious holes when attempting to defend the run.  The Aggies have dropped four of their last five both SU & ATS, scoring just 16.8 ppg against Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, and San Diego State. I expect more of the same in this one. Look for a big game from Wyo RB Brian Hill, who has already rushed for 1,156 yards on the season.  Finally, while Utah State is on a 0-5 ATS November slide, the Cowboys are on a 5-0 ATS run in MWC action.  I'm laying the points with Wyoming, my Bailout Blowout. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Pistons, my Saturday Knockout.  Detroit was playing its third game in four nights on Wednesday and paid for it with a lackluster effort at Brooklyn and losing 109-101.  The Nets shot 53.9 percent for the game and scored 38 points in the first quarter on the way to a 71-55 halftime lead. Tobias Harris and Marcus Morris led the Pistons with 23 points each, but Andre Drummond had no energy scoring six points with six rebounds.  Fortunately for the Pistons, they're back home where they are 3-0 straight up and ATS and they have two days of rest.  And they're on a 10-1 ATS run off an upset loss on the road. Denver won at Minnesota 102-99 on Thursday as the Timberwolves shot only 39.8 percent after shooting the lights out in a 116-80 win over Memphis two days before.  The Nuggets managed to win despite the fact their starting guards, Emmanuel Mudiay and Jamal Murray, were a combined four of 26 (15.4 percent) from the field. And Denver is 2-12 ATS the last 14 times off a SU road win.  Detroit bounced back from its other loss this season with a 26-point win over Orlando.  I'm laying the points with the Pistons, my KO on Saturday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with NC State, my Top Shocker. Florida State's last four games have all been hard-fought, close battles, having played Wake Forest, North Carolina, Miami, and Clemson. The energy level may not be what it would have had Florida State not lost three games through their first eight. The defense has struggled against the pass (91st in yards passing per game), and NC State can throw the football, averaging about 255 yards per contest. The Wolfpack defense is also stout against the run, which puts more of offensive burden on the shoulders of Seminoles' QB Deondre Francois, who has a tendency to rush things in the passing game. The Pack are used to giving FSU a run in Raleigh, on a 6-0-1 ATS run at home against the 'Noles, including a pair of outright wins in Florida State's last three visits. I expect another NC State cover at the least and I'm taking the points with NC State, my Top Shocker. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm grabbing the points with SMU, my AAC DogPound Game of the Month. The Mustangs are getting closer and closer to being bowl eligible after a horrible 2-win campaign a season ago. SMU has kicked things into gear for second-year HC Chad Morris, scoring 113 points in their last three games combined. His team is averaging nearly 5 1/2 yards per play and QB Ben Hicks has 7 TD passes and just 2 INTs in those three outings. The Mustang defense has been outstanding of late, holding Tulane to 391 yards after holding the high scoring Houston Cougars to 303 yards on 4.45 yards per play! I expect SMU to have no trouble moving the ball on the ground and through the air against the weak Memphis defense that has allowed 101 points in their last two games, combined. The Tigers are wearing down for the second straight year. Memphis lost four of their last five games last season (including their bowl defeat) allowing 35.5 ppg in the losses. The only win in the five-game stretch came in blowout fashion over these SMU Mustangs. I expect serious payback in this one. I'm taking the points with SMU, my AAC DogPound release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Charlotte, my Road Warrior on Saturday.  So Miss has been sluggish quite a bit of late, including last weekend when they finally forged out to a 24-7 lead over fading Marshall, before giving up a long TD run and a backdoor cover. But the Golden Eagles are now on a 0-3 ATS slide when laying double digits and they're overvalued in this one. Charlotte has been surging, covering three straight, while coming within one point of a perfect 3-0 SU run.  We had them a couple weeks ago as a double-digit dog to Marshall and we cashed when they not only covered, but won outright on the road.  They've had an extra week to prepare for Southern Miss and I'm betting they'll keep this one much closer than the line would indicate.  So Miss has covered just 3 of their last 15 at home after outgaining their previous opponent by at least 225 yards.  They averaged 30 ppg, while allowing 24 in those 15 contests.  I'm grabbing the points with Charlotte, my Road Warrior.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Wake Forest on Saturday, my TKO. The Demon Deacons have a chance to gain a bowl-eligible 6th win for the second straight game and I believe they'll get it by spread-covering margin, after a poor performance last weekend against Army. Virginia is a much different opponent than the Cadets were, one that's been wearing down in the second-half of games. UVA's pass defense is terrible, their run defense isn't good, and they can't run the ball on offense. Look for Wake's 33rd ranked run defense to shut the door on the Cavaliers, while UVA is heading to Winston-Salem with a slew of players listed as doubtful or out for this game. I'm laying the short points with Wake Forest, my TKO. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Chicago Bulls on Friday night, my KO release. It didn't take long for New York to be in disarray as the team is having trouble adapting to its offensive game plan and has lost its last two games by an average of 16 points to Detroit and Houston.  The Knicks are 27th in the NBA averaging 96.8 points per game and the defense hasn't been any better giving up 110.2 to rank 24th.  Carmelo Anthony scored 21 points against the Rockets, but the Knicks had no answer for James Harden, who scored 30 points and dished out 15 assists.  Chicago won its first three games before losing at Boston 107-100 on Wednesday and the Bulls have adapted quickly to its new guard combo of Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo.  It was Jimmy Butler though who led the Bulls with 23 points against the Celtics.  Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah will make their returns to Chicago but the Bulls are in much better form than the Knicks.  The Bulls are on a 6-1 ATS run, overall, and they've covered five straight against teams with a losing record.  I'm laying the points with the Bulls, my Friday Knockout. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Warriors on Thursday night.  Golden State has won its last three games which were all on the road and now the Warriors have a chance to make up for their disastrous home opener when they lost to San Antonio by 29 points.  The Warriors blew out Portland 127-104 on Tuesday while shooting 56.2 percent from the field and with Stephen Curry leading his team with 28 points and Ian Clark came off the bench to score 22 points. Oklahoma City is at a scheduling disadvantage as it won a tough 85-83 decision over the Clippers in Los Angeles last night.  OKC is 4-0 but three of the wins were against Philadelphia, the Suns and Lakers.  The Thunder shot just 40.5 percent against the Clippers and Russell Westbrook was the only player in double digits with 35 points.  Oklahoma City is 1-7 ATS its last eight games at Golden State, while the Warriors are 33-16 ATS under Kerr when laying 6 1/2. to 12 points at home.  I'm laying the points with the Warriors, my NBA Slam Dunk on Thursday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Arkansas State on Thursday night.  Most know by now how much I enjoy going against teams than can't run the football on offense or stop the run on defense. Georgia State certainly qualifies on both sides of the line of scrimmage, one of the worst teams in both important categories.  The problem for the Panthers -- they can't throw the ball either. Meanwhile, Arkansas State still has a shot at a bowl invitation, but they can't afford losses to beatable teams like GSU.  The Red Wolves season-long numbers aren't great at the two categories mentioned above, but they have been much better during their current three-game winning streak, gaining strength as the season progresses.  ASU has gained an average of 419 yards on 5.74 yards per play in their last three games, rushing for 222 yards per game on 5 yards per carry, while starting QB Justice Hansen has completed 61% of his passes for 7.64 yards per pass with 6 TDs and 3 INTs.  