Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play Oakland Raiders +5.5 vs Denver @ 4:25 ET - This is a contrarian play and it's the type of play I love to make. The Broncos are undefeated on the season but have survived some very close calls so far on the year. They had to get a game-ending INT in the end zone to secure their week one win over Baltimore. They had to come back from a late deficit to defeat the Chiefs in week two it was very nearly a "miracle" win. Then in week four they barely hung on to beat the Vikings. Even in week three they had to come back from an early deficit against the Lions. To me, week five looks like the "slip up" spot for the Broncos as they've been "playing with fire" far too often this season and are now going to get burned. Denver, despite being 4-0 on the season, has only outgained their opponents by an average of 28 yards per game! I also like the angle here that Oakland head coach Jack Del Rio was the recent defensive coordinator for the Broncos for three seasons. Look for this to play a role in today's outcome and, off of a tight loss last week, I look for the Raiders to bounce back this week. Oakland has won 2 of 3 (and could easily be 3-0) since their opening week debacle against Cincy (the game that they lost their starting QB). I really like what I have been seeing from the Raiders and feel this is a trap game for a Broncos team that is 4-0 but hasn't really been playing like a dominant team. They've been "just getting by" and that catches up with them here because coach Del Rio and the Raiders want this divsional game in the worst way today. Nice home dog upset looms here. Play Oaklnad plus the points as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play OVER 44.5 -116 in Detroit vs Arizona @ 4:05 ET - The Cardinals are fired up after scoring just 22 points in their loss to St Louis last week. Keep in mind, Arizona has gone over the total in all four of their games this season and they had averaged 42 points per game in their first three games of this season. After falling short in Week 4, I look for a huge response from Arizona here in Week 5. Look for the Cardinals to take advantage of a Lions defense that has been extremely weak against the pass this season. Not only are teams averaging nearly 275 yards per game through the air against the Lions, opponents have completed 100 of 128 pass attempts against Detroit. That works out to a 78% completion percentage which is absolutely ridiculous. I just don't see the Lions defense as being able to stop Arizona's offense in this one. However, I do expect the Lions to put up a good show on offense in this one and match the Cards point for point. Detroit is averaging nearly 250 yards per game through the air and that is even though they've faced some tougher defenses like Seattle and Denver in recent weeks. The Lions can (and will) move the ball through the air against a Cardinals pass defense that got scorched by Drew Brees and the Saints earlier this season. After recently facing some weaker offenses, the Cards will be tested again this week by a tough passing attack. This total is likely to move higher as we approach gametime and the over is 7-3 in Lions games with posted total of 45.5 to 49 points. Also, the over is 12-4 in the Cardinals last 16 games as a favorite and a perfect 3-0 when Arizona is a road favorite of 3 points or less. Play OVER the total in Detroit as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Chicago Bears +10 -124 @ Kansas City @ 1 ET - The Bears had a rough start to the season but they truly played a hellacious schedule. Getting that first win on of the season last week against Oakland will do wonders for this team's confidence and I firmly believe that they will give the Chiefs all they can handle here. Kansas City is questioning themselves right now after they let one get away against Denver three weeks ago and then got embarrassed by Green Bay two weeks ago and then got trounced at Cincinnati last week. Having lost three straight and now facing a Bears team with a little momentum off a much needed win, the Chiefs are simply an overpriced favorite in this spot. Note that the Bears are on a 17-6-2 ATS run against the AFC West. The Chiefs have been scorched for over 440 yards EACH of the last two weeks and playing defense like that is going to make it difficult to cover this large number. Play Chicago plus the big points as an *8* Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NCF *10* Top Play Utah Utes -7.5 vs California @ 10 PM ET - While both teams are undefeated on the season, I see huge edges for Utah in this match-up. Of course the home field edge is a big one. Another big one here is the fact that the Utes are off of a bye week. Last, but not least, Utah has played a much tougher schedule than the Golden Bears. Normally you might look at fading a team when off of a big win such as the Utes huge win over Oregon two weeks ago. However, the "two weeks ago" part is the key. Utah has had plenty of time to get over the emotional high of knocking off the Ducks by a 62-20 count. Additionally, the Utes have had the extra time necessary to prep for California's potent offensive attack. A big edge here is that the Golden Bears defense is very questionable at best. Remember they have played a lot of easy opponents this season. When Cal did step up in class they allowed 389 yards through the air against Washington State and the Bears did allow over 600 yards of offense to Texas! Now they face a rested and fired up Utes defense. Utah is 3-0 ATS the past two years (and 30-12 ATS long-term) when they enter a game off of two or more weeks of rest. Rested and fully prepped off of the bye week, look for the Utes (and their much better defense in comparison with Cal) to be the story line in this one. Cal is on a 17-31 ATS run as an underdog and the Utes having played a much more formidable schedule so far this season are being given some exceptional line value here. Play Utah minus the points as a *10* Top Play Saturday.

Rickenbach NCF *10* Top Play Missouri Tigers +4.5 vs Florida @ 7:30 ET - Florida is undefeatedon the season and also only has 1 ATS loss. I expected the whole world to be jumping on the Gators here when the real line value lies with the Tigers who are very excited about the opportunity to knock off an undefeated SEC foe. There is extra line value here because Missouri is an ugly 1-4 ATS on the year. Despite that 1-4 ATS mark, the Tigers are built well to be a covering machine as an underdog. Missouri has been stellar on defense all season and is allowing just 264 yards per game this season. Look for the Tigers tough defense to put the Gators in a stranghold this week. Missouri is catching Florida at the perfect time to spring the upset. The Gators are off of their big upset win of Ole Miss and they have a huge game with LSU on deck. Look for Missouri to take advantage of the situational edges here. Since joining the SEC, the Tigers have gone 3-0 ATS against the Gators. Note that even though Florida won big over the Rebels last week, Mississippi actually had a 23-18 edge in first downs over the Gators. Needless to say turnovers played a big role in that win and this is also helping to drive line value here. Florida is only 2-4 straight-up in road games with a posted total of 42 or less and here the Gators aren't just being asked to win straight-up...they're laying more than 4 points! Missouri is 5-0 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 10 points the last 3 years. Going further back with those parameters the ATS run is a solid 28-15. The fact is that the Tigers relish this role and they relish the opportunity that is before them today. They (and we!) will take full advantage with the hungry home dog here. Play Missouri plus the points as a *10* Top Play Saturday.

Rickenbach NCF *10* Top Play OVER 47.5 in Alabama vs Arkansas @ 7 ET - Arkansas is 4-1 to the under so far this season and Alabama is 3-2 to the under this season but it's truly been some "smoke and mirrors" keeping these games from going over the total. The fact is that both teams have shown significant weakness on defense when facing strong competition. The Razorbacks have allowed an average of 425 yards per game in their last 3 games. The Crimson Tide allowed nearly 200 yards on the ground last week and in their first three game this season Alabama gave up an average of 250 yards per game through the air. The Hogs can do some damage through the air and they will challenge the Crimson Tide defense here. As a dog of 10.5 to 21 points, Arkansas is 3-1 to the over the past two seasons. The Razorbacks are on a longterm run of 46-25 to the over in road games. As for Alabama, no matter how focused the defense tries to stay here, the fact is that this is a very tough spot for them. The Crimson Tide are off of a very emotional road win at Georgia where intensity was sky high and, on deck, Alabama has an undefeated Texas A & M team waiting for them. This very easily could end up being a bit of a flat spot for the Crimson Tide defense. With the potent Razorbacks offense averaging 476 yards per game this season, they will do some damage here and certainly their defense is not going to shut down Alabama's potent offense. Play OVER 47.5 in Alabama as a *10* Top Play Saturday.

Rickenbach NCF *10* Top Play Virginia Tech -1 vs NC State @ 8 ET - The Hokies are the much better defensive team in this match-up and they are off back to back losses. Note that Virginia Tech is 18-8 ATS when they enter a game off of two more consecutive straight-up losses. The Hokies are hosting an NC State team that could be suffering from "unbeaten letdown" as they lost last week after winning their first four games to start the season. The Wolf Pack had faced a very weak schedule to start the season (before running into Louisville last week) and I feel strength of schedule is another key factor here as to why we're getting such great line value wih the Hokies at home. Long-term trend guys will also like that fact that NC State has covered just 2 of the 10 prior meetings with Virginia Tech. This is the 3rd road game in 4 weeks for the Wolf Pack and I expect the home field and large crowd to play a factor in this Friday night match-up. Play Virginia Tech minus the points as a *10* Top Play Friday.

Rickenbach NCF *8* OVER 56 in Marshall vs Southern Mississippi @ 7 ET - Amazingly, Marshall has scored at least 59 points in each of the last 3 match-ups between these teams. That said, there certainly appears to be some value here with the posted total on this game having plummeted all week long. 7 of the last 9 meetings between these teams have gone over the total. The Thundering Herd are always a threat to put up big points at home while the Golden Eagles come into this game having scored at least 49 points in 3 of their last 4 games. Marshall is 4-1 to the over when they are a home favorite of 3 points or less. The Thundering Herd are 10-4 to the over when they are off of a win in conference action. Southern Mississippi is 9-5 to the over as a road dog of 3 points or less. The Golden Eagles are 6-2 to the over in their last eight games against teams with a winning record. Southern Miss has been piling up the yardage all year long but they've also been giving up huge yardage in each of their last three games. Play OVER the total in Marshall as an *8* selection Friday. 

Rickenbach NCF *8* OVER 56 in USC vs Washington @ 9 ET - Even though the Trojans are 3-1 on the season and off a big win over Arizona State in their most recent game they are actually getting outgained in conference action this season. Of course you know the USC offense is phenomenal but this certainly says a lot about their defense. Now add in the fact that the Huskies are facing former head coach Sarkisian and you have the makings of a strong effort from Washington here. Huskies head coach Peterson relishes the away dog role (3-1 ATS) but the Huskies can't stop the pass and the Trojans dynamic offense is going to be too much for them. Washington gave up 342 yards through the air against Cal in their most recent game and the USC is averaging over 350 passing yards per game this season. Additionally, opponents can't just focus on stopping the aerial attack of the Trojans because they also are running for nearly 200 yards per game. They want to continue to push the tempo as much as possible and the Huskies will be forced to throw the ball to try and keep up in this one. That, of course, spells O-V-E-R! Play OVER the total in USC as an *8* selection Thursday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Indianapolis Colts + points @ Houston @ 8:25 ET - Sure we would rather see Andrew Luck on the field than Matt Hasselbeck but here's one important, comforting thought to keep in mind. Two words. Ryan Mallett. I hate to sound so harsh. But I do find humor in the fact that Houston is getting a ton of backing here because it's now Hasselbeck against Mallett. Is Mallett really going to answer the call here? The Texans had four turnovers last week and the Colts have won 15 straight games against divisional foes. I fully comprehend they are a different team without Luck at the helm but it's hard to knock a 15-0 run...especially when you're trying to knock that run with a Texans team that is just 1-3 on the season. Houston is also an ugly 6-12 ATS in their last 18 home games. The Colts are 0-4 ATS on the season so, having burned their backers so far this season, the value pendulum is swinging more and more TOWARD them not away from them. I am happy to back them here knowing that the 2-2 Colts have won two straight games and Hasselbeck led them to the game-winning score last week. The Texans are just 1-3 this season and are questioning themselves. By the way the Colts are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games against teams with a losing record. Play Indianapolis plus the points as an *8* selection Thursday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play OVER 43 in Seattle vs Detroit @ 8:30 ET Monday - While I certainly have tremendous respect for the Seattle defense, there are a couple of key factors as to why I see this game flying over the total tonight. With the injury to Marshawn Lynch (now OUT for this game), I look for the Seahawks to rely more on their passing attack then they otherwise would. As for the Lions, their rushing "attack" (if you can even call it that) is among the league's worst. This will, of course, force Detroit to try and beat the Seahawks through the air. With both teams relying on passing attacks you have the perfect recipe for an over. There is much more in the way of stoppages of clock when you have incomplete passes, sideline routes, etc. The over is a perfect 3-0 in the last 3 games where Seattle hosted Detroit. The over is 50-34 in Seattle's October games and the over is 26-15 in Seahawks' games against the NFC North. The over is 49-34 in Detroit's October games. I love the fact that each of these teams is off of back to back unders and that is helping to keep the total lower on this game than it should be. Play OVER 43 in Seattle as a *10* Top Play Monday night.

