To be down to an emergency starting quarterback in Joe Flacco is a rare site in the NFL. The veteran will step in for a team that did not do well offensively as a small road underdog last week against the Broncos. Still, this is a team that has managed to overcome a lot and has not folded multiple weeks in a row. Take the Browns plus the points. 

It is common knowledge that Arizona does not want to win as they try and keep their chances high for a top draft pick. Traveling to face a Pittsburgh team that is rejuvenated offensively is a tricky spot. Still, I expect a good effort more to the tune of what we saw a couple of weeks ago against Houston. Take the big number underdog Cardinals here.

Northern Arizona has had a rough start to their season at just 2-5. They’ve had key players out due to injury including big man Carson Towt. They also lost an impact transfer in Jalen Cone who is now at California. Still, they have scorers and a four guard lineup that will give Pacific problems. Grab the Lumberjacks to cover the number.

Saturday is an extreme rare occurrence in college basketball as Georgia Southern and Jacksonville will meet for the second time this season. On November 14th Jacksonville won decisively by seventeen points over the Eagles. Look for a different outcome today, as Jacksonville is playing their fourth game in eight days. 

Washington has had an unblemished season but today could be trouble against Oregon. Their prior matchup in mid-October was a game that Oregon let get away late. A late game decision to go for it on fourth down did not pan out, and a missed field goal prevented overtime. Look for Oregon to play as the team that should be undefeated and to take it out on the Huskies. Grab Oregon.

Friday, Liberty will play their second straight game after losing yesterday by twenty-five points at Florida Atlantic. They will face a Charleston team that has the advantage in rest as they have not played since Sunday. Look for Liberty to weather the storm early and utilize their uncanny team three point shooting to topple Charleston. Take Liberty.

Minnesota St. Thomas has lost three of their last four games, and their only other win over a division one school was by one point. On the road it has been even worse where they are 0-3. Yet, today should be a regroup spot after a flat outing post Thanksgiving against Wisconsin-Green Bay. Take the Tommies plus the points.

One of the best games on today’s college basketball slate is East Carolina against UNC Wilmington. Last season, the Seahawks got the best of the Pirates by thirteen points. Attack the revenge angle here and also an East Carolina team that has talent that has underachieved early in the season. Grab the Pirates.

Today a matchup of teams with similar records will meet as Gardner-Webb travels to face Queens NC. The difference on the young season are the quality opponents that Gardner Webb has faced, as they battled both Arkansas and Baylor. Still, Queens has a tough minded group that has a knack of staying in games. This point spread should be a bit smaller. Take Queens.

Jacksonville is a team that could be a tad bit sluggish today as they make their return from a Pennsylvania tournament. Yet, this is a team that is extremely dangerous from beyond three point range, and goes on streaky spurts. Take the Dolphins as Campbell’s poor start to the season continues.

Holiday tournaments have started to come to an end, which means true road travel is in play. That is the case tonight as Minnesota will play in their first road game of the season in San Francisco. Look for the Gophers to play a competitive game and lean on veteran Dawson Garcia. Take the Gophers plus the points.

Jacksonville has had just one blemish and that was acceptable since it came at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers. For the Texans this is a chance to show that they are more than an up and coming young team. Look for the Texans to step up to the challenge and sweep the Jaguars this season.

Hawaii has had the perfect setup to start the season undefeated. That should continue today against San Diego in a neutral site tournament in Palm Springs. Hawaii has three tough guards including Jovon McClanahan. Addtionally, I expect them to have the rebounding edge with high energy big man Justin McKoy. Take Hawaii.

Losing in an early season tournament game as a ranked team is not necessarily a bad thing. Corrections can be made quickly by top tier coaches such as Nate Oats. Alabama went down yesterday to Ohio State by eleven points. Prior they had won their first four games convincingly while scoring 98 points or more. Take Alabama over the Ducks.

Yesterday Jacksonville won against Robert Morris in a game that saw both teams benches get ejected for leaving the sidelines. The emotional part of the game could catch up to Jacksonville today against a Fairleigh Dickinson team that is a bit under rated based on a weaker schedule. I like the Knights in a neutral court spot to hold well. Take them plus the points.

