At 8:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Alabama Crimson Tide (254) minus the points versus the Oklahoma Sooners (253). Alabama (13-0) won the SEC Championship Game back on December 1st with their 35-28 win over Georgia as an 11-point favorite. Oklahoma (12-1) won the Big 12 Championship Game with their 39-27 win versus Texas as a 9.5-point favorite. These two teams meeting in Miami, Florida in the Orange Bowl for the second Semifinals showdown in the College Football Playoff.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CRIMSON TIDE MINUS THE POINTS: The Sooners were playing with revenge on their minds when facing the Longhorns to begin this month — but I suspect they get exposed tonight for their subpar play on defense. Oklahoma allows 32.4 PPG which is 96th in the nation along with 448.1 total YPG which is 108th in the nation. Over their last three games, the team has not improved as they have surrendered 41.0 PPG along with an incredible 555.0 total YPG. In their six games on the road this year, the Sooners have given up 472.8 YPG. The team’s lack of competent safeties has consistently burned them all season — they rank 129th in the nation by giving up 291.4 passing YPG. This team allowed their opponents to average +31 YPG above their season average. These are very ominous signs when considering that they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread win. The theory for Oklahoma backers is that they will simply outscore Bama in this game. Heisman Trophy winner Kyle Murray led the nation’s number one statistical offense in the nation — and he passed for 379 yards in their win over Texas. But the Sooners have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after passing for at least 325 yards in their last game. Murray may not have his best target available — or at full strength — given the foot injury to Marquise Brown that he suffered in the Big 12 Championship that did not look very encouraging at the time. These circumstances are not encouraging given that this is a football team that has is just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. Oklahoma has also failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 21 bowl games — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games played on a neutral field. Furthermore, the Sooners have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games against SEC opponents. Alabama played their closest game of the season in their comeback win over the Bulldogs. Head coach Nick Saban typically gets his team to respond with a strong effort after a game where he can show them the bad game tape. The Crimson Tide have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road game after a narrow victory of 7 points or less against a conference rival. The theory that Oklahoma will simply outscore Bama has to account for the fact that the Tide are the second-best scoring team in the nation by putting up 47.9 PPG — and they rank 5th in the nation by averaging 527.6 total YPG. When Alabama plays outside Tuscaloosa, they see their offensive production rise to them scoring 50.0 PPG while averaging 533.0 total YPG. This team averaged +155 YPG more than what their opponents allowed on average this season which was the third-best mark in the nation. The Crimson Tide did allow 454 yards against Georgia — but they have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after allowing at least 450 yards in their last contest. Alabama did take a step back on defense this season after losing eight starters along with their top six defensive backs from last year’s National Championship team. But this remains a unit loaded with blue-chippers (as opposed to Oklahoma) who should benefit from the extra week of bowl practices. The Crimson Tide have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Alabama has suspended a few players — but they have the depth on the offensive line to sustain those losses for this game. Tua Tagovailoa seems to be 80-85% with his foot injury that he suffered against Georgia. I would worry about these issues more if they were playing a better defensive unit. Jaylen Hurts proved in the SEC Championship Game that he is willing and able to provide this team a spark if Tagovailoa is not effective. Ultimately, I think the Alabama defense will be able to generate at least some defensive stops — and I don’t think Oklahoma can slow down the Tide’s powerful offense. 25* CFB Playoff Game of the Year with the Alabama Crimson Tide (254) minus the points versus the Oklahoma Sooners (253). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Oklahoma Sooners (253) and the Alabama Crimson Tide (254). THE SITUATION: Notre Dame (12-0) closed out their perfect regular season with their 24-17 win at USC as a 13.5-point favorite back on November 24th. Clemson (13-0) won the ACC Championship Game on December 1st with their 42-10 win against Pittsburgh as a 27-point favorite. These two teams meet in Dallas’ AT&T Stadium in the Cotton Bowl which serves as a proxy for the College Football Semifinals.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Sooners have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 straight games Over the Total after a point spread victory. Oklahoma generated 508 yards in that contest with the Longhorns — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after gaining at least 405 yards in their last contest. The Sooners led the nation by scoring 49.5 PPG while also leading the FBS with an average of 577.9 total YPG. They also led the country by averaging +196 YPG above their opponent’s defensive YPG average this season. QB Kyle Murray fits the prototype of the quarterback that has given Nick Saban’s defense fits over the years with his dual-threat capabilities. He passed for over 4000 yards while averaging 11.9 Yards-Per-Passing attempt. The Heisman Trophy winner rushed for 943 yards with 642 of those yards accounted for from designed running plays where he averaged 7.2 Yards-Per-Carry. Texas A&M’s QB Kellen Mond rushed for 129 yards against the Bama defense with 92 of those yards coming from designed plays earlier this season. But the bigger defensive concerns below to the Sooners. Oklahoma allows 32.4 PPG which is 96th in the nation along with 448.1 total YPG which is 108th in the nation. Over their last three games, the team has not improved as they have surrendered 41.0 PPG along with an incredible 555.0 total YPG. In their six games on the road this year, the Sooners have given up 472.8 YPG. The team’s lack of competent safeties has consistently burned them all season — they rank 129th in the nation by giving up 291.4 passing YPG. This team allowed their opponents to average +31 YPG above their season average. Oklahoma has paled 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams outside the Big 12. Alabama’s defense looked vulnerable against a Georgia team that generated 454 yards against them. The Crimson Tide have seen the Over go 9-4-1 in their last 14 games after allowing at least 450 yards in their last game. The Tide are the second-best scoring team in the nation by putting up 47.9 PPG — and they rank 5th in the nation by averaging 527.6 total YPG. When Alabama plays outside Tuscaloosa, they see their offensive production rise to them scoring 50.0 PPG while averaging 533.0 total YPG. This team averaged +155 YPG more than what their opponents allowed on average this season which was the third-best mark in the nation. The Crimson Tide have played 4 straight games Over the Total against teams outside the SEC. Alabama has also played 11 of their last 15 bowl games Over the Total — and they have seen the Over go 20-5-2 in their last 27 games played on a neutral field.

FINAL TAKE: The Total set is at Big 12 level heights in the high-70s which is not uncommon for Oklahoma games. Alabama has a better offense than what the Sooners have seen all season. The pressure to continue scoring creates a self-fulfilling prophecy — expect a wild high-scoring game. 10* CFB Oklahoma-Alabama ESPN O/U Special with Over the Total in the game between the Oklahoma Sooners (253) and the Alabama Crimson Tide (254). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (255) plus the points versus the Clemson Tigers (256). THE SITUATION: Notre Dame (12-0) closed out their perfect regular season with their 24-17 win at USC as a 13.5-point favorite back on November 24th. Clemson (13-0) won the ACC Championship Game on December 1st with their 42-10 win against Pittsburgh as a 27-point favorite. These two teams meet in Dallas’ AT&T Stadium in the Cotton Bowl which serves as a proxy for the College Football Semifinals.

REASONS TO TAKE THE FIGHTING IRISH PLUS THE POINTS: Notre Dame has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a win on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. This is a team that raised their level of play on offense when head coach Brian Kelly elevated sophomore Ian Book to be his starting quarterback as he completed 70% of his passes while averaging 8.84 Yards-Per-Passing Attempt to give the offense a legitimate deep threat. Clemson has been vulnerable against vertical passing attacks — they have allowed Texas A&M to pass for 430 yards against them along with South Carolin to pass for 510 yards. The Irish have the size in the wide receiving corps with 6’4 Miles Boykin, 6’4 Chase Claypool and tight end Alize Mack all have size advantages over a smaller Clemson secondary. The Irish have averaged at 462 Yards-Per-Game in three straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after gaining at least 450 yards in three straight games. Notre Dame is ab outstanding defensive team that ranked 10th in the nation by allowing only 17.3 PPG — and they also ranked 20th in the FBS by giving up just 331.5 total YPG. This team has not allowed an opponent to score more than 27 points all season. The key to their efforts has been to minimize big plays — they gave up only five plays that accounted for more than 40 yards this season. They also have a stout run defense that limits their opponents to just 3.7 Yards-Per-Carry. Notre Dame has covered the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games when playing on a neutral field. Clemson has covered the point spread in six of their last eight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after covering the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. They have rushed for 301 and 350 yards in their last two games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after rushing for at least 300 yards in two straight games. Their defense did hold Pittsburgh to an incredible 8 passing yards in the ACC Championship Game — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after not allowing more than 170 passing yards in their last game. That unit will miss Dexter Lawrence after the 340-lb defensive tackle was suspended for this game for a positive PED test. Moving forward, the Tigers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games against opponents outside the ACC — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games when playing on a neutral field laying 10.5 to 14 points.

FINAL TAKE: Notre Dame has played a challenging schedule this season and answered the bell every time. Their good defense, as well as their advantage with the height of their receiving targets, should help them keep this game very close. 10* CFB Notre Dame-Clemson ESPN Special with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (255) plus the points versus the Clemson Tigers (256). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (255) and the Clemson Tigers (256). THE SITUATION: Notre Dame (12-0) closed out their perfect regular season with their 24-17 win at USC as a 13.5-point favorite back on November 24th. Clemson (13-0) won the ACC Championship Game on December 1st with their 42-10 win against Pittsburgh as a 27-point favorite. These two teams meet in Dallas’ AT&T Stadium in the Cotton Bowl which serves as a proxy for the College Football Semifinals.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Tigers have won three straight games by at least three touchdowns — and they have played 22 of their last 30 games Under the Total after winning at least their last two games by 21 points. They also have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Clemson once again boasts an outstanding defense that ranks 2nd in the nation by allowing 13.7 PPG while also ranking 3rd in the FBS by only giving up 276.7 total YPG. Those defensive numbers drop to 12.8 PPG and 252.0 YPG allowed in their six games played away from home. The Tigers are going to make things very difficult for this Irish offense. Clemson leads the nation by pressuring the quarterback in 45.8% of opponent passing plays. They also rank tops in the country by limiting opposing rushers to just 0.9 Yards-Per-Carry before delivering the first hit on the runner. Notre Dame has relied on clean holes from their offensive line as they average 2.5 Yards-Per-Carry before their rusher is hit which ranks 37th in the nation. While the Clemson will be without defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence for this game as he was suspended for this contest for positive PED test, their defensive line is loaded with talent and depth. This group should be even more ferocious with the extra rest and preparation — and this team has played 29 of their last 41 games Under the Total when playing with two or more weeks of rest. The Tigers do have a dynamic offense that became more powerful when freshman Trevor Lawrence took over under center early in the season. Clemson has scored 98 points over their last two games — but they have played 15 of their last 17 games Under the Total after scoring at least 42 points in two straight games. The Tigers have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Clemson has also played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total in bowl games — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral field. Notre Dame has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And while they generated 473 yards of offense against the Trojans defense, they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last contest. The Irish surrendered 349 passing yards in that game with USC — but they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after allowing at least 280 passing yards in their last game. Notre Dame is an outstanding defensive team that ranked 10th in the nation by allowing only 17.3 PPG — and they also ranked 20th in the FBS by giving up just 331.5 total YPG. This team has not allowed an opponent to score more than 27 points all season. The key to their efforts has been to minimize big plays — they gave up only five plays that accounted for more than 40 yards this season. They also have a stout run defense that limits their opponents to just 3.7 Yards-Per-Carry. The Fighting Irish have played 4 of the last 5 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral field. Notre Dame has also played 15 of their last 19 games Under the Total as an underdog giving 10.5 to 21 points.

FINAL TAKE: This is a matchup between two similar teams that employ run-first offenses that help to protect talented but inexperienced quarterbacks — and both teams like to rely on their strong defensive units. Expect this to be a lower-scoring game. 25* CFB Playoff Semifinals Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (255) and the Clemson Tigers (256). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Virginia Cavaliers (252) plus the points versus the South Carolina Gamecocks (251). THE SITUATION: Virginia (7-5) has lost two straight games after their 34-31 overtime loss on the road at Virginia Tech as a 4-point favorite on November 23rd. South Carolina (7-5) has won two of their last three games with their 28-3 win over Akron as a 28.5-point favorite on December 1st. These two teams meet in Charlotte for the Belk Bowl this afternoon.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CAVALIERS PLUS THE POINTS: Virginia endured a brutal ending of their season by losing their last two games on the road in overtime with setbacks to the Hokies and Georgia Tech. Head coach Bronco Mendenhall should have his team ready to play as the Cavaliers have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a narrow loss by 3 points or less on the road. Virginia has also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after losing two straight games that were played on the road. The Cavaliers’ offense did average 6.33 Yards-Per-Play against Virginia Tech — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after averaging at least 6.2 YPP in their last game. Virginia plays good defense which is typical of a Mendenhall-coached team. The Caves rank 27th in the nation by allowing just 21.8 PPG — and they also rank 23rd in the FBS by allowing only 337.2 total YPG. This strong defensive play helped them out-gain their opponents by +22.8 net YPG when playing on the road. Virginia has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams outside the ACC — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record. Furthermore, the Cavaliers have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 10 points. South Carolina enter this game undermanned with a host of injuries along with their top wide receiver Deebo Samuel sitting out this game to prepare for the NFL draft. The Gamecocks held the Zips to just 260 yards of offense in their victory to begin the month — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. South Carolina had covered the point spread in their previous two games before putting on the brakes at halftime against Akron after taking a 28-3 lead to then fail to cover the -28.5 point spread. But the Gamecocks  has also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after covering the point spread in two of their last three games. Defense remains a concern for this team who allowed their last three Power-Five conference opponents to average a whopping 629 YPG. They are being out-gained when playing away from home by -29.6 PPG due to their defense that surrenders 499.8 total YPG. Not surprisingly, South Carolina has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games played on a neutral field as  the favorite. Run defense is the primary concern for this team as they rank 93rd in the nation by allowing their opponents to average 194.5 rushing YPG. To make matters worse for the Cavaliers, they are missing two of their key players on defense due to injuries to defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw and cornerback Keisean Nixon. Virginia’s solid running back Jordan Ellis who rushed for 920 yards this season should be able to find space to move the football. The Gamecocks will rely on the arm of QB Jake Bentley — but he faces a tough Cavaliers’ pass defense that ranks 14th in the nation by allowing only 180.1 passing YPG.

FINAL TAKE: Virginia is undervalued in this spot given those two overtime losses. The Cavaliers play the better defense — and they face a Gamecocks team that is missing some pieces. Expect a close game. 10* CFB South Carolina-Virginia ABC-TV Special with the Virginia Cavaliers (252) plus the points versus the South Carolina Gamecocks (251). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:15 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the West Virginia Mountaineers (244) plus the points versus the Syracuse Orange (243). THE SITUATION: West Virginia (8-3) has lost their last two games with their 59-56 loss to Oklahoma as a 3-point underdog back on November 23rd. Syracuse (9-3) enters this game coming off a 42-21 upset win at Boston College as a 6-point underdog back on November 24th. These two teams trade to Orlando, Florida to take part in the Camping World Bowl.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MOUNTAINEERS PLUS THE POINTS: The big news with this West Virginia team relates to the players who will not be playing in this bowl game. The Mountaineers’ offense will be without quarterback Will Grier along with their star left tackle Yodney Cajuste and slot wide receiver Gary Jennings who have chosen to not play due to nagging injuries and the prospects of staying healthy for the NFL draft in the spring. Their absence explains why West Virginia opened as a 7.5-point favorite but now find themselves as 3-point underdogs. Frankly, those players are not worth the 10-point swing with this point spread. In head coach Dana Holgorsen, we trust — at least when it comes to the offensive side of the football. Frankly, I always found Grier a bit overrated as a quarterback. Holgorsen’s offensive system is the star of this program and he has a comer four-star recruit in Miami (FL) transfer in Jack Allison to step in as his starting quarterback after getting all the first-team reps in practice. The West Virginia offense will be just fine. And this team should play hard as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after a straight up loss. Furthermore, the Mountaineers are 3-1-2 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing at least 40 points in their last game. West Virginia almost pulled the upset against a Sooners’ team that advanced to the College Football Playoffs. Oklahoma scored two touchdowns from fumble recoveries that made the winning difference in that game. The Mountaineers are 3-0-2 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams outside the Big 12. Syracuse may be due for a big letdown after the 21-point upset victory over the Eagles. The Orange have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 12 games after an upset victory by at least two touchdowns as an underdog. Syracuse has also failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight games after an upset win by at least three touchdowns as an underdog. Furthermore, the Orange have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after an upset win over an ACC conference rival. And while Syracuse out-gained Boston College by +219 net yards, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after out-gaining their last opponent by at least +225 yards. Pass defense is an area of concern for this team as they ranked 112th in the nation by allowing 263.0 passing YPG. That is a big concern when facing a Holgorsen offense (who will be calling the plays in this game after offensive coordinator took the head coaching job at Texas State). The Orange also struggled on the road where they were out-gained by -46.0 net YPG.

FINAL TAKE: Syracuse will be playing in their first bowl game since 2014 — so this may be a group that is just happy to be here. West Virginia should be feisty after their loss to the Sooners while motivated to make a good start to next season with this program moving forward from Grier and company. 10* CFB Syracuse-West Virginia ESPN Special with the West Virginia Mountaineers (244) plus the points versus the Syracuse Orange (243). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Auburn Tigers (241) and the Purdue Boilermakers (242). THE SITUATION: Auburn (7-5) has lost two of their last three games with their 52-21 loss at Alabama as a 25.5-point underdog back on November 24th. Purdue (6-6) snapped their two-game losing streak on that November 24th with their 28-21 victory at Indiana as a 3-point favorite. These two teams meeting in Nashville in the Music City Bowl.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Auburn has played 16 of their last 21 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and the Under is also 19-6-2 in their last 27 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Tigers have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a loss by at least 20 points — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a loss on the road by at least three touchdowns. The Auburn defense was humiliated by the arch-rivals in the Iron Bowl as they surrendered 500 yards of offense in their loss to Alabama. While most of the attention has since been on the Tigers offense that saw their offensive coordinator in Chip Lindsey leave for the same job at Kansas, the Tigers defense has much to prove in this game. The Under is 4-0-1 in Auburn’s last 5 games after allowing at least 40 points in their last game — and they have played 11 of their last 12 games Under the Total after surrendering at least 450 yards in their last game. The Tigers had not given up more than 30 points in one game all season before their showdown with the Crimson Tide — they still enter this bowl game ranked 18th in the nation by allowing only 19.6 PPG. There is plenty of talent on the defensive side of the football, particularly on the defensive line. Head coach Gus Malzahn takes over the play-calling once again with Lindsey defection but I do not see this leading to a transcendent difference in the play of their offense. This will be junior QB Jarrett Stidham’s last collegiate game before he makes himself available for the NFL draft but he oversaw an underperforming offense that scored just 18.4 PPG — almost 10 PPG below their season average — in their five games played on the road. The history of this team suggests this will be a lower-scoring game than expected. Auburn has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when priced in the +/- 3-point range — and the Under is 15-4-2 in their last 21 games against teams outside the SEC. The Under is also 6-0-2 in the Tigers’ last 8 games played on a neutral field — and the Under is also 4-0-1 in their last 5 bowl games. Purdue has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Senior QB David Blough passed for 310 yards in their last win over the Hoosiers to end the season — but the Boilermakers have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. Purdue has only committed one turnover in three straight games — but they have then played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total after not committing more than one turnover in their last game. Some observers are expecting a big offensive output from this team with head coach Jeff Brohm staying with the program after turning down overtures from Louisville where he oversaw huge offensive numbers as their quarterback. The Boilermakers put up 49 points against Ohio State in their upset win over the Buckeyes this season — but that was against a mess of an OSU defense that was not responding to coaching and basic fundamentals at that point of the season. This same offense scored only 13 points at Michigan State and a mere 10 points at Minnesota. Over their last three games, Purdue has averaged just 378.3 total YPG. This offense will likely struggle against the size and speed of the Auburn defensive line. Lastly, the Boilermakers have played 8 of their last 9 road games Under the Total after playing a conference rival.

FINAL TAKE: While both these teams have intriguing offensive head coaches, expect this bowl game to be a lower-scoring game this afternoon. 25* CFB Bowl Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Auburn Tigers (241) and the Purdue Boilermakers (242). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Vanderbilt Commodores (239) and the Baylor Bears (240). THE SITUATION: Vanderbilt (6-6) has won three of their last four games with their 38-13 win over Tennessee as a 3.5-point favorite back on November 24th. Baylor (6-6) snapped their two-game winning streak on November 24th with their 35-24 upset win at Texas Tech as a 6-point underdog. These two teams meeting at Houston’s NRG Stadium in the Texas Bowl.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Vanderbilt has played 5 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points. The Commodores held the Volunteers to just 242 yards of offense in that game — and they have played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. Vandy has held their last two opponents to just 121 and 103 rushing yards — and they have then played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 125 rushing yards in two straight games. But offense remains an issue for this team that scores just 22.0 PPG when playing away from their home in Nashville. The Commodores are bottom-ten in the nation with a Red Zone scoring percentage of just 74.5%. That is far below the national average of scoring at least a field goal in 83.9% of Red Zone opportunities. Baylor is not much better with a Red Zone scoring percentage of 75.5%. The Bears are scoring just 19.3 PPG over their last three contests. With their star tight end Jalen Hurd skipping this bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft, Baylor will now be missing one of their best weapons on offense. But the Bears defense has steadily improved this season as they have held their last three opponents to just 22.7 PPG along with only 337.7 total YPG. Baylor has played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Bears have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total in the month of December — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 10 points.

FINAL TAKE: In a game between two teams that struggle to take advantage of their Red Zone opportunities, expect at least one of these teams to struggle to score points. 20* CFB Vanderbilt-Baylor ESPN O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Vanderbilt Commodores (239) and the Baylor Bears (240). Best of luck for us — Frank.

Take the Baylor Bears plus the points versus the Vanderbilt Commodores in the Texas Bowl. Baylor (6-6) looks to build off their 35-24 win at Texas Tech in their last game as a 6-point underdog. The Bears got their offense going by generating 478 yards of offense in that game. Baylor has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. The Bears have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games in the month of December. Vanderbilt (6-6) has won three of their last four games with their 38-13 win over Tennessee to close out their regular season. The Commodores held the Volunteers to just 139 yards of offense in that game — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after not allowing more than 170 passing yards in their last game. Additionally, while Vanderbilt did not force a turnover in that game, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after not forcing more than one turnover in their last game. Take Baylor plus the points. Best of luck — Frank.

Frank Sawyer’s Hollywood Sports CA$HED the Denver-Oakland Under in the NFL on Monday in their last Football Totals play which continued their 19 of 28 (68%) FOOTBALL TOTALS TEAR! Now after passing in CFB Bowl Totals plays yesterday, Frank’s TOP THURSDAY TOTAL is with the Vandy-Baylor O/U winner on ESPN at 9 PM ET! WATCH & WIN — and BANK on Frank!

At 1:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Duke Blue Devils (235) plus the points versus the Temple Owls (236). Duke (7-5) stumbled into the postseason losing their last two games after their ugly 59-7 upset loss to Wake Forest as a 9.5-point favorite. Temple (8-4) has won three straight games after their 57-7 win at UConn as a 32-point favorite. These two meet in the hotbed that is Shreveport, Louisiana for the Independence Bowl this afternoon.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BLUE DEVILS PLUS THE POINTS: Duke’s loss to the Demon Deacons was preceded by a 35-6 loss at Clemson the previous week. Those bad losses make these Blue Devils pretty unappetizing to many bettors — but this team has rebounded to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after losing their last two contests by at least four touchdowns. Injuries took their toll on this team particularly on the defensive side of the football. Duke held their opponents to just 341 total YPG in their first seven games but then surrendered 529 YPG over their last five games. While the Blue Devils are still banged up on defense, the extra weeks of preparation allows teams to coach-up the younger players as these football teams make the turn to beginning the groundwork for their next season. There is no one better in the business in coaching up his players than Duke’s head coach David Cutcliffe who is finishing his eleventh season running this football program. It is telling that the Blue Devils have covered the point spread in 4 straight bowl games — and they have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games against teams with a winning record. Duke surrendered over 500 YPG over their last three contests — but they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after allowing at least 450 yards in their last three games. The Blue Devils are due for some luck when it comes to the bouncing-ball that plays a big role in the turnover game. Duke has not forced a turnover in three straight games — but they have then covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after not forcing more than one turnover in three straight games. Additionally, the Blue Devils are a decisive 34-16-1 ATS in their last 51 games against teams outside the ACC — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games as an underdog. Temple will be playing with an interim head coach with their special teams/tight end coach Ed Foley handling these duties for Geoff Collins who left the program for the Georgia Tech job. While predicting how this will impact the morale of the players when a head coach departs is often just a guessing game, it is safe to say the Owls do not benefit from this turnover in leadership. Temple grounded out 293 rushing yards in their last game against the Huskies — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after rushing for at least 275 yards in their last contest. The Owls have used three quarterbacks this season due to injuries and poor play — they all combined to throw 17 touchdown passes along with 18 interceptions. It looks like sophomore Anthony Russo will be healthy to get the start this afternoon — but he has thrown 13 of the team’s interceptions. Run defense is also an issue for this team as they allowed their opponents to average 190.3 rushing YPG which is 90th in the nation — and Duke is a run-first team. Furthermore, the Owls have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games when played on a neutral field.

FINAL TAKE: Temple had a better record this season but faced inferior competition than Duke given their American Athletic Conference schedule. Cutcliffe will have his team prepared to play as he always does in bowl games — and he had the leverage of imposing his will on a group of players who played poorly in their last two games. Expect a close game that the Blue Devils have an opportunity to win — but take the points for some insurance. 10* CFB Duke-Temple ESPN Special with the Duke Blue Devils (235) plus the points versus the Temple Owls (236). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:15 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (232) minus the points versus the Minnesota Golden Gophers (231). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (6-6) closed out their regular season winning two of their last three games with a 37-15 upset win at Wisconsin as a 12-point underdog on November 24th. Georgia Tech (7-5) saw their four-game winning streak snapped on November 24th with their 45-21 loss at Georgia as a 17-point underdog. These two teams meet for the first time ever in Detroit’s Ford Field in the Quick Lane Bowl.

REASONS TO TAKE THE YELLOW JACKETS MINUS THE POINTS: While this is the first bowl game for this team in head coach P.J. Fleck’s coaching tenure at Minnesota, there are reasons to believe the team already won their “proverbial” bowl game when they pulled the upset over Big Ten West powerhouse Wisconsin to close out their season. Two of their best players in linebacker Blake Ashman and offensive lineman Donnell Greene have opted to skip this game to stay healthy for the NFL draft in the spring. Fleck has also suspended at least one player for this game after violating team rules — and because he is being cagey on this front, we cannot dismiss the possibility that a rash of suspensions may be pending tonight with the head coach looking to next season. As it is, the Golden Gophers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a win by at least three touchdowns against a conference rival — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a victory by at least 20 points. Minnesota is also 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread win. Despite their upset win in Madison against an injured Badgers team, the Golden Gophers were not a very good team on the road where they were just 1-4 while being outscored by -14.4 PPG. Their defense surrendered 520.0 Yards-Per-Game on the road which led to them being out-gained by -140.8 net YPG away from home. Minnesota also struggled against the run this season which is not a good sign when facing this Georgia Tech spread triple option that led the nation by averaging 334.9 rushing YPG. The Golden Gophers surrendered 430 yards to Illinois and another 383 rushing yards to Nebraska en route to them being routed by 49 combined points to both teams. They allowed their opponents to average 7.9 Yards-Per-Carry when playing away from home. Minnesota has covered the point spread in two of their last three games but they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after covering the point spread in two of their last three games. Georgia Tech has not covered the point spread in two of their last three games — but they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after failing to cover the point spread in two of their last three games. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after allowing at least 37 points in their last game. The Yellow Jackets managed only 219 total yards in their last game against the Bulldogs — but they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after failing to gain at least 225 yards in their last game. Georgia Tech’s ground game travels which helps explain why they out-gained their opponents by +87.2 net YPG when playing on the road. The Yellow Jackets offense has been cranking it up as of late as they have scored 144 combined points in their last four games. Additionally, much like the speculation about who will have the home crowd edge in a bowl game that will have less than 20,000 in attendance in a cavernous large stadium (as if that crowd noise will play a lick of difference then in the game), there is the conventional wisdom that the Yellow Jackets underachieve in bowl games since their opponents have extra time to prepare for their unique offense. Yet Georgia Tech has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games in the month of December — and they are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games played on a neutral field.

