Sports Picks & Predictions

6* Grizzlies/Warriors NBA *BAILOUT* on Memphis +6

The Key: The Memphis Grizzlies will be playing for a 2nd consecutive day, but that is being factored into the line too much.  They got blown out at Portland last night, which allowed them to rest their starters in the 4th.  And they had 2 days off prior to that Portland game, so they should still have plenty of gas left in the tank to give the Warriors a run tonight.  Golden State is getting too much respect now after a 4-0 start to the year.  All 4 games were decided by 12 points or fewer and they were favored in 3 of them and a 3.5-point dog in one.  They should not be favored by 6 points over a Grizzlies team that is every bit their equal if not better.  The Grizzlies are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games off a loss by more than 10 points.  Take Memphis.

7* Packers/Cardinals NFC *HEAVY HITTER* on Green Bay +6.5

The Key: The Green Bay Packers have won and covered 6 straight since that ugly opening loss to the Saints.  They are missing some players tonight, but so are the Cardinals, most notably JJ Watt.  As long as the Packers have Aaron Rodgers under center they have a chance.  And it's worth noting the Packers are 6-0 in 6 games without Devante Adams over the last 3 years and scoring over 32 PPG.  Take Green Bay.

6* USF/ECU American Athletic *CA$H COW* on South Florida +10

The Key: South Florida played 4 Top 25 teams in their first 5 games and didn't fare well, which is understandable.  They have since gone 1-1 SU & 2-0 ATS and should have beaten Tulsa, but lost 31-32 as 7-point dogs.  They came back with their best performance of the season last week in a 34-14 win over a Temple team that was in a good spot coming off their bye.  South Florida had 526 total yards and outgained Temple by 295 yards.  East Carolina is 3-4 and cannot be trusted as a double-digit favorite.  The Pirates are 8-21 ATS in their last 29 games as favorites, including 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games as home favorites.  The Bulls are 7-2 ATS in the last 9 matchups, including 4-1 ATS in the last 5 matchups at ECU.  The road team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 matchups.  Take South Florida.

7* Cavs/Blazers NBA *BAILOUT* on Cleveland +8

The Key: The Cleveland Cavaliers have pulled 2 straight upsets over the Hawks as 8-point dogs and the Nuggets as 9.5-point dogs.  Now they are catching 8 points against the banged up Los Angeles Clippers tongight.  The Clippers are missing Leonard, Morris and Ibaka and shouldn't be this big of favorites.  Take Cleveland.

6* Wednesday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Timberwolves/Bucks OVER 229

The Key: The way the Bucks and Timberwolves play this is going to be a shootout just like it was in their 2 matchups last year when they combined for 251 and 235 points.  The Bucks are 3rd in the NBA in tempo while the Timberwolves are 5th.  Take the OVER.

6* Braves/Astros MLB *CA$H COW* on Houston -110

The Key: Jose Urquidy is 4-1 with a 3.55 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 10 home starts this year.  He will have the support of a Houston offense that has scored 5 runs or more in 12 of its last 14 games.  He will be up against Max Fried, who yielded 5 runs in 4 2/3 innings in an 11-2 loss to the Dodgers last time out.  Take Houston.

7* NBA Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston Rockets +10.5

The Key: The Houston Rockets have some nice young talent in Christian Wood, Kevin Porter Jr., Jae'Sean Tate and Jalen Green.  These four lead them in scoring alongside Eric Gordon.  I like the Rockets to be an underrated team most of the season this year because they have the talent to compete with anyone.  And I like them to stay within single-digits of the Dallas Mavericks, who have looked rough early under Jason Kidd.  They lost their opener by 26 to the Hawks.  Houston is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games off a loss.  Dallas is 0-4 ATS in its last 4 home games.  Take Houston.

6* Braves/Astros World Series *CA$H COW* on Houston -130

The Key: The Houston Astros have scored at least 5 runs in 12 of their last 13 contests.  They will get the run support they need tonight against the Atlanta Braves to support Framber Valdez, who is one of their best starters.  Take Houston.

6* 76ers/Knicks TNT *CA$H COW* on New York -1.5

The Key: The Philadelphia 76ers have a laundry list of injuries right now that will have them failing to live up to expectations early.  The Knicks are basically fully healthy and playing well.  I like the Knicks to get the job done at home tonight.  Take New York.

7* Saints/Seahawks MNF *HEAVY HITTER* on OVER 41

The Key: The New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks will combine to go OVER the number tonight.  The Saints are scoring 25.4 PPG and the Seahawks 23.3 PPG.  They should have no problem both getting to 20 in this game.  The Seahawks yield 24.8 PPG.  The Saints have a good defense, but I don't think Geno Smith is as big of a downgrade over Russell Wilson that everyone makes him out to be.  Take the OVER.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on New Orleans Pelicans +6

The Key: The New Orleans Pelicans are in a great situation tonight.  They will be looking to avenge their 89-96 loss to the Timberwolves just 2 nights ago.  I think they can improve by at least a point in the rematch and likely will pull the outright upset.  Take New Orleans.

