GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED WEEK 9 SIDE

The 3-4 Pittsburgh Steelers are coming into this contest as winners of two in a row, but I think we can all agree that it's not all that impressive to beat up on Miami and the LA Chargers. 

Here they'll face a very tough opponent in the 5-2 Indianapolis Colts who have won five of their last six and three in a row with quality wins over KC and Houston mixed in. The Colts have held opponents to just 16.3 ppg over a three-game stretch and the Steelers are not the greatest team moving the ball with backup QB Mason Rudolph at the helm. Additionally running back James Conner is banged up and at risk of missing this game.

Note that Pittsburgh has been outgained in all but two of its games (against Miami and Cincinnati), and often by triple-digits. 

The Steelers will play on a relatively short week and are just 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 games when playing on Sunday following a Monday night game. Additionally, the Colts are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 road games while the Steelers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

10* play on Indianapolis Colts. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAF): MIKE'S VIRGINIA @ UNC ACC ANNIHILATOR

The Virginia Cavaliers look like a solid road dog at North Carolina as the teams battle it out for first place in the ACC Coastal division Saturday night. 

The Tar Heels are coming off a dramatic 20-17 win over rival Duke while Virginia came out flat to take a 28-21 loss at Louisville last week. Count on Virginia to bounce back behind its stellar defense that ranks second in the conference for yards allowed and third in scoring defense. 

The Cavaliers have dropped three of their last four and gave up 360 yards of offense to Louisville, but they're so much better than that result would indicate. There's a reason why they're top of the division with a 5-3 record (3-2 in the conference) while North Carolina is 2nd at 4-4 (3-2 conference record), and the Cavaliers are undervalued by bookmakers and the public after failing to cover the spread in five of their last six games.  

10* play on Virginia Cavaliers. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED WEEK 8 ATS PICK

The 5-1 Buffalo Bills didn't look all that good in their 31-21 win over Miami last week, but I think there's an obvious explanation for that with complacency likely kicking in against such an inferior opponent. They may not have covered the 17-point spread, but they did get the W which at the end of the day is all that matters, and it didn't look like they had to spend a lot of energy earning it. 

The 3-4 Philadelphia Eagles on the other hand are coming off back-to-back draining road losses at Minnesota and Dallas, and they were badly outmatched in Sunday's 37-10 loss as a 3-point underdog to the Cowboys. Philly QB Carson Wentz completed only 16-of-26 passes for 191 yards with a TD and an INT, and here he'll come up against arguably the best defense in the league. 

While Buffalo isn't scoring all that many points (20.2 ppg), the Eagles defense has been atrocious lately and has given up 31.5 ppg in four road games.

It's a short trip for the Eagles this time, but it is nonetheless a third straight road game and I think Buffalo's D and the hostile environment at New Era Field will be too much for the visitors to overcome. 

10* play on Buffalo Bills. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAF): MIKE'S TEXAS @ TCU BEST BET

The Texas Longhorns are 5-2 on the season with losses to LSU and Oklahoma. No shame in that, and  I like them as a small road favorite against a TCU team that is coming off back-to-back road losses at Iowa State and Kansas State. Sure, the Horned Frogs had a bye week in between, but the losses mean that they're now just 3-3 on the season. 

The Horned Frogs own the conference’s No. 1-ranked defense and have allowed just 181.0 passing yards per game, but here they'll be asked to slow down Texas QB Sam Ehlinger who has thrown for 210 yards or more in every game and has a 21/3 TD/INT ratio. Ehlinger is coming off a 399 passing yards performance with four touchdowns and one interception in a 50-48 win over Kansas. 

TCU meanwhile prefers to move the ball on the ground, but while Texas rush defense (or defense overall) is far from the best in the nation I just don't see TCU being able to keep pace with the Longhorns explosive offense. 

Longhorns are 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games in October. Horned Frogs are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games in October.

10* play on Texas Longhorns. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NFL): MIKE'S BEST SIDE FOR OCTOBER

The Cincinnati Bengals managed to cover the 10-point spread in a loss at division rival Baltimore with a late touchdown last week. They're however 1-7 ATS following a loss to a division rival over the last three seasons and I think they'll come up well short in this contest. 

Here they will be facing an angry Jacksonville team coming off a tough home loss to New Orleans. The setback meant that Jacksonville dropped 2-4 on the season, and it does not have the luxury of looking past 0-6 teams like the Bengals. 

While Jax struggled to move the ball against a feisty Saints defense, that should not be an issue here against a Bengals team that is one of the worst in the NFL giving up 426 yards of total offense per game and 184.5 ypg on the ground. Jacksonville is rather average on the offensive side of the ball, but it is very capable of moving the chains on the ground averaging a healthy 127.5 rushing yards per game.

Cincinnati has failed to cover the spread in both of its home games this season and took a 41-17 beating by the Niners as a home dog in Week 2. Jacksonville 2-1 ATS on the road with an impressive outright win at the Mile High in Week 4. 

10* play on Jacksonville Jaguars. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAF): MIKE'S TOP RATED SATURDAY SIDE

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are coming off a disappointing 10-point loss at Texas Tech. They've had a bye week to mull it over and prepare for this matchup with the Baylor Bears, and I like OSU to bounce back in a big way here. Note that while the Cowboys are "only" 4-2 SU on the season, they had covered the spread in five straight games prior to the loss to the Red Raiders.  

Baylor is in a tough spot following a double-overtime win over that same Texas Tech team last week. The Bears are a perfect 6-0 on the season, but this will be their biggest test so far and one must wonder how much gas they have left in the tank following several close and hard-fought contests. 

Cowboys are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight-up loss. The home team is 7-2 ATS in the last 9 head-to-head meetings.

10* play on Oklahoma State Cowboys. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAF): MIKE'S TOP RATED WEEK 7 SIDE

The Maryland Terrapins were embarrassed in a 59-0 loss against PSU in Week 5, but they got back on track last week by putting a 41-point beating on Rutgers on the road.

I like the Terps to make it two on the bonce here against a Purdue team that is in a tailspin, coming off three straight losses and getting outgained by 350+ yards in a 35-7 loss at PSU last week. 

Maryland QB Josh Jackson is out with a sprained ankle, so Tyrrell Pigrome (28 career games, 4 starts) will take his place under center. "We have a lot of confidence in Piggy and his ability to perform and run our offense," coach Michael Locksley said Tuesday. 

I'm counting on the Terps to do most of their damage on the ground anyway, entering this contest 20th in the nation in rushing and facing a Purdue defense that just gave up 196 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns to Penn State. 

I'm happy to give the field goal as I don't think Purdue will come even close to cover. 

10* play on Maryland Terrapins. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED MAJOR WAGER SIDE

Not only are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a letdown spot following a huge 55-40 road win at LA Rams, but they're also on the road for a second straight week. Extremely tough spot for any team and I like the New Orleans Saints to get the job done in back-to-back home games. 

The Saints have played reasonably well since losing star QB Drew Brees to a thumb injury and most recently defeated Dallas 12-10 on Monday night football. With the offense lacking, the Saints relied on their defense to beat the previously undefeated Cowboys and that same formula should work again in this game. 

I would simply not count on Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston to throw for four touchdown passes in back-to-back games. Note his 9/5 TD/INT ratio on the season and keep in mind that the Bucs were outgained 518-464 offensive yards against the Rams who won the first down battle 36-27. 

Tampa Bay managed to take full advantage of four Rams turnovers (three Goff interceptions), but their secondary gave up over 500 yards passing to Jared Goff and Saints backup QB Teddy Bridgewater is, even if not spectacular, at the very least serviceable.  

Additionally, we can note that the Saints are 22-5 ATS in their last 27 games in October.

10* play on New Orleans Saints. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NCAAF): MIKE'S EARLY TOP RATED SIDE

The No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners have not had any trouble to cover the spread as massive favorites through their last three games. I think they'll stay sharp and put a beating on the Kansas Jayhawks Saturday afternoon. 

The Jayhawks were absolutely dominated in a 51-14 loss to TCU last week. The Horned Frogs outgained them by 330 yards and were allowed to put up 646 yards of total offense. Oklahoma is the best team in the nation with 669 offensive yards per game and has had its way with its opponents both through the air and on the ground. 

Sooners QB Jalen Hurts threw for a career-high 415 yards and three touchdowns while adding 70 yards rushing and a score on the ground in their 55-16 rout of Texas Tech last week. "There’s no limit. There’s always more. Enough ain’t enough," Hurts said after that contest, and we can expect another monster game from Hurts here as he has his eyes on the Heisman Trophy.

Sooners are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall. Jayhawks are 5-12 ATS in their last 17 games in October and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game.

If Oklahoma wants to cover this spread, then there's simply nothing Kansas can do about and I'm counting on the Sooners to get it done. 

10* play on Oklahoma Sooners. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NFL): MIKE'S BEST NFL BET ATS FOR SEPTEMBER

Dallas will face its first real test of the season when it heads to New Orleans to take on the Saints in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for a Sunday night showdown. 

The Cowboys have had no trouble to beat up on three teams that are a combined 1-8 through the first three weeks of the season, but you can only beat what's in front of you and they're unlikely to stumble against an opponent playing without its star QB quarterback. 

The Saints are coming off a 33-27 win at Seattle, a great result considering that they were outgained by 250 yards. Backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater managed just 177 yards on 19-of-27 passing while running back Alvin Kamara was held 69 yards on 16 carries. The defense/special teams saved the day with three touchdowns, but that's not something that'll happen every week.  

The Cowboys are coming off a 31-6 win over Miami and rank third in the NFL in total offense with 481.3 yards per game. They should have no trouble to take advantage of a New Orleans defense that ranks in the bottom five in the NFL with 436.3 yards allowed per game. 

Additionally, we can note that the Cowboys are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game and 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games overall. They're playing with a lot of confidence, and I don't see an upset happening. 

10* play on Dallas Cowboys. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB): MIKE'S TOP RATED SATURDAY AFTERNOON SIDE

The Iowa State Cyclones took a home loss to Iowa in Week 3, but they bounced right back with a dominant 72-20 triumph over ULM last week. I think they'll keep rolling here in this Week 5 Big 12 conference clash against the Baylor Bears. 

Baylor is a perfect 3-0 SU on the season, but it is just 1-2 against the spread and the offense sputtered in last week's 21-13 win over Rice. Defensively, the Bears have yet to allow a touchdown pass, but they've not had to deal with any high-powered passing offenses yet (Stephen F. Austin, UTSA and Rice). That's about to change as Iowa State QB Brock Purdy was magnificent last time out, passing for 435 yards and three touchdowns while also adding 75 rushing yards and three scores on the ground.  

We can also note that Iowa State is 9-3-1 ATS in its last 13 road games while the Bears are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 home games. The Cyclones have won the last two games played between the two teams and they're 3-1-1 ATS in their last five meetings, trends I like to continue. 

