20* Play on Atlanta (-5.5). We backed the Falcons last week in their outright win against the Panthers, and we'll back them again this Sunday in another big revenge spot - this time against the New Orleans Saints. Atlanta became the first team to knock off Carolina last Sunday, which can only be viewed as a confidence building victory for a team that has been a huge disappointment in the second half of the season. Falcons started the year with a fast 5-0 record, but then lost as a three-point favorite in New Orleans (despite out-gaining the Saints overall) and they never recovered. Normally, coming off a big win against the Panthers would have us looking to fade that team the following week, as that is a textbook "letdown" spot. However, we believe Atlanta has had this game circled for weeks as the Saints are the team that broke their momentum and thus ruined their season. Atlanta's passing game has worked out the kinks they had in their mid-season flop, and more importantly they have stopped turning the ball over which has really been the main cause for their dysfunction. New Orleans is being outscored by 11 ppg on the road this season (2-5 straight up) and are one of the worst defenses in the league allowing 31 points per game. No real motivation for the Saints this week - playing on the road with nothing on the line and we don't expect much fight if and when they fall behind early. Falcons have covered three straight on this field in this series, and they make it four in a row with a blowout win Sunday! 20* NFL "3-Game Power Pack" Play on Atlanta.

20* Play on Washington (+4). Absolutely no reason for Dallas to be favored in this game, missing both QB Tony Romo and WR Dez Bryant. We understand they are the home team but Dallas is just 1-5 SU and ATS at home this season and that lone SU victory came in their season-opener with a healthy roster. Washington has won three straight - all while being listed as the underdog - and we expect the streak to continue with another outright victory here. Redskins can't improve their playoff positioning, but are in desperate need to build confidence and momentum heading into the playoffs. Washington is unlike any other playoff team in the NFC - they don't have history (Green Bay, Seattle) or a great record (Carolina, Arizona) to fall back on once the playoffs start - they really do need to build confidence on this team that was under .500 just a few weeks ago. Cowboys scored just six points last week at Buffalo and barely reached 300 total yards offensively. No reason for Dallas to play any differently this week, and if anything we believe the Cowboys have already given up and are just waiting for the end of the season to finally come. Washington is the far better offensive club and should be motivated by this pointspread. Redskins take this one outright! 20* NFL "3-Game Power Pack" Play on Washington.

25* Play on Houston (-6.5). Texans have been one of the most underrated teams in the entire NFL in the second half of the season, and come into this home game against Jacksonville 6-2 both straight up and ATS in their last eight games - three of those victories coming outright while listed as underdogs. Houston can clinch a playoff spot with a win here at home (Colts can still reach the playoffs if about 8 NFL results fall their way), and we expect the Texans to come through with a blowout win and cover against a disinterested Jacksonville side. Houston gets a huge motivational boost with the return of QB Brian Hoyer, who is their best option at the position in our opinion. Almost as important as getting Hoyer back, Houston's running game has come alive lately with 120+ yards rushing in five of their last six games overall. That legit rushing threat combined with their stellar rush defense give Houston a great matchup advantage against most weaker and average NFL foes - which is why they've been so good the last two months. Jacksonville is just 2-6 on the road this year giving up 33 points per game. All the momentum, confidence, and motivation lies with the home side here, and this game will be played in front of a Houston crowd that is eagerly waiting to celebrate a playoff berth. All statistical and motivational evidence points to a blowout win by the home side, and we'll back Houston at our highest 25* rating to win and cover with ease! 25* NFL "King's Ransom" Play on Houston.

20* Play on Oregon (-7). TCU was already going to have problems competing against an elite offensive Oregon team as their star WR Josh Doctson was out, but with quarterback Trevone Boykin now missing this game as well we don't give the Horned Frogs any chance of keeping up with the Ducks on the scoreboard. When injuries were piling up TCU went just 2-2 in their last four games, but more importantly their scoring average fell significantly in that time, being held to under 30 points in all four of those contents (after scoring 40+ points in seven straight). Oregon has been just the opposite, with their offense getting stronger as the season wore on and they come into this game riding a six-game winning streak while putting up 38+ points in each of their last five. Neither side is particularly good defensively, which puts all the pressure on both teams offenses to carry their team to victory. And with TCU missing their top QB and top WR, they simply aren't equipped to hang around in this one. Ducks take it in a blowout! 20* CFB "Watch Party" Play on Oregon.

20* Play on LA Lakers (-3.5). After starting the season with 18 consecutive losses, the Philadelphia 76ers scored their first win of the season on their home court against the LA Lakers. Tonight, the Lakers get a chance for revenge and we expect LA to play extremely motivated and win this game easily. Philly is in a bad spot, as this is the fifth leg of a six-game road trip - much of which has come on the West Coast. The Lakers have been playing much better of late, and even won outright in Boston in their previous game (as a huge 14-point underdog) for their third ATS win in their last four games. Not many good things to say about either of these teams, but the revenge factor combined with the bad scheduling spot for the 76ers gives the Lakers a huge motivational edge on their home court. Philly just 2-19 straight up on the road this year and are being outscored by 10 points per game. Lakers are 14-4 ATS at home against Eastern Conference foes, and this line is small enough that we are virtually picking he outright winner (accounting for late free throws in a close game). Philly knew they had a winnable game at home in the first matchup between these teams this season, and the Lakers have the same mindset tonight as they win this one easily! 20* NBA "Blowout Demolition" Play on LA Lakers.

20* Play on Michigan (-3.5). Florida Gators have been overrated for the better part of the season, and were finally exposed down the stretch with ugly wins against Vanderbilt and Florida Atlantic, followed by blowout losses against Florida State and Alabama to close the year. Gators defense is well above average, but their offense is flat out awful, and they were held to just 17 points combined in those two season-ending losses against the Seminoles and Crimson Tide. They face another very good defensive side on New Year's Day as Michigan comes in allowing just 17 points per game and have already pitched three shutouts this season. Wolverines have shown massive improvement since the start of the season - a direct result of coach Harbaugh's influence in his first season at Ann Arbor, and we expect even more improvement with the long preparation break in between this bowl game and the end of the regular season. Don't believe Florida will be able to score more than 10 points in this game (outside of any defensive scores) and we'll gladly lay this small number with the Wolverines. Michigan will have trouble running the ball early, but with an expected big edge in time of possession the Wolverines will be able to wear down the Florida defense and have a big second half. Gators confidence has been dwindling the entire second half of the season and once they fall behind we don't believe they'll be able to catch up! 20* CFB "Early Equation" Play on Michigan.

