Cornell is a two point loss away against Boston College from having an undefeated record. Since that performance they have went on to win five straight games, including an eighteen point road victory against Monmouth. Yet, today’s opponent in Delaware should challenge them with upgraded skill level on the defensive end of the floor. Grab the Blue Hens on their home floor.

Texas has the explosiveness on both ends of the floor to put a clinic on against Creighton. Creighton caught attention in their tournament action a week ago but will have a hard time going up and down the floor against Texas. Lay the points here with the Longhorns.

Seattle University may have the best kept secret in college basketball with guard Cameron Tyson. Tyson is one of the top scorers in college basketball averaging twenty eight points per game. This is a marquee game for Seattle to play the big school in the state of Washington. Take the points with the Red Hawks after Washington’s shocking outright win over St. Mary’s. 

The Longwood Lancers will make the road journey tonight to face San Diego. The Toreros are coming off consecutive losses in Las Vegas against New Mexico State and Nicholls. That has dropped the spread value to a favorable situational spot for Longwood. Although they are 0-2 on the road they have deep experience to keep this game close. Take Longwood.

Non conference- tournament action can lead to a false perception on a teams true identity. Milwaukee has surpassed expectations with recent wins over UC Davis and a blowout win over Boston. They also bolstered their resume with non-conference competition against Purdue and Iowa State. Look for recent tournament action to lead to rusty play from the home team Milwaukee tonight. Play Southeast Missouri.

Post bye week is an opportunity for the Seahawks to keep their first half of the season momentum rolling. Problem is after the bye week can often times derail a team just a tad. The Vegas Raiders are not a conventional 3-7 team as they squandered opportunities all season long in winnable games including the Cardinals, Chiefs, Titans, and more. Take the Raiders plus the points. 

The Tennessee Titans brand of football is rare this day and age in the NFL. Both sides of the football they can lean on to execute for two halves. Yet, they have not been challenged to score in volume in a long time. Look for the Bengals to crack through offensively and spur a road victory at Tennessee. Play the ML. 

Washington State has had a solid campaign under new quarterback Cameron Ward, but has yet to defeat any Pac-12 teams with a winning record this year. Tonight will be their final and best opportunity against 13th ranked Washington. The Huskies have been involved in close games all throughout conference play before last week’s eruption and forty-seven point win agains Colorado. Look for their knack of playing to the level of competition to occur again Saturday night. Take Washington State.  

Sacramento State has been absolutely torched their past couple of games against UC Davis and Hawaii. Both games quickly turned in a matter of minutes which show how vulnerable Sacramento State is defensively. Yet, Southern Utah is lacking that spurt ability on the offensive end of the floor. Grab Sacramento State to establish a lead and hang on to cover on the number. 

East Carolina is one of the strangest teams in college basketball from an ATS stand point. They continue to be underdogs but have past the test with several outright wins. At 5-1 they now travel for a non neutral site game to face Old Dominion. This is also a smaller point spread. The Pirates play well again but lose at the end with Old Dominion making the necessary free throws.

Undefeated early in a college basketball season does have merit but also creates ATS value against. Quinnipiac is 6-0 with wins over Rhode Island and a resounding win over Stephen F Austin. Yet, Montana State can also play a grind it out style of basketball with limited possessions. They’ve underachieved to begin the season and should have the fire power to end Quinnipiac’s undefeated start. Take Montana State.

Southern Miss is another college football team that has had to deal with a plethora of different quarterbacks to start this season. Starting Trey Lowe at quarterback the last three weeks has resulted in a 5-3 season reversing for three straight losses to 5-6. Yet, today is their last opportunity to become bowl eligible. Look for the Golden Eagles who have been in striking distance in their last two losses, to pull through with bowl eligibility on the line. Take Southern Miss over UL Monroe. 

A late game that should be entertaining is Texas State vs Southern Utah. Texas State has knocked down two opponents in California and Rhode Island that have boosted their ATS ground. Yet, look for Southern Utah to be their match as they play solid team basketball. This is one that should be a pull away spot for Southern Utah.