10* play on Iowa State Cyclones. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED RAMS @ BROWNS ATS BET

*This pick was made ahead of Cleveland's Monday night matchup with the New York Jets.

The LA Rams have opened the season with a perfect 2-0 record after first beating the Panthers at Carolina before putting a 27-9 beating on New Orleans. Sure, they didn't run away with the game against the Saints until the second half and were fortunate that NO quarterback Drew Brees had to exit the game with an injury, but still a solid effort on both sides of the ball. 

The Cleveland Browns entered the season as a possible Super Bowl contender, but they looked nothing like it in their 43-13 home loss to Tennessee in Week 1. Note that the Browns gave up 182 penalty yards in the setback, something that could become a recurring theme with this talented but also young and inexperienced roster. 

The Rams are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall while the Browns are 7-18-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record and 9-21 ATS in their last 30 home games. 

I'm not saying the Browns won't have their fair share of good games this year, but I doubt they'll keep it close against last season's Super Bowl finalist. 

10* play on LA Rams. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NCAAF): MIKE'S TOP RATED BIG 10 BOOKIE BREAKER

Both the Wisconsin Badgers and the Michigan Wolverines enter this contest with 2-0 record and off a bye week, but I think the Badgers home field advantage and defense will be too much for the visitors to overcome.

Wisconsin has made easy work of its first two opponents, outscoring South Florida and Central Michigan by a combined score of 110-0. Here it'll face a Michigan team needed overtime to get past Army as a 22-point favorite last time out, and the Wolverines have struggled to move the ball efficiently under their new offensive coordinator despite an easy schedule. 

The Badgers offense on the other hand has hit the ground running and poses a threat both in the air and on the ground. Jonathan Taylor is arguably the best running back in the FBS and has accumulated 237 yards through the first two games. 

Wolverines are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 road games, and this is a revenge game for the Badgers after getting routed in the Big House last year. Additionally we can note that the Badgers are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games following a bye week.

10* play on Wisconsin Badgers. 

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL TITANS @ JAGS BOOKIE BREAKER *TOP PLAY*

The Tennesse Titans dominated Cleveland Browns in Week 1 but failed to make it a 2-0 start to the season when they came up short in a 19-17 loss to Indianapolis last time out. 

I think they'll bounce back here in Jacksonville Thursday night, facing an 0-2 Jaguars team that had big trouble to generate any kind of offense in its 17-16 loss to Houston on Sunday. 

With Nick Foles (and several other offensive pieces) out, the Jags have to rely on rookie QB Gardner Minshew under center. The 6th round pick has not embarrassed himself, quite far from it, but moving the ball against this solid Titans defense won't be easy.

As for the Jacksonville defense, it gave up 126 yards on 30 rush attempts to the Texans, and Tennessee can do plenty of damage on the ground with dual-threat QB Marcus Mariota and RB Derrick Henry who ranks 6th in the NFL with 165 yards on the season. 

We can also note that the Jaguars are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games after scoring less than 15 points in their previous game and 3-9-2 ATS in their last 14 games overall. 

The Titans are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings and won both last season's contests straight up, including a 9-6 triumph here in Florida. 

10* play on Tennessee Titans. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED SUNDAY SIDE

The Dallas Cowboys had little trouble to take advantage of one of the worst defenses in the league when they opened the season with a decisive 35-17 victory against the New York Giants. 

Here they'll face a Washington side that gave up 32 points on the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1, and I like Dallas in to win and cover the spread. 

The Redskins kept it relatively close against Philly, losing by only five points as a 10-point dog, thanks to QB Case Keenum. He was one of the big surprises in Week 1 as he lit up Philly's defense for a career-high 380 passing yards and three touchdown passes, but Keenum likely to come crashing back to earth here against one of the league’s top defenses. 

Dallas has the advantage of both sides of the ball, and I don't think Washington's home field advantage will make up for that. We can also note that Dallas has won four of the last five meetings by five points or more. 

10* play on Dallas Cowboys. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB): MIKE'S TOP RATED SATURDAY SIDE

The NC State Wolfpack will be looking to start the season with a perfect 3-0 record, and I like them to not only win but also cover the spread here as a road favorite over West Virginia. 

The Mountaineers have lost star quarterback Will Grier and head coach Dana Holgorsen since last season, and they've found it hard to adjust averaging just 13.5 points while splitting their first two games. WVU mustered only 171 total yards of offense when it took a 38-7 beating at Missouri last week, and here the Mountaineers will face a Wolfpack defense that has allowed just six points on the season.

WVU looks lost on offense while NC State looks sharp on both sides of the ball. I'm well happy to take the red hot visitors with all the momentum here.

10* play on NC State Wolfpack. 

TEXANS @ SAINTS MONDAY NIGHT *TOP PLAY*

The New Orleans Saints have dropped five straight season openers, and while they should win this one straight up I still think the visiting Houston Texans will keep it close until the very end. 

Houston's Deshaun Watson is coming off a big season, and the third-year quarterback should be even better and more mature this year. He has a reliable target in DeAndre Hopkins and talented running backs to hand over the ball to. 

As for New Orleans, Drew Brees is back under center for his 19th season, and while he's surrounded by talent season openers are always a bit iffy. Brees won't have to worry about 2014 top overall pick Jadeveon Clowney who was traded to Seattle on Saturday, but Houston still has a tough defense. "We have a lot of guys out there," J.J. Watt said. "Obviously it's tough to lose a player like that, but we have a lot of guys out there than can step up can make plays."

The Saints meanwhile will open the season without two of their top interior defensive linemen as Sheldon Rankins (injury) and David Onyemata (suspended) will sit this one out. 

10* play on Houston Texans. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S BILLS @ JETS BEST BET ATS

The New York Jets host the Buffalo Bills in Week 1 of the NFL season this Sunday. The home team will surely close as a favorite, but I'm happy to take the points on the visiting Bills in this matchup. 

Keep in mind that Buffalo boasts one of the best defensive units in pro football and gave up just 294.1 yards per game last year. Sure, the Bills were more effective stopping the pass than the run and the Jets have an outstanding running back with a point to prove in Le’veon Bell, but can new head coach Adam Gase get the best out of his team in Week 1? 

The Bills have two very capable running backs of their own in 36-year-old veteran Frank Gore, third-round draft pick Devin Singletary and T.J. Yeldon, who was acquired as a free agent in the offseason, and second-year QB Josh Allen must feel the pressure to step up his game this season. 

The Bills are a solid 10-4 ATS in their last 14 season openers while the Jets are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games in September. I think Buffalo will start better and its defense will keep the team in this game until the very end.

10* play on Buffalo Bills. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB): MIKE'S TOP RATED SATURDAY NIGHT SIDE

I like the UNLV Rebels as a small home favorite against Arkansas State Red Wolves here on Saturday. 

UNLV opened the season with a comfortable 56-23 triumph as a 24.5-point favorite over Southern Utah. The team did most of its damage on the ground, and while QB Armani Rogers threw for just 144 yards (one touchdown), note that he added 114 yards and two TDs on the ground. 

The Rebels racked up a total of 533 offensive yards and should have no trouble to move the ball here against an Arkansas State team that gave up 508 total yards in its 37-30 to SMU last week. 

10* play on UNLV Rebels. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB): MIKE'S TOP RATED WEEK 1 ATS ANNIHILATOR

The Syracuse Orange finished last season 10-3 with an appearance in the Camping World Bowl. They ranked 11th in the nation for points scored but has since had to replace starting QB Eric Dungey who has graduated. 

I still have no doubt that four-star prospect Tommy DeVito will keep the Orange offense an explosive one, and they should have plenty of success against a Liberty Flames team that ranked 119th in the nation for points allowed (36.8 ppg) last year. 

The Flames will return their QB Stephen Calvert who was very effective with 3068 passing yards and 21 TDs, but they have a new coach in Hugh Freeze who might need a couple of games to get things right. 

10* play on Syracuse Orange. 

THURSDAY NIGHT FIU @ TULANE TOP PLAY

Both the Tulane Green Wave and the FIU Panthers must come into the season feeling pretty good about themselves looking to build on bowl-winning seasons. 

The Green Wave opened last season with a weak 2-7 record before clicking into gear. I don't think head coach Willie Fritz will allow his team to start as slow two years in a row. 

Tulane boasted a dangerous running game averaging 218.2 rushing yards per game in 2018 (23rd in the nation), and that should be the case once again as Darius Bradwell (1,134 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns) and Corey Dauphine (785 rushing yards, 7 touchdowns) are back for their senior year. Florida International did well containing the pass last year, but it ranked 99th in the nation with 198.4 rushing yards allowed per game (5.0 yards per attempt).

As for FUI's offense, James Morgan is back at quarterback for the Panthers, but he might not get much protection from FIU's rebuilt offensive line. It's also worth noting that the Green Wave returns eight starters from a very tough defense that posted 46 sacks in 2018.

Tulane is better on both sides of the ball, and that combined with the home edge makes this an easy play on the home team. 

10* play on Tulane Green Wave. 

TOP RATED ARIZONA @ HAWAII CFB BOOKIE BREAKER

The Arizona Wildcats look like a great road favorite at Hawaii in college football action on Saturday.

The Wildcats have 15 starters back from a disappointing season when they failed to make it to a bowl. Dual-threat QB Khalil Tate had an injury-riddled year but still managed to finish the season with 2,530 yards and 26 touchdown passes. Tate was particularly impressive down the stretch, and the Wildcats boast one of the best ground attacks in the conference with Tate and running-back JJ Taylor.

As for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, they have 18 starters back from last year. They have an experienced QB in Cole McDonald, but struggled to protect him last year they'll face an Arizona D that is known for forcing turnovers. Hawaii's own defense is a weakness I expect the Wildcats to exploit.  

10* play on Arizona Wildcats. 

MIKE'S TOP RATED SUPER BOWL LIII BEST BET ATS

The BIG GAME is finally here; New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Rams for all the marbles in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. 

The Pats have played high-scoring contests throughout the postseason, and I expect another shootout here against an explosive Rams team that averaged 32.9 ppg through the regular season. 

New England's 41 year old signal caller Tom Brady showed that age is just a number as the GOAT had little trouble to march his team down the field when it really mattered in the AFC Championship Game. 

The Patriots and the Chiefs combined for 38 points in Q4 alone of their AFC Championship clash, with 24 of the points coming in the last 3:32 of the quarter. We could very well see a similar scenario here with two clutch quarterbacks more than capable of marching down the field when it really matters. 

Over is now 7-1 in Patriots last eight playoff games and this Patriots team will have to score plenty of points here to have a shot at winning. Rams have a talented team, but I highly doubt the experienced duo of Brady/Belichick will lose two Super Bowls in a row. 

10* play on New England Patriots. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S AFC CHAMPIONSHIP BEST BET ATS

The Kansas City Chiefs will host the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game Sunday afternoon. Both teams are coming off blowout victories in the Divisional Round, but I think KC's home field advantage will be too much for the Pats to overcome in this contest. 