25* Play on Ohio State (-5.5). Buckeyes won't have a chance to repeat as National Champions but have earned a quality bowl berth and will face Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. This is a kind location for the Buckeyes, who won a National Championship here against Miami FL back in the Jim Tressel era. We'll back the Buckeyes, who we still consider to be one of the top teams in the country and also the best team in the Big Ten (despite Michigan State representing the conference yesterday). Don't like Notre Dame's chances of slowing down Ohio State's offense, who has really only been contained once and that was in unfavorable weather conditions (at home vs. Michigan State). Fighting Irish had a good-looking schedule at the start of the year but ended up playing teams in down seasons (USC for example), and they lost against the two best opponents they faced (Stanford, Clemson). Ohio State's defense is one of the best in the country allowing 14 ppg and just over 300 total yards per game. Notre Dame won't be able to do anything on the ground and the Buckeyes secondary is skilled enough to play one-on-one, freeing up safeties and linebackers to get pressure on the quarterback. Notre Dame's rush defense has been susceptible (which Stanford was able to take advantage of) and plays into Ohio State's offensive game plan perfectly. This could be the biggest blowout on the board today and we'll back Ohio State at our highest 25* rating to cover this number with ease! 25* CFB "Black Reign" Play on Ohio State.

20* Play on Michigan State (+10). This is a very similar situation for Alabama, who was in this same spot last year in the CFP Semifinals. The Crimson Tide were a big favorite against the Big Ten Champion and nobody game OSU a chance of winning that game. We all know the Buckeyes crushed Alabama and went on to win the National Championship. Similar matchup for Alabama here, and while the Crimson Tide outright victory seems likely, a Michigan State upset wouldn't really be surprising to us. MSU came out of what we consider to be the best conference in College Football this year, and did so by playing outstanding defense and mistake-free offense. They completely shut down Ohio State's running game, which we consider to be better than Alabama's. Remember, the SEC has been down as a whole this season, with only Alabama being what we consider to be an elite team. This MSU rush defense will by far be the toughest challenge for Alabama's offense to date, and we are not sold on their passing game. On the other side of the ball, MSU will also have a tough time running the ball, but we are more than confident in Connor Cook's ability to beat Alabama through the air. That secondary is the lone weakness on Alabama's defense that the SEC hasn't been able to properly take advantage of (outside of Ole' Miss early on the year). Far too many points for Alabama to be laying against a quality conference champion and we'll back Michigan State looking for the Spartans to at least have a chance at an outright win late in the game! 20* CFB Playoffs "Watch Party" Play on Michigan State.

30* Play on Oklahoma (-3.5). We've been patiently waiting since the College Football pairings were announced to jump on the Sooners in this game, and we fully believe they will not only win and cover this small number, but win in a blowout. Clemson is deserving of their #1 ranking, but they are not at all the best team in the country. In fact, we rate them as the worst team of the Top Four. Clemson comes out an awful ACC Conference, and after successfully fading both North Carolina and NC State the last few days in blowout losses, we are now more certain than ever the Tigers are extremely overrated. It's very telling that the linesmaker has Oklahoma favored by this margin against the #1 team in the country, which lends credence to our ratings. Sooners run and pass very well and we're not convinced Clemson can stop either of those two attacks. Oklahoma has faced a much tougher schedule and is peaking at the right time - much like Ohio State did last year en route to a National Championship. Clemson's passing game is for real, but Oklahoma has seen much better passing teams in the Big 12 this year and beat them all with relative ease (Baylor, TCU, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech). Another big factor is Clemson's play away from home, where they have looked far from unbeatable. They barely got past Louisville by three points, and then again at South Carolina by five points. The same North Carolina team that was blown out by Baylor a few days ago played Clemson very tough in the ACC Championship Game, and honestly the Tar Heels were robbed by an awful offsides call at the end of the game when they recovered an onside kick and were set up to make a potential game-tying touchdown drive. All statistical evidence points to an Oklahoma blowout victory, and when factoring in strength of conference to those statistics we like the Sooners even more! 30* 2015-16 CFB Game of the Year Play on Oklahoma.

20* Play on Villanova (-4.5). We really like this Xavier team this year and expect big things from them this season. That being said, this is an awful spot for the Musketeers against an opponent that has had their number of late, and we look for Xavier to suffer their first loss of the season on Thursday afternoon at the hands of Villanova. Wildcats are listed as the favorite here which we view as a trap line set by the linesmaker. Villanova is very good here at home, going a perfect 7-0 straight up (5-1 against the spread) while scoring 81 ppg and only allowing 54 ppg. It's that scoring that will give Xavier trouble here, as they haven't yet faced much adversity this year with only two opponents scoring more than 70 points on them all season long. Villanova knows how to use their home court advantage and control tempo in this building, and was able to beat this Musketeers squad by double digits in all three meetings last season. They are 17-5 against the spread as a home favorite, and as an added bonus they catch Xavier off an extended break (last played on December 22nd), which usually results in sloppy play early. Wildcats end Xavier's perfect record as they start fast and pull away late to an easy win and cover! 20* CBB "Early Equation" Play on Villanova.

20* Play on USC (-3.5). Big Ten and Pac 12 square off in the Holiday Bowl with a couple of good (not great) teams in Wisconsin and USC. We are high on the Big Ten overall this year but not so much on Wisconsin, who's 9-3 record suggests a strong team but they had the great benefit of missing Big Ten powers Michigan, Michigan State,and Ohio State this year. In fact, with losses against Iowa and Northwestern, the Badgers don't own a single victory against a Big Ten team with an overall winning record. Badgers don't have the same type of dominant rushing game they had in recent years, and still lack a credible passing game with a low 229 passing yards per game average. That lack of a passing game negates USC's biggest weakness, which is their secondary, and we're not at all convinced the Badgers will be able to rush the ball on this USC defense. On the other side of the ball, USC's balanced offense should find success against an overrated Wisconsin defense that has been largely untested this season. Wisconsin is only allowing 13 ppg which is why this line is as low as it is, but that speaks more to the quality of competition they have faced this year. Trojans more than capable of exploding offensively having four games with 40 or more points scored. We have much more faith in USC's chances of reaching the end zone on a regular basis and believe Wisconsin is in real trouble if and when they fall behind. Finally, we find the Trojans at a near-perfect 11-1 against the spread following an outright loss, and we look for USC to win this game by a surprising margin! 20* CFB Wednesday "Watch Party" Play on USC.