One bad half of basketball downgraded the Butler Bulldogs. They held their own for one half against Tennessee and absolutely fell apart in the second half en route to a complete beat down. Yet, they are a team that should get better as the season extends. Facing NC State should be a close neck and neck game but I like Butler’s tenacity and guard play to elevate them. Take Butler.

Mercer has three losses on the season but could very well be undefeated. They let a big lead falter against East Carolina, lost to Georgia State in overtime, and could not pull through against Florida State. Sometimes certain teams are in a bad spot post holiday and this is a letdown spot for Mercer. Tail Robert Morris plus the points.

Friday the NBA is back in action with a full slate. The Philadelphia 76ers toppled the Brooklyn Nets a few nights ago as home underdogs of eight points. Yet, the following night they lost to the Hornets and now will face another team that is near the bottom of the NBA in the Magic. Even with a holiday day off look for the Magic to have enough offense to take down the short handed 76ers. Take Orlando. 

A neutral site game played just off the strip will take place in Las Vegas tonight between UC Riverside and Weber State. Weber State is off to a rough start but have not had the opportunity to face a division one school on their level yet. Look for the Wildcats to settle in the second half as they aim for their first win over a division one school this season. Take the small underdog here in Weber State.

Early season ranked teams from the West Coast are under valued because of their late start times. San Diego State has a golden opportunity with a spotlight showcase today against Ohio State. The Aztecs have focused on pushing the basketball and have improved vastly from a team that averaged just sixty five points per game. Additionally, their top player in Matt Bradley has yet to get going as he has averaged just seven points. He will turn it around today, as San Diego State’s team basketball pushes past the Buckeyes.

Georgia Tech will have their first true test Monday against a power five school. At 3-0, they have had a subpar schedule out the gate with victories over Georgia State, Northern Illinois, and a non-division one school in Clayton. Look for Utah’s size and better execution in half court to be the difference. Take the Utes in a bounce back spot after losing to Sam Houston as a double-digit favorite.

               Sunday I’ll recommend the small number on the Detroit Lions. Detroit’s won consecutive games and are a much better team than their record shows. We are already starting to see teams that have had great records hit a bit of a pre December wall. The Giants have been fortunate to have a generous schedule yet have not seen their spreads rise. Take Detroit plus the points.

Both Middle Tennessee State and Florida Atlantic are a win away from becoming bowl eligible. The Owls are coming off getting their first road win of the season defeating Florida International, 52 to 7. The all around performance on both sides of the football should lead to an early hot start from FAU. Middle Tennessee State will get back in the game but look for FAU to hang on and cover ATS.

A close victory over Georgia Tech was not indicative of the final score for Miami, as they pulled away late for a cruising double digit victory. From an offensive standpoint the passing game will have major lapses. Although Clemson has struggled to cover double digit spreads this season, today will be an opportunity where special teams and defense can be an extra catalyst for the Tigers. Take Clemson

Houston’s juggernaut offense has excelled in American Conference play as they have won four of five games, and averaged forty-four points. For as much offense the Cougars have displayed they are also giving up an exorbitant amount of points defensively. East Carolina has the athletes and an experienced quarterback to score at a rapid rate. This is also their last home game for seniors including quarterback and fan favorite Holton Ahlers. Take the Pirates. 

Last week the Baylor Bears were flat out unprepared and could not stop the Kansas State offense. An embarrassing loss would seem like another bad spot for the Bears against undefeated TCU. Yet, I expect Baylor’s home crowd and the will to want to give TCU their first loss of the season to carry Baylor. Grab them plus the points.

With several neutral site tournaments there is value to be had on small schools. Santa Clara will take on DePaul later this evening as slight underdogs. DePaul already has notched a power five win over Minnesota but will face a Santa Clara team that will challenge them on the defensive end of the floor. The Broncos have an under the radar transfer in Parker Braun and a big time scorer in Brandin Podziemski that is averaging 25 points per game. Take Santa Clara.

An ATS boomerang of value lies with the Phoenix Suns. Down a couple players the Suns have had their issues as of late especially on the road. They lost at Orlando and Miami their prior two road games, but the Jazz have also stumbled with a recent loss against the Knicks. Jordan Clarkson is also in a mega slump. Back the undermanned Suns as a small favorite. 