New England was just 3-5 SU and ATS on the road during the regular season, including three double-digit losses. Here it'll face Kansas City defense that may have ranked ranked 31st in the league during the regular season, but allowed just 266 yards and 15 first downs in last week's 31-13 win over the Indianapolis Colts. 

The Chiefs owned the No. 1 offense in the regular season and 23-year-old first-year starting QB Patrick Mahomes threw for 358 yards and four passing touchdowns against the Pats in Week 6. The Patriots won that contest 43-40, but I expect the Chiefs to execute revenge here when it counts. 

10* play on Kansas City Chiefs. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NFL): MIKE'S BEST NFC DIVISIONAL ROUND ATS BET

We cashed in big with the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card round, and I'm happy to take a touchdown+ on them here in their NFC Divisional round matchup with the LA Rams. 

Ezekiel Elliot just won his second rushing title with 1,434 yards and the Cowboys rumbled for 164 yards on 34 carries in their 24-22 win over Seattle last week. Here they'll face a LA Rams defense that allowed a league-worst average of 5.07 yards per rush this season.

The Rams can do plenty of damage on the ground themselves, but their star running back Todd Gurley (league-best 21 TDs) sat out the final two games of the regular season with a knee injury and it's worth noting that Dallas boasts the fifth-best run defense in the league. 

LA finished the regular season 2nd in the league in scoring offense with 32.9 points per game and QB Jared Goff has plenty of weapons, but I still think the visitors will be able to slow things down with their running game and make this a close contest. 

Rams are 2-6-1 ATS in their last nine home games vs. a team with a winning road record and 1-5 ATS in their last six playoff games.

10* play on Dallas Cowboys. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (CFB): MIKE' CFB NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME BEST BET

The Alabama Crimson Tide and the Clemson Tigers are set to battle it out in the National Championship Game for the third time in four years. Both are coming off dominant wins in the semi-finals, but I think Alabama has a significant edge. 

The Crimson Tide jumped out to a three-touchdown lead over Oklahoma before stepping off the gas pedal, yet without allowing their opponent to get too close in the 45-34 victory. The Tide are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games as a favorite of 6+ points and have won their last six games by an average of 22.5 ppg, very impressive considering they've faced tough opponents like LSU, Mississippi State, Georgia and Oklahoma.

Clemson put a 30-3 beating on Notre Dame in its semi-finals matchup, not a big surprise IMO as it was always gonna be a one-sided affair. Clemson has won nine consecutive games by double digits, but it has had a fairly easy schedule and certainly not faced a team even remotely close to Alabama’s caliber. 

We can also note that on Dec. 20, three Clemson players — starting defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, offensive lineman Zach Giella and tight end Braden Galloway— were disqualified from competition after failed drug tests. It is at the writing of this preview (Jan 2) unclear whether they'll be allowed to participate in this contest, but either way I like Bama to get it done. 

10* play on Alabama Crimson Tide. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S WILD CARD WEEKEND BEST ATS BET

The Seattle Seahawks own the No. 1 rush offense in the NFL this season, but their pass offense is nowhere near as good as previous years and Russell Wilson has been sacked plenty. 

Here the Seahawks will run into a Dallas defense that ranks 5th in the NFL against the run giving up just 3.8 rushing yards per game, and the Cowboys should come out with extra motivation as the seek to avenge a 24-13 loss at Seattle in Week 3. 

Dallas has since added WR Amari Cooper to the roster and he has connected very well with QB Dak Prescott; in eight games with Dallas, Cooper has caught 53 passes for 725 yards and six touchdowns. Add a prolific running game that will face a Seattle D which has given up 4.9 yards per rush attempt this season, and I think we have identified significant advantages for Dallas on both sides of the ball. 

Dallas is 7-1 at home while Seattle is 4-4 on the road (winning at Arizona, Detroit, Carolina and beating Oakland in London). As you can see, the Seahawks have not won on the road against a team near Dallas caliber and I'm well happy to back the home team in this matchup. 

10* play on Dallas Cowboys. 

TOP RATED 10* ROSE BOWL BOOKIE BREAKER

The Ohio State Buckeyes look like a solid favorite against the Washington Huskies in the Rose Bowl. 

This will be Urban Meyer's last game as head coach of Ohio State so the Buckeyes players should play with extra motivation looking to put on a show for their coach.

Washington owns among the best defenses in the nation, but can it really slow down this terrific OU offense? Ohio State QB Dwayne Haskins finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting and set a Big Ten championship game record with 499 passing yards and five touchdown passes in the Buckeyes win 45-24 win over Northwestern. 

Note that Urban Meyer owns a terrific 42-15 ATS record with at least eight days to prepare for an opponent. My money is on the Buckeyes. 

10* play on Ohio State Buckeyes. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL) ATS

The winner will "literally" take it all when the Tennessee Titans host the Indianapolis Colts Sunday night; the winner will advance to the postseason while the loser will see its year end. 

Titans QB Marcus Mariota's status for this contest is questionable (as of the posting of this pick on Tuesday) after leaving Tennessee's 25-16 win over Washington last week with a shoulder stinger. 

With or without Mariota, I don't see the Titans keeping up with this high-octane Colts offense guided by Andrew Luck who threw for 357 yards and two touchdowns in a dramatic win over the Giants last Sunday. Luck tossed three touchdown passes in a 38-10 win over Tennessee last month. 

The Titans are 6-1 SU at home this season, but only 5-14-1 ATS in their last 20 home games vs. a team with a winning road record and the Colts are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 meetings.

10* play on Indianapolis Colts. 

GAME OF THE YEAR (NCAAF)

The Alabama Crimson Tide have their eyes on a third National Championship title in four years, and I don't think Oklahoma Sooners will pose much of a threat on their way there in the Orange Bowl. 

Bama had won every game during the regular season by at least 22 points before beating Georgia by "only" seven in the SEC Championship game.

So, is that something we should be concerned about? Hardly. Instead I think it was good for us, and themselves, to see how they handled adversity for the first time all year and such a wake up call was perhaps even needed after breezing through the season.

Oklahoma has just one loss on the season and owns the top ranked offense in the nation, with Alabama ranked 2nd. There's however a huge gap between how they perform on the defensive end with Bama ranking No. 2 nationally in defensive efficiency while the Sooners are 91st.

I expect the Tide to roll past the Sooners rather comfortably. 

10* play on Alabama Crimson Tide

TOP RATED 10* NEW ERA PINSTRIPE BOWL BOOKIE BREAKER

The Wisconsin Badgers beat the Miami Hurricanes in the Orange Bowl last season. I'm well happy to take the points on the Badgers in the rematch in the 2018 New Era Pinstripe Bowl. 

Sure, Miami owns one of the top defenses in the nation and was the absolute toughest team to throw against this season, but that might not matter much in this contest.  

Wisconsin is very much a run-first kind of team and ranked 7th in the nation with 268.4 rushing yards per game. Badgers RB Jonathan Taylor was named winner of the Doak Walker Award and eclipsed 200 yards four times on the season. The Badgers will probably be extra inclined to do their damage on the ground here with quarterback Alex Hornibrook out with a concussion. I also expect Wisconsin to be particularly fired up here after losing Paul Bunyan's Axe to Minnesota in a blowout last time out. 

In addition we can note that the New Era Pinstripe Bowl will be played at Yankee Stadium in New York with temperatures around 40 degrees. Wisconsin is of course used to that kind of weather ... Miami, not so much. 

10* play on Wisconsin Badgers. 

TOP RATED 10* QUICK LANE BOWL BOOKIE BREAKER

Both teams will without a doubt be fired up for this Quick Lane Bowl matchup, but the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets perhaps a bit more with this being 11th-year coach Paul Johnson last game in charge. 

The Yellow Jackets enter this contest on a hot streak, having won six of eight since a 1-3 start to the season. Their triple-option offense is averaging a FBS-leading 334.9 yards per contest and has proven to be too much to handle for teams like Virginia Tech, Miami and Virginia 

Here they'll face a Minnesota Golden Gophers team that is giving up an average of 170.7 rushing yards per game, and its leading tackler, Blake Cashman, will not partake in the Quick Lane Bowl as he will prepare for the upcoming NFL draft.

10* play on Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. 

GAME OF THE YEAR (NFL) ATS REGULAR SEASON

The red hot Cleveland Browns look determined to finish a season with a winning record for the first time  since 2007.

They have won four of their last five games and even have a shot at their first playoff berth since 2002. I don't think they'll have any trouble to take down the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday afternoon.

The Bengals are coming off a 30-16 triumph over the tanking and banged up Oakland Raiders, and received some home cooking in their last home game of the season.

They had however lost five straight games prior to that, and Cleveland owns a big psychological advantage after beating the Bengals 35-20 at Paul Brown Stadium on Nov 25. 

10* play on Cleveland Browns. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB) 

The Army Black Knights look like a favorite well worth backing when taking on Houston Cougars in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth. They're 10-2 on the season and forced overtime in their loss to Oklahoma, the closest win the Sooners have had all season. 

Army's triple-option offense led all of FBS in time of possession, holding the ball for almost 39 minutes per game, and can grind down just about any team while the defense held each of its last four opponents to 14 points or less. 

The Cougars have lost three of their last four and took a 52-31 loss as a 9.5-point underdog at Memphis last time out, the first game this season they didn't close as a favorite. We can also note that Houston has been without its starting QB for a while now and here it'll also be without its best defensive player, Ed Oliver, who has decided to skip the bowl game in order to prepare for the NFL draft.

10* play on Army Black Knights. 

CHARGERS @ CHIEFS AFC WEST BOOKIE BREAKER

The LA Chargers look like a solid underdog when visiting Kansas City Chiefs in a matchup between the two teams with the best records in the AFC. 

KC has failed to cover the spread in four straight games and needed overtime to get past Baltimore last Sunday. The Chiefs gave up 132 yards on the ground and could be in big trouble here if Chargers RB Melvin Gordon takes the field after missing two games with a sprained right knee. 

"I've been grinding hard to get back and we're still trying to decide what we're going to do," Gordon said Tuesday (via ESPN.com). "I know Coach is trying to be careful and doesn't want me to further hurt myself or things like that. So we'll see where that goes, but I'm a lot stronger and more confident than I was last week."

Note that KC is banged up as well; wide receiver Tyreek Hill (foot) and running back Spencer Ware (shoulder/hamstring) are both in danger of missing the game. 

The Chargers have won three in a row and they're a solid 5-1 SU and ATS on the road this season. They're likely to be extra fired up here seeking revenge for a 38-28 home loss to the Chiefs back in September. 

10* play on LA Chargers. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL) ATS

The Houston Texans are the hottest team in the NFL coming off nine straight wins, a streak that started with a 37-34 OT win over the Colts.