Rickenbach NFL *8* New Orleans -3 vs Dallas @ 8:30 ET - The struggles for Dallas will continue. The Cowboys currently have Weeden at QB and each of his last 9 starts (yes, 9 in a row) have resulted in losses. With the Cowboys without starting QB Romo as well as star WR Bryant, the going will continue to get tougher. Dallas blew their game against Atlanta last week as the Cowboys are showing they have a number of weaknesses in the defense that can be exploited. Couple that with an injury-depleted offense and you have a team that could be in for a rough stretch. Certainly the Cowboys, just like last week, appear to be in trouble this week. The Saints are an 0-3 team that, at home and winless, will have huge intensity and emotional edges at play for them and in their favor tonight. Once we knew Brees was pronounced as ready to go here we knew this would be a play. We've got Brees over Weeden. We've got the home field edge. We've got the hunger that an 0-3 start brings and we've got edges in the injury department with the key injuries belonging to the Cowboys in this one. Dallas is on a 14-21 ATS run in dome games. New Orleans is 5-2 ATS in October games the past two seasons and they are so hungry to get into the win column after their tough start to the season in the opening month. Play New Orleans -3 as an *8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play OVER 42 in Denver vs Minnesota @ 4:25 ET - This is a contrarian play because certainly the Denver defense has been fantastic this season. The key to this play is that Denver is off of back to back big primetime wins and now faces a second straight non-conference opponent while having an AFC West foe (and currently the team 2nd to them in the standings) up next. That makes this a tough spot in the schedule for the Denver defense to maintain its intensity and I look for the Vikings to take advantage. Minnesota has gone under in all 3 of their games this season and Denver has stayed under the total in 2 of their 3 games this season but I look for the Vikings to build off of their 31 point performance last week. The Broncos are averaging 25 points per game so far this season and this is a low total we're dealing with here. The Vikings are 6-0 to the over in their last 6 games with a posted total between 35.5 and 42 points. The Broncos are 8-0 to the over in October games the last two seasons. With double perfect angles in effect here I'll gladly grab the over in a game that from a situational perspective (Vikings defense should have given up more than 14 points last week based on yardage allowed) is offering huge value to the over here. Play OVER 42 in Denver as a *10* Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play St Louis Rams +7.5 @ Arizona @ 4:25 ET - Arizona got a huge win for a 2nd straight week last week. St Louis, despite another strong defensive effort, suffered their 2nd straight loss last week after opening up with a big week one win over the Seahawks. With the Cardinals off of a divisional win last week (and now having to get geared up for another one) I see a big edge with the hungry dog in this match-up. St Louis has been playing solid defense while the Cardinals have been benefitting greatly from turnovers so far this season. This is helping to overinflate this line and the Cards do have back to back road games on deck and could get caught looking past the 1-2 Rams. Arizona has enjoyed so much success at home that it's easy to get overconfident and off back to back victories by huge margins the Cards intensity drops some here. The Rams have lost three straight to the Cardinals so there is no doubt that their intensity level will be high. St Louis has played the much tougher schedule so far this season and that has not been properly factored into this line. We step in and take advantage of that. Play St Louis plus the points as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Chicago Bears +3.5 vs Oakland @ 1 ET - The Bears are a traditional ugly dog here. I love having an 0-3 team that is a home dog against a team that isn't your typical road favorite. Oakland certainly is not use to dominating foes and, in fact, they have a horrible road record in recent years. Let's not forget that the Bears have faced a very tough schedule to start this season and this has certainly factored into their tough start. Chicago has won 3 of their last 4 meetings with Oakland and they are getting more adjusted to the schemes of the new coaching staff with each week that goes by. The Bears have lost to the powerful Seahawks so far this season as well as to a pair of teams that are undefeated on the season, Arizona and Green Bay. Taking a big step down in class here and the Bears are so hungry for that first win and I'll grab the extra value here considering the Raiders are an over-inflated road fave in this one. Play Chicago +3.5 as an *8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Miami Dolphins +2 vs New York Jets @ 9:30 AM ET Sunday - Getting drilled 41 to 14 by Buffalo last week means there is no doubt the Dolphins will be ready for this one. The Jets may still have a false sense of security from their 2-0 start to the season. The loss last week (and the 4 turnovers that helped create it) are a sign of things to come for a Jets team that has benefitted early this season from being on the right side of turnovers. That catches up to the Jets here as the Dolpins are in a desperate spot having lost two straight and needing to get back on track with a key divisional win after after the loss to a divisional foe last week. The Dolphins did have nearly 400 yards of offense last week but they were done in by turnovers. Miami will get much more than the 14 points (scored last week) out of that type of yardage this week. Play Miami plus the points as an *8* selection very early Sunday.

Game #174 - Rickenbach NCF *10* Top Play OVER 55 in Boise State vs Hawaii @ 10:15 ET - Hawaii has stayed under the total in all of their games so far this season. However, they entered this season with a 5-2 mark to the over the last two seasons in games against teams with a winning record. The Warriors certainly face a tough test here with the 3-1 Broncos on the blue turf in Boise. Boise's powerful offense got over 350 yards through the air last week at Virginia. This was after the Broncos produced nearly 600 yards of total offense the week before. The poroous defense of Hawaii won't be able to stop them. This is Hawaii's first conference game this season and the over is 10-6 in their conference games the past two years. Boise State has gone 12-5 to the over in conference games the last two seasons. The Broncos are 15-8 to the over as a favorite as the last 3 seasons combined. Boise State has averaged 54 points the past two weeks and Hawaii will respond after being shutout last week. The Warriors should enjoy some success against a Broncos defense that is not as strong as it had been in recent seasons. Boise State is allowing an average of 268 yards through the air the last three weeks. Play OVER 55 in Boise State as a *10* Top Play Saturday.

Game #141 - Rickenbach NCF Top Play *10* Mississippi State Bulldogs +6 @ Texas A & M @ 7:30 ET - Beautiful spot for the Bulldogs here. They already have a blemish on their record this season as they lost to LSU (just by duece) in week 2 of the season. This week Mississippi State gets a chance to make sure another SEC foe gets their first loss of the season. You can bet the hungry Bulldogs are fired up to knock off the unbeaten Aggies today. Texas A & M is lucky to still be undefeated this season. The Aggies had to rallly to force overtime last week against Arkansas and then managed to knock off the Razorbacks in overtime. Texas A & M was outgained in that game. On the ground the disadvantage was 232 to 65 as the Aggies were dominated by Arkansas on the ground. That's not a good sign for A & M here as they now face a Bulldogs team that already has eclipsed 200 yards on the ground in two of their games this season. Mississippi State has a very balanced offensive attack as they are averaging over 300 yards per game through the air this season. The Bulldogs are 9-3 ATS as an underdog the last 3 years combined. Texas A & M is off to a fortunate 3-1 ATS start this season but the past two seasons went a combined 5-12 ATS as a favorite and I look for those struggles to resume today. The upset looms here but of course I am grabbing the points in case the Bulldogs do come up just short. The Aggies are really stepping up in class here and let's not forget that they have gone just 3-12 ATS in their last 15 games against teams with a winning record. Play Mississippi State +6 as a *10* Top Play Saturday.

Game #161 - Rickenbach NCF *8* Mississippi Rebels -6 @ Florida @ 7 ET - Mississippi's win last week over Vanderbilt was unimpressive but that was to be expected. The Rebels had defeated Alabama the week before so, as expected, they were flat against Vandy. Ole Miss will now certainly be ready for facing a fellow undefeated team this week as they take on the Gators. Mississippi has covered five straight in this series and it's a bargain to get them laying less than a TD in this match-up. The Gators are fortunate to be undefeated as they rallied for two TD's late in last week's game against Tennessee. Florida is now off of back to back tight SEC wins as they snuck by Kentucky in the week prior to their miracle win over the Volunteers. The Gators are just 1-3 ATS in their last four as a home dog. While Mississippi only has New Mexico State on deck, Florida does have another SEC foe on deck as a road trip to Missouri looms large. The Gators could get caught looking ahead as the Tigers have crushed them by double digits each of the last two years while the Gators haven't faced the Rebels since 2008. Play Mississippi -6 as an *8* selection Saturday.

Game #160 - Rickenbach NCF *8* Georgia Bulldogs (pick) vs Alabama @ 3:30 ET - It was 3 years ago but you can bet that Georgia still remembers it well: the Bulldogs lost to the Crimson Tide in the SEC Title game in 2012. Defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt will be looking to shut down his alma mater. Yes he played and coached at Alabama and the Bulldogs are fired up about getting that signature SEC win today that has eluded them. I love the line move here as the Bulldogs have gone from being nearly a field goal favorite to now being a dog in some books. Fade the masses who are flocking to Alabama here. The Bulldogs are ready to make their mark in one of the most highly anticipated SEC games of the year. Georgia is 3-0 at home this season and 14-2 in home games the last 3 seasons combined. Alabama continues to be overvalued on the road as they are 2-6 ATS in road games the last three years. We can see again here that everyone is flocking to Alabama here giving them more credit that is due them and I again see them being an ATS money burner on the road this one. Play Georgia as an *8* selection Saturday.

Game #128 - Rickenbach NCF *8* OVER 54 in Michigan State vs Purdue @ Noon ET - This is Purdue's second road game of the season. The first one totaled 72 points and flew over the total to take the over to 6-3 in the Boilermakers road games the last 3 seasons combined. This is week 5 of the NCAAF season and Michigan State has gone 6-3 to the over in weeks 5 through 9 the last two seasons. The Spartans won 45 to 31 at Purdue last year and they are ready to roll again this year. Hence the big pointspread on this game. Indeed, look for the Spartans to win huge here but whether or not they cover the big spread is a question mark. I do feel that Purdue is going to do some damage on offense here as Michigan State had allowed 24.3 points per game in their first three games this year before they only allowed 10 points to on overmatched in-state MAC team last week. Purdue is averaging 30 points per game this year and this one should easily eclipse the total. Play OVER 54 in Michigan State as an *8* selection Saturday.

Rickenbach NCF *8* South Florida Bulls +9 vs Memphis @ 7:00 ET - The Bulls are coming off of a bye week plus playing their first home game in nearly a month. Both of these factors are big edges for the hungry home dog in this one. Memphis is off of a fortunate win last week as the Tigers were outgained by 182 yards plus first downs were 38-22 NOT in their favor last week. This is helping to give even more line value to South Florida as the Memphis 7 point win last week certainly hides some glaring weaknesses. The Tigers defense (if you can even call it that right now) has allowed 1,331 yards in thei last TWO games! That is simply ridiculous and with the extra practice time to prepare as well as the fact that emotions will be running high for an ESPN2 home game, I look for South Florida to have a great shot at the upset in this one. The Bulls are 5-2 ATS in October games the past two seasons. The Tigers are 1-5 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 10 points the last 3 years combined. Play South Florida plus the points as an *8* selection Friday. 

Rickenbach NFL *7* Baltimore Ravens -2.5 -125 @ Pittsburgh @ 8:25 ET - The Ravens are 0-3 on the season but the teams they have faced are a combined 8-1 so far this season. The Steelers are 2-1 this season but the teams they have faced are a combined 5-4 so far this season. Pittsburgh also has a big mess with the absence of Ben Roethlisberger who will be out for awhile. Though Michael Vick is a veteran QB, the 35 year old certainly has seen a decline in skills as he's aged. Additionally, he just hasn't played very much in recent seasons. Making matters even more difficult for him here is that he didn't even join the Steelers until late August. Simply put, this is a very tough situation for him to be thrust into. This is especially true since the Steelers will be facing a bitter division rival whose backs are against the wall with their 0-3 start. The Ravens tough defensive front seven will have their ears pinned back here ready to attack Vick and Company from the very first possession all the way to the final whistle. The Ravens are 0-3 for the first time in franchise history (nearly 20 years!) and they went into Heinz Field twice last year (once in regular season and once in playoffs) and they got the outright win each time. They can get another big road win here. Lay a little extra juice to get the -2.5 if you can and play Baltimore for a *7* selection Thursday night.

Rickenbach NCF *8* Miami Hurricanes -6.5 @ Cincinnati @ 7:30 ET - The Hurricanes are coming off of a bye week. Some will look at the fact that they have a big game on deck with Florida State and will feel that the Canes could be short on emotion here. I don't see that all. Last week, in their game prior to facing the Seminoles, Miami absolutely crushed North Carolina. Additionally, with the added benefit of coming in on a bye week here, the Hurricanes should absolutely crush the Bearcats. Cincinnati is certainly hurt by the absence of Gunner Kiel here. Sure the back-up QB Moore had a huge game last week but that was against the ultra-porous defense of Memphis. Miami's defense is certainly quite different from the Tigers. In fact, Cincinnati has faced a very weak schedule so far and facing this tough ACC foe is going to be a major step up in "class" for the Bearcats. Though Miami won by just three points the week before their bye they did have a late 33-10 lead in that game and the deceiving 36-33 final score has led to some additional line value on the Canes this week. The Hurricanes are a solid 7-3 ATS as a road favorite while the Bearcats, overall, are on a 1-5 ATS run. Play Miami -6.5 as an *8* selection Thursday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Kansas City Chiefs +6 @ Green Bay @ 8:30 ET - The Chiefs are ready to step up big here after they let one get away against Denver last week on Thursday night. Kansas City blasted the Patriots 41-14 on MNF last season and coach Andy Reid has a long history of performing well in primetime from his history with the Eagles. He'll have the Chiefs fully prepared here - especially by virtue of having the additional time since they haven't played since Thursday the 17th. While Kansas City is certainly going to be fired up to get back on track after last week's disappointment, the Packers may have trouble matching the Chiefs' intensity. Green Bay is off of a double revenge win last week over Seattle. That was a huge Sunday night win for the Packers over the Seahawks. Duplicating another big primetime performance in back to back weeks is a lot to ask of any team...but especially one still trying to move forward with the loss of Jordy Nelson causing some pain to say the least. It is early in the season for sure but worth noting that the two teams Green Bay has played this season are a combined 1-5 this year while the two teams Kansas City has played this season are a combined 4-2 so far. Look for Green Bay to drop to 0-3 ATS in their last 3 Monday night appearances while the Chiefs improve to 13-6 ATS in their last 19 road games and 16-8 ATS in their last 24 games against teams from the NFC North. Turnovers got the best of KC last week. I like backing them for a response after 5 turnovers killed them in last week's game. Play Kansas City plus the points as an *8* selection Monday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Denver Broncos -3 @ Detroit @ 8:30 ET - Normally I am the type of capper who takes an 0-2 team and goes against a 2-0 team. I am definitely a contrarian in my style overall. However, there are times like this where a team is just "clicking" and there is no way I would pick against them. That is the case with this Denver team. The Broncos defense has been superb so far this season and Denver is also seeming to gel a bit under coach Kubiak. That was a question mark for this team for this season but the defense has certainly responded well and the offense is also starting to "click" now. Peyton Manning and Company notched 3 TDs through the air in their win over KC last week and that divisional win (and the fact that the offense finally put it all together) has done wonders for the confidence of this team. The Broncos also benefit from extra rest here since they are off of the Thursday night game. Denver is 6-1 ATS their last 7 off of a Thursday game. Also, get the Lions out of their divisions and they certainly aren't powerful "lions" as Detroit is 9-19-1 ATS in their last 21 games outside of their own division. Detroit is 2-8 SU and 3-7 ATS in their last 10 as an underdog and their confidence (even if they get a lead here) is shaken by the early season meltdown at San Diego where they blew a huge lead. The loss by double digits to Minnesota last week certainly did not help the confidence level of the Lions. These are two teams going in opposite directions early this season and I look for that directional trend to continue here. Play Denver -3 as an *8* selection Sunday.