Meanwhile, the Red Wolves' defense has held their last three opponents to 319 yards per game, 3.36 yards per carry, and have allowed just 51% passing with 3 INTs and 1 TD pass allowed.  ASU is improving as the season progresses, while the same cannot be said for GSU. Arkansas State is on a 34-16-1 ATS conference run and they're 6-1 ATS following their last seven SU wins. Meanwhile, the Panthers are just 5-11-1 ATS in their last 17 home games.  GSU is also banged-up heading into Thursday's game.  I'm laying the points with Arkansas State, my Thursday night Knockout.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Heat on Tuesday night, my Slam Dunk.  Sacramento is playing its third game in four nights and lost 106-95 at Atlanta on Monday and it could have been worse as the Hawks missed 18 free-throw attempts out of 47 overall.  DeMarcus Cousins finished with only 14 points while Rudy Gay led the Kings with 22 points.  The Kings finally held an opponent to a low field goal percentage, however, they were done in by 34 personal fouls.  Miami came back from a 16-point deficit before losing to San Antonio 106-99 on Sunday.  Hassan Whiteside scored 27 points and grabbed 15 boards and Goran Dragic added 25 points.  Whiteside has been dealing with some cramping and plans to stay extra hydrated for this matchup. The Kings are 3-11 ATS their last 14 games in Miami, while the Heat are on an 11-4 ATS run at home going back to last season.  Miami is home and with the scheduling advantage.  I'm laying the points with the Heat, my Slam Dunk. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Patriots on Sunday, my KO release.  The Bills can't throw the football and can't stop the run and their one-dimensional offense scored just one TD and three FGs, in the first meeting, a 16-0 Buffalo win when Tom Brady was sidelined by suspension.  I don't believe the Bills will be able to "keep up" in this one.  Gronk is on fire, LeGarrette Blount is wearing defenses down and Brady has thrown for 1,004 yards on 75% passing since returning to the field, while throwing 8 TD passes with no INTs.  New England is on a 10-2 ATS run in Buffalo, and while revenge is an overused term in handicapping, they will be looking to exact some, and the Pats have been outstanding at doing so over the years.  Bill Belichick has coached his teams to a 35-18 ATS mark in revenge and an even better 8-0, 100% ATS if they scored less than nine points in the loss, winning those eight games by an average margin of 14 ppg. We should also note the last time the Bills beat the Pats, New England dropped 40 points on Buffalo in the next meeting and Brady passed for 466 yards with three TDs and no INTs.  I expect another case of spread covering revenge in this one.  I'm laying the points with the Patriots, my KNOCKOUT on Sunday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the short points with the Timberwolves on Saturday night. Minnesota won and covered all four meetings with Sacramento last season and they have covered six straight against the Kings, overall.  The Timberwolves feature some of the best young talent in the league with Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and this year's No. 5 draft pick, Kris Dunn. Minnesota blew a 17-point first quarter lead and lost 102-98 at Memphis but Wiggins and Towns combined for 46 points and Gorgui Dieng had 14 rebounds.  The Kings lost the first game in their new arena 102-94 to San Antonio as DeMarcus Cousins was a one-man show again scoring 37 points with 16 rebounds. Rudy Gay was the only other player in double figures with 17 points.  The Kings are shooting just 29.3 percent from beyond the arc their first two games.  Sacramento is without suspended point guard Darren Collison until Nov. 8. Minnesota is 6-2 in their last eight road games and 5-2 ATS on two days rest.  I'm backing the Timberwolves, my KO release.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Southern Miss on Saturday night.  The Eagles had last weekend off, licking their wounds after back-to-back losses to UTSA & LSU.  The loss to LSU was understandable, facing a Tiger team that's finally playing like most thought they would before the season began.  This is also USM's chance to snap a five-game, somewhat ugly head-to-head losing streak, not having beaten Marshall since a 41-16 win in 2010.  We went against the Thundering Herd last week and cashed as Charlotte, who opened +14 (closed +8.5), beat Marshall outright. Marshall is a major disappointment this season and they're "this close" to being placed into our "dead team" category.  They're 119th running the football, averaging just 113 yards per game. Marshall's defense is equally horrible in every important category, including 100th against the pass and 98th defending the run.  I expect the Southern Miss offense to find little resistance, while the Eagles' defense slams the door on the struggling Herd offense.  Marshall enters on a 0-4 ATS conference slide and they're 1-6-1 ATS after rushing for less than 100 yards in their previous game (the ran for 88 yards last week). We began the season cashing a play on Southern Miss over Kentucky and we'll back them here.  I'm laying the points with Southern Miss, my Conf-USA Main Event.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

My Afternoon Annihilator is Wake Forest minus the points.  We played the Demon Deacons here two weeks ago and cashed when they covered against Florida State and we feel they're still flying a tad under the radar. The best thing about Wake is that they stop the run, ranked 23rd in yards rushing allowed, and running the football is all the Cadets can do.  Take away the run and their offense bogs down as it did against Duke and North Texas in two of their last three games.  Army has only thrown 74 passes on the season.  Wake Forest has dropped just two games on the season, remain undervalued and we'll back them whether QB Kendall Hinton (questionable) returns or not. I'm laying the points with Wake Forest, my Afternoon Annihilator.

I'm taking the points with Purdue on Saturday.  The coaching change seemed to energize the Boilermakers this past weekend and they gave Nebraska all the Huskers could handle in Lincoln, despite Nebraska being in a big revenge spot.  Purdue has actually been an excellent money-maker of late off a SU loss, covering seven of their last eight.  They're catching Penn State at the most opportune time they could ask for.  The Nittany Lions are off the big win over Ohio State despite doing next to nothing offensively.  PSU turned a blocked punt into a FG and returned a blocked FG attempt into a game winning TD with less than five minutes to go in the contest.  QB Trace McSorley connected on just 8 of 23 passes for 154 yards and 1 TD, and the running game gained just 3.3 yards per carry.  But they did find a way to win and the Nittany Lion faithful stormed the field.  The reality of it all from our perspective is that Penn State is 3-14-2 ATS in their last 19 road games.  They allowed 91 points and 962 yards on 6.21 yards per play in their two road games this season.  Look for Purdue to keep this one close at the very least.  I'm taking the points with Purdue, my Top Dog Shocker.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Oklahoma State, my DogPound release.  The Cowboys have been red-hot on offense, especially in the passing game, and it's translated to points on the scoreboard, averaging about 44 ppg over the last three games.  West Virginia's defense is middle of the pack and outside of TCU, the Mountaineers have not beaten anyone of note during their 6-0 start to the season.  Even TCU, at 4-3 SU, is in rebuilding mode this season.  I expect OSU QB Mason Rudolph to find success against the WVU defense which must defend five OSU targets with double digits in receptions and 10 players who average at least 10.5 yards per grab. I'm taking the points with Oklahoma State, my DogPound release.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Iowa State on Saturday.  The Cyclones have had a week off to prepare for Bill Snyder's crew, and came within a FG of upsetting Baylor last time in Ames. They'll look to gain a measure of revenge for a 3-point loss in the last meeting and catch a Wildcat squad in-between games with Texas & Oklahoma State.  K-State is one-dimensional on offense and can't stop the pass on defense, and have scored a grand total of just 46 points in three road games this season.  K-State's dominance in Ames ends today in our opinion, and we're grabbing the points with Iowa State, my TKO.