FINAL TAKE: Head coach Paul Johnson has plenty of wrinkles he can add to his spread triple option with the extra weeks of preparation. This will be the eleven year veteran at Georgia Tech his last game as a head coach with his decision to retire after this game. Expect plenty of surprises from this team. Most importantly, his players should be very motivated to play for their head coach in his final game and have him leave as a winner. Don’t be surprised if this one is a blowout. 10* CFB Minnesota-Georgia Tech ESPN Special with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (232) minus the points versus the Minnesota Golden Gophers (231). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Oakland Raiders (132) plus the points versus the Denver Broncos (131). THE SITUATION: Oakland (3-11) has lost three of their last four games with their 30-16 loss at Cincinnati last week as a 3-point underdog. Denver (6-8) has lost two straight games with their 17-16 upset loss at home against Cleveland two Saturdays ago.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAIDERS PLUS THE POINTS: The Broncos have suffered two straight upset losses as their setback to the Browns was preceded by a 6-point loss at San Francisco as a 3-point road favorite in that game. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of the last 16 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games after a point spread setback. The Broncos have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games after failing to cover the point spread in two straight games. Denver is struggling to move the football with injuries to their offensive line impacting their rushing game. The Broncos are scoring just 18.0 PPG over their last three games while averaging only 301.7 Yards-Per-Game. The injuries are also piling up on the defensive side of the football. The lynchpin of their secondary, cornerback Chris Harris, was placed on Injured Reserve with a fibula injury and cornerback Isaac Yiadom is questionable tonight with a shoulder issue. Now Denver goes back on the road where they are 3-4 this season with an average losing margin of -26.8 net YPG. The Broncos have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a losing record at home. Denver has also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games against teams with a losing record overall — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against fellow AFC West opponents. The Broncos are also just 2-8-2 ATS in their last 14 games when playing on Monday Night Football. Oakland lost at Cincinnati last week despite out-gaining them in yardage while holding the Bengals to just 294 yards of offense. The Raiders held Cincinnati to just 3.97 Yards-Per-Play in that game — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after holding their last opponent to no better than 4.0 YPP. Oakland is playing better football as of late as they defeated the Steelers while losing by just a touchdown at Kansas City to the Chiefs in their previous two games before their letdown against Bengals. They return home where they are scoring 24.8 PPG while averaging 403.3 total YPG which is much better than their 18.6 PPG and 343.9 YPG seasonal averages. The Raiders have covered the point spread in 3 of their last 4 home games with the Total set in the 42.5 to 45 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Oakland will also be motivated to avenge a 20-19 loss to the Broncos back on September 16th. Denver has nothing to play for having been eliminated from the playoff hunt — and it looks like head coach Vance Joseph is a lame duck who will be relieved of his duties on Black Monday next week. 10* NFL Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the Oakland Raiders (132) plus the points versus the Denver Broncos (131). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Broncos (131) and the Oakland Raiders (132). THE SITUATION: Oakland (3-11) has lost three of their last four games with their 30-16 loss at Cincinnati last week as a 3-point underdog. Denver (6-8) has lost two straight games with their 17-16 upset loss at home against Cleveland two Saturdays ago.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Broncos have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total after an upset loss. Additionally, Denver has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread setback. This team is struggling to move the ball down the stretch of the season as they are scoring just 18.0 PPG while averaging only 301.7 Yards-Per-Game. But their defense is keeping them in games as they are holding their opponents to just 15.7 PPG along with only 336.3 total YPG. The Broncos run defense has been quite good as of late as they are holding their opponents to just 79.6 rushing YPG over their last eight games along with only 3.84 Yards-Per-Carry. Denver goes back on the road where the Under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games. The Broncos have also played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total with the number set in the 42.5 to 49 point range. Furthermore, Denver has played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the month of December. The Broncos have also seen the Under go 12-3-1 in their last 16 games against AFC opponents with the Under being 3-0-1 in their last 4 games against fellow AFC West foes. Oakland has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. The Raiders did hold the Bengals to just 123 passing yards in that game — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 150 passing yards in their last contest. Oakland returns home where they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total — and they have also played 6 of their last 9 home games Under the Total as an underdog. The Raiders struggle against good pass rushes as the 48 sacks they have given up is the third most in the league. Denver is 7th in the NFL by producing sacks in 7.8% of their opponents passing plays. Oakland has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against fellow AFC West opponents — and the Under is 6-1-1 in their last 8 games played in the month of December. 

FINAL TAKE: This game is a rematch of the Broncos’ 20-19 victory over the Raiders back on September 16th. Oakland has played 4 straight games Under the Total when playing with same-season revenge on their minds. Expect another low-scoring game between these two teams who both have offenses that can struggle to score double-digits on any given game. 25* AFC West Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Broncos (131) and the Oakland Raiders (132). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Seattle Seahawks (130) plus the points versus the Kansas City Chiefs (129). THE SITUATION: Seattle (8-6) looks to rebound from their 26-23 upset loss in overtime at San Francisco last Sunday. Kansas City (11-3) looks to bounce-back from their 29-28 upset loss to the Los Angeles Chargers back on December 13th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SEAHAWKS PLUS THE POINT(S): Seattle should respond to their upset loss last week with a strong effort tonight. The Seahawks have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after an upset loss. Furthermore, Seattle is 35-17-3 ATS in their last 55 games after a straight-up loss in head coach Pete Carroll’s tenure — and this includes them covering the point spread in nine of their last thirteen games after a loss. The Seahawks did generate 168 rushing yards last week — and they are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game. They return home where they are 4-2 this season while outscoring their opponents by +8.0 PPG — and they are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games at home. Seattle is particularly a difficult place to play in prime time games as they have won outright sixteen of their last eighteen games at home played in prime time while averaging 29.1 PPG in those contests. Quarterback Russell Wilson has thrown 35 touchdowns with just nine interceptions in those eighteen prime-time games at home. The Seahawks have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spare in 5 of their last 6 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Seattle is also 23-10-1 ATS in their last 34 games in the month of December under Carroll’s command. Kansas City is just 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a point spread loss. The Chiefs have also failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games on the road after winning two of their last three contests. Defense remains a deep concern for this team after they allowed 407 yards to the Chargers last week with the complete inability to stop Philip Rivers in clutch situations. Kansas City is 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. They go back on the road where they are allowing their home hosts to score 34.1 PPG along with averaging 455.1 total YPG. Running the football is another problem for this team since they cut Kareem Hunt. Spencer Ware is capable but he is listed as doubtful tonight with his shoulder injury. They managed only 60 rushing yards last week against the Chargers — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after failing to rush for at least 75 yards in their last game. And while KC has scored 26 points in all fourteen of their games this season, they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after scoring at least 25 points in five straight games.

FINAL TAKE: Look for Seattle’s rushing attack to control the tempo and pace of this game while keeping Patrick Mahomes and the KC offense off the field. 10* NFL Sunday Night Discounted Deal with the Seattle Seahawks (130) plus the points versus the Kansas City Chiefs (129). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (129) and the Seattle Seahawks (130). THE SITUATION: Kansas City (11-3) looks to bounce-back from their 29-28 upset loss to the Los Angeles Chargers back on December 13th. Seattle (8-6) looks to rebound from their 26-23 upset loss in overtime at San Francisco last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Chiefs have played 4 straight games Over the Total after suffering an upset loss — and they have also played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a loss by 6 points or less. Additionally, Kansas City has played 15 of their last 22 games Over the Total after a loss by 3 points or less to a fellow AFC West rival — and they have played 4 straight Overs after a point spread loss. The Chiefs have been basically unstoppable on offense when playing on the road. Kansas City averages 39.3 PPG while generating 459.6 total YPG when playing away from home. Perhaps the Chiefs are this prolific on offense because they have difficulty slowing down the offenses of the home teams. They are allowing their home hosts to score 34.1 PPG while averaging 455.1 total YPG. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been able to raise his level of play away from Arrowhead Stadium as his 28:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio of 28:6 along with a 9.47 Yards-Per-Attempt passing mark on the road are actually better than his 17:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio and 8.17 YPA at home this season. Kansas City has played 4 straight games Over the Total on the road — and they have also played 5 of their last 6 road games Over the Total when playing a team with a winning record at home. The Chiefs have also played 6 of their last 7 road games Over the Total with the number set at 45.5 or higher. Furthermore, Kansas City has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 straight Overs in the month of December. Seattle has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total in the month of December. They rushed for 168 yards in their loss to the 49ers — and they should find success with their rushing attack against this Chiefs’ defense that ranks 26th in the NFL in stopping the run. The Seahawks’ reliance on their ground game might be tempting some bettors to lead to them burning the clock which helps produce lower scoring games — but Seattle has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game. The Seahawks average 27.2 PPG at home and they are scoring 29.0 PPG over their last three games. But Seattle allows their visitors to average 372.7 total YPH when playing at home. The Seahawks run defense has been faltering as of late with their last six opponents averaging 5.21 Yards-Per-Carry. Seattle has played 7 of their last 9 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. The Seahawks have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total in the month of December.

FINAL TAKE: The Total of this game is the highest number for Week Sixteen. But with this likely to be a close game with both teams likely to score at least in the high-20s, look for this final score to reach the Over. 25* NFL Non-Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (129) and the Seattle Seahawks (130). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the New Orleans Saints (128) minus the points versus the Pittsburgh Steelers (127). THE SITUATION: New Orleans (12-2) has won their last two games with their 12-9 win at Carolina last Monday as a 6-point favorite. Pittsburgh (8-5-1) comes off their big 17-10 upset win at home over New England as a 2-point in the high-profile nationally televised spot during the second window of afternoon games last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SAINTS MINUS THE POINTS: New Orleans has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games after a straight-up win — and they have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after playing on Monday Night Football. Some observers are worried about the Saints offense that has scored only 12.0 PPG over their last three games. I think much of that can be explained by the fact that all three of those games were on the road — and this is a team that has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after playing their last two games on the road. Now New Orleans returns home where they are 5-1 with an average winning margin of +14.0 PPG due to an offense that scores 38.0 PPG on the field turf of the Superdome. The Saints have covered the point spread in 4 straight games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 25 of their last 30 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. New Orleans also looks to run the ball a bit more on the road to win the Time of Possession battle and prepare themselves for a potentially challenging situation away from home in the playoffs. The Saints rushed for 155 yards last week against the Panthers — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game. New Orleans defense has steadily improved this season. They have held their last five opponents to just 12.0 PPG along with only 278.0 total YPG. Pittsburgh may be due for a big emotional letdown after finally conquering their Moby Dick in the Patriots last week. The Steelers covered the point spread for the first time in their last three games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after failing to cover the point spread in two of their last three games. Pittsburgh gained 376 yards against the New England defense last week — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. And in their last 9 games in the month of December, the Steelers have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of these games.

FINAL TAKE: The Saints have the best net point differential in the NFL right now. Don’t be surprised if their offense reawakens back in the Big Easy. 20* NFL Pittsburgh-New Orleans CBS-TV Special with the New Orleans Saints (128) minus the points versus the Pittsburgh Steelers (127).  Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Chicago Bears (125) minus the points versus the San Francisco 49ers (126). THE SITUATION: Chicago (10-4) has won seven of their last eight games with their 24-17 win over Green Bay last week as a 5.5-point favorite. San Francisco (4-10) pulled off their second-straight upset victory with their 26-23 win in overtime versus Seattle.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BEARS MINUS THE POINTS: The 49ers were ripe to play the role of the spoiler last week after being humiliated by the Seahawks just two weeks prior in a 43-16 loss. But San Francisco has then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win. The Niners generated 351 yards of offense in that victory — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. This team stays at home for the third straight week — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Furthermore, San Francisco has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against fellow NFC opponents. Chicago has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread win. They should continue to build off their momentum after covering point spread expectations in two straight games. The Bears have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning four or five of their last six games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after covering the point spread in two straight games. The Chicago defense will make things very difficult on 49ers’ quarterback Nate Mullens — they are allowing just 17.7 PPG over their last three games while holding these opponents to just 291.7 total YPG. Mullens has been a nice surprise for the Niners but he has been able to pad much of stats in garbage time when his team has been trailing by a bunch of points. Chicago also leads the NFL in takeaways so don’t be surprised if their defense creates some scoring opportunities. The Bears have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in the month of December.

FINAL TAKE: While we should always be wary of road favorites laying more than a field goal, the Niners are due for a letdown after their emotional win over a divisional rival. Chicago’s defense travels and remains consistent from week-to-week. 10* NFL Sunday Afternoon Discounted Deal with the Chicago Bears (125) minus the points versus the San Francisco 49ers (126). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals (119) and the Cleveland Browns (120). THE SITUATION: Cincinnati (6-8) snapped their five-game losing streak last Sunday with their 30-16 win over Oakland as a 3-point favorite. Cleveland (6-7-1) has won four of their last five games with their 17-16 upset win at Denver last Saturday as a 1.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bengals have played 16 of their last 22 road games Under the Total after a win by at least two touchdowns — and the Under is 19-9-1 in their last 29 games after a point spread win. Cincinnati has finally found some answers on the defensive side of the football. While they are still allowing 29.5 PPG along with 413.0 total YPG this season, they have allowed just 22.0 PPG over their last three games while limiting their opponents to just 315.3 total YPG. But this is a limited team on offense with Jeff Driskel under center for the injured Andy Dalton. The Bengals generated only 294 yards of offense against a suspect Raiders defense last week. Joe Mixon ran the ball 27 times for 129 yards which helped Cincinnati control the Time of Possession for 33:19 of that contest — and that will likely be the formula for success in this contest. The Bengals are averaging only 20.3 PPG over their last three contests while generating just 300.0 YPG over that span. Cincinnati goes back on the road where they have played 4 straight road games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home. The Under is also 15-7-1 in their last 23 games against teams with a losing record. And in their last  52 games in the month of December, the Under is 35-16-1. Cleveland some very good defense right now as they have held their last three opponents to just 21.7 PPG along with only 349.0 total YPG as compared to their 24.9 PPG and 401.1 total YPG averages for the season. They return home hewer they have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total. Furthermore, the Browns have played 10 of their last 12 home games Under the Total with the number set in the 42.5 to 49 point range — and they have played 14 of their last 17 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. The Under is also 39-11-2 in Cleveland’s last 52 games in the month of December.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of the 35-20 victory for the Browns in Cincinnati back on November 25th. Expect the Bengals to play better on defense this time around. These two teams have played 5 straight Unders when playing in Cleveland. 25* AFC North Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals (119) and the Cleveland Browns (120). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Dallas Cowboys (102) minus the points versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (101). THE SITUATION: Dallas (8-6) saw their five-game winning streak snapped last week with their 23-0 loss at Indianapolis. Tampa Bay (5-9) has lost two straight games with their 20-12 loss at Indianapolis as an 8.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COWBOYS MINUS THE POINTS: Dallas should bounce-back with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a loss by at least two touchdowns. The Cowboys have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after failing to score more than 14 points in their last game. Dallas returns home where they are 6-1 this season with an average winning margin of +6.4 PPG. Dak Prescott has been outstanding when playing at home where he owns a 71.1% completion percentage while throwing 13 touchdown passes to just three interceptions. The Cowboys are almost perfectly balanced between the pass and the run at home as well given their 223 pass attempts and 222 rushing attempts at home this season. Dallas has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home. Their defense has also registered 23 sacks at home this season. Speaking of the Cowboys’ defense, they have held each of their last six opponents to below 25 points. Tampa Bay had been dynamic on offense for much of the season but they have only scored 26 combined points over their last two games. They have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after a loss on the road — and they are 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games are a straight-up loss. The Buccaneers were out-gained by the Ravens by -119 yards last week — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after being out-gained by at least 100 yards in their last game. Tampa Bay managed only 85 rushing yards last week — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after failing to rush for at least 90 yards in their last game. The Bucs allowed Baltimore to rush for 242 yards in that game — and they are 3-11-1 ATS in their last 15 games after allowing at least 150 rushing yards in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: A porous run defense is not a good characteristic to have when facing Ezekiel Elliott and this Cowboys offense. Quarterback Jameis Winston has lost his last thirteen starts on the road — and it looks unlikely he will be able to keep his team close in this one. 20* NFL Blowout Bookie Buster with the Dallas Cowboys (102) minus the points versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (101). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Houston Texans (113) plus the points versus the Philadelphia Eagles (114). THE SITUATION: Houston (10-4) has won ten of their last eleven games with their 29-22 win in New York against the Jets as a 7-point favorite last Saturday. Philadelphia (7-7) has won three of their last four games with their 30-23 win at Los Angeles against the Rams as a +13.5-point underdog last Sunday night.

THE SITUATION: The Eagles found life last week behind Nick Foles as they pulled the shocking upset over the Rams. However, this remains a team ravaged with injuries on both sides of the football and I expect a big emotional letdown for the defending Super Bowl Champions. Philadelphia has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss. The Eagles were out-gained by 26 net yards to Los Angeles as they gave up 407 yards in that game but benefited from a +2 net turnover margin. Philadelphia has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. Now the Eagles return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 26 of their last 38 home games with the Total set in the 45.5 to 49 point range. Furthermore, Philadelphia has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record. Houston (10-4) should build off their continued momentum after their bad 0-3 start as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win. The Texans are also 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a point spread loss. This team has outscored their last three opponents by +6.6 Points-Per-Game. Houston is 5-2 on the road this season — and they are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: The Eagles play an inspired game last week behind their Super Bowl MVP — but that effort may have said more about the problems with the Rams than it did about the possibility of another Philly resurgence behind Nick Foles. Look for Houston to pull the upset in this game — but take the points for some insurance. 25* NFL Non-Conference Underdog of the Year with the Houston Texans (113) plus the points versus the Philadelphia Eagles (114). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (227) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors (228). THE SITUATION: Louisiana Tech (7-5) has lost their last two games after closing out their regular season on November 24th with a 30-15 upset loss at Western Kentucky as a 10.5-point favorite. Hawai’i (8-5) has won two straight games after they pulled off a 31-30 upset victory at San Diego State on November 24th as an 18-point underdog. The Rainbow Warriors are the host team in the Hawai’i Bowl taking place a couple days earlier than it’s traditional Christmas Eve or day spot.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS MINUS THE POINT(S): If there is one coach I am not going to worry too much about having his team ready to play even in Hawai’i over winter break, it is Skip Holtz who has led Louisiana Tech to win all four of their bowl games under his guidance in the previous five seasons with the program. Even better, the average winning margin for the Bulldogs under Holts has been by -20.5 PPG. After this team lost three of their last four games of the regular season, this is a business trip for this team. As it is, Louisiana Tech has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 17 games after a loss by at least 10 points on their home field. The Bulldogs did out-gain the Hilltoppers by a decisive +92 net yards in that contest while holding them to just 288 net yards but lost the Time of Possession battle by having the ball for only 25:57 minutes of that game. Little worries of that History Repeating itself tonight against this pass-happy Warriors offense. Western Kentucky has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after failing to score more than 20 points in their last game. Louisiana Tech ranks 32nd in the nation by holding their opponents to just 350.9 total YPG — and they have held their last three opponents to only 298.0 total YPG. Defensive coordinator Blake Baker will benefit from the extra few weeks to prepare for the unique relic of an offense that Hawai’i operates with their old Run-and-Shoot resurrected by their third-year head coach Nick Rolovich. Four close wins decided by one scoring possession for this Rainbow Warriors team obscures the fact that they were out-scored and out-gained in yardage by their opponents this season. They do have the home field advantage for this game but despite their 5-2 home record, they are only outscoring their visitors by 1.0 PPG. Over their last three games, Hawai’i was outscored by -10.3 PPG. They did generate 516 total yards against a collapsing San Diego State defense to end the season — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last 32 games after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. Louisiana Tech should be able to move the ball at will against this suspect Rainbow Warriors defense that ranked 101st in the nation by allowing 438.7 total YPG. Hawai’i has failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 32 games against teams with a winning record — and they are just 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games against teams outside the Mountain West Conference.

FINAL TAKE: Home field advantage is tempting for the Rainbow Warriors tonight — but that edge only goes so far. A motivated Bulldogs team that is well-coached with a very good defense should overwhelm this Hawai’i team that has become too one dimensional on offense with the Run-and-Shoot gimmick. 25* CFB Bailout Game of the Year with the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (227) (or plus) the point(s) versus the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors (228). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Baltimore Ravens (123) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Chargers (124). THE SITUATION: Baltimore (8-6) has won four of their last five games with their 20-12 win over Tampa Bay as an 8.5-point favorite last Sunday. Los Angeles (11-3) teaks the field again after their triumphant 29-28 upset win at Kansas City last Thursday where they were a +3.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAVENS PLUS THE POINTS: Baltimore has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after a win at home. With the switch to rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson under center, the Ravens have become very difficult to prepare for since they have moved to a run-oriented offense that is more akin to a college system than what any teams in the NFL operate. The Chargers do not have a player on their roster who can duplicate Lamar Jackson’s skill set in practice. Baltimore leads the NFL in rushing since Jackson became the starting quarterback. The Ravens rushed for 242 yards last week against the Buccaneers which helped them control the football for 37:10 minutes of that game. Baltimore is 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game. And while they out-rushed by Tampa Bay by +157 yards last week — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games after out-rushing their last opponent by at least +150 yards. Now the Ravens go back on the road where they are out-gaining their opponents by +74.6 net YPG. Baltimore is 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games on the road — and they are also 18-7-4 ATS in their last 29 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Los Angeles has gone from being under the radar to the hipster pick to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl after their high-profile victory over the Chiefs last week. But the Chargers have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a point spread win. But there are cracks in the armor for this group. The Los Angeles defense has allowed 26.3 PPG over their last three games which is 5.0 PPG higher than their season average. Their offense is averaging just 355.3 total YPG over those last three games as well which is almost 47 YPG below their season average. The Chargers return home where they have little native home field advantage playing in the smaller soccer stadium. Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 21 home games against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: The Baltimore defense and outstanding rushing attack should keep them in this contest. The Ravens have generated at least 198 rushing yards in five straight games. If the Chargers take a lead in this game, don’t be surprised if Baltimore then changes gears by turning to their Super Bowl-winning quarterback in Joe Flacco to attack the Chargers in the air. 10* NFL Baltimore-LA Chargers NFL Network Special with the Baltimore Ravens (123) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Chargers (124). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Baltimore Ravens (123) and the Los Angeles Chargers (124). THE SITUATION: Baltimore (8-6) has won four of their last five games with their 20-12 win over Tampa Bay as an 8.5-point favorite last Sunday. Los Angeles (11-3) teaks the field again after their triumphant 29-28 upset win at Kansas City last Thursday where they were a +3.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Chargers have seen the Under go 34-16-1 in their last 51 games after a straight-up win — and they have also played nine of their last eleven games Under the Total after a win on the road. Additionally, Los Angeles has played five of their last seven games Under the Total after an upset victory — and they have played 24 of their last 35 home games Under the Total after a game on the road where both teams scored at least 24 points. The Chargers did gain 407 yards against the Chiefs defense — but the Under is 10-4-1 in their last 15 games after generating at least 350 yards in their last game. Despite their numbers last week, Los Angeles is averaging only 355.3 Yards-Per-Game over their last three contests which is almost 47 YPG below their season average. The Chargers return home where they are holding their opponents to only 297.3 total YPG. LA has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total at home — and the Under is 11-3-1 in their last 15 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Furthermore, the Chargers have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total in the month of December. Baltimore has played 4 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. The Ravens have also played 6 straight games Under the Total after winning two of their last three games. Baltimore boasts the best statistical defense in the league that is best in the NFL by holding their opponents to just 18.1 PPG and only 290.2 total YPG. The Ravens are 3rd in the NFL in both run and pass defense — so it is difficult to exploit a weakness. Over their last three games, Baltimore is only allowing 271.0 total YPG — and they have held four of their last five opponents to under 260 yards. But the Baltimore offense manages to score just 21.4 PPG on the road. Rookie Lamar Jackson is playing well as a dual-threat quarterback — but this will be the most challenging defense he has yet played in his young professional career. Jackson has yet to throw for 200 yards in a game so the Chargers may be able to make him one-dimensional. The Ravens have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing on grass — and they have played 29 of their last 42 games Under the Total in the last two weeks of the regular season.

FINAL TAKE: The Chargers employ the slowest pace on offense in the NFL — and with Malcolm Gordon returning to the field, expect this team to run the ball plenty against this stout Ravens defense. Baltimore leads the NFL in rushing since Jackson has taken over at quarterback. This game sets up to be an old-fashioned battle at the line of scrimmage where both coaches will look to impose their will and tire the opposing defenses out. That is a great formula for the Under. 25* NFL Network Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Baltimore Ravens (123) and the Los Angeles Chargers (124). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Buffalo Bulls (225) and the Troy Trojans (226). THE SITUATION: Buffalo (10-3) has lost two of their last three games with their 3-29 upset loss to Northern Illinois in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game as a 3-point favorite back on November 30th. Troy (9-3) looks to bounce-back from a 21-10 loss at Appalachian State back on November 24th as a 12-point underdog. These two teams meet in Mobile, Alabama for the Dollar General Bowl.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Buffalo has played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total after a narrow loss by just 3 points or less against a conference rival — and the Over is also 3-1-1 in their last 5 games after a point spread loss. This Bulls team has a balanced offense that averages 195.8 rushing YPG (44th in the nation) and 221.6 passing YPG (73rd in the FBS) to produce an offense that ranks 24th in the nation by scoring 34.8 PPG. But stopping opposing offenses can be an issue for this team after they allowed a Northern Illinois offense that has been rather meek this season to generate 409 yards of offense. 300 of those yards were in the air in that game — and Buffalo has played 19 of their last 26 games Over the Total after allowing at least 280 passing yards in their last game. Over their last three games, the Bulls are allowing 420.0 total YPG which is over 70 YPG more than their defensive average for the season. Buffalo has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against non-conference opponents — and the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games against teams with a winning record. Additionally, the Bulls have played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total when playing with more than two weeks between games — and they have also played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 49.5 to 56 point range. Troy has played 19 of their last 26 road games Over the Total after a loss on the road — and they have played 14 of their last 19 road games Over the Total after a loss on the road where they covered the point spread as an underdog. The Trojans have a good defense that ranks 23rd in the FBS by allowing just 21.2 PPG. But Troy has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 38 of their last 55 games Over the Total against teams outside the Sun Belt Conference. Furthermore, the Trojans have played 15 of their last 23 games Over the Total in expected close games where they were listed in the +/- 3-point range. Lastly, Troy has played 7 straight games Over the Total played on a neutral field — and they have played 7 straight games Over the Total in bowl games.

FINAL TAKE: Troy lost their starting quarterback, Kaleb Barker, to a season-ending ACL injury in the middle of the year — so the extra few weeks of practice and repetitions should really help sophomore QB Sawyer Smith. Boise State, UL-Monroe, Georgia State and South Alabama all had success moving the football against the Trojans defense. This should be a competitive game which should help push the Total over the number. 25* CFB Group of Five Bowl Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Buffalo Bulls (225) and the Troy Trojans (226). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Tennessee Titans (108) minus the points versus the Washington Redskins (107). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (8-6) has won three straight games with their 17-0 win at New York against the Giants last Sunday as a 2.5-point favorite. Washington (7-7) snapped a four-game losing streak last week with their 16-13 upset win at Jacksonville as a 7.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TITANS MINUS THE POINTS: The Skins have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after a straight-up victory. Their win over the Jaguars may speak more to the sorry state of that team than it does about themselves. Behind Cody Kessler at quarterback, Jacksonville managed only 20 passing yards — those 20 passing yards are not a typo. Washington has failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 29 games after not allowing more than 100 passing yards in their last game. Furthermore, the Skins have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after not allowing more than 250 total yards in their last contest — and they are just 7-18-3 ATS in their last 28 games after not allowing more than 14 points. This Washington team is ravaged with injuries on both sides of the football. They are using third and fourth stringers at the guard position at this point while relying on quarterback Josh Johnson who preparing to play in one of the new spring leagues before being picked up off the street. While he passed for 151 yards last week and added another 49 rushing yards, the Titans will benefit from the fresh tape on him after he has been out of the league for years. The Skins are scoring only 15.0 PPG over their last three contests while averaging just 256.0 YPG — and they are allowing 27.0 PPG along with 343.3 total YPG over that span. Tennessee has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight home games after a point spread victory. The Titans have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after not allowing more than a field goal in the first half of their last game. This Tennessee defense will be confident and licking their chops against this depleted Washington offense. The Titans allow only 17.0 PPG at home which has helped them win five of their six home games the season. Tennessee has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games against teams from the NFC. Lastly, the Titans have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games in the month of December.