NFL *10* Top Play OVER 41.5 in Miami vs Buffalo @ 4:25 ET Sunday - This total was as high as a 45 earlier this week and now has dropped to as low as a 41 as of gameday morning. This is offering exceptional value to the over. This will be the first NFL road start for Bills QB Tyrod Taylor but he's loaded with confidence right now. He helped lead Buffalo to a huge win over Indianapolis in Week One and, even though they fell short against the Patriots in Week 2, he helped guide the Bills to a 32 point showing on the scoreboard. With all the weapons the Bills now have at the skill positions, I look for another big day out of Taylor and Company on Sunday. Miami gave up nearly 400 yards to Jacksonville last week and their defense will face a much tougher test this week. However, the good news for Dolphins fans is the fact that the Miami offense produced 344 yards through the air last week and their taking on a Bills defense that allowed over 500 yards of offense to the Patriots last week! Both teams should move the ball very well throughout this game and the aerial attack has keyed both offenses so there should be a bit of an air show today in Miami and "over players" love the aerial attack rather than the ground game. The over is 7-3 in Dolphins games in the month of September the last 3 seasons and, once again, the heat and humidity of South Florida at this time of year helps to wear down the defenses. Play OVER the total in Miami as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

NFL *10* Top Play San Francisco +7/+6.5 @ Arizona @ 4:05 ET - The Cardinals are 2-0 SU and ATS this season and, as such, are getting a little bit too much respect from the betting markets here. Though they won huge last week (49-23) they were actually outgained 335 to 300. As for the 49'ers, after their big home win in week one, they did fall short last week on the road but it was also a deceiving final scored. San Francisco lost 43 to 18 last week at Pittsburgh but they were only outgained by 44 yards in that game. These 'false finals' from last week are helping to give some nice line vaue this week as this is a key divisional game where the 49'ers are seeing opportunity with the 0-2 start this season for the Seahawks. The NFC West lead can be shared by the Niners with a win over the Cards today. Motivation goes a long way in football and the Niners have plenty of it today and certainly seem rejuvenated by the off-season coaching changes. San Francisco has played better on both sides of the ball than many expected and, again, don't let last week's final score fool you. That was also a tough scheduling spot for the Niners as they had to head east on a short week after a late Monday night game. In road games with a posted total between 42.5 and 45 points the Niners are on a long-term 27-13 ATS run (including 4-0, 100% the last 3 years)! The Niners are also 5-1 ATS their last 6 in dome games. As a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points the Cardinals are just 22-32 ATS. Also, the Cards are on a long-term 25-34 ATS run when they enter a game off of two or more consecutive wins. Play San Francisco plus the big points as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* New Orleans Saints +10 @ Carolina @ 1 ET Sunday - It sounds overly simplistic but, simply put, this line is just too big. The line on Carolina, of course, needed to be adjusted iwth Drew Brees being out for this game. However, for the Panthers to be a double digit favorite against a team that still has a plethora of talent, even without Brees, is "off" in my opinion. The Saints, with their 0-2 start, have their backs against the wall and I expect a huge effort from the entire team here as they all look to step up in the absence of Brees. Keep in mind, we don't need them to win this game to get the cash. We just need the Saints to keep it respectable and I certainly see them staying within one score of the over-rated Panthers. Carolina is 2-0 to start the season but they played a Jacksonville team that was 3-13 last year and a Houston team that was only one season removed from a 2-14 record. Give the Panthers credit for their two victories certainly but they are not some kind of juggernaut that merits this big line, in my opinion. Extreme line value here because of the Saints home loss to Tampa Bay last week. Perception is so against New Orleans right now that the value is with them. Look for them to put forth their best effort so far this season and hang tough with Carolina on Sunday. The Saints are 7-2 SU their last 9 on grass and the past two seasons they have gone 3-1 SU and ATS when they enter a game off of two or more consecutive losses. Play New Olreans plus the big points as an 8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Atlanta Falcons -1 @ Dallas @ 1 ET Sunday - Already without Dez Bryant, the Cowboys injury situation is now further magnified by the absence of Tony Romo. The Cowboys truly won a miracle game in week one against the Giants. Then Dallas went on the road (the game Romo got hurt in) and beat an Eagles team that looks totally "out of sorts" early this season. In other words, it's hard to put much value into either victory the Cowboys have so far this season. Now Dallas must contend with a Falcons team whose defense has been flying all over the field early this season. With the coaching change, as expected, the Atlanta D has been looking Seattle-esque early this season. This is going to give Cowboys QB Brandon Weeden and Co. all types of trouble in this one while, at the same time, the Falcons take advantage of  Cowboys defense that is off of a huge effort against Philly but was torched by the Giants in Dallas in week one. In fact, the Cowboys have been struggling in home games for quite some time. In a home game with a total between 42.5 and 45 points, Dallas is 12-18 ATS. Overall, Dallas is just 8-10 ATS in home games the last 2+ seasons and they just don't seem to play with the same overall intensity that they have been playing with on the road in recent years. The Falcons look like a completely rejuvenated team and their big comeback against the Giants last week also gives them added confidence this week. Play Atlanta -1 as an *8* selection Sunday.

*10* OVER in Kentucky - Great value here as Missouri has stayed under in all 3 games this season while Kentucky has stayed under in each of their last 2 games. The key to these unders has been the match-ups and that is why where is now so much value with this over in this week's match-up. Missouri has played overmatched offenses in each of their first three games. The fact is that Connecticut is the best team that the Tigers have faced yet this season but, of course, they are team that was happy to get matched up in a defensive struggle with Missouri and try to spring the upset by staying close all the way through. With their prior two games against Southeast Missouri State and Arkansas State this truly is the first time this season that the Missouri defense will be tested as they face an SEC foe in the form of the Wildcats. Kentucky also is off of a defensive struggle (with Florida) last week but the Cats were off of an upset win over South Carolina the prior week where they netted nearly 400 yards of offense and they have plenty of talent at the skill positions. This makes a strong performance on offense (on the rebound here) a high probability. The issue for the Wildcats will be in trying to slow down Missouri. The Wildcats did allow an average of 448 years per game in their first two games this season. The over is 9-4 in Kentucky's last 13 games against teams with a winning record. Missouri has won 11 straight road games and the over is 8-3 in those games as the offense has led the way. Look for the Tigers to emphasize the O again today.

*10* Mississippi State Bulldogs - Auburn not only got manhandled by LSU last week, let's not forget the Tigers were fortunate to get by Jacksonville State the prior week! Additionally, in week 1 of this season, Auburn was outgained by nearly a full football field in their fortunate win over Louisville. This Tigers team has simply not even come close to impressing in any of their games this season. This has many calling for "the turnaround" to be this week but I just don't see it. The Bulldogs are the much better team, playing much better football, and the confidence of Auburn has absolutely been shaken. The Tigers are being outgained by a huge margin on the year and the Bulldogs, conversely, are outgaining their opponents by an average of over 150 yards per game this season. Mississippi State did defeat Auburn by double digits last season but they're still looking to avenge a tough 24-20 loss in their last visit to Auburn (two years ago). The Bulldogs aerial attack has been impressive this season and that includes a big performance against LSU as well. Mississippi State is 8-3 ATS as an underdog the last 3 seasons combined. While many might be looking for Auburn to bounce back off of their loss to LSU, the Tigers have gone 1-4 ATS the past two seasons when off of a conference loss. Look for them to again struggle against a conference foe in this one as that ATS trend adds another loss for Auburn.

*8* Nevada - With Nevada head coach Poulian having been a assistant at Buffalo for 5 years earlier in his career, this games carries some extra meaning for his team. It's a rare trip east for Nevada and it will be all business for them in a game against, in my opinion, what will prove to be an outclassed foe. Buffalo plays in one of the weakest conferences in football and that is why you're seeing this line where it is at even though the Bulls are at home. Nevada, already battle teasted with games against the likes of Arizona and Texas A & M will take advantage of a Buffalo team whose only truly tough test this season has been Penn State. The Nittany Lions won that game by double digits by the way. The Bulls did win huge over Florida Atlantic last week but it was a deceiving final score as the Owls outgained Buffalo by 200 yards. That is helping to give some extra line value this week with going against the Bulls and I'll gladly grab that value with Nevada.

*8* OVER in Penn State - San Diego State has been known as an under team for years but things are changing this season. While it's still early in the year we can get value by fading this long-term trend of unders that is highly unlikely to continue. Even though San Diego State went under in each of their first two games they scored 37 in one and allowed 35 in the other. They've been on the cusp of a breakout run of overs and I feel last week will prove to have opened up the floodgates. Last week the Aztecs totaled 61 points in their game with South Alabama. The once might defense of San Diego State has now given up an average of 498 yards per game in their last two games. Penn State has stayed under the total in each of their first three games this season. However, the Nittany Lions have either scored or allowed 27 points in each of the three games this year. In other words, similar to San Diego State, Penn State has been right on the cusp of a big run of overs. The Nittany Lions have run for 265 yards per game in their last two games while allowing an average of 228 yards per game through the air despite facing weak opposition. Look for both teams to move the ball much better than many are expecting in this one. It's a contrarian play but it has worked many times in the past and I expect the result to be another winner today!

*8* OVER in Texas - I just don't see either team getting many, if any, defensive stops in this one. From a trend standpoint, the over is 17-7 in Oklahoma State games when the line is anywhere between a +3 and a -3. For Texas, each of their last two games has gone over the total and they've scored at least 44 points in each game. The trouble for the Longhorns already this season has been a porous defense that has given up an average of 37 points per game this year. The Longhorns will have their hands full with an Oklahoma State offense averaging over 500 yars per game this season. The Cowboys have used a balanced offensive attack to keep opponents guessing early this season. The Longhorns defense has been getting absolutely scorched and you know the Cowboys are dead set on a huge offensive performance after being held to just 7 points in last year's match-up with Texas. It's revenge time for Oklahoma State and, while I do expect their offense to excel, look for the defense to struggle to contain Heard and Company as the Horns offense seems to have turned around completely with Heard leading the way.

Rickenbach NCF *8* OVER 44.5 in Oregon State vs Stanford @ 10 ET Friday - Stanford has a well-earned reputation as an "under" team in recent seasons but the key here is that this is giving us value this season when the Cardinal defense truly isn't what it used to be. Stanford gave up over 400 yards in last week's win against USC. Also, the Cardinal allowed 225 yards on the ground against Northwestern in Week One. Look for the Beavers to test the now "not so mighty" Cardinal defense early and often in this one. Oregon State has averaged over 400 yards of offense per game in their two home games this season. As for the defense, the Beavers did allow over 400 yards to Michigan. Stanford will also certainly test the Oregon State defense as the Cardinal offense has piled up nearly 500 yards per game in their last two games. OSU will be very aggressive on offfense here as they have a bye on deck while the Stanford defense may be flat in this one. A lot of intensity used up in the USC game and this is also a lookahead spot with Arizona on deck for the Cardinal. Play OVER 44.5 in Oregon State as an *8* selection Friday.

Rickenbach NCF *8* Virginia Cavaliers +3 (or +2.5) vs Boise State @ 8 ET Friday - This is not the Boise State of the "glory years" for the Broncos and they've also taken another step back because of losing QB Ryan Finley to injury. That makes this a very tough spot for the Broncos to be a road favorite and I look for the Cavaliers to spring the "mild upset" in this one. Virginia has already been "battle tested" this season with tough games against UCLA and Notre Dame. Having lost those two match-ups the Cavaliers are looking at this game as a "statement game" and I expect a huge effort from the home dog Cavs in this one. Virginia is 7-3 ATS in non-conference action the last 3 seasons and 11-6 ATS as an underdog the last 3 years. Boise State is 1-3 ATS in games played on grass the last three seasons. The Broncos already lost at BYU this season and Boise State barely got by Washington in their season opener. Play Virginia plus the points as an *8* selection Friday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* New York Giants -3 -120 vs Washington @ 8:25 ET - The Giants have suffered two tough losses to start the season as, in both games, they have blown late double digit leads. This is now the perfect spot to back the Giants and look for them to bounce back huge. They are hosting a Redskins team that is off of a win but also that has caught a scheduling break early this season. Washington started with a Miami team (who beat the Skins and then proceeded to lose at a poor Jacksonville team). The Redskins then hosted a St Louis team that got caught still celebrating their big win over the divison rival Seattle Seahawks. Tonight's game will prove to be a much tougher test for the Redskins as the Giants have their backs against the wall and they are ready to come out kicking and fighting and doing whatever it takes to win this. I feel the Redskins are not ready to match the emotional, physical, and psycholological intensity that the Giants will bring into this game. The line drop from -4 to -3 on the Giants is certainly an added value as well. Washington is just 4-23 SU (and 8-19 ATS) as an underdog the last 3 seasons. Also, the Redskins are 6-19 ATS in games with a posted total between 42.5 and 49 points the last 3 seasons. The Giants are 6-1 ATS on Thursday night football and have won and covered each of the last four meetings with the Skins. Play the New York Giants -3 as an *8* selection Thursday.