It’s often examined that coming out of the holiday is one of the toughest games in sports. This is usually heightened in main conferences but also in smaller conference games. Minnesota St. Thomas travels to face Green Bay a day after the holiday. They’ve had some early season tournament games and I expect to be a little flat here. Grab Wisconsin Green Bay.

Both Ohio State and Michigan will look to keep their undefeated seasons going Saturday. For all the controversy surrounding Michigan they have continued to not make excuses on the field. Look for a great game from both teams, but the execution to be just a little bit better on the Wolverines side. Grab Michigan as the home favorite.

Pittsburgh has not won consecutive games all season, but don’t rule out a strong showing Saturday. Quarterback Nate Yarnell made the necessary plays against Boston College, and has confidence going into the Panthers regular season finale. Duke may be bowl eligible but they have faded losing four of their last five games. Grab Pittsburgh.

Friday’s play in tournament games should create a rise in the level of play. For the Knicks they will need a win to have a chance in their group. Additionally, the Knicks will seek revenge from last season’s playoff loss to the Heat. Take the Knicks as they end the Heat’s impressive 9-1 run.

Any time a team sustains a blowout loss over reaction in the betting markets will occur. Jacksonville is coming off a 107-56, fifty one point loss to Pittsburgh. Robert Morris has held tough in their losses to Wisconsin and Xavier, but the near two point line move in the market is an over reaction. Take Jacksonville plus the points.

Penny Hardaway and the Memphis Tigers have three quality wins already over Missouri, Michigan, and Arkansas. They have a roster filled with veteran transfer talent but one that lacks experience together. That bodes to the advantage of Villanova who may not have the talent advantage but are a more cohesive group. Take Villanova minus the small number.

Tulane has the stout resume of a season record of 10-1. In fact, their lone loss occurred against a top fifteen team in Ole Miss. Yet, three of their last four wins have been decided by three points or less. With UTSA healthy with quarterback Frank Harris they present a completely different challenge for Tulane. Grab UTSA.

Michigan has lost consecutive games and will have to face Stanford. This should be a good battle with the game likely tight throughout most of the game. Look for Michigan’s small rotation to pay dividends as the Wolverines end their two game losing streak. Grab Michigan as the small favorites.

Boise State has had to endure transfers and graduations but still has a solid team at their disposal. They have only played three games on the young season, and two against division one opponents. Look for a poor loss against Clemson to serve as the wake up call for the Broncos. Grab them plus the points.

North Alabama will have just their second true road test of the season today against UT Martin. The Lions are a team that likes to attack the basket. Led by senior KJ Johnson who has attempted a minimum of eight free throws over his last three games. Look for a free throw edge to assist the Lions in getting the road cover at UT Martin.

In the Gulf Showcase tournament Long Beach State will meet the Ragin’ Cajuns. Long Beach State may be .500 on the young season but they have faced strong competition and knocked off Michigan. They should have an above average output on the offensive end of the floor against a UL Lafayette team that does not match up well in the half court. Take Long Beach State.

Chicago has been a troubling team to watch. In most games this year they have dug themselves huge holes including their last matchup against the Miami Heat. After being down 20 to 1 they surged for a comeback win. It may be short lived but look for the Bulls to play inspired basketball off the big comeback.

The New York Knicks come into Monday’s game against the Timberwolves surging. They are also on a road trip that could cause them problems. Minnesota themselves have concluded their West Coast road trip, and sometimes that can lead to a sluggish start. Yet, I believe they will find their energy at a juncture in the second half and add another win. Take the Timberwolves.

A difficult schedule to open the season has featured matchups against Alabama, Purdue, and Penn State for Morehead State. That can create a bottom out spot even against opponents that are on their level. Bellarmine may be 1-3 but they have been an above average school since entering division one a few seasons ago. Look for their offense to create issues for Morehead State. Take Bellarmine.

The surprise element to a team can provide a spark no matter how down the season has been. We have seen this with the Raiders and for one week with Arizona and Kyler Murray. Houston has been potent with their offense but they are 0-3 ATS this year against NFC opponents in the Bucs, Panthers, and Falcons. Grab the points here with Arizona.