FINAL TAKE: Tennessee should generate enough points in this game back on their home field to cover the double-digit point spread in this game. 10* NFL Washington-Tennessee NFL Network Special with the Tennessee Titans (108) minus the points versus the Washington Redskins (107). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Cougars (223) and the Army West Point Black Knights (224). THE SITUATION: Houston (8-4) has lost three of their last four games with their 52-31 loss at Memphis as a 9.5-point underdog back on November 23rd. Army (10-2) has won eight straight games after their 17-10 win over Navy two Saturdays ago as a 7-point favorite. These two teams face off in Fort Worth, Texas in the Armed Forces Bowl.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Houston has played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total after a loss by at least 20 points. The Cougars are dealing with a host on injuries on both sides of the ball. The most significant issue on offense is the season-ending injury to their dynamic starting quarterback D’Eriq King. With his backup Quinten Dormady out the door in a likely transfer to Central Michigan, the starter for this game falls on the shoulders of freshman Clayton Tune. In his first career start against Memphis, Tune completed only 18 of 43 passes for 256 yards while not offering much of a rushing threat as he gained just 12 yards on 13 carries on the ground. Tune is completing just 44.7% of his 85 pass attempts this season — and his top two wide receiver targets are listed as questionable. Tune will struggle against the fundamentally sound Black Knights’ defense that ranks 9th in the nation by allowing only 293.5 total YPG. Over their last three games, Army is allowing just 12.3 PPG along with only 206.0 total YPG. The bigger concern for the Cougars is their defense that ranks 124th in the FBS by allowing 488.5 total YPG. But those are tempo-free numbers that are exacerbated by the fact that Houston’s fast pace offense places them 129th in the nation by averaging just 25:04 minutes per game. The Cougars allowing 5.71 Yards-Per-Play which ranks 74th in the nation — and is just a smidge below the 5.72 YPP defensive average for this Army team that protects their defense by leading the nation by averaging 38:51 minutes per game. Houston allowed 610 yards against the Tigers in their last game with 401 of those yards coming on the ground. But the Cougars have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after allowing at least 450 yards in their last game — and they have also played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after giving up at least 300 rushing yards in their last contest. And to stay consistent with tempo-free numbers, while Houston allowed Memphis to average 6.63 Yards-Per-Play on their whopping 93 plays on offense in that last game, they have then played 31 of their last 44 games after allowing their last opponent to average at least 6.25 YPP. The Cougars have faced a spread triple option offense already as Navy torched them for 344 rushing yards — and now their defensive line is without future NFL star Ed Oliver who is bypassing playing in this game along with two other starters who are injured. But the extra weeks of practice for this offense as well as the experience of that game with the Midshipmen will help immensely. Houston has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total with at least one bye week between games. Army has played 23 of their last 31 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. The Black Knights have also played 16 of their last 21 games Under the Total in the month of December. And in their last 22 games played on a neutral field, Army has played 17 of these games Under the Total. And staying true to tempo-free stats, their defense has improved as of late by allowing just 4.5 Yards-Per-Play over their last three games.

FINAL TAKE: I am passing on the side on this game (lean Army) — but the best betting proposition for this game is the Under given the high Total that is undervaluing the quality of the Cougars defense. Houston will struggle to fully execute their aggressive up-tempo offense with the freshman under center which will allow Army to control the Time of Possession. While I am not sure that leads them to cover the point spread, the fewer offensive possessions should ensure an Under. 10* CFB Houston-Army ESPN O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Cougars (223) and the Army West Point Black Knights (224). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (221) plus the points versus the Memphis Tigers (222). THE SITUATION: Wake Forest (6-6) became bowl eligible by winning two of their final three games after their 59-7 upset win at Duke as a 9.5-point underdog on November 24th. Memphis (8-5) saw their four-game winning snapped in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game with their 56-41 loss to Central Florida back on December 1st where they were 1-point underdogs. These two teams meet in Alabama for the Birmingham Bowl.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DEMON DEACONS PLUS THE POINTS: It might be difficult for Memphis to pick themselves off the mat for this second-tier bowl game after they blew a 38-21 halftime to once again lose the Knights. There has been plenty of attrition over the last couple of weeks with three assistant coaches (including the offensive and defensive coordinator) taking new jobs and running back Darrell Henderson opting not to play in this game. The Tigers still have talent at running back — but it will be hard to replace his 1909 rushing yards that resulted in 22 touchdowns and an 8.9 Yards-Per-Carry average. Memphis has covered the point spread in six of their last eight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after covering the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. The Tigers have also failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games after a game where at least 80 combined points were scored. Memphis generated 583 yards of offense against UCF after gaining 610 yards in their previous game against Houston — but the Tigers have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after gaining at least 575 yards in their last game while also failing to cover the point spread in 7 straight games after gaining at least 525 yards in two straight games. This is a team that ranked 92nd in the nation by allowing 31.5 PPG — and that number increased to 40.3 PPG in their six games away from home along with 513.0 Yards-Per-Game that they allowed their opponents to generate. This porous defense makes them precarious favorites — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 35 of their last 54 games when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. The Tigers have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games in the month of December — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against non-conference opponents. Wake Forest has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a game where at least 63 combined points were scored. The encouraging aspect from this Demon Deacons team down the stretch was the improved play of their defense. Over their last three games, their run defense got significantly better as they allowed only 307 combined rushing yards and held opposing rushers to just a 2.8 Yards-Per-Carry average. The Blue Devils managed only 105 rushing yards and 145 passing yards against this defense. Wake Forest has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game — and they have also covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after not allowing more than 170 passing yards in their last contest. Wake held a 31-7 halftime lead in that game as well — and they have covered the point spread in 25 of their last 35 games after not allowing more than 7 points in the first-half of their last game. The offense is clicking by the continued improvement of sophomore quarterback Jamie Newman who took over under center after freshman Sam Hartman suffered a season-ending leg injury. He oversees an offense that ranks 31st in the nation by averaging 443.2 total YPG — and the Demon Deacons have scored 33.0 PPG over their last three games. Wake Forest has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 bowl games — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games played on a neutral field where they are underdogs. Together, these team trends produce our specific 145-53 combined angle for this situation.

FINAL TAKE: Wake Forest played the more difficult schedule with a full tilt of ACC opponents. The Demon Deacons will not have their star sophomore slot receiver in Greg Dortch who is out with an injured finger but their run-oriented spread offense should still move the ball against the Tigers defense. 10* CFB Wake Forest-Memphis ESPN Special with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (221) plus the points versus the Memphis Tigers (222). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (221) and the Memphis Tigers (222). THE SITUATION: Wake Forest (6-6) became bowl eligible by winning two of their final three games after their 59-7 upset win at Duke as a 9.5-point underdog on November 24th. Memphis (8-5) saw their four-game winning snapped in the Conference USA Championship Game with their 56-41 loss to Central Florida back on December 1st where they were 1-point underdogs. These two teams meet in Alabama for the Birmingham Bowl.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Memphis has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a loss on the road. The Tigers have covered the point spread in four of their last five games — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in four of their last five contests. The offense took a hit with their star running back Darrell Henderson opting out of this game to avoid injury before making himself available for the NFL draft. But this Memphis offense still has Patrick Taylor and Tony Pollard in the backfield who combined to rush for 1455 yards with 20 touchdowns. The Tigers will be able to move the ball against this Demon Deacons defense that ranked 116th in the nation by allowing 465.3 total YPG. But Memphis has struggled to stop opposing offenses as well as they rank 92nd in the nation by giving up 31.5 PPG — and they gave up 40.3 PPG along with 513.0 Yards-Per-Game in their six games away from home. Central Florida generated 698 yards against them — and Memphis has played 13 of their last 18 games Over the Total after allowing at least 450 yards in their last game. The Tigers have also played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after allowing at least 40 points in their last game. Furthermore, Memphis has played 10 of their last 11 games Over the Total against teams outside the American Athletic Conference — and they have also played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total in the month of December. The Tigers have also played 30 of their last 46 games Over the Total in expected high-scoring games with the Total set at least at 63. Wake Forest has a powerful offense as well as they rank 31st in the nation by averaging 443.2 total YPG — and that number rises to 492.0 YPG along with 36.4 PPG in their five games on the road.

At 4:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Western Michigan Broncos (220) plus the points versus the BYU Cougars (219). THE SITUATION: Western Michigan (7-5) enters the postseason coming off a 28-21 upset win over Northern Illinois as a 6.5-point underdog back on November 20th. BYU (6-6) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on November 24th with their 35-27 loss at Utah as a 10.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRONCOS PLUS THE POINTS: Western Michigan has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a win at home. And while some teams may suffer an emotional letdown after an upset victory, I suspect that victory for this Broncos team will be galvanizing for them. Second year head coach Tim Lester fired his defensive coordinator before that game against the Huskies and the result was his defense played their best game of the season by only allowing 262 yards of offense. Western Michigan has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. The Broncos have also covered the point spread in 4 straight games after an upset victory as a home underdog — and they have also covered the point spread in 4 straight games after pulling an upset over a conference rival. Western Michigan dominated that Northern Illinois team that then went on to upset Buffalo in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game as they out-gained them by +137 net yards. The Broncos have then covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after out-gaining their last opponent by at least +125 yards. The extra weeks of bowl practice should help in the continued development of freshman quarterback Kaleb Eleby who has started the last three games for the injured Jon Wassink. Eleby completed 19 of 35 passes for 285 yards against a stout Huskies defense — and he is completing 64.5% of his passes this season. Western Michigan has covered the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games after passing for at least 285 yards in their last game. And in their last 17 games on the road after losing three of their last four games, the Broncos have covered the point spread in 14 of these contests. BYU has questionable motivation issues after blowing a 20-0 halftime lead against their in-state rivals to close out the season. Losing that game cost the Cougars a more attractive bowl site — now they travel north to bland Boise to play a team not representing a Power Five conference. This BYU team has a host of distractions as well with some players out getting married with others out due to injuries and a number of players taking exams while on this trip. The Cougars have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after a bye week. They also have a freshman at quarterback with Zach Wilson starting the last six games for the team when he was tapped by head coach Kalani Sitake to take over as the starter. BYU relies on their defense as they grind out games with an offense dedicated to running the ball and winning the battle at the line of scrimmage. While that is a consistent way to be be successful and stay competitive in all their games, it is not a reliable way to cover double-digit point spreads. The Cougars have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight bowl games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games played on a neutral field. Together, these team trends produce our specific 74-24 ATS combined angle for this situation.

FINAL TAKE: This is the first bowl game for Western Michigan under head coach Lester after they were one of the few teams passed over despite having six wins last season. They should be motivated to make a statement in this game to close out their season. BYU has hire expectations as an independent modeling their program as the Notre Dame of the west. BYU’s defense may be the difference in this game — but they are laying way too many points as a double-digit favorite. 10* CFB BYU-Western Michigan ESPN Special with the Western Michigan Broncos (220) plus the points versus the BYU Cougars (219). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Western Michigan Broncos (220) plus the points versus the BYU Cougars (219). THE SITUATION: Western Michigan (7-5) enters the postseason coming off a 28-21 upset win over Northern Illinois as a 6.5-point underdog back on November 20th. BYU (6-6) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on November 24th with their 35-27 loss at Utah as a 10.5-point underdog. These two teams travel to Boise, Idaho for the Potato Bowl.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRONCOS PLUS THE POINTS: Western Michigan has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a win at home. And while some teams may suffer an emotional letdown after an upset victory, I suspect that victory for this Broncos team will be galvanizing for them. Second-year head coach Tim Lester fired his defensive coordinator before that game against the Huskies and the result was his defense played their best game of the season by only allowing 262 yards of offense. Western Michigan has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. The Broncos have also covered the point spread in 4 straight games after an upset victory as a home underdog — and they have also covered the point spread in 4 straight games after pulling an upset over a conference rival. Western Michigan dominated that Northern Illinois team that then went on to upset Buffalo in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game as they out-gained them by +137 net yards. The Broncos have then covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after out-gaining their last opponent by at least +125 yards. The extra weeks of bowl practice should help in the continued development of freshman quarterback Kaleb Eleby who has started the last three games for the injured Jon Wassink. Eleby completed 19 of 35 passes for 285 yards against a stout Huskies defense — and he is completing 64.5% of his passes this season. Western Michigan has covered the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games after passing for at least 285 yards in their last game. And in their last 17 games on the road after losing three of their last four games, the Broncos have covered the point spread in 14 of these contests. BYU has questionable motivation issues after blowing a 20-0 halftime lead against their in-state rivals to close out the season. Losing that game cost the Cougars a more attractive bowl site — now they travel north to bland Boise to play a team not representing a Power Five conference. This BYU team has a host of distractions as well with some players out getting married with others out due to injuries and a number of players taking exams while on this trip. The Cougars have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after a bye week. They also have a freshman at quarterback with Zach Wilson starting the last six games for the team when he was tapped by head coach Kalani Sitake to take over as the starter. BYU relies on their defense as they grind out games with an offense dedicated to running the ball and winning the battle at the line of scrimmage. While that is a consistent way to be successful and stay competitive in all their games, it is not a reliable way to cover double-digit point spreads. The Cougars have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight bowl games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games played on a neutral field. Together, these team trends produce our specific 74-24 ATS combined angle for this situation.

FINAL TAKE: This is the first bowl game for Western Michigan under head coach Lester after they were one of the few teams passed over despite having six wins last season. They should be motivated to make a statement in this game to close out their season. BYU has higher expectations as an independent team modeling their program as the Notre Dame of the west. BYU’s defense may be the difference in this game — but they are laying way too many points as a double-digit favorite. 10* CFB BYU-Western Michigan ESPN Special with the Western Michigan Broncos (220) plus the points versus the BYU Cougars (219). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Florida International Golden Panthers (217) plus the points versus the Toledo Rockets (218). FIU (8-4) looks to bounce-back from their 28-25 loss to Marshall as a 3.5-point underdog on November 25th. Toledo (7-5) has won two straight games after their 51-13 win over Central Michigan as a 19-point favorite on November 23rd.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GOLDEN PANTHERS PLUS THE POINTS: FIU has rebounded to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a loss to a conference rival. The Golden Panthers will be without their starting quarterback James Morgan in this game as he has been declared out with an injury he sustained in that final game against the Thundering Herd. Junior Christian Alexander has experience under center this season and he will get the start tonight. He benefits from getting most of the starter’s reps in bowl practice — and he is the likely starter next season. He will also be protected by a good offensive line that allowed only 10 sacks this season. The Golden Panthers have covered the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams outside the Mid-American Conference. FIU has also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games as an underdog. And while they have played five straight games Over the Total, they have then covered the point spread in 24 of their last 35 games after playing at least two straight Overs. Toledo has played two straight games Over the Total — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 33 games after playing at least two straight Overs. The Rockets have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after not allowing more than 20 points. This Toledo team has a leaky defense which makes them precarious favorites now when laying at least a touchdown. They rank 94th in the nation by allowing 430.1 total YPG — and they are giving up 30.2 PPG. When playing away from home, the Rockets are being out-gained by -21.6 Yards-Per-Game. This is also a team playing with their second-string quarterback with sophomore Eli Peters now their starter after the season-ending injury to Mitchell Guadagni last month. Toledo has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against non-conference opponents. Lastly, the Rockets are just 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games in the month of December — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games when playing with more than two weeks of rest and preparation.

FINAL TAKE: I am adding this as a late play given the line movement on Toledo that has elevated the Golden Panthers to an underdog getting (at least) 7 points in most spots. The FIU offense will be fine with Alexander — especially against this porous Rockets defense. Too many points to lay. Both of these teams will be motivated to play in the Bahamas. Toledo was shutout by Appalachian State in the Dollar General Bowl last season but FIU was embarrassed in a 28-3 loss to Temple in the Gasparilla Bowl in a game where they had to rely on unprepared backup quarterbacks after an injury to senior QB Alex McGough. 10* CFB FIU-Toledo ESPN Special with the Florida International Golden Panthers (217) plus the points versus the Toledo Rockets (218). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the South Florida Bulls (216) plus the points versus the Marshall Thundering Herd (215) in the Gasparilla Bowl. THE SITUATION: Marshall (8-4) saw their three-game winning streak snapped on December 1st with their 41-20 loss at Virginia Tech as a 3.5-point underdog. South Florida (7-5) has lost five straight games after their 38-10 loss to Central Florida as a 16.5-point favorite back on November 23rd. With this bowl game being moved from St. Petersburg to Raymond James Stadium on Tampa Bay, the Bulls playing in their home stadium for this bowl game.

REASONS TO TAKE SOUTH FLORIDA PLUS THE POINTS: Not only are the Bulls 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games after a straight-up loss but they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit loss at home. Furthermore, South Florida has covered the point spread in 6 straight games at home after a loss by at least four touchdowns. It has almost been a month since the Bulls last played and second-year head coach Charlie Strong needed to take full advantage of bowl preparation as looks to build this team for next season. Things started very well for this team with second straight wins to begin the season — and a victory now will remove the bad taste that is in everyone’s mouth after this team dropped its last five games. South Florida has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing with at least two weeks between games. The big question for this team is whether or not junior quarterback Blake Barnett will be able to take the field in this game. The former Alabama QB injured his ankle two games ago which kept him out of that final game with UCF. Barnett is officially listed as questionable for this contest and while he has taken off his walking boot this week, there is little other indication that he is actually ready to play in this game. I suspect that second-year head coach Charlie Strong will not risk further injury to his likely incumbent starter who has not practiced for this game and who will not be at 100%. The Bulls have only scored 27 combined points in their last two games — but they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games after failing to score more than 17 points in two straight games. South Florida remains a football team that has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games against teams with a winning record. Marshall has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a loss by at least 20 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after winning three of their last four games. This is the Thundering Herd’s third straight game away from home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after playing a game on the road. There are some concerns with the Marshall defense after a suspect Virginia Tech offense that generated 454 yards of offense. The Thundering Herd have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after allowing at least 450 yards in their last game. While Marshall boasted an outstanding run defense this year, they did allow opponents to average 231.7 passing YPG against them which ranks 69th in the FBS. They also allowed home teams to average 372.8 total YPG against them which was over 35 more YPG than their season average. The Thundering Herd have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games on the road as the favorite. Additionally, Marshall has failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games as the favorite. And in their last 7 games with the Total in the 49.5 to 56 point range, they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of these contests.

FINAL TAKE: The Thundering Herd were flat in their opportunity to upset a vulnerable Virginia Tech team which would have been a nice accomplishment for them. Their motivation to play a true road game in Tampa Bay against a team on a five-game losing streak with a 10-win season no longer possible will be a big challenge for Holliday as a head coach. On the other side of the field, home field advantage should have helped Strong get his team focused on salvaging their season and building for next year. Taking the points with the underdog is where the value is for this situation. 10* CFB Marshall-South Florida ESPN Special with the South Florida Bulls (216) plus the points versus the Marshall Thundering Herd (215) in the Gasparilla Bowl. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the Gasparilla Bowl between the Marshall Thundering Herd (215) and the South Florida Bulls (216). THE SITUATION: Marshall (8-4) saw their three-game winning streak snapped on December 1st with their 41-20 loss at Virginia Tech as a 3.5-point underdog. South Florida (7-5) has lost five straight games after their 38-10 loss to Central Florida as a 16.5-point favorite back on November 23rd. With this bowl game being moved from St. Petersburg to Raymond James Stadium on Tampa Bay, the Bulls playing in their home stadium for this bowl game.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Under is 21-9-1 in South Florida’s last 31 games after a straight-up loss. The Bulls have also played 12 of their last 15 home games Under the Total after a loss by at least 17 points — and they have played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total after a loss by at least four touchdowns. Furthermore, not only has South Florida played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after suffering three straight losses to conference rivals but they have also played 15 of their last 19 games Under the Total after losing five or six of their last seven games. The big question for this team is whether or not junior quarterback Blake Barnett will be able to take the field in this game. The former Alabama QB injured his ankle two games ago which kept him out of that final game with UCF. Barnett is officially listed as questionable for this contest and while he has taken off his walking boot this week, there is little other indication that he is actually ready to play in this game. I suspect that second-year head coach Charlie Strong will not risk further injury to his likely incumbent starter who has not practiced for this game and who will not be at 100%. But even if he plays, he will be running an offense that has scored only 16.7 PPG over their last three contests while wavering only 296.0 total YPG over that span. South Florida will lean on their rushing attack that averaged 202.5 rushing YPG which was 34th best in the nation. But running the ball will be difficult against this Thundering Herd defense that ranks 10th in the nation by holding their opponents to just 105.3 rushing YPG — and they limit opposing rushers to just a 2.98 Yards-Per-Carry. The Bulls only managed to pass for 113 yards against Central Florida in their last game — and they have played 12 of their last 14 games at home Under the Total after a game where they failed to pass for at least 125 yards. South Florida has also played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total when playing at home. Marshall has played 24 of their last 35 games Under the Total after a loss by at least 17 points. The Thundering Herd allowed the Hokies to average 7.09 Yards-Per-Play in their last game — but they have then played 25 of their last 36 games Under the Total after allowing at least 6.25 YPP in their last game. Head coach Doc Holliday should see his defense rebound with a better game tonight as they rank 23rd in the nation by allowing just 336.9 total YPG while also ranking tied for 29th in the FBS by giving up only 22.0 PPG. Marshall did not force any Virginia Tech turnovers in their last game — and they have played 7 straight games Under the Total after not forcing a turnover in their last game. Furthermore, the Thundering Herd have played 7 of their last 11 road games Under the Total when favored by no more than 3 points. And in their last 7 bowl games, Marshall has played 5 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The challenges for the South Florida offense increased when their offensive coordinator, Sterlin Gilbert, left for the McNeese State head coaching job during bowl prep. Strong has tapped Justin Blake to be his interim play-caller despite his lack of experience with those duties. With the Total set in the low-50s, expect this to be a lower-scoring game. 25* CFB Thursday ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the Gasparilla Bowl between the Marshall Thundering Herd (215) and the South Florida Bulls (216). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the San Diego State Aztecs (214) plus the points versus the Ohio Bobcats (213). THE SITUATION: San Diego State (7-5) limps into the bowl season having lost three straight games after their 31-30 upset loss at home to Hawai’i to end their regular season despite being an 18-point favorite in that game back on November 24th. Ohio (8-4) has won two straight games with their 49-28 win over Akron as a 24-point favorite back on November 23rd. These two football programs meet for the first time in the Frisco Bowl in Frisco, Texas tonight.

REASONS TO TAKE THE AZTECS PLUS THE POINTS: It was a strange season for San Diego State. After an opening week loss at Stanford, the Aztecs rattled off six-straight wins including impressive wins against Arizona State and at Boise State. But Rocky Long’s team was hit with the injury bug with starting quarterback Christian Chapman and running back Juwan Washington missing significant time with injuries — and that coincided with a difficult stretch of the season where they had challenging road games at Nevada and Fresno State. San Diego State lost three of four games down the stretch against Mountain West Conference rivals that were decided by just 15 combined points. The team was then flat in their season finale where they got upset by Hawai’i. But now Chapman and Washington are healthy again — and one thing this program has been under Long’s leadership is reliable when bouncing-back a from loss. The Aztecs have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 road games after a loss decided by 3 points or less — and they have covered the point spread in 25 of their last 37 road games after a loss to a conference rival. Additionally, San Diego State has covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games on the road after losing three of their last four games. Having Washington healthy should jumpstart this offense as he rushed for 870 yards with ten touchdowns despite playing in just eight games. The Aztecs are once again outstanding on the defensive side of the football where they rank 20th in the nation by limiting their opponents to only 327.4 total YPG. The Bobcats want to run the football as they rank 9th in the nation by rushing for 262.2 rushing YPG. But San Diego State ranks 4th in the nation by allowing only 94.5 rushing YPG this season — and opposing rushers averaged just 2.7 Yards-Per-Carry. The Aztecs faced six teams that qualified for bowl games this season — and those six teams averaged only 64.3 rushing YPG against this stout San Diego State defense. The Aztecs entered this season with a 32-9 record over their last three seasons. They are rarely an underdog under Long’s leadership — but when they are, they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games when getting the points. Ohio has failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games after a win by at least 20 points. The Bobcats preceded that 21-point win over the Zips with a 35-point win over Buffalo the previous week — but Frank Solich’s team has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after winning their last two games by at least three touchdowns. Ohio has also failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games when playing away from after winning their last two games by double-digits. The Bobcats out-rushed Akron by a whopping 349 net yards in their last game — but they have failed cover the point spread in 25 of their last 37 games after out-rushing their last opponent by at least 200 yards. Ohio has benefited from averaging +1.08 net turnovers per game this season which is the 5th best mark in the nation. They have not committed more than one turnover in six straight games. But after playing their last two games at home, they go on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games after not committing more than one turnover in three straight games. They will be facing an Aztecs team that has not committed a turnover in two straight games. The Bobcats thrived at home where they were a perfect 6-0 this season — but they were just 2-4 on the road while being out-gained by -30 net YPG.

FINAL TAKE: Ohio has reached a bowl game in nine of the last ten seasons under Solich while enjoying a 41-6 blowout win over UAB in the Bahamas Bowl last year. San Diego State has reached a bowl game in all eight years in Long’s tenure but fourteen returning starters will look to redeem themselves from a 42-35 upset loss to Army in the Armed Forces Bowl as a 7-point favorite. With the Aztecs healthy again, they are probably the better team in this game — and they will be doubly motivated to use this game to erase last year’s underwhelming performance as well as the poor effort over three weeks against Hawai’i. 25* CFB Group of Five Bowl Game of the Year with the San Diego State Aztecs (214) plus the points versus the Ohio Bobcats (213). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the UAB Blazers (212) minus the point(s) versus the Northern Illinois Huskies (211). THE SITUATION: UAB (10-3) won the Conference USA Championship with their 27-25 upset win at Middle Tennessee as a 1.5-point underdog back on December 1st. Northern Illinois (8-5) snapped a two-game losing streak on November 30th by upsetting Buffalo by a 30-29 score as a 3-point underdog to win the Mid-American Championship. These two conference champions meet in the Boca Raton Bowl in Florida tonight.

REASONS TO LAY THE POINTS WITH THE BLAZERS: Alabama-Birmingham should play well tonight as they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games off win on the road against a conference opponent. UAB has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread win. And while the Blazers surrendered 456 yards in that contest, they have then covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a point spread win. This team is led by one of one most underrated head coaches in the nation in Bill Clark who pulled off a minor miracle getting this team to a bowl game for two straight seasons despite the football program disbanded in the previous two years. UAB is led by an outstanding defense that is 10th in the nation by allowing 17.3 PPG while also holding their opponents to only 300.2 total YPG which is 11th best in the FBS. The Blazers have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 23 games when getting at least two weeks to prepare. And in their last 11 games against teams with a winning record, UAB has covered the point spread in 8 of these contests. Northern Illinois is a strange team to handicap. On the one hand, the fact that they were outscored and out-gained by their opponents this season should throw up some red flags. On the other hand, the Huskies played one of the most difficult non-conference schedules in the nation with games against Iowa, Utah, Florida State, and BYU — so those negative numbers need to be taken with a grain of salt for this non-power five conference team. The offense has been an issue for this team as they rank 119th in the nation by scoring just 20.7 PPG and they also rank 122nd in the FBS by averaging only 325.0 total YPG. In situations like this, looking to the team trends helps illuminate things if we can get a sense of the personality of the team in question when faces situations like this. Northern Illinois’ win over Buffalo went Over the 51.5 point Total — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after playing a game that finished Over the Total. The Huskies have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games with the Total set in the 42.5 to 49 point range — and this includes them failing to cover the point spread in five of their last seven games with the over/under in that range. Furthermore, head coach Rod Carey is 0-5 in the five bowl games he has coached with an average losing margin of -25 PPG in those contests. While those results need to be taken with a grain of salt, it certainly is not a ringing endorsement for Carey’s vigor in getting his team ready to play in these postseason games. The Huskies are 5-16-1 ATS in their last 22 games played on a neutral field — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games played on a neutral field as an underdog. At a certain point, we need to follow the numbers.