The Texans had no trouble whatsoever to take care of business against Cleveland last week (29-13 triumph) and look like a solid home favorite here against Indianapolis in Week 14. 

The Colts had won five straight before losing all momentum with a deflating 6-0 loss at Jacksonville last week. They managed just 265 yards of total offense in the defeat and QB Andrew Luck was sacked three times.

This figures to another tough matchup for Luck and the rest of the Colt as they'll be coming up against one of the best defenses in the league. Houston ranks 4th in the NFL for points allowed and is tied for third with 41.0 sacks.  

Houston could clinch a playoff berth and the AFC South division title with a win here so there's plenty of motivation for the home team on top of trying to keep the winning streak alive.

10* play on Houston Texans. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB)

The Army Black Knights have won the last two meetings with Navy Midshipmen despite closing at underdogs in both games. They're a rather sizable favorite in this year's matchup but I fully expect them to win by double digits. 

Army enters this contest on a seven-game winning streak and boasts good numbers on both sides of the ball. It owns the No. 12 rush defense in the nation, giving up just 106.5 yards so Navy's No. 3 rushing game could be in big trouble. Defensively, Navy has been poor this season allowing 438.9 yards per game and 34.9 points per game. 

The Black Knights have lost just two games all season, one of them an OT loss at Oklahoma as a 30-point underdog. They're clearly the superior team here and I expect the final score to reflect that.

10* play on Army Black Knights. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL) SIDE

The LA Rams are coming off their bye week and look primed to put a massive beating on Detroit Sunday afternoon. 

The Lions season is all but over after losing four of their last five and they lost by a touchdown against the Bears on Thanksgiving. Here they'll face a Rams team which has lost just one game all season (to New Orleans) and we can note that the Rams are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games following a bye week.

The Rams rank 2nd in the NFL for total offense with 448.6 yards per game and QB Jared Goff threw for 413 yards and four touchdowns in a 54-51 win over the Chiefs in Week 11. Running back Todd Gurley was limited by an ankle issue against the Chiefs but is expected to be fine for this matchup; bad bad news for Detroit. 

10* play on LA Rams. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (CFB)

The No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes put a 62-39 beating on seventh-ranked Michigan last week. I think they'll win in a rout again when taking on Northwestern Wildcats in the Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis Saturday night. 

Northwestern defeated Illinois last week but failed to cover the spread and gave up 435 yards of total offense while generating only 371 yards of offense themselves. 

Here they'll face an Ohio team which averages 544.6 yards on the season and toyed with Michigan's top ranked defense. Buckeyes QB Dwayne Haskins completed 20-of-31 passes for 396 yards and six touchdowns and the Buckeyes racked up 567 total yards in the victory. 

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer is determined to have his players ready for this game: "I'm going to be very hard on everybody this week, and we cannot see anything other than the same effort we did last week," Meyer said, later adding, "When you win and you win the way you did, now that's the time to cut it loose and be very, over-the-top demanding of them."

10* play on Ohio State Buckeyes. 

SAINTS @ COWBOYS THURSDAY NIGHT BOOKIE BREAKER (10* TOP PLAY)

The New Orleans Saints are coming off a successful two-game homestand during which they beat Philadelphia and Atlanta by a combined 55 points. They have won five consecutive games by double digits and I think they'll keep rolling here in the first of what will be three consecutive road games when visiting Dallas Thursday night. 

The Saints are a phenomenal 9-2 ATS on the season, and while the Cowboys have covered the spread in three straight games I just don't see them keeping up with the Saints explosive offense. Cowboys are 2-7 ATS in their last nine home games vs. a team with a winning road record and Saints are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 meetings.

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott has been sacked a league-high 38 times and I don't see Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliot having much success at moving the chains against a solid Saints rush defense which hasn't allowed an individual player to rush for 100 yards for more than a calendar year. Even Rams' Todd Gurley managed just 68 yards rushing in a 45-35 loss to New Orleans on Nov 4. 

10* play on New Orleans Saints. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL) SIDE

The Philadelphia Eagles should be extremely fired up for this matchup with NFC East rivals NY Giants as they look to bounce back from a 48-7 beating in New Orleans last time out. 

The Giants are obviously are nowhere near as good as the Saints, and they're in a letdown spot after back-to-back triumphs and claiming a 38-35 home win over the Buccaneers last week. NY won despite giving up 510 total yards of offense, and we can expect a big game for Philly QB Carson Wentz who threw three touchdown passes in a 34-13 win over the Giants in New York on October 11.

Philadelphia has covered the spread in 14 of the last 21 meetings and is in need of a win here to save its season. I think the home team will come through and win in blowout fashion. 

10* play on Philadelphia Eagles.  

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB) SIDE

There is plenty at stake here with winner of this contest going to the Big Ten Championship Game next month in Indianapolis. The No. 10 Ohio State Buckeyes have won 14 of the last 16 meetings with No. 4 Michigan, and I'm happy to take the points on the home team in this matchup. 

Michigan's defense is as good as it gets, but here it'll face one of the most explosive offenses in the nation. QB Dwayne Haskins threw for 405 yards and three TDs against Maryland last week and has thrown for over 400 yards in four of his last six games. Add a running back tandem of J.K. Dobbins and Michigan native Mike Weber and it's easy to see why the Buckeyes rank 8th in scoring, putting up 41.6 ppg. 

We can also note that the Wolverines lone loss so far came on the road, and while they're 3-1 SU away from home they've covered the spread in only one of those games.

10* play on Ohio State Buckeyes. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB)

The Virginia Cavaliers have won four of their last five games, but they've failed to cover the spread in each of their last two. Here they'll face a Georgia Tech team which is 5-1 SU and ATS through its last six games, winning and covering all games when closing as a favorite. 

Virginia relies on its defense, but it gave up 253 rushing yards in a 23-13 loss to Pittsburgh two weeks ago. Georgia Tech leads the nation in rushing offense at 362.4 yards per game, and while it has already clinched a bowl berth I still think the Yellow Jackets will be fired up for this one. 

"We still have a lot to play for," Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson told reporters after Saturday’s 27-21 victory over Miami. "We are playing a lot better now than we were playing earlier in the year. We kind of dug ourselves out of the big hole we dug ourselves in." They surely don't want to risk losing the momentum, so I like the home team to win in an impressive fashion.

10* play on Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NFL SIDE)

This is just an awful spot for the Tennessee Titans, playing on a short week and in a let down situation following a 28-14 beatdown of the Cowboys as a 7-point dog at Dallas Monday night. 

Here the Titans will face a New England side off six straight triumphs while going 5-1 ATS. The Pats have scored 30+ points in five of those games with the lone exception a 25-6 walk in the park victory at Buffalo. Are the Patriots unbeatable? Certainly not, but I'm confident they'll win this by at least a touchdown. 

Patriots are 16-5 ATS vs. a team with a losing record and also 16-5 ATS in their last 21 road games.

10* play on New England Patriots. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB SIDE)

The Ohio State Buckeyes have lost just one game all season, but they're coming off a couple of disappointing outings and have failed to cover the spread in five straight games. I think the bookmakers are undervaluing the Buckeyes due to their recent ATS performances, and I'm well happy to back the visitors in this matchup. 

The Buckeyes offense is among the best in nation averaging 369.1 yards per game in the air and they rushed for a season-high 229 yards in last week's 36-31 win against Nebraska.

They've scored plenty of points in recent games but have failed to cover the spread due to poor defensive displays. OSU should however have little to fear from a Michigan State offense averaging only 23.4 ppg, and MSU junior quarterback Brian Lewerke has thrown as many INTs (8) as TD passes on the season. 

The Spartans rely heavily on their D which ranks 16th in scoring defense by allowing 19 points per game, but I don't think they'll be able to stop this high-powered Buckeyes offense. 

10* play on Ohio State Buckeyes. 

GAME OF THE YEAR (CFB SIDE)

The No. 1 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide are perfect 8-0 SU on the season and have scored 50 points or more on six occasions. They've been favored by 22.5-points or more in all their games, and that's one reason why I don't think they'll look past 4th ranked LSU here in their first "test" of the season. 

I could throw out a bunch of stats like how Bama averages 54.1 ppg while allowing only 15.9 ppg and how sophomore quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has 25 TD passes vs. 0 interceptions, but at the end of the day it all comes down to whether Bama will care enough to beat LSU in a blowout. 

"(LSU) is one of the best teams in the nation," Alabama coach Nick Saban said during a press conference. "I think they're very elite in a lot of ways in terms of the way they play defense. Their offense is very efficient. They've really done a great job this year and the quarterback (Joe Burrow) plays well for them."

Yeah, Saban will have them ready and the Tide will roll. 

10* play on Alabama Crimson Tide. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL) - MIKE'S TOP RATED WEEK 8 ATS *BEST BET* 

The Washington Redskins are coming off back-to-back wins over Dallas and Carolina to improve to 4-2 on the season. Here they'll face a NY Giants team which is tied for the worst record in the league at 1-6 with the 49ers and Cardinals. 

The Giants will play on a short week following a 23-20 setback at Atlanta Monday night. Rookie running back Saquon Barkley failed to reach 100 total yards for the first time in his professional career and is likely in for another tough matchup Sunday afternoon.

Washington ranks No.3 in the NFL against the run giving up only 87.3 ypg and held Dallas' Ezekiel Elliott to 31 yards overall on 14 carries last week. 

New York couldn't exploit an Atlanta D which had given up 32.0 points per game heading into Monday, and I'm more than happy to back the hotter team with the better defense in this contest.

10* play on Washington Redskins. 

IOWA @ PENN STATE AFTERNOON ASSASSIN (10* TOP PLAY)

I think the Iowa Hawkeyes are spotted way too many points to pass up on when they visit the Penn State Nittany Lions Saturday afternoon. 

Penn State had lost back-to-back games outright before finally getting back in the win column with a 33-28 win at Indiana last week. They still failed to cover the 14-point spread though and were actually outgained by 137 yards.

Here the Nittany Lions will face an Iowa team with a ton of momentum as it's going for a third straight win. The Hawkeyes D has been excellent all season and held Maryland to 47 passing yards along with 68 rushing yards in a 23-0 triumph last week. Penn State can run the ball, but it won't be enough here against a rush defense that is giving up an average of only 2.7 yards/rush attempt. I'm well happy to take the points on the underdog in this matchup. 

Trends supporting Iowa: Hawkeyes are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games overall. Hawkeyes are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 conference games.

8* play on Iowa Hawkeyes. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (CFB) - MIKE'S BEST CFB ATS BET FOR OCTOBER!

The Western Michigan Broncos host the Toledo Rockets Thursday night. I predict an easy win for the home team. 

The Broncos are coming off a convincing 35-10 road win against Central Michigan to make it six straight wins. They limited Central Michigan to 269 total yards of offense while doing most if their damage on the ground with 305 rushing yards. They can attack through the air as well though and junior QB Jon Wassink has collected 1980 passing yards with a 16:6 TD to INT ratio on the season. 