At this point of the season Washington has showcased they are a great team. They’ve survived close calls and showed the ability to stay with it last week against USC. Tonight though Oregon State should be ready for this moment. A win and they are a top ten team and play spoiler to Washington’s season. Grab Oregon State at home.

Out the gate DePaul had two shocking losses to Long Beach State and Purdue Fort Wayne. Suffering early season let downs can help a team grow quicker. Additionally, neither South Carolina or DePaul has traveled yet this season. Take DePaul plus the points as South Carolina has had an easy schedule thus far for a 3-0 start. 

Despite being on a six game losing streak the LA Clippers still are sizeable favorites tonight. I expect Los Angeles to answer the call in a big way. In their last outing against the Denver Nuggets they showed a level of competitiveness that can finally get them over the hump. Take the Clippers.

Both Northwestern State and North Florida are coming off tournament losses yesterday. As a result this matchup has seen a big decline on the opening spread. The underlying factor is this tournament is being played on North Florida’s floor. Look for the Ospreys to end their two game losing streak.

Tonight figures to be a poor spot for UMass Lowell. For one they are not a team that is typically on the West Coast, as most of their games are played in the American East region. They are also in the midst of their third road game of six. Back ASU in this spot.

One of last year’s tournament darlings were the Princeton Tigers. Early in the season they have kept their momentum going with a 2-0 record, including an outright win over Rutgers. Today though look for Duquesne’s pace of play and balanced scoring to give Princeton problems. Take the Dukes as the small favorite.

Early in the college basketball season we tend to see travel play a factor ATS. Mercer is in the middle of a three game road trip as they take on Morehead State today. Additionally, their third game Friday could be a look ahead spot against top twenty five ranked Alabama. Take Morehead State to take care of the Mercer Bears.

A game of importance will be the San Francisco 49ers versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. This is the game many will be watching to see if the Jaguars are the real deal. At 6-2, this could catapult them to a serious AFC postseason threat. Yet, I like the 49ers to come out of their bye week with the mindset they’ve had in the prior years. Take the 49ers to pull out a close road win and cover the number.

The Green Bay Packers have been a hard team to watch. Even with a clear advantage at home last week against the Rams they struggled to move the football. They closed the door finally and in the NFL all it takes is one win to regain a teams confidence. On the road take the points here with the Packers. 

BYU has continued to fade in their first season in the Big 12. They’ve lost consecutive games in blowout fashion and scored a grand total of a mere thirteen points. Yet, they do return home where they are 4-0 on the season. They’re also back in their familiar time slot playing in a late game. Iowa State gets the win but BYU covers on the number.

DePaul was supposed to have an easy schedule to begin the season with three straight home games. Off the bat they fell to Purdue Fort Wayne as 11.5 point favorites. There are a multitude of concerns for DePaul as they did not defend the three, and had twenty two turnovers. Long Beach State gives the Blue Demons a battle tonight. Grab the slight underdog.

It has been a tough year for Cincinnati as they are 0-6 in conference play. Throughout the struggles the team has stuck with multi-transfer quarterback Emory Jones. Today, he should have some opportunities against a Houston defense that gives up close to 32 points per game. I like the Bearcats in this spot to have a chance to pull off the small upset, but grab the points.

New Mexico State has ripped through Conference USA play thus far with five straight wins. Their performance on the field has been sharper than their 2-3 start to the season, but also lined up with easier opponents. Look for the Hilltoppers to have the edge today led by quarterback Austin Reed. This could also be a look ahead spot as New Mexico State faces Auburn next.

One of the smallest spreads on the day lies in a lower profile game between UT Rio Grande Valley and South Dakota. UT Rio Grande Valley put in over 100 points in their first matchup. Yet, their frenetic pace creates a lot of turnovers. They also have a lot of changes to their starting lineup. Grab South Dakota to get off to a 2-0 start on the season.

Last season UMass Lowell was one of the ATS darlings in non-conference play with a 14-2 start. They still have several upperclassmen that have remained with the program, but two key players are gone in Everette Hammond and Allin Blunt. This spread has rose far to high based on the River Hawks 2022 season. Take the points here with Dartmouth.