6* Monday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Bulls/Raptors OVER 212

The Key: The Bulls and Raptors both have shot poorly this season.  The Bulls shot 43% and 41.7% in two games other than the 52.8% they shot in scoring 128 points against the Pelicans.  They are a great offensive team and it will show as the season goes.  The Raptors are better than they have shown.  They shot 30.9% against the Wizards, 42% against the Celtics and still scored 115 points, and only 40% against the Mavericks.  They are shooting 37.6% for the season and 26.4% from 3.  That's not going to last.  Take the OVER.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Orlando Magic +12

The Key: The Knicks and Magic just squared off on Friday with the Knicks winning in a blowout.  That means the Magic will be the hungrier team to avenge that defeat.  And instead of only catching 8 points like they were Friday, they are now catching 12 points on Sunday.  Take Orlando.

6* Celtics/Rockets Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Houston +5.5

The Key: The Houston Rockets have some great young talent and are healthy this season after going through most of last year battling injuries to all of their top players.  The Rockets flashed their potential with their 124-91 home win over the Thunder last time out.  Christian Wood had 31 points, Eric Gordon had 22, Kevin Porter Jr. had 18 and Jae'Sean Tate had 16.  All 4 of those players make up their core and are underrated.  The Celtics are struggling to find their way early.  They are 0-2 with a loss to the Knicks in OT and a 32-point loss to the Raptors to follow it up.  Jaylen Brown is questionable to play tonight.  The Celtics are 6-14 ATS in their last 20 games as road favorites.  Boston is 0-11 ATS in its last 11 games playing on one day of rest.  Take Houston.

6* Texans/Cardinals NFL *Total* Annihilator on OVER 47

The Key: The Arizona Cardinals are putting up 32.3 PPG and will get their points against the Houston Texans this week.  But I think the Texans can hang around with an offense that has shown life at least from a moving the football perspective the last 2 weeks.  The Texans had 360 yards against the Patriots and 353 yards against the Colts.  They just haven't been able to turn that yardage into points.  They should do a better job of that against the Cardinals this week.  Arizona is 6-0 OVER in its last 6 home games after a non-conference game.  Take the OVER.

7* NFL Non-Conference Game of the Month on Houston Texans +18

The Key: We have the perceived best team in the NFL in the 6-0 Arizona Cardinals against the perceived worst team in the NFL in the 1-5 Houston Texans here.  That fact has this number artificially inflated.  The Cardinals are primed for a letdown.  They just beat the Rams, 49ers and Browns and have the Packers on deck Thursday, so this is a sandwich spot.  This is more of a bet against the Cardinals due to the spot than it is a bet on the Texans.  But it's worth noting the Texans did outgain the Patriots by 8 yards 2 weeks ago and were only outgained by 35 yards by the Colts last week.  Take Houston.

6* Eagles/Raiders NFL *Total* Annihilator on OVER 48.5

The Key: There should be plenty of points to get this total OVER the number between the Eagles and Raiders.  It will be perfect conditions in the dome in Las Vegas for a shootout.  The Raiders have been an OVER team the last couple years with a great offense and bad defense.  The Eagles will get right offensively this week against this bad defense.  They have been up against some good defenses of late in the Panthers and Bucs.  But they scored 30 points against the Chiefs 3 weeks ago and should come close to reaching 30 today.  Both offenses average 6.1 YPP which is impressive in the NFL.  The Raiders are 6-0 OVER in their last 6 home games after gaining 400 yards or more last game.  The Raiders are 6-0 OVER in their last 6 home games against good offensive teams that average at least 5.65 YPP.  Take the OVER.

6* Grizzlies/Clippers NBA *BAILOUT* on Memphis +4.5

The Key: The Memphis Grizzlies should be one of the best teams in the NBA this season.  They opened with a 132-121 win over the Cavaliers on Wednesday and have had the last 2 days to get ready for the Clippers.  The Clippers lost to the Warriors in their opener and are missing some key players.  Kawhi Leonard and Serge Ibaka are out while Nicolas Batum is questionable.  Take Memphis.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Detroit Pistons +8.5

The Key: The Detroit Pistons want to avenge their 88-94 loss to the Bulls in the opener.  They have had the last 2 days off to get ready for the rematch.  The Bulls don't have the same luxury as they will be playing for a 2nd consecutive day and their 3rd game in 4 days.  Take Detroit.

6* West Virginia/TCU Big 12 *CA$H COW* on UNDER 57.5

The Key: West Virginia is a great UNDER team as they have a great defense and a terrible offense.  They are 4-1 UNDER in their 5 games this year.  Their offense is averaging just 20.8 PPG.  Their defense has done great against the competition they have faced, holding opponents to 0.7 YPP below their season averages.  TCU has played a bunch of shootouts lately against great offenses as their last 4 games have come against SMU, Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma.  So this total is inflated due to the high scoring games they have played recently.  This head-to-head matchup has been low scoring in recent years.  WVU and TCU have combined for 30, 37, 57, 55, 54, and 50 points in the last 6 matchups, respectively.  The UNDER is 6-1 in the last 7 matchups.  The UNDER is 10-1 in Mountaineers last 11 games as an underdog.  Take the UNDER.