FINAL TAKE: Northern Illinois will certainly be motivated to end their bowl losing streak — and fourteen starters returned from last year’s team that was embarrassed by a 36-14 score to Duke in the Quick Lane Bowl. But UAB has sixteen starters back from last year’s team that got blown out by Ohio by a 41-6 score in the Bahamas Bowl. In hindsight, the Blazers may have just been happy to reach a bowl game since they were not playing football in the previous two seasons. Now this team travels to Florida with a conference championship and an opportunity to avenge that loss to another MAC opponent. I am trusting the team trends and the better defense in this bowl game. 10* CFB Boca Raton Bowl ESPN Special with the UAB Blazers (212) minus the point(s) versus the Northern Illinois Huskies (211). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Saints (331) and the Carolina Panthers (332). THE SITUATION: Carolina (6-7) has lost five straight games after their 26-20 upset loss at Cleveland as a 1-point favorite last Sunday. New Orleans (11-2) enters this game coming off a 28-14 win at Tampa Bay last week as a 10-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Saints have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. This team is playing outstanding defense as of late as they have not allowed more than 17 points in five straight games. Over their last three games, New Orleans is allowing only 14.7 PPG along with just 317.7 total YPG. Their defense also travels as they hold their home hosts to only 19.9 PPG on the road this season. The Saints have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total on the road. But along with New Orleans continued improved play on defense has been a decline in the productivity of their offense. Over their last three games, the Saints are scoring only 23.0 PPG while averaging just 262.0 total YPG. Playing on grass tends to slow down the speed New Orleans has on offense that terrorizes opponents when playing on the field turf at home in the Superdome. The Saints have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing on grass. Additionally, New Orleans has played 4 straight games Under the Total against fellow NFC opponents — and they have also played 5 straight games Under the Total again streams with a losing record. Carolina has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Panthers only allowed 348 yards of offense to the Browns last week — but they allowed Cleveland to average 7.9 Yards-Per-Play. Carolina controlled the clock in that game as they were on offense for 33:50 minutes of that game — and they will certainly look to replicate that number tonight to keep the Saints’ offense off the field. The Panthers have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after allowing at least 7.0 YPP in their last game. The Carolina offense is scoring only 21.3 PPG over their last three games with quarterback Cam Newton limited on the types of throws he can deliver given a shoulder injury. The Panthers have played 4 straight games Under the Total in the month of December.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total when facing off in Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Expect another low-scoring game between these two teams. 10* NFL Monday Daily Discounted Deal with Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Saints (331) and the Carolina Panthers (332). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Carolina Panthers (332) plus the points versus the New Orleans Saints (331). THE SITUATION: Carolina (6-7) has lost five straight games after their 26-20 upset loss at Cleveland as a 1-point favorite last Sunday. New Orleans (11-2) enters this game coming off a 28-14 win at Tampa Bay last week as a 10-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PANTHERS PLUS THE POINTS: Carolina has had this night circled on their calendar all season as it is their first opportunity to avenge being beaten three by the Saints last year. The Panthers lost both regular-season games to New Orleans before losing in the first round of the playoffs by a 31-26 score on the road in the Superdome. Carolina should play one of their best games of the season as they have rebounded to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games after an upset loss as a road favorite. The Panthers remain alive in the NFC playoff hunt but they must win this game tonight. Quarterback Cam Newton is not at full strength as he is dealing with a shoulder issue that is limiting his ability to throw longer passes. Yet going deeper into the numbers, it is the not offense that has been holding this team back. Carolina is averaging only 21.3 PPG in their last three games despite averaging a robust 437.7 Yards-Per-Game over that span — that is almost 60 YPG above their season average. The 393 yards they generated last week against the Browns was the lowest offensive output in their last three games — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after gaining at least 375 yards in three straight games. The Panthers out-gained Cleveland last week by 50 yards — in fact, they have out-gained their last four opponents despite losing all four games on the scoreboard. Carolina’s run defense is playing quite well at this point of the season. Over their last three games, they are allowing only 60 rushing YPG while holding opposing rushers to just a 3.05 Yards-Per-Carry average. The Panthers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record. Now after playing their last two games on the road, Carolina returns home where they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games. New Orleans has covered the point spread in ten of their last eleven games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games after covering the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. The Saints have also failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 40 games after a win on the road against a fellow NFC South rival. Despite their continued success, the New Orleans offense has slowed down a bit as they are averaging only 23.0 PPG along with just 262.0 total YPG over their last three games. Opposing defenses are finding success by focusing on taking away Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara in the passing game to make Drew Brees use his other less-talented passing targets. Defenses are also finding success by going into dime coverage on third down. These defensive adjustments are taking away the Saints explosiveness. Brees has passed for at least 200 yards just once in his last three games — and only six of his passes over those last three games have resulted in more than 20 yards. Lastly, New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on Monday Night Football.

FINAL TAKE: Carolina has been snake-bit during their losing streak — they are a better team than their losing record indicates. The Panthers should have a few tricks up their sleeve for this first opportunity to avenge their three losses to the Saints last season which defined their year. New Orleans may win this game — but it is difficult to defeat a divisional rival on the road by this many points that they are laying. 25* NFC South Game of the Year with the Carolina Panthers (332) plus the points versus the New Orleans Saints (331). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Rams (330) minus the points versus the Philadelphia Eagles (329). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (6-7) looks to rebound from their 29-23 overtime loss in Dallas last week as a 3.5-point favorite. Los Angeles (11-2) saw their three-game winning streak snapped with their 15-6 loss in Chicago last Sunday night as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAMS MINUS THE POINTS: I don’t like passing up the opportunity to take an underdog getting near two touchdowns — but I hate this situation for this Eagles team that lost their realistic chances to make the playoffs with that devastating loss to the Cowboys. This team is ravaged with injuries on both sides of the football leaving just a shell of last year’s Super Bowl team. Philadelphia’s defense will be without middle linebacker Jordan Hicks and cornerback Sidney Jones who are both out with a calf and hamstring injuries respectively. They join defensive end Derek Barnett, defensive tackle Tim Jernigan, linebackers Mychal Kendricks and Paul Worrilow, strong safety Rodney McLeod, and cornerbacks Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills who are already on Injured Reserve. As it is, the Eagles are surrendering 139.7 rushing YPG over their last five contests while allowing opposing rushers to average 6.06 Yards-Per-Carry. On offense, Carson Wentz will not play in this game as he deals with a sore back and will likely put on the shelf for the rest of the season. Philly will turn to last year’s Super Bowl Most Valuable Player in Nick Foles to be their quarterback — but without offensive coaches Frank Reich and John DeFilippo from last year, this team will be unlikely to come close to recapturing the magic from last year’s playoff run. The Eagles have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a loss on the road. And while they have failed to cover the point spread in four of their last five games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after failing to cover the point spread in two of their last three games. It was a minor miracle that Philly was able to stay competitive against Dallas last week when considering that they surrendered 576 yards of offense while being out-gained by -320 yards. The Eagles have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after allowing at least 305 ads in their last game. Philadelphia has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against fellow NFC opponents. Furthermore, the Eagles have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 road games against teams with a winning record at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in the month of December. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to score more than 14 points in their last game. The Rams rushed the ball only 13 times last week against the Bears for a mere 52 rushing yards — but they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to rush for more than 90 yards in their last game. Now Los Angeles returns home where they are a perfect 6-0 with an average winning margin of +10.5 PPG while out-gaining their opponents by +96.1 YPG. Jared Goff has struggled as of late — but returning home will help where he owns an 18:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio while averaging 9.67 Yards-Per-Attempt. The Rams average 37.7 PPG at home — and their defense has allowed only 31 combined points in their last two games. LA has then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after not allowing more than 17 points in two straight games.

FINAL TAKE: The struggling reigning Super Bowl champions are catching the Rams on the wrong week. While I rarely like laying this many points in the NFL, the injuries this Eagles team has sustained makes the chances of a blowout likely. 10* NFL Sunday Night Discounted Deal with the Los Angeles Rams (330) minus the points versus the Philadelphia Eagles (329). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between Philadelphia Eagles (329) and the Los Angeles Rams (330). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (6-7) looks to rebound from their 29-23 overtime loss in Dallas last week as a 3.5-point favorite. Los Angeles (11-2) saw their three-game winning streak snapped with their 15-6 loss in Chicago last Sunday night as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Eagles have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread setback. Philly will be turning to Nick Foles at quarterback with Carson Wentz dealing with back issues and likely to be put on the shelf for the rest of this season with their playoff hopes likely dashed. Foles started the first two games of the season with the Eagles scoring only 19 combined points in those two games. Philadelphia will likely to commit to running the football considering that they have won all six of their games this season when they attempt at least 27 rushes. Running the football will also serve to protect their injury-riddled defense that surrendered 576 yards against the Cowboys. The Eagles have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after allowing at least 400 yards in their last game — and they have also played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after allowing at least 500 yards in their last game. Philadelphia stayed competitive last week despite only managing to gain 256 yards of offense — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after being out-gained by at least 100 yards in their last game. Los Angeles has played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 14 points in their last game. The Rams will likely look to run the football as well after struggling to move the football in the colder weather in Chicago — Todd Gurley ran the ball only 11 times last week. Los Angeles also needs to do better with their run defense after allowing the Bears to rush for 194 yards last week. The Rams have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing at least 150 rushing yards in their last game. Los Angeles returns home where they have played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. The Rams have also played 4 of the last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: With Los Angeles big favorites of almost two touchdowns, the Total remains in the low-50s for this game. With both teams running the football, expect this to be a lower-scoring game than expected. 25* NFL Sunday Night O/U Special Feature with Under the Total in the game between Philadelphia Eagles (329) and the Los Angeles Rams (330). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the New England Patriots (327) minus the points versus the Pittsburgh Steelers (328). THE SITUATION: New England (9-4) looks to bounce-back from being on the wrong end of the “Miracle in Miami” with their last second 34-33 loss to the Dolphins as a 9.5-point road favorite. Pittsburgh (7-5-1) has lost three straight games with their 24-21 loss in Oakland as a 10.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PATRIOTS MINUS THE POINTS: The Steelers will be without running back James Connor again this week after he was downgraded to doubtful for this game. His absence (along with LeVeon Bell no longer being eligible to play for this team) cripples the Pittsburgh offense. In their three-game losing streak, the Steelers are only rushing the ball in 25% of their plays leaving them terribly imbalanced. They ran the ball only 19 times last week for a mere 40 rushing yards with Jaylen Samuels not able to be as effective as the main rushing back. Pittsburgh has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to rush for at least 90 yards. The Steelers have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a point spread loss. Over their last three games, they are scoring just 22.7 PPG — and their defense is giving up 27.0 PPG. Pittsburgh does return home but they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games at home — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Additionally, the Steelers have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games in the month of December. New England has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games in the month of December. This is a must-win game for both teams — but it is Bill Belichick who is more reliable in getting his team focused to bounce-back after a loss. The Patriots are 45-19-1 ATS in their last 65 games after a straight-up loss — and they are also 39-19-2 ATS in their last 60 games after a point spread loss. New England stays on the road where they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games — and they have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Over their last three games, the Patriots are scoring 28.0 PPG while averaging 463.3 total YPG — they are outscoring their last three opponents by +9.0 PPG while out-gaining them by +120.6 net YPG. New England has also covered the point spread in 18 of their last 25 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Tom Brady owns the Steelers — he has led the Patriots to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 meetings with them while New England has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against them in Pittsburgh. In this important game for both teams off losses, expect both teams to stay true to form — and that means the Patriots play smart while the Steelers make costly mistakes. 20* NFL New England-Pittsburgh CBS-TV Special with the New England Patriots (327) minus the points versus the Pittsburgh Steelers (328). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Seahawks (325) and the San Francisco 49ers (326). THE SITUATION: Seattle (8-5) has won four straight games with their 21-7 win over Minnesota on Monday as a 3-point favorite. San Francisco (3-10) snapped their three-game losing streak last week with their 20-14 upset win over Denver as a 3-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Seahawks have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after winning at least three straight games. Seattle held the Vikings to just 77 rushing yards in that contest — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 90 rushing yards in their last game. The Seahawks are playing good defense as they are allowing only 16.7 PPG over their last three contests. Now they go on the road where they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total. Seattle has also played 9 of their last 11 road games Under the Total against fellow NFC opponents — and they have played 4 straight road games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home. And in their last 6 road games when favored in the 3.5 to 7 point range, the Seahawks have played all 6 games Under the Total. San Francisco has lost nine of their last eleven games — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after losing six or seven of their last eight games. The 49ers have also failed to cover the point spread in five of their last seven contests — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. The Niners are scoring only 15.0 PPG over their last three contests. But San Francisco is playing good defense at home where they are holding their opponents to just 295.2 total YPG. The 49ers have played 11 of their last 13 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. This is a rematch of Seattle’s 43-16 victory over the Niners two weeks ago — and San Fran has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing with same season revenge.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 encounters in San Francisco Under the Total. Expect another lower scoring game between these two teams with the Niners serving as hosts. 10* NFL Sunday Afternoon Discounted Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Seahawks (325) and the San Francisco 49ers (326). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Minnesota Vikings (308) minus the points versus the Miami Dolphins (307). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (6-6-1) has lost two straight games after their 21-7 loss at Seattle on Monday as a 3-point underdog. Miami (7-6) enters this game still buzzing off the “miracle in Miami” where they scored on a last-second hook-and-ladder play to pull a 34-33 upset over New England as a 9.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE VIKINGS MINUS THE POINTS: Minnesota should play well this afternoon as they have covered the point spread in 27 of their last 37 games after a straight-up loss. Their loss on Monday was preceded by a 24-10 loss in New England the previous week — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after losing two straight games by at least two touchdowns. Returning home will help where they are 4-2 while out-gaining their opponents by +91.1 net YPG. The Vikings hold their guests to just 19.3 PPG along with only 270.2 YPG. Minnesota has covered the point spread in 16  of their last 22 games on their home field. There should also be a better atmosphere on the sidelines after head coach Mike Zimmer fired offensive coordinator John DeFilippo and replaced him with Kevin Stefanski. DeFilippo was not a good personality fit with the demanding Zimmer who has a different philosophy. Stefanski is very highly regarded around the league and appears to be a better fit with Zimmer’s style. He takes over an offense for a team that has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games in the month of December. Miami has failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 27 games after an upset win over a divisional rival. Furthermore, the Dolphins have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after scoring at least 30 points in their last game — and they are 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 games after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. Additionally, Miami has failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 31 games off a home game where both teams scored at least 24 points. Now the Dolphins go back on the road where they are 1-5 with an average losing margin of -12.3 PPG while being out-gained by -116.3 net YPG. Miami allows their home hosts to score 29.5 PPG while gaining 400.3 total YPG. Defense is a concern for this team as they have surrendered at least 377 yards in four straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games after allowing at least 375 yards in four straight games. They are allowing 430.3 total YPG over their last three contests. And in their last 11 games on the road, the Dolphins have failed to cover the point spread 9 times.

FINAL TAKE: The Vikings have endured a difficult stretch of games but remain alive in the NFC playoff hunt. Look for them to take out their frustrations on an overachieving Dolphins team that is not very good when playing away from south beach. 25* NFL Non-Conference Game of the Year with the Minnesota Vikings (308) minus the points versus the Miami Dolphins (307). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (209) plus the points versus the Appalachian State Mountaineers (210). THE SITUATION: Middle Tennessee (8-5) has lost two of their last three games after they 27-25 loss to UAB at home in the Conference USA Championship Game two weeks ago as a 1.5-point favorite. Appalachian State (10-2) has won five straight games with their 30-19 win over Louisiana-Lafayette as a 17.5-point favorite in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game back on December 1st. These two teams meet in the Big Easy for the New Orleans Bowl.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BLUE RAIDERS PLUS THE POINTS: Head coach Rick Stockstill will have his team ready to play this bowl game with it being the final collegiate game for his son, Brent, as his starting quarterback. As it is, Middle Tennessee has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after a straight-up loss — and this includes them covering the point spread in five of their last six games after a defeat. The Blue Raiders has also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. That was a difficult situation for this Middle Tennessee team (that we jumped all over) as they ended up playing the Blazers in two straight weeks after qualifying for the conference championship game by defeating UAB the previous week. After out-rushing the Blazers by +132 yards in their victory, they were then out-rushed by -129 yards the next week in that rematch. The Blue Raiders have covered the point spread in 25 of their last 37 games after being out-rushed in their last opponent by at least 125 yards. This team has still won five of their last seven games — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning four or five of their last six contests. They have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games with the Total set in the 42.5 to 49 point range. And in their last 6 games against Sun Belt Conference opponents, Middle Tennessee has covered the point spread 5 times. Appalachian State has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. This team will be playing without their six-year head coach Scott Satterfield who left the program to take the Louisville head coaching job. Defensive line coach Mark Ivey will serve as the interim head coach for this game. This team may be due for a letdown after winning the Sun Belt Championship. They have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after winning their last two games by at least double-digits against conference rivals. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning at least four straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning at least eight of their last ten games.

FINAL TAKE: This is the eighth bowl back for Stockstill as the head coach of Middle Tennessee. The extra time to prepare for the Mountaineers spread offense should help the Blue Raiders defense. With Middle Tennessee having the benefit of a gunslinger at quarterback playing his final game, expect a close game. 10* CFB Saturday Late Show Bailout with the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (209) plus the points versus the Appalachian State Mountaineers (210). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Browns (305) and the Denver Broncos (306). THE SITUATION: Denver (6-7) saw their three-game winning streak snapped last Sunday with their 20-14 loss at San Francisco as a 3-point favorite. Cleveland (5-7-1) has won three of their last four games with their 26-20 upset win at home over Carolina last week as a 1-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Broncos have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after suffering an upset loss — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread setback. And while Denver allowed 389 yards of offense in that game, they have then seen the Under go 7-0-1 in their last 8 games after allowing at least 350 yards in their last contest. The Broncos do return home where they have played 5 straight games Under the Total — and they have also played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. This team has also played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total with the number set in the 42.5 to 49 point range. And in their last 6 games in the month of December, Denver has played 5 of these games Under the Total. Cleveland needs to play better defense in the first half after allowing 17 and 23 points in the first thirty minutes of their last two games. The Browns have played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total after allowing at least 17 points in the first-half in two straight games. Cleveland has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. The Browns have also seen the Under go 38-11-2 in their last 51 games in the month of December — and this includes them playing seven of their last ten games Under the Total in December contests.

FINAL TAKE: Denver’s formula for success is running the football — and Cleveland has run the ball more than 50% of the time in three of their last four games. Both teams looking to run the football will shorten this game which should help produce a lower-scoring contest. 10* NFL Cleveland-Denver NFL Network O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Browns (305) and the Denver Broncos (306). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Denver Broncos (306) minus the points versus the Cleveland Browns (305). THE SITUATION: Denver (6-7) saw their three-game winning streak snapped last Sunday with their 20-14 loss at San Francisco as a 3-point favorite. Cleveland (5-7-1) has won three of their last four games with their 26-20 upset win at home over Carolina last week as a 1-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRONCOS MINUS THE POINTS: Denver was caught flat last week after winning three straight games and playing a 49ers team that will be missing the playoffs. But the Broncos have rebounded to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after suffering an upset loss on the road as the favorite. Denver had covered point spread expectations in their three previous games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after covering two of their last three games. Now after playing their last two games on the road, returning home should help this team. They are playing outstanding run defense right now as they have held their last seven opponents to just a 3.58 Yards-Per-Carry mark song with only 72.7 rushing YPG. The Broncos have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after the first month of the season. They also have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against fellow AFC opponents. Cleveland may be due for a letdown after pulling the upset at home against the reeling Panthers. The Browns have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread win. That game finished below the 47.5-point Total — but Cleveland has then failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 22 games after playing a game that finished Under the Total. And while the Browns have played their last two games Under the Total, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after playing at least two straight Unders. Cleveland is flirting with danger having lost the turnover battle in their last two games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after suffering a -1 or worse turnover battle in two straight games. The Browns defense surrendered 393 yards to Carolina in their victory but they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. They have allowed their last three opponents to rush for 108 rushing YPG while averaging 5.06 YPC — and those are scary numbers when facing this Broncos team that is 7th in the NFL by averaging 130.2 rushing YPG. Cleveland now plays their third game in their last four contests on the road where they are 1-5 this season while surrendering 29.0 PPG along with 412.2 total YPG. The Browns are 5-12-1 ATS in their last 18 games on the road while failing to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games against teams with a losing record at home. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games as an underdog getting no more than 7 points. And in their last 5 games against fellow AFC opponents, Cleveland has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of these contests.

FINAL TAKE: Expect this Browns team to struggle in the high-altitude in Denver where the Broncos typically enjoy a significant home-field advantage. Both those teams remain technically alive in the playoff race — but it is Denver that has a more realistic chance of qualifying for the playoffs if they win their remaining games. 25* AFC Game of the Year with the Denver Broncos (306) minus the points versus the Cleveland Browns (305). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Eastern Michigan Eagles (207) plus the points versus the Georgia Southern Eagles (208). Eastern Michigan (7-5) has won three straight games with their 28-20 win at Kent State as a 12.5-point favorite back on November 23rd. Georgia Southern (9-3) has won two straight contests after their 35-14 win at Georgia State back on November 24th as a 10-point favorite. These two teams face off in the Camellia Bowl in Birmingham, Alabama.

REASONS TO TAKE EASTERN MICHIGAN PLUS THE POINTS: These Eagles should build off their momentum of becoming bowl eligible with their November success. Eastern Michigan has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games after a point spread loss. Eastern Michigan is led by a stout defense that ranks 32nd in the FBS by allowing only 22.0 PPG. This strong play has helped them stay competitive in almost all of their games. Despite facing teams playing in bowl games this season, five of their losses were decided by a combined 31 points with three of those losses by 3-point setbacks. Eastern Michigan’s defense has helped them play three straight Unders which is a good sign for them now. They have then covered the point spread in 17 of their last 22 games after playing an Under — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after playing two straight Unders and they have covered the point spread in 7 straight games after playing three straight Unders. Eastern Michigan has covered the point spread in 17 of their last 22 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games against teams with a winning record. And in their last 17 games against non-conference opponents, Eastern Michigan has covered the point spread 14 times. Georgia Southern has failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after winning their last two games against conference rivals. This team relies on their spread rushing attack to move the football — they have generated 276 and 409 rushing yards in their last two games. But Georgia Southern has then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after rushing for at least 275 yards in two straight games. They have out-rushed their last two opponents by +182 and +335 yards in their last two games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after out-rushing their last two opponents by at least +125 yards. But this Eagles’ offense is one-dimensional as they rank 127th in the FBS by averaging just 82.8 passing YPG. Georgia Southern is averaging 66 YPG below what their opponents typically allow per game. They will be facing an Eastern Michigan team that already has played a similar offense from Navy before having two weeks to prepare for this specific scheme. Lastly, Georgia Southern has failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games played on field turf.

FINAL TAKE: Eastern Michigan is extremely well-coached by Chris Creighton who gets the most out of his talent. With a strong defense with extra time to prepare for the Georgia Southern offense, expect another close game from this Eagles defense from the Mid-American Conference. 10* CFB Eastern Michigan-Georgia Southern ESPN Special with the Eastern Michigan Eagles (207) plus the points versus the Georgia Southern Eagles (208). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Houston Texans (303) minus the points versus the New York Jets (304). THE SITUATION: Houston (9-4) looks to bounce-back from their 24-21 upset loss to Indianapolis last week where they were a 4-point favorite. New York (4-9) enters this Saturday game coming off a 27-23 upset victory at Buffalo as a 4.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TEXANS MINUS THE POINTS: Houston has rebounded to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after a narrow loss by 3 points or less against a divisional rival. Now the Texans look to start another winning streak on the road where they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning record at home. Houston has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against fellow AFC opponents — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games with the Total set at 42.5 to 49. The Texans need to tighten up on defense after allowing 409.7 total YPG over their last three games — but they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after allowing at least 400 YPG over their last three contests. New York has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after an upset loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up victory. The Jets pulled the upset over Buffalo despite being out-gained by -120 net yards in that contest. The New York offense is riddled with injuries with running back Isaiah Crowell going on IR with a foot injury and wide receiver Quincy Enunwa being declared out with an ankle. Rookie quarterback Sam Darnold is left without much help at the skill positions. He has only passed for 300 yards once in his ten starts and his lead running back is now third-stringer Elijah McGuire. The Jets have scored only 20.3 PPG over their last three games while averaging a mere 288.7 total YPG. Against the Bills, New York only gained 78 rushing yards — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to rush for more than 90 yards in their last contest. Their defense also surrendered 368 yards in that game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after allowing at least 350 yards in their last contest.

FINAL TAKE: I don’t love laying a touchdown with teams playing on the road — but the Texans will be dialed in for this game after suffering the upset at home last week. The Jets are facing a stiff uptick in competition this week with an angry Houston team as opposed to the Bills last week. 10* NFL Houston-NY Jets NFL Network Special with the Houston Texans (303) minus the points versus the New York Jets (304). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Texans (303) and the New York Jets (304). THE SITUATION: Houston (9-4) looks to bounce-back from their 24-21 upset loss to Indianapolis last week where they were a 4-point favorite. New York (4-9) enters this Saturday game coming off a 27-23 upset victory at Buffalo as a 4.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Texans’ offense stalled in that game as they generated only 315 yards at home against the Colts. Houston has played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Texans did limit Indianapolis to just 50 rushing yards in that contest — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than 50 rushing yards in their last game. Houston is 5th in the NFL by allowing only 88.2 rushing YPG — and they are holding their opponents to just a 3.35 Yards-Per-Carry average. Over their last three games, the Texans allowing only 18.0 PPG. Now after playing their last three games at home, Houston goes on the road where they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total — and they have also played 7 of their last 9 road games Under the Total when laying 3.5 to 7 points. Furthermore, the Texans have played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. And in their last 31 games played in the month of December, Houston has played 23 of these games Under the Total including nine of their last eleven. New York has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after an upset victory — and they have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up victory. Furthermore, the Jets have also played 22 of their last 32 home games Under the Total after a narrow win by 6 points or less. They did surrender 176 rushing yards to the Bills in that win — but they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing at least 150 rushing yards in their last game. The New York offense is riddled with injuries with running back Isaiah Crowell going on IR with a foot injury and wide receiver Quincy Enunwa being declared out with an ankle. Rookie quarterback Sam Darnold is left without much help at the skill positions. He has only passed for 300 yards once in his ten starts and his lead running back is now third-stringer Elijah McGuire. The Jets have scored only 20.3 PPG over their last three games while averaging a mere 288.7 total YPG. Lastly, in their last 15 games after a game where at least 50 combined points were scored, New York has then played 10 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: This shapes up to be a low-scoring contest. The Jets’ offense was already limited before their rash of injuries. Houston has evolved into a run-first team to protect their offensive line (it is easier on that group to run block rather than offer pass protection). With the Texans on the road, they will lean even more on the road. 25* NFL Saturday Afternoon O/U Special Feature with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Texans (303) and the New York Jets (304). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Fresno State Bulldogs (206) minus the points versus the Arizona State Sun Devils (205). Fresno State (11-2) won the Mountain West Conference Championship with their 19-16 upset win at Boise State in the snow as a 1.5-point underdog two weeks ago. Arizona State (7-5) has won four of their last five games with their 41-40 win at Arizona as a 1.5-point favorite back on November 24th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS MINUS THE POINTS: Fresno State should build off the momentum from that victory in the Mountain West Conference Championship Game as they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after a straight-up win — and they are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games after a point spread victory. Furthermore, the Bulldogs have covered the points spread in 16 of their last 21 games after failing to score more than 20 points — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 19 games after not allowing more than 20 points. That game finished below the 51.5 point total — and they have covered the point spread in 7 straight road games after a game that finished Under the Total. This is a team that thrives on defense — they rank 2nd in the nation by allowing only 13.7 PPG while also ranking 17th in the FBS by giving up just 323.8 total YPG. Their defense travels as the Bulldogs are 5-2 on the road this season with an average winning margin of +15.3 PPG due to them only allowing 12.6 PPG away from home. This stout defense is a great complement to the Fresno State offense overseen by head coach Jeff Tedford who is considered an offensive guru and a quarterback whisperer with stints in the NFL and CFL following his coaching tenure at Cal. Senior quarterback Marcus McMaryion has passed for 3453 yards this season while posting an outstanding 25:3 touchdown-to-interception ratio. The coaching staff will be very familiar with the 3-3-5 defensive scheme they will see from Arizona State under defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales who came over from San Diego State which the Bulldogs compete against every year running the same defensive system. That is a good sign for a football team that has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games against teams outside the Mountain West Conference. Arizona State has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 road games after a victory on the road — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 25 games on the road after winning four or five of their last six games. The Sun Devils have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. The Arizona State offense will be without their most dangerous weapon in wide receiver N’Keal Harry who is sitting out this game to keep himself healthy for the NFL draft that he is leaving school early to enter. First-year college head coach Herm Edwards looks to be using this game more as an opportunity to get his younger players experience for next season than a crucial contest that he wants his team to win. Sophomore quarterback Dillon Sterling-Cole is likely to get time in this game for senior QB Manny Wilkins. Arizona State has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 bowl games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing on a neutral field. The Sun Devils have struggled away from Tempe this season as they have lost four of their six games on the road wheel being out-gained by -85 net YPG. Furthermore, over their last three contests, Arizona State has been out-gained by -67.6 net YPG. The Sun Devils are vulnerable against the pass as they rank 82nd in the nation by allowing 238.7 passing YPG — and the Bulldogs rank 25th in the FBS by averaging 274.2 passing YPG. Arizona State has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams outside the Pac-12 — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games in the month of December.