The NBA travels to Mexico City today as the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic meet. The Magic appeared to be going in the right direction after two strong wins, including one over the Lakers. Yet, in their last matchup they surrendered a double digit halftime lead of thirteen points to the Dallas Mavericks. They scored just thirty six second half points. Look for the Hawks to take advantage on the international stage.

Cal State Northridge nearly pulled off an upset in their opener against Stanford. In fact, they held a four point lead with under five minutes left. Thursday, look for a different outcome as Cal State remains on the road against Idaho. The Vandals defeated Cal State Northridge by three points last season, and should bounce back from the field after a poor performance shooting in their opener against Washington State.

UL Lafayette is expected to take a dip this season after losing Jordan Brown to Memphis and Greg Williams Jr to graduation. Youngstown State may have lost their top scorer in Dwayne Cohill, but did a good job in getting upper classmen from the transfer portal. Additionally, the Penguins won fourteen of their last eighteen games to end the season a year ago. Take them as the underdog and don’t be shocked for an outright upset.

Time and time again we see a cinderella story fade quickly into the next season. Fairleigh Dickinson had a terrific run to get to the Sweet 16, but also lost their former coach Tobin Anderson to Iona. Buffalo has a unique system of scorers at the 1 through 5 positions that is going to make it difficult for the Knights to keep pace. Grab Buffalo.

A revenge spot lies with Marshall hosting Queens University today. Last year Queens University opened their division one college basketball debut with an outright win over Marshall. That sprung the Thundering Herd as they went on to win nine straight and enjoyed a successful season. Although they have to replace Taevion Kinsey, Marshall has done a solid job developing the program for future growth. Take Marshall on the spread.

The Raiders made a long overdue switch by firing Josh McDaniels. A move of this sorts typically ignites a team which has been solid at home. They won tight games against both the Packers and Patriots. While the talent is going to need an overhaul look for the Raiders to play inspired football and beat the Giants.

Throughout the NFL we are seeing teams make a change at the quarterback position. Tampa Bay appears they may be headed in that direction as well. Baker Mayfield had several opportunities against the Falcons and could not deliver and struggled for much of the game against the Bills. Take the Texans on a buy low spot coming off a loss to Carolina.

The Miami Hurricanes will face an NC State team that has had a season of ups and downs. A problem for quarterback MJ Morris has been the ability to avoid mistakes. In his first start against Marshall he had three interceptions, and also struggled against Duke. Look for the Hurricanes to put him in disadvantage situations defensively and pull off a decisive road win. Take Miami. 

Texas State began the season with a 4-1 record. Over their last three games they have failed to cover the spread. They blew a lead against UL Lafayette and let a sloppy fourth quarter blow open a close game last week against Troy. Look for late game situation miscues to continue even in their third straight home game.

Old Dominion may be playing at their peak of their abilities. As a home underdog two weeks ago they upset Appalachian State. Then this past Saturday as near three touchdown underdogs they nearly defeated James Madison. Look for today to be a letdown spot against a Coastal Carolina team that is playing inspired football with backup quarterback Jarrett Guest. Take the road team here in Coastal Carolina.

UL Lafayette has a chance to win consecutive games for the first time in conference play. To get it done they will need to win on the road as they did last week against South Alabama. Arkansas State has a knack for hanging in games but UL Lafayette is going in a strong direction upward with freshman quarterback Zeon Chriss gaining confidence. Take UL Lafayette.

The Washington Wizards travel to face a Miami Heat team that may rank as the top team in search of a win tonight. Slow starts of the Heat are nothing new as last year they began the season 7-11. They have had a difficult schedule to begin the season but also are lacking the depth they had last year with Gabe Vincent and Max Strus. Grab the points here with the Wizards.

Friday, the Cleveland Cavaliers will attempt to get revenge on the road for the second time this season. They just defeated the Knicks on Wednesday after losing to them on Tuesday at home. That was a confidence booster for a team that was on a three game losing streak. Take Cleveland as Indiana’s poor defense continues.