6* NC State/Miami ACC *CA$H COW* on NC State -3.5

The Key: NC State is one of the best teams in the nation at 5-1 this year.  Their only loss came on the road against SEC foe Mississippi State.  They eat Clemson and are coming off a 33-7 win at Boston College last week following their bye.  So they should still be fresh here.  Miami's season is lost at 2-4 and I wouldn't be surprised to see them pack it in.  Especially coming off 2 straight gut wrenching losses to Virginia by 2 and UNC by 3.  Losing QB D'Eriq King really hurts them.  They have 16 players on the injury report while NC State only has 3.  The Wolfpack are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games after playing their last game on the road.  NC State is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 against a team with a losing record.  The Hurricanes are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 against a team with a winning record.  Miami is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 home games.  Take NC State.

6* San Diego State/Air Force MWC *CA$H COW* on San Diego State +3

The Key: San Diego State is 6-0 this year and looks to improve to 7-0 with a win against Air Force on Saturday.  The Aztecs have one extra day to get ready after playing last Friday.  I like the matchup for the Aztecs as the Falcons can basically only run the ball, averaging 336 yards per game on the ground.  San Diego State only gives up 61 RYPG and 2.1 YPC.  They are the best team in the country against the run.  It's no surprise San Diego State is 8-0 SU in its last 8 matchups with Air Force.  The Aztecs are 7-2 ATS in the last 9 matchups.  Take San Diego State.

7* Oregon/UCLA Pac-12 *HEAVY HITTER* on UCLA -1

The Key: The Oregon Ducks have been getting too much love since winning at Ohio State.  They have lost to Stanford, nearly lost to Cal and played terribly against Arizona in their last 3 games while going 0-3 ATS.  UCLA is the more legit of these 2 teams and is a field goal away from being 6-1 this year.  They want to avenge their 35-38 road loss at Oregon last year and I expect them to.  The Ducks are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games off a win.  Take UCLA.

6* Wisconsin/Purdue Big Ten *CA$H COW* on Purdue +3.5

The Key: There was nothing fluky at all about Purdue's 24-7 win at Iowa.  The Boilermakers had 464 total yards against an elite Iowa defense.  They held the Hawkeyes to 271 yards and forced 4 turnovers.  Now they are home dogs against a worse Wisconsin team.  I like the price and I like the fact that Purdue had a bye 2 weeks ago and should still be fresh.  They only have one Big Ten loss and feel like a contender in the West.  Wisconsin is 3-3 this year with its 3 wins coming against Eastern Michigan, Illinois and Army.  They barely survived a physical 20-14 home win over Army last week and have been a huge disappointment with 3 losses already.  The Badgers are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 against a team with a winning record.  The Boilermakers are 18-6 ATS in their last 24 games as a dog.  Take Purdue.

7* NCAAF Friday Night Lights on Colorado State -2.5

The Key: Colorado State is 3-1 SU & 4-0 ATS in its last 4 games overall.  The only loss came by 10 points at Iowa when they had the Hawkeyes on the ropes as 24-point dogs.  They won by 16 at Toledo as 14.5-point dogs.  They won by 18 over San Jose State as 3.5-point favorites.  They won by 29 at New Mexico as 13-point favorites.  Utah State is 1-2 SU & 0-3 ATS in its last 3 games overall with its only win coming by 4 points against a very bad UNLV team.  They also lost by 14 to BYU and by 24 to Boise State, both at home.  The Aggies are 3-14 ATS in their last 17 games as home underdogs.  Take Colorado State.

6* Red Sox/Astros ALCS *CA$H COW* on OVER 9

The Key: The Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros have been OVER machines in this series.  The OVER is 7-0 in the last 7 matchups.  The OVER is 8-0 in Astros last 8 playoff games.  The OVER is 8-0 in Red Sox last 8 games overall.  The OVER is 10-0 in Red Sox last 10 against AL West teams.  The OVER is 13-1-1 in Red Sox last 15 ALCS games.  Nathan Eovaldi is 6-5 with a 4.28 ERA in 14 road starts this year.  Luis Garcia is 0-2 with a 13.49 ERA in his last 3 outings.  Take the OVER.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Cleveland Cavaliers +3

The Key: The Cleveland Cavaliers only trailed by 5 points with under a minute left at Memphis in their opener.  The Grizzlies eventually pulled away for an 11-point victory.  I like the talent on this Cleveland team and think they will pull the upset at home against the Hornets, who are coming off a 123-122 win over the Pacers in what was a huge revenge game for them after losing to Indiana in the play-in game last year.  This is a letdown situation for them now.  The Hornets are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 road games.  Take Cleveland.

6* Clippers/Warriors TNT *BAILOUT* on Golden State -3

The Key: The Golden State Warriors showed they are more than just Stephen Curry against the Lakers in their opener.  They went on a huge second-half run without Curry led by the play of Jordan Poole.  They eventually won 121-114 as 3.5-point dogs.  They will have more chemistry than the Clippers, who are playing their first game of the season tonight.  And the Clippers are without Kawhi Leonard, Serge Ibaka and Nicolas Batum for this one.  The Warriors are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games overall.  Take Golden State.