Rickenbach NCAAF *8* UNDER 67.5 in Memphis vs Cincinnati @ 7: 30 ET - With Gunner Kiel expected to play now this total has really jumped up. The key here is that the Bearcats are still going to want to be careful with him because of his shoulder injury. That said, there may be more running plays than many are expecting here and, of course, more running plays equals more running clock. The last two times these teams met they only totaled 55 points each time. Also, the teams combined for 69 rushing attempts two years ago and 94 rushing attempts in last year's match-up. There will be an emphasis on the ground game in this one. It's a conference game, the Bearcats already have a conference loss (to Temple), and Cincy is playing with big time revenge from an ugly home loss to Memphis last season. Add that all up and you can expect to see some hard-hitting defense in this one as well as an emphasize on controlling the clock and dominating time of possession. With all that said, this total is quite high and I see big value with the under. The Tigers are 6-2 to the under the last 3 seasons when they are facing a team with a winning record. The Bearcats are 11-4 to the under in Thursday night games. Play UNDER 67.5 in Memphis as an *8* selection Thursday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play on Indianapolis Colts -7 vs NY Jets @ 8;30 ET - The Colts home opener on MNF should absolutely bring out the best in them. Indianapolis is 5-1 straight-up and 4-1-1 ATS as a home favorite in a range of 3.5 to 7 points the past two seasons. They are in a great spot here to add to that record. The Colts are off of a disappointing loss at Buffalo last week but they catch the Jets off of a big win - as a host to Cleveland last week - that was a deceiving final score. The Jets did win the game 31 to 10 but their yardage edge was only 333 to 321. The big edge was the 5 to 1 in turnovers and all of this is helping to give great line value to the Colts in a bounce back spot here. Indianapolis, overall, has gone 14-4 SU and 12-5-1 ATS in home games the prior two seasons. The Colts are fired up for their home opener tonight. The Jets are an atrocious 2-12-2 ATS when on the road in an underdog role against nondivisional foes. Outside of the AFC East and away from home, look for the Jets to again get blasted tonight. Andrew Luck and the Colts have treated me well in primetime games (Thurs Nt, Sun Nt, Mon Nt) and, in fact, are 16-6-2 ATS in their last 24 appearances under the lights. I look Indy to get the job done once again here. Play Indianapolis minus the points as a *10* Top Play Monday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Seattle +3.5 @ Green Bay @ 8:30 ET - Green Bay, of course, is seeking revenge for their two losses at Seattle last season and certainly the Packers are happy they are finally the host in this one. However, the loss of Jordy Nelson to a season-ending injury just before the season started was a tough blow for this Packers offense. Sure they moved the ball well against the Bears but now they are facing the stifling defense of the Seahawks and Seattle is fired up after their OT loss to the Rams featured way too many mistakes. The Hawks defense will be flying to the ball again today as they look to take advantage of the Nelson-less Packers. A big concern for Green Bay here is the fact that they allowed over 400 yards of offense to Chicago last week. The Packers sieve-like defense will face an even tougher test today with the Seahawks in town. Seattle is 13-6-1 ATS the last 4 years when they are off of a straight-up loss. You might expect the Seahawks to sometimes be "flat" off of a divisional game but they are actually 9-4 ATS and an amazing 13-0 straight-up the last 3 years when off of a divsional game. I do expect them to get the outright win here but certainly am grabbing the generous points being offered. Play Seattle plus the points as an *8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play Philadelphia -4.5 vs Dallas @ 4:25 ET Sunday - If you're not from the Philly area you can't even come close to comprehending the hatred that the Eagles NFL fans have for the Cowboys. It honestly defies comprehension. That said, today's game is essentially their "Game of the Year". Honestly. Hosting the Cowboys. Eagles off of a road loss...and a tough one at that. Philadelphia home opener. All the variables are in place for this to be a massive early season game for the Eagles. Philadelphia played the first half last week like they were still stuck in "preseason mode" and it ultimately cost them against the Falcons. Once the Eagles got rolling in the second half (on both sides of the ball) they were clearly the better team. This week, there is no way the Eagles come out flat to start this game like they did at Atlanta. With that said, the Eagles are absolutely going to take advantage of a Cowboys team missing Dez Bryant. Philadelphia lost by 11 the last time these teams met but the Eagles had won each of the two pior meetings. It's payback time here as the Eagles look to atone for that loss to Dallas back in December. The Cowboys lost a lot of talent from last year's team and one of those key defectors, DeMarco Murray, comes back to haunt them today. Play Philadelphia minus the points as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* OVER 42 in Oakland vs Baltimore @ 4:05 ET Sunday - Forsett is probable for the Ravens. Carr is probable for the Raiders. Suggs is out for the Ravens. All of these injury situations are good news for Over players and offense will be the emphasis for each of these teams Sunday. The Ravens are ready to respond after scoring just 13 points against a tough Broncos defense last week. The Raiders are ready to respond after losing Carr to injury in last week's game and only ending up wtih 13 points as a result. The Raiders defense was gouged fo nearly 400 yards last week and they'll have trouble stopping Baltimore here. The Ravens defense took a major hit with the Suggs injury and Carr has plenty of weapons at his disposal to exploit the Ravens defense. The over is 5-1 the last 3 seasons in Raiders game with a posted total between 42.5 and 45 points. The over is 5-3 the last 3 seasons in Ravens games in that same posted total range. Both teams are hungry here and both teams are emphasizing the offensive side of the ball after poor performances last week. That spells O-V-E-R this week. Play OVER the total in Oakland as an *8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Atlanta Falcons +2.5 @ NY Giants @ 1 ET Sunday - With the Falcons off of their upset win at home over the Eagles and now on the road coupled with the fact that the Giants are off of a road loss and now back home you the "knee jerk reaction" is to back the Giants in this one. However, that is also what is giving the Falcons so much line value here. The fact is that the Giants were poor in more aspects of the game than just clock management in Sunday night's loss at Dallas. The Giants allowed the Cowboys to torch them for 356 yards through the air. If it weren't for three Dallas turnovers the game would have turned out much differently. The Falcons are still known for the fact that they were one of the worst defenses in the league last season. However, with the coaching change, one can already see the huge difference in how Atlanta is playing on that side of the ball. They were flying all over the field against the Eagles highly talented offense and the Falcons D made many big plays in that game. I look for more of the same today and am backing Atlanta in a "mild upset" here. The Falcons are 12-6 ATS the week after Monday night football. The Giants are still licking their wounds after the heartbreaking divisional loss last week. Play Atlanta plus the points as an *8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play OVER 44 in Buffalo vs New England @ 1 ET Sunday - New England's game stayed under the total in week one even though the Pats gave up 464 yards in that game. The Bills game stayed under the total in week one even though Buffalo allowed Indianapolis 23 first downs. Amazingly the Colts only turned that steady movement on the field into 14 points. So, in a nutshell here, you have two teams who each scored at least 27 points last week but whose defensive performance was not all that impressive but yet they are each coming off an under. That makes for tremendous value to the over in week two. The over is 12-5 in Patriots game where the line is between +3 and -3 the last 3 years. The last time these teams met they combined for only 26 points but their three prior meetings all totaled at least 44 points. The Bills have more offensive weapons now than past teams and they put that on display in week one against Indianapolis. At the same time, Brady is still Brady and this Pats offense will once again function like a machine under Belichick in week two. Play OVER the total in Buffalo as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NCAAF Game #202 - *10* OVER 64.5 in Washington State vs Wyoming @ 8:30 ET - The Cowboys put up 462 yards of offense last week but they also allowed 506 yards! The prior week Wyoming allowed 429 yards to North Dakota so, with the early season results in, I certainly don't see the Cowboys porous defense as likely to slow down Washington State. Last week the Cougars rolled for 478 yards through the air. They are fully capable of lighting up the scoreboard and I look for them to do that at home against the Cowboys Saturday. The good news for Wyoming fans though is that their team should certainly move the ball well in this one as well. The Cougars allowed Rutgers to complete 23 of 29 passes last week and, overall, the Scarlet Knights put up over 400 yards of offense on the Washington State defense. The over is 6-2 in Cougars games the past two seasons when they are a favorite. The over is 9-3 in Wyoming's road games the past two seasons. Of course we are dealing with a big total here but both teams should be able to move the ball at will in this one. Neither team's strength is defense. Both the Cougars and Cowboys are coming off of games that totaled in the 70s. More of the same here. Wyoming returned 7 starters on offense this season and also has some solid depth there. But the defense is a major liability and especially in the secondary which is bad news against the Cougars ferocious passing attack. Washington State has a fantastic offensive line and solid wide receivers but, like the Cowboys, their secondary is a major liability for the defense. Wyoming QB Cameron Coffman has been upgraded to probable for this game. Play OVER 64.5 points in Washington State as a *10* Top Play selection. 

Rickenbach NCAAF Game #167 - *10* Top Play Iowa State Cyclones +7.5 @ Toledo @ 8 ET - Iowa State lost to rival Iowa last week and will be hungry to respond this week. The final score was deceiving last week as the Cylcones were actually ahead at the half and, even late in the game, it was a very tight game until some late scoring came - including from a late turnover the Hawkeyes took advantage of. That deceiving helps give line value here in this match-up with a Toledo team that is off of a huge upset of Arkansas last week. Look for that to leave the Rockets flat here. Also, even though Toledo did get that huge win over the Razorbacks last week don't be fooled by the fact the Rockets only allowed 12 points in the game. Arkansas had an incredible 515 yards of offense in that game. It is truly insane that the Razorbacks only scored 12 points off of that but we take advantage by getting the extra value now offered in this week's match-up. Iowa State will not be flat off of the loss. The team chemsitry on this team is different from prior years and they are fired up about responding off of a loss and getting a road win in a game they see as a must-win for bowl purposes even though it's early in the season. The Cyclones know they have a tough schedule up ahead after their bye week next week. Of course their bye week being on deck is another reason to love Iowa State in this match-up. The full focus and energy of the Cyclones is going into this game while the Rockets get caught still celebrating their big win from last week. Play Iowa State +7.5 as a *10* Top Play Saturday.

Rickenbach NCAAF Game #146 - *8* Georgia Bulldogs -16 vs South Carolina @ 6 ET - Normally I don't lay big points. But this game has blowout written all over it. The Bulldogs are seeking revenge for a 38 to 35 loss at South Carolina last year. This is Georgia's biggest game in the month of September. They are off of match-ups with lesser foes UL Monroe and Vanderbilt and they only have Southern on deck. That means this THE GAME for the Bulldogs in the first month of the season. As for the Gamecocks it is a much different situation. South Carolina began the season with a in-state rival match-up with North Carolina and then had to battle a tough SEC foe last week (Kentucky) and they lost that game and also lost their starting QB in the process. Connor Mitch is out for this game and he had won the QB job in spring practice by playing with poise and solid command of the offense in the off-season work. Now the job is handed over to back-up QB Perry Orth, but not by choice of course. That means this could be ugly on both sides of the ball for South Carolina because the Bulldogs are absolutely stacked at the skill positions. Georgia won't take their foot off of the gas once the beating is underway because they still remember that loss at South Carolina last year. That makes me comfortable with laying the large points here. The Gamecocks are 6-11 ATS in SEC games the last 3 years combined. In the month of September South Carolina is 2-7 ATS the last 3 years. Play Georgia -16 as an *8* selection Saturday. 

Rickenbach NCAAF Game #150 - *8* OVER 48 in LSU vs Auburn @ 3:30 ET - Because of the history of these two teams having solid defenses in past years, this total has plummeted from an opener of 52.5 all the way down to a 48 as of Friday evening. This is offering solid line value to "over players" because, always remember, things often are not as they seem on the surface. In this case, both teams are showing a likelihood toward forcing this game to become a higher-scoring contest. Even though LSU's game at Mississippi State stayed well under the total last week, LSU did gain 266 yards on the ground while allowing the Bulldogs 335 through the air. Auburn comes into this game having allowed 438 yards to Jacksonville State last week and that was not necessarily a fluke because they did allow over 400 yards to Louisville in Week One. The strength for Auburn is a dangerous offensive attack that will start to gel more now that they are into their third game of the season and already had their "scare" but survived it after coming out flat against Jacksonville State. Auburn will take advantage of an LSU defense that has already shown weakness in defending the pass. Head coach Gus Malzahn is a mastermind on offense and he'll have big plays ready their first SEC game of the season. Auburn is 11-6 to the over in SEC game the prior two seasons. Auburn is also 6-3 to the over as an underdog the past two seasons. Play OVER 48 in LSU as an *8* selection Saturday.

Rickenbach NCAAF Game #176 - *8* OVER 51 in Maryland vs South Florida @ Noon ET Saturday - South Florida has been an "under" team in recent seasons but they did install a new uptempo offense and they will enjoy success against Maryland. Yes, the Bulls did struggle to get much going on offense last week but that was against Florida State. Now South Florida gets the benefit of facing a Maryland defense that allowed a ridiculous 692 yards of offense last week. Yes that came against a high-powered Bowling Green team but that is still a sign of a porous defense to say the least. The Terrapins offense should also move the ball well in this one. They're facing a South Florida defense that allowed 441 yards of offense last week. Also, the Terps have averaged 410 yards per game on offense in their two games this season. The OVER is 10-2 in Terrapins home games this season and with both teams happy to push the pace in this one it will be all about the offense early Saturday in this match-up. Play OVER 51 in Maryland as an *8* selection Saturday.

Rickenbach NCAAF *8* Florida State Seminoles -7.5 @ Boston College @ 8 PM ET - Over the last 2+ seasons the Seminoles have been favored 29 times. They are 29-0 straight-up in those games. In other words, the odds are that they definitely get the straight win at Boston College Friday night. With that said, I certainly like having this line down right around near a single TD with the Seminoles. Boston College has great numbers so far this season but they have only played Maine and Howard. Florida State has also played a "soft" schedule thusfar but it certainly hasn't been as "cupcake easy" as the two teams the Eagles have faced. With that said, this is the game where BC gets exposed because they only returned 2 starters from offense and 5 staters from defense from last year's team. The Eagles are particularly week on the offensive line and, on the other side of the ball, in the secondary. Boston College lost at home to Pittsburgh, Clemson, and Louisville last year and those defeats came by an average margin of 11 points per loss. That said, this Eagles team is much weaker than last year's team. That said, even though Florida State certainly lost some key talent coming into this year, they are still a powerhouse and the Seminoles are loaded with talent at the WR spot, have tremendous depth at running back, and their defense is bolstered by one of the nation's best groups of corners and safeties. The Eagles will struggle to get the ball downfield on the Noles and their offensive line will be a proven weakness. On the other side of the ball, the Eagles defense will be broken down for big plays as the Noles athleticism at the skill positions keys a huge road win here. Look for the Noles to improve to 7-3 ATS in their last 10 road games with another big win and cover on the road. Play Florida State -7.5 as an *8* selection Friday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Denver Broncos +3 @ Kansas City @ 8:25 ET Thursday - The Broncos are certainly still in the process of adjusting to coach Gary Kubiak and trying to get the offense in sync with Peyton Manning and Company. However, one thing is for certain. The defense was fantastic in week one and I look for a repeat effort tonight. Conversely, the Chiefs defense struggled last week as they were outgained 396 to 330 in last week's game. Kansas City was fortunate to win the turnover battle 2 to 0 in that game and that has helped to result in some line value here. The Chiefs are a strong -3 in this game and I feel they are over-valued. Denver has won each of the last four meetings between these teams and I look for the Broncos to have some different "quick offense" options available after their offensive line did struggle in last week's game. They'll have some special play-calling in place to allow for Manning to have a much better game this week. Head coach Andy Reid has struggled often in big games since taking over the Chiefs and I look for that to be the case again here. The Broncos went 12-1 straight up (and 9-3-1 ATS) in divisional match-ups the last two seasons while the Chiefs have only gone 5-7 straight-up in divisional match-ups under coach Reid. It's generous that the Broncos are receiving a solid 3 here. Play Denver +3 as an *8* selection Thursday.