The New Orleans Pelicans continue to have players in and out of the lineup. Tonight in a back to back scenario the Pelicans will have Zion Williamson out due to rest. There’s also a chance Brandon Ingram returns to the court. Look for the Pistons to bounce back off of consecutive losses and keep this close due to the Pelicans lack of lineup consistency. Grab the points.

It’s rare to see a team that played in last year’s BCS be on the cusp of falling below .500. TCU has been a completely different team since their starting quarterback Chandler Morris went down. They’ve dropped three of their last four games including a 41-3 loss to Kansas State. Take Texas Tech as the small favorite.

The Dallas Mavericks undefeated start to the season is not fooling anyone. All wins were against teams that are undermanned or in a true transition with youth. Chicago may be a veteran team but their issues of competition for four full quarters are a real deal. Look for Dallas to continue taking advantage of a weaker schedule to begin the season. Grab Dallas.

Milwaukee is 2-1 on the season but has yet to cover a spread. In their first road game of the season tonight they may be under valued against the Toronto Raptors. Their new first year coach in Adrian Griffin was an assistant for the Raptors the prior five seasons. Additionally, the Raptors are struggling to adjust early in the season. Take the Bucks as the road favorite.

Bowling Green comes into today’s matchup against Ball State with consecutive victories and wins in three of their last four matchups. Yet, in the first set of early Mac-tion games look for a bit of sloppy play tonight. Ball State’s ground attack should offset any issues with the passing game. Look for a battle here with Ball State covering the number. 

Two teams that have not began the year strong will meet in the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers. Last season the Knicks dominated their postseason matchup winning four games to one. Additionally, the Cavaliers are surrendering 115 points per game which is up considerably from last year’s top ranking. Take the Knicks as the Cavaliers lose their third straight home game.

The Packers have not had a home game since late September. As a result they have lost some close calls to the Raiders and Broncos. Facing a resurgent Vikings team look for the Packers to get off to a better start. Protecting their first year starter should be a bit easier at home, and look for the Vikings miscues to occur. Take the Packers. 

One of the top matchups outside of the power five conferences comes between Troy and Texas State. Both teams are 5-2 and rested as they have not played since October 14th. Yet, prior to their bye weeks both teams trajectory was changing. The Bobcats had struggled in close matchups in consecutive weeks, while the Trojans had elevated their play. Take Troy as the big road favorite.

Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall is doubtful today after a scary hit late in last week’s victory over Arkansas State. This is an opportunity for Marshall to over ride poor play over the last three week’s that’s resulted in all losses. I expect the Thundering Herd to come out with much more aggression after an embarrassing nationally televised loss against James Madison. Take Marshall

South Alabama had two straight complete blowout victories before their bye week. The margin of victories were not expected by oddsmakers to that degree, but the competition had a combined conference record of 0-8. Look for the Jaguars to still play solid football but to face a different level of a team in UL Lafayette. Take the underdog here.

Duke is coming off an ineffective game offensively as they lost by eighteen points against Florida State. They’ll face a Louisville team that is off extra rest after having a bye week. That combined with Duke’s Riley Leonard’s uncertainty has inflated this line slightly. Grab Duke plus the six.

The UConn Huskies have played better over the last three weeks. They lost by just a point against Utah State, defeated Rice, and lost by three points against South Florida. Saturday’s opponent in Boston College has won three straight games but also has had issues of playing up or down to the competition. Five of their seven games have been decided by three points or less. Grab the points here with the Huskies.

The Utah Jazz have always been the type of team where home court has been a big advantage. It still may be but they just have run into the wrong first two opponents on their home court. The Sacramento Kings elevated their play for a double digit win, and the Clippers appear to have one of the deepest rosters in the NBA. Lay it here with LA.

The Portland Trailblazers are a completely new look team after trading Damian Lillard. Early in a season though often times we see these type of teams over achieve to begin the year. The youth and veteran presence of DeAndre Ayton, Malcolm Brogdon and Jerami Grant can give the Clippers enough of a battle to cover this big spread. Take the points as the Trailblazers cash as the biggest NBA underdog on the board.