25* Play on Mississippi State (-6). This is almost entirely a play "against" NC State more than it is "on" Mississippi State, as the Wolfpack have zero quality wins in our eyes and are one of the most unworthy bowl teams this season. After playing a non-conference schedule that would make Baylor envious (Troy, Eastern Kentucky, Old Dominion and South Alabama), they did absolutely nothing against the better teams in an awful ACC Conference this year. Their three conference victories came against Wake Forest, Boston College, and Syracuse - three teams that have a combined three conference victories this season. All five of their losses came by at least a touchdown, and the two good opponents they faced this year (Clemson and North Carolina) they gave up a combined 101 points to. Mississippi State has the type of balanced offense that will give NC State fits and quite honestly we expect this game to get out of hand quickly. We have been down on the SEC this year but the ACC has by far been the worst conference in football, and NC State showed they couldn't compete at that level. No way they can stay close to this Bulldogs offense and we expect this one to be decided in blowout fashion! 25* CFB Wednesday "King's Ransom" Play on Mississippi State.

20* Play on Auburn (-3). The Auburn Tigers have had a dreadful season, starting with a preseason ranking in the Top Ten but finished the year with a 6-6 overall record. And while Auburn has had more than their fair share of problems, we think they match up pretty well in this game against Memphis. Memphis has had a very good year with more than a few breaks go their way, however they stumbled down the stretch losing a ton of confidence and momentum with a three-game losing streak just prior to their final game of the season. Two of those three losses showed the way to beat Memphis, as both Navy and Temple ran all over them and not only scored points on the ground, but also kept the Memphis offense off the field. Auburn can duplicate that type of game plan and while they certainly didn't envision themselves in this bowl game at the start of the season, they do have motivation to play well here and avoid a losing season. This line appears to be somewhat of a trap, with the linesmaker fully expecting the bulk of the action to come in on the underdog. We're not biting, and instead look for Auburn's massive edge in the running game to slow this game down and grind out a tough-fought win and cover! 20* CFB Wednesday "Early Equation" Play on Auburn.

25* Play on LSU (-7). Texas Tech has had the luxury of playing in the Big 12 Conference, where offense is everything and defense is an afterthought. And they have succeeded in that environment, as their offense is built to "out-score" other teams. They have three victories this season where they have allowed 44 or more points. But we don't like the matchup of their "offense-only" style of play against a solid LSU team, even though the Tigers fell apart late in the season. LSU is a rush heavy offense that struggled when defenses were forcing them to throw the ball. They won't need to throw the ball in this game as Texas Tech is giving up 275 rushing yards per game on a whopping 6 yards per carry, and that comes in a pass-heavy conference. When the Red Raiders can't stop the run, their opponent is able to slow the pace down and have a huge edge in time of possession, and that's exactly what we expect to happen here. The best defense Texas Tech faced this season was Oklahoma, and the Sooners had no problem winning big in a 63-27 blowout. LSU is comparable to the Sooners defensively, and they will be able to at least contain Texas Tech in this matchup (although we concede Texas Tech will put up some points). We're not calling for a 36-point margin of victory here, but we would be shocked if the Tigers didn't win this game by double-digits and we'll back LSU at our highest 25* rating! 25* CFB "Black Reign" Play on LSU.

20* Play on Baylor (+3). Bears went from a 2.5-point favorite all the way to a medium-sized underdog in this Russell Athletic Bowl thanks to injuries - most notably the doubtful playing status of backup QB Jarrett Stidham. That means Chris Johnson will get the start under center for Baylor, and we have complete faith in the Baylor offense with Johnson running the show Johnson doesn't have great numbers this year, but he's really only had one game to himself that that was in horrid weather conditions (against TCU). The expected weather forecast for this game (mid-80's, only a 10% chance of rain) leads us to believe Johnson will be just find running this Baylor offense, and after laying an egg in their season finale against Texas (Johnson left that game after just four pass attempts) we expect Baylor to come out and play angry in this game. UNC was the second best team in a very bad conference, and while their offense is formidable their defense is going to get torched here. Tar Heels have not faced an offense like Baylor's (we view Baylor's offense to be better than even #1 Clemson) and to be honest we would be shocked if Baylor had to send their punt unit out more than once all game long. This is a bad matchup for North Carolina and the exact type of game Baylor likes - with both offenses being the deciding factor in the game. Against a different type of opponent we likely would have backed UNC, but not in this game and we look for Baylor to win this one outright by a comfortable margin! 20* CFB Bowl "Watch Party" Play on Baylor.

25* Play on Cincinnati (+3). Both teams will have their backup quarterbacks starting in this pivotal game, and while we've backed Denver behind Osweiler before, we don't like this matchup against a Cincinnati team that is extremely difficult to run on. Osweiler had been able to manage the offense while relying on their running game, but now teams are forcing Denver to throw the ball and they haven't been able to step up to the challenge. The biggest evidence of this is Denver's second half offense, which has not scored a single point in three straight games (outscored 36-0 in the last three second halves). AJ McCarron gets the start in place of an injured Andy Dalton, and he looked good last week in an easy win and cover against the 49ers. Obvious, facing this Denver defense is a much tougher task for the Bengals, but we have much more faith in McCarron passing the ball than we do with Denver. Broncos have lost back-to-back games against Oakland (at home) and Pittsburgh (on the road) and their confidence is clearly evaporating. Bengals are very confident on the road going 6-1 straight up, with that lone loss coming by just three points against a very good Arizona team. In fact, the Bengals have covered the spread in all seven of their road games this season. Not applicable to judge these offenses based on season stats as the loss of Manning and Dalton make those season-long statistics moot. Denver is widely considered the best defense in the league, but Cincinnati is actually giving up fewer ppg defensively than the Broncos, and their biggest weakness (secondary) is an area where we're not sure Denver can take advantage of. Not only does Cincinnati cover this number, but we look for them to win this game outright! 25* NFL "Black Reign" Play on Cincinnati.