6* Broncos/Browns AFC *Total* Annihilator on OVER 40

The Key: There's a lot of injuries on both sides of the ball for both teams.  But I think the OVER 40 is the play here based on how bad these defenses have been of late.  The Broncos have yielded 27 and 34 points in their last 2 games.  The Browns have yielded 37 and 47 points in their last 2 games.  Take the OVER.

7* Sun Belt Game of the Month on Arkansas State +18

The Key: Game report coming soon.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on San Antonio Spurs -6

The Key: The Orlando Magic were already going to be one of the worst teams in the NBA this year.  That's definitely the case to start the season with all their injuries.  They are without Isaac, Fultz, Carter-Williams, Moore and Okeke.  The Spurs are a young, talented team this year that should be able to grow better together now that veterans DeRozan and Gay are gone.  They definitely have enough talent to cover this short number against the injury-ravaged Magic.  Take San Antonio.

6* Coastal Carolina/App State NCAAF *CA$H COW* on OVER 60.5

The Key: Two great offensive teams go at it Wednesday night in this Sun Belt showdown.  Coastal Carolina is putting up 48.8 PPG and 552.3 YPG against a soft schedule, but it has been impressive nonetheless.  App State is putting up 31.5 PPG and 436.3 YPG against a much tougher schedule, equally impressive.  But this App State defense has taken a step back this year and that was evident when they yielded 41 points and 455 yards to Louisiana-Lafayette last week.  The OVER is 6-0 in Mountaineers last 6 games off an ATS loss.  Take the OVER.

7* Astros/Red Sox MLB *HEAVY HITTER* on OVER 9.5

The Key: Framber Valdez is 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA in his last 3 outings for the Astros.  Chris Sale is 0-0 with a 12.00 ERA in his last 3 outings for the Red Sox.  Two struggling starters go at it again in what has been a very high scoring series and that should continue today.  The OVER is 6-0 in the last 6 matchups.  The OVER is 7-0 in Astros last 7 playoff games.  The OVER is 7-0 in Red Sox last 7 games overall.  The OVER is 9-0 in Red Sox last 9 against AL West teams.  The OVER is 12-1-1 in Red Sox last 14 ALCS games.  Take the OVER.

7* Astros/Red Sox ALCS *Total* Annihilator on OVER 10

The Key: Two struggling starters go at it tonight between Zack Greinke and Nick Pivetta.  Greinke is 0-2 with a 12.46 ERA and 1.92 WHIP in his last 3 outings.  Pivetta sports a 5.40 ERA in 15 home starts this year and a 4.61 ERA in his last 3 outings.  Greinke is 2-5 with a 5.28 ERA in 8 lifetime starts against the Red Sox.  Pivetta is 0-2 with a 5.25 ERA in 2 lifetime starts against the Astros.  The OVER is 5-0 in the last 5 matchups.  The OVER is 6-0 in Astros last 6 playoff games.  The OVER is 6-0 in Red Sox last 6 games overall.  The OVER is 8-0 in Red Sox last 8 against AL West teams.  The OVER is 11-1-1 in Red Sox last 13 ALCS games.  Take the OVER.

6* Nets/Bucks Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Milwaukee -1

The Key: I like the price we are getting on the defending champs in a game they basically just have to win to cover against the Brooklyn Nets tonight.  The Bucks pretty much bring back everyone but PJ Tucker.  The Nets will be without Kyrie Irving to start the season until he gets vaccinated.  The Bucks are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 home games.  Take Milwaukee.

7* Bills/Titans NFL Total of the Week on OVER 53.5

The Key: The Bills and Titans have 2 of the better offenses in the NFL again this season.  The Bills are averaging 34.4 PPG while the Titans are putting up 26.4 PPG.  They combine to average nearly 61 PPG.  So I think the price is right to back the OVER in this game Monday night.  The Bills can name their score against a Titans defense that gives up 26.0 PPG and 6.5 YPP.  The Bills do have a good defense, but they have benefited from forcing 15 turnovers the last 4 weeks.  And they have faced an easy schedule of opposing offenses with 4 of their games coming against the Steelers, Dolphins, Texans and Washington.  The Titans hung 42 points on them last year in a 42-16 victory.  The Titans aren't holding the Bills to 16 points again.  Buffalo is 10-1 OVER in its last 11 games off 3 straight wins by 10 points or more.  Tennessee is 8-0 OVER against good passing teams that average 235 PYPG or more over the last 2 years.  The OVER is 25-9-1 in Titans last 35 games overall.  Take the OVER.

6* Astros/Red Sox ALCS *Total* Annihilator on OVER 9

The Key: Eduardo Rodriquez has yielded 12 earned runs in 9 2/3 innings in 2 starts against the Astros this year.  That drops him to 1-3 with an 8.52 ERA and 1.89 WHIP in 6 lifetime starts against them.  Rodriquez sports a 5.78 ERA in 14 home starts this year.  Jose Urquidy has struggled of late with a 4.96 ERA in his last 3 starts for the Astros while yielding 5 HR's in 16 1/3 innings.  The OVER is 4-0 in the last 4 matchups.  The OVER is 5-0 in Astros last 5 playoff games.  The OVER is 5-0 in Red Sox last 5 games overall.  The OVER is 7-0 in Red Sox last 7 against AL West teams.  The OVER is 10-1-1 in Red Sox last 12 ALCS games.  Take the OVER.