A team that endured a plethora of injuries last season with players in and out of the lineup was Nevada. To start this year they have come out the gate 3-0. UT Arlington’s weak schedule has seen them defeat two non division one schools. Sometimes that type of tune up can prepare you better for higher level competition. At home look for the Mavericks to keep this close to cover the spread.

Starting off 0-3 has cast a shadow of embarrassment on Leonard Hamilton and his Florida State Seminoles squad. Yet, it is early in the season and I expect the Seminoles to regroup and put forth a better effort today against Florida. This is an over reaction spot spread wise. Take the points with the Seminoles.

An aggressive point spread rise Thursday that proved correct was on Troy. From start to finish they had no issues defeating Merrimack and won by nineteen points. They also have a road victory over Florida State. Yet playing in consecutive days is tough for any team and St. Thomas will want to respond after an embarrassing showcase yesterday against Montana. Play the underdog.

A poor loss early in non-conference can actually create immediate value ATS. Oklahoma State did go down 61 to 60 against Southern Illinois, but quickly regrouped to blowout Oakland 91 to 62. Their balance especially at the guard position will be tough for Central Florida to contain. Look for a solid contribution off the bench from former Texas State guard Caleb Asberry to spark the Cowboys. Lay it -6.

The LA Clippers have caught the betting public’s attention thanks to a 6-2 run ATS. Yet, Thursday night is their biggest favored spread on the season against the Detroit Pistons. With the Pistons down Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart combined with the Pistons 0-7 record, the spread is a tad bit high. Take Detroit to sneak within the number.

The Brooklyn Nets lost by double-digits to one of the worst teams in the NBA in the Lakers, and followed that up with a 32 point loss to the Sacramento Kings. Needless to say their west coast road trip has spiraled in the wrong direction. Tonight, they’ll have a chance to regain some confidence before heading back home against Memphis. Take the Nets plus the points with Portland in a back to back spot.

Traveling across the country is not an easy task for any school. Hofstra has been great ATS including a big home win against Iona. Yet, San Jose State has created a bit of a radar blotch on themselves as well. They are 3-0 and have shown to be one of the most improved teams in college basketball. Look for their early season magic to continue. Play the home underdog

Ohio once again finds themselves as a small favorite in Tuesday Mac-tion. The Bobcats are on a five game winning streak in which they have defeated every opponent by seven points or more. Today’s spot is tricky though for the Bobcats against a Ball State team that has a knack for keeping games close. Take the home underdog to threaten to end Ohio’s win streak.

Out in the SWAC I’ll do a late add with Alabama A&M. The Bulldogs were competitive against a North Alabama team that was better than their record indicated a season ago. The SWAC is also an underrated conference for it’s skill level especially on the offensive end of the floor. Tennessee State prevails but Alabama A&M gets the cover as an underdog.

Prior to their bye week the San Francisco 49ers looked as dangerous as ever in a rout against the Rams. The addition of Christian McCaffrey is going to key plenty of drives for San Francisco. Yet, the 49ers have struggle outside of the division, with a 1-4 record. Look for their inability to execute outside the division to haunt them on a spread that is far too big. Take the Chargers.

The Tennessee Titans string of fortune nearly propelled them to a huge win on the road last week against Kansas City. Continuing their methodical ground attack by Derrick Henry can only work for so long. Expect the Denver Broncos defense to be fresh off their bye week, and for the Broncos to get the necessary big plays to propel them ATS. Take Denver.

In the late games San Diego State finds themselves as a small home underdog against San Jose State. The Spartans have the showcase record at 6-2, but have had closer than expected calls in consecutive weeks against Nevada and Colorado State. In a road environment look for the Aztecs to churn the clock and keep this within range in the second half. Take the Aztecs as the Spartans succumb and falter in the waning moments.

A lot of rosters are completely made over in college basketball with transfers that are upperclassmen but inexperienced. UTEP is one of those teams. After losing by fifteen points to a top team in Texas it can be hard to regroup for their second game. UTEP may lack experience but has a group of players that have had high repetition of practices with their former teams. This new playing time is what they covet and should carry over in a win against New Mexico State. Play UTEP.