20* Play on Navy (-3). This is a true home game for Navy, who has gone 6-0 straight up and 5-1 ATS in home games this season. Pittsburgh has also done very well on the road this year, going 5-1 both SU and ATS in their six road games. We very much like Navy in this contest, however, noting the favorable on-field matchup on both sides of the ball, particularly in the running game. Navy's triple-option rushing attack has worked very well against everyone they've faced, and we expect similar success against the Panthers. Pitt did play on triple-option team this year, when they beat Georgia Tech by three points on the road back in mid-October. And while the Panthers were able to win that game against a down Georgia Tech team, the Yellow Jackets managed to put up 376 yards rushing (and another 106 yards through in the air) - out-gaining Pittsburgh by almost 100 total yards in that contest. On the other side of the ball, Navy's rush defense is very good, and we're not convinced Pitt is good enough to beat them through the air. Navy's two losses this team came against elite offenses in Notre Dame and Houston, and the Panthers are not close to that level of offense. Playing at home will be a boost to this Navy side, and they are playing with extreme confidence after already reaching double-digits in victories before this game kicks off. Pitt has done well away from home but this will be the toughest road opponent they will have faced this year, and we look for Navy to gain control of this one early and cruise to an easy win and cover! 20* CFB Bowl "Early Equation" Play on Navy.

25* Play on Arizona (-5.5). Packers have had their troubles in the second half of the season, and while they enter this game winners of three in a row, the stats tell a different story. Two of those wins came against Detroit and Oakland on the road, where their win against the Lions was thanks to a Haily Mary at the end of the game, and the Raiders actually out-rushed and out-passed the Packers in that game. Now Green Bay travels to Arizona to take on one of the best teams in the league and a very formidable Cardinals offense. Not convinced Packers will be able to "will" themselves to victory - they'll have to earn it on the field. Nobody has been able to put up any meaningful rushing numbers on the Cardinals defense this season, and the loss of WR Jordy Nelson in the preseason has left a big hole in the Packers receiving corps that has resulted in the Packers passing attack being far less effective this year than in previous seasons. Arizona is scoring 12 ppg more than they are allowing on the season, and we fully expect them to win this game with surprising ease. 25* NFL "King's Ransom" Play on Arizona.

20* Play on Atlanta (+7). Panthers are 14-0 and have already clinched their division as well as a first round bye. And while Carolina has literally been unbeatable this season, we think this is a perfect situation for their first outright loss. Panthers have been shaky in their last two road games - against teams with losing records - beating both the Saints and Giants by slim three-point margins. Add in the doubtful playing status of RB Jonathan Stewart to this road divisional rivalry game, and the chances of Atlanta not only covering this big spread but scoring an outright upset win is pretty good. Falcons have been playing far below their potential in the second half of the season, but they finally stopped the bleeding with a win last Sunday - ending a long six-game losing skid and an even longer nine-game ATS losing streak. They do have the type of passing offense that can score against the Panthers - something both the Giants and Saints were able to do when they nearly pulled upsets on their home fields. And while Carolina just shut out these Falcons 38-0 two weeks ago, that lopsided score will have the Falcons in a big revenge spot from that embarrassing loss. We know this won't be a popular play, but that just proves how much line value we are getting here, with the average sports bettor all over the undefeated Panthers this Sunday. 20* NFL "3-Game Power Pack" Play on Atlanta.

20* Play on Buffalo (-6). We've faded the Cowboys a number of times this season as their offense has been simply dreadful without QB Tony Romo under center, and we'll go back to the well one more time this Sunday as the Cowboys visit Buffalo. Bills offense gas been pretty consistent in the second half of the year, scoring at least 20 points in eight of their last nine games. We think 20 points again this week is more than enough to cover this number. Cowboys were held to 16 points last week - the fourth consecutive game Dallas failed to reach the 20-point plateau. Whatever confidence and Dallas had last week is now gone as their slim playoff hopes were evaporated, and reality has now set in on this four-win team. Turnovers have also been a big problem for Dallas this year - not a big surprise considering their quarterback issues, and this is exactly the type of motivational spot (on the road, eliminated from playoff contention, and near the end of the season) where focus begins to be an issue - leading to even more turnovers. Bills rushing offense matches up very favorably against a Cowboys team that gave up 230 yards on the ground in their previous road game (Green Bay), and we fully expect Buffalo to have a big edge in time of possession as a direct result. Bills dominate the ground game and pull away in the second half to an easy win and cover! 20* NFL "3-Game Power Pack" Play on Buffalo.

20* Play on Houston (-3.5). Even with Brian Hoyer out and Brandon Weeden getting the start for the Texans, we really like their chances of winning easily this Sunday on the road at Tennessee. Texans beat the Colts in Indy last week, so a win here coupled with a Colts loss will have Houston secure the division and a postseason berth. Weeden went 11-18 for 105 yards and a touchdown (no interceptions) after he came in late and won that game for Houston, which is a huge confidence boost for the quarterback who was cut from Dallas earlier this year. He'll face an extremely weak secondary this week, as Tennessee has been continuously torched through the air all season long, and this defense has zero confidence after allowing 30+ points in each of their last three games. Houston had no problem beating Tennessee in the first matchup this season, winning 20-6 at home (as a 3.5-point favorite) and setting a franchise record as they sacked Zach Mettenberger seven times in that victory. Titans only managed 211 yards of offense total in that game, and Mettenberger will get the start again in this game with Mariota still out. Tennessee actually has every motivation to lose this game, as they are currently slated for the #1 overall pick on the NFL draft as long as they lose their last two. Everything points to an easy Houston win, based on the stats from the first matchup and the differing motivational factors for both sides. Also, with Weeden under center we are getting great line value, and we'll lay the small price expecting Houston to win and cover easily! 20* NFL "3-Game Power Pack" Play on Houston.