FINAL TAKE: Tedford is 6-3 in his nine opportunities to coach in bowl games — and his team will be motivated to not only knock off a school from a Power-Five conference while earning a twelfth win this season which would be the most in program history. The Sun Devils have not been very good away from home and it looks like Edwards is using this game to prepare for next season. 20* CFB Arizona State-Fresno State ABC-TV Special with the Fresno State Bulldogs (206) minus the points versus the Arizona State Sun Devils (205). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the North Texas Mean Green (201) plus the points versus the Utah State Aggies (202). THE SITUATION: North Texas (9-3) has won two straight games as well as three of their last four games with their 24-21 win over UTSA as a 25-point favorite back on November 24th. Utah State (10-2) saw their ten-game winning streak snapped on that Saturday when they lost by a 33-24 score at Boise State as a 2.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MEAN GREEN PLUS THE POINTS: I do not like the dynamic from which Utah State enters this game. They suffered a deflating loss to the Broncos that ruined their Mountain West championship aspirations. As it is, the Aggies have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a loss to a conference rival — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games when bouncing back from a loss on the road to a conference rival. And while Utah State has not covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after failing to cover the point spread in two straight games. The team is also without their head coach Matt Wells who left the program after that game to become the new head coach for Texas Tech. With interim head coach Frank Maile operating as a lame duck before Gary Andersen returns to the program to serve as the Aggies’ head coach again, it is questionable as to just how motivated this team will be for this game. Utah State has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games in the month of December. The Aggies have benefited from a +0.92 net turnover margin per game which is 8th best in the nation — but they did not force a turnover and suffered a -2 net turnover margin in that loss to Boise State. Utah State has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after failing to force a turnover in their last game. Defense is also a concern for this team as they have allowed 471.1 total YPG which is over 85 YPG above their season average. Teams can pass on this team as they rank 84th in the nation by giving up 240.1 passing YPG. This is also a team that thrives at home with a dominant 35-9 mark at home over the years. Both of the Aggies’ losses were on the road this year where they were out-gained away from home by -47.8 net YPG. Additionally, Utah State has failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 19 games against teams with a winning record. North Texas has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a win by 3 points or less against a Conference USA rival — and they have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 30 games after winning two straight games against conference rivals. Furthermore, the Mean Green has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a straight-up win where they failed to cover the point spread as the favorite. North Texas may scare off some bettors considering that they have only covered the point spread once in their last eight games — but they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after failing to cover the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. Led by quarterback Matt Fine who has passed for over 3700 yards this season while posting a sterling 27:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio, the Mean Green has generated 511 and 516 yards in each of their last two games. North Texas has covered the point spread in 4 straight games after gaining at least 450 yards in two straight contests. Fine should find success against this Aggies pass defense as he leads an offense that ranks 11th in the nation by averaging 316.3 passing YPG. While the UNT pass defense is vulnerable, the Mean Green defense can make Utah State one-dimensional as they rank 15th in the nation by allowing only 113.5 rushing YPG. Lastly, North Texas has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games against non-conference opponents.

FINAL TAKE: North Texas has reached a bowl game in each of the first two seasons under third-year head coach Seth Littrell — but they have yet to win that final game. The Mean Green should be very motivated to earth their first bowl win under Littrell while reaching the ten-win milestone this season. 25* CFB New Mexico Bowl Special Feature with the North Texas Mean Green (201) plus the points versus the Utah State Aggies (202). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Tulane Green Wave (203) minus the points versus the UL-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (204). THE SITUATION: Tulane (6-6) became bowl eligible by winning four of their last five games with their 29-28 victory over Navy on November 24th as a 5-point favorite. UL-Lafayette (7-6) saw their three-game winning streak snapped on December 1st in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game where they lost at Appalachian State by a 17.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GREEN WAVE MINUS THE POINTS: Tulane will be very excited to be playing in their first bowl game since 2014 — and their first postseason game under third-year head coach Willie Fritz. The Green Wave were inches away from being bowl eligible last season before getting stuff on the goal line in their upset bid against SMU leaving them at 5-7 and ailing to become bowl eligible. This moment has been a long time coming for this program that returned fourteen starters from last year’s team. Tulane has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a narrow win at home by 3 points or less. The Green Wave have lost three games this season decided by 7 points or less. And while they have not covered the point spread in four of their last six games, they have then covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. This team has improved on offense since Justin McMillan took over at quarterback. The graduate transfer from LSU has throw ten touchdown passes in his last five games after completing 18 of 29 passes for 291 yards with three TD passes against the Midshipmen while adding another touchdown with 51 rushing yards in that victory. The Green Wave have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. Tulane did not force a turnover in that game — but they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to force at least one turnover in their last contest. This team led the American Athletic Conference by allowing just 5.4 Yards-Per-Play in conference games. They are particularly tough against the run as they ranked second in the AAC by allowing just 152.6 rushing YPG — and they held their opponents to only 3.95 Yards-Per-Carry. They held their opponents to 38 YPG below their offensive season average. Furthermore, the Green Wave have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 29 games when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. UL-Lafayette has covered the point spread in eight of their last ten games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after failing to cover the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. This is not a good matchup for this Ragin’ Cajuns team facing an opponent from a superior conference. UL-Lafayette relies on running the football so they will be playing into the strength of the Tulane defense — and they only average 208.0 passing YPG which is 89th in the FBS. The Ragin’ Cajun defense struggles to defend the run as they rank 107th in the nation by allowing 210.0 rushing YPG — and their opponents average 5.8 Yards-Per-Carry. They face a big challenge when facing this Green Wave offense that is 30th in the nation by averaging 208.3 rushing YPG. UL-Lafayette may be facing some new wrinkles as well after Fritz fired his offensive coordinator Doug Ruse after the Navy game. Alex Atkins will be calling the plays for this game. The Ragin’ Cajuns allowed their opponents to average 41 YPG above their offensive season average. They have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games with the Total set in the 56.5 to 63 point range. And while they have played two straight games Under the Total, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after playing two straight Unders.

FINAL TAKE: I like the dynamic this Tulane team has entering this game with the challenge of a new offensive coordinator helping to focus their attention as they play their first bowl game in years. UL-Lafayette usually is tapped to play in the New Orleans Bowl in the opening Saturday of the bowl season. This Green Wave is more battle-tested having played in an American Athletic Conference that is significantly better than the Sun Belt. 25* CFB CBS Sports Network Game of the Year with the Tulane Green Wave (203) minus the points versus the UL-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (204). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Kansas City Chiefs (302) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Chargers (301). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (10-3) has won three straight games as well as nine of their last ten games with their 26-21 win over Cincinnati as a 17-point favorite on Sunday. Kansas City (11-2) has won two straight games as well as six of their last seven contests with their 27-24 win in overtime against Baltimore as a 6.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CHIEFS MINUS THE POINTS: Kansas City has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after a victory at home — and they have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning at least two straight games. The Chiefs stay at home on the short week giving them a nice situational advantage where they have won nine straight games. KC is 6-0 this season at home at Arrowhead Stadium while outscoring their visitors by +14.0 PPG. They have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Their defense has surrendered at least 24 points in three straight games — but they have then covered the point spread 6 straight games after allowing at least 24 points in three straight games. The Chiefs also gave up 198 rushing yards to the Ravens — but they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after allowing at least 150 rushing yards in their last game. Furthermore, Kansas City has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 17 games against fellow AFC West opponents. Los Angeles is hit hard with injuries at running back with Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler listed as doubtful for this game with injuries which will make it difficult for either of them to play on a short week. The team will likely depend on Northwestern rookie Justin Jackson as their lead back tonight. That is not a good sign for a team that has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games played in the month of December. The Chargers are an impressive 6-1 on the road this year but they are only out-gaining these opponents by +7.0 net YPG. Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in their last 4 meetings with the Chiefs. They are playing with revenge from a 38-28 loss at home to Kansas City in the opening week of the season where they were installed as 3.5-point favorites. But the Chargers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games when attempting to avenge a same-season loss. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 3 straight games when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least 28 points.

FINAL TAKE: Look for the Chiefs to pull away in this game with the benefit of staying at home on this short week where they have been dominant this season. 10* NFL Thursday Daily Discounted Deal with the Kansas City Chiefs (302) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Chargers (301). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Chargers (301) and the Kansas City Chiefs (302). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (10-3) has won three straight games as well as nine of their last ten games with their 26-21 win over Cincinnati as a 17-point favorite on Sunday. Kansas City (11-2) has won two straight games as well as six of their last seven contests with their 27-24 win in overtime against Baltimore as a 6.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Chargers have played 14 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after winning their last two games along with having played 7 straight games Under the Total after winning at least three straight games in a row. Los Angeles managed only 85 yards of rushing in that game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after failing to rush for at least 90 yards in their last game. The Chargers are hit hard with injuries at running back with Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler listed as doubtful for this game with injuries which will make it difficult for either of them to play on a short week. The team will likely depend on Northwestern rookie Justin Jackson as their lead back tonight. Los Angeles will lean on their defense for this game that is holding their last three opponents to just 260.3 total YPG which has translated into only 20.3 PPG. Overall, the Chargers rank seventh in the NFL by allowing only 331.8 total YPG. They have played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total when playing in the month of December — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing on a Thursday. Los Angeles has also played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total against fellow AFC West opponents. Kansas City is dealing with their own injuries on offense with running back Spencer Ware (replacing Kareem Hunt) and wide receiver Sammie Watkins both doubtful with injuries. The good news for the Chiefs is that it looks like the heart and soul of their defense in safety Eric Berry will make his debut this season after dealing with injuries all season. Kansas City has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a win at home. The Chiefs did surrender 198 rushing yards in that game to the new-look Ravens rushing attack — but they have then played 24 of their last 32 games Under the Total after allowing at least 150 rushing yards in their last game. Kansas City does play much better defense when playing at home at Arrowhead Stadium. They hold their visitors to 356.5 total YPG at home which is -53.1 net YPG below their season average — and they hold their guests to only 18.7 PPG at home as compared to the 33.7 PPG they surrender when playing on the road. The Chiefs have played 17 of their last 24 home games Under the Total as the favorite — and they have also played 11 of their last 15 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Furthermore, Kansas City has played 10 of their last 15 home games Under the Total with the number set at 45.5 or higher. And while the Chiefs have scored at least 26 points in all their games this season, they have then played 11 of their last 13 home games Under the Total after scoring at least 25 points in two straight games. Kansas City has generated at least 441 yards of offense in their last three games, they have then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after gaining at least 375 yards in three straight games. And while they have played their last three games Over the Total, the Chiefs have then played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after playing at least two straight Overs.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of Kansas City’s 38-28 victory as a 3.5-point road underdog in Week One of this season. In this rematch being played on a short week with both teams on their third-string running back from that initial game, expect a lower-scoring game this time around. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Chargers (301) and the Kansas City Chiefs (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Seattle Seahawks (134) minus the points versus the Minnesota Vikings (133). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (6-5-1) has lost two of their last three games with their 24-10 loss at New England as a 6-point underdog last Sunday. Seattle (7-5) has won three straight games with their 43-16 win over San Francisco as a 10-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SEAHAWKS MINUS THE POINTS: Seattle has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a point spread victory.  The Seahawks have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after scoring at least 30 points. Seattle is clicking with a run-oriented offense. During their three-game winning streak, they are scoring 33.3 PPG — and they have scored at least 27 points in seven of their last eight games. Quarterback Russell Wilson has thrown at least two touchdown passes in all eight of those games to complement their ground game that leads the NFL by averaging 148.8 rushing YPG. The Seahawks have allowed 454 and 476 yards in their last two games — but they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after allowing at least 400 yards in two straight games. Seattle stays at home this week where they are outscoring their opponents by +6.2 PPG — and they are 3-1-1 ATS in their 5 games at home. The Seahawks are also 22-9-1 ATS in their last 32 games in the month of December. Minnesota has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after failing to score more than 14 points in their last game. This team is struggling on offense with Kirk Cousins not being able to do enough (especially in Prime Time games) to overcome a struggling offensive line along with a less than 100% Stephon Diggs who is slowed by a knee injury. The Vikings are scoring only 18.0 PPG over their last three games while generating only 320.7 total YPG. They stay on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 road games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 7 points. Minnesota has also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning record. That is not a good sign when facing this Seahawks team that has not covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 trips to Seattle. And in their last 9 appearances on Monday Night Football, the Vikings have failed to cover the point spread 7 times.

FINAL TAKE: Seattle certainly has the situational edge this week as they get to stay at home for the second-straight week while Minnesota travels west after a tough game on the east coast against the Patriots. These teams also seem to be moving in the opposite direction. Momentum along with home-field advantage should carry the Seahawks to a comfortable victory. 10* NFL Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the Seattle Seahawks (134) minus the points versus the Minnesota Vikings (133). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Vikings (133) and the Seattle Seahawks (134). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (6-5-1) has lost two of their last three games with their 24-10 loss at New England as a 6-point underdog last Sunday. Seattle (7-5) has won three straight games with their 43-16 win over San Francisco as a 10-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Vikings managed only 278 yards of offense on the road against the Patriots with Minnesota only being on offense for 26:39 minutes of that game. Head coach Mike Zimmer may fire his offensive coordinator mid-game if John DeFilippo does not have his team run the football more tonight after weeks of criticism on this front resulted in a mere 13 rushing attempts last week. The Vikings did run the ball 29 times two weeks ago in their 24-17 win over the Packers — Minnesota needs to embrace this mentality against the Seahawks or risk Seattle being on offense for more than 35 minutes of this game happily burning time off the clock while keeping their defense fresh. As it is, the Vikings have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 14 points in their last game. The Patriots’ ability to control Time of Possession helped them rack of 471 yards of offense against the Vikings — but Minnesota has then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. The Vikings rank 6th in the NFL with a total defense that allows 327.8 total YPG. Moving forward, the Vikings have played 22 of their last 36 games Under the Total on Monday Night Football. And in their last 4 games in the month of December, Minnesota has played all 4 of these games Under the Total. Seattle has scored at least 27 points in their last four games so the Vikings have to be concerned with that they have been able to do on offense. But the Seahawks have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last game — and they have also played 10 of their last 12 home games Under the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last contest. Furthermore, Seattle has played 18 of their last 24 games Under the Total after scoring at least 25 points in three straight games — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total after scoring at least 25 points in four straight contests. Head coach Pete Carroll has to remain focused on protecting his young defense that gave up 454 yards of offense last week to a 49ers team that generated 386 of those yards in the air. The Seahawks have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 90 rushing yards in their last contest. Moving forward, Seattle has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total on Monday Night Football.

FINAL TAKE: In a game between two teams with playoff aspirations with head coaches with defensive backgrounds, expect a lower-scoring game. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Vikings (133) and the Seattle Seahawks (134). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Chicago Bears (120) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Rams (119). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (11-1) has won three straight games with their 30-16 win at Detroit last week as a 10.5-point favorite. Chicago (8-4) saw their five-game winning streak snapped last week with their 30-27 upset loss in New York to the Giants as a 4-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BEARS PLUS THE POINTS: Chicago should respond with a strong effort in front of their home fans for this nationally-televised game. The Bears have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread setback. Chicago did generate 376 yards of offense with quarterback Chase Daniels under center — and they are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. Starter Mitchell Trubisky is slated to return tonight after missing the last two weeks with his injured shoulder. Now this team returns home where they are 5-1 this season while outscoring their visitors by +11.5 PPG and out-gaining them by +94.0 net YPG. The Bears’ offense has been potent when playing at home in Soldier Field where they are scoring 31.0 PPG while averaging 385.3 total YPG. Chicago is 15-5-1 in their last 21 games at home — and they have also covered the point spread in 6 straight home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Bears have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 home games as the underdog. Los Angeles is just 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a straight-up win. And while the Rams have scored at least 30 points in four straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after scoring at least 25 points in four straight games. It remains questionable if the Sean McVay offense will still click on all cylinders when playing in the expected temperatures in the 20s tonight. Quarterback Jared Goff is a California kid who has limited experience throwing the football in cold conditions. As it is, the Rams have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games in the month of December. And in their last 7 games against fellow NFC opponents, Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread 5 times.

FINAL TAKE: The cold weather should play right into the hands of the Bears playing at home. Expect a close game where having the points with the underdog will be very valuable. 10* NFL Sunday Night Discounted Deal with the Chicago Bears (120) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Rams (119). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Rams (119) and the Chicago Bears (120). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (11-1) has won three straight games with their 30-16 win at Detroit last week as a 10.5-point favorite. Chicago (8-4) saw their five-game winning streak snapped last week with their 30-27 upset loss in New York to the Giants as a 4-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bears held the Giants to just 338 yards of offense but were plagued by a -2 net turnover margin which included an 8-yard interception that accounted for the seven of the points that New York scored. Chicago is 4th in the NFL by allowing only 20.1 PPG and just 317.9 rushing YPG. When playing at home in Soldier Field, the Bears see those numbers drop even further to allowing just 19.5 PPG along with only 291.3 total YPG. Chicago has played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road — and the Monsters on the Midway have also played 34 of their last 50 games at home Under the Total when an underdog of no more than 3 points. The Bears will be getting Mitchell Trubisky back at quarterback but it remains questionable how effective he will be given the injured throwing shoulder that kept him out the last two weeks. Trubisky has won four straight games that he started before tonight — but let’s keep that quality of competition in mind. Those wins against the Jets, Bills, Lions, Vikings were against opponents that entered the day with a weak 17-30-1 combined record. It is telling that Trubisky had only four touchdown passes against the four opponents. Moving forward, Chicago has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have also played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after an upset loss as a road favorite. It will be cold in the Windy City tonight with temperates expected to be in the high-20s. The Bears have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total in the month of December. I expect this cold weather to bother quarterback Jared Goff who as a California kid growing up and in college at Cal has rarely been asked to play in this kind of weather. Goff played with the temperatures in the 20s earlier this season in Denver back on October 14th — and that was one of his worst games of the season as he completed just 14 of 28 passes for only 201 yards. He did not throw a touchdown pass in that game while throwing one interception and getting sacked five times. He will certainly be under pressure tonight from Khalil Mack and company who have accounted for 37 sacks on the quarterback this season. Look for the Rams to commit to Todd Gurley as they look to run the football to take pressure off Goff in these conditions against an elite defense. Goff is a finesse passer who cannot be expected to have the same touch in these conditions as he does when playing in warmer weather. Los Angeles has played 4 of their last 6 road games Under the Total with the number set at 49.5 or higher. The Rams have also played 4 straight games Under the Total after a win on the road. The good news for this football team is the return of Aqib Talib at cornerback. His absence helps explain why this LA defense has underachieved for much of the season as he offers the team their best cover corner. His presence on the field will likely make the Bears’ one-dimensional in their offensive attack. The Rams defense has been better on the road where they allow 22.5 PPG which is more than 2 points less than their 24.8 PPG season defensive average.
 
FINAL TAKE: Weather should play a role in this game between two teams from the NFC destined for the playoffs. Look for this game to become a defensive struggle. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Rams (119) and the Chicago Bears (120). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (129) and the Dallas Cowboys (130). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (6-6) has won two straight games with their 28-13 win over Washington as a 5.5-point favorite on Monday Night Football. Dallas (7-5) has won four straight games after their 13-10 upset win over New Orleans as a 7.5-point underdog back on November 29th.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Eagles have played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total after winning two straight games. And while Philadelphia has only covered the point spread twice in their last six games, they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Defense is the concern for this team that has been ravaged with injuries with that unit. They allowed the Skins to average 6.03 Yards-Per-Play after the Giants and Saints averaged 7.31 and 7.91 YPP in their previous two games. But the Eagles have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after allowing at least 6.0 YPP in their last game while playing 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after allowing 6.0 YPP in two straight games — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing their last three opponents to average at least 6.0 YPP. Dallas has played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a win at home — and they have played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after winning two straight games. The Cowboys held the Saints scoreless in the first-half of that game — and they have then played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after not giving up more than a field goal in the first half of their last game. Additionally, Dallas has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total in the month of December — and they have played 14 of their last 22 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of the Cowboys’ 27-20 victory over the Eagles back on November 11th where they were 7.5-point road dogs. Philadelphia has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when avenging a loss as a favorite laying at least 7 points. 10* NFL Sunday Afternoon Discounted Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (129) and the Dallas Cowboys (130). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Philadelphia Eagles (129) plus the points versus the Dallas Cowboys (130). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (6-6) has won two straight games with their 28-13 win over Washington on Monday as a 5.5-point favorite. Dallas (7-5) has won four straight games with their triumphant 13-10 upset win over New Orleans back on November 29th as a 7.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE EAGLES PLUS THE POINTS: The Cowboys acted like they won the Super Bowl two Thursdays ago with their upset win over the Saints on that short week. We had Dallas in that game — and the fringe benefit to that victory was that it set up this letdown situation. The Cowboys have been fortunate to reach their 7-5 record given that six of their victories have been decided by one scoring possession. They are only out-gaining their opponents by +13.6 net YPG. They have covered the point spread in four straight games along with five of their last seven — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 28 of their last 39 games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven contests. They held the Saints to just 176 yards of offense last week — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after not allowing more than 205 total yards of offense. Dallas is also just 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games after allowing no more than 14 points in their last game. Philadelphia enters this critical game for them with momentum — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after winning two straight games. The Eagles have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a win by at least two touchdowns — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a win at home against a divisional rival. They also have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after playing their last two games at home. Carson Wentz is heating up as he completed 27 of 39 passes against the Skins for 306 yards with two touchdown passes. Wentz loves facing NFC East foes against which he has a 7-1 record with a 17:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio while averaging 262.4 passing YPG along with a 106.2 Passer Rating. Wentz led his offense to 436 total yards last week — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after gaining at least 350 yards of offense in their last game. The defense has been the biggest issue for this team simply ravaged by injuries which was made even worse this week with the news that they placed cornerback Jalen Mills on Injured Reserve. The Eagles have allowed their last two opponents to average 6.03 and 7.31 Yards-Per-Play — but they have then covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 road games after allowing at least 6.0 YPP in two straight games. The Philly run defense remains stout as they rank 10th in the NFL by allowing 103.7 rushing YPG — and asking Dak Prescott to beat them with his arm is the preferred strategy anyways. The reigning Super Bowl Champions are tough in expected close games as they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: As opposed to last week when the Cowboys had the gigantic chip on their shoulder hosting the Saints on a ten-game winning streak, it is the Eagles now with something to prove in this game after Dallas won their proverbial Super Bowl to (temporarily) quell all their insecurities. Philadelphia is looking to avenge a 27-20 loss at home to the Cowboys back on November 11th despite being 7.5-point favorites in that game. Not only have the Eagles covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games on the road when playing with same-season revenge but they have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when avenging an upset loss where they were home favorites laying at least a touchdown. 25* NFC East Game of the Year with the Philadelphia Eagles (129) plus the points versus the Dallas Cowboys (130). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the San Francisco 49ers (124) plus the points versus the Denver Broncos (123). THE SITUATION: San Francisco (2-10) has lost three straight games with their 43-16 loss at Seattle last week as a 10-point favorite. Denver (6-6) has won three straight games with their 24-10 win at Cincinnati last week as a 4-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 49ERS PLUS THE POINTS: Returning home will help San Francisco after they played their last two games on the road. The 49ers are 2-3 at home this season but they are out-gaining these opponents by +60.6 net YPG. They average a robust 142.2 rushing YPG at home while converting on 45.3% of their 3rd down plays. Nick Mullens is playing well for this team under center as he has led an offense that has averaged 389.3 total YPG over their last three games. Against the Seahawks, Mullens completed 30 of 48 passes for 414 yards with two touchdown passes. San Francisco has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after passing for at least 300 yards in their last game. Reducing turnovers is critical for this team after they suffered a -2 or worse net turnover margin in three straight games. It is encouraging that the 49ers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after having a -2 or worse turnover margin in three straight contests. San Francisco has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games in the month of December. Denver has been leaning on their defense which has helped them play five straight Unders. But the Broncos have then failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games after playing a game that finished Under the Total — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after playing at least two straight Unders. Furthermore, Denver is just 5-12-1 ATS in their 18 games after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. The Broncos will be even more dependent on their rushing attack with the news of the season-ending torn Achilles injury to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. Denver rushed for 218 yards last week while out-rushing the Bengals by 1-7 nets yards. But the Bengals have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games after rushing for at last 150 yards in their last game — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after out-rushing their last opponent by at least 75 yards. Denver stays on the road again this week where they are being out-gained by 12.0 net YPG. There are growing concerns about the Broncos defense considering that they have allowed 439.0 total YPG over their last three games. Denver is only averaging 331.3 total YPG in those last three games.

FINAL TAKE: It is hard to win three straight games when you are being out-gained by more than 100 YPG in those contests. While the Broncos won the yardage battle versus Cincinnati, they were out-gained in their upset wins over the Chargers and the Steelers in the previous two weeks. Expect this to be a close game with the Niners being in a position to pull the upset — but take the points for some insurance. 10* NFL Don’t Need the Points (but we will take the points) Underdog Special with the San Francisco 49ers (124) plus the points versus the Denver Broncos (123). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Kansas City Chiefs (106) minus the points versus the Baltimore Ravens (105). THE SITUATION: Kansas City (10-2) has won five of their last six games with their 40-33 win at Oakland last week as a 14-point favorite. Baltimore (7-5) has won three straight games with their 26-16 upset win at Atlanta as a 2.5-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CHIEFS MINUS THE POINTS: Kansas City is 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games after a straight-up win — and they are 9-4-1 ATS in their last 14 games after a point spread loss. The Chiefs did allow 442 yards of offense against the Raiders in that victory — but they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after allowing at least 400 yards in their last game. Defense remains the thorn in this Kansas City team’s side as they allowed 455 yards in their loss two weeks ago in Los Angeles to the Rams — but they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after allowing at least 400 yards in two straight games. KC has also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. Now the Chiefs return home after being on the road for their last two games where they are a perfect 5-0 with an average winning margin of +16.2 PPG. Their defense plays much better at Arrowhead Stadium where they are giving up just 17.6 PPG as compared to the 33.7 PPG they allow on the road. KC also allows 49.4 fewer YPG at home when compared to their season average. The Chiefs have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games when laying 3.5 to 7 points on their home field. Additionally, Kansas City has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games against fellow AFC opponents — and they have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in the month of December. Baltimore may be due for a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a win on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit win on the road. Baltimore’s defense shined in Atlanta last week by holding the Falcons to just 131 yards of offense. But the Ravens are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games after not allowing more than 250 yards in their last game. And while the Ravens have allowed just 34, 67, and 48 rushing yards in each of their last three games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 road games after not allowing more than 75 rushing yards in three straight games. Lamar Jackson continues to impress since being pressed into starting duty at quarterback with his threat with running the football giving a burst of energy to the Baltimore offense. The Ravens generated 25 first downs last week while controlling the time of possession for over 39 minutes — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after a dominating effort where they had at least 25 first downs while dominating then clock for at least 34 minutes. But Baltimore has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning record. And in their last 7 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points, the Ravens have failed to cover the point spread 5 times.