Sam Houston has had a tough start to their debut of division one football. They are winless at 0-7, but have come close to breaking through. They gave conference leader Liberty their toughest battle of the season, and have had two overtime losses. Today, look for the Bearkats to break through against a UTEP team that scores just sixteen points per game. Lay it with the Bearkats.

The Phoenix Suns made the necessary moves of trading DeAndre Ayton and Chris Paul after years of playoff failures. Adding Bradley Beal now makes them a more offensive team, which should pay dividends off the bat against the Warriors. Last season they won the first three matchups decisively by double digits. Take the Suns who have consistently been one of the best regular season teams in the NBA.

The LA Rams are going through a plethora of injuries at the tailback position. It’ll certainly be a challenge against a Pittsburgh Steelers fanbase that travels well and has a hard nosed defense. Yet, Matthew Stafford is playing elite level football and has some big time weapons to throw to. With the Steelers struggles offensively, the Rams will pull out a victory as a small home favorite. Take the Rams.

Often times we have seen a backup quarterback be successful in spots when his name is called. Yet, when the job becomes his the issues come to the fore front. Gardner Minshew has starter experience but will be in a very tough spot against the top defense in football. Look for Cleveland to survive an ugly offensive game to deliver on the road.

Young teams are going to have issues with consistency. That has been the case for the Falcons but there has also been promise. Even with last week’s issues with Desmond Ridder’s turnovers they were still in the game. They have a knack for keeping it close and Tampa Bay appears to be in an offensive rut with a lack of a ground game. Take the Falcons

Coastal Carolina should be in an advantageous spot today against Arkansas State. At just .500 they are playing in their third straight road game. That’s giving us a bit of value on the spread led by experienced quarterback Grayson McCall. McCall is coming off a season high 373 passing yards and should limit his turnovers in this spot. Take Coastal Carolina over Arkansas State.

Appalachian State has been a team on the cusp of making a run. First year starter Joey Aguilar is coming off his first turnover free game over his last four outings. Additionally, the Mountaineers are well rested after last playing on Tuesday October 10th. After three straight games decided by three points or less this will be a much cleaner showcase. Take Appalachian State.

Each season there are teams that hit a wall in SEC play. At the mid point of the season that appears to be the case for South Carolina. They have lost three of their last four games, and road spots have caused problems. They lost to Tennessee by twenty one points and Georgia by ten. Take Missouri with their octane offense that will give the Gamecocks problems.

Marshall has lost consecutive road after beginning the season 4-0. For the Thundering Herd they have to correct a defense that has surrendered forty one points per game over their last three outings. On a short week and with James Madison coming off their best effort and win of the season, buy stock in Marshall in what should be a competitive game. 

The Eagles at 5-0 continue to be a bit of a conundrum. They have not won in easy fashion like last year, and are coming off a road game in LA. Still, this is the right matchup for them against a Jets team that has over achieved ATS in multiple weeks against the Chiefs and Broncos. Grab Philadelphia in what will be more of a fluid game than what we have seen. 

The Patriots poor loss last week to the Saints was one of the all time lows during the Belichick era. Poor quarterback play and a lack of talent offensively is assuredly going to make it one of the worst seasons in quite awhile for the Patriots. Yet, I’m not buying the Raiders just yet. Jimmy G’s arm strength is not there which should let the Patriots play safe defensively. Take New England to bounce back on the road.

Duke may be on upset alert this week against NC State. The Wolf Pack made a change at quarterback last week by starting MJ Morris. After issues early on with turnovers he got dialed in and led the Wolf Pack to a seven point victory. Duke may also be a little sloppy early after a bye week and the taste of letting their last game slip away against the Irish. Take NC State.

Sometimes a catastrophic loss becomes a rallying cry for a team. No loss could be as severe as what happened to the Miami Hurricanes last week against Georgia Tech. Expect the coaches and players to sense the moment this week on the road against North Carolina. Additionally, with last year’s poor Hurricanes team they held tough to just a three point loss against the Tar Heels. Take Miami.

UL Monroe was an absolute no show in last week’s home loss against South Alabama. Now they must travel on the road against a Texas State team that may be a little shell shocked. They let a sizable lead slip away as they lost late last week against UL Lafayette. This is just a case where you want to play the number and grab a huge amount of points. Take UL Monroe.