Toledo has struggled to stop the run as well as the pass and gave up 326 passing yards in a 31-17 home loss to Buffalo last week. It has failed to cover the spread in four straight games and been outgained in each of its last six. WMU can move then chains both ways and should have no trouble to outscore this weak Toledo side. 

Trends supporting WMU: Broncos are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 Thursday games. Broncos are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.

10* play on Western Michigan Broncos. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED 10* ATS ANNIHILATOR *BEST BET*

The reigning Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles found their groove last week and delivered a 34-13 beatdown at New York Giants. Here they'll face a Carolina Panthers team which took a 23-17 loss at Washington in Week 6, and I like Philly to win and cover the spread in this matchup. 

We can note that Carolina is 0-2 on the road this season while Philly is 2-1 at home, the lone loss a 23-21 setback to Minnesota in Week 5. 

Philly QB Carson Wentz has been getting better and better throughout the season and finally looks fully recovered from a devastating knee injury that he suffered last year. Wentz threw for three TDs last week and owns an 8-to-1 TD/INT ratio on the season. 

The Panthers can do plenty of damage on the ground with their 4th ranked rushing offense, but the Eagles are 2nd at stopping the run and I think Philly has the edge in this game, particularly with the momentum from last week's blowout win. 

10* play on Philadelphia Eagles. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB): MIKE'S TOP RATED 10* ATS ANNIHILATOR

The Virginia Cavaliers look like a live underdog as they visit Duke Blue Devils Saturday afternoon. 

The Cavs upset No. 16 Miami 16-13 at home last Saturday. They rank a solid 25th in the nation in scoring defense, holding opponents to 19.2 points per game. Duke is coming off a 28-14 triumph at Georgia Tech, but was actually outgained 354-304 in that contest. The Blue Devils gave up 229 rushing yards and Virginia is more than capable of moving the chains on the ground, averaging a solid 183.0 ypg. All in all, this is a lot of points to cover in what should be a low-scoring game. 

Trends supporting Virginia: Cavaliers are 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall and the underdog is 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings.

10* play on Virginia Cavaliers. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL): MIKE'S TOP RATED 10* ATS ANNIHILATOR

The Chicago Bears should be well rested and ready to go as they're coming off their Week 5 bye. They trounced Tampa Bay 48-10 last time out and have now won three straight since losing their season opener at Green Bay.

The Miami Dolphins are trending in the opposite direction, coming off back-to-back losses to the Pats (38-17) and the Bengals (27-17). QB Ryan Tannehill threw two picks against Cincinnati and he has five INTS and four fumbles on the season. I expect him to get roughed up plenty by Chicago defensive end Khalil Mack who has recorded a sack and fumble in four straight games. 

The Dolphins offense rank rank 30th in the NFL with an average of only 288 total yards per game and here it will come up against arguably the best defense in the NFL with Chicago giving up an average of only 294.5 yards of total offense. We can also note that Miami is highly unlikely to have any kind of success running the ball against a Bears rush defense that ranks #1 in the NFL.

Bears QB Mitch Trubisky was outstanding his last time out, massing 354 passing yards with six touchdown passes against the Bucs. Miami’s rush and pass defense both rank 20th in the NFL and I think points will come fast and easy for the visitors. 

10* play on Chicago Bears. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB): MIKE'S TOP RATED 10* ATS ANNIHILATOR

The Illinois Fighting Illini are coming off a 38-17 triumph at Rutgers, and I think they're spotted way too many points to pass up on as they host the Purdue Boilermakers Saturday afternoon.

Purdue is coming off its bye week, but perhaps it could have come at a better time instead of following back-to-back wins. The momentum is now gone, and here the Boilermakers will face a feisty D which forced three turnovers against Rutgers last week and has recorded 12 takeaways on the season.

I expect Illinois defense to keep this close. 

10* play on Illinois. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NFL): MIKE'S BEST NFL SIDE FOR OCTOBER

I really like the Cincinnati Bengals as a home favorite against Miami Dolphins Sunday afternoon. 

The Bengals are coming off an impressive 37-36 win at Atlanta and they've scored at least 34 points in each of their three wins this season. QB Andy Dalton keeps putting up big numbers and torching defenses. He completed 29-of-41 passes for 337 yards with three TDs and an INT against Atlanta and has passed for 1197 yards with 11 TDs and six INTs on the season. 

I don't think the Bengals will have any trouble to pile up the points against a Miami team that was off to a 3-0 prior to getting exposed in a 38-7 loss to the Patriots last week. The Dolphins managed just 172 yards of total offense while giving up 449 yards of total offense in the defeat. Miami ranks 30th in the league in total offense and should not be able to keep up with this explosive Bengals team. 

Dolphins are 1-6 ATS in their last seven road games and 3-8 ATS vs. a team with a winning record. Bengals are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

10* NFL Game of the Month Side: Cincinnati Bengals ATS. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB): MIKE'S TOP RATED 10* WEEK 6 SIDE

The Eastern Michigan Eagles are way underrated by the the bookmakers and the public here after three consecutive losses.

Note that their last two defeats have come by just three points in OT and they're 10-1-1 ATS in their last 12 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

I like the Eagles to cover the spread at Western Michigan Saturday afternoon as the Broncos are in a completely opposite spot, clearly overrated by the bookmakers and public following three straight wins.

The Broncos have won four straight against EMU, but needed OT to get past the Eagles in Ypsilanti last year. WMU second-year head coach Tim Lester: “They’ve had one of the hardest schedules in our league and they’ve battled every team, Lester said. "San Diego (State) is a great team, Northern (Illinois) is a great team, Buffalo’s a great team. They are a physical bunch. I think on defense they are really exceptional, so it’s going to be unbelievable test for us as the games get tighter and tighter.”

EMU defeated Purdue as a 15-point underdog on Sep. 8 and I would not be surprised to see them win this one outright. 

10* play on Eastern Michigan Eagles. 

CHIEFS @ BRONCOS MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL *TOP PLAY*

The Kansas City Chiefs are travelling to Mile High City undefeated 3-0 on the season. They're the league's highest-scoring team having scored 38 points or more in each contest and average a healthy 295.0 passing yards per game. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has 16 touchdown passes and no interceptions. 

Denver has struggled to stop the pass, and while KC has surrendered 30.7 points per game I don't think the Broncos have the weapons to hurt them. Note that Denver quarterback Case Keenum has passed for just three touchdowns against five interceptions and he's coming off a season-low 192 yards passing at Baltimore.

Chiefs are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games overall and 12-4 ATS in their last 16 road games. Broncos are 7-18-2 ATS in their last 27 games overall and 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven home games. Chiefs are 5-0 ATS in their last five meetings and 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings in Denver.

10* play on Kansas City Chiefs. 

NFL GAME OF THE WEEK (TOP RATED 10* SIDE)

The Houston Texans will be desperate for a win here after opening the season with three straight losses. They're 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games in Week 4 and should get the job done when visiting the Colts Sunday afternoon. 

Houston's offense has been a bright spot and ranks eighth in the NFL with 397 total yards per game. The Colts D gave up 379 total yards in a 20-16 road loss to the Eagles last week and I think Houston QB Deshaun Watson will tear them apart in this contest. Watson notched 385 passing yards with two TD’s against one INT against the Giants last week and we can also expect Houston to do a lot of damage on the ground against a Colts’ D that allows 106.0 rushing yards per game.

The Colts offense rank in the bottom 10 of the NFL in several offensive categories and collected only 209 total yards last week. Colts QB Andrew Colt owns a poor 5:3 TD/INT ratio on the season and their running game is among the worst in the league. 

Great value on the visitors. 

10* NFL SIDE OF THE WEEK: Houston Texans. 

CFB GAME OF THE WEEK (10* ATS)

The No. 12 West Virginia Mountaineers will be putting their perfect 3-0 start on the line when they visit a Big 12 rival, the No. 25 Texas Tech Raiders, Saturday afternoon. 

Texas Tech tops the nation with 623.5 yards per game while West Virginia is eighth at 545.3. WVU is by far the better defensive team though; note that the Red Raiders are allowing 437 yards per game (110th) while WVU is giving up an average of only 304 yards and 12.3 points per game. 

Texas Tech has won three straight since dropping its season opener and thumped then-No. 14 Oklahoma State 41-17 on the road last week. I think that triumph has made the Red Raiders overvalued by the bookmakers in this matchup, particularly in what could be a let down spot. 

West Virginia has claimed four straight in the series, including a 46-35 win last year. Red Raiders are 2-6 ATS in their last eight home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

10* play on West Virginia Mountaineers. 

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOBALL ~ VIKINGS @ RAMS *TOP PLAY*

The LA Rams will host the Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Thursday night. The Rams are coming into this game undefeated while the Vikings are coming off their first loss of the season following a 2-0 start. 

The Vikings took an embarrassing 24-16 loss as a 16.5-point home favorite against the Bills last week. Perhaps they underestimated the Bills and took a win for granted. That won't happen here though, and there's plenty of talent in this Minnesota team which is considered a serious Super Bowl contender. 

I like the Purples to bounce back with a big performance here against an LA Rams team which no doubt is good, but also overrated by the public and the bookmakers after opening the season with routs of Oakland, Arizona and most recently LA Chargers. Take the points on the visitors. 

10* play on Minnesota Vikings. 

NFL GAME OF THE WEEK (10* SIDE)

The Baltimore Ravens annihilated the hapless Bills in their season opener, but they came out flat at Cincinnati last week and failed to fully climb out of an early 21-0 hole, eventually losing 34-23. 

I think the Ravens are in for a tough game here against the Denver Broncos who have opened the season with home wins over Seattle and most recently Oakland. 

Denver has looked solid on the defensive side of the ball and limited the Raiders to just 92 rushing yards last week. Baltimore has not posed much of a threat on the ground through the first two games which means the Broncos can focus on shutting down Baltimore QB Joe Flacco who was sacked four times against the Bengals.

Offensively the Broncos are dangerous on the ground and rank 2nd in the NFL in rushing with 314 yards on the season. Case Keenum is perhaps not an elite QB, but note that this Baltimore D allowed Bengals Andy Dalton to throw for 265 yards and four touchdowns last week. In addition, Baltimore cornerback Jimmy Smith is facing a multi-week suspension from the NFL because of an apparent violation of the league's personal-conduct policy.

Broncos are 7-2-2 ATS in their last 11 games in September. Ravens are 0-3-1 ATS in their last four games in Week 3.

10* NFL Game of the Week (side): Denver Broncos.

CFB GAME OF THE WEEK (10* SIDE)

The Navy Midshipmen opened the season with a shootout loss at Hawaii, but they've bounced back with back-to-back wins since. Here they'll face an 0-3 SMU squad (outscored 133-55 in the process), and I think the Mustangs will take another beating here. 