I'm taking the points with the Raptors, my DogPound release on Friday. Cleveland did not come out flat after its ring ceremony on opening night as the Cavaliers blew out New York 117-88. However, the letdown could come tonight after Tuesday's emotional setting as they face Toronto, who won two of three regular season meetings with Cleveland last season before losing in six games in the playoffs.  Toronto had an equally impressive opening game as DeMar DeRozan scored 40 points and Jonas Valanciunas, who played limited minutes in last season's playoff series due to injury, added 32 for the Raptors, who held Detroit to 41.7 percent from the field in a 109-91 win. The Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS their last five games in Toronto and the home team has covered the spread eight of the last nine meetings.  Toronto is also on a 5-1 ATS run at home going back to last season.  LeBron James recorded a triple-double against the Knicks and Kyrie Irving scored 29 points, but look for the more talented Raptors to be much more competitive than the Knicks, who are learning to play together.  I'm taking the points with the Raptors, my DogPound release on Friday.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm grabbing the points with Pittsburgh on Thursday.  Pitt is one of the few teams on Va Tech's schedule that can out-work them on the offensive line and be more physical than the Hokies up front on defense, where I believe they'll put pressure on the Va Tech passing game.  Pitt is not only 20th in the nation in yards rushing per contest, but they're 5th in defending the run.  If the Hokies are unable to develop an early and consistent running game, I do believe too much of the offense will be placed on the shoulders of QB Jerod Evans.  The Panthers have scored at least 36 points in six straight games and had last weekend off to prep for the Hokies on both sides of the line of scrimmage, while Va Tech was busy with an emotional win over Miami.  Pitt has won the last two meetings, holding VT to a grand total of 35 yards rushing on 55 carries. Meanwhile, Pitt ran for a combined 376 yards on 89 carries.  The Panthers are on a 6-0 ATS run against Va Tech and they're 15-4 ATS at home off a double-digit conference win in their previous game.  I expect Pitt to be too much for the Hokies in the trenches, and I'm taking the points.  Pittsburgh is my Thursday KO.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Rockets on Wednesday, my Wipeout release!  Mike D'Antoni and his high-powered offense is back and the Houston Rockets averaged 118.6 points in the preseason to easily lead the league.  Houston added Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon, Nene and Pablo Prigioni while Dwight Howard and Terrance Jones are gone.  James Harden averaged 29.0 points last season and may have a field day playing in D'Antoni's offense.  Luke Walton takes over the coaching duties with the Lakers and while he seldom lost while filling in for Steve Kerr at Golden State, he's in for a rude awakening with the rebuilding Lakers, who went 2-6 in preseason.  Los Angeles has some young talent in D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle and it added Timofey Mozgoz, Luol Deng and Jose Calderon, but it will take awhile to put the pieces together.  The Lakers finished last season 5-12 ATS and Houston is 6-0 ATS  the last six games in Los Angeles. I'm laying the points with the Rockets, my Wednesday Wipeout.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Blazers on Tuesday night.  Portland has won eight of the last 11 meetings with Utah, which added George Hill, Joe Johnson and Boris Diaw to its roster after finishing 40-42.  Unfortunately for the Jazz, it is starting the season with some major injuries as Gordon Hayward is out with a broken finger, Alec Burks is out indefinitely after multiple surgeries and Derrick Favors is questionable for this game with a knee injury.  Boris Diaw and Rodney Hood also have minor injuries but are probable for tonight's contest. Portland comes off a surprising 44-38 season after having to replace four of its five starters from the previous year.  Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum comprise one of the best backcourts in the league.  The Trail Blazers added Evan Turner and Festus Ezeli, however, Ezeli is out indefinitely with a knee injury.  Portland won and covered both meetings at Moda Center last season and we'll back them here.  The Trail Blazers are my opening night Beatdown. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.  No Big Ben for Pittsburgh, but we feel the line has been over-adjusted.  The look-ahead line in Las Vegas, made before last week's games were played and before losing Roethlisberger, was PK'm. We know what Big Ben is worth to this team, but it's not like Landry Jones is new to the offense and new to the coaching staff.  Jones was forced into action in seven games last season. He's as familiar with his surroundings as just about any backup in the league.  The talent is all around him, despite the fact DeAngelo Williams is doubtful.  Le'Veon Bell is running for more than 5 yards per carry and he's averaged 7 receptions per game since his return to the field.  Antonio Brown is lethal at wideout and Sammie Coates is one of three other outstanding targets.  New England's defense gave up 120 yards on 32 carries to Cincy last week in a 35-17 win that was closer than the final score and we believe Pittsburgh will be able to run the ball effectively enough to keep the Patriots' defense honest. Simply put -- the line has been over-adjusted in our opinion.  The Steelers are on a 4-0 ATS run off a SU loss and they're on a 14-5-2 ATS run against teams with a winning record.  Meanwhile, the Patriots have covered just one of their last five against teams with a winning record.  I'm grabbing the points with the Steelers, my Oddsmaker Error.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Chargers on Sunday, my DogPound release.  If you've been playing SDG when they venture outside of "America's Finest City," you're quite happy with your return with the Chargers on an 8-1 ATS road run.  Normally undervalued, they are again this week when they head to ATL.  The Chargers will face a Falcon team that needs a whole lot of offense, because the defense is certainly nothing special.  ATL is 26th against the pass, 24th in total yards allowed per game, and 26th in ppg allowed. This should be music to Philip Rivers' ears. The SDG QB is connecting on 67% of his passes with 12 TD tosses and just 3 INTs and his offense ranks 3rd in the league, averaging nearly 29 ppg.  Atlanta is also coming home off a tough and hard fought, 26-24 loss at Seattle, with Green Bay on deck.  We also note Atlanta has covered just four of their last 15 at home against teams with a losing road record.  I'm grabbing the points with the Chargers, my DogPound release.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Titans on Sunday.  Tennessee suffered quite a bit of bad luck last season, but things are starting to turn around now that they own an offensive line that gives Marcus Mariota time to go through his progressions.  Mariota has four targets with between 17 and 24 receptions and mixes in TE usage quite well.  It also certainly helps to have a ground game with DeMarco Murray gaining 4.6 yards per carry.  Indianapolis has been horrible on the defensive side of the football, ranked 29th against the pass, 25th against the run, while allowing 29 ppg, the league's 5th most points per contest.  Indy will have a tough time keeping up if the o-line doesn't give Andrew Luck more time.  Luck has been sacked 23 times in six games and Tennessee's defense owns six sacks in each of their last two games.  I'm laying the points with the Titans, my Div. Knockout.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Wyoming Cowboys on Saturday night, my MWC Main Event.  Craig Bohl comes from good stock, having both played and coached at Nebraska under Tom Osborne.  He also turned North Dakota State into a FCS giant, winning three straight national titles before taking the job in Laramie.  Now in his third season at Wyoming, you can see things beginning to click.  Wyoming enters Saturday 4-2 on the season as players are buying into Bohl's style.  The Cowboys rocked Air Force last time out, holding the nation's 6th-ranked ground game (275.2 yards per game) to 3.8 yards per carry in a 35-26 Wyoming win as a 13 1/2 point underdog.  That win followed a 38-17 punishing win at Colo State as a 5 1/2 point dog (we had Wyo).  The Cowboys head to Reno with an extra week to prepare and will send their strong running game into battle against Nevada's ultra-weak run defense, ranked 122nd, allowing 251 yards rushing per game.  The Wolf Pack defense is coming off four games where they allowed nearly 5 yards per carry to the anemic offenses of Purdue, Hawaii, Fresno State, and San Jose State.  Only Hawaii has a ground game ranked better than 82nd of that group. Offensively, the Pack scored a grand total of 68 points against those same teams, an average of just 17 ppg.  We point out the defenses in those four contests rank from 105th to 122nd in points allowed per game.  The Pack are just 65th running the football, but that's by far the best thing about their offense.  The problem for Nevada is that Wyoming's defense is at their best against the run.  One more note: The Pack ground game gained just 113 yards on 3.3 yards per carry against SJSU last week, the nation's 113th ranked run defense.  