Baylor will have their hands full against Adrian Martinez and Kansas State. As conference play has stretched on Martinez’s sacks have gone up, and his rushing yards have dipped. In fact, his last three full games played he has been sacked eight times. Also, Baylor has endured the easier scheduling stretch opponent wise versus Kansas State facing three consecutive top twenty five teams. Tail Baylor in this one.

Binghamton out of the American East conference should have a solid revenge spot today against Marist. A season ago the Bearcats hosted Marist and lost 64 to 51. A spark plug for Marist in that contest was Jao Ituka, who has now transferred to Wake Forest. This should be a slower paced contest and low scoring. Go against the line move here and play Binghamton. 

Amidst the disarray of the firing of Coach Steve Nash and Kyrie Irving’s suspension the Brooklyn Nets have shown momentum. They’ve won three of four games, and only loss was a tight two point game against Dallas. Traveling across the country look for the Nets to stymie the Clippers who have enjoyed a favorable schedule to win five of six. Play Brooklyn.

Sitting at 4-5, the Hurricanes prospects of becoming bowl eligible are bleak. To get closer to eligibility they will have to find a way to bounce back from a 45 to 3 home loss to Florida State. The Hurricanes starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke will be not play today against Georgia Tech. Still, the Hurricanes have fared better on the road this year where they are 2-0 in-conference. Take Miami with the points.

Marshall can assuredly hang their head on a strong defense. Yet, their offense has been abysmal and complacent. Against Coastal Carolina they left several points off the board with a failure to execute in plus territory and the red zone. Additionally, in last week’s 12-0 win over Old Dominion they failed to score a touchdown. On the road tail Appalachian State. 

Washington State should have another big week in-store from a points perspective against a highly vulnerable Arizona State defense. The Sun Devils hung around against UCLA but could not stop the Bruins from scoring a week ago. Still, I love the confidence soaring from Arizona State’s new starting quarterback in Trenton Bourguet. Ride the points here with ASU.

One more late add with Cal State Fullerton getting a small number at home. Early in the season one can't over react to a big blowout win. Pepperdine blew out an opponent in Rice that they had a revenge angle on. Last year Rice defeated them in double digit fashion to open the season. Cal State Fullerton does not score in bunches but does play solid defense with experience. Take Cal State Fullerton.

Sometimes we see power five schools take a major dip, and take years to rebuild. Georgia has a new look roster of a difficult combination of transfers. It’s going to take some time to build up the talent level of this current roster. Expect Wake Forest to perform better than they did in their first game against Fairfield, and pull away from Georgia.

The Phoenix Suns have managed to get by in recent games without Chris Paul and Cam Johnson. One of the main reasons they were able to blowout Minnesota is because of the poor interior defense of the Timberwolves. That and the fact the Suns just saw Minnesota the prior week. As poor as Orlando has been they have the young athletes to give the bench players that have to play more minutes issues for the Suns. Take Orlando.

It was not going to be an easy transition for new South Carolina Coach Lamont Paris. The Gamecocks former Coach in Frank Martin had three of his former South Carolina players transfer to UMass with him. While the Gamecocks had their issues defeating South Carolina State in their opener, they did shoot 44 percent from the field. Expect better execution Friday and for South Carolina to cover against Clemson.

Coach Pitino has done what expected at Iona and that is maximize his roster year over year. This was on display in Iona’s first game as they stormed the six point spread with ease. Today, expect more of a battle even with Hofstra losing a few key players from last season. Hofstra has grit and always plays tough in non conference. Take the points. 

Early season neutral site tournaments can be of opportune value in the betting market. UL Lafayette against Harvard should be an optimal spot. The Ragin Cajuns are a deep talented team that should project to be a dangerous 12 or 13 seed in March. Led by former Power five player Jordan Brown, and former St. John’s guard Greg Williams UL Lafayette has only built a more dangerous squad around them. Play UL Lafayette.

Delaware returns several starters from last year’s March Madness tournament team, and added L.J. Owens a transfer from UMBC. Their talent will put them in the driver’s seat once again to make a big run in the CAA, but for Friday they’ll be on the road for the first time this season. Their next game will also be on the road against Duke. Take the home underdog from the Mountain West in Air Force. 