James Madison has begun the year with a 5-0 record.  After a bye week they will now enter the heart of Sun Belt conference play with a gauntlet of tough matchups. Expect the Dukes to be better prepared for Georgia Southern’s pass attack after being lit up for a conference high forty five points last season. The loss also knocked out James Madison from the top twenty five. In a revenge spot take James Madison. 

Sam Houston State may be winless but they’ve also been in the majority of their games. The Bearkats last two conference games they played conference leader Liberty tough and had a heart break loss against Jacksonville State.  New Mexico State has not played sound football all year and has followed up a win with a loss each instance. Off their home win against FIU, this is a letdown spot tonight. Take Sam Houston State.

Florida International has stumbled considerably over the past two weeks. They were blown out by Liberty and had a poor second half last week against New Mexico State. Now at .500 they will face a UTEP team that has had extra preparation following a bye week. We want Gavin Hardison to start but if he is unable to I still expect a close game. Take UTEp plus the points.

Kansas City may very well be the team that gets back to the Super Bowl, but they are in a tough spot. They’re on the road against a Minnesota team that tasted a victory that shouldn’t have happened against Carolina. Their simplified offense with Cam Akers and Allie Mattison should help propel Kirk Cousins out of his rut. Take the home dog in the Vikings.

The Eagles are an attraction undefeated and should be as a road favorite week five against the Rams. Los Angeles has been over valued with early season ATS cashes against the 49ers, Seahawks, and last week against the Colts. Matthew Stafford took some hits and seemed to be grimacing late against the Colts, and this is where we see the shift of their season take place. Grab the Eagles to run away and go 5-0 on the season.

The Giants have dug themselves a hole at 1-3 with poor play and an offense that has shown no life. As the NFL has shown you have to ignore the past and look for a value play. Miami’s last home game they poured 70 on Denver, but are coming off a loss. Look for the Giants to show a better effort here and cover a huge number. Take the Giants.

Oregon State could be in for a let down road spot against the California Bears. They’ve had extra rest due to their home victory last Friday against the Utah Utes. Pressure is also on them as they continue to ascend in the polls. California will do enough to hang around the spread here with the possibility for an upset.

Utah State narrowly avoided losing to a winless UConn team last week. They will face a Colorado State team that has won consecutive games since their overtime thriller against Colorado. Yet, it was against lower level competition of Middle Tennessee State and Utah Tech. Take the Aggies to get the home underdog cover.

South Alabama has been one of the more disappointing non power five schools in college football. At 2-3, they continue to draw spreads of last year’s high performance team. This is the week where they should out perform the number against a UL Monroe team they put forty one points on last season. Take South Alabama

Last week Boston College could of folded after a slow start against Virginia. Instead in the second half they scored twenty points for the come back victory. Slow starts have plagued the Eagles but they can take advantage of Army coming off a bye week. Look for a sluggish Knights start to assist Boston College. Take BC.

Minnesota has went from being one of the best regular season teams a year ago to 0-3. Now on the road the pressure is on after squandering a golden opportunity late against the Chargers. Facing a rookie quarterback Minnesota will likely get the best of Carolina. Yet, I look for the Panthers to keep this close and cover as a home dog.

The Bengals adjusted for Monday Night football’s win over the Rams. As sloppy as the offense still looks the defense showed an ability to rise to the occasion. That should be in play against a Tennessee offense that looks bottom tier even with Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill. Take Cincinnati to get to .500 as they win another close game.

Syracuse begins ACC play Saturday with a home game against Clemson. Last year the Tigers limited Garrett Shrader to just 167 passing yards, as Syracuse could not generate offense in the second half. Similar to last season look for Clemson to give Syracuse their first loss, and put the Orange in a tough spot with three straight road games upcoming. Take Clemson

Even on a short week look for the Cleveland Browns to bounce back Sunday against the Titans. They were an offensive miscue away from being 2-0 on the season. The loss of Nick Chubb is going to force the offense to find new avenues for success. Additionally, the Titans have a knack for keeping opponents in games, as we saw in two close contests to begin the season. Take the Browns ATS.