You get the picture.  With a week off to prep, we expect the Wyoming surge under Craig Bohl to continue in an upward direction.  Finally, Wyoming is on a 7-1 ATS run in October football, while the Pack are on a 4-game ATS losing streak. I'm laying the points with Wyoming, my MWC Main Event.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Charlotte on Saturday, my Hammer G.O.W.!  Marshall snapped a 4-game losing skid last time out with a 27-21 win (spread loss) over FAU.  The Herd have been underachievers and overrated this entire season, losing outright by 27 points as a 17.5-point favorite to Akron and outright by 17 points as a 13.5-point favorite to North Texas.  Take Morgan State out of the mix and Marshall is not only 0-3 ATS as a double-digit favorite this season, but they lost two of the games outright as mentioned.  Marshall is one-dimensional on offense, ranked 118th passing the football.  Defensively, the Herd is about as bad as it gets in every important category. This is certainly a team that we feel should not be laying more than a TD, let alone, a double-digit fave yet again.  Charlotte can run the football, shorten this game a bit and hang the big number.  I'm grabbing the points with Charlotte, my Conf-USA Hammer GOW.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm grabbing the points with TCU on Saturday, my Big-12 DogPound GOM.  The Horned Frogs have had a week off to prep for the undefeated West Virginia Mountaineers and by now, most know that TCU is a perfect 6-0 ATS off a bye the last three seasons, outscoring the half-dozen opponents by an average of 44-12.  We also expect TCU to find success on the arm of Kenny Hill, who has led his team to the 6th most passing yards per game on the season. TCU heads into this one a tad undervalued.  Yes, they have two marks in the loss column, but they were close defeats, losing in OT to Arkansas and by six points to Oklahoma.  WVU has struggled against the pass this season, ranked 90th in the nation, allowing about 251 yards passing per game.  The schedule has not exactly been daunting and TCU will be the best team they have faced so far this season.  Back to Kenny Hill for a moment -- the TCU signal caller is completing over 63% of his passes and we note that under Dana Holgorsen, the Mountaineers have allowed and average of 41 ppg in 25 outings against teams that complete at least 62% of their passes on the season.  WVU covered just six of those 25 contests.  They're also 0-6 ATS as a home fave of no more than seven points, again allowing a lot of points, 31 ppg in this case.  We love the extra week HC Gary Patterson has had to coach-up his troops and we'll grab the points. TCU is my Big-12 DogPound on Saturday. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Boise State on Thursday night.  BYU has been in some nail-biters this season with six of their seven games decided by seven or fewer points.  But now the somewhat bad news.  BYU has been out-gained in four of their seven games and the losses to UCLA & West Virginia were not nearly as close as the final scores would indicate.  In fact, they trailed WVU 35-19 in the fourth quarter and the Mountaineers were about to extend before turning the ball over inside the BYU 10-yard line.  The final TD in the loss to UCLA came with roughly 30-seconds left in the contest and the Cougars were held to 273 yards, including 23 yards rushing on 25 carries.  Boise State is a tad undervalued in this one, thanks in part to their close score last week in a 28-23 win over Colorado State.  But the Broncos, while in look-ahead mode, led 28-3 with just over five minutes to go in the game.  Boise's one close-call this season came in a 31-28 win over Washington State.  The Broncos led that one by 17 points in the fourth quarter. And we all know just how well Wazzu has played since then, winning four in a row.  BSU is one of the top passing teams in college football and will face a BYU defense ranked 100th in defending the pass.  At the same time, the Cougar passing game has left a lot to be desired in their new offense under 1st year HC Kalani Sitake.  Boise enters on a 7-2 ATS run at home against teams with a winning road record and we're backing them here.  I'm laying the points with Boise State, my Thursday Beatdown.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Seahawks on Sunday, my NFL Smackdown!  ATL is off to a great start and played extremely well in the win over Denver last week.  ATL designed an I-formation base to off-set Denver's normally strong LB play.  But that won't work against the powerful Seahawk defense and we expect Matt Ryan and the Falcon offense to suffer their worst Sunday so far this season.  Seattle enters 3rd against the pass, 7th against the run, and tops in the league in total yards allowed per game, while allowing just 13.5 ppg.  Offensively, the Seahawks had last week off, allowing Russell Wilson to get healthy, so he can rejoin the Seattle running game.  And as much as the offensive line has been maligned by the media, the passing game still ranks 11th in the NFL.  Wilson and his receivers will face the league's 27th ranked pass defense and should find little resistance, especially when TE Jimmy Graham faces off against ATL's LBs and safeties, who have struggled against opposing TEs.  We note that Seattle is on a 17-6 ATS run against defenses that allow at least 375 yards per game.  Seattle outscored those 23 opponents by an average of 12 ppg. And finally, under Pete Carroll, the Seahawks are 10-1 ATS as home chalk of 3 1/2 to 7 points, winning by an average score of 27-13.  I'm laying the points with the Seahawks, my Smackdown release. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Bengals, my DogPound release on Sunday.  The New England Patriots bounced back well last week in Tom Brady's first start of the season.  But while the Pats are 4-1 SU, they haven't exactly taken on the top teams in the NFL.  The Bengals will be the most talented passing attack New England has faced yet.  Cincy's passing game is 4th in the NFL, averaging over 286 yards per game with Andy Dalton connecting on nearly 68% of his passes.  He won't have TE Tyler Eifert, but his two backup TEs have combined for 22 receptions in 2016.  The passing ability of the Cincy offense is the difference here.  New England's last four opponents' passing games have ranked 26th, 32nd, 29th, & 24th.  Finally, Cincinnati enters on a 9-2 ATS road run and they're on a 7-2 ATS run when playing in their second of back-to-back road games.  I'm grabbing the points with the Bengals, my DogPound release.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Alabama on Saturday afternoon.  Alabama has won four straight at Tennessee, doing so by scores of 34-20, 44-13, 41-10, and 29-9.  Saban will have no trouble getting his team's focus for another trip to the Volunteer State after a close, 19-14 win at home a season ago.  The Tide are also "catching" Tennessee at the right time.  The Vols are off five close calls in their first six games.  Even the win over Ohio U. was a 2-point game in the fourth quarter before the Vols won 28-19.  UT's 45-24 win over Va Tech is misleading when you consider Tennessee trailed 14-0 and had been outgained 193-6 until the Hokies lost the handle on the ball, losing five fumbles.  Tennessee is allowing 34.7 ppg in SEC play this season.  The defense is a mess with injuries and they were already ranked 86th against the pass.  We note that Tennessee enters on a 2-10 ATS slide at home after allowing 31 or more points in back-to-back games.  Offensively, Alabama should have little trouble flexing their muscle throughout this one, including wearing down the depleted Vols' defense over the final two quarters.  Jalen Hurts is averaging over 250 total yards per game and RB Damien Harris is familiar with topping 100 yards on the ground.  The Tide are balanced on offense and average nearly 45 ppg.  Last week against Arkansas, Alabama rushed for 264 yards on 7.8 yards per carry...a solid warm-up for this week's game.  Defensively, the Tide are as stingy as ever, allowing less than 16 ppg and Tennessee has covered just 6 of their last 25 at home against teams that allow no more than 17 ppg.  Bama will face a Tennessee offense averaging nearly 3 turnovers per game, an important note because CFB road teams are on a 53-21 ATS run against home teams that average at least 2.5 tpg, provided they're off a game where they committed at least four turnovers. The Tide enter on a 9-2 ATS run against teams with a winning record and they're on a 6-1 ATS run at Tennessee. Finally, Alabama is on a 6-0 ATS run on the road against defenses that allow at least 58% passing, winning those six games by an average score of 38-14!  I'm laying the points with Alabama over a worn-out Tennessee team, my SEC Main Event. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm grabbing the points with Buffalo, my Top Shocker. Ball State will enter this one off three straight hard-fought, down to the wire affairs. That in itself is tough to shake, along with the fact they don't own a reliable passing attack, while their pass defense is 105th in the nation. Buffalo has been improving against same level opposition this season and remember, they did knock off a good Army team just a few weeks ago. Last week was a step back when they lost to Kent State, but we expect a highly competitive game that goes down the wire, making the double digits worth taking. I'm grabbing the points with Buffalo, my Top Shocker.