FINAL TAKE: This is the first big challenge for Jackson as a starter in the NFL playing in a hostile environment against a playoff team. I don’t like the dynamic for this Ravens team with Joe Flacco healthy again and looming on the sidelines. The Chiefs are undervalued when playing at home where their defense has been more effective. 20* NFL Blowout Bookie Buster with the Kansas City Chiefs (106) minus the points versus the Baltimore Ravens (105). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Saints (113) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (114). THE SITUATION: New Orleans (10-2) takes the field again after their 13-10 loss at Dallas back on November 29th as a 7.5-point favorite that snapped their ten-game winning streak. Tampa Bay (5-7) has won two straight games after they upset Carolina at home last Sunday by a 24-17 score as a 3.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Saints have played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total after suffering an upset loss as a road favorite laying at least a touchdown. Don’t blame the defense for that loss as they held the Cowboys to just 308 yards of offense. The New Orleans defense is underrated. Not only do the Saints lead the NFL in rushing defense by limiting their opponents to just 75.3 rushing YPG, but they are also doing a fantastic job of pressuring the quarterback. Over their last four games, New Orleans has generated 20 sacks while registering 34 hits on the quarterback. They have only allowed more than 23 points once (to the Rams in that shootout) in their last nine games — and in their last three games, they are allowing just 12.3 PPG while giving up only 290.0 total YPG. The problem for the Saints against Dallas was the offense that managed to gain a mere 176 total yards. Look for New Orleans to deploy their preferred offensive strategy when playing on the road which is to run the football to burn clock and keep the opposing quarterback off the field. This should be a very effective strategy to limit Jameis Winston’s effectiveness. Since Week Nine, the Buccaneers are allowing 134.6 rushing YPG while seeing opposing rushers average 5.9 Yards-Per-Carry. Tampa Bay allowed the Panthers to generate 161 rushing yards against them last week on the heels of the 49ers rushing for 181 yards against them two weeks ago. The Saints have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road. They also have played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams with a losing record — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against fellow NFC opponents. Tampa Bay upset Carolina last week despite only gaining 315 yards of offense against them. The Bucs have played 15 of their last 20 games Under the Total after winning their last two games at home — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in the month of December. Furthermore, Tampa Bay has played 4 straight games Under the Total at home — and they have played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. And in their last 13 home games with the Total set at 49.5 or higher, the Bucs have played 11 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 14 of their last 20 meetings Under the Total — and this includes 8 of the last 10 encounters in Tampa Bay finishing below the number. The oddsmakers have installed an over/under the number in the mid-50s given the 48-40 shootout that the Bucs pulled out in an upset back on September 9th. The Saints’ defense has more to prove in this rematch than even the offense does after last week. 25* NFC South Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Saints (113) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (114). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Indianapolis Colts (107) plus the points versus the Houston Texans (108). THE SITUATION: Indianapolis (6-6) looks to rebound from their humiliating 6-0 shutout loss on the road to Jacksonville last week despite being a 4-point favorite. Houston (9-3) has rattled off nine straight victories with their 29-13 win over Cleveland last week as a 5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COLTS PLUS THE POINTS: Indianapolis should be very feisty in this game after being shutout — they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after not scoring more than 14 points in their last game. If there is anything encouraging from that loss to the Jaguars, it was the continued improvement of the Colts defense that held Jacksonville to just 211 yards of offense. Over their last three games, Indianapolis has allowed only 13.3 PPG along with just 262.7 total YPG. Indy is 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games after not allowing more than 250 yards of offense in their last game. Additionally, the Colts have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games after not allowing more than 14 points in their last contest. Furthermore, Indianapolis has covered the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games after a low-scoring game where neither team scored more than 14 points. This is a challenge for this team when facing this ferocious defense that has registered 34 sacks for the season. But this strong Colts’ offensive line has allowed only 14 sacks this season — so Andrew Luck should have an opportunity to find receivers this afternoon. Indianapolis has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 road games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 7 points. The Colts are also 7-3-2 ATS in their last 12 games against their AFC South rivals — and this includes them going 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 trips to Houston. The Texans generated 384 yards of offense last week against the Browns — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. But a concern for this team is their defense that allowed 428 yards to the Browns with rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield gaining 397 of those yards in the air. Houston has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after allowing at least 305 yards in their last game. This shapes up to be a higher scoring game with the Total set in the low-50s — but this is not the type of game that this team prefers. The Texans have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games with the Total set at 49.5 or higher. Furthermore, Houston has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games in the month of December under head coach Bill O’Brien.

FINAL TAKE: The Texans won the first meeting between these two teams back on September 30th by a 37-34 score despite that game being played in Indianapolis. The Colts have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing with revenge from a loss on the road. Don’t be surprised if Indy pulls the upset — but take the points for some nice insurance in what should be a close game. 25* AFC South Underdog of the Year with the  Indianapolis Colts (107) plus the points versus the Houston Texans (108). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Navy Midshipmen (103) plus the points versus the Army West Point Black Knights (104). THE SITUATION: Navy (3-9) enters their rivalry game coming off a 29-28 loss at Tulane as a 5-point underdog back on November 24th. Army (9-2) has won seven straight games with their 28-24 win over Colgate as an 11-point favorite back on November 17th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MIDSHIPMEN PLUS THE POINTS: Navy had dominated this series by winning fourteen straight meetings starting in 2002 but they have lost these last two encounters with their arch rival. This has been a lost season for head coach Ken Niumatalolu in his eleventh season with the Midshipmen. Expectations were certainly high that with nine returning starters (not uncommon for a service academy program) from last year’s 7-6 team that lost six of their last seven games that this year’s team would take a step back up. Instead, the rigors of playing in the American Athletic Conference has taken its toll on the win-loss record of this football team. Yet an upset win over the Black Knights would offer this team plenty of positive feelings going into next season. Senior Zach Abbey will be concluding his career this afternoon back at quarterback after initially being moved to wide receiver to start the season — and he should offer the team an emotional lift since he played the last time the Midshipmen won this rivalry game. Expect the strongest effort of the season from Niumatalolo’s team as they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after a loss on the road against a conference rival — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 road games after a loss by 6 points or less. Navy has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after losing eight of their last ten games. The Midshipmen are doing a good job of protecting the football as they have won the turnover battle in each of their last two games. Navy has covered the point spread in 22 of their last 29 road games after enjoying a +1 or better turnover margin in at least two straight games. Army had a 14-0 halftime lead over Colgate in their last game — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after not allowing more than 3 points in the first-half of their last game. The Black Knights have not allowed more than 241 yards of offense in three straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after not allowing more than 275 yards in at least two straight games. Furthermore, Army has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games against teams with a losing record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games in games with the Total set no higher than 42. Lastly, the Black Knights have failed to cover the point spread in 35 of their last 51 games after a bye week(s) — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when playing on a neutral field as the favorite.

FINAL TAKE: The last four games between these two teams have been decided by 7 points or less. Expect another close game between these two rivals. 10* CFB Army-Navy CBS-TV Special with the Navy Midshipmen (103) plus the points versus the Army West Point Black Knights (104). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Navy Midshipmen (103) and the Army West Point Black Knights (104). THE SITUATION: Navy (3-9) enters their rivalry game coming off a 29-28 loss at Tulane as a 5-point underdog back on November 24th. Army (9-2) has won seven straight games with their 28-24 win over Colgate as an 11-point favorite back on November 17th.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: These two teams have played 10 straight Unders — and there are a few fundamental reasons why that is the case. For starters, both teams run similar spread triple options — so the usual advantage that these teams enjoy during the regular season with facing opponents that are not as familiar with their unique offenses are gone in this matchup. Both these defenses practice against this offense every day. Second, both teams have extra weeks to prepare their defenses for the particular nuances of their opponent’s offense. In theory, this extra time could also be used to add a few wrinkles to the offenses. However, in practice, both these teams lack the personnel to all of the sudden start running the West Coast Offense (for example). Now, we cannot simply be zombies and automatically take the Under in each Army-Navy game. This year’s Total has dropped to the 40 point range which is the lowest number over those last ten encounters. Eventually, the Over will be the appropriate play. But when considering that five of the last six meetings between these two teams have not seen more than 38 combined points scored, I am still very comfortable taking the Under in this game. Army should slow down the Midshipmen rushing attack as they rank 12th in the nation by holding their opponents to just 106.5 rushing YPG. The Black Knights have played 16 of their last 21 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral field — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total in the month of December. Furthermore, Army has played 21 of their last 26 games Under the Total when playing with a bye week — and they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total when playing on grass. Navy has played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral field — and they have played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total in the month of December. Additionally, the Midshipmen have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a loss on the road. Navy only scores 21.7 PPG when playing away from home — and they average just 310.4 total YPG on the road. Lastly, the Midshipmen have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing as an underdog getting 3.5 to 10 points.

FINAL TAKE: Expect another low-scoring game between these two teams in cold temperatures (but no snow) with Philadelphia forecasting to have their temp in the 30s. 25* CFB Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Navy Midshipmen (103) and the Army West Point Black Knights (104). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars (101) and the Tennessee Titans (102). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (6-6) snapped their two-game losing streak on Sunday with their 26-22 win over the New York Jets as a 10.5-point favorite. Jacksonville (4-8) ended their seven-game losing streak with their 6-0 shutout victory over Indianapolis as a 4-point underdog last week.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Not only was the Jaguars’ shutout effort last week an outlier performance but so was their failure to score more than 6 points. Jacksonville has played 15 of their last 21 games Over the Total after scoring no more than 6 points in their last game. The Jaguars have also played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total after playing a game where less than 20 combined points were scored. Furthermore, Jacksonville has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after allowing less than 15 points in their last game — and they have also played 32 of their last 47 games Over the Total after allowing less than 10 points in their last contest. The Jaguars limited the Colts to averaging a mere 3.90 Yards-Per-Play — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after holding their last opponent to averaging no better than 4.0 YPP. Additionally, Jacksonville has played 15 of their last 20 games Over the Total after a straight-up win. Moving forward, the Jaguars are looking to avenge a 9-6 loss to the Titans back on September 23rd where they were 10-point favorites at home. But Jacksonville has played 16 of their last 25 games Over the Total when avenging a loss by a field goal or less — and they have also played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total when avenging an upset loss where they were laying at least 7 points as the home favorite. Tennessee has played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total after losing two of their last three games. The Titans have failed to over the point spread in three straight games as well — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after failing to cover the point spread in three of their last four games. Tennessee did give up 156 rushing yards in that game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after allowing at least 150 rushing yards in their last game. The Titans run defense has become an issue as they have allowed over 150 rushing YPG over their last three games with opposing rushers averaging 5.57 Yards-Per-Carry. This defense will be facing Leonard Fournette who will be taking the field with “fresh legs” after not playing last Sunday. Tennessee stays at home where the Over is 39-18-2 in their last 59 games against teams with a losing record on the road. And while the Titans out-gained the Jets last week by +123 net yards, they have then played 17 of their last 23 home games Over the Total after out-gaining their last opponent by at least +100 yards. Lastly, Tennessee has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total when laying 3.5 to 9.5 points — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total for Thursday Night Football.

FINAL TAKE: Given the low-scoring result these two teams had in September and the shutout win for the Jaguars enjoyed on Sunday, this Total is under 40 tonight. While sometimes at low Total should not dissuade us from taking the Under, this game should (somehow) get into the 40s. 10* NFL Thursday Daily Discounted Deal with Over the Total in the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars (101) and the Tennessee Titans (102). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Tennessee Titans (102) minus the points versus the Jacksonville Jaguars (101). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (6-6) snapped their two-game losing streak on Sunday with their 26-22 win over the New York Jets as a 10.5-point favorite. Jacksonville (4-8) ended their seven-game losing streak with their 6-0 shutout victory over Indianapolis as a 4-point underdog last week.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TITANS MINUS THE POINTS: The Jaguars’ defense may have been inspired to make a statement with head coach Doug Marrone’s decision to end the Blake Bortles era last week with him being benched for Cody Kessler at quarterback. Jacksonville stepped up t shutout Andrew Luck and the Colts’ offense while holding them to just 265 yards of offense. But this remains a lost season for the Jaguars who need to win their final four games just to get to an 8-8 record. Sure, Jacksonville can also try to motivate themselves to play the role of the spoiler — but that seems unlikely for this group at this point particularly with them playing on a short week. The Jaguars have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games after an upset victory as a home underdog. Jacksonville is also 8-17-1 ATS in their last 26 games after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game. The Jags held Indy to averaging just 3.90 Yards-Per-Play in that game — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after not allowing more than 4.0 YPP in their last game. The bigger problem for this team remains their offense now reliant on Kessler running the show. He passed for just 150 yards in that game leading an offense that generated a mere 211 yards. Jacksonville was out-gained by 54 net yards even in that victory. The Jaguars have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after failing to score more than 14 points in their last game. While the Bortles narrative has received most of the attention this season, one of the biggest reasons why this team has underachieved this season has been that they have ravaged by injuries. Jacksonville has a whopping fifteen players on Injured Reserve at this point of the season including three of their opening day starters on the offensive line headlined by their All-Pro left guard Andrew Norwell. Now this team goes back on the road where they are just 1-5 this season while being outscored by -9.3 PPG while allowing their home hosts to score 27.0 PPG. The Jags are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games on the road. Furthermore, Jacksonville is 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games against fellow AFC South opponents — and they are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings with the Titans. Tennessee has failed to cover the point spread in three straight games — but they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after failing to cover the point spread in three of their last four games. The Titans held the Jets to just 124 passing yards last week — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not allowing more than 150 passing yards in their last game. Tennessee stays at home on this short week where they are 4-1 this season — and they are 12-4-1 ATS in their last 17 games at home. Additionally, the Titans have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 home games against teams with a losing record on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 home games when favored by 7 points or less. The Tennessee defense is a top-nine unit in yards allowed while ranking 6th in the league by holding their opponents to only 20.4 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: I would put more credence into the potential role of the spoiler for the Jaguars if they had a whole week to prepare — instead, I suspect they rested on their laurels after stepping up last week against the Colts. Quarterback Marcus Mariota is playing better football as of late as he gets back to 100% health. Look for this tough Titans team to take care of business on their home field. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Game of the Year with the Tennessee Titans (102) minus the points versus the Jacksonville Jaguars (101). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Washington Redskins (379) plus the points versus the Philadelphia Eagles (380). THE SITUATION: Washington (6-5) has lost two straight games after their 31-23 win at Dallas back on Thanksgiving as a 7-point underdog. Philadelphia (5-6) snapped their two-game losing streak on Sunday with their 25-22 win over the New York Giants as a 4.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE REDSKINS PLUS THE POINTS: Philadelphia needed to rally from a 19-11 halftime deficit to get by the lowly Giants in that game. This is a team that has been decimated with injuries on both sides of the football. I count ten players on their original two-deep roster that have been placed on Injured Reserve. To make matters worse, running back Darren Sproles is not yet ready to take the field and defense will be without their best linebacker in Jordan Hicks who is listed as doubtful tonight with his calf injury. This is simply not the same team as the one that won the Super Bowl last year — and it also appears that the loss of assistant coaches Frank Reich and John DeFilippo who both took promotions in the offseason was significant. For those waiting for the Eagles to simply flip the switch and play better with the Super Bowl winners still on their roster, keep in mind that they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, Philadelphia has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games at home. Furthermore, the Eagles have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against NFC East rivals — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in the month of December. Perhaps most noteworthy for tonight’s situation, Philadelphia has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games when favored laying 3.5 to 9.5 points. Washington is going to play well tonight as they remain alive in the NFC East race and have had extra days to prepare for a divisional rival who swept them last season. The Skins have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up loss — and they have also covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread setback. Additionally, Washington has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after losing three of their last four contests. The Skins allowed 404 yards of offense against the Cowboys — but they have then covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after allowing at least 400 yards in their last game. Washington has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. Colt McCoy did play pretty well at quarterback in his first start of the year playing for the injured Alex Smith. McCoy completed 24 of 38 passes for 268 yards with two touchdown passes — and the Skins have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after passing for at least 250 yards in their last game. But it was McCoy’s three interceptions that did Washington in against Dallas. The Skins endured a -3 net turnover margin in that game — but they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after suffering -2 or worse net turnover margin in their last game. Washington stays on the road where they are 3-2 this season — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight road games with the Total set in the 42.5 to 45 point range.

FINAL TAKE: The Skins have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 meetings with the Eagles — and they have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 trips to Philadelphia. Expect them to play their struggling divisional rival tough tonight in what remains an important game in the NFC East race. 10* NFL Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the Washington Redskins (379) plus the points versus the Philadelphia Eagles (380). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington Redskins (379) and the Philadelphia Eagles (380). THE SITUATION: Washington (6-5) has lost two straight games after their 31-23 win at Dallas back on Thanksgiving as a 7-point underdog. Philadelphia (5-6) snapped their two-game losing streak on Sunday with their 25-22 win over the New York Giants as a 4.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Skins have been ravaged with injuries on the offensive side of the football. While the biggest lost player is quarterback Alex Smith, the attrition this team has suffered on their offensive line would devastate most teams. Washington has put four of their players that began the season on their two-deep depth chart on Injured Reserve with three of these players being starters — and their six-time Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams is questionable for tonight with rib and ankle injuries. The Skins are averaging 20.0 PPG for the season while scoring 19.1 PPG over their last three games and it is difficult seeing them putting up many more points than that. Adrian Peterson’s production has significantly declined as these injuries on the offensive line have mounted. Over the last month, the running back is averaging only 3.05 Yards-Per-Carry — and he has not reached 70 yards from scrimmage since October 28th. Washington rushed for just 80 yards against the Cowboys — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a game where they failed to rush for at least 90 yards. Furthermore, the Skins have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread setback. Quarterback Colt McCoy was a victim of this injured offensive line as well. He was sacked three times by Dallas while getting hitting eight times in that game. Washington has also been hit with injuries on defense but this unit is still playing well. For the season, the Skins rank 8th the NFL by allowing only 20.8 PPG led by a stout run defense that also ranks 8th in the league by allowing 100.3 rushing YPG. Over their last three games, Washington is allowing just 19.4 PPG — and they hold their home hosts to only 19.2 PPG. The Skins did allow 258 passing yards last week — but they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last game. Washington has also played 4 straight games Under the Total after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. Furthermore, the Skins have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on the road. Philadelphia has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Eagles defense gave up 276 passing yards along with 402 total yards of offense to the Giants — but they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last game. And while they allowed 7.31 Yards-Per-Play last week, they have then played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing at least 6.0 YPP. Philly is riddled with injuries in their secondary — but it helps that they are only facing McCoy rather than Smith at quarterback tonight. The Eagles are still playing strong run defense that ranks 10th in the league by allowing 103.6 rushing YPG. But this Philly offense is scoring only 17.3 PPG along with just 319.3 total YPG over their last three games. Philadelphia stays at home where they are holding only scoring 20.2 PPG — but they are also holding their visitors to that number. The Eagles have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total at home — and they have also played 9 of their last 11 home games Under the Total with the number in the 42.5 to 49 point range. Furthermore, Philly has played 7 straight home games Under the Total after losing two of their last three games — and they have played 8 straight home games Under the Total after playing an NFC East rival.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams have been hit very hard by the injury bug. Since the onus is on the offensive to execute plays to move the football, usually it is the defenses that look relatively better when injuries are spread out on both sides of the football. Expect a lower-scoring game between these two divisional rivals playing for the first time this season. 25* NFC East Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Washington Redskins (379) and the Philadelphia Eagles (380). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Pittsburgh Steelers (354) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Chargers (353). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (8-3) has won seven of their last eight games with their 45-10 win over Arizona last week as a 14-point favorite. Pittsburgh (7-3-1) looks to bounce-back from their 24-17 upset loss at Denver as a 3-point favorite. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (8-3) has won seven of their last eight games with their 45-10 win over Arizona last week as a 14-point favorite. Pittsburgh (7-3-1) looks to bounce-back from their 24-17 upset loss at Denver as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE STEELERS MINUS THE POINTS: Pittsburgh returns home after playing the last two games on the road where they should play much better than their last two flat performances. The Steelers have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after an upset loss. Big Ben Roethlisberger completed 41 of 56 passes for 462 yards against the Broncos last week while leading the offense to produce 527 total yards of offense which is a good harbinger for things to come tonight. Pittsburgh is 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games after passing for at least 250 yards in their last game — and they have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after gaining at least 500 yards in their last game. Back at home, the Steelers are scoring 35.4 PPG while outscoring their opponents by +10.6 net PPG. Additionally, Pittsburgh has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games in expected close games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range. Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread win — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after winning their last game by at least two touchdowns. The Chargers dominated the hapless Cardinals last week by out-gaining them by +265 yards — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after out-gaining their last opponent by at least +200 yards. LA generated 414 yards of offense in that game — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. The Chargers are also 8-20-1 ATS in their last 29 games after scoring at least 30 points in their last game. Their offense took a major hit in that game when running back Melvin Gordon suffered a knee injury that will keep him out of tonight’s contest. That is not a good sign with the calendar turning to December where this team has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games in this month.

FINAL TAKE: Pittsburgh has scored at least 33 points in four of their five games at Heinz Field this season. With the Chargers being without one of their key offensive weapons in Gordon, Los Angeles lacks the firepower to keep up with an angry Steelers team. 10* NFL Sunday Night Discounted Deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers (354) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Chargers (353). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Chargers (353) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (354). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (8-3) has won seven of their last eight games with their 45-10 win over Arizona last week as a 14-point favorite. Pittsburgh (7-3-1) looks to bounce-back from their 24-17 upset loss at Denver as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Chargers are playing outstanding defense right now — and that unit is even better now that Joey Bosa has returned after missing most of the season due to injury. Los Angeles has allowed less than 20 points in six of their last seven games. Over their last three games, the Chargers are allowing just 13.0 PPG along with only 263.7 total YPG. This strong defensive play should continue tonight as the Under is 35-16-1 in the LA’s last 52 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Additionally, Los Angeles has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a win by at least two touchdowns. The Chargers did generate 414 yards of offense last week against the Cardinals — but they have then seen the Under go 10-3-1 in their last 14 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. Los Angeles has also played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last contest. Unfortunately for this offense, they will be without their top running back, Melvin Gordon tonight who is out with a knee injury. Now the Chargers go back on the road where they are only averaging 368.0 total YPG which is 34 YPG below their season average. But the LA defense keeps them competitive away from home as they hold their opponents to just 18.5 PPG. The Chargers have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total on the road. Los Angeles has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Pittsburgh has only scored 37 combined points over their last two games. They are getting outstanding play from their defense that not only leads the NFL in sacks but is allowing only 20.3 PPG along with just 264.3 total YPG over their last three games. The Steelers have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after winning two of there last three games. Pittsburgh did generate 527 yards of offense last week while averaging 7.12 Yards-Per-Play — but they have then played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after gaining at least 400 yards in their last game and they have also played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after averaging at least 6.0 YPP in their last game. Pittsburgh needs to get their rushing attack going again after only rushing for 75 yards in their last game — and they have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after failing to gain more than 75 rushing yards in their last contest. The Steelers have averaged 403.6 total YPG over their last three games — but they have then played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after averaging at least 400 YPG in their last three games. Lastly, Pittsburgh has played 11 of their last 18 games Under the Total in expected close games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against fellow AFC opponents.

FINAL TAKE: The high Total set in the low-50s suggests that this shapes up to be a scoring fest. However, both these teams are playing great defense — scoring is going to be harder to come by for both teams. 25* AFC Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Chargers (353) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (354). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Vikings (375) and the New England Patriots (376). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (6-4-1) has won five of their last seven games with their 24-17 win over Green Bay last week as a 3.5-point favorite. New England (8-3) has won seven of their last eight games with their 27-13 win at New York against the Jets last Sunday as a 12-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Patriots have played 15 of their last 23 games Under the Total after winning four or five of their last six games. New England generated 498 yards of offense against the Jets — but they have then played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. The Patriots have averaged 405 Yards-Per-Game over their last three contests — but they have then played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after averaging at least 400 YPG over their last three contests. Yet despite that yardage, they are scoring just 22.7 PPG over their last three games. But the defense has kept up as they are only giving up 21.3 PPG in those three games. The Jets did pass for 264 yards against them last week — but they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last game. New England has also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total as a favorite laying 3.5 to 9.5 points. Minnesota has played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total as an underdog. Kirk Cousins passed for 342 yards last week against the Packers defense — but they have then played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after passing for at least 300 yards in their last game. But despite that effort last week, the Vikings are scoring only 22.7 PPG over their last three games while averaging 322.3 total YPG which is over 45 yards below their season average. But the Minnesota defense is tightening up as they are allowing only 17.0 PPG over their last three games along with just 257.0 total YPG. Lastly, the Vikings have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in the month of December.

FINAL TAKE: The Patriots are playing more ball control on offense as of late — while the Vikings defense has stepped up their level of play. Expect a lower-scoring game. 10* NFL Sunday Afternoon Discounted Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Vikings (375) and the New England Patriots (376). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Cincinnati Bengals (366) plus the points versus the Denver Broncos (365). THE SITUATION: Cincinnati (5-6) has lost three straight games after their 35-20 loss to Cleveland as a 1-point underdog last week. Denver (5-6) has won two straight games after their 24-17 upset win over Pittsburgh last Sunday as a 3-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THEN BENGALS PLUS THE POINTS: Denver has pulled off two straight upsets as their underdog win over the Steelers last week came on the heels of their 23-22 upset victory in Los Angeles against the Chargers as a 7-point dog. But the Broncos may be due for a letdown as they go back on the road. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after winning two of their last three games. The Broncos allowed 527 yards of offense in their game with Pittsburgh — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. Now Denver hits the road again where they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games away from home. The Broncos have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games against teams with a losing record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games against AFC foes. And in their last 8 games in the month of December, Denver has failed to cover the point spread 6 times. Cincinnati is quickly losing control of their season — and things got worse this week with the announcement that quarterback Andy Dalton will miss the rest of the season with his thumb injury. But look for this team to play hard for head coach Marvin Lewis. The Bengals have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a double-digit loss at home — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after losing three of their last four games. Cincinnati has also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. Jeff Driskel takes over at quarterback for this team — and he was solid last week in relief by completing 17 of 29 passes for 155 yards with a touchdown pass and no interceptions. He will have the benefit of wide receiver A.J. Green returning to the field this afternoon after he has missed the last few games with a foot injury. The Bengals have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games against fellow AFC opponents — and they are 20-8-1 ATS in their last 29 games in the month of December under Lewis.

FINAL TAKE: With the Broncos likely to experience a letdown traveling east for this early kickoff, taking the home team getting more than 4 points is too good to pass up. 20* NFL Sunday Afternoon Discounted Deal with the Cincinnati Bengals (366) plus the points versus the Denver Broncos (365). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Miami Dolphins (362) minus the points versus the Buffalo Bulls (361). THE SITUATION: Miami (5-6) has lost two straight games with their 27-24 loss at Indianapolis last week as a 9-point underdog. Buffalo (4-7) has won two straight games with their 24-21 upset victory over the Jaguars last Sunday as a 3-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DOLPHINS PLUS THE POINTS: Miami has played their last two games on the road but they return home where they are 4-1 this season. The Dolphins’ has a healthy Ryan Tannehill back at quarterback — and they score a healthy 24.0 PPG while averaging 349.2 total YPG. Miami has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home — and they have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after playing their last game on the road. Furthermore, while the Dolphins have allowed 7.11 Yards-Per-Play in each of their last two games, they have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after allowing at least 6.5 Yards-Per-Play in two straight games. Buffalo (4-7) has pulled off two straight upset victories with their win over Jacksonville preceded by their 41-10 win in New York against the Jets where they were a touchdown underdog. But the Bills have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning two games in a row. Buffalo gave up 226 rushing yards last week to the Jaguars — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after allowing at least 200 rushing yards in their last game. The Bills success over their last two games by running the football — they have gained 167 and 212 rushing yards in each of their last two games. But Buffalo has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after rushing for at least 150 yards in two straight games. The Bills go back on the road where they are 2-4 while getting outscored by -8.9 PPG. Buffalo scores only 14.8 PPG away from home while averaging a mere 262.2 total YPG.