Rickenbach NCAAF *8* OVER 51.5 in Louisville vs Clemson @ 7:30 ET Thursday - The Tigers only gave up 10 points in each of their first two games this season but keep in mind the level of competition they faced. Clemson opened the season with huge wins over Wofford and Appalachian State. They face a must tougher test this week with Lousville's offense coming to town. The Tigers lost 8 starters from last year's stellar defensive unit and they now face a Cardinals offense that is already averaging 400 yards per game this season even though one of their games was against a solid SEC team, Auburn. The Tigers aren't the only team suffering from defensive attrition in this match-up. Louisville lost 7 starters from last season's defense. The Cardinals gave up 462 yards of offense last week and they are in trouble again here against a dangerous Clemson attack. Look for a third straight over to open up the season for the Cards. The over is on a 35-24 run in Lousville games where they are an underdog. Additionally, the over was a perfect 2-0 the prior two seasons when the Cardinals are at home with a posted total of 49.5 to 52 points. The home crowd will be fired up and I look for a lot of energy and emotion to help fuel an electric atmosphere and, not to over-simply here but, the offenses are simply much farther ahead of the defenses in this one. Play OVER 51.5 in Louisville as an *8* selection Thursday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play Philadelphia Eagles -3 @ Atlanta @ 7:10 ET - The Eagles uptempo offense is tough to stop. With Sam Bradford now at QB and DeMarco Murray at RB, it just became exponentially healthier. Chp Kelly has done some great things to shake up the rest of the league with his aggressive approach on offense. The Eagles, as long as Bradford stays healthy, are likely to again be a true juggernaut on offense again this season. Atlanta hasn't faced Philadelphia since 2012 so all the looks they will see will difficult to deal with. Watching it on film is one thing. Actually dealing with it on the field is another. The Eagles have been a Top Five offense each of the past two years while the Falcons were near the bottom of the league in defense last season. Though Quinn may prove to be a good hire who does some great things in Atlanta, it's going to take him some time to get things rolling here. With that said, the Eagles are completely capable of dominating the overmatched Falcons defense in this one. Philadelphia's defense also looks improved heading into this season as they continue to work Chip Kelly's "style" of players into the roster and they are building the units they want. Getting Kiko Alonso on board is a huge plus too. The last two years, under Chip Kelly, the Eagles are 3-0 straight up and ATS on Monday nights. Philly is also 4-1 straight up and ATS in games where they are a road favorite of 3 points or less. The Falcons have gone 4-10 ATS in games where their line ranges from +3 to -3 the last two seasons combined. Play Philadelphia minus the short number as a *10* Top Play Monday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* New York Giants +6.5 @ Dallas @ 8:30 ET - The Giants have lost each meeting with the Cowboys each of the last two years. However, three of the four losses came by five points or less and the average margin of the four defeats was just 5.25 points. The Giants also outgained Dallas in 3 of the 4 meetings. The Cowboys running back by committe methodology will be tested early this season as they try to adjust to life without DeMarco Murray at running back. Look for this to put extra pressure on Tony Romo and the passing game. It's tough to get a big margin in these division rivalry games and this is especially true when you've undergone some major offseason changes, as the Cowboys surely have with departure of Murray. The Giants will be highly motivated here as coach Coughlin knows he on the hot seat coming into this year. New York has had back to back losing season and the best way to put "the talk" on the back burners for awhile would be with a huge divisional win to kick off the season. I am not expecting an outright victory here but certainly would not be surprised should that occur. The key here though is the big points as Dallas is going to be challenged all the way just to win this game let alone cover it. The Cowboys took a big gamble on the defensive side of the ball too as they picked up Greg Hardy. He's already suspended for the first four games of the season and it looks like Dallas could be a little weaker on each side of the ball to start this season. With that said, the Cowboys don't merit being favored by nearly a full TD against a division rival that, unlike them, did improve in the off-season. The Giants hasd some solid pickups in free agency and also did well in the draft and that goes for both sides of the ball. Their depth has now improved and their chomping at the big to get this season started and end their losing streak against the Cowboys. Play the New York Giants +6.5 as an *8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play OVER 43 in Oakland vs Cincinnati @ 4:25 ET - The Raiders ranked as one of the worst teams in the league on offense last season. However, Oakland still managed to go 10-6 to the over last season thanks to a porous defense and some strong performances from QB Carr from time to time. This Sunday looks like another one of those "times" for Carr. The Oakland signal-caller has some more playmakers to work with in the passing game this season and I expect an aggressive approach in the Raiders playcalling as they look to get the ball downfield early and often in this one. Cincinnati did not impress defensively last year and the Raiders are more than willing to push the tempo in this one and challenge the Bengals secondary frequently in this game. In home games with a posted total between 42.5 and 45 points last season, the OVER went 4-1 (80%) in Oakland. The Bengals solidified their offensive line in the draft and QB Dalton has plenty of weapons at his disposal to help the passing game further support a solid Cincinnati ground attack. Cincy is off yet another first round playoff exit so they are hungry to push the tempo early this season and I see both teams happy to get into a back and forth style that lights up the scoreboard in this one. Neither team is solid defensively and I like both QBs to exploit the advantages against questionable secondaries for each defense. Play OVER 43 in Oakland as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play Baltimore Ravens +4.5 @ Denver @ 4:25 ET - The Broncos have some adjusting to do. Yes, Peyton Manning is still here but this team lost a lot of key cogs in the off-season. Additionally, they have to adjust to head coach Gary Kubiak. It's likely to be a tough adjustment phase for the Broncos and this is particularly true early this season. With that said, there is a lot of value here with a Ravens team that has a fanastic system in place under their GM Newsome. The Ravens simply have a "plug and play" system that continues to produce year in and year out. Their passing game took a few hits in the off-season but they re-stocked well in the off-season with the draft, etc. Additionally, the defense was once again "Ravens D" last year and outperformed expectations as they even looked like the Ravens D of old quite frequently last season. They can step up in big games like this for sure and it would not be surprising to see Kubiak and Manning not quite on the same page together right off the bat this season. This makes it even more likely that the Ravens can get revenge for a bad loss here at Denver in 2013. With revenge on their minds as well as with having a handful of points to work with, this one easily got the call as my top side play of the week. The outright upset would not surprise and I'll grab the points here. This Broncos team is not on par with prior years' versions. Play Baltimore +4.5 as a *10* Top Play Sunday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Indianapolis Colts -2.5 @ Buffalo @ 1 ET - Buffalo certainly has imrpoved recently as was evidenced by their 9-7 record last season. However, this line is still giving them way too much respect here as they host a team that very nearly made it to the Super Bowl last season. Much is being made of Buffalo's head coach Ryan and the fact that he had success in shutting down Andrew Luck back in 2012. The key flaw in that theory is that Luck has matured tremendously since then and there is no comparison between his NFL knowledge then compared to where he is now. The Colts will once again have one of the top offenses in the league this season and let's not forget that the Bills are going with their 4th defensive coordinator in as many seasons! In addition, the fact that Buffalo added LeSean McCoy at RB is certainly a postiive but this offense was among the worst in the league last season and McCoy will find it much tougher to function in this offense compared to what he enjoyed in Philadelphia's system. The Colts certainly made some noise in the off-season and now have even more weapons at their disposal on offense. The Colts are well worth the short price here on the road as their systems are intact whereas the Bills are still adjusting to all the changes. Buffalo will improve as the season goes on but this is a tough challenge for them in Week One. Play Indianapolis minus the points as an *8* selection Sunday. 

Rickenbach NCAAF Game #366 - *10* Top Play OVER 59 in Air Force vs San Jose State @ 10:15 ET - San Jose State rolled up 707 yards last week. Granted it was against an FCS school but New Hampshire is actually not a bad football program. In fact, N.H. came up just short of the FCS Championship Game last year. With that said, the Spartans should again move the ball very well this week. The Falcons defense was improved last year but they were awful in the prior year and they come into this season with only four returning starters on defense. Air Force is also off of a dominating effort last week as, like San Jose State, they faced an overmatched foe. The key for the Falcons, just as it was for the Spartans last week, is that it was a huge confidence building effort for the offense. San Jose State scored 43 points last week and Air Force scored 63 points last week. The concern for the Spartans defense this week is they can't stop the option attack. Under Caragher, San Jose State has been ripped by Navy's offense each of the last two seasons and the Falcons will give them just as much trouble. The Spartans allowed a combined 99 points to the Midshipmen in their past two match-ups and they won't stop the Falcons potent offensive attack Saturday either. Air Force averaged 32 points a game last season but, in thhe prior season, they allowed 40 points per game and, as noted above, with the personnel losses on defense this season I do expect the Falcons D to regress quite a bit this year. San Jose State allowed 38 points or more in 5 of their last 6 six games last season and, as noted above, this defense just is not built to stop the option. Both teams will explode again on offense this week in a back and forth high-scoring affair. Play OVER 59 points in Air Force as *10* Top Play Saturday.

Rickenbach NCAAF Game #391 - *10* Top Play Oregon Ducks +4 @ Michigan State @ 8 ET - In their opening road game of the season the last 14 years the Ducks have gone 11-3. The line on this particular road opener for Oregon has been climbing all week and is now offering even more value with the underdog Ducks. Oregon has gone 7-1 straight up and ATS in their last 8 true road games against ranked opponents. Both teams are off rather easy wins last week and UO QB Vernon Adams was able to get in some "nice work" as the Ducks took adavntage of facing Eastern Washington, an FCS team, and piled up 731 yards of offense. Michigan State has revenge here because of their loss to the Ducks last season but I still think Oregon just has too much firepower all over the field for the Spartans to counter all their weapons. Michigan State's secondary is a concern because they lost so much talent from last year. As for the Ducks, they simply reloaded at the skill positions and they appear to be improved in the trenches too. That's bad news for a Spartans team that was up 27-18 on the Ducks last year but then allowed Oregon to score the final 28 points of the game. That comeback win gives Oregon plenty of confidence no matter how the early going plays out in this contest. Additionally, so many are looking at the revenge factor here for the Spartans but let's not forget that Oregon lost the National Championship to a Big Ten foe (Ohio State) in January. That is signficant for two reasons. 1) After coming so close to winning ti all last year Oregon knows this game today is one of those "big games" that will define their season chances in terms of getting back to the big one. 2) This is a revenge spot for the Ducks against another quality Big Ten foe. After what Ohio State did to them in January, the Ducks want some payback and they want it now. Play Oregon +4 as a *10* Top Play Saturday.

Rickenbach NCAAF Game #356 - *8* OVER 50 in Iowa State vs Iowa @ 4:45 ET - In Iowa's games with a line ranging from +3 to -3, the over has gone 9-1 (90%). This is a bit of a contrarian play because of the in-state rivalry factor and the fact that so many unders have occurred in recent years in this rivalry. The key here is that both teams have improved on offense coming into this season. The "buy-in" into the systems is there and the teams have the right personnel in the right places to execute offensively. ISU QB Richardson truly has a solid group of wide receivers that is a much stronger group than many give it credit for. With that said, the Cyclones will be looking to push the tempo on their home field and this will force the Iowa offense to have to throw the ball more to keep up with the pace of the game set by the Cyclones attack on offense. Each of these teams did put 31 points last week and though each team had a solid performance defensively last week, that came against overmatched foes with suspect offenses. Each defense receives a much tougher test this week because this isn't Northern Iowa or Illinois State on the opposite sideline! The Cyclones over mark improves to 13-7 in their last 20 games as an underdog. This total dropping all the way down from a 54 is offering even more line value. Play OVER 50 in Iowa State as an *8* selection Saturday.

Rickenbach NCAAF Game #341 - *8* Massachusetts Minutemen +13 @ Colorado @ 2 PM ET - This one truly does have situational advantages that are off the charts. Colorado is off of a long road trip to Hawaiii in week one. The Minutemen, conversely, are completely rested and ready for this game because this is their first game of the season. UMass did not play in Week One. The Minutemen also have motivation here because they lost a tough one at home against the Buffaloes last season as they let a nice lead get away from them. UMass returns a ton of starters to this seasons team and they come into the new year with plenty of confidence that this can be "their year". Also, the Buffaloes scheduling situation (already poor due to the trip to Hawaii) is even worse because they have a huge rivalry game on deck with Colorado State up next. Colorado is just 3-6 in their last 9 home openers and I love having the big points here with a dangerous dog in an advantageous spot. Play Massachusetts +13 as an *8* selection Saturday.

Rickenbach NCAAF Game #308 - *8* OVER 54 in Florida State vs South Florida @ 11:30 AM ET - South Florida and Florida State are meeting for just the third time ever. The first two meetings stayed under the total. The key to the third one going over though is a chance that the Bulls have made. South Florida has gone to an uptempo offense for this season. Right away in week one it paid dividends as the Bulls rolled up 51 points on the scoreboard. Certainly South Florida will find the going tougher against the Seminoles defense in comparison with an FCS school. However, the Bulls new uptempo attack can certainly do some damage here. The Seminoles offense also should score early and often in this one. Florida State rolled to a 59-16 win at Texas State in Week One and the Bulls just don't have enough talent on defense to slow down the likes of the athletic talent which the Noles possess at the skill positions. Noles QB Golson (a ND transfer) had a huge week one and looks ready to excel in the FSU attack. Play OVER 54 in Florida State as an *8* selection Saturday.

Rickenbach NCAAF *8* OVER 55.5 in Florida Atlantic vs Miami @ 8 ET Friday - The Owls were involved in a game where no defense was played last week and I look for more of the same this week. FAU combined with Tulsa for nearly 1200 yards of offense in week one. The Owls certainly are facing a tougher defense this week. However, FAU is fired up for this huge home game against a Power 5 team and in-state foe. The Owls offense now has plenty of confidence after putting up 563 yards of offense against Tulsa last week and they'll be able to move the ball quite well against a Miami defense that lost quite a lot of talent from last year's team. Yes, the Hurricanes are off of a dominating shutout win in week one but that was against an overmatched Bethune Cookman team. Undoubtedly the Hurricanes defense is going to be challenged early and often by an Owls offense that is surging with confidence after putting up 44 points in their season opener. The Hurricanes scored 45 points in last week's game and they'll have to be willing to turn this one into a high-scoring track meet because I don't see them stopping this quite respectable Owls offense. That should allow this one to easily eclispse the number. Confident, fired up home team offense against overconfident defense (off shutout win of weak foe) equals plenty of Owls points here. As for Owls defense, it's a sieve and the Hurricanes literally whip right through it. Play OVER 55.5 points in Florida Atlantic as an *8* selection Friday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* Pittsburgh Steelers +7 @ New England @ 8:30 ET Thursday - The contrarian way of looking at games when handicapping the NFL is something that has treated me well through the years. Indeed the contrarian vantage point is something I will use again not only on opening night this season but throughout the 2015 NFL season. Most are lining up to take Tom Brady and Company in this one because his suspension was lifted and he's now able to play right away in Game 1 of the Patriots season. With all the focus on Brady being able to play, a lot of focus has been taken away from other key factors and this has resulted in great line value with Pittsburgh available at a full +7 in this game. The Patriots don't have the quality or depth of receivers they use to. This situation is exasperated in Game 1 with the Brandon LeFell injury and the fact that Julian Edelman (though playing) is bothered by an ankle injury. The Patroits also have been severely distracted by the whole Deflategate saga and they are going to have their hands full with Pittsburgh on opening night. The Steelers will be without RB Le'Veon Bell and WR Martavis Bryant but I like their depth at the skill positions. The Steelers are without their center, Maurkice Pouncey, but the rest of the offensive line looks stronger then it has in recent seasons and the Steelers have had plenty of extra to prep for being without Pouncey (out till late season). Pittsburgh has allowed some veteran players to go from the defense and Polamalu has retired. But the Steelers (on both sides of the ball) are a team built on their systems and the right personnel is in place to execute those systems. The Pats are being asked a lot here as, of course, the defending Super Bowl champions will have a target on their back all season long and this line being in the 7 range certainly seems a bit inflated. The Steelers are in this one all the way and it would not suprise to see them pull off the upset. Play Pittsburgh +7 as an *8* selection Thursday.