I'm taking the points with Wake Forest, my Underdog Hammer. Florida State has had their troubles with the Demon Deacons and aren't in the best spot to face them this week, especially laying around 3 TDs. FSU QB Deondre Francois (shoulder) is expected to play, but he and several other key Seminole players are a bit banged-up following close games with North Carolina and Miami. The 'Noles would like to get it going on the ground, but Wake is 24th in the nation defending the run. Last season, Wake covered against Clemson, Louisville, Notre Dame, and these Florida State Seminoles. WF enters on a 4-1 ATS road run, while the Seminoles have covered just 8 of their last 26 following a SU win. I'm grabbing the points with Wake Forest, my Hammer. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Eastern Michigan, my DogPound release. The Eagles have been undervalued all season, having covered four straight and five of six this season, overall. It's an improved team on both sides of the ball with a decent passing game and a defense that has played well against the run, ranked 48th in the nation. You must be able to slow the run if you wish to hang with or beat Ohio. I do believe EMU can force the Bobcats to throw more than they wish to and also look for the Eagles to exploit Ohio's weak pass defense, at least enough to hang this number. I'm grabbing the points with Eastern Michigan, my DogPound release.

I'm taking the points with Virginia, my Knockout release.  If you can remotely pass the football, you're likely to put together consistent drives against the Pitt Panthers.  Pittsburgh rolls into Charlottesville with the nation's 125th-ranked pass defense, allowing over 300 yards passing per game.  The run defense isn't as good as the numbers would indicate because no one really needs to spend much time on the ground.  Virginia does own the passing attack to make the Panthers pay for their inauspicious ways.  The Cavaliers rank 28th in the nation, averaging over 290 yards passing per contest.  QB Kurt Benkert has four receivers averaging between 18 and 26 receptions on the season and he has underneath and long distance targets at his disposal.  Defensively, UVA's weakness at times has been their own pass defense, but Pitt's passing offense (102nd) is almost as weak as their defense.  Pitt wants to run the football, but UVA is at their defensive best against the run.  They aren't top-10 by any means, but they're not bad, especially when facing a team that doesn't make defenses stay honest.  And while Pitt enters on a 1-7 ATS slide, the Cavaliers are on a 7-0 ATS run in ACC action.  I'm grabbing the points with Virginia on Saturday, my First Release Knockout.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with SDSU on Friday, our Beatdown release.  This one plays out as an old fashioned smash mouth matchup that we believe will translate onto the field.  SDSU owns arguably the best RB west of the Mississippi, in Donnel Pumphrey, who has already rushed for 891 yards on 6.9 yards per carry with 9 rushing TDs. This after topping 1,600 yards rushing each of the last two seasons.  Pumphrey and the Aztecs will face a Fresno State defense ranked 126th in the nation, allowing over 273 yards rushing per game.  The Bulldogs can't run the ball either, where they rank 113th and the best part about SDSU's defense is the way they stop the run.  SDSU has a shot at an 11-1 season if they win out, beating their final seven opponents and it all starts on Friday in Fresno.  The Aztecs enter on a 9-1-1 ATS run against teams with a losing record.  They're on a 6-1 ATS run on the road and the chalk in this series has cashed four straight times.  I'm laying the points with San Diego State, my Friday Beatdown. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Lions on Sunday.  Philly is off to a great start, but did hit a speed bump last week in the form of a bye week.  This week, the Eagles will face a Detroit squad that should react well to Philly's passing game.  Carson Wentz has been outstanding out of the gate, but 54% of his passing yardage has come after the catch.  That's game management and he's not had to carry the load as of yet.  The NFL eventually catches up to these things and I expect that from Detroit's defense in this one.  I also expect Detroit's offense, even without Ebron (doubtful), to take advantage of an Eagle defense playing a cover-2, split-safety base.  We note that NFL favorites are 6-27 ATS if they're off a home underdog outright win, provided they also own a winning record on the season.  Detroit lost 17-14 to Chicago last week.  We note that the Lions are on a 12-3 ATS bounce-back run after scoring 14 or fewer points.  I'm grabbing the points with the Lions, my DogPound (contrarian) Game of the Month. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the NY Jets on Sunday.  Since Mike Tomlin has been HC of the Steelers, we have seen his team get a tad overvalued at the books, because as any Las Vegas oddsmaker will tell you, the Steelers see more public action than just about anyone in the league on a general basis.  They certainly become overvalued against teams they're "supposed" to beat.  Pittsburgh has covered just eight of 25 under Tomlin against teams that are outscored by at least 6 ppg on the season.  Making it more difficult to cover big numbers this season is a defense that ranks 30th against the pass and 27th in total yards allowed per game.  This is a defense that we believe Ryan Fitzpatrick can handle, meaning the Jets can play inside this number.  New York enters on a 5-1-1 ATS run against teams with a winning record and we'll back them here.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Stanford on Saturday night.  We played on Washington and against Stanford last weekend and cashed an easy one, but we saw that coming in our handicap and it came to fruition.  A lot of folks are now bailing on David Shaw's Cardinal, but not us.  Stanford has been "money" off a SU loss, going 9-1 ATS the last 10 times.  They're also on a 13-3 ATS winning run after being held to less than 20 points.  When David Shaw teams slip-up, they have refocused in a hurry.  We expect nothing less in this one.  The Cougar defense ought to be "just what the doctor ordered" for Christian McCaffrey and company to get right back on track after a couple of tough outings.  Washington State's run defense numbers are a little fraudulent because everyone passes the heck out of the Cougar secondary.  I don't believe Stanford QB Ryan Burns will face the kind of heat he felt against Washington.  And while his numbers are not spectacular, Burns has been efficient in 2016 and he may be primed for his best outing of the season against the nation's 112th-ranked pass defense.  Stanford has won eight straight in this series and won 34-17 "on the farm" last time here in 2014.  I expect more of the same in this one.  Wazzu allowed 45, 31, and 33 points to EWU, Boise, and Oregon.  I expect Stanford to be too much for them in this one.  I'm laying the points with Stanford, my Bailout Blowout. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Virginia Tech on Saturday.  Solid spot for an undervalued Va Tech football team.  Not only do the Hokies catch UNC off a last-second win over Florida State, but they have a road date with undefeated Miami up next.  Our problem with UNC is that they're one-dimensional on both offense and defense.  They rank 101st in the nation in yards rushing per game and 116th defending the run.  Va Tech brings one of the top defenses in college football and the offense can run and pass, averaging 196 yards per game on the ground and 254 yards per game through the air.  Va Tech is 3-1 SU on the season, outscoring their last two opponents (Boston College & East Carolina) by a combined 103-17. The lone loss to Tennessee was misleading. Va Tech jumped out to a 14-0 lead and had outgained the Vols 193-6 with about two minutes to go in the opening quarter. Unfortunately, Va Tech then turned it over no less than five times over the final 3 quarters, (all fumbles), driving the nails in their own coffin. The Hokies have not committed a single fumble in their last two games and we expect they'll gain a measure of revenge for last year's 30-27 overtime loss.  We note that CFB road teams with a +3/-3 line range are on a 39-12 ATS run, provided they average at least 35 ppg and are off a win by at least 17 points in their most recent game.  I'm taking the points with Virginia Tech, my Revenge GOM. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Army on Saturday.  Army looked well on their way to a 4-0 start two weeks ago, before blowing a 20-6 lead with 9 minutes left in the fourth quarter and losing 23-20 in OT. Army outgained Buffalo 444-265, including a 396-87 rushing advantage (5.9 yards per carry), but they couldn't overcome a pair of missed FGs and a turnover at their own 23-yard line that led to a Bulls' TD.  The nation's #1 ranked rushing attack has had two weeks to prep for Duke's stop unit.  But Army is more than an offensive ground game.  The Cadet defense is doing their part and more, ranked 11th against the run and 19th against the pass.  They'll face a Duke offense that's been one-dimensional, struggling to find a consistent ground game.  Duke is about to find out this is a much different opponent than the one they beat 44-3 last season.  We note that CFB road teams are on a 40-14 ATS run if they gain at least 1.75 yards per carry more than they allow, provided they out-rushed their most recent opponent by at least 200 yards.  And while Army enters on a 5-1 ATS run, Duke has covered just two of their last 12 as home chalk of 3 1/2 to 7 points. I'm backing Army plus the points, my non-conference DogPound GOM.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing Minnesota on Saturday.  Both teams are coming off a loss, but these two programs have reacted differently when in this situation. While the Hawkeyes have gone into a shell off of SU losses, going 0-4 ATS the last four times, the Gophers have rebounded, covering six in a row. Minnesota has been a conference money-maker, currently on a 17-5-1 ATS run in Big-10 play. And of course, they're in revenge mode after losing 40-35 to Iowa last season.  The Hawks offense has been pathetic since the loss to North Dakota State.  Even in last week's loss to Northwestern, where Iowa scored 31 points, the offense, ranked 110th in the nation, gained just 289 total yards.  Minnesota runs well and they stop the run and we expect more of the same in this one.  I'm backing Minnesota, my Morning Massacre. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with New Mexico on Friday night.  Boise State's struggles against option attacks are well documented, including tough outings against Air Force and UNM over the last few seasons.  In fact, the Lobos beat the Broncos outright in Boise last season.  And we note that conference revenge has been over-hyped as Boise State enters tonight's game just 1-6 ATS in their last seven in this situation.  New Mexico is on a 5-0 ATS run in this series and 6-0 ATS against good run defenses, those allowing no more than 120 yards rushing per game.  UNM has averaged 33 ppg in those six contests.  I'm grabbing the points with New Mexico, my Friday night Smash.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the NY Giants on Monday night.  Minnesota has suffered plenty of key injuries, but the defense has kept them ahead of the game, winning all three weeks thus far. But I believe the offense, or lack thereof, catches up to them here.  Minnesota ranks 31st in total yards per game, Sam Bradford has been sacked six times in two games, and the Vikings are dead last, averaging just 51 yards rushing per contest.  We note that road teams are on a 23-5 ATS run against their hosts, provided the home team averages no more than 70 yards rushing per game and have rushed for less than 100 yards in three straight games. Minnesota fits the bill.  The G-men expect to be healthier at the RB position this week, which means more attention will have to be paid to slowing down the ground game, giving Eli Manning and his talented WR corps more room in the passing game.  NFL road teams enter on an 18-6 ATS run after gaining at least 6.5 yards per play in their previous game.  That's the Giants...and we'll back them.  I'm grabbing the points with the NY Giants on Monday, my Showdown release.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Saints on Sunday.  No problem with piling up the yardage for the Saints as they did so again in Monday's loss, gaining 474 yards and picking up 32 first downs. Drew Brees is tearing up the league through the air, showing no signs of letting down and this week he faces the NFL's 30th ranked pass defense, allowing 322 yards passing per contest. The Chargers stop-unit is banged-up this week, which should add to their woes.  Speaking of defense, the Saints are healthier this week, expecting Kenny Vaccaro to return at safety. He and his mates will face an offense that has been hamstrung with the losses of Keenan Allen & Danny Woodhead, and Antonio Gates remains doubtful.  The Saints have reacted to this situation well, on a 6-1 ATS run on a Sunday following a Monday night game.  Meanwhile, you're 11-3 ATS if you've been playing against the Chargers at home.  One final note--we are playing the Saints plus the points even if WR Willie Snead sits this one out (questionable - toe).  My DogPound play is the Saints plus the points.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Carolina on Sunday.  After a horrendous performance in week-3, I expect the Panthers' offensive line to get just what it needs in week-4, a date with the weak Atlanta Falcon pass rush.  The Falcons have garnered just three sacks in three games and the defense ranks near the bottom of the league in all key categories, including points allowed per game (30.3), yards passing allowed (313), and total yards allowed per game (433).  Their best situation comes against the run, yet the Falcons rank 22nd in that important category.  After being under constant pressure and suffering eight sacks against a very good Viking defense, I expect a serious bounce back performance by the Panther offense, including Cam Newton here.  And yes, ATL put 45 points on the board on Monday night, but they were actually out-gained by New Orleans, allowing 474 yards of offense and 32 first downs. And while the Falcons are on a 1-6 ATS slide at home, the Panthers have covered 11 of their last 12 as divisional October favorites.  Atlanta has covered just 6 of their last 33 after gaining at least 375 yards in each of their previous two games.  I'm backing the Panthers minus the points, my Div Knockout! Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Wyoming on Saturday.  We really like this spot for the Cowboys after going against them last Friday and cashing with Eastern Michigan.  HC Craig Bohl is slowly turning this program around, while Colorado State is down in 2016.  CSU's two wins came in a close on against UTSA and against Northern Colorado. The Rams can't throw the football and rank 93rd in total offense.  Look for Wyoming to shock the Rams...we're taking the points with the Wyoming Cowboys, our Road Warrior.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Clemson, my ACC Game of the Week.  The Tigers have yet to "unleash" Deshaun Watson, the preseason Heisman favorite.  I expect that to change this week. And Watson will not only use his feet more in this game, but I don't believe Louisville will be able to keep Ray-Ray McCloud, Artavis Scott, and Mike Williams under wraps.  The three have a combined 57 receptions for 701 yards and 3 TDs.  All that and we haven't even mentioned RB Wayne Gallman yet.  Clemson's defense will be the most athletic and quickest Louisville will have seen all season and will do enough to slow the Cardinals' offense en route to the win. The Tigers have held their 2016 opponents to 126 yards passing per game and 93 yards rushing per game, while allowing just 11 ppg.  We note that Louisville has covered just four of their last 20 against teams that allow no more than 150 yards passing per game.  And under Dabo Swiney, the Tigers are 23-13 ATS against teams that average at least 31 ppg.  The adjustment has been too high in this one.  I'm taking the points with Clemson, my ACC Hammer GOW. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Kent State on Saturday afternoon.  Greg Bollas is expected to get the start at QB for the Flashes on Saturday and that's fine by us.  Bollas runs well from the signal-caller position and the Kent offense will face one of their easier tasks so far this season, taking on an Akron defense that ranks 126th against the pass, 123rd in total yards allowed, and gives up 40 ppg.  And oh by the way, their best stat (run defense) ranks 95th in the nation.  