Navy ran for a total of 484 yards in a 51-21 blowout victory over FCS member Lehigh last week. Malcolm Perry accumulated 223 of those yards (three scores) and last year the senior quarterback ran for 282 yards on 33 carries with four touchdowns against SMU.

The Mustangs took a 45-20 loss at Michigan last Saturday and gave up 197 yards and two scores on the ground. On the season, they're giving up 170.7 ypg on the ground (83rd). They rank near the bottom nationally in total offense and I don't think they'll be able to keep up with Navy in this matchup. 

CFB Game of the Week: Navy Midshipmen. 

COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME OF THE WEEK (10* SIDE)

The top ranked Alabama Crimson Tide have won their first two games of the season by a combined 87 points. I think they're in line for another blowout victory here when visiting Ole Miss Rebels Saturday afternoon.

Sure, the Rebels are also undefeated after beating up Texas Tech and Southern Illinois, but note that they've allowed 557.5 yards on average in these first two games. 

They were limited to a field goal in a 66-3 blowout loss to Alabama last year, and I don't see Ole Miss being able to stop Bama this year either. 

10* CFB Game of the Week: Alabama.

MONDAY NIGHT RAMS @ RAIDER 10* BEST BET

The Oakland Raiders are coming off a 6-10 campaign and I think they're in for a tough season here after trading away linebacker Khalil Mack to Chicago. The LA Rams meanwhile finished with an 11-5 record last season and are loaded with talent on both sides of the ball. Jared Goff and Todd Gurley forms a formidable one-two punch on offense and Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh leading the defense. 

10* play on LA Rams. 

10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

The Baltimore Ravens are coming off a perfect 5-0 preseason, and I think they'll ride the momentum to easy victory against the Buffalo Bills at home in Week 1 of the regular season. 

The Bills salvaged a 2-2 preseason record with a 28-27 win at Chicago last week, but this is a team without much talent and the they're still undecided whether to start Josh Allen or AJ McCarron under center. The Bills will need to rely on running back LeSean McCoy, but the Ravens aggressive D has an advantage all across the board and should be able to keep the Bills caged.

There will be few surprises from the Ravens and John Harbaugh know exactly where he has his team after five preseason games. They have a strong go-to QB in Joe Flacco and a solid running game which ranked 11th in the NFL last year. Buffalo finished the 2017 season with the fourth worst rushing defense in the NFL and gave up plenty of yards during its preseason games. 

Also, let's not underestimate the home field advantage here with a hostile crowd guaranteed to make it difficult for the visitors.  

10* NFL Game of the Week: Baltimore Ravens. 

EARLY ARIZONA @ HOUSTON GAME OF THE WEEK (10* CFB SIDE)

The Houston Cougars racked up 581 yards of total offense in their 45-27 home win over Rice in the season opener. I expect another comfortable win for Houston here as they host Arizona in Week 2. The Wildcats are coming off a 28-23 home loss to a rather weak BYU team and dual-threat quarterback Khalil Tate didn't get much done. Houston returns only 10 players while Arizona returns 16 from last season, but I think the home team has a clear edge in this matchup. 

10* play on Houston Cougars. 

TOP RATED 10* TCU @ SMU BEST BET

The TCU Horned Frogs opened the season with a dominant 55-7 triumph over Southern Jaguars. They outgained their opponent 499-185 in that matchup and look good to record another blowout win here at SMU Mustangs Friday night.

SMU took a 46-23 road loss to North Texas in Week 1 and surrendered 530 total yards in the process. The Mustangs were one of the worst defensive teams in the country last year (allowing an average of 36.7 points per game), and here they'll face an explosive TCU offense with a solid quarterback and three running backs that can all do big damage.

10* play on TCU Horned Frogs. 

SUPER EARLY GAME OF THE WEEK (10* CFB SIDE)

Sure, Ohio State Buckeyes will be without suspended head coach Urban Meyer and they've lost QB J.T. Barrett to the NFL, but make no mistake, this is a very talented bunch who should cover the number against Oregon State. 

We'll see two super motivated quarterbacks battling for the Ohio State QB position with both sophomore Dwayne Haskins and redshirt freshman Tate Martell expected to see action. The Buckeyes can do a lot of damage on the ground as well returning sophomore J.K. Dobbins (1,403 yards last season) and junior Mike Weber (1,722 yards in two seasons). 

Oregon State went 1-11 last year and were third worst in the FBS in scoring defense, giving up 43 points per game. OSU meanwhile ranked 15th in the nation in scoring defense by allowing 19 points per game. Huge advantages on both sides of the ball and home field advantage for Ohio State. 

10* play on Ohio State Buckeyes. 

TOP RATED SYRACUSE/WESTERN MICHIGAN BOOKIE BREAKER

The Western Michigan Broncos look like live dog here in their season opener against Syracuse Orange Friday night. 

The Broncos averaged 33.9 ppg last year and returns QB Jon Wassink who threw for 1411 yards with 14 TDs and four INTs last year, despite suffering a season ending injury after just eight games. He should be able to do some damage against an Orange defense that allowed a total of 162 points in their final three games alone last year.

We can also note that this is a huge game in many ways for new WMU head coach Tim Lester who is a former ‘Cuse offensive coordinator. 

10* play on Western Michigan Broncos. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL) - MIKE'S SUPER BOWL LII BEST BET

The New England Patriots failed to cover the spread in their 24-20 win over Jacksonville in the AFC Championship Game, and I predict another tight affair when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII on Sunday. 

The Eagles have managed to overcome a season-ending injury to their star QB Carson Wentz, as backup QB Nick Foles has been able to get the job done backed up by a solid defense that has allowed a total of just 17 points here in the postseason. 

My NFL Game of the Week is a 10* play on Philadelphia Eagles. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL) - MIKE'S AFC TITLE GAME BEST BET

We won with the Jacksonville Jaguars as my NFL Game of the Month when they defeated Pittsburgh outright in the Divisional Playoff, and I'm gonna back them to at the very least cover the spread again here against the New England Patriots in the AFC Title Game. 

The Pats had little trouble with Tennessee their last time out as Tom Brady was able to exploit Titans linebackers and safeties who had struggled much of the year in coverage, but here they'll face arguably the best defense in the NFL. We can can also note that the Jags feature the top-ranked running game in the league, led by Leonard Fournette who was tremendous in Sunday’s win against Pittsburgh accumulating 109 rushing yards on 24 carries with three scores.

The Pats' Tom Brady is 7-0 lifetime against the Jaguars including two playoff victories, but the last encounter was back in 2015 and this Jacksonville team is cut from a different cloth, especially on the defensive side of the ball. 

The Patriots are 2-6 ATS in their last eight Conference Championships games and while they're likely to win this game outright, I absolutely think they're asked to cover way too many points. 

My NFL Game of the Week is a 10* play on Jacksonville Jaguars. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NFL)

The Jacksonville Jaguars defense put up another outstanding performance when the Jags recorded a 10-3 home win against the Bills in the Wildcard game last week. I think their tremendous D will keep this AFC Divisional playoff matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers a close game, and getting a touchdown here is well worth a max bet.

This will be the second meeting of the season and Jacksonville won the first encounter 30-9 here at Heinz Field in Week 5. The Jags forced five interceptions from Ben Roethlisberger in that matchup and limited the Bills to 263 total yards (including only 133 passing yards) and picked off the Buffalo QB twice last week.   

Jacksonville has allowed only 15.9 ppg on the season while the Steelers defense wasn't particularly sharp in the final stretch of the regular season, giving up rather big numbers to Baltimore, New England and Cleveland among others. Jacksonville features the top-ranked running game in the NFL led by Leonard Fournette who accumulated 181 rushing yards in the triumph over Pittsburgh earlier this season. 

We can also note that Pittsburgh star receiver Antonio Brown is questionable after he missed the last two games of the season with a lower leg contusion suffered against New England on Dec. 15.

My NFL Game of the Month is a 10* play on Jacksonville Jaguars. 

TOP RATED 10* CFB CHAMPIONSHIP BEST BET - BAMA vs. GEORGIA

The Alabama Crimson Tide really did a number on top-seeded Clemson in the semifinals, putting a 24-6 beating on the Tigers. I think they'll take care of business again when taking on the Georgia Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff Championship at Atlanta Monday night. 

The Bulldogs managed to fight off Oklahoma last week, winning 54-48 in overtime. They did however give up 527 yards of total offense, and that won't cut it here against a Bama team that won't give up nearly similar numbers in return. Georgia relies heavy on the run, but Alabama leads the nation in rushing defense at 91.8 yards per game and limited Clemson to 64 yards on 33 attempts. 

Bama has the advantage on both sides of the ball IMO, and I would take Crimson Tide sophomore QB Jalen Hurts over Georgia's freshman quarterback Jake Fromm every day of the week.

My selection is a 10* play on Alabama Crimson Tide. 

TOP RATED 10* PANTHERS @ SAINTS ATS ANNIHILATOR

The New Orleans Saints have already defeated the Carolina Panthers twice this season, the most recent a 31-21 triumph here in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome back in December. They're coming off a 31-24 loss at Tampa Bay but are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games after allowing more than 30 points in their previous game and 23-4 ATS in their last 27 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. The Panthers fit the bill coming into this contest with a 5-3 road record for the season, but they took a 22-10 loss at Atlanta in their regular season finale and are 0-6 ATS in their last six meetings with New Orleans.

The Saints own the league’s No. 2 offense and they've been able to torch Carolina on the ground in both meetings this season, gaining 148 and 149 yards respectively. New Orleans’ defense meanwhile turned in two of its best performances of the season against the Panthers. 

My selection is a 10* play on New Orleans Saints. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL)

I think Atlanta Falcons plus the points look like excellent value here in their Wild Card game against the LA Rams. The Falcons have been in playoff mode for weeks while the Rams need to find a way to light their fire again after sitting QB Jared Goff, RB Todd Gurley, WR Cooper Kupp and DL Aaron Donald in the regular-season finale (a 34-13 loss to the Niners).

The Rams have had a tremendous season considering this is a team that finished 4-12 last season, but they're still unproven in the playoffs while Atlanta has plenty of experience. 

Sure, Atlanta QB Matt Ryan has had a poor season, but this is still pretty much the same offense that carried the Falcons to the Super Bowl last year and its defense really stepped up in its 22-10 triumph over Carolina in the regular-season finale. 

My NFL Wild Card Game of the Week is a 10* play on Atlanta Falcons. 

GAME OF THE YEAR (CFB) 

The No. 1 Clemson Tigers and the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide will clash in a rematch of last year's National Championship game in the Sugar Bowl on New Years Day. Clemson won last year's matchup, and I'm well happy to take the points on the top ranked team here. 

The Tigers have had an excellent season and showed their class once again when they routed Miami-Florida 38-3 as a 12.5-point favorite in the ACC title game on Dec. 2. Alabama meanwhile took a 26-14 loss as a 6-point favorite at Auburn on Nov. 25 their last time out, and the Tide gave up 408 yards of offense in the process. 