20* Play on Cleveland (-7). Cavs fell short yesterday in their big matchup at Golden State, and while Cleveland lost the game outright they did score a moral victory by holding the Warriors to 89 points scored. The problem is that Cleveland suffered their worst offensive game of the season, scoring just 83 points and shot 31.6% from the floor - both season-low's. The good news for the Cavs is that they face a bad Portland defense one night later, and we'll back Cleveland to immediately rebound with a convincing win and cover tonight. Since Iman Shumpert rejoined the active roster a few games back, Cleveland has played much better going 5-1 both straight up and ATS. Kyrie Irving is also getting back into playing shape and Cleveland's back court is nearly back to 100%. Those two player returns have boosted the confidence of this team overall and taken pressure off of LeBron James, who no longer has to shoulder the bulk of the scoring load. Blazers have lost five straight and are in a motivational letdown spot here playing their first home game after an extended road trip - a situation we seek out and have used successfully a few times already this season. Blazers have allowed 100+ points in seven straight games, and we expect the Cavs offense to get back on track playing with a little more motivation than usual coming off their season-low offensive effort yesterday. 20* NBA "Vegas Inferno" Play on Cleveland.

20* Play on Washington State (-2.5). While both of these teams come into this game with identical 8-4 records, we view Washington State as a team on the rise and that record came in a much tougher Pac 12 Conference than Miami's ACC. Washington State has been a bad team for quite a while, but head coach Mike Leach has now had a few years at Washington State to implement his offense and things are looking bright for the Cougars. WSU has quality wins against Oregon, Arizona, and UCLA - all on the road - as well as Arizona State and home and nearly upset Stanford as well (lost by just two points). On the other side, the Hurricanes couldn't keep up with the quality foes they faced, and the top two teams in the conference completely destroyed Miami as the Hurricanes lost to Clemson and North Carolina by a combined 96 points! WSU's passing offense has put up big yardage on everyone they've faced, and while their running game is suspect this Miami rush defense hasn't stopped a single FBS team all year long. Not nearly as much confidence in Miami's offense as we have in WSU's, and in fact the Hurricanes are in a horrible motivational spot after losing their head coach. Mike Leach was named Coach of the Year in the Pac 12 and he finishes strong as the Cougars win this one going away! 20* CFB "Early Equation" Play on Washington State.

20* Play on Oakland (-5.5). While both of these teams don't have any hope for playoff contention, we do like the way Oakland has played this season, and they are still playing for a confidence-boosting .500 record. Raiders won by a comfortable eight-point margin the first time these teams met up - with that Oakland victory coming as a 3.5-point road underdog. This is only the second time all season Oakland will take their home field as the favorite, and we expect them to dominate this game from beginning to end. Raiders proved they are playing hard to the end in their outright win at Denver two weeks ago, and while San Diego was also victorious last week they have yet to win back-to-back games all season long. Chargers just 1-5 away from home this season being outscored by an average of 6 ppg in those road contests, and they have been wildly inconsistent on offense of late. In their last five games, they have either been held to just three points total (three times) or reached 30 (scored 30 points last week and 31 points vs. Jacksonville). Don't believe we'll see the "good" Chargers offense here noting Oakland hasn't allowed a 300-yard passing effort in six straight games, and the Chargers rush offense has been horrible all year long. Also, the Chargers are 0-3 both straight up and ATS after exploding for 30+ points in their previous game this season. Raiders have the big motivational edge, the obvious confidence after already beating them handily on the road earlier this season, and the matchup advantages on both sides of the ball. All adds up to an easy win and cover by the home side Thursday night! 20* NFL Thursday Night Thunder Play on Oakland.

20* Play on Western Michigan (-4.5). The Mid American Conference has looked good so far, with Ohio U staying within two points of Appalachian State (covered as a seven-point underdog), and outright underdog victories by both Akron (+7 vs. Utah State) and Toledo (beat #24 Temple by 15 points as a two-point underdog). (Note: this handicapping report was written prior to Wednesday's games.) We are going to back the MAC on Thursday afternoon at an early Noon ET kickoff as we love the value we are getting with a vastly underrated WMU squad. Broncos are 7-5 on the season, but a closer look at the schedule reveals they went through an incredibly tough road to get here. Two of those five losses came against Michigan State and Ohio State - two of the powers of the Big Ten (as well as nationally) and Western Michigan covered the spread in both of those games. The other three losses came against fellow bowl teams Georgia Southern, as well as the top two teams in the MAC - Bowling Green and Northern Illinois. Not one bad loss for Western Michigan in that list, and they do have confidence after upsetting 35-30 on the road to close the regular season. Middle Tennessee State played a far easier schedule, and while we admit their offense will do some damage in this game, we believe Western Michigan's offense will have a far easier time. Added benefit of watching fellow MAC squad Akron win their first-eve bowl game will have this team extra motivated as they, too, have never won a bowl game in their program's history. They did play in a bowl game last year, so they aren't "just happy to be here" as the saying goes. This time they win! 20* CFB Thursday "High Noon Showdown" Play on Western Michigan.

20* Play on Atlanta (-5). Massive letdown spot for the Pistons on Wednesday night, coming in to this matchup off back-to-back outright wins against Chicago (won in four overtimes) and then last night at Miami (defense stand at the end led to a one-point victory). Not only does back-to-back outright victories tend to lead to a motivational letdown, but having to play tonight's game with travel and without rest is another big edge to the home side. Playing the second leg of back-to-back games tends to affect the defense more than anything, and with Detroit already allowing 101 ppg on the road this season we expect Atlanta to have a very good showing offensively tonight. Hawks are finally gaining momentum winning four straight games where they have scored a minimum of 103 points, and they should play with a little more edge tonight as this is a revenge spot from their season-opening home loss to the Pistons back on October. All signs point to a blowout here and we'll lay the reasonable number looking for Atlanta to take this one by a double-digit margin! 20* NBA "Blowout Demolition" Play on Atlanta.