We will grab the Torreros who will face Florida Gulf Coast tonight. It’s always tough when a team pulls off an upset in their opening game to play a fluid second game. This should the case tonight with Florida Gulf Coast who had no issues in defeating USC. Grab SD as their defense will keep Gulf Coast in check.

Ohio’s four game win streak will be on the line tonight as they travel on the road to face Miami-Ohio. Last year’s contest against the Red Hawks was a great Tuesday Mac-tion contest as Ohio held on to defeat the Miami-Ohio 35 to 33. Ohio nearly blew a four touchdown lead thanks to Brett Gabbert throwing for 492 yards. This could be another high scoring affair but look for the Bobcats improving defense to stymie Miami-Ohio late. Take the Bobcats

The Mercer Bears will have to find a way to replace their top three scorers from last season, including Felipe Haase and Neftali Alvarez who transferred to Southern Miss. While the offense will be a work in progress I expect the Bears to showcase higher energy on the defensive end of the floor. This was an area severely lacking with last year’s team that were blown out of several games in-conference. Take Mercer as East Carolina loses a season opener for the first time in over twenty years.  

The Akron Zips have went 2 and 30 over their last thirty-two MAC conference games. In fact, their lone win this season they had to go to overtime to defeat a non division one school in St. Francis (PA). As poor as their season has been, I do believe they can keep tonight’s contest against Eastern Michigan within the spread of seven points. The lone matchup the Eagles separated from a team was against their in-state rivals in Western Michigan. Take the dog here with Akron.

It’s not often that a team is a bigger favorite on the road then they are at home in the same matchup. That’s the case Sunday as Arizona was a steeper favorite in their road mid-October matchup against Seattle. It was a woeful offensive performance as Arizona generated just one field goal. Yet the offense is much different with DeAndre Hopkins in the fold, and I expect some regression from Seattle’s three game win streak. Take the Cardinals.

The Packers four-game losing streak and 3-5 ATS mark have made them one of the hardest teams to assess. Sunday’s matchup will mark their third straight road game, but it is a divisional matchup. Over the years Aaron Jones has torched the Detroit Lions through both the ground and out of the backfield. Detroit’s pour defense should position the Packers for a breakout performance offensively, and their first road win. Take the Packers.

Out in the desert Arizona State may have discovered something with quarterback Trenton Bourguet. Bourguet is coming off a 435 yard performance in the Sun Devils victory over Colorado. A new look on offense mixed with different play call packages can confuse the opposition. UCLA may be 7-1, but this is a tricky road spot with a lot of points. Take the Sun Devils.

Just a couple of weeks ago James Madison was undefeated and reached 25th in the polls. Suddenly the Dukes have stumbled with consecutive losses to Georgia Southern and Marshall. After a bye week one would expect James Madison to be a refocused team. Yet, Louisville has caught a rhythm and has three straight statement wins by double digits. Take Louisville.

South Alabama’s offense has clearly taken a step back from where it was in September and early October. Defenses have adjusted to quarterback Carter Bradley and the patterned play calls from the Jaguars. While the offense may continue to be shaky it’s the defense of the Jaguars that has grown as the season has progressed. Look for South Alabama to get the edge on the road led by their defense, and halt the newfound team success of Georgia Southern. Play South Alabama.

Throughout this season we’ve seen ranked road Pac-12 teams struggle. This should be a solid spot for the Washington Huskies to take advantage of an Oregon State team that’s probably a season away. Sure, Washington has not looked the part in-conference but it takes time for a quarterback to transfer and get going. Look for Michael Penix to keep the offense above what Oregon State has to offer. Take Washington.

Injuries this early in the season can torpedo a team in the standings and ATS. Portland who is already minus Damian Lillard could also be without Anfernee Simons who is listed as questionable. As great as the Suns have been playing at home, their second unit has struggled. Against Minnesota Coach Monty Williams bench allowed a 17 point third quarter lead to drop to 2 points early in the fourth. Take Portland plus the double digit spread. 

Friday the Boston Celtics will have a chance to avenge an eighteen point loss to the Bulls on October 24th. The game started out terrific for the Celtics as they jumped out to a 12 to 0 lead, and a 20-6 lead. At home expect the Celtics to avoid the in-game lag that allowed the Bulls to flip a switch. Take the Celtics and purchase the hook to 7.