7* AFC South Game of the Year on Houston Texans +10

The Key: This is a tough situation for the Indianapolis Colts.  They are coming off an overtime loss to the Ravens on Monday Night Football in which they put everything on the line and probably deserved to win.  But they came up short after blowing a 19-point lead.  Now they are on a short week and in a hangover spot.  They face a Texans team coming off one of their best games of the season in a 25-22 loss to the Patriots.  They missed a FG and an extra point and probably should have won that game.  Davis Mills threw for 312 yards and 3 touchdowns and is improving.  He should be good enough to hang with the Colts.  This has been an extremely closely-contested rivalry through the years.  14 of the last 15 matchups were decided by 9 points or fewer.  Take Houston.

6* Chiefs/Washington Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Washington +7

The Key: I like the price we are getting on the Washington Football Team.  Fading the Kansas City Chiefs has been a big money maker because they can't stop anyone.  The Chiefs are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games overall with almost all their victories coming by one score.  Washington has the offense that can keep them in this game for 4 quarters and match the Chiefs score for score.  They have scored at least 21 points in 4 straight games, and Taylor Heineke is proving not to be much of a downgrade from Ryan Fitzpatrick at all.  The Chiefs give up 32.6 PPG, 437.4 YPG and 7.2 YPP.  They yield 141 YPG and 5.2 YPC on the ground.  Bets on dogs of 3.5 to 10 points that yielded 17 points or more in the first half of 2 straight games against an opponent that is off a loss by 10 points or more are 40-14 ATS since 1983.  Bets against favorites with a poor turnover defense that forces 1 or fewer turnovers per game after a game with a turnover margin of -3 or worse are 23-4 ATS over the last 5 years.  Take Washington.

6* Sunday NFL *UPSET SPECIAL* on Detroit Lions +3.5

The Key: The Detroit Lions deserve to be better than 0-5.  They have showed tremendous resilience to keep fighting and will continue to do so behind head coach Dan Campbell.  They have lost on last-second field goals to the Ravens and Vikings in 2 of their last 3 games.  The other was a 14-24 loss to Chicago in which they had 4 trips into the red zone result in zero points.  They deserved to win all 3 games.  Now they will get that elusive first victory Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.  It's a tough situation for the Bengals and a hangover spot.  They had their chances to beat the Packers, but lost 25-22 in OT after both kickers combined to miss 5 straight field goals at the end.  Cincinnati is 0-6 ATS in its last 6 games against a team that wins 25% of its games or fewer.  Bets on dogs of 3.5 to 10 points off a close loss by 3 points or less to a division opponent, a bad team winning 25% or less of its games when playing a team with a winning record are 32-9 ATS since 1983.  The Lions are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games.  Take Detroit.

6* Dodgers/Braves NLCS *CA$H COW* on Atlanta +125

The Key: Nobody has been better than Max Fried down the stretch.  He has yielded 3 earned runs or fewer in each of his last 13 starts, going 8-1 with a 1.45 ERA while yielding only 14 earned runs in 87 innings.  I like the price we are getting with him at home against the Dodgers in Game 1.  Fried is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in 2 starts against the Dodgers this year while yielding only 3 earned runs in 12 innings.  Max Scherzer is 1-3 with a 5.57 ERA in his last 6 starts against the Braves, yielding 20 earned runs in 32 1/3 innings.  Take Atlanta.

6* Saturday NCAAF *Total* Annihilator on Texas Tech/Kansas OVER 68

The Key: Texas Tech has been a great OVER bet.  They are 3-1 OVER in their last 4 games overall while combining for 75 points with FIU, 105 points with Texas and 83 points with TCU.  They should combine for 68-plus with Kansas here.  This is a terrible Kansas defense that has yielded 45 or more points in all 4 games against FBS competition.  Texas Tech will get to 45, which means Kansas would just need 23-plus here.  The Jayhawks have actually been decent on offense in averaging 5.1 YPPG against teams that give up only 4.7 YPP.  Their schedule of opposing defenses has been brutal, which is why the PPG is down.  But Texas Tech does not have a good defense as they yield 34.3 PPG, so the Jayhawks should have one of their best offensive performances of the year.  Kansas is 10-1 OVER in its last 11 games as an underdog.  The OVER is 5-1 in the last 6 matchups in Kansas.  Take the OVER.

6* Kent State/Western Michigan MAC *CA$H COW* on Kent State +7

The Key: Kent State is one of the better teams in the MAC.  The 3-3 start has them lacking the respect they deserve from oddsmakers.  The 3 losses have come to Texas A&M, Iowa and Maryland all on the road.  They have handled their business in the other 3 games with 3 wins by a combined 67 points.  They will be able to hang with Western Michigan, which is coming off a 20-45 home loss to Ball State.  The Broncos are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games off a double-digit home loss.  The Golden Flashes are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 conference games.  Take Kent State.