One of the problems for the Zips as the season progresses is going to be a defense that spends too much time on the field. Akron opponents are averaging roughly 37 minutes of possession time per game against the Zips and even VMI held onto the football for more than 36 minutes.  Kent State should be able to take full advantage and has already faced Penn State & Alabama on the road as they toughened-up before MAC action.  The Flashes have been strong against the pass this season, which helps against the Zips, who are one-dimensional, able to pass, but ranked 107th in yards rushing per contest.  Akron is just 1-9 ATS following a game where they and their opponent combined for 80 or more points, while the home team in this series is on an 8-3 ATS run.  Revenge will be on the agenda for the Golden Flashes and I'm taking the points with Kent State, my DogPound play on Saturday.  Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Michigan on Saturday night.  We felt the Badgers were in a bit of a rebuilding mode before this season began.  We didn't believe Wiscy would be undefeated after four weeks of play.  We were wrong in that regard.  However, due to LSU and Michigan State being down on the offensive side of the football, and the fact they made plenty of unforced mistakes in some cases, we haven't raised Wisconsin's power rating as much as one would think.  We have however, begun to raise Michigan's and have them firmly in our top-10 in power ratings with a serious shot at a CFB playoff appearance at season's end.  And the balanced offense, which averages 52 ppg is the best thing, by far, the Badger defense will have faced.  Wisconsin will have to play "keep-up" in our opinion and we don't believe they have the offense or the QB to do so against the extremely athletic Wolverines' stop unit.  Jim Harbaugh-coached teams are 26-13 ATS as chalk, outscoring the 39 opponents by an average final score of 37-15.  I'm laying the points with Michigan, my Big-10 Smash.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Washington on Friday night.  The Huskies struggled to an OT win over Arizona last week, with a little look-ahead to this week's home game with Stanford. Washington gained 512 yards and ran for 6.9 yards per carry, but they couldn't shake the Wildcats, due in part to turnovers. Washington turned it over on downs at the Wildcats' 28, QB Jake Browning threw an INT at the Arizona one-yard line, and the Huskies suffered a missed FGA, leaving a potential of 17 points off the scoreboard.  We note that despite the INT, Browning is connecting on 70.5% of his passes, averaging 9.5 yards per attempt, with 14 TD passes and just 2 INTs.  The defense will need to shore-up some issues from the weekend in Arizona, but still ranks 22nd in yards passing allowed per game and 26th in total yards allowed per game.  We believe the "U-Dub" stop-unit is for real and will prove it on Friday. Stanford was quite fortunate to beat UCLA over the weekend.  The Cardinal trailed 13-9 before scoring a go-ahead TD with :24 left in the game. They then added a 58-yard fumble return for a TD with :04 left, for a miracle cover.  Stanford is still struggling in the passing game, where they rank 122nd in the nation, and they're 109th in total yards per game.  Meanwhile, they're 77th defending the pass.  Washington owns the defense to stop the one-dimensional Cardinal offense.  I'm laying the points with Washington, my Friday night Smash Game of the Month. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

We backed the Saints when they reopened the Superdome following Hurricane Katrina.  We will do so again on the 10th anniversary.  It will be an emotional night and Drew Brees has spoken about this with the same determination to win that he had in 2006.  He's also spoken about the need to win after losing the first two games of the season.  New Orleans is 0-2, but they're a grand total of just four points away from a pair of wins.  The Saints still rank 2nd in the league in yards passing per game, but we also liked what we saw out of RB Mark Ingram last weekend and we do know the Falcon defense is permissive.  Atlanta heads into this one ranked 24th in yards passing allowed and 24th in yards rushing allowed.  No the Saints' defense isn't of championship caliber either, but we expect them to be good enough to get the job done tonight.  ATL rolls into this one on a 1-9 ATS conference slide, while the Saints are on a 5-0 ATS run within the division and a 4-1 ATS run at home against ATL.  The Saints aren't winning any more NFL titles with Brees behind center, but I expect them to take care of business in this one.  I'm laying the points with the Saints, my Monday Night Knockout. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Bears on Sunday night.  Jay Cutler is out and Brian Hoyer is in at QB for Chicago and that's certainly no downgrade (15-11 record as a starter).  Dak Prescott hasn't disappointed, but he runs into a top-10 squad (total defense) this week and his team is simply overvalued.  I do believe Hoyer will manage the offense and stay away from costly mistakes, backed by a defense that can harass Prescott.  Chicago enters on a 6-2 ATS run on the road, while Dallas enters on a disastrous 16-34-1 ATS slide at home.  I'm grabbing the points with the Bears, my Sunday Smash. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.  We had the Jags in week-1, citing in part, the impressive moves the team made in the off-season.  They should have beaten Green Bay outright, outgaining the Pack 348-294.  Last weekend, the Jags looked hungover from the heartbreaking week-one loss.  They're back home and while their record says 0-2 and Baltimore's says 2-0, I believe the better team is the one without a win.  Baltimore handled the dysfunctional Buffalo Bills & Cleveland Browns...barely.  The Ravens were actually outgained by the Browns, including allowing 145 yards rushing on 6.3 yards per carry.  We believe the additions made in the off-season will come to the forefront in this one for the Jags and expect domination in the trenches. We're betting the Jags put one in the win column against the Ravens and their sluggish offense, ranked in the bottom-third in the league.  Baltimore enters just 5-15 ATS in their last 20 off a win, while the Jags have covered four of their last five, overall, and they beat the Ravens in Baltimore last season. I'm backing the Jaguars, my first Smackdown release of the season. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Arizona State on Saturday night (9/24).  ASU will look to exact revenge for last year's last-second loss at Cal.  The Sun Devils led the game by as many as 17 points and looked in control at least twice in the second half.  But the Cal Bears, led by current rookie-NFL QB Jared Goff put PK Matt Anderson in place for a 26-yard, game-winning field goal as time ran out in the fourth quarter, for a 48-46 Cal win. The QBs are different for both teams in this one and I expect Sun Devils' signal caller Manny Wilkins to be the difference.  Wilkins has connected on 66% of his passes, while averaging 8.4 yards per pass on the season, but he also beats teams with his legs, rushing for 191 yards on nearly 6 yards per carry.  The ASU offense has posted 144 points in three games, showing fantastic balance, averaging 265 yards passing and 260 yards rushing per contest.  ASU is off a mistake-filled win over UTSA, outgaining the Roadrunners 469-322, but allowing UTSA to hang around thanks to a minus-3 turnover ratio.  Cal is off back-to-back barn-burners, beating Texas 50-43 after a 45-40 loss to San Diego State.  The Bears' defense has been torched for 504.3 yards per game (118th in NCAA).  Meanwhile, the offense, unlike ASU, is one-dimensional, ranked second through the air, but 106th on the ground.  ASU has covered five straight home games and they're 9-2 ATS under HC Graham against teams allowing at least 425 yards per game.  ASU averaged 47 ppg in those 11 contests.  I'm laying the points with Arizona State, my Knockout on Saturday night. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with UCLA on Saturday night.  Stanford will attempt to do what they have done best under HC David Shaw -- muscle UCLA in the trenches.  But the Bruins have been attempting to follow the Cardinal model and while they aren't quite as physical as they hope to be soon, they do own the much better QB and passing game in this one.  Stanford has Christian McCaffrey, but UCLA does have a pair of capable RBs.  