The Buffalo Bulls have had one of the best turn arounds of any team in college football. Buffalo had lost seven straight games dating back to last season and the first three games of this season. Suddenly they have now rolled off five straight wins. As great as their turn around has been playing a game on Tuesday is an aspect that can throw a team off. Take Ohio to threaten the Bulls win streak and cover the plus three. If you see 2.5 now buy the hook. 

Strength of schedule matters in every conference, even in the MAC. Kent State may be 3-5 but three of their losses were against Power 5 schools in Washington, Oklahoma, and Georgia. Additionally, another aspect of ATS value is the Golden Flashes have just 2-2 in-conference, and have not won a game by seven points or more. That ends today as the Golden Flashes defeat Ball State handily.

Although the Pacers are playing their third game in four nights, they should still have an edge from an ATS stand point over the Nets. Brooklyn’s dropped four straight games and Indiana just defeated them outright on October 29th 125 to 116. Take the Pacers plus the points to play another thorough contest against Brooklyn.

The Sacramento Kings a season ago had an ugly road trip when they traveled to Charlotte. A game that they could of won ended up slipping away to a one point loss. This time Charlotte is enduring without several key players in Rozier, Ball, and Martin, but have played solid basketball and are coming off a victory over the Golden State Warriors. Look for the Hornets to keep their chemistry intact for a Monday ATS casher. 

The product displayed on a week to week basis may be bottom five in the league from the Green Bay Packers. Sure they may have three wins but they’re struggling to muster any type of offense. In what seemed like a great prime time game before the season, has likely turned into a true barometer test on how poor the Pacers have declined. Buffalo is one a few elite teams that does not take any opponent lightly. This should get ugly. Take Buffalo.

In sports we have seen the theme of a team making in-season moves that would appear to make a team worse, but in all actuality they get better. Firing Matt Rhule, the injury to Baker Mayfield, and trading offensive starters has made the Panthers a more of a team. They’re playing sound football and took a big leap forward in their win last week against the Buccaneers. Atlanta is not trustworthy as this big of a favorite. Take the underdog in Carolina.

A four game win streak for the New York Jets may have been more of a fortunate schedule than on the field performance. They faced two backup quarterbacks from the Dolphins and Denver, and also rookie Kenny Pickett’s first start in the NFL. Sunday, expect an angry Patriots team after Monday’s embarrassment against the Bears. Take the road favorite in New England to beat the Jets at their own game.

For weeks South Alabama’s decline has been evident with a string of ATS losses. Until last week’s loss against Troy they were able to still win outright but could not muster offense against Troy’s stingy defense. Saturday, expect the Jaguars to finally click on both sides of the football against a poor Arkansas State team. Take South Alabama.

Florida International surged in a rare offensive outburst last week to the tune of thirty four points against Charlotte. Friday, expect an offense to return back to lower levels. Prior to their win against Charlotte the Panthers had averaged just 11 points during a span of five games. Take Louisiana Tech even amidst uncertainty on who the starting quarterback will be. 

This year the NBA ATS picks rollout will be a bit slower to gauge teams top to bottom along with rotations. The Memphis Grizzlies possess the same flash and grit we saw take center stage in the postseason last year. Ja Morant will be a force every single night, but the Grizzlies have shown to be a bit more vulnerable with their depth. The Kings at home should keep this close with the insertion of Keegan Murray into the starting lineup. Take the Kings plus three.

Sometimes a key loss is a wake up call for a team. With the Broncos losing Russell Wilson this week against the Jets, the entire team now needs to step up in different areas. As great as the Jets have been the challenge of being on the road consecutive weeks is a daunting task. Expect miscues to occur whether via special teams, turnovers from second year quarterback Zach Wilson, or blown defensive assignments. Take the Broncos as the home underdog.

The love affair with the Atlanta Falcons from an ATS stand point can finally wane. Sunday it comes to an end against a Bengals team that will be primed for a good performance. They survived playing a very difficult part of their schedule with four of their past five on the road. This may have the typical pattern of a Bengals game that is mundane for the first half and a portion of the early third, but look for the Bengals to turn it on when it matters. Buy the hook and lay the points.