6* Kentucky/Georgia SEC *CA$H COW* on UNDER 45

The Key: Two of the best defenses in the country square off Saturday when Kentucky visits Georgia.  The Bulldogs have the best defense in the nation yielding only 5.5 PPG, 203.5 YPG and 3.6 YPP.  The Wildcats yield 17.5 PPG, 305 YPG and 4.6 YPP.  Kentucky has a terrible offense against this year.  They may get shut out here.  It's no surprise recent matchups in this series have been extremely low scoring.  Georgia won 14-3 last year and 21-0 in 2019.  So Kentucky has only managed 3 points total in 2 matchups with them the last 2 years.  Kentucky is 9-1 UNDER in its last 9 road games against teams that average 32 possession minutes and 21 first downs per game.  The Wildcats are 10-1 UNDER in their last 11 road games against elite run defenses that yield 2.75 YPC or less.  Take the UNDER.

7* MAC Game of the Month on Ball State -1

The Key: After a rough start to the season, the Ball State Cardinals are back to looking like the team that won the MAC last season.  They are coming off a 12-point win over Army as a 10.5-point dog and a 25-point win at Western Michigan as a 12.5-point dog.  Now they basically are a pick 'em against Eastern Michigan, a team that isn't nearly on those other two teams' levels.  Eastern Michigan is 4-2 but the wins have come against 4 of the worst teams in the nation.  They are in over their head here against the defending champs.  Ball State is 7-0 ATS in its last 7 against a team with a winning record.  The Cardinals are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games off an upset win as a dog.  Take Ball State.

6* Rutgers/Northwestern Big Ten *CA$H COW* on Northwestern +2

The Key: The situation is a great one for the Northwestern Wildcats.  They are coming off their bye week and hungry to get their first Big Ten victory here against Rutgers.  I like their chances because Rutgers is tired.  The Scarlet Knights will be playing their 7th straight week.  They are coming off 3 straight grueling games against Michigan, Ohio State and Michigan State.  They won't have much gas left in the tank for Northwestern.  Rutgers is 0-8 ATS in its last 8 games against bad pass defenses that allow 62% completions or higher.  The Scarlet Knights are 0-8 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing 6.25 YPP or more last game.  The Wildcats are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing 575 or more yards last game.  Take Northwestern.

7* California/Oregon NCAAF Friday Night Lights on California +14

The Key: The Oregon Ducks just had their dreams of making the college football playoff crushed with a 24-31 loss to Stanford last game.  The game prior was a misleading 41-19 win over an 0-5 Arizona team.  They were outgained by 42 yards by the Wildcats but were +5 in turnovers.  This Oregon team continues to get too much respect for its upset win at Ohio State.  Oregon just lost leading rusher C.J. Verdell and his 397 yards and 5 TD to a season-ending injury, too.  California always seems to play Oregon tough.  The Bears are 1-1 SU & 2-0 ATS in the last 2 matchups the last 2 seasons.  They won outright 21-17 as 9-point home dogs last year.  The only lost 7-17 as 21.5-point road dogs in 2019.  They have the defense to keep them in this game for 4 quarters.  They need their offense to play like it did at Washington 2 games back when they had 457 yards against a very good Huskies defense in an OT loss.  The Golden Bears are 11-1 ATS in their last 12 games as road underdogs.  The Ducks are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games as favorites.  Take California.

6* Bucs/Eagles NFC *Total* Annihilator on OVER 52

The Key: These are 2 of the better offenses in the NFL, especially the Tampa Bay Bucs.  The Bucs are averaging 33.4 PPG and 431.2 YPG.  They have struggled defensively this year due to all the injuries in the secondary and at linebacker.  Jalen Hurts and the Eagles should be able to take advantage with the their speed at QB and at WR.  Tampa Bay is 10-1 OVER in its last 11 games after a win by 14 points or more.  The Bucs are 10-1 OVER in their last 11 games following a game where 60 or more combined points were scored.  The OVER is 21-7 in Bucs last 28 against a team with a losing record.  The OVER is 5-1 in the last 6 matchups.  Take the OVER.

7* Georgia Southern/South Alabama NCAAF *HEAVY HITTER* on UNDER 51

The Key: Two teams that love to run the football and are both good against the run square off in this Sun Belt showdown Thursday night.  The clock will be moving constantly to help aid in cashing this UNDER.  Georgia Southern averages 47 rushing attempts per game and only 23 passing.  South Alabama averages 40 rushing attempts per game and only 30 passing.  Georgia Southern is holding opponents to 150 RYPG, while South Alabama is holding foes to 121 RYPG.  The UNDER is 2-0 in the 2 matchups between these teams the last 2 years with 41 and 37 combined points scored.  The UNDER is 18-7-1 in Jaguars last 26 games overall.  The UNDER is 6-1 in Jaguars last 7 home games.  The UNDER is 8-1 in Jaguars last 9 games on grass.  We've seen 51 or fewer combined points in 7 of the 11 games played between these teams this year.  Take the UNDER.

6* App State/Louisiana Sun Belt *CA$H COW* on Louisiana +5

The Key: I like the price we are getting on Louisiana as a home underdog to Appalachian State tonight.  The money has poured in on the Mountaineers as they have been bet up from -1 to -5.  It's now time to take the points with the Rajin' Cajuns.  They certainly don't have as good of numbers as the Mountaineers this year, but they have kind of been going through the motions against some mediocre teams.  I know we'll get the Rajin' Cajuns 'A' game tonight, and it will be good enough to cover this 5-point spread.  The Mountaineers are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games after yielding fewer than 20 points in their previous game.  The Mountaineers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 against a team with a winning record.  Appalachian State is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 games as a favorite.  The Rajin' Cajuns are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games as underdogs.  Take Louisiana.