And the Cardinal enter with the nation's 120th-ranked passing game, while the defense is 83rd against the pass.  UCLA's defense held a physical BYU offense to 182 yards and seven points until the Cougars, "meaningless" final drive of the game.  I do believe they'll hold the one-dimensional Cardinal offense in-check on Saturday. I'm backing UCLA.  I do believe they'll snap their 8-game series losing streak.  I'm taking the points with UCLA, my DogPound GOW.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with UL-Lafayette.  I like the way Anthony Jennings, the UL-L QB is progressing...remember, he was at LSU for a couple of seasons before transferring.  Maybe it's something in the water, because he only connected on 49% of his passes in his final season in Baton Rouge, but Jennings has completed 68% of his passes this season and almost 8 yards per attempt and he does have decent escapability. Meanwhile, no one is slowing down RB Elijah McGuire, who's averaged 7.3 yards or more per carry in 3 of 4 seasons, and he's looking for his third straight thousand-yard rushing season.  Tulane's offense is completely one-dimension.  The Green Wave's passing game is non-existent and they've scored just 17 points combined against Wake Forest & Navy.  I'm grabbing the points with UL-Lafayette, my Saturday Smash.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with West Virginia on Saturday afternoon.  The situation BYU is in is reminiscent of their 2015 season.  BYU is in off of three straight, down to the wire contests, just like they were when they traveled to Ann Arbor last year.  BYU had nothing left in the tank and it showed in a 31-0 Wolverines win as a TD favorite.  This time the Cougars make a trip to Landover, MD., off a last-second 18-16 win over Arizona in week-one, a 20-19 hard-fought loss at Utah, and a 17-14 loss to UCLA.  The loss to the Bruins wasn't quite as close as the score would indicate.  Until a last-minute, "meaningless" drive for a TD, the Cougars had a total of just 182 yards and seven points.  WVU has piled-up the yardage in their first two games, are loaded at the skill positions, and should find a weary BYU defense on the other side of the line of scrimmage, much like Michigan found last year.  We note that teams are just 11-35 ATS if they are averaging no more than 17 ppg and are off a loss by no more than three points.  I'm laying the points with West Virginia, my Blowout GOM.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm grabbing the points with Eastern Michigan on Friday night.  Wyoming will look to avenge last year's 48-29 loss in Laramie and while HC Craig Bohl is beginning to turn things around for the Cowboys' program, we believe the defense will be over-matched against the Eagles' undervalued pass offense.  Todd Porter is getting it done through the air and he will face Wyoming's weakness, their 118th-ranked pass defense.  And let's not forget those 310 yards passing per game allowed came against Northern Illinois, Nebraska, and UC-Davis, none of which are going to frighten teams with their passing games.  EMU rolled-up 506 yards, including 330 through the air in last year's win and I expect another victory in this one.  I'm taking the points with Eastern Michigan, my Friday night Smash.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Indianapolis Colts.  We passed the Broncos opener with Carolina and played on Detroit and against Indianapolis. While Indy's defense left more than a little to be desired, we saw things we like from the 2016 Colts' offense. Indy made some additions to the offensive line and get this -- Andrew Luck actually had time in the pocket.  Pro Football Focus reported that Luck was only pressured on 29% of his drop-backs, a much improved number over last season when he normally was pressured between 36% and 42% of the time.  We expect success on Sunday.  Denver was in a huge emotional spot last week and they were also attempting to show they could win without Peyton Manning behind center. Young Trevor Simien played well for the most part, owns confidence, but also made the occasional poor decision, leading to an errant pass.  With game film on him, I expect Indy to devise a defense that will bring Simien back to earth in week-2.  The NFL is fickle, especially for rookie QBs.  The Colts enter on a 21-8 ATS run off a SU loss, while Denver is on a 1-6 ATS slide against teams with a losing record. I'm backing the Indianapolis Colts, my AFC DogPound Game of the Month!  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Bengals on Sunday.  Cincy may have gotten away with one last weekend, but I expect complete readiness for the contest with the Steelers.  Pittsburgh, despite the big MNF victory are still short-handed. Le'Veon Bell is still out (susp), Martavis Bryan was lost for the season before the season began (susp), Markus Wheaton is questionable, and Ryan Shazier is banged-up, but should play. This is the spot where I do believe the missing and banged-up parts will come into play.  Eli Rogers had a big game in the passing game on Monday; he's no longer a surprise.  The Steeler defense is near or in the bottom-third in the league on paper.  Meanwhile, Cincy owns the offense to take advantage of Pittsburgh up front with a top-10 offensive line looking to bounce back from a weak showing in week-one. Yes, Cincinnati is in big revenge after last year's season ending meltdown on the field.  But I'm not a big revenge-angle type of bettor.  I just believe they're the better team at this particular time and in this particular game.  The Bengals have been a money-maker in opening month games, on an 18-6-2 ATS September run, while the Steelers are on a 1-5-1 ATS slide the week after a MNF contest, struggling on short weeks. The short week combined with being less than 100%, I expect Pittsburgh to struggle here.  I'm taking the points with the Bengals my Road Warrior. Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.  New England, or at least the players available last weekend, were not only fired-up to take on Arizona without Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski as a 9-point dog, but they were as well-coached that a football team can be for a particular opponent.  Jimmy Garoppolo operated a game plan that included attacking a weak Arizona secondary.  Most mass media will report a final score or the interesting story involving Brady, but very few will report that Arizona was starting a rookie corner, who gave up over 70 yards and a TD on seven targets.  Miami's secondary isn't top-5, but they're better equipped to slow a QB early in his career as a starter than Arizona was.  I also expect New England's middle-of-the-pack offensive line to find quite a bit of resistance this week.  The Dolphin offense took on the fierce Seattle defense last week, but if not for a 70-yard Kenny Stills dropped pass, Miami likely wins that game.  Look for more success from the Miami attack in week-2 with Ryan Tannehill aiming for his 4th straight 300-yard passing performance against the Pats.  We like the points in this one.  I'm grabbing the underdog Dolphins, plus the points, my Sunday Knockout.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Oklahoma Sooners in Saturday's marquee clash with Ohio State. This is the spot where I believe the Buckeyes' defense will pay for their lack of starting experience. DT is the weakness (relatively speaking) for OSU and Oklahoma's strength includes taking their offense right to an interior defensive line. We're also getting a ton of line value. Oklahoma was a 4 1/2-point favorite over OSU the week before losing to Houston. Too much an adjustment in our opinion. I'm backing Oklahoma, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the USC Trojans on Saturday night. Getting crushed by Alabama was no shocker, USC had plenty working against them, including Nick Saban looking to punish USC for their treatment of current Alabama OC Lane Kiffin. But the Trojans bounced back well with a 45-7 win over Utah State, showing no hangover effect, and not doubting what they're attempting to accomplish. They'll now take on a Stanford team that I believe is overvalued in this game. The Trojans have shutdown and play-making ability at CB, allowing the front-seven to harass Stanford QB Ryan Burns. USC also owns the offensive line to keep Stanford's defensive front off-kilter enough to keep this contest close until the end. We're grabbing the points with USC, our Pac-12 Dog of the Week. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.