Bama features the No. 1 ranked defense in the nation, but the defensive performance against Auburn was poor and Clemson just dismantled a terrific Miami-Florida defense.

My CFB Game of the Year is a 10* play on Clemson Tigers.

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL)

The San Francisco 49ers will be looking to close out the season with a fifth consecutive victory. They've looked like a completely different team since installing Jimmy Garoppolo under center and scored 44 points on one of the top defenses in the league in Jacksonville last week. 

"Since Jimmy G. got here, things have been a lot different," 49ers running back Carlos Hyde said. "Things have been feeling really good around here. It's been a good vibe. That energy in the locker room right now is really good. Guys are teeing off that and ready to play." 

I expect the Niners to keep rolling here when they visit the LA Rams Sunday afternoon. 

The Rams have played well lately, coming off back-to-back triumphs at Seattle and Tennessee to make it four win their last five games. They've clinched the NFC West championship and at least one home playoff game already though, and coach Sean McVay is expected to sit most of his key players here to ensure their health for the postseason. Quarterback Jared Goff, star defensive lineman Aaron Donald and even MVP candidate running back Todd Gurley are all expected to get some rest. 

The Rams defeated the Niners 41-39 at San Francisco back in September. Expect revenge for the Niners today. 

My NFL Game of the Week is a 10* play on San Francisco 49ers. 

BELK BOWL BOOKIE BASHER

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons aim to win bowl games in back-to-back years for the first time since 2007 and 2008 when they take on the Texas A&M Aggies here in the Belk Bowl. 

The Demon Deacons are coming off a 31-23 home loss as a 10.5-point favorite against Duke in their regular season finale on November 25, but had won back-to-back games prior to that. They're 7-0-1 ATS in their last eight games following a ATS loss and 8-2 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.

Texas A&M will play under interim coach Jeff Banks following the firing of Kevin Sumlin on Nov. 26. This is a very tough spot for the Aggies. Banks knows he won't lead the team next season with Jimbo Fisher set to take over, and the players will have to figure out however the temporary coach wants them to play. Texas A&M took a 45-21 loss at LSU in its regular season finale and was outgained by a massive 319 yards so there's not much positive going on in Texas A&M. 

Aggies are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game and 0-5 ATS in their last five against teams from the ACC.

My selection is a 10* play on Wake Forest Demon Deacons. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL) 

The Carolina Panthers (10-4) are coming off impressive back-to-back triumphs against Minnesota and Green Bay to make it six wins through their last seven games. There's no time for rest though as they enter the week with the same record as the Saints at the top of the NFC South, but losing the head-to-head tiebreaker. 

Here they'll host a Tampa Bay Buccaneers that stood up well in Monday night's 24-21 loss to the Falcons, but this will be tough playing on short rest, facing a Carolina offense that is firing on all cylinders and averaged 32 points through its last five games. 

The Panthers have had plenty of success running the ball all season (4th in the NFL with an average of 135 rushing yards per game) and accumulated 151 rushing yards against Green Bay. The Bucs were just torched for 201 rushing yards by Atlanta. 

These two teams squared up in Week 8, a game the Panthers won 17-3 while holding Jameis Winston to only 210 passing yards with zero touchdowns against two interceptions.

Motivation beats class, but the Panthers have the advantage in both aspects in this matchup with the 4-10 Bucs just looking to play spoiler in their last two games of the season. 

My NFL Game of the Week is a 10* play on Carolina Panthers. 

TOP RATED 10* MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL MONEYMAKER

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been torn apart defensively in recent weeks, giving up a total of 84 points through three consecutive losses while going 0-3 ATS. Here they'll host an Atlanta Falcons team that has won four of its last five games (lone loss against Minnesota) to put itself in a position where it still controls its own playoff destiny. The math is simple; If the Falcons win out in their last three games they will claim the NFC South title. 

The Falcons defeated the Bucs 34-20 home in Atlanta on Nov. 26 in a matchup where Matt Ryan was 26-of-35 for 317 yards while receiver Julio Jones had 12 receptions for 253 yards and two touchdowns. Tampa Bay's defense has struggled on the pass rush all season and ranks 32nd in the NFL with 17 sacks.

Buccaneers are 2-9-1 ATS in their last 12 games overall. Falcons are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall. Favorite is 7-2 ATS in their last nine meetings.

My selection is a 10* play on Atlanta Falcons. 

GAME OF THE YEAR (NFL)

The New England Patriots took a shocking 27-20 loss as a 10.5-point underdog at Miami on Monday, but I really expect them to show up here at Pittsburgh in a matchup that will likely decide home field advantage in the AFC.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have won eight in a row, but they've needed late field goals to defeat Cincinnati and Baltimore the last two weeks. The Patriots are 8-1 ATS in their last nine road games vs. a team with a winning home record and had covered the spread in six straight games before last week's defeat. The Steelers are 1-4 ATS in their last five overall.

Bill Belichick won't allow the Pats to lose this game, especially after the debacle at Miami last week. 

My NFL GAME OF THE YEAR is a 10* play on New England Patriots. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB) 

The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers closed out the regular season by losing four of their last five games, but all but one of those losses were as rather large underdogs and they defeated Middle Tennessee as a pick'em. The Georgia State Panthers dropped their last two games down the stretch, the most recent 24-10 as a 7.5-point favorite against Idaho. They failed to cover the spread in each of their last four games. 

Georgia State averaged just 19.7 ppg and I don't think it'll be able to keep up Western Kentucky's explosive offense, led by Senior Bowl invitee quarterback Mike White who has passed for 3,836 yards with 24 TDs and just seven INTs this season. Both teams rely on strong passing attacks, but WKU has a clear defensive edge in that aspect ranking 36th against the pass (201.1 ypg) while Georgia State is 92nd (242.4 ypg). 

Western Kentucky has plenty of experience and postseason momentum as its going for its 4th bowl win in a row.

My CFB Game of the Week is a 10* play on Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. 

TOP RATED 10* NFL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL NO-BRAINER

The New England Patriots will be without suspended Rob Gronkowski, but I still they'll put away the Dolphins at Miami Monday night relatively easy. The Phins had lost five straight before defeating the reeling Broncos 35-9 last week. Miami took a 35-17 beating by the Pats on Nov. 26 and here it'll face a fired up Tom Brady looking to bounce back from a sub-par outing (not a single touchdown pass) in last week's 23-3 win at Buffalo. The Pats defense has been outstanding lately while Miami conceded a staggering 177 points during its five-game slide. 

Patriots are 10-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record and 6-2-1 ATS in their last nine Monday night games. Dolphins are 1-5 ATS vs. a team with a winning record and 0-8 ATS in their last eight Monday night games.

My selection is a 10* play on New England Patriots. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL)

The Baltimore Ravens have quietly won three in a row to move to the second wild card spot in the AFC. They'll visit the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday night, and I think Baltimore should be able to keep this a close game. Note that the Ravens are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games against AFC North rivals and 9-3-2 ATS in their last 14 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. 

Pittsburgh came back from being down 17-0 to beat the Bengals 23-20 Monday night thanks to a last second field goal. Here it'll have to do without linebacker Ryan Shazier who was carted off the field early in that game with a back injury. I did not like what I saw from the Steelers on Monday, and we can note that they're just 2-5-1 ATS in their last eight games when playing on Sunday following a Monday night game.

My selection is a 10* play on Baltimore Ravens. 

NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

The San Francisco 49ers picked up their first win of the season in a 31-21 home triumph against the Giants in Week 10 before enjoying their bye week. I think they'll put a good fight when hosting the Seattle Seahawks Sunday afternoon.

San Francisco Quarterback C.J. Beathard is coming off his best game of the season as he threw for for 288 yards with two touchdowns against one interception. Their defense ranks 29th in scoring defense and 27th in total defense, but they've looked better on the defensive side of the ball in recent weeks. We can also note that their biggest weakness is defending against the run, but the Seahaws does not pose much of a threat on the ground with QB Russell Wilson accumulating nearly three times as many rushing yards as offseason acquisition Eddie Lacy. 

Seattle has dropped two of its last three games and it took a 34-31 home loss to the Falcons last week. It won just 12-9 when hosting the 49ers in the season's first meeting and this should be another tight affair.

My NFL Game of the Week is a 10* play on San Francisco 49ers. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB) - MIKE'S TOP RATED MAJOR WAGER

The Washington Huskies will host the Washington State Cougars in the annual Apple Cup on Saturday. The Huskies have won four straight meetings and defeated the Cougars 45-17 last year. They're 3-1 ATS at home against Pac-12 foes, covering spreads of 28, 18 and 17 points.

The Cougars are coming off a by week and will win the Pac-12's North division with a victory over the Huskies, but I expect the home team to play spoiler. The Cougars are last in the Pac-12 in sacks allowed and Wazzu's dynamite defense is good enough to win this game for the home team IMO. 

My selection is a 10* play on Washington Huskies. 

TOP RATED 10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

The Philadelphia Eagles had reeled off seven straight wins before entering their bye week, and I think they'll pick up right where they left off and take down the Cowboys at Dallas Sunday night.

The Cowboys will have to do without their star running back Ezekiel Elliot due to suspension, and they really missed him in last week's 27-7 loss at Atlanta. They had won three straight prior to that, but their offense became way too one-dimensional without Elliott and QB Dak Prescott is likely to be under heavy fire once again here against a solid Philadelphia D.  

The Cowboys are just 2-8 ATS vs. a team with a winning record and I don't see them hanging around with the 8-1 Eagles. 

My NFL Game of the Week is a 10* play on Philadelphia Eagles. 

CFB GAME OF THE WEEK 

The UCF Knights head to Lincoln Financial Field with a perfect 9-0 SU record, but I think they're in for tough game here against the Temple Owls. The cold weather in Philadelphia should be an advantage for the home team, and we can note that the Owls are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games in November and 8-3 ATS in their last 11 home games while the Knights are 0-4 ATS in their last four games November games.

UCF has been asked to cover way too large spreads lately, going 0-3 ATS through its last three games. I really like the Owls chances of keeping this a close game.  

My CFB Game of the Week is a 10* play on Temple Owls

TOP RATED 10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

The New Orleans Saints started the season 0-2, but they've reeled off six straight victories since and I think they'll make it seven in a row when they visit the Buffalo Bills Sunday afternoon. 

Buffalo does not have much to offer offensively, and the Bills have struggled on the defensive side of the ball lately as well. They gave up 34 points in last week's loss to the Jets and their D enters Week 10 ranked No. 20 in the overall NFL rankings and No. 26 against the pass. I don't see the Bills being able to stop QB Drew Brees and the rest of the Saints who rank 2nd in the NFL for total offense at 392.5 yards per game, and they're equally dangerous through the air and on the ground. 