It’s apparent that Browns backup Jacoby Brissett is struggling as of late. He made a key unnecessary interception late in the Chargers game, and could not muster anything against his former team in the Patriots last week. Cleveland has now dropped three straight but are not a typical 2-4 team. Look for a performance as the Browns hold within the spread.

The difficult season for Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies finally took a turn for the worst. The Aggies have lost consecutive games and are just .500 after being ranked sixth in September. They’ve now had a full week off since their last game just like their opponent today in South Carolina. Expect the Aggies to finally play a game indicative of their pre-season hype, as they pull out a road victory over Spencer Rattler and the Gamecocks. 

A week off at the right time can be a big catalyst over a top conference team. Boise State just started to have the balance on both sides of the football before their week off, and head into tonight’s showdown against Air Force 3-0 in-conference. They’re a confident team that should raise their level of play on the road against the experience of Air Force. Take Boise as they challenge Air Force to their first home loss this year. 

Georgia Southern is coming off their first Sun Belt conference victory in last week’s upset over 25th ranked James Madison. Starting quarterback Kyle Vantrease broke out in the game with 578 passing yards. Today the Golden Eagles will attempt to end a three game road losing streak against Old Dominion.  They’ll get the job done as the Monarchs step back after last week’s shocking outright blowout win over Coastal Carolina. Play Georgia Southern.

Two weeks ago the Houston Cougars had one of the more improbable comebacks in a late thriller over the Memphis Tigers. Saturday, look for the Cougars to build off of that and their bye week to have road success against Navy. Navy at just 2-4 is trending downward and does not have the defense to keep up with the Cougars for four quarters. Take Houston.

Tonight a small spread exists in a Conference USA clash between the home team of Western Kentucky and UAB. The Hilltoppers have the flash offense as they average forty points per game, but UAB’s defense gives up just seventeen points per game. I do expect Western Kentucky’s offense to have production but not to the degree they need to be comfortable against the Blazers. Take UAB as they small underdog.

The Sun belt has continued to deliver as a solid smaller conference and tonight will have a marquee matchup between Troy and South Alabama. The Jaguars have shown a bit of vulnerability from an ATS stand point in consecutive weeks. They were sloppy in both close victories over UL Monroe and UL-Lafayette. Troy has the offensive playbook to continue to give South Alabama’s defense problems. Play the road team in the Trojans.

Monday is an opportunity for the Denver Broncos to get to .500 and take advantage of the easiest portion of their schedule. Following tonight the Broncos will face the Jets, Jaguars, have a bye week, and then the Titans. I expect the Broncos to hang around in this game as the Chargers are coming off consecutive road games in Houston and Cleveland. Take the Broncos as their prime time woes subside at least from an ATS stand point. 

The Baltimore Ravens already won and covered the spread earlier this season at MetLife Stadium against the New York Jets. Sunday, they’ll aim to win at MetLife Stadium once again but against the New York Giants. It’s truly amazing to see the Giants be at 4-1, but Baltimore will be a huge obstacle for them. The Ravens showed that they are playing better defense after a solid performance last Sunday against the Bengals. They also have that extra gear when it’s time to make winning plays led by quarterback Lamar Jackson. Take the Ravens as the road favorites to knock off the Giants.

The Baltimore Ravens already won and covered the spread earlier this season at MetLife Stadium against the New York Jets. Sunday, they’ll aim to win at MetLife Stadium once again but against the New York Giants. It’s truly amazing to see the Giants be at 4-1, but Baltimore will be a huge obstacle for them. The Ravens showed that they are playing better defense after a solid performance last Sunday against the Bengals. They also have that extra gear when it’s time to make winning plays led by quarterback Lamar Jackson. Take the Ravens as the road favorites to knock off the Giants.

Florida State has dropped consecutive games for the first time this season. Close wins against Louisville and LSU have shaded their record a tad. Although Florida State is a bit dinged up they have a knack of hanging around even with an ugly offensive display. Back the Seminoles in front of their home crowd getting a generous 4.5 points. 