FINAL TAKE: Miami will also have revenge on their mind as they lost their last game with their AFC East rivals by a 22-16 score back on December 31st. 10* NFL Blowout Bookie Buster with the Miami Dolphins (362) minus the points versus the Buffalo Bulls (361). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (351) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (352). THE SITUATION: Indianapolis (6-5) has won five straight games with their 27-24 win over Miami last week as a 9-point favorite. Jacksonville (3-8) has lost seven straight games with their 24-21 win at Buffalo as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Jaguars have hit rock bottom — so head coach Doug Marrone fired offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and benched quarterback Blake Bortles. But new offensive coordinator Scott Milanovich is still limited by the offensive talent available to him. Quarterback Cody Kessler has only played in thirteen NFL games in his career. And the team will be without running back Leonard Fournette who was suspended for one game for his roughhouse behavior in last week’s game with the Bills. Jacksonville is scoring only 17.9 PPG. But the maligned Jaguars’ defense has played much better at home where they are holding their opponents to just 16.2 PPG along with only 261.6 total YPG. Last week’s game with Buffalo went Over the 36.5 point Total — but Jacksonville has played 15 of their last 23 games Under the Total after playing a game that went Over. The Jaguars have also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after an upset loss. The Bills did rush for 167 yards last week — but the Jags have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing at least 150 rushing yards in their last game. Furthermore, Jacksonville has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing at home. And in their last 7 games against fellow AFC South opponents, the Jaguars have played 5 of these games Under the Total. Indianapolis has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And while the Colts generated 455 yards of offense in that game, they have then played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. Indy suffered a -2 net turnover margin in that game — but they have then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a game where they had a -2 or worse net turnover margin. The Colts defense has stepped up their level of play as of late as they have held their last three opponents to just 20.0 PPG along with only 330.7 total YPG. Andrew Luck has led an offense that has scored at least 27 points in six straight games — but they have then played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after scoring at least 25 points in five straight games. Moving forward, Indianapolis has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when favored in the 3.5 to 9.5 point range — and they have played 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total in the month of December. And in their last 12 games against fellow AFC South opponents, the Colts have played 9 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of the Colts’ 29-26 win back on November 11th. While that game flew Over the 48 point Total, these two teams have still played 11 of their last 15 meetings Under the Total. Expect this rematch to be a lower-scoring game. 25* AFC South Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (351) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (352). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Northwestern Wildcats (321) plus the points versus the Ohio State Buckeyes (322). THE SITUATION: Northwestern (8-4) has won three straight games with their 24-16 win over Illinois as a 16-point favorite last week. Ohio State (11-1) has won four straight games with their triumphant 62-39 upset win over Michigan as a 3.5-point underdog last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WILDCATS PLUS THE POINTS: No one doubts the talent level with this Buckeyes team — but this team has been underachieving all season. The issues regarding Urban Meyer were a distraction for this team early on — but it just seems like the culture of this team has gone in the wrong direction considering their 29-point loss at Purdue along with a narrow victory at Maryland that might have been decided when the Terrapins decided to go for the win rather than the tie with a 2-point conversion attempt in overtime. Ohio State has much more talent than either of those teams — and they will be facing a Wildcats team that is more talented than either of those two Big Ten rivals. The Buckeyes played their best game of the season — or in many seasons — last week against their arch rival. The last time Ohio State was a home underdog was in 2011 when they hosted Wisconsin — and they had not been an underdog to the Wolverines since 2004. This was a team clearly motivated to make a statement. But emotional letdowns are common after big wins like that — and this Buckeyes’ team is particularly susceptible to inconsistency. Not only has Ohio State failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win but they have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a win by at least 20 points. Furthermore, the Buckeyes have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after winning their last four games. No tricks were saved on offense last week against the top statistical unit in the country — and Ohio State ripped the Michigan defense for 567 total yards while averaging 8.46 Yards-Per-Play. But the Buckeyes have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 road games after averaging at least 7.25 YPP. Failure to play fundamental football has been the biggest weakness for this team this season — it is as if the players have stopped listening to the coaches. The Michigan game was probably an exception with all the players on notice — but this defense ranks 67th in the nation by allowing 398.8 total YPG despite being loaded with NFL talent. It is even worse when they play away from home as they are allowing 470.2 total YPG when playing on the road. Northwestern is battle-tested with a 3-point loss to Michigan and a 10-point loss to Notre Dame. The Wildcats play strong defense as they rank tied for 29th in the nation by holding their opponents to just 21.7 PPG — and that marks drop to a mere 17.0 PPG when this team is playing away from home where they are a perfect 5-0 this year. Under head coach Pat Fitzgerald, this team is 20-5-1 ATS in their last 26 games in conference play — and they are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. This team is the epitome of dangerous underdogs given their strong fundamental play. The Wildcats have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games as a dog with nine outright wins. Furthermore, they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games as a double-digit underdog — and they have seven outright wins in those games. Northwestern has also covered the point spread in 7 straight games as an underdog against Big Ten opponents with six of those games being where they pulled the upset.

FINAL TAKE: Ohio State needs a statement victory to overcome Oklahoma to reach the final four in the playoff race (assuming that Georgia does not upset Alabama). When in a similar situation in 2014, the Buckeyes responded by destroying Wisconsin by a 59-0 score. We had Ohio State in that game — but I don’t think this group can flip the switch the way this program could under Meyer a long four years ago. These two teams last played in late of October of last season where another uber-talented Buckeyes team only won by a 24-20 score. In this classic letdown spot, I look for Ohio State to struggle against a sound opponent. 25* CFB Fox-TV Game of the Year with the Northwestern Wildcats (321) plus the points versus the Ohio State Buckeyes (322). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:45 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Fresno State Bulldogs (317) plus the points versus the Boise State Broncos (318). THE SITUATION: Fresno State (10-2) reached the Mountain West Conference Championship Game with their 31-13 win over San Jose State last Saturday as 32-point favorites. Boise State (10-2) matched them last week with their 33-24 win over Utah State as a 2.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS PLUS THE POINTS: Fresno State has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a point spread setback. The Bulldogs generated 515 yards of offense against the Spartans last week — and they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 28 games after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. Led by quarterback Marcus McMaryion, Fresno State averages 282.8 passing YPG which is 23rd best in the nation. Pass defense is a vulnerability for the Broncos as they rank 79th in the nation by allowing 238.9 passing YPG. But where this Bulldogs team shines is on the defensive side of the football where they rank 2nd in the nation by allowing only 13.5 PPG — and they rank 17th in the nation by giving up 321.7 total YPG. Fresno State has been even stingier on the road as home teams are scoring just 12.0 PPG against them while averaging a mere 324.8 total YPG. The Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. Additionally, Fresno State is 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Additionally, Fresno State has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 17 games against teams with a winning record. Boise State (10-2) has played two straight clean games when it comes to committing turnovers — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after not committing a turnover in their last game. The Aggies passed for 363 yards last week in that loss — and the Broncos have failed to cover the point spread in 3 straight games after allowing at least 325 passing yards in their last game. Boise State has scored 78 combined points in their last two games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after scoring at least 31 points in two straight games. They get to host this game — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games on their blue home field. Furthermore, not only have the Broncos failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games with the Total set in the 49.5 to 56 point range but they have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 home games with the Total set in that range.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of a 24-17 upset win that Boise State pulled off back on November 9th as a 2-point underdog. After losing at home to San Diego State in October, the Broncos survived two games at home against the Bulldogs and BYU that were settled by one scoring possession before scoring with four (darn) seconds left in the game last week to pull away from Utah State. Look for Boise State’s good fortunes at home in close games to finally run out tonight against an opponent with an elite defense that will be motivated with double-revenge from not only this year but also losing in Boise in last year’s Mountain West Conference Championship Game. 25* CFB Saturday Night Special Feature with the Fresno State Bulldogs (317) plus the points versus the Boise State Broncos (318). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Clemson Tigers (320) and the Pittsburgh Panthers (319). THE SITUATION: Clemson (12-0) remained undefeated last week with their 56-35 win over South Carolina as a 25.5-point favorite. Pittsburgh (7-5) saw their four-game winning streak snapped with their 24-3 loss at Miami as a 6-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Tigers played their worst defensive season of the year last week against the Gamecocks as they allowed 600 yards of offense. 510 of those passing yards were in the air — but the Under is 3-0-1 in Clemson’s last 4 games after allowing at least 280 passing yards in their last game. That game flew way over the 58.5 point total — and the Tigers have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Head coach Dabo Swinney will be demanding better play out of his defense the still ranks 7th in the nation by allowing 283.2 total YPG — and that unit ranks 4th in the FBS by giving up only 14.0 PPG. This defense played even better when they play away from home as they are allowing only 13.4 PPG along with just 262.6 total YPG on the road. But who many points with this powerful Clemson offense put up tonight as they approach being four-touchdown favorites after generating an incredible 744 yards of offense last week. Some insight to that question is that the Tigers have played 4 straight games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. Additionally, the Tigers have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total in the month of December. Pittsburgh has seen the Under go 7-2-1 in their last 10 games after a straight-up loss — and the Under is also 7-2-1 in their last 10 gamers after a point spread loss. The Under is also 14-6-1 in their last 21 games after a loss by at least 20 points. The Panthers are run-dependent as they rank 17th in the nation by averaging 232.7 rushing YPG. But they will be running into one of the best defensive lines in the nation as Clemson ranks 2nd in the country by giving up only 84.8 rushing YPG. That will force the Panthers to rely on the passing arm of sophomore quarterback Kenny Pickett — but he is overseeing an offense that ranks 120th in the nation by averaging 153.4 passing YPG. Pitt has played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Clemson has held six of their twelve opponents to 10 points or less this season. With the Panthers being so one-dimensional, it is difficult seeing them score many points tonight. 10* CFB Clemson-Pittsburgh ABC-TV O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Clemson Tigers (320) and the Pittsburgh Panthers (319). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Georgia Bulldogs (317) plus the points versus the Alabama Crimson Tide (318). Georgia (11-1) has won five straight games with their 45-21 win over Georgia Tech as a 17-point favorite last week. Alabama (12-0) remained undefeated with their 52-21 win over Auburn last Saturday as a 25.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS PLUS THE POINTS: Georgia is one of the few teams that take the field with the Crimson Tide with the confidence that they can pull off the victory. Thirteen starters return from the team that went into halftime of the National Championship Game last January with a 13-0 lead before losing that game in heartbreaking fashion in overtime by a 26-23 score. Alabama enjoys a significant talent advantage against most football teams in the country — but the Bulldogs are one of the few teams that can hang with their high-level players given their strong recruiting classes. Certainly, this is the game that this Georgia has wanted to play over the last eleven months. The Bulldogs enter this game with confidence as they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games after a win by at least three touchdowns. Georgia held the Yellow Jackets to just 219 yards of offense — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after allowing no more than 275 yards in their last game. Furthermore, the Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 6 straight games played on a neutral field — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games in the month of December. Alabama likely does have the same level of urgency to win this game against a revenge-minded Georgia team. The likelihood is that the Crimson Tide can still lose this game but still make into the College Football Playoff just as they did last year with one loss. Alabama did not commit a turnover last week in the Iron Bowl — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after not committing a turnover in their last game. And while the Crimson Tide have scored 111 combined points in their last two games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after scoring at least 42 points in two straight games. Auburn was not able to challenge them in the passing game as they only managed 153 passing yards — but Bama has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after not allowing more than 170 passing yards in their last game. Alabama has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 encounters with the Bulldogs.

FINAL TAKE: This Crimson Tide team looks invincible right now — but their non-conference schedule was light with Louisville being the high-profile game, in theory. LSU is a step below in class and Auburn took a step back as well. This is, by far, the biggest challenge this team has faced all season in facing Georgia. Expect a close game. 10* CFB Alabama-Georgia CBS-TV Special with the Georgia Bulldogs (317) plus the points versus the Alabama Crimson Tide (318). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Memphis Tigers (309) plus the points versus the Central Florida Knights (310). THE SITUATION: Central Florida (11-0) continued their undefeated season last week with their 38-10 thrashing of South Florida on the road laying 16.5 points. Memphis (8-4) has won four straight games with their 52-31 win over Houston as a 9.5-point favorite last Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGERS PLUS THE POINTS: It was a Pyrrhic victory for the Knights last week with their third-year starting quarterback Mckenzie Milton suffering a season-ending knee injury. While UCF owns the nation’s longest winning streak, Milton started at quarterback in all twenty-four of those games. Head coach Josh Heupel now turns to redshirt freshman Darriel Mack to lead the team to the American Athletic Conference championship this afternoon. While the 6’3, 230-lb phenom oozes with physical talent, he is a complete unknown regarding his mental and emotional ability to handle the pressure of the moment. Mack completed only 5 of 14 passes for 81 yards in relief last week against the Bulls. Central Florida earned the right to host this game — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games as the favorite laying no more than 3 points. The Knights have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 home games with the Total set in the 63.5 to 70 point range. There are two other areas of concern I have for this team. First, UCF has been very fortunate with the bouncing ball as they rank 2nd in the nation by averaging a +1.45 net turnover margin per game. Milton was excellent at protecting the football in both the passing and running game. Mack’s inexperience combined with the pressure of the moment may lead to a visit from the Regression Gods regarding this very favorable turnover ratio. Second, the Knights are very vulnerable in their run defense as they rank 109th in the nation by allowing 211.6 rushing YPG. Enter Darrell Henderson and the vaunted Memphis rushing attack. The Tigers are 5th in the nation by averaging 275.9 rushing YPG. Not only can this Memphis team move the chains by running the football but this can also keep their defense fresh. The Tigers have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after a win over a conference rival. They generated 610 yards of offense last week against the Cougars defense — and they have then covered the point spread in 22 of their last 30 games after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. And in their last 21 games in conference competition, Memphis is 15-5-1 ATS. Together, these team trends produce our specific 60-20-1 ATS combined angle for this situation.

FINAL TAKE: The Tigers have lost twelve straight meetings with UCF including losing by a narrow 31-30 score earlier this year as a 4.5-point underdog to the Knights. The loss that stung, even more, was when they surrendered a late interception that served as the winning score in a 62-55 loss to UCF in last year’s American Athletic Conference Championship Game that was also played in Orlando. Memphis’ running game helps them play this team as tough as anyone during their 23-game winning streak. But with the injury to Milton, the Tigers have a great opportunity to earn some well-deserved measure of revenge against this team that has been a thorn in their side for years. 20* CFB Memphis-Central Florida ABC-TV Special with the Memphis Tigers (309) plus the points versus the Central Florida Knights (310). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the California Golden Bears (334) plus the points versus the Stanford Cardinal (333). THE SITUATION: This game was rescheduled from a couple of weeks ago that was canceled due to the fires in northern California. California (7-4) enters the same having won two straight games as well as four of their last five contests with their 33-21 win over Colorado as a 10.5-point favorite last week. Stanford (7-4) has won two straight games with their 49-42 win at UCLA as a 7-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GOLDEN BEARS PLUS THE POINTS: The Cardinal has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a win on the road — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after a win over a conference rival. Stanford averaged 7.01 Yards-Per-Play last week against the Bruins — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after gaining at least 6.75 YPP. The Cardinal has also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least 42 points in their last contest. But the concern for head coach David Shaw has to be his defense after UCLA shredded them for 528 yards of offense. Stanford has failed to cover the point spread in 3 straight games after allowing at least 525 yards. The Cardinal is just 3-2 on the road this year — but they are being out-gained by -106.2 net YPG due to their defense that is allowing home teams to average a whopping 482.0 total YPG. Cal should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread victory. The Bears defeated the Buffaloes last week despite generating only 211 yards of offense — but they have then covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after failing to gain at least 250 yards in their last game. Cal is 4-2 on their home field this season — and they have are 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games on their home field. The Golden Bears have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games as an underdog getting no more than 7 points. Furthermore, Cal has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games against teams with a winning record. Together, these team trends produce our specific 70-19-1 ATS combined angle for this situation.

FINAL TAKE: This is the best team at Cal in their last three seasons — and that makes this the best opportunity for this team to end the eight-game losing streak they have endured against their arch-rivals across the bay. Stanford only won this rivalry game last year by a 17-14 margin despite playing the game at home in Palo Alto as a 13.5-point favorite. Don’t be surprised if the Golden Bears pull the upset — but take the points for some insurance. 10* CFB Don’t Need the Points (but we will take the points) Underdog Special with the California Golden Bears (334) plus the points versus the Stanford Cardinal (333). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the UAB Blazers (307) plus the points versus the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (308). THE SITUATION: These two teams meet again in Murfreesboro for the second straight week after Middle Tennessee (8-4) won last Saturday’s game by a 27-3 score in an upset where they were 3-point underdogs. UAB (9-3) travels back looking to avenge that loss and to win the Conference USA Championship Game.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BLAZERS PLUS THE POINTS: UAB had their spot in this championship game clinched before playing last week — but winning that game would have ensured that they hosted the conference championship game back in Birmingham. Perhaps head coach Bill Clark preferred to hold back some plays last week and ensure the opportunity to face these Blue Raiders again this week even if it meant playing on their home field? Either way, it looks pretty evident that Clark had the Blazers take their foot off the proverbial gas pedal after falling behind by a 13-3 score at halftime in that game. UAB managed only 89 yards of offense in that game. Clark is an outstanding coach who has pulled off a minor miracle to get this team to the conference championship game despite going on a two-year hiatus four years ago. Clark was rewarded on Friday with a big contract extension that makes him the highest paid football coach in Conference USA. He should have his team ready to play a great game. The Blazers have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after suffering an upset loss by at least 17 points despite being favored in that game. UAB is also 7-1-1 ATS in their last 9 games after a straight-up loss as well as being 13-4-1 ATS in their last 18 games after a loss by at least 20 points — so this group has proven themselves to be very resilient under Clark’s leadership. Furthermore, the Blazers have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when avenging a loss where they did not score more than 9 points — and they have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games when avenging a loss by at least three touchdowns to their opponent. UAB has lost their last two games with both those contests being played on the road. But the Blazers have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after losing their last two contests on the road — and they have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after suffering two straight losses on the road by double-digits. UAB should get their offense going this week — they rank 30th in the nation by averaging 207.5 rushing YPG. They are 20-8-2 ATS in their last 30 games after failing to score at least 20 points in their last game — and they are 10-4-2 ATS in their last 16 games after failing to gain at least 275 yards in their last game. But where this team should really see improvements in this rematch is on the other side of the football where they rank 8th in the nation by holding their opponents to just 287.2 total YPG. UAB is also 9th in the FBS by allowing just 16.7 PPG — and they out-gain their home hosts when playing on the road by +46.7 net YPG. This stout defense has helped the Blazers cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams with a winning record. Middle Tennessee may not be able to prevent themselves from suffering from a bit of a letdown after winning easily last week to earn their opportunity to win the conference championship. As it is, the Blue Raiders have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a win at home by at least 17 points — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after an upset win as an underdog. Middle Tennessee did not commit a turnover last week but that might not bode well for them now as they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after playing a game where they did not commit a turnover. The Blue Raiders get the opportunity to host this game at their Floyd Stadium where they are 5-0 this season — but they are only out-gaining their visitors by +35.8 net YPG. Middle Tennessee has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games in the month of December. And in their last 9 expected close games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range, the Blue Raiders have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of these contests.

FINAL TAKE: I suspect that Clark kept a few tricks up his sleeve with the expectation that this rematch would be occurring this week. He will have a very eager and motivated team looking to redeem themselves from the thumping they received last week. It will be difficult for the Blue Raiders to maintain the intensity and sense of urgency that they displayed last week. 25* CFB Game of the Year with the UAB Blazers (307) plus the points versus the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (308). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Texas Longhorns (311) plus the points versus the Oklahoma Sooners (312). THE SITUATION: Texas (9-3) has won three straight games with their 24-17 win at Kansas as a 15.5-point favorite last Friday. Oklahoma (11-1) has won six straight games after their 59-56 win at West Virginia as a 3-point/3.5-point favorite last Friday night.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LONGHORNS PLUS THE POINTS: With Michigan losing last week, the Sooners are in a great position to reach the College Football Playoffs again this year if they can defeat their arch-rivals. But that pressure will be very heavy this afternoon. I know there are pundits on ESPN that describe the Oklahoma offense as the best one ever in College Football. Those dudes need to get a grip. Kyler Murray passed for 364 yards last week against the Mountaineers defense — but the Sooners have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. Additionally, Oklahoma has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games played on a neutral field — and they are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games against teams with a winning record. The Sooners are playing with revenge on their mind with their lone loss this season being that 48-45 barnburner back on October 6th where they were 7-point favorites. But Oklahoma has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games when looking to avenge a loss where they surrendered at least 42 points. And that is the rub: this Sooners’ defense is a mess. Head coach Lincoln Riley fired his defensive coordinator Mike Stoops after that game — but the defense has not improved. In fact, Oklahoma has allowed 623 YPG over their last three contests which is -182 net YPG worse than what they were allowing before that stretch. The Sooners have won their last three games by an average winning margin of 6 PPG — but they were favored by an average of 18 PPG so this defense has them significantly underachieving. Texas is 13-5-2 ATS in their last 20 games against teams with winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams playing on a neutral field. Head coach Tom Herman should be able to oversee an offensive game plan that will be even more effective than the one that led to their victory in the first incarnation of the Red River Rivalry this season. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger has thrown 23 touchdown passes with only four interceptions. The Longhorns have lost three times this season with the losing margins being by just 5, 3 and 1 point. And Herman simply thrives when his teams are playing the role of the underdog as they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 14 games as the dog which includes ten outright victories.

FINAL TAKE: Texas has covered the point spread in the last 6 meetings between these two teams — and the last five meetings have been decided by 7 points or less. The pressure to make the playoffs and the bad defense will likely lead to this being another close game. 10* CFB Texas-Oklahoma ABC-TV Special with the Texas Longhorns (311) plus the points versus the Oklahoma Sooners (312). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the UL-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (313) and the Appalachian State Mountaineers (314). THE SITUATION: UL-Lafayette (7-5) reached the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game with their 31-28 upset win at UL-Monroe last Saturday as a 1.5-point underdog. Appalachian State (9-2) has won four games in a row with their 21-10 win over Troy last week as a 12-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Mountaineers have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a double-digit win over a conference rival. Appalachian State held the Trojans to just 223 yards of offense while winning the rushing battle by a decisive 139 net yards. The Mountaineers have played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total after out-rushing their last opponent by at least 125 yards. Appalachian State’s spread option offensive attack defines the program — but that aspect of their game should not distract from the outstanding defense that head coach Scott Satterfield has overseen in his sixth year with the program. Five starters returned to a defense that was tied for 21st in the nation by holding their opponents to just 20.2 PPG — and they also ranked 29th in total defense by allowing only 342.5 total YPG. This year’s unit has been even better as they rank 5th in the nation by allowing just 15.4 PPG — and they also rank 4th in the FBS by giving up only 278.2 total YPG. The Mountaineers are even stingier playing at home where they give up only 11.6 PPG along with just 271.4 total YPG — and over their last three games, this group is allowing a mere 11.3 PPG along with 259.7 total YPG. Appalachian State has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have also played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total with the number set in the 56.5 to 63 point range. UL-Lafayette raced out to a 24-21 halftime lead against the Warhawks last week before hanging out to win by a 31-28 score. The Ragin’ Cajuns have then played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a win by 3 points or less — and they have played 18 of their last 27 games Under the Total after scoring at least 24 points in the first-half of their last contest. UL-Lafayette has scored at least 31 points in three straight games — but they have then played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after scoring at least 31 points in three straight games. Furthermore, the Ragin Cajuns have seen the Under go 17-8-1 in their last 26 games in Sun Belt Conference play — and they have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total in the month of December. This championship game is a rematch of the October 20th meeting between these two teams that the Mountaineers won by a 27-17 score in their Kidd Brewer Stadium. The Ragin’ Cajuns did a pretty good job of slowing down the Appalachian State offense as they generated only 364 total yards which were over 118 yards below their season offensive average when playing at home. UL-Lafayette has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when looking to avenge a loss on the road to their opponent.

FINAL TAKE: The Ragin Cajuns should play even better on defense in this rematch with the benefit of their experience facing this offensive scheme in October. UL-Lafayette ranks 104th in the nation by allowing 443.3 total YPG but they have allowed over -45 YPG less than that over their last three games. These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings Under the Total. 25* CFB Conference Championships Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the UL-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (313) and the Appalachian State Mountaineers (314). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Marshall Thundering Herd (329) plus the points versus the Virginia Tech Hokies (330). THE SITUATION: Marshall (8-3) has won three straight games with their 28-25 win at Florida International as a 3.5-point favorite last Saturday. Virginia Tech (5-6) comes off a 34-31 win in overtime at home against Virginia as a 4-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE THUNDERING HERD PLUS THE POINTS: I hate this situation for the Hokies. This game is only being played because Virginia Tech’s game with East Carolina in September was canceled. The Hokies reached out to Marshall to arrange for this possible game if it was necessary for them to become bowl eligible — and with their upset win over Virginia last week, they need one more victory to reach a bowl game this year. So this is all happening for Virginia Tech to play in one more game — but that can also lead to plenty of pressure on this team that has underachieved all season. Frankly, the Hokies were very fortunate to earn the win over the Cavaliers last week. They scored on a fumble recovery for a touchdown early in that game to seize a 14-0 lead yet needed a second fumble recovery in the end zone to tie the game with under two minutes to go to force overtime which they did win. But Virginia Tech has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread victory. The Hokies have been uninspired at home this season where they are just 2-4 while being outscored by -4.9 PPG — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home. What has happened to the Bud Foster-coached defense? They are allowing 435.4 total YPG this season which is 96th in the nation — and they are allowing 472.0 total YPG over their last three games. They do face a non-power conference opponent this afternoon — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against Conference USA opponents. Marshall is bowl bound with their eight wins — so one might question what they have at stake in this game. But head coach Doc Holliday will have his team licking their chops with this opportunity to knock off one of the heavyweight programs in their geographical region — there is a reason he agreed to take this game midyear. His teams have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games as an underdog. The Thundering Herd have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in the month of December. Furthermore, not only is Marshall 21-7-1 ATS in their last 29 games against teams outside Conference USA but they are also 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games against teams from the ACC. The Thundering Herd are 4-1 on the road this year with an average winning margin of +6.6 PPG. Together, these team trends produce our specific 55-14-2 ATS combined angle for this situation.

FINAL TAKE: This extra game gives Marshall a chance to reach ten wins this season. All the pressure is on the Hokies — but the Herd gets to relish in their role as the spoiler. Don’t be surprised if they pull the upset — but take the points for some insurance. 10* CFB Don’t Need the Points (but we will take the points) Underdog Special with the Marshall Thundering Herd (329) plus the points versus the Virginia Tech Hokies (330). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Utah Utes (305) plus the points versus the Washington Huskies (306). THE SITUATION: Utah (9-3) has won three straight games with their 35-27 win over BYU last Saturday as a 10.5-point favorite. Washington (9-3) has also won three in a row after they upset Washington State on the road last Friday as a 2.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE UTES PLUS THE POINTS: In head coach Kyle Whittingham I trust to have his team ready to play this game. Utah has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a point spread loss. The team has handled the adversity of losing starting quarterback Tyler Huntley and starting running back Zack Moss to season-ending injuries. During their three-game winning streak, the Utes are scoring 32.3 PPG while averaging 393.3 total YPG operating the Air-Raid spread offense under second-year offensive coordinator Troy Taylor. Utah has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against Pac-12 opponents — and they are also 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 games against teams with a winning record. Furthermore, the Utes have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing on a neutral field. This Utah team is looking to avenge a 21-7 loss to the Huskies back on September 15th. Utah is very tough under Whittingham when motivated by revenge. The Utes have covered the point spread in 6 straight games when avenging a loss at home to their opponent. Furthermore, Utah has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games when avenging a loss by at least two touchdowns — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games when playing with revenge from a loss where they failed to score at least 14 points. Washington has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Huskies have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. Furthermore, while Washington gained 487 yards against the Cougars last week, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. The Huskies have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games against Pac-12 rivals — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. And in their last 10 games as the favorite, Washington has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of these games.