The Bills are the only team in the AFC that's still undefeated at home this year, but the Saints got something special brewing this season. Als note that Bills are 12-26-2 ATS in their last 40 home games vs. a team with a winning road record while Saints are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 road games.

My NFL Game of the Week is a 10* play on New Orleans Saints. 

TOP RATED 10* CFB GAME OF THE WEEK

The Oklahoma State Cowboys suffered a 62-52 loss to Oklahoma last week, but I think they'll bounce back with a win here at Iowa State. 

The Cyclones fell 20-16 at West Virginia last week and were outgained 524-350 in total yards. Here they'll face an offense that ranks second in the FBS in scoring average at 45.3 points, and Cowboys QB Mason Rudolph threw for 448 yards and five TDs while RB Justice Hill ran for 228 yards against Oklahoma. Prior to last week, Oklahoma State had outgained every opponent this season. The Cyclones meanwhile have failed to reach 20 points in either of their last two contests and I think the Cowboys offensive advantage will be too big for Iowa State to make up for. 

Oklahoma State is 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS in its last five games following a loss.

My CFB Game of the Week is a 10* play on Oklahoma State Cowboys. 

TOP RATED 10* MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL DET @ GB

The Detroit Lions have lost three straight games (0-3 ATS) following last week's 20-15 setback against Pittsburgh. They did not score a single TD despite five trips to the red zone and QB Matthew Stafford completing 27-of-45 passes for a total of 423 yards, but I think they'll do much better here against a Packers D that is allowing 348.9 total yards per game. 

Green Bay has even bigger offensive woes with QB Aaron Rodgers out for the season, and Rodgers' replacement, Brett Hundley, has four interceptions in his two games. Here he'll face a Detroit team that is third-best in the league with 10 interceptions and 16 overall takeaways, so this should be another tough matchup for the 24 year old. 

Hundley might not get much help from the Packers ground game either as Detroit's defense ranks fifth in rushing yards allowed per carry and seventh in rushing yards allowed per game. 

My selection is a 10* play on Detroit Lions. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL) - MIKE'S TOP RATED 10* BAL@TEN BEST BET

The Baltimore Ravens had lost two straight and four of their last five before a 40-0 rout of Miami their last time out. They generated just 296 yards of total offense but capitalized on a pair of pick-sixes. I predict a much tougher matchup when they visit the Titans at Tennessee Sunday afternoon.

The Titans have won two straight to climb into a tie with the Jaguars for the top spot in the AFC South. They expect to have dynamic wide receiver Corey Davis back from a hamstring injury after missing the last five games while the Ravens' QB Joe Flacco is banged up after suffering a concussion last week. Bad news for a Ravens offense that ranks 27th in total offense and their passing game is dead last at only 1,223 yards.

The Titans are coming off their bye week which should have given Marcus Mariota time to heal a minor hamstring injury.

Ravens are 1-4 ATS in their last five games following a straight up win of more than 14 points. Titans are 6-1 ATS in their last seven home games.

My NFL Game of the Week is a 10* play on Tennessee Titans.  

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB) MIKE'S PAC-12 MAJOR WAGER

The Oregon State Beavers look like an excellent dog at California Golden Bears on Saturday. They're coming off a pair of narrow losses, first a 36-33 setback to Colorado as a 9.5-point dog and most recently a 15-14 loss to Stanford, easily covering the 18-point spread. The Beavers are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games following an ATS win and 10-3 ATS in their last 13 conference games. 

California has lost five of its last six games and took a 44-28 beating at Colorado last week. The Bears have struggled defensively during that stretch and gave up 553 yards of total offense and 44 first downs in the loss to Colorado. Note that the Golden Bears are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game and 1-5 ATS in their last six games in November.

Oregon State meanwhile is 4-1 ATS in their last five games in November and seems rejuvenated and hungry to perform under interim coach Cory Hall.

My CFB Game of the Week is a 10* play on Oregon State Beavers.  

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL) MIKE'S MAJOR WAGER

The Chicago Bears are coming off back-to-back victories and scored two defensive touchdowns in last week's 17-3 win against the Panthers. It goes without saying that it's hard to beat (nevermind covering the spread against) a team that allows just 301.3 yards per game, and I think the New Orleans Saints are asked to cover way too many points here.

Sure, the red hot Saints have won four on the bounce and covered the spread in each game, but that's also the reason why we're seeing an inflated line for this contest. 

Note that the Bears are 7-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record while the Saints are 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.

My NFL Game of the Week is on the Chicago Bears. 

CFB 3-PACK

The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs look like a solid favorite when they visit the Rice Owls at Rice Stadium Saturday afternoon. Rice is just 1-6 SU (2-5 ATS) on the season and had just seven first downs in last week's 20-7 loss at Texas-San Antonio. That was not the first time the Owls have struggled on offense this season as they've averaged just 11 points per game, dead last in the nation. 

Louisiana Tech meanwhile is averaging 27.9 ppg and needs a win here got get back to the .500 mark. The Bulldogs held a 27-16 lead with under two minutes to go against Southern Missisippi last week, but gave up 11 points in 52 seconds to force overtime (where they lost). I expect a much more focused performance from them in this matchup. 

The Bulldogs won last season's meeting 61-16, and they've destroyed Rice three years in a row. 

My selection is a 10* play on Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. 

TOP RATED 10* THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL - MIA@BAL

The Miami Dolphins will visit the Baltimore Ravens Thursday night, and I'm well happy to take the points on the visitors in this matchup.

The Ravens have lost four of their last five games and were outgained by a total of 149 yards in last week's 24-16 loss at Minnesota. They gave up 169 yards on the ground in that contest and they have the worst run defense in the NFL this season, giving up an average of 145.3 yards rushing per game. That will surely spell trouble here against the Dophins and Jay Ajayi who must look forward to run against Baltimore after a slow start to the season. 

QB Jay Cutler is out injured for the Dolphins, but Matt Moore is a capable backup. He came off the bench last week to help Miami rally from a 14-point deficit and record a 31-28 victory over the Jets. We can also note that the Ravens have even bigger injury woes with 15 players listed on their injury report, and QB Joe Flacco is struggling to find his targets. 

The Dolphins are 0-7 ATS in their last seven meetings, but this is a great spot for them to end that streak. 

My selection is a 10* play on Miami Dolphins. 

TOP RATED 10* NFL SUNDAY NFC SHOWDOWN

The San Francsco 49ers are 0-6 on the season, but each of their last five have been  determined by three points or less and they've covered the spread in four of those games.

They could easily have beaten the Redskins at Washington last week, and rookie quarterback C.J. Beathard earned a start here with a fine performance under center after replacing Brian Hoyer. Carlos Hyde added two rushing touchdowns and is tied for third in the NFL with four rushing touchdowns. 

The Dallas Cowboys are coming off a bye week, but they've dropped back-to-back games and three of their last four, surrendering 35 points or more in each defeat.

This will be the Niners first home game since Sept. 21, so you better believe they'll be fired up Sunday afternoon. 

49ers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 vs. NFC. Cowboys are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 vs. NFC.

My selection is an 10* play on San Francisco 49ers. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB) - MIKE'S TOP RATED 10* BEST BET

The Buffalo Bulls are just 3-4 SU but perfect 7-0 SU on the season. Their last two defeats were by a combined four points despite closing as 7.5-point underdogs both times. I think they have an excellent shot at winning this game outright, but let's take the points just in case with this major wager. 

The Miami-OH Redhawks have covered the spread in just one of their seven games om the season and fell 17-14 at Kent State as an 8.5-point favorite last week. They were beaten by the previously winless Bowling Green Falcons 37-29 at home in the week prior to that and are 0-4 ATS in their last four home games (0-3 ATS this season). 

Buffalo has been rather dangerous through the air all season averaging 275 yards per game and Drew Anderson + Kyle Vantrease combined for 344 passing yards last week. It's defense has stepped up lately as well and recorded eight sacks in the last three games after having only three sacks over the first four games of the season. 

My CFB Game of the Week is a 10* play on Buffalo Bulls. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL) - MIKE'S MAJOR WAGER ALERT - KC@OAK

The Kansas City Chiefs have a 5-1 record as they're coming off their first defeat this season in last week's 19-13 home loss against Pittsburgh. I like the Chiefs to bounce back strong here when they visit the Oakland Raiders Thursday night. 

The Raiders are in bad shape, entering the game on a four-game losing streak during which they've averaged only 13.2 points per game. Quarterback Derek Carr  was 21-of-30 passing for just 171 yards with one TD and two picks in Sunday's 17-16 home loss to the Chargers. He missed the previous game due to injury and playing on short rest here won't do him any good.    

The Chiefs are perfect 9-0 ATS as a favorite on the road dating back to Nov. 22, 2015. They've won five straight meetings with the Raiders and covered the spread in all but one of those games. 

My NFL Game of the Week is a 10* play on Kansas City Chiefs. 

TOP RATED 10* M.N.F. BOOKIE BREAKER

The Tennessee Titans put up just 10 points in a loss at Miami without injured quarterback Marcus Mariota last week. He's questionable when the Titans host the Indianapolis Colts Monday night, and it doesn't seem like the Titans want to gamble with his health: "I want to be very smart about how we do this. It's more than this game, it's a lot of games, that we've got to be concerned about," Tennessee coach Mike Mularkey said of Mariota. 

As a big home favorite the Titans might feel they can afford to give their star QB more time to recover. With or without Mariota, I think Tennessee is asked to cover way too many points in this contest. 

The Colts will be looking to build on the momentum they picked up with their second win of the season in a 26-23 OT triumph against the Niners last week. They pounded their opponent on the ground and rushed for a total of 159 yards on 35 attempts with two scores. Veteran RB Frank Gore has four touchdowns in his last three games against Tennessee and we can note that the Titans have surrendered 273 rushing yards in their last two games combined (both losses). 

The Colts are 11-0 SU and 10-1 ATS in the last 11 head-to-head meetings and they won 34-26 here at Tennessee last season.

My selection is a 10* play on Indianapolis Colts. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB)

The Houston Cougars are 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS on the season. They defeated SMU 35-22 as a 10-point favorite last weekend and I think they'll win and cover the spread again here at Tulsa Saturday afternoon. 

The Golden Hurricane are 1-5 SU, 2-4 ATS on the season and took a 62-28 beating by Tulane last Saturday, their fourth straight loss. They were awful on the defensive side of the ball in the loss to Tulane, surrendering 653 total yards which included 488 rushing yards. Their 44 points allowed per game is the fifth worst mark in college football on the season. 

Here they'll face a Houston team that rushed for a total of 265 yards last week with Duke Catalon accumulating 177 of those yards with a pair of scores. We can also note that Houston ranks 12th in the nation at only 16.2 points allowed per game. 

The Cougars are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 road games vs. a team with a losing home record. Road team is 6-0 ATS in their last six meetings.

My CFB Game of the Week is a 10* play on Houston Cougars.