Blowing a game that was in hand usually can haunt a team into their next game. Memphis had one of the worst meltdowns of the season in their last game a 33 to 32 loss to Houston. Look for East Carolina to be aggressive after scoring just nine points in last weeks loss against Tulane. At home grab the Pirates to win by a touchdown or more against the Memphis Tigers. 

Although Wisconsin’s season has not went their way theirs pales in comparison to the weekly new lows of Michigan State. The Spartans have dropped four straight and every loss in-conference has been by double figures. Take Wisconsin to build off their thirty five point victory over Northwestern, and win a second consecutive road game. 

TCU has survived a gauntlet of tough matchups and done so by covering the spread. They are one of two teams in division one football that has yet to not cover a spread. Ironically, Saturday they will face an Oklahoma State team that throttled them last season 63 to 17. The Cowboys success running the football in that contest is something they can carry over on the road Saturday. Take the Cowboys plus the points.

A potential obstacle in Coastal Carolina’s way may very well be Sun Belt newcomer in Old Dominion. Thus far this season Old Dominion has played better against higher level competition. In week one they defeated Virginia Tech 20 to 17, and also played Virginia to a close two point loss. Look for the Monarchs to be ready to test Coastal Carolina’s non competitive schedule. Grab the points with the underdog in Old Dominion. 

For three straight games SMU has vastly under produced in losses to Maryland, TCU, and Central Florida. Friday lies an opportunity for the Mustangs to utilize extra rest over Navy as SMU played last Wednesday. At home I expect the Mustangs to continue their surge of points against Navy as they scored 31 in last year’s contest and 51 two seasons ago. Grab the Mustangs to pull through on the double digit spread. 

The Chiefs will try and win consecutive prime time games after defeating the Buccaneers last Sunday. They’ll face a Vegas Raiders team that finally gained a win last week but still showed some grey areas against a struggling Broncos team. Although they are 0-2 on the road they had shown a knack for playing in close games. All three of their losses have been by six points or less. Take the full touchdown here on the Raiders. 

The 49ers once again toppled the LA Rams in front of a nationally televised prime time audience. The offense did just enough under Jimmy Garopollo but the story was how stout the defense was in preventing a Rams touchdown. Yet, Carolina is playing their third straight road game and in desperation mode. Take the points here and buy the hook to seven. 

The Chargers showcased last week against the Texans that they still lack the ability to play for four complete quarters. They let a double-digit comfortable lead quickly falter with poor defense and a special teams miscue. Yet, the Browns are a good matchup for them and I expect the Chargers to clean up the sloppiness from their second half against the Texans. Take the Chargers to win their second straight on the road.

Saturday night’s Mountain West game will feature Fresno State minus Jake Haener once again. Last week without Haener the Fresno State offense looked lost as quarterback Logan Fife struggled. He should get some help this week from his teammates that are in a more familiar environment and matchup against conference opponent Boise State. 

It’s strange to see UConn as a favorite in football in the month of October. It was not pretty but they gained a big home win last week against Fresno State as steep underdogs. Saturday, they’ll face an FIU team that’s defense surrendered 37 points to Bryant, 41 to Texas State, and 73 to Western Kentucky. Back the Huskies to get over .500 and pull off an important program building road victory.

UTEP’s Gavin Hardison has the big quarterback experience edge over Louisiana Tech’s Parker McNeil. The problem is Hardison has been turnover prone throughout his collegiate career and susceptible to taking sacks. With UTEP being on the road a second straight week there should be concern of the Miners losing the turnover battle. Grab the under performing Bulldogs to grab their first win over a division one school this season. 

TCU has soared into the top twenty five with big wins over SMU and Oklahoma that cruised past the ATS number. This week they’ll face another new rising top twenty five program in Kansas. One can’t discount the Jayhawks rise for a program that never sees this type of play in the football program. Yet, TCU has begun to click on all cylinders and look like a team that will not hold back. Take TCU as their offense is to much for the Jayhawks.  

The Houston Cougars have been a team downtrending ever since beginning the season with a triple overtime and double overtime games. They’re lucky that they are not 1-4 overall. A positive is they have a knack for playing in close games, as three of their five games have went to overtime. Friday’s marquee game against Memphis is the type of game you can expect the Cougars to be ready for. Look for Houston to challenge Memphis’s four-game win streak. Play Houston.