20* Play on Bowling Green (-7). Two completely different offensive styles clash on Wednesday night as triple-option Georgia Southern takes on up-tempo, spread attack Bowling Green in the GoDaddy.com Bowl. We love backing triple-option teams under the right circumstances, but this is not one of them and instead we'll lay the points with the Falcons. Georgia Southern will gain some yardage and find the endzone a few times here, but Bowling Green's main weakness defensively is the secondary and the Eagles offense isn't built to take advantage. On the other side of the ball, Bowling Green is averaging 43 points per game and has scored on everyone they've faced (minimum of 28 points scored this year). Even more impressive is how they have played away from home, going 7-1 straight up with road wins against Maryland and Purdue from the Big Ten, a 14-point win against a rush-heavy Western Michigan team, and a 20-point win vs. Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship Game. BG had a much tougher overall schedule than the Eagles and still are the better team statistically. Falcons have yet to show mercy at any point this year with eight double-digit victories, and we fully expect another double-digit win and cover on Wednesday night by the better team! 20* CFB Bowl "Watch Party" Play on Bowling Green.

20* Play on Boise State (-7.5). While we do like with Northern Illinois did in an underrated MAC Conference this season, the simple fact that the Huskies have not played well since quarterback Drew Hare was lost for the season with injury leads us to believe they won't be able to hang with a very good offensive Boise State team. Broncos are not near the same caliber of when this program was at it's peak a few years ago, but they are still putting up 38 points per game and their balanced offensive attack matches up very well against this Northern Illinois defense. Huskies lost their last two games of the season - an outright home loss vs. Ohio U as a big 11-point favorite and then a 20-point loss against Bowling Green on a neutral field in the MAC Championship Game. Huskies gave up well over 200 yards rushing in both of those losses and their secondary has really been their main weakness on either side of the ball all year long, so Boise State should be able to hit their scoring average of upper-30's in this contest. On the other side of the ball, UNI's offense has really fallen off since Hare went down, with the passing game losing much of it's credibility and defenses bringing up more players to stop the run as a result, which has obviously led to their running game being far less effective. Under different circumstances we may have looked to back the Huskies in this matchup, but with Hare still out we very much like the Broncos and their highly favorable offensive advantage. 20* CFB Bowl "Early Equation" Winner on Boise State.

20* Play on San Antonio (-8.5). Spurs home dominance continued on Friday night with an eight-point win and cover - a remarkable feat considering the Clippers were able to make 50% of their shot attempts. That 50% shooting number is way higher than the norm for the Spurs, who are only allowing 88 ppg on 47% shooting here at home over the full course of the season. As it stands, San Antonio is now a perfect 15-0 straight up here at home going a profitable 11-4 against the spread. We very much like the matchup against an Indiana team that owns a losing 6-7 record on the road, and who is far less effective defensively allowing 102 points per contest in those 13 road contests. Pacers were stymied against another good defense on the road in their previous game, scoring just 84 points in a 12-point defeat at Memphis on Saturday night. We look for similar type of offensive effort from the visitor here as the Pacers fall to 2-12 ATS after playing four or more consecutive games as the favorite. 20* NBA "Blowout Demolition" Play on San Antonio.

20* Play on Toronto (-5). Sacramento had won three straight games on their home court against Utah, New York, and Houston, but then lost that momentum on Friday night with yet another road loss - this time losing outright as a small favorite at Minnesota. Kings have been awful on the road this year going just 2-9 straight up and have dropped each of their last four road contests. We'll look for that road losing streak to continue to tonight and we'll back Toronto to not only win, but win by a comfortable margin. Raptors are a respectable 8-4 here at home but the main stat we like for this specific matchup is the home scoring, which rises to 102 ppg - and coupled with Sacramento's awful 111 ppg allowed in road games gives us confidence the Raptors will have a great offensive showing here and cover this number with ease. Raptors were a similarly-priced five-point home favorite against Sacramento last year and won that game in a 119-102 blowout. We look for a similar type of final score this time around as Toronto moves to 11-2 ATS playing with revenge! 20* NBA "Blowout Demolition" Play on Toronto.

25* Play on Pittsburgh (-6.5). Linesmakers have set a trap with this line and are begging for action the visitor, but we know better and we'll lay the points with Pittsburgh at home at our highest 25* rating. Steelers are battling for their playoff lives but are treated with much respect by the sportsbooks - in fact they are the second choice to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl behind New England despite not even being a playoff team based on current standings. That speaks volumes about where Pittsburgh stands with Big Ben back under center, and if last week's 13-point road win at playoff-bound Cincinnati was any indication, this team is poised for a big late-season push. Broncos offense was stymied in the second half and lost outright at home against Oakland last week, a huge loss in confidence for this team that is still missing QB Peyton Manning and the Broncos were unable to find the end zone for the duration of that game. Much tougher defense here and Oakland proved that if Denver can't run the ball, QB Brock Osweiler isn't going to lead the team down the field through the air. Pittsburgh has now covered the spread in each of their last December games and have all the motivation in the world here at home to win big and move into a playoff spot. 25* NFL "Clash of the Titans" Play on Pittsburgh.

20* Play on Utah (-2.5). Utes have been kind to us this year both when we have backed them (Oregon) and faded them (USC), and we'll go ahead and back Utah on Saturday to get to ten wins on the season in the Las Vegas Bowl against BYU. Favorable on-field matchup for the Utes against a BYU team that lost their starting quarterback early in the season. Cougars have done well to win nine games themselves and their passing game hasn't dropped off much after losing starting quarterback Taysom Hill, but Hill's ability to rush the ball was a big loss for the BYU offense. No surprise that BYU lost both games against the better rush defenses they faced - getting shut out against Michigan and then falling to Missouri. Utah's rush defense is underrated and the statistical matchup between these two defenses does not portray an accurate picture since Utah faced a much better slate of competitors in the Pac 12. Utah lost momentum in the second half of the season after losing their first game of the season at USC (was ranked #3 in the country heading into that game) but the extra time off and a chance for a ten-win season will have this team properly motivated. We give Utah a sizeable edge on both sides of the ball (BYU does have the advantage in the passing game, however), and should dominate time of possession with their rushing attack. With their running game working, Utah will be able to use play-action to find success through the air as well. This line doesn't accurately depict how much better Utah is, and we fully expect the Utes to win this game with ease! 20* CFB Bowl "Watch Party" Play on Utah.

25* Play on Kentucky (-10). For the last several years, Ohio State has built their basketball program around one start player with a better-than-average support cast around that player with pretty good success. This year, the Buckeyes lack that star power and have really struggled - going just 5-5 straight up with a pair of embarrassing losses at home against Louisiana Tech and Texas Arlington (was an 18.5-point favorite in that game). Star power is never a concern in Kentucky, and we give the Wildcats a sizable advantage in just about every statistical category we care about in this matchup. Buckeyes have played two games away from their home court this year, losing outright as a small favorite against Memphis on a neutral court and then getting crushed by 20 points at Connecticut in their only true road game of the season. This game will be played on a neutral court at the Barclays Center (Brooklyn, NY), but the crows should be decisively backing the Wildcats as they are the marquee team most people will have paid their money to see play. We expect Kentucky to have learned from their mistakes in their lone defeat this season - coming on the road at UCLA - where they delivered a season-worst effort both in shooting percentage and shooting percentage allowed. Buckeyes have not yet won or covered a game in which they were listed as anything less than a double-digit favorite, and the country doesn't yet know how much of a down year it really is for the Buckeyes. Kentucky wins this one in an absolute blowout! 25* CBB "Black Reign" Play on Kentucky.

20* Play on San Antonio (-7.5). We've mentioned before how the Spurs have been helped by all the media attention focusing in on Golden State's red hot run, and not much attention has been paid to San Antonio who has been nearly as dominant. With a 22-5 straight up record, the Spurs are practically even with the Warriors in terms of points per game differential, with most of that damage coming here on their home court. Spurs are a perfect 14-0 here at home, winning those games by an average of 17 points per game. We'll back them to win by a big margin once again on Friday night as they face a LA Clippers team that faced them in the playoffs last year. Clippers have just been "average" on the road this year, going 6-5, and have not played well defensively allowing 103 ppg. This is the area where the Spurs have a big advantage, as they are comparable to the Clippers in terms of offensive production, but are vastly superior on the defensive end of the court allowing only 88 ppg on the season, 86 ppg here at home, and less than 42% shooting in both scenarios. Also a bad scheduling spot for the Clippers who are playing in their seventh city over their last seven games, with six more road games in their next seven games total after tonight. All signs point towards another San Antonio blowout and we'll back them expecting just that! 20* NBA "Streak Extender" Play on San Antonio.

20* Play on Tampa Bay (+2.5). While the Bucs ended a five-game losing streak last week with a home win against the Detroit Lions, we're not all that impressed with that home victory against a bad Lions team and we note the Rams were out-gained in total yardage in that victory. Glad to take the points with what we consider to be the better team in this matchup and we fully expect Tampa Bay to win this game outright. We've noted before how the Ram are a one-dimensional offensive team, relying almost entirely on their running game but here they face a Tampa defense that has held three straight foes to under 100 yards rushing - allowing 27 yards vs. the Colts, 64 yards vs. the Falcons, and 87 yards vs. the Saints in the last three weeks. And while the Bucs don't have much hope for making the postseason, they have been playing much better in the second half of the season including three wins in their last five games (two of them coming in the underdog role) and they haven't lost back-to-back games since the first weekend of October. St. Louis defense doesn't present any matchup challenges for the visitor while we don't believe the Rams offense will be able to do much on the ground against the Bucs, and therefore struggle offensively throughout this game. Tampa Bay take this one outright! 20* NFL Thursday Night Showdown Play on Tampa Bay.

20* Play on Cleveland (-2). This is the first meeting of these teams this season after the Cavs knocked Boston out of the playoffs last spring in a 4-0 series sweep. You may recall Cleveland forward Kevin Love was injured in the final game of that series, and we expect the Cavs to remember that injury very well and play with a little more motivation than usual in this first meeting since that time. We backed the Cavs in their previous game - a 111-76 blowout on the road at Orlando noting Cleveland is finally starting to get healthy again. Starting guard Iman Shumpert finally returned to the lineup for the first time this year in that blowout win against the Magic, and while his offense is welcome, it's his defense that this team was sorely lacking. Kyrie Irving will also be back on the floor any day now (possibly even tonight) and the Cavs motivation is currently at a season-high. Cavs proved they were the superior team in their 4-0 series sweep, and are now on the verge of going on an extended winning run with their starting back court on the verge of playing. We expect the Cavs to continue their rejuvenated play which saw them put up a season-best 57% shooting percentage while holding Orlando under 40% shooting their most recent time out. Boston likes to play fast but doesn't shoot very well, making only 44% of their shots this season. Cavs have a huge edge offensively in this matchup, and with Shumpert back on the court the Cavs defense is much better than their season-stats show. Cavs take this one in a blowout! 20* NBA "Blowout Demolition" Play on Cleveland.

25* Play on Green Bay (-7). Cowboys pulled a surprising upset on Monday Night, scoring a key game-winning drive in the final minute to win on the road at Washington and keep their slim playoff hopes alive. We don't believe they'll be as fortunate this Sunday, however, and we'll fade the Cowboys at our highest 25* rating looking for Green Bay to win this game by a blowout winning margin. Packers have had extra rest prior to this game after winning in Detroit on Thursday on a miracle Hail Mary completion on the final play of the game. And while the method of victory surely wasn't impressive, that kind of win is exactly the type of thing that can jump start a good team that hasn't yet been playing up to potential. Packers are in a good spot now with an 8-4 record and winnable games the next two weeks (home vs. Dallas and then playing at Oakland next week), and we look for the Packers to come out hungry as they surge towards the playoffs. Even with last week's win, we are still not yet sold on this Cowboys offense without Romo leading the charge, and they are not currently equipped to take advantage of Green Bay's defensive weakness which is their secondary. This line is much lower than it should be with the main reason being Dallas being able to win on Monday night in front of a national audience. On-field matchups heavily favor the home side on both sides of the ball, and we'll back Green Bay to take this one by double-digits! 25* NFL "King's Ransom" Play on Green Bay.