FINAL TAKE: The Huskies were a dark horse National Championship contender for me to begin the season but the season-ending injury to left tackle Trey Adams has hampered their offensive line. Washington is just 3-3 away from home this season with losses at Oregon, California and in Atlanta against an Auburn team that has also disappointed. The Huskies may win this game — but I look for the Utes to be a very difficult out. 10* CFB Utah-Washington Fox-TV Special with the Utah Utes (305) plus the points versus the Washington Huskies (306). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Utah Utes (305) and the Washington Huskies (306). THE SITUATION: Utah (9-3) has won three straight games with their 35-27 win over BYU last Saturday as a 10.5-point favorite. Washington (9-3) has also won three in a row after they upset Washington State on the road last Friday as a 2.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Huskies have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. Washington held the powerful Cougars offense to only 237 total yards in an outstanding defensive effort — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. The Huskies were one of my dark horse candidates to win the National Championship this season in large part because they returned nine starters from a stout group that was 5th in the nation by allowing only 16.1 PPG while ranking 8th in the FBS by holding their opponents to just 298.8 total YPG. This year’s defense ranks 8th in the FBS by allowing 16.5 PPG while also ranking 13th in the nation by limiting their opponents to 311.3 total YPG — so this group has only a slight decline in their outstanding numbers. What has held this Washington team back has been a disappointing offense that is scoring only 28.0 PPG (tied for 75th in the nation) after averaging 36.2 PPG last season with quarterback Jake Browning and running back Myles Gaskin as juniors. The offensive line has taken a step back this season with the unit suffering a big loss with the season-ending injury to senior left tackle Trey Adams who was projected as a potential top-ten pick in the NFL draft. The Huskies did generate 487 yards against the Cougars last week — but they have then played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last contest. The formula for success for head coach Chris Petersen’s team is winning the war in the trenches. They have out-rushed their last three opponents by at least 100 yards — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after out-rushing their last three opponents by at least 100 yards. Washington has played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 7 of their 10 games Under the Total as the favorite. Utah has played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a win at home — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total when playing on the road after a victory on their home field. Furthermore, the Utes have played 20 of their last 28 road games Under the Total after a game where at least 60 combined points were scored. Utah only gained 296 yards of offense against the Cougars but benefited from a 27-yard interception that they returned for a touchdown. The Utes have an elite defense that allows only 19.3 PPG (17th in the nation) — and they rank 15th in the FBS by only allowing 315.8 total YPG. Utah has the nation’s 5th best rushing defense that holds their opponents to only 100.3 rushing YPG — led by defensive line coach Gary Andersen who was a steal of a hire by head coach Kyle Whittingham after his stint at Oregon State soured last season. This is a rematch of the Huskies’ 21-7 victory over the Utes back on September 15th. Utah had junior Tyler Huntley under center for that game along with junior Zack Moss in their backfield — but both leaders on offense have since suffered season-ending injuries. For this rematch, the Utes will be using redshirt freshman Jason Shelley under center. While he has played well, he is likely a step back from Huntley who led an offense that only generated 261 yards with the one score. The defense did limit the Huskies to just 327 yards in that initial game — and I expect another gritty defensive performance. Utah has played 31 of their last 48 games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Utah knows they cannot get into a high-scoring affair with the Huskies given the injuries they have suffered on offense. This Washington team only scores 22.2 PPG in their six games away from home — so this game shapes up to be a low-scoring contest. 25* CFB Pac-12 Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Utah Utes (305) and the Washington Huskies (306). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Northern Illinois Huskies (303) plus the points versus the Buffalo Bulls (304). Northern Illinois (7-5) limps into the Mid-American Conference Championship Game with their 28-21 upset loss at Western Michigan back on November 20th as a 6.5-point favorite. Buffalo (10-2) clinched their opportunity to win the conference championship with a 44-14 win at Bowling Green last Friday as a 16-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HUSKIES PLUS THE POINTS: Northern Illinois has suffered two straight upset losses in a row as their loss to the Broncos was preceded by a 13-7 upset loss at home to Miami (OH) as a 6.5-point favorite. But because the Huskies raced out to a 6-0 record in conference play, the team was in firm control of winning the MAC West Division despite then losing their last two games. There is no better way for Rod Carey’s team to erase the memory of these last two setbacks then by winning this game and winning their conference title. This team returned fourteen starters from last year’s group that finished 8-5. This is the team’s first trip back to Ford Field in Detroit to play in this game in the last three years. As usual, this is a battle-tested team that played Utah at home while also traveling to play Iowa, BYU and Florida State in their non-conference schedule. They should play very well tonight as they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games after a loss by 7 points or less against a conference opponent. Northern Illinois did allow 285 passing yards to Western Michigan in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after allowing at least 280 passing yards in their last game. The Huskies are led by their outstanding defense that ranks 26th in the nation by allowing only 344.0 total YPG. They rank 13th in the nation by holding their opponents to just 107.0 rushing YPG. Northern Illinois has only allowed 94 rushing yards in each of their last two games — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after not allowing more than 125 rushing yards in two straight games. The Huskies are due for some better luck when it comes to the bouncing ball that often determines turnovers as they have endured a -2 or worse net turnover margin in three straight games. But Northern Illinois has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after losing the turnover battle in three straight games. Moving forward, the Huskies have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 33 road games in the month of November. Buffalo raced out to a 34-7 halftime lead over Bowling Green last week — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after holding at least a 24-point halftime lead in their last game. The Bulls are led by one of the best offensive lines in the country that helped them churn out 332 rushing yards against the Falcons meager defensive line (as we predicted when taking Buffalo in that game) — but this team has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after rushing for at least 300 yards in their last game. The Bulls held the Bowling Green offense to only 58 rushing yards — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 road games after not allowing more than 100 rushing yards in their last contest. But run defense is an issue for this team as their opponents are averaging 169.5 rushing YPG this season which is 74th in the nation. On paper, the Northern Illinois offense looks weak as they rank 124th in the FBS by averaging only 318.0 total YPG — but that mark rises over 50 YPG to a 369.0 total YPG mark in conference play. This is Buffalo’s third straight game away from home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games when playing on a neutral field.

FINAL TAKE: Northern Illinois is in a better position to win this game given their experience in this game along with their brutal non-conference schedule and the extra days they have had to rest and prepare for this showdown. Their defense should frustrate a Bulls’ offense that ranks last in the MAC in Red Zone offense. This is the biggest football game for this Buffalo team perhaps in program history — they have not even played in a bowl game since 2013. 25* CFB Underdog of the Month with the Northern Illinois Huskies (303) plus the points versus the Buffalo Bulls (304). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Dallas Cowboys (302) plus the points versus the New Orleans Saints (301). THE SITUATION: New Orleans (10-1) has won ten straight games after their 31-17 win over Atlanta last Thursday as an 11.5-point favorite. Dallas (6-5) has won three games in a row with their 31-23 win over Washington at home last Thanksgiving as a 7-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COWBOYS PLUS THE POINTS: Dallas is playing with plenty of confidence right now — and the trade of Amari Cooper seems to be exactly what the doctor ordered to open up their offense. Cooper was spectacular on Thanksgiving by catching 8 balls for 180 yards with two touchdowns passes. Dallas generated 404 yards against the Skins in that game — not only have the Cowboys covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after scoring at least 30 points in their last game but they have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after gaining at least 400 yards in their last game. Dallas has covered the point spread in each of their last three games — and they are 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 games after a point spread win while they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after covering the point spread in three straight contests. The Cowboys stay at home where they are 4-1 with an average winning margin of +7.2 PPG while out-gaining their opponents by +55.8 net YPG. Dallas scored 26.2 PPG at home — and they have not allowed more than 28 points in all eleven games they have played this season. They have covered the point spread in 27 of their last 44 home games as the underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 14 home games getting 3.5 to 7 points. The Cowboys have also covered the point spread in 35 of their last 54 home games after winning three of their last four games. New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after covering the point spread as a double-digit favorite in their last game. And while the Saints have raced out to at least a two-touchdown lead in each of their last three games, they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after holding double-digit halftime leads in three straight games. And while New Orleans has scored at least 30 points in five straight games, they have then failed to cover the points spread in 6 of their last 8 games after scoring at least 25 points in their last five games — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games on the road after scoring at least 25 points in their last three contests. Furthermore, the Saints have benefited from at least a +2 net turnover margin in three straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 3 straight games are enjoying a +2 or better net turnover margin in at least three straight games. And in their last 8 games played on Thursday Night Football, New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of these contests.

FINAL TAKE: The Saints may win their eleventh game in a row tonight — but they are likely in for a close game with a confident home team with plenty of momentum. 10* NFL Thursday Daily Discounted Deal with the Dallas Cowboys (302) plus the points versus the New Orleans Saints (301). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Saints (301) and the Dallas Cowboys (302). THE SITUATION: New Orleans (10-1) has won ten straight games after their 31-17 win over Atlanta last Thursday as an 11.5-point favorite. Dallas (6-5) has won three games in a row with their 31-23 win over Washington at home last Thanksgiving as a 7-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: While the Saints offense that leads the NFL by scoring 37.2 PPG, the continued improved play of their defense too often gets the short shrift. New Orleans has allowed only 12.7 PPG over their last three games while limiting their last three opponents to just 282.0 total YPG. The Saints have not allowed more than 23 points in seven of their last eight games with the lone exception being their 45-35 shootout with the Rams. The New Orleans run defense leads the NFL by allowing only 73.2 YPG — and opposing rushers average just 3.6 Yards-Per-Carry. Nine of their last ten opponents have failed to rush for more than 100 yards — and their last three opponents have managed only 65 rushing YPG. The Saints pass rush has stepped as of late as well as they have combined for 13 sacks along with 25 hits on the quarterback over the last three weeks. This unit will be infused the return of their breakout rookie defensive lineman Marcus Davenport who has missed the last few weeks with a toe injury. New Orleans has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a double-digit win. The Saints have also played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last game. While New Orleans has scored at least 30 points in five straight games, they have then played 5 straight games Under the Total after scoring at least 25 points in their last five contests. As the weather begins to turn, the Saints are starting to emphasize their rushing attack a bit more with Mark Ingram back in the mix after serving his four-game suspension. Drew Brees only attempted 22 passes last week against the Falcons. New Orleans only generated 312 yards of offense last week against the Atlanta defense. The Saints tend to run the ball more when they go on the road as well — they have played 8 of their last 13 games on the road Under the Total with the number set at 49.5 or higher. Dallas has played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Cowboys have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a win at home — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after winning three of their last four games. The formula for defeating the Saints will certainly be to run the ball to burn time off the clock and keep Brees off the field — Dallas is 5-1 this season when Ezekiel Elliott rushes for at least 100 yards. Despite last week’s offensive effort against the Skins, the Cowboys have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last game. Dallas has an outstanding defense that is 3rd in the NFL by allowing just 19.4 PPG while also ranking 7th in the league by giving up a mere 331.1 total YPG. The Cowboys run defense ranks 5th in the NFL by allowing just 93.6 YPG — and they are allowing only 3.46 YPC. They held Washington to just 80 rushing yards — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 90 rushing yards in their last game. Dallas has not allowed more than 28 points to an opponent all season. They have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total against fellow NFC opponents.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these are going to attempt to run the football — yet both might be stymied in these efforts when facing their opposing strong run defenses. While that will likely lead to a course of events that will see more passing, the lack of an effective ground game will slow down these offenses. With the Total in the low-50s given the prowess of the Saints offense, expect a lower scoring game. 25* NFL Thursday Night O/U Special Feature with Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Saints (301) and the Dallas Cowboys (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Houston Texans (274) minus the points versus the Tennessee Titans (273). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (5-5) saw their two-game winning streak snapped last week with their 38-10 loss at Indianapolis as a 1-point underdog. Houston (7-3) has won seven straight games with their 23-21 win at Washington as a 3-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TEXANS MINUS THE POINTS: Tennessee fell behind by a 24-3 score at halftime to the Colts which is not a good sign for them now. The Titans have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games after allowing at least 24 points in the first-half of their last game — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after trailing by at least two touchdowns at halftime of their last game. Additionally, Tennessee is just 5-11-2 ATS in their last 18 games after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. Now the Titans stay on the road where they are 2-4 this season while being outscored by -3.4 PPG. The anemic Tennessee offense scores only 16.3 PPG while averaging just 297.2 total YPG. It does look like quarterback Marcus Mariota will get the start tonight but he may not be at 100% given his stinger injury. That is not a good sign for a team that has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 23 games on the road. The Titans have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight trips to Houston. The Texans defense has stepped up their level of play as they are allowing only 17.5 PPG since Week Five. After playing on the road for the last two weeks, Houston returns home where they are 3-1 with an average winning margin of +6.0 PPG. Houston averages a robust 383.0 YPG at home while holding their opponents to just 19.7 PPG along with only 317.5 total YPG. Over their last three games, the Texans are scoring 28.0 PPG. This team will motivated to avenge a 20-17 upset loss at Tennessee back on September 16th as a 3-point favorite — and they have covered the points spread in 26 of their last 39 home games when playing with revenge. And in their last 5 games against AFC opponents, Houston has covered the point spread 4 times.

FINAL TAKE: The Texans will have additional motivation tonight as it is their first game since the passing of their owner Robert C. McNair. While he may not have been the most popular owner in the league (given some of his comments), the team will be playing with plenty of emotion. Look for this surging Houston team to overwhelm their AFC South rival. 10* NFL Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the Houston Texans (274) minus the points versus the Tennessee Titans (273). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (273) and the Houston Texans (274). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (5-5) saw their two-game winning streak snapped last week with their 38-10 loss at Indianapolis as a 1-point underdog. Houston (7-3) has won seven straight games with their 23-21 win at Washington as a 3-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Titans lost their defensive coordinator Dean Pees in the middle of their game with the Colts as he went to the hospital with a medical scare — that had to play a role in them allowing 397 yards of offense. Pees has been cleared to run the defense tonight for this game. Expect a better effort from this Tennessee defense that allows only 19.7 PPG along with 305.8 total YPG when they are playing on the road. The Titans have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a loss by at least 14 points — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a loss by at least three touchdowns. Tennessee has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road. But the Titans only score 16.3 PPG away from home while averaging a mere 297.2 total YPG. Tennessee has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Additionally, the Titans have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total as an underdog. And in their last 6 games against fellow AFC South opponents, the game finished Under the Total all 6 times. Houston has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against AFC South foes. The Texans have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Houston’s previous game was also on the road in what resulted in a 19-17 win at Denver against the Broncos. The Texans have played 6 straight games Under the Total after winning two straight games by 6 points or less. Houston returns home where they are allowing only 19.7 PPG and just 317.5 total YPG. Since Week Five, the Texans are allowing only 17.5 PPG with an improved defense. Furthermore, Houston has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the month of November. And in their last 5 appearances for Monday Night Football, the game finished Under the Total 4 times.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams played back on September 16th with the Titans pulling off a 20-17 upset as the home underdog. Expect another lower-score game in this rematch. 25* AFC South Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (273) and the Houston Texans (274). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Green Bay Packers (271) and the Minnesota Vikings (272). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (5-4-1) has lost two of their last three games after their 25-20 loss last Sunday night in Chicago to the Bears as a 2.5-point underdog. Green Bay (4-5-1) has lost three of their last four contests with their 27-24 loss in Seattle last Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Packers have played 15 of their last 22 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Green Bay’s defense is letting them down — but Aaron Rodgers has enough juice to keep his team in the game which is pushing games to finish Over the Total. The Packers allowed 378 yards of offense last week to the Seahawks — and they have then played 16 of their last 21 games Over the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. Green Bay generated 359 yards in that loss — and they have then played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. The Packers stay on the road where they are allowing 29.8 PPG — and all five of their home hosts have scored at least 27 points which seems like a barometer for the Vikings tonight. Green Bay has played 18 of their last 23 games Over the Total on the road. The Packers have also played 12 of their last 15 road games Over the Total as an underdog. Additionally, Green Bay has played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total with the number set in the 42.5 to 49 point range. The Packers have also played 21 of their last 26 games Over the Total against NFC rivals — and this includes them playing four straight games Over the Total against fellow NFC North rivals. Minnesota fell behind last week by a 14-0 halftime score to the Bears — and they have played 23 of their last 38 games Over the Total after suffering a two-touchdown or worse halftime deficit in their last game which includes them playing three straight Overs in that situation. Quarterback Kirk Cousins enjoyed his best game of the season when these two teams met back on September 16th in that 29-29 tie. Cousins passed for 425 yards in that game while posting a season-high 118.8 Passer Rating and averaging 8.9 Yards-Per-Attempt.

FINAL TAKE: The loser of this game is in severe trouble to make the playoffs considering that tonight’s winner secures the tie-breaker between these two teams. That urgency should help push the final score over the number. 10* NFL Sunday Daily Discounted Deal with Over the Total in the game between the Green Bay Packers (271) and the Minnesota Vikings (272). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Minnesota Vikings (272) minus the points versus the Green Bay Packers (271). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (5-4-1) has lost two of their last three games after their 25-20 loss last Sunday night in Chicago to the Bears as a 2.5-point underdog. Green Bay (4-5-1) has lost three of their last four contests with their 27-24 loss in Seattle last Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE VIKINGS MINUS THE POINTS: Minnesota has been incredibly resilient under head coach Mike Zimmer. The Vikings have covered the point spread in 26 of their last 35 games after a straight up loss. They return home where their defense thrives by holding their visitors to just 19.0 PPG along with 273.4 total YPG. Minnesota has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 24 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Minnesota is also a decisive 36-16-2 ATS in their last 54 games on their home field. Additionally, the Vikings have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in the month of November. Green Bay has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss. And while they allowed 378 yards of offense to the Seahawks last week, they are then just 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. Green Bay stays on the road this week where they are winless in five games while being outscored by -8.2 PPG in those games due to them allowing 29.8 PPG with the fewest points allowed being 27 to their home hosts. The Packers are just 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games away from home. Furthermore, Green Bay has failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games in the month of November — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last games against NFC North foes.

FINAL TAKE: I don’t like where this Packers team is headed this season with head coach Mike McCarthy seemingly now a lame duck while Aaron Rodgers ignores his play selections at the line of scrimmage. Minnesota is also reeling — but their vastly superior roster depth should help them do what it takes to win this game in convincing fashion. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Game of the Month with the Minnesota Vikings (272) minus the points versus the Green Bay Packers (271). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (269) and the Denver Broncos (270). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (7-2-1) has won six straight games with their 20-16 win over Jacksonville last week as a 4-point favorite. Denver (4-6) snapped their two-game losing streak last Sunday with their 23-22 win in Los Angeles against the Chargers.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Broncos have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a win on the road — and the Under is 5-1-1 in their last 7 games after a straight-up win. Denver allowed 479 yards in that contest — but the Under is then 6-0-1 in their last 7 games after allowing at least 350 yards in their last contest. The Broncos return home where they have played 9 of their last 11 home games Under the Total against a team with a winning record on the road. Denver has also played 4 straight games Under the Total in the month of November. And in their last 6 games as an underdog, the Broncos have played 5 of these games Under the Total. They will certainly try to run the ball to burn time off the clock to keep the Steelers off the field. That is what the Jaguars did last week as Pittsburgh was only on offense for 22:20 minutes of that game. As a result, the Steelers generated only 323 yards of offense. Pittsburgh did hold Jacksonville to only 243 yards of offense — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing less than 250 yards in their last game. The Steelers defense has raised their level of play — over their last three games, they are allowing only 17.7 PPG along with just 251.0 total YPG. Now Pittsburgh goes back on the road where they have played 21 of their last 27 games Under the Total — and they have also played 12 of their last 13 road games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home. Furthermore, not only have the Steelers played 30 of their last 43 road games Under the Total with the Total set at 45.5 or higher but they have also played 8 straight road games Under the Total with the number set in the 42.5 to 49 point range. Lastly, Pittsburgh has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against fellow AFC opponents.

FINAL TAKE: The Steelers offense is not nearly as potent when playing on the road they are scoring 5.5 PPG below their season average. 25* NFL Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (269) and the Denver Broncos (270). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Carolina Panthers (264) minus the points versus the Seattle Seahawks (263). THE SITUATION: Carolina (6-4) has lost two straight games with their 20-19 upset loss at Detroit as a 4-point favorite last week. Seattle (5-5) snapped their two-game losing streak with a 27-24 win over Green Bay last week as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PANTHERS MINUS THE POINTS: This is a crucial game for head coach Ron Rivera and his team. After losing at Pittsburgh by 31 points before their upset loss at Detroit, Carolina returns home where they are a perfect 5-0 with an average scoring margin of +9.8 PPG as compared to their 1-4 record when playing on the road. The turnover battle is dramatically different for the Panthers at home where they have a +10 net turnover margin as compared to their -5 net turnover margin when playing on the road. Carolina has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games at home. They have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after playing their last two games on the road. Rivera should see a strong effort from his team. The Panthers have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after a point spread setback. Furthermore, Carolina has covered the point spread in 17 of their last 22 games after an upset loss as a road favorite — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after failing to cover the point spread in their last two games. Additionally, the Panthers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games in the month of November. Seattle has a difficult travel situation having to go out east to play at 1 PM ET contest. They have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win. Defense is becoming a problem for this team as they have allowed 28.3 PPG along with 396.7 total YPG over their last three games. They allowed 311 passing yards to the Packers last week after giving up 307 passing yards the previous week to the Rams. Not only are the Seahawks just 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing at least 250 passing yards but they have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after allowing at least 300 passing yards in two straight contests. They did hold Green Bay to just 48 rushing yards last week — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after allowing at least 50 rushing yards in their last game. Seattle is allowing their opponents to average 4.9 Yards-Per-Carry — and that is an ominous number when facing these Panthers that average 5.0 Yards-Per-Carry.

FINAL TAKE: Carolina has won ten straight games at home while averaging nearly 31 PPG over that stretch and allowing just 21 PPG in those games. Look for the Panthers to take their frustrations out on this young Seattle team. 20* NFL Blowout Bookie Buster with the Carolina Panthers (264) minus the points versus the Seattle Seahawks (263). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Cincinnati Bengals (260) minus the points versus the Cleveland Browns (259). THE SITUATION: Cincinnati (5-5) has lost two straight games with their 24-21 loss at Baltimore as a 6.5-point underdog. Cleveland (3-6-1) takes the field again after their 28-16 upset win over Atlanta two Sundays ago as a 5.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BENGALS MINUS THE POINTS: Cincinnati is a desperate for a win right now — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after losing three of their last four games. The defense has been the problem for this team. The 403 yards they allowed to the Ravens last week was actually a big improvement from the 509 and 576 yards they allowed in their previous two contests. The Bengals have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after allowing at least 375 yards in their last three contests — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 19 games after giving up at least 400 yards in their last two games. Cincinnati will once again be without wide receiver A.J. Green for this game but they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games against teams with a losing record. The Bengals have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in the month of November — and they have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 5 games against fellow AFC North opponents. Cleveland is just 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after their bye week. They go back on the road where they are on a twenty-five game losing streak. The Browns are 0-4 away from home this season with a -6.0 PPG losing margin due to allowing 31.2 PPG. Cleveland is being out-gained by -90.2 net YPG by their home hosts. The Browns are just 4-11-1 ATS in their last 16 games on the road — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games played on field turf. Furthermore, Cleveland is just 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 games against fellow AFC North opponents.

FINAL TAKE: The Bengals have dominated the Browns in the most recent Battle for Ohio showdowns. Cleveland has failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight clashes — and they are just 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 trips to Cincinnati. 10* NFL Sunday Afternoon Discounted Deal with the Cincinnati Bengals (260) minus the points versus the Cleveland Browns (259). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (261) and the New York Jets (262). THE SITUATION: New England (7-3) saw their six-game winning streak snapped two weeks ago with their 34-10 loss at Tennessee as a 6.5-point favorite. New York (3-7) has lost four straight games with their 41-10 loss to Buffalo two Sundays ago where they were a 7-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Patriots have played 4 straight games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. It is time for Bill Belichick and his coaching staff to get back to basics: run the football to burn time off the clock and protect their defense. New England has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing at least 30 points in their last contest. This is particularly the case when the Patriots go on the road where their offense is not nearly as explosive as it is in Foxboro. New England is scoring only 20.6 PPG on the road while averaging 312.6 total YPG — and those numbers are far below their 28.0 PPG scoring average along with the 377.2 total YPG they are averaging this season. The Patriots have played 7 of their last 9 road games Under the Total — and they have also played 6 straight road games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home. Furthermore, New England has played 13 of their last 17 road games Under the Total after the first month of the season. The Patriots defense has been playing pretty well. Even after their bad effort against the Titans the last time out, they have held their last three opponents to score only 19.0 PPG while averaging just 362.0 total YPG. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against fellow AFC East opponents. New York has seen the Under go 3-1-1 in their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home — and they have also played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a double-digit upset loss at home. Rookie quarterback Sam Darnold has been declared out for this game with his foot injury — so it will be the veteran Josh McCown under center for this game. What McCown bring in his savvy and knowledge to this position is mitigated by his limited physical skills. He completed 17 of 34 passes against the Bills but that only resulted in 135 yards of offense — and he threw two interceptions. The Jets have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after failing to pass for at least 150 yards in their last game. New York is scoring an anemic 8.7 PPG over their last three games while averaging just 229.3 total YPG. The Jets need to run the football to keep Tom Brady off the field. The Jets defense has been playing pretty well — they have held their last three opponents to just 338.0 total YPG. The Bills behind Matt Barkley (!) generated 451 yards against them in their last game — but they have played 38 of their last 60 games Under the Total after allowing at least 40 points in their last game. And in their last 13 games after allowing at least 30 points in their last contest, the Jets have played 9 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: This is the first meeting between these two teams this season — they last played on December 31st where the Patriots won by a 26-6 score. These two teams have played 4 straight games Under the Total — look for this afternoon showdown to make it five in a row. 25* AFC East Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (261) and the New York Jets (262). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:15 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Utah State Aggies (181) plus the points versus the Boise State Broncos (182). THE SITUATION: Utah State (10-1) enters their final game of the regular season coming off a 29-24 win at Colorado State as a 30.5-point favorite. Boise State (9-2) enters this game coming off a 45-14 win at New Mexico as a 21-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE AGGIES PLUS THE POINTS: The close call with the Rams should get the attention of this team. Those 29 points were the second-fewest that Utah State has scored all season — and two of their touchdowns were scored on defense. The Aggies are second in the nation by scoring 49.3 PPG but they only had the ball for 17:55 minutes in that game against Colorado State. The weather did play a role in that contest — but that close call will help head coach Matt Wells communicate that his team can take nothing for granted tonight. Utah State has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. The Aggies have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up victory. Utah State has been very good on the road this year where their only loss was a 7-point loss at East Lansing against Michigan State in their opening game of the season. The Aggies are 4-1 away from home this year while outscoring their hosts by +14.0 PPG. Utah State needs to play better on defense this week after allowing 506 yards to Colorado State last week. The Rams have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after allowing at least 450 yards in their last game. Utah State ranks 34th in the nation by allowing only 22.1 PPG. The Total is set in the high-60s for this game — and the Aggies have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games with the Total set at 63 or higher. Boise State had only scored 45 combined points in their previous two games at home against San Diego State and Fresno State before traveling to Albuquerque to face the Lobos last week. The Broncos are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. Boise State held New Mexico and their run-based spread offense to just 103 passing yards (on just 14 pass attempts). The Broncos’ previous five opponents had generated at least 242 passing yards with that lowest number being from a run-oriented Air Force team that averaged 15.1 Yards-Per-Attempt in the air. Boise State allows 226.9 passing YPG which is just 63rd in the nation — and that likely spells trouble when now facing quarterback Jordan Love who leads an offense that is 22nd in the nation by averaging 282.1 passing YPG. The Broncos have failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight games after not allowing more than 125 passing yards in their last game. Boise State enjoyed a +3 net turnover margin in that win over the Lobos after not committing a turnover in that game. But the Broncos have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 home games after a game where they did not commit a turnover. Boise State has also failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games on their blue field at home. And in their last 19 games against teams with a winning record, the Broncos have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of these contests.

FINAL TAKE: The winner of this game advances to the Mountain West Conference Championship Game — so the stakes could not be higher. The Aggies also will have revenge on their minds after getting blown out by the Broncos last year by a 41-14 score. Eighteen starters returned from that team. Wells’ teams in the past could not win close games — they entered this season having lost their last eight games decided by one scoring possession. But after that opening loss to Michigan State, Utah State has won their only two games decided by one score with the experience of this team finally paying off. Don’t be surprised if this team pulls the upset — but take the points for some insurance. 25* CFB Saturday ESPN Bailout Game of the Year with the Utah State Aggies (181) plus the points versus the Boise State Broncos (182). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Iowa State Cyclones (208) minus the points versus the Kansas State Wildcats (207). THE SITUATION: Iowa State (6-4) saw their five-game winning streak snapped last week with their 24-10 loss at Texas as a 1-point underdog. Kansas State (5-6) has won two in a row after their 21-6 upset win against Texas Tech as a 6.5-point underdog last Saturday.

REASONS TO LAY THE POINTS WITH THE CYCLONES: Iowa State should rebound with a strong effort on Senior Night. They have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss. And while Iowa State only generated 210 yards of offense, they are then 6-0-1 ATS in their last 7 games after failing to gain at least 275 yards in their last game — and they are also 21-7-2 ATS in their last 30 games after failing to gain at least 20 points in their last contest. Now this team returns home where they are 4-1 this season while outgaining their opponents by +61.0 net YPG. The Cyclones have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games at home — and they have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Furthermore, Matt Campbell’s team has covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 home games when favored by 7.5 to 14 points — and this tightens to them covering six of their last seven games when laying more than 10 points but no more than two touchdowns. Kansas State can be a dangerous underdog under head coach Bill Snyder — but that rarely extends for two straight weeks. The Wildcats ave failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after an upset win as an underdog — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after an upset victory over a conference rival as an underdog getting at least 6 points. Furthermore, Kansas State has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a point spread win. Now this team goes back on the road where they are 0-4 this year with an average losing margin of -17.5 PPG due to a defense that allowed 34.2 PPG along with 499.5 total YPG. Together, these team trends produce our specific 112-34-3 ATS combined angle for this situation.

FINAL TAKE: Some might argue that Iowa State has little to play for tonight after they saw their chances to play for the Big 12 Championship next week fall by the wayside with their loss to the Longhorns. Of course, these same pundits will talk about relative motivations for winning their bowl game next month. The fact is that the Cyclones would love to end their ten-game losing streak to the Wildcats with their last victory in this series coming all the way back in 2007. Iowa State lost a 20-19 heartbreaker to Kansas State in Manhattan last year — look for them to win by double-digits to earn some revenge. 10* CFB Kansas State-Iowa State FS1 Special with the Iowa State Cyclones (208) minus the points versus the Kansas State Wildcats (207). Best of luck for us — Frank.