7* MLB Division Series Game of the Year on Chicago White Sox -110

The Key: It's now or never for the Chicago White Sox.  They won Game 3 12-6 to stay alive, and I like their chances of winning Game 4 again today.  The White Sox are 54-28 at home this year.  Chicago is 64-28 in its last 92 games as a home favorite.  Carlos Rodon is the better starter in this matchup.  He is 13-5 with a 2.37 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in 24 starts this year.  Rodon is 2-0 with a 1.55 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 7 lifetime starts against Houston.  Take Chicago.

7* Colts/Ravens MNF *HEAVY HITTER* on Baltimore -7

The Key: The Baltimore Ravens always feast on bad teams like the 1-3 Indianapolis Colts.  The Ravens are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 home games against a team with a losing record.  They face a Colts team that lost by 12 to the Seahawks and by 9 to the Titans.  Their only win came against the Miami Dolphins with backup QB Jacoby Brissett last week.  I think that win has them getting too much respect from the books here.  The Ravens beat the Broncos 23-7 last week and their offense humming right now, while their defense is as healthy as it has been all season and was a force against the Broncos last week.  Take Baltimore.

6* Astros/White Sox AL *CA$H COW* on Chicago -117

The Key: It's now or never for the Chicago White Sox.  Dylan Cease has been great at home this year at 6-2 with a 3.18 ERA in 16 starts.  He is 2-0 with a 0.63 ERA in his last 3 outings as well.  Luis Garcia is 5-3 with a 4.24 ERA in 15 road starts this year and has been much worse on the road than he has been at home.  The White Sox are 53-28 at home this year.  Chicago is 63-28 in its last 91 games as a home favorite.  Take Chicago.

6* Giants/Cowboys NFC East *CA$H COW* on New York +7

The Key: Betting the New York Giants when they are on the road has been free money over the years.  The Giants are 22-6 ATS in their last 28 games as road underdogs.  They are also 8-0 ATS in their last 8 road games against NFC foes.  The Cowboys are getting too much respect from the books after opening 4-0 ATS, the last unbeaten team in the NFL against the spread.  These teams stack up pretty well on a yards per play basis.  The Giants average 6.2 YPP and allow 5.9 YPP, while the Cowboys average 6.4 YPP and give up 6.4 YPP.  The Cowboys have simply benefited from forcing 10 turnovers already, which is unsustainable.  The Giants had 485 yards against the Saints last week to flash their offensive potential.  Take New York.

6* Sunday NFL *UPSET SPECIAL* on Cincinnati Bengals +3

The Key: The Cincinnati Bengals are 3-1 and come into this game with the Packers with extra rest and time to prepare after beating the Jaguars last Thursday.  They'll be up against a depleted Packers team that will be without 3 starters and possibly 5 more, who are all questionable.  The biggest concerns for the Packers are at linebacker and in the secondary, which is going to make it difficult for them to cover all these weapons that Joe Burrow has at his disposal.  This is an improved Cincinnati defense that is yielding 18.8 PPG and should hold the Packers in check.  The underdog is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 matchups.  Take Cincinnati.

6* Dolphins/Bucs Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Miami +10

The Key: This is almost strictly a situation play.  The Tampa Bay Bucs and Tom Brady are in line for a letdown after their huge win in New England on Sunday Night Football last week.  Brady's return to New England was the talk of the week.  Now they have to try and get up to play a Dolphins team that is coming off 2 straight losses and looked bad last week against the Colts.  The Dolphins will be all in here facing the defending champs.  I trust Brian Flores and this defense to keep them in the game, while Jacoby Brissett makes enough plays in the passing game to keep them in this game for 4 quarters.  He'll be up against a depleted Bucs secondary that could be missing as many as 3 starters.  That's why they signed Richard Sherman.  Miami is 8-0 ATS in Weeks 5 thru 9 over the last 3 years.  Tampa Bay is 0-10 ATS in its last 10 games after yielding 275 or more passing yards in 3 straight games.  Take Miami.

7* Jets/Falcons NFL London *HEAVY HITTER* on New York +3.5

The Key: I like the price we are getting on the New York Jets in this neutral site game in London.  This line should be closer to a PK as there's not much difference between these 2 teams.  Zach Wilson had his best game yet last week in a 27-24 upset of Tennessee.  They have played a tough schedule and now it lightens up a little here against Atlanta.  The Falcons are 1-3 with their only win coming 17-14 over the Giants.  They lost by 26 to the Eagles, by 23 to the Bucs and by 4 to Washington.  Matt Ryan is broken, and their defense is the worse unit here yielding 32.0 PPG and 383.3 YPG.  The Jets only give up 23.5 PPG and 353.8 YPG and have been respectable on that side.  Wilson is only going to get better with each start, and should have his best game yet against this Falcons defense.  Atlanta is 2-14 ATS in its last 16 against teams that force 0.75 turnovers per game or fewer.  Take New York.