Rickenbach NCAA-F *8* OVER 60.5 in Western Kentucky vs Lousiana Tech @ 8 ET - This total has dropped all the way from an opener of 67 down to as low as a 60.5 in some spots as of gameday morning. This is offering huge edges to the over. There seems to be an over-reaction to the Hilltoppers Week 1 result (a low-scoring 14-12 defeat). One should not overlook the fact that Western Kentucky faced an SEC defense in that game. Additionally, even though Vanderbilt only put up 14 points in that game, the Commodores did produce nearly 400 yards of offense. The Hilltoppers will struggle to stop a Bulldogs offense that put up 59 points on them in last year's meeting. Louisiana Tech's offense has also been further boosted by the addition of QB Jeff Driskel, a transfer from Florida. The Bulldogs put up 62 points in week one and can have another big offensive performance this week. However, Louisiana Tech's defense will struggle to stop the revenge-minded Hilltoppers in this one. Western Kentucky put up 44.4 points per game last season but they also allowed an average of 39.9 points per game last year. The Hilltoppers also have some injury concerns and suspension issues impacting their defense in this one. With the added value of this total dropping like a rock since it opened up, this easily qualified as a play for me. In the two prior seasons combined, the over is 4-1 in the Bulldogs road games with a posted total between 56.5 and 63 points. Also, when favored, the over has gone 36-20 in Lousiana Tech's last 56 road games. As for the Hilltoppers, they are 7-2 to the over the prior two seasons combined in games where they are the underdog. Play OVER 60.5 as an *8* selection Thursday.

Rickenbach NCAAF *8* OVER 53 in Virginia Tech vs Ohio State @ 8 ET - Much has been made of the Ohio State suspensions on the offensive side of the ball but the drop off in talent to the back-ups at the skill positions of RB and WR is actually not that significant for the Buckeyes. They are simply loaded with talent and depth at the skill positions and there will not be a dropoff there as a result of the suspensions. However, the one key area that is absolutely significantly impacted by the suspensions is the defensive line. The loss of all-everything DL Joey Bosa is significant as he plays such a big role in so many plays for Ohio State. Whether it's stopping the run or applying pressure in the backfield his absence is not easily replaced. The Hokies offense is expected to be much improved over last season's version and they did manage 35 points against Ohio State last season. Granted Virginia Tech was certainly helped by turnovers in that match-up but the point is that Hokies have extra confidence from knocking off the Buckeyes last season. As for Ohio State's offense, they have the weapons (and a lot more experience at the QB position) to be able to move the ball quite well against the Hokies vaunted D. The offensive line for Ohio State looks great coming into this season and they'll be able to open up some big holes for the Buckeyes backs to get through. The QB's also have the experience now to take advantage of what is likely to be an over-aggressive Hokies defense. This will lead to big plays for the Buckeyes offense. Ohio State went 8-2 to the over the past two seasons when they are a favorite of 10.5 to 21 points. The Buckeyes have gone 7-3 to the over in road games the past two seasons and also 8-3 to the over in non-conference action over the same period of time. Play OVER 53 points in Virginia Tech as an *8* selection Monday.

Rickenbach NCAAF *8* OVER 60.5 in Marshall vs Purdue @ 3 ET - The Boilermakers have some injury concerns at linebacker with three starters all dealing with nagging injuries. For Ezechukwu its a knee. For Bentley its his back. For Herman its a hamstring. Look for the Thundering Herd to take full advantage. Though some have voiced concern because a new QB is at the helm at Marshall this season, the concerns should be proven unfounded as Michael Birdsong is a junior and has already made 14 starts at the college level. He'll have plenty of weapons to work with at Marshall and the Thundering Herd averaged 45.6 points per game last season. They can put up points in a hurry on anyone but there certainly is a question about whether or not Marshall can stop a Big Ten foe like this. It is doubtful. The Thundering Herd lost three of three of their four defensive line starters from last season and they lost two of their best linebackers as well. Look for Purdue to take advantage as they go to a new passing offense that is designed to throw the ball downfield and be much more of a vertical attack than the Boilermakers previously employed. Purdue opened up last season by putting up 43 points and they'll be ready to showcase their new offense here and I look for another huge performance on offense to open up the season. The over is 5-0, 100% in Marshall's last 5 games against Big Ten foes. Purdue likes the "fast track" and is 29-15 to the over in their last 44 games played on turf. Play OVER 60.5 in Marshall as an *8* selection Sunday.

Rickenbach NCAAF Game #201: *10* Top Play Wisconsin Badgers +14 (or as many points as you can get - it's been a line mover) @ Alabama @ 8:00 ET - Last year I lost a heart-breaker with the Badgers in their season opener. It was against LSU and Wisconsin actually led 24-7 in the 3rd quarter and they were dominating the ground game in that match-up with the Tigers. However, they then lost some defensive lineman to injuries and they didn't have RB Gordon in the fourth quarter. They ended up narrowly missing the cover in the 4 point loss to LSU. Not only do I remember that game but the Badgers do too! They certainly want to start off this season on a winning note but that's a tall order as a two TD underdog at mighty Alabama. The key here is that we have all those points to play with in terms of getting "our" win on this game! The Badgers can absolutely hang tough throughout this game. They beat Auburn in the Outback Bowl after last season and that's the same Tigers team that outgained Bama by nearly 100 yards in their match-up last season. The Badgers love to get physical in the trenches and, as proven with Auburn, it's that type of team that can give the Crimson Tide some fits. With that said, this game is likely to stay much closer throughout than what many are forecasting. This line has jumped all the way from Alabama -9.5 all the way to -14 as of the time of my selection and now it's crashing back down to -10.5 as of the time of this final posting of analysis. The Big Dog is the way to go in this one. The Crimson Tide are of course a stellar team once again but they will have an adjustment phase early this season considering they return just 11 starters and do have some question marks at QB as well. The Badgers are on a long-term 46-33 ATS run as an underdog and Alabama has gone 2-7 ATS in non-conference action the past two seasons. Play Wisconsin PLUS the big points as a *10* Top Play Saturday.

Rickenbach NCAAF Game #182: *10* Top Play OVER 60.5 to 61.5 in Northern Illinois vs UNLV @ 7:30 ET - Northern Illinois had 10 unders in their 14 games last season but the prior year the Huskies were a strong over team with 9 overs in their 14 games. This up and down trend continues this season as I look for a very strong season from the Northern Illinois offense while their defense continues to leave much to be desired. The Huskies allowed 26 points per game last season and they'll face a rejuvenated UNLV offense that is looking to get a spark from their coaching change (Tony Sanchez) as they look to put last season's disappointment behind them. The Rebels do return 7 starters on offense and they put up 34 points against the Huskies last season. That game totaled 82 points, a loss for UNLV at home, and another wild one (this time in DeKalb) should be expected. This time more of the scoring is likely to be coming from the Huskies as they can roll right through and inexperienced and undersized Rebels defense. However, the Rebels finished last season with averaging 26 points in their last 7 games of the year and they do seem re-invigorated by the coaching change and a new feel with Sanchez at the helm. The over is 4-1, 80% in UNLV road games with a posted total between 56.5 and 63 points. The over is 5-1, 83% in Northern Illinois September games. Both stats are comprised of the past two seasons and both stats add another OVER today! Play OVER 60.5 to 61.5 in Northern Illinois as a *10* Top Play Saturday. 

Rickenbach NCAAF Game #175: *8* Arizona State Sun Devils +3 @ Texas A & M @ 7:00 ET - Arizona State looks strong coming into this season as 9 returning starters on the defensive side of the ball means the Aggies are running into a solid defense to open up their season. Though this location Saturday certainly favors the Aggies it it still not their true home field as they are playing Houston instead of College Station. Texas A & M has a new DC with John Chavis now making the calls on defense and the Aggies could certainly have an adjustment phase to go through with Chavis early this season. As for the Sun Devils offense, I like what I am seeing from Todd Graham's team heading into this season and they won 4 of their 6 games against ranked teams last season and one of the two losses did come when they were without their starting QB (injury). Love having the hungry dog here as the two most powerful conferences in College Football square off Saturday evening. The Aggies are a money-burning 5-12 ATS as a favorite the past two seasons. The Sun Devils have won 17 of their last 21 Saturday games and get the job done to open the season. Play Arizona State +3 as an *8* selection Saturday.

Rickenbach NCAA-F *8* OVER 57.5 in Western Michigan vs Michigan State @ 7 PM ET - Michigan State is projected to be among the top teams in the country this season and should have no trouble putting up points against an overmatched Western Michigan defense. Though the Broncos defense will struggle here their offense is another story. Western Michigan is very strong at the skill positions and will be able to put up points in this one. The Broncos players, being overlooked by bigger in-state schools like Michigan State, would love nothing more than to take down the Spartans. Of course that is unlikely to happen here and it's the reason that Michigan State is such a big favorite. What can happen here is that the Broncos use a solid offense to hang around in this one for quite awhile before the Spartans pull away late. The resullt will be a game that should rather easily eclipse this manageable number. The Broncos are 5-2 to the over in non-conference games the last 3 years combined. The Spartans are 7-3 to the over in non-conference games the last 3 seasons combined. Michigan State is also on a long-term 21-11 run to the over in the role of a road favorite. Specifically, the Spartans are 7-2 to the over in road games where the total is set between 56.5 and 63 points. Play OVER 57.5 in Western Michigan as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NCAA-F *10* Top Play Michigan Wolverines +5 @ Utah @ 8:30 ET Thursday - One of the biggest stories heading into this season is, of course, the return of Jim Harbaugh to the Wolverines. You can bet this is going to return a lot of physicality to Michigan and that insures that they match-up perfectly with a Utes offense that loves to pound the ball on the ground. The Wolverines defense is still among the tops in the nation and the key here will be that the offense of Michigan should show immediate improvement under Harbaugh. That's thanks in part to the solid work he has put in with passing game coordinator Jedd Fisch and that will pay off immediately here as the Wolverines play with revenge in this one. They lost in Michigan to the Utes by a score of 26-10 last season. It's payback time tonight and I look for the Wolverines to take advantage of a Utes team breaking in two new coordinators. That's never easy to handle in the same season and Utah is trying to adjust to a new OC and a new DC as they head into this season. The Utes are without long-time coordinators Kalani Sitake (DC) and Dave Christensen (OC). I expect this to impact the Utes early in the season and there is big value with getting the handful of points with the revenging Wolverines who will be giving 110% effort for Harbaugh in his first game. There is no doubt about that. Love the cohesiveness and emotional energy that the Wolverines will bring to this game as Harbaugh has already rejuvenated this entire program and has these players believing in themselves and their teammates. This team is ready to produce right away in Week one! Play Michigan +5 as a *10* Top Play Thursday.

Rickenbach NCAA-F *8* North Carolina Tar Heels +3 vs South Carolina @ 6 ET Thursday - Steve Spurrier has been perfect (5-0) in his career against North Carolina. Of course, as the saying goes, that's why they play the games! In other words, I am calling for an upset here and I love the fact that this line has moved from around a pick'em to now having South Carolina favored by a full field goal. There is nice underdog value here with the Tar Heels as the Gamecocks are simply over-rated just because they play in the very tough SEC. The fact is South Carolina appears to be on a downward slide and there's no amount of coaching that Spurrier can provide that's going to change that anytime soon! The Gamecocks only return 4 starters on the offensive side of the ball this season and there is particular concern along the offensive line. Many games are won in the trenches and South Carolina has simply not had the continuity necessary for their offensive line to gel yet heading into this season. The Gamecocks saw some serious injuries in the spring carry over concern into the season in terms of production from this offensive line. As for the Tar Heels, they are certainly hungry to win this "Carolina Battle" and don't want to lose again to Spurrier. That insures the motivation factor here and while South Carolina has big games on deck with their SEC home opener next week and a visit to the Georgia Bulldogs the following week, the Tar Heels have a much lighter schedule in front of them. They don't open up ACC action until October and their next three games are against North Carolina AT & T, Illinois, and Delaware! Full focus from UNC in this one for sure! The Tar Heels have the better offense here (with 9 returning starters certainly helping the cause) and I look for swift improvement on the defensive side of the ball with the hiring of Gene Chizik. Play North Carolina +3 as an *8* selection Thursday.

Rickenbach NFL *8* UNDER the total in Super Bowl @ 6:30 ET Sunday, February 1st - Though we felt somewhat burned by the fact that the Patriots game did not go over the total in the divisional round, credit must certainly be given to the Pats defense for shutting down Andrew Luck and the Colts. That said, another UNDER result coming New England's way (with more solid defense) in the Super Bowl should not surprise. The last 3 times the Pats were in the Super Bowl the average total points scored has been 38. Couple that with the fact that the Seahawks result of an over in the NFC Championship Game was a miracle and you have some nice value with the lofty posted total in the Super Bowl this year. Note that the Seahawks game was 19-7 with just over two minutes left when the crazy Seattle comeback ensued. That said, note that Seattle had seen 5 of their prior 7 games stay under the total before their crazy finish against the Packers. As for the Patriots, each of their last 3 games away from home has stayed under the total. Also, New England is on a long-term 22-11 run to the UNDER in playoff games. Play UNDER the total in the Super Bowl as an *8* selection.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS vs Seattle @ 6:30 ET Sunday, February 1st - The Patriots are on a mission and, as tough as it is to repeat as NFL Champions, the Seahawks face an even tougher task then most teams who have earned themselves the opportunity to repeat. Note that Seattle is facing New England, and mastermind coach Bill Belichick, when he's off of back to back Super Bowl losses. The Patriots, in their last two visits to the Super Bowl, lost to the Giants each time. One defeat occurred in 2008 and the most recent loss occurred in 2012. By the way, the last team to repeat as Super Bowl Champions was the Patriots when they won it back to back in 2004 and 2005. For the Pats and Belichick, this offers even more motivation for this Super Bowl. The Patriots want to take away the sting of losing in their last two trips to the big game and they also want to maintain their status as the only team in this century to repeat as Super Bowl Champs. That's right, the last team to do it was Denver back in '98 and '99. Motivation and history aside here, the biggest key to this play is that no team is playing as complete as football is New England is right now. The power running game, the physical defense, an elite quarterback, and all of these factors are strengthened by having an amazing head coach. As for the Seahawks, while I certainly respect their solid defense and the success that Russell Wilson has had on the other side of the ball for Seattle, there is no doubt the Hawks do not belong in this game. Green Bay had them beat in the NFC Championship Game and let's not forget that the Packers barely slipped by the Cowboys in the Divisional Round. With injuries to Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas (even if they turn out to be minor and they do play in the Super Bowl) will certainly not help matters for a Hawks defense that struggled earlier this season when they were not healthy. After their miracle comeback win over the Packers, the Seahawks luck runs out here. Belichick and the Pats machine (that truly is what they are, a machine with amazing systems), will hoist the trophy this year. Play New England as a *10* Top Play.

Rickenbach NFL *8* NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (-) vs Indianapolis @ 6:40 ET - As for Monday evening, the weather is expect to be decent (by New England winter standards) for Sunday's AFC Championship game so the Patriots offensive machine should be able to execute at it's highest level in this game. With that said, I won't hesitate to step up now on the Patriots as this line has dropped to 6.5 in some spots (including some big books) as of Monday evening. Though the Pats got caught in a bit of "back and forth" with the Ravens in the Divisional Round, the Patriots will not only match Indy score for score in this one, they just might be unstoppable on offense. The Colts faced a struggling and injured Peyton Manning last week. That had a lot to do with my play against the Broncos in the divisional round. Manning just didn't look right late this season and the Colts took advantage. But now the Indy defense faces the potent machine in this one: the Patriots offense led by Tom Brady. Note that the Pats have scored 274 points in their last 7 meaningful home games (Bills game in season finale did not matter). That works out to an average of 39 points per game! The Pats simply can't be stopped in Foxboro. The last time these two teams met (earlier this season) the Patriots rolled by a 42-20 final score! A similar result would not surprise. As for supporting trends, the Patriots are 3-0 straight-up and ATS against the Colts in their last 3 meetings. The Pats have won those games by an average score of 48-22. New England is 9-1 ATS the last 3 seasons in home games with a posted total of 49.5 points or more. The Patriots are at their best against strong teams as they have gone 15-9 ATS the L3 seasons against teams with a winning record. As for the Colts, they normally fade as a season goes on. They are 5-9 ATS when they face teams with a winning record past the mid-point of the season. Of course we are now in the post-season and, just like last year, the Patriots eliminate the Colts from the post-seasons. Andrew Luck got his signature win over this predecessor last week as they beat Peyton Manning and the Broncos. Getting a second straight big road win is too much to ask. Especially when that road win must come in Foxboro against Bill Belichick and Company. The Colts will score their fair share here but they won't be able to stop the Patriots. Play New England minus the points as an *8* Play selection.

Rickenbach NFL *10* (Top Play) OVER the total in New England vs Indianapolis @ 6:40 ET Sunday, 18 January - As for Monday evening, the weather is expect to be decent (by New England winter standards) for Sunday's AFC Championship game. With that said, I won't hesitate to step up now on this total. The Patriots and Ravens served me well in the divisional round as that game flew over the total and more of the same is expected here. That's because the Pats struggled to stop the Ravens and it's likely that Andrew Luck and Company will "have their moments" against the Patriots questionable D. But it's also likely the Patriots will not only match Indy score for score in this one, they just might be unstoppable. The Colts faced a struggling and injured Peyton Manning last week. That had a lot to do with my play against the Broncos in the divisional round. Manning just didn't look right late this season and the Colts took advantage. But now the Indy defense faces the potent machine in this one: the Patriots offense led by Tom Brady. Note that the Pats have scored 274 points in their last 7 meaningful home games (Bills game in season finale did not matter). That works out to an average of 39 points per game! The Pats simply can't be stopped in Foxboro. But the Colts will put up their fair share as they've scored at least 23 points in 14 of their 18 games this season! The last time these two teams met (earlier this season) they combined for 62 points. A similar result would not surprise. Perhaps New England hits their 39 average noted above and the Colts hit that magical 23 noted above? That's 62 folks. As for supporting trends, the Patriots are 10-0 to the OVER the last 3 seasons when they are home with a posted total of 49.5 points or more. As for the Colts, they are 27-13 to the OVER in games where they are a road dog of 3.5 to 7 points. That's a long-term trend. As for short-term, in the last 3 seasons, the Colts are 9-4 to the OVER when they are a dog of 3.5 to 9.5 points. Andrew Luck can lead his team to some big points and no one doubts that. Couple that with the Pats' offensive machine and you have the makings of an offensive showcase here. Play OVER the total in New England as a *10* Top Play selection.

Rickenbach NFL *10* Top Play GREEN BAY PACKERS (+) @ Seattle @ 3:05 ET Sunday, 18 January - The Packers came up just short of covering the spread in their win over the Cowboys in the Divisional Round. They did win the yardage battle handily in that game though and the payoff for Packers backers will come this week. A generous amount of points are being offered here considering the weak offenses which Seattle has faced of late. Certainly I am well aware of the fact that the Seahawks have covered 7 straight games but the level of offenses they faced must be considered. Seattle's defense is solid, certainly not arguing that point. But the Hawks have faced Arizona twice (Cardinals without their starting QB each time), San Francisco twice (49'ers finished the season looking completely inept as a team), St Louis (Rams without their starting QB), Philadelphia (Eagles inconsistent with Sanchez at QB), and Carolina (Panthers made the playoffs but with a losing record). The point is that the Packers offense, even with Aaron Rodgers hobbling some, is absolutely going to present the biggest test that the Seahawks defense has had in a long time. Seattle is a little overconfident right now and their defense gets tested here. Let's not forget that the Panthers did roll up 362 yards against the Seahawks in the divisional round. For comparison sake, note that the Packers defense held a much more potent offense (the Cowboys) to 315 yards in the divisional round. Additionally, the Packers certainly have not forgotten about the beating they took at Seattle in the opening game of this season. Time for a little payback? Without a doubt! That said, I'll gladly grab the big points here. Green Bay is on a long-term 7-3 ATS run when installed as a road dog of 7.5 to 10 points. The Packers have gone 5-2 ATS against teams with a winning record this season. Seattle has certainly been a spread covering machine the last few seasons but it's so insanely tough to repeat as Super Bowl champs. That said, just getting to the Super Bowl will be a huge battle for the Hawks. In other words, great line value with all the points here as the Packers are fully capable of pulling off the upset. Play Green Bay plus the points as a *10* Top Play selection.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAF Monday 10* (Top Play) on UNDER in Oregon vs. Ohio State @ 8:30 p.m. ET
The Oregon Ducks face the Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff National Championship Monday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on UNDER in Oregon with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Ducks put on an impressive offensive display in the Rose Bowl, hanging 59 points on Florida State. However, Oregon benefited from sloppy play from the Seminoles and had a ton of extra whacks at the piñata. The Seminoles were deflated after each turnover and their defense constantly marched back on the field after the quick giveaways. 2. Oregon’s defense deserves a lot of the credit for that Rose Bowl win. The Ducks, who rank 16th in total yards allowed at 333.4 yards per game, didn’t let FSU find its rhythm on offense. Oregon’s lightning-quick defense sacked Jameis Winston twice and pressured him numerous other times, forcing the former Heisman winner to throw one interception and fumble for an Oregon touchdown – one of four forced fumbles from the Ducks. 3. Both teams will try to establish the run in the national title game. The Ducks marched for 301 yards on 45 carries against FSU while Ohio State ran for 281 yards on 42 attempts. These offenses are rooted in the run, and the defenses don’t give up much of the ground either. Ohio State allows just 3.9 yards per carry while Oregon budges for 4.1 yards per run. The Buckeyes stop unit has been especially stingy on third downs, allowing opponents to convert just 35.5 percent of their third down attempts, including shutting down Alabama to just 2 for 13 on third downs in the Sugar Bowl.
Play on UNDER in Oregon as a 10* Top Selection Monday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 8* (Regular Play) on Indianapolis at Denver @ 4:40 p.m. ET
The Denver Broncos host the Indianapolis Colts Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Indianapolis with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Colts defense has stepped up down the stretch and showed its stinginess in a 26-10 win over Cincinnati. Indianapolis has held three of its last four opponents to 10 points per game and limited the Bengals to just 155 yards through the air and 110 rushing yards in the Wild Card Round. 2. The Indianapolis offense could have blown this score wide open but instead settled for four field goals in the win over the Bengals. The Colts can match the Broncos firepower, ranked third in yards per game at 406.6 and ranked tops in the passing attack, with Andrew Luck tossing for an average of 305.9 yards through the air. Luck hit nine different receivers in the Wild Card Round, amassing 376 yards and one touchdown. 3. Indianapolis got a valiant effort from its running backs against the Bengals, with RBs Dan Heron and Zurlon Tipton helping the Colts rush for 114 yards on 25 carries – an average of 4.56 yards per run. Indianapolis hasn’t been great at running the ball this season but if they can generate yards like they did against Cincinnati, it will be enough to keep the Broncos defense honest and give Luck more time to pass the ball. The Colts have covered in seven straight meetings with Denver, including a 31-24 loss in Sports Authority Field as 8-point underdogs way back in Week 1.
Play on Indianapolis as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 10* (Top Play) on Green Bay vs. Dallas @ 1:05 p.m. ET
The Green Bay Packers host the Dallas Cowboys Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Green Bay with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Dallas is ripe for a letdown spot after grabbing the franchise’s first playoff win since 2009. The Cowboys battled back from 10 points down in the second half and caught some lucky breaks from the officials at home, as well as some careless turnovers from the Lions. I’m expecting a fat and cocky Dallas team to come out flat in the divisional round with a false sense of accomplishment. 2. The Packers won’t miss out on the opportunities the Lions did in the Wild Card round. Green Bay has a much more powerful offense and won’t let Dallas hang around like Detroit did. The Cheeseheads know how to put teams away, especially at home where they average 39.8 points per game, compared to just 21 points on the road. 3. Green Bay running back Eddie Lacy is rolling into the postseason with a ton of momentum. He’s rushed for 592 yards in his last six games, finding the end zone four times in that span. Dallas will have a tough time throwing extra linebackers at Aaron Rodgers if Lacy is picking up gains on the ground, giving the Green Bay offense a terrific balance.
Play on Green Bay as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Saturday 8* (Regular Play) on Seattle vs. Carolina @ 8:15 p.m. ET
The Seattle Seahawks host the Carolina Panthers Saturday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Seattle with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Seahawks defense has owned Cam Newton in past meetings. Seattle’s aggressive pass rush and tackling speed has limited the Panthers’ dual-threat QB to an average of just 145.7 passing yards and only one touchdown in three meetings. In fact, Carolina has only scored one touchdown in the 28 drives in those three games versus Seattle. The Seahawks locked down Newton for 171 yards on 12-of-22 passing and an interception in their 13-9 victory at Bank of America Stadium in October. On the ground, Newton scrambled for only 24 yards on 12 carries and was sacked three times. 2. Carolina has been careless with the football and it nearly cost them against Arizona last week. The Panthers coughed the ball up three times, two fumbles and an interception, but was able to limit the damage from those giveaways. Seattle won’t be so kind. The Seahawks have a ball-hawking defense that thrives off takeaways. They forced three fumbles against the Panthers in the regular season, coming away with two of those loose balls. 3. This is CenturyLink Field in the playoffs, where Seattle owns a 9-2 all-time record in the postseason. The Seahawks will have the ultimate home-field advantage, with the crowd cancelling out Carolina’s play calls and the cold, damp Seattle weather making life tough on the Panthers. The Seahawks have covered in 35 of their last 52 games in front of the 12th Man – a 69 percent winning ATS clip.
Play on Seattle as an 8* Regular Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Saturday 10* (Top Play) on OVER in New England vs. Baltimore @ 4:35 p.m. ET
The New England Patriots host the Baltimore Ravens Saturday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in New England with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Baltimore showed its explosiveness with a 30-point effort against the Steelers in the Wild Card Round. Quarterback Joe Flacco hit his targets for big gains while RB Justin Forsett continues to break of big yards on the ground. This is balanced offense that is tough to slow down. The Ravens are the fourth-highest road scoring team in the NFL, averaging 26.2 points per game in enemy territory. 2. The Patriots have a similar approach with the football. Tom Brady has numerous options downfield, including TE Rob Gronkowski, and is backed with a versatile rushing corps that can catch passes in the flat as well as bulldoze for gains on the ground. New England has the third-highest home scoring average in the league at 33 points per homestand. 3. Both defenses have watched teams strike for huge gains through the air. New England has allowed 36 passing plays of 25 yards or more and the Ravens sit behind them with 32 big plays against. This game could quickly dissolve into a shootout and blow away the oddsmaker’s number.
Play on OVER in New England as a 10* Top Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAF Sunday 10* (Top Play) on OVER in Arkansas State vs. Toledo @ 9:00 p.m. ET
The Arkansas Red Wolves face the Toledo Rockets in the GoDaddy Bowl Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in Arkansas State with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Red Wolves finished the season with a bang, hanging 68 points on New Mexico State in the finale. Arkansas State has averaged 44 points over its last seven games – a big uptick from its season scoring average of 36.1 points per game. The Red Wolves are a perfect 7-0 O/U in that span. 2. Toledo also closed the regular season with an explosive performance, dropping Eastern Michigan 52-16. The Rockets ranked 16th in yards per game - 486.2 ypg – and scored an average of 34.4 points per game. 2. Neither side plays lockdown defense. The Rockets allowed 29.3 points against and was rolled in non-conference play, giving up scores of 58 and 49 to Cincinnati and Missouri. Toledo have gone Over in five straight non-conference clashes. Arkansas State was pushed around for 411.2 yards an outing, which translated into 27.8 points against per game.
Play on OVER in Arkansas State as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 10* (Top Play) on Detroit at Dallas @ 4:40 p.m. ET
The Dallas Cowboys host the Detroit Lions Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Detroit with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Lions defense is No. 1 against the run, giving up only 69.3 yards on the ground per game. Detroit will stuff Dallas RB DeMarco Murray and put the game on Tony Romo’s shoulders. The Lions defensive line is able to get pressure by itself, allowing the linebackers to drop into coverage and plug up the passing lanes. 2. Detroit’s offense has underperformed all season but on paper, the Lions have some of the best weapons in the game. Dallas’ defense has gotten away with a lot this year, thanks in part to the offense limiting the amount of exposure they have on the field. Detroit should exploit that soft stop unit and find its potent pass game once again. 3. AT&T Stadium is hardly home-field advantage for the Cowboys. Dallas was perfect on the road but went only 4-4 SU and 3-5 ATS as hosts this season. Opponents get up to play in the league’s premier stadium and visiting fans will make the trip to cheer on their team when you have a destination like “Jerry’s World”. The indoor track in Arlington appeals to the Lions up-tempo pace, with players like Calvin Johnson, Golden State and Reggie Bush enjoying the fast surface in Dallas.
Play on Detroit as a 10* Top Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Sunday 8* (Regular Play) on OVER in Indianapolis vs. Cincinnati @ 1:05 p.m. ET
The Indianapolis Colts host the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in Indianapolis with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Colts have one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL, putting up an average of 28.6 points on 406.6 yards per game, including the top-ranked pass attack that throws for 305.9 yards a contest. Indianapolis passes on 62.44 percent of its snaps, which keeps the chains moving and clock stopped – a perfect Over combo. 2. The Bengals defense has been a major weakness all season long and didn’t improve down the stretch. Cincinnati gave up 28 points to Denver and 27 points to Pittsburgh – two of the top passing teams in the league – and now face another airborne attack in Indianapolis. The Bengals record only 20 sacks on the season and their pass rush isn’t putting any pressure on opposing passers. 3. The Bengals have the ability to control the tempo and clock with their running game. But if the defense can’t hold up against the Colts, Cincinnati will be force to abandon the ground-and-pound playbook and open up the passing game. Bengals WR AJ Green returned to practice this week and is expected to be cleared to play Sunday after suffering a mild concussion against the Steelers last Sunday.
Play on OVER in Indianapolis as an 8* Regular Selection Sunday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Saturday 10* (Top Play) on Baltimore at Pittsburgh @ 8:15 p.m. ET
The Pittsburgh Steelers host the Baltimore Ravens Saturday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Baltimore with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Steelers are holding their breath when it comes to the status of dynamic running back Le'Veon Bell, who has been the engine of one of the most powerful offenses in the NFL. Bell is nursing a knee injury and even if he can go, he won’t be 100 percent. Bell’s ability to run the ball and catch the short pass and pick up gains has kept defenses honest. If he’s unable to do that Saturday, Pittsburgh’s offense is very one dimensional. 2. With Bell dinged up, the Ravens will unleash their vaunted pass rush on Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. Baltimore has 49 sacks on the season – third most in the NFL – and can take advantage of a Pittsburgh offensive line that has struggled with protection on the past. 3. The Steelers live and die by the deep play, relying on big strikes downfield to keep the offense afloat. However, Pittsburgh has also been exposed by the big play on defense, allowing 30 passes of 25 yards or more and 56 runs of 25 yards or more this season. Baltimore has dangerous deep targets in Steve Smith and Torrey Smith, and RB Justin Forsett has erupted for massive gains in the second half of the season, averaging almost 94 yards rushing a game in he final seven contests.
Play on Baltimore as a 10* Top Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NFL Saturday 8* (Regular Play) on Arizona at Carolina @ 4:35 p.m. ET
The Carolina Panthers host the Arizona Cardinals Saturday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Arizona with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Arizona could be the most well-coached team in the NFL with Bruce Arians continuing to get the best out of his players. This Cardinals team has been decimated by injuries all year but continues to compete each and every Sunday. 2. The Cardinals have a speedy defense that can keeps them in any game. Arizona’s blitz-happy attack forces opponents into mistakes, which the Cardinals capitalize on. They grabbed 18 interceptions on the year and will try to contain Cam Newton and make him beat them with his arm. Newton had at least one interception in all but five games this season. 3. How good is Carolina really? The team picked up steam toward the end of the year and it was enough to win the NFL’s booby prize – AKA the NFC South title. The Panthers’ four-game winning streak featured three division opponents and the floundering Browns. Arizona has faced stiff competition week in and week out in the NFC West.
Play on Arizona as an 8* Regular Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAF Saturday 8* (Regular Play) on OVER in Florida vs. East Carolina @ 12:00 p.m. ET
The Florida Gators face the East Carolina Pirates in the Birmingham Bowl Saturday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in Florida with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. East Carolina can put up points in a hurry, thanks to a passing game that finished third overall in the country – airing it out for 367.3 yards per game. Pirates QB Shane Carden and WR Justin Hardy have been the engines behind this offense, putting up more than 37 points per game. 2. The Gators are a program in flux right now with soon-fired defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin set as the interim coach for this bowl game. Durkin is going to be shown the door after this game so expect him to take some chances on both sides of the ball, which can mean big strikes for points on offense and defense. 3. While Florida is known more for its defense this season, the Gators have plenty of weapons with the football. We’ve seen this squad lay some lumber on teams recently, including a 52-3 win over FCS Eastern Kentucky. The Pirates defense has found itself in the middle of shootouts over the last four games of the year, giving up 124 points in that span and playing Over in three of those four outings.
Play on OVER in Florida as an 8* Regular Selection Saturday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAF Friday 10* (Top Play) on OVER in Washington vs. Oklahoma State @ 10:15 p.m. ET
The Washington Huskies face the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the Cactus Bowl Friday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in Washington with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Huskies can put up points in a hurry, averaging 30.8 points per game. Washington’s offense looked to be find its form in the final five games of the year. 2. Oklahoma State’s attack sputtered all season but looked like that familiar scoring punch in the final two games of the schedule. The Cowboys closed the season with a 38-35 upset of Oklahoma in the season finale. 3. The Cowboys played Over the total in three of their final four games, thanks in part to an offensive resurgences but mainly due to a defense that allowed 132 total points in those three Over paydays – an average of 44 points per game. Oklahoma State was thrashed by opposing passers this season, giving up an average of 269.2 yards through the air per game – ranked 113th in the country.
Play on OVER in Washington as a 10* Top Selection Friday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAF Friday 8* (Regular Play) on Kansas State vs. UCLA @ 6:45 p.m. ET
The UCLA Bruins face the Kansas State Wildcats in the Alamo Bowl Friday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Kansas State with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Wildcats look to take advantage of a weaker UCLA stop unit that allowed 27.5 points per game this season. The Bruins especially had a tough time containing opposing passers, who threw for an average of 243.3 yards per game and completed 61.4 percent of their attempts. 2. The Wildcats finished 20th in the country, averaging 283.2 yards through the air per game. Kansas State features standout WR Tyler Lockett, who reeled in 1,351 yards and nine TD catches. 3. Kansas State won’t give UCLA any extra looks at the football. This team has turned the ball over just 11 times – second fewest in the country. Wildcats QB Jake Waters has only six interceptions on the year against 20 touchdown passes.
Play on Kansas State as an 8* Regular Selection Friday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAF Friday 8* (Regular Play) on OVER in Tennessee vs. Iowa @ 3:20 p.m. ET
The Tennessee Volunteers face the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Taxslayer Bowl Friday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in Tennessee with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Iowa showed value toward the Over with a 5-1-1 O/U run in its final seven games of the regular season. 2. Tennessee started to find its form on offense down the stretch after a quiet year for the offensive attack. The Vols showed they could put up big scores with a 45-point outpouring versus South Carolina and a 50-point eruption versus Kentucky. 3. Neither teams has a lockdown defense and this bowl matchup could easily evolve into a shootout. Iowa has watched opponents run up big scores in recent games, and Tennessee has been the same.
Play on OVER in Tennessee as an 8* Regular Selection Friday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAF Thursday 10* (Regular Play) on Alabama vs. Ohio State @ 8:30 p.m. ET
The Alabama Crimson Tide face the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Sugar Bowl Thursday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Alabama with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Ohio State snuck into the Final Four of the College Football Playoff with a stunning win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game. The Buckeyes caught the Badgers on a bad day and are way in over their heads in this matchup with the No. 1 Crimson Tide. Ohio State comes back to reality on New Year’s Day. 2. The Buckeyes are leaning on third-string QB Cardale Jones to carry the offense after a shocking performance in the Big Ten title game. Wisconsin was caught off guard but Alabama has had almost a month to study the game film and will be well prepared for the Buckeyes fill-in QB and the OSU offense. 3. Anything the Buckeyes can do, the Crimson Tide can do better. Alabama’s ground game has fresh legs on every down, with RBs T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry pacing an offense that put up 488.4 yards an outing. On defense, the Tide don’t budge against the run with the top-ranked run stop in the country, allowing only 88.4 yards on the ground per game. Shutting down OSU’s rushing attack will force Ohio State to put the offense on the shoulders of their untested quarterback.
Play on Alabama as a 10* Top Selection Thursday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAF Thursday 8* (Regular Play) on OVER in Oregon vs. Florida State @ 5:00 p.m. ET
The Oregon Ducks face the Florida State Seminoles in the Rose Bowl Thursday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in Oregon with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. There’s no denying what the Ducks can do with the football – and that’s why this total is so high. Oregon scores 46.3 points on 545.5 yards per game, with both those numbers ranking third in the FBS. But unlike past Oregon teams, the 2014 Ducks don’t have the defense to complement that scoring attack. Oregon allows 413.8 yards per game and has been lucky to only give up 22.5 points per game. 2. Florida State is no slouch when it comes to finding the end zone. The Seminoles have seemed like they’ve been going through the motions, never playing up to their true potential as defending national champs. FSU has averaged 34.8 points per game – but that may be only scratching the surface when it comes to just how explosive this offense can be. Florida State, however, has found itself in the middle of a few shootouts this season, giving up 35 points to Georgia Tech, 31 to Louisville, 41 to NC State and 31 to Oklahoma State. 3. Oregon suffered a major blow to its defense with the loss of shutdown corner Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, who injured his knee in practice. Ekpre-Olomu is the general on this stop unit and had two interceptions, 63 tackles and nine passes broken up on the year. That opens up the passing game for FSU and QB Jameis Winston, who still has plenty to prove after playing below expectations this season.
Play on OVER in Oregon as an 8* Regular Selection Thursday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAF Thursday 8* (Regular Play) on Michigan State vs. Baylor @ 12:30 p.m. ET
The Baylor Bears face the Michigan State Spartans in the Cotton Bowl Thursday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Michigan State with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Spartans have one of the most balanced teams in college football, boasting an explosive offense – averaging 43.1 points per game – and a dominating defense – giving up only 293.5 yards a contest. Baylor relies heavily on its offense to put away teams and if they can’t score against MSU, the defense certainly won’t be able to shoulder the burden. 2. Michigan State has a ball-hawking secondary that has helped record 147 interceptions – second most in the Big Ten. The Spartans also have 37 sacks on the year – again second in the conference – and that pass pressure will force BU quarterback Bryce Petty into some bad decisions. 3. Should MSU decide to slow the tempo and ground and pound the Bears, they have the horses to do so. The Spartans ranked 24th in the country is rushing with 234.9 yards per game. Running back Jeremy Langford was fifth in the Big Ten is rushing yards and found paydirt 19 times. He helped MSU top the nation in time of possession – at 35:14.42 per game – which can ice the BU offense on the sidelines.
Play on Michigan State as an 8* Regular Selection Thursday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAF Wednesday 10* (Top Play) on Mississippi State vs. Georgia Tech @ 8:00 p.m. ET
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets face the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the Orange Bowl Wednesday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Mississippi State with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Mississippi State has plenty of offensive wallop, averaging 37.2 points per game. The Bulldogs were ninth in the country with 506.2 yards an outing, and that ability to move the chains at will could be an issues for the Yellow Jackets, who posted unimpressive defensive numbers in a lackluster ACC. 2. The Yellow Jackets depended heavily on the run – a dangerous game plan against an offense as efficient as MSU. If the Bulldogs get up on the scoreboard early, GT may be forced to abandon that spread-option attack a play outside their comfort zone, having to pass the football in order to catch up. 3. Miss State has the horses on defense to slow up the Jackets’ powerful run game. The Bulldogs limited opponents to 126.5 rushing yards an outing and just 3.7 yards per carry. Mississippi State has had plenty of time to study game film of the Jackets option attack and will be ready on New Year’s Day.
Play on Mississippi State as a 10* Top Selection Wednesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAF Wednesday 8* (Regular Play) on OVER in Arizona vs. Boise State @ 4:00 p.m. ET
The Arizona Wildcats face the Boise State Broncos in the Fiesta Bowl Wednesday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in Arizona with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Boise State and bowl season are always an exciting combo. The Broncos bring another potent offense in the postseason in 2014, averaging 39.8 points per game – ninth in the country. Boise State played Over in seven of its final eight games of the schedule. 2. Arizona’s scoring attack is nearly as explosive, putting up 34.8 points per contests. The Wildcats love to air it out, passing for 277.7 yards through the air per game, but they’ve also watched opponents’ put up big passing numbers as well. Arizona ranks 120th in passing defense, giving up 278.3 yards per game. 3. While the Broncos and Wildcats can strike for big plays down field, the each have a capable ball carrier that can erupt for massive gains on the ground. Arizona RB Nick Wilson rushed for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns while BSU RB Jay Ajayi had 27 scores and 1,705 yards rushing. That balance playbook from both programs make each offense impossible to stop.
Play on OVER in Arizona as an 8* Regular Selection Wednesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAF Wednesday 8* (Regular Play) on Mississippi vs. TCU @ 12:30 p.m. ET
The TCU Horned Frogs face the Mississippi Rebels in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl Wednesday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on Mississippi with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. Texas Christian comes into the Peach Bowl with its head held low, after getting snubbed for the spot in the College Football Playoff. The Horned Frogs not only didn’t make the Final Four but didn’t even get a Jan. 1 bowl game after having such high expectations all year. 2. Ole Miss stumbled toward the end of the season but capped the year with a huge win over rival Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl, which lined up this notable bowl matchup. The Rebels showed their defensive dominance in that game, limiting MSU to only 17 points. Ole Miss gives up less than two touchdowns per game on the year. 3. Texas Christian was able to average 46.8 points per game against a soft non-conference slate and a defensively-challenged Big 12 this season. The Horned Frogs get their first true challenge on that side of the ball in Ole Miss. The Rebels defensive coordinator Dave Wommack told the media TCU is the most like SEC-rival Texas A&M, with their spread formations, big receivers and the way they spread the field with an empty backfield. Ole Miss trumped the Aggies 35-20 back in Week 7.
Play on Mississippi as an 8* Regular Selection Wednesday.
Good luck, Scott.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NCAAF Tuesday 10* (Top Play) on OVER in Stanford vs. Maryland @ 10:00 p.m. ET
The Stanford Cardinal face the Maryland Terrapins in the Foster Farms Bowl Tuesday. “The Bulldog” breaks down his selection on OVER in Stanford with his Three-Factor Analysis: 1. The Cardinal found their offensive swagger in the final two games of the season. Stanford put up 38 and 31 points in wins over Cal and UCLA respectively after the scoring attack sputtered the two previous games. 2. Maryland returns standout WR Stefon Biggs for the postseason after he sat out a month with a lacerated kidney. Biggs still finished second in receptions in the Big Ten, reeling in an average of 72.7 yards on 5.8 catches per game. 3. Maryland’s defense has allowed some huge scores against elite competition this season. The Terps were blasted for 40 points versus West Virginia, 52 points by Ohio State, 52 points versus Wisconsin and finished the regular season by allowing Rutgers to hang 41 points on the scoreboard.
Play on OVER in Stanford as a 10* Top Selection Tuesday.
Good luck, Scott.