20* Play on Denver (-7.5). We backed the Broncos last week in their easy 17-3 win and cover against San Diego, and we'll back to to win by an even bigger margin this week at home against another division rival. Oakland has made great strides this year but has trailed off recently with four losses in their last five games overall. Raiders have improved offensively but still have work to do on the defensive end of the field. That presents a bad matchup for the Raiders this week as their offense takes on what we consider to be the best defense in the league. Denver didn't do anything to change our minds last week, holding San Diego to just 3 points total while allowing 93 yards rushing, 179 yards passing, and forcing three turnovers. Oakland doesn't have much of a running game and will have to rely on their passing game to move the ball, but we don't like their chances against this Denver secondary. On the other side of the ball, Broncos are gaining confidence every week behind quarterback Brock Osweiler who continues to impress after taking over for an injured Peyton Manning. The Broncos running game has also come alive since Manning went down, having three straight games with 130+ yards rushing. Denver has a good home field advantage here going 4-1 straight up including a win against previous unbeaten teams in Green Bay and New England back when both teams were at their peak. Moving up in the playoff seeding has this Broncos squad with even more motivation to play well as they are now battling for a first-round bye. All signs point to another blowout and we'll back Denver to win this one big! 20* NFL "Blowout Demolition" Play on Denver.

20* Play on San Francisco (+2). Absolutely no reason for Cleveland to be listed as the favorite against anyone - even on their home field. Not only is this team's quarterback situation a complete circus, but they have every incentive NOT to win, as they are currently on track for the #1 selection in the upcoming NFL draft - which is theirs for the taking as long as they don't win any more games. After being demoted to the third string from yet another off-field distraction, Johnny Manziel is back to being the starter, but that's not a good thing for the Browns. Manziel has ability when scrambling, but offers little else in terms of what you would expect from the quarterback position. Cleveland's defense hasn't been good, either, allowing 30+ points in each of their last five games. 49ers have not been good this season under any circumstances, but since making a change at quarterback they have been far more competitive, even winning two of their last four games outright (both as underdogs). The main difference between these teams is the fact that San Francisco is clearly trying to win, while the Browns continue to find new ways to lose. We understand the linesmaker installing the Browns as a favorite because of home field advantage, but the Browns are only 1-5 straight up and 1-4-1 against the spread on their home field, and don't deserve a three-point credit for playing here. 49ers not only win this game outright, but win convincingly! 20* NFL Underdog of the Month Play on San Francisco.

20* Play on San Antonio (-3). If not for Golden State's incredible run to start the season, all the early-season praise would be coming down on San Antonio who owns the league's second-best record at 19-5 and are +12.7 in points per game differential. But because Golden State is getting all the attention, San Antonio is flying under the radar - so it's not surprising they are a profitable 15-9 against the spread this season. Tonight they play with travel and without rest as the take on the Hawks in Atlanta, and due to this game being the second of back-to-back nights, we are getting excellent line value with the favorite. Rest really isn't an issue for the Spurs, as they blew out the Lakers last night by 22 points and didn't need to exert all of their energy in that victory. In fact, the Spurs are a perfect 3-0 straight up and ATS in the second night of back-to-back spots this year - with one of those games being a big 20-point blowout win and cover against these Hawks. Both of these teams have similar offensive numbers but the Spurs are far and away the better defensively club, allowing 11 ppg fewer on the season. Last night's blowout margin takes away any rest issues and the better team wins easily tonight! 20* NBA Non-Conference Game of the Month on San Antonio.

20* Play on Xavier (-4.5). On a big Saturday of College Hoops action this Cincinnati vs. Xavier matchup is the only game involving two teams ranked in the Top 25. Xavier has been flying under the radar since the start of the year, and after what we expect to be a signature home win against the Bearcats we don't think we'll be able to get good line value on the Musketeers after today. Not only is Xavier unbeaten after nine games, but they have won all nine of those contests by at least nine points. And that's not against a weak non-conference schedule - they have already beat four teams from Power 5 Conferences including a 16-point road win at Michigan, who was ranked in the Top 25 at the time. Bearcats don't have the quality wins Xavier has, and while their 8-1 record in impressive they lost some confidence when they fell against Butler on their home court last week. This is just the second true road game of the season for Cincinnati, and we don't like the matchup against an Xavier side that is allowing under 40% shooting on the year against a credible lineup of opponents. Both teams overall stats seem similar, but when factoring in strength of opponent the Musketeers have a big edge on the defensive end of the court. Home court advantage also comes in to play, and all signs point towards the X-Men coming through with a big win and cover! 20* CBB "Blowout Demolition" Play on Xavier.

20* Play on Oklahoma City (-3.5). We backed the Thunder a few nights ago in their 37-point blowout road win at Memphis, and we look for Oklahoma City to win by another huge blowout margin tonight in Utah. Jazz have seen their scoring output soar lately, putting up 106 ppg in their last five (also allowing 105 ppg in that span) which is far above their season average of 98 ppg (allowing 96 ppg on the season). When teams are scoring at a much higher pace than usual, they are taken out of their comfort zone and typically don't play as well at the defensive end of the floor (putting more emphasis on the offensive end). It's not wonder, then, and the Jazz have allowed as many points as they have recently. In comes an up-tempo Oklahoma City team that is the perfect opponent to take advantage of this situation. The linesmaker hasn't learned his lesson from the first meeting between these two teams, which also took place here in Utah when the Jazz were listed as a small 2.5-point home favorite but lost outright by 22 points. And while we're not calling for another 20+ point victory by the visitor, we do expect another comfortable blowout win by the Thunder tonight as they move to 15-3 ATS after playing 5+ games as a favorite! 20* NBA "Blowout Demolition" Play on Oklahoma City.

20* Play on Cleveland (-3). While we can't divulge the exact specifics of our "Secret System", we can tell you that it involves playing against teams in their first game back home after an extended road trip. Orlando fits this "play against" system, and we'll fade the Magic as they host Cleveland. We liked the Cavs before even running through our NBA systems, as they are in a great motivational spot - not only tonight but in the foreseeable future. Cavs have been treading water from the start of the season waiting for their back court to get healthy, and both Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert are traveling on this trip and will be in action soon - perhaps as early as tonight. The fact that the Cavs have been able to get up to the top of the Eastern Conference standings without their starting back court speaks volumes about the depth of this team, and they will certainly get better once those players are back to 100%. The motivational boost comes from their long-awaited return right around the corner, and we expect one of the worst ATS teams in the league to improve immediately. If anything, Cleveland's poor ATS record has us getting great line value backing them now. Adding in the "play-against" system active tonight, and we look for the Cavs to win this one in a blowout! 20* NBA "Secret System" Play on Cleveland.