6* Memphis/Tulsa AAC *CA$H COW* on Tulsa -3

The Key: Tulsa will put its best foot forward Saturday with its season on the line after a 1-4 start.  The Golden Hurricane deserve better as they had both Oklahoma State and Ohio State on the ropes late in the 4th quarter on the road.  Those 2 efforts showed their potential.  And that potential will be unleashed here against a down Memphis team that is coming off 2 straight upset losses to UTSA and Temple.  The Golden Hurricane are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games after a game where they forced one or fewer turnovers.  The Tigers are 1-11 ATS in their last 12 games as road underdogs.  Tulsa is 22-8 ATS in its last 30 against a team with a winning record.  The Golden Hurricane are 22-8-1 ATS in their last 31 games off an ATS loss.  Take Tulsa.

7* Pac-12 Game of the Month on Utah +3

The Key: The Utah Utes are coming off their bye week and have had time to put the distractions and the poor start behind them.  Look for them to put their best foot forward against USC Saturday.  Utah is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games off a conference win.  The Utes are 35-16-1 ATS in their last 52 games as road dogs.  Utah is 46-22-2 ATS in its last 70 games as a dog.  The Utes are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 October games.  Take Utah.

6* UTSA/WKU Conference USA *CA$H COW* on Western Kentucky -3

The Key: Western Kentucky has gone through the gauntlet the last 3 weeks with competitive losses to Army by 3, Indiana by 2 and Michigan State by 17.  This is actually a step down in class despite the fact that UTSA is 5-0.  The Roadrunners are 5-0 against a very weak schedule.  Western Kentucky will test them with a high-octane offense that averages 39 PPG and 521 YPG despite the tough schedule of opposing defenses.  WKU averages 7.6 YPP while UTSA only averages 5.5 YPP on offense.  UTSA does have the better defense at 4.9 YPP compared to 5.8 YPP for WKU, but when you factor in schedule of opposing offenses faced it's actually pretty close.  The 1-3 team is favored over the 5-0 team for good reason in this matchup.  Take Western Kentucky.

6* West Virginia/Baylor Big 12 *CA$H COW* on West Virginia +3

The Key: Baylor is 4-1 but should have lost to Ohio State.  West Virginia is 1-3 but could easily be 5-0 with 3 losses by 6 to Maryland, by 3 to Oklahoma and by 3 to Texas Tech.  Because of this fact, we are getting the Mountaineers at a nice underdog price here despite the fact that they are the better team.  This is a circle the wagons game for the Mountaineers with their season on the line.  Bets against home favorites like Baylor after scoring 14 points or less last game against an opponent that scored 3 points or less in the first half last game are 37-11 ATS over the last 5 years.  Take West Virginia.

6* Michigan State/Rutgers Big Ten *CA$H COW* on Rutgers +5.5

The Key: I like the spot for Rutgers.  They just played 2 of the best teams in the Big Ten in Ohio State and Michigan.  This is a step down in class against Michigan State despite the Spartans being 5-0 SU & 4-1 ATS.  They have done it against a weak schedule and are clearly getting too much respect from the books now after the unbeaten start and #11 national ranking.  Rutgers has played the toughest schedule and is only giving up 21.2 PPG and 319 YPG.  They are holding opponents to 82 YPG below their season averages.  Michigan State gives up 429 YPG, allowing 110 YPG more than Rutgers.  So the Scarlet Knights make up for their worse offense than Michigan State with the much better defense.  This line should be closer to PK.  So the price is right to back the Scarlet Knights +5.5 at home.  The Scarlet Knights are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games after playing their last game at home.  Rutgers is 6-0 ATS in its last 6 games off an ATS loss.  Take Rutgers.

7* Stanford/Arizona State NCAAF Friday Night Lights on Stanford +13.5

The Key: The Arizona State Sun Devils are starting to get too much love after 2 straight blowout wins over Colorado and UCLA.  They are being asked to win this game by at least 14 points and it's too much.  Stanford has been underrated all season.  They have upset wins over both USC and Oregon, which were expected to be the 2 best teams in the Pac-12 coming into the year.  So they have proven what they are capable of.  And they are more than capable of going on the road and hanging with Arizona State and possibly pulling the upset.  The Cardinal are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 road games.  The Cardinal are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games against a team with a winning record.  The Sun Devils are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games as home favorites.  Take Stanford.

6* Dodgers/Giants NL *CA$H COW* on San Francisco +109

The Key: Logan Webb is 6-0 with a 1.99 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 12 home starts this year and the Giants are 12-0 in those starts.  Webb is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in 3 starts against the Dodgers this year while yielding 4 earned runs in 16 innings.  Walker Buehler yielded 6 earned runs in 3 innings against the Giants in his last start against them on September 5th.  The Giants are 18-2 in Webb's last 20 starts.  Take San Francisco.

7* Rams/Seahawks NFC West *HEAVY HITTER* on Seattle +2.5

The Key: I like the price we are getting on the Seattle Seahawks tonight as home underdogs to the Los Angeles Rams.  Russell Wilson thrives in prime time, and he and the Seahawks will be out for revenge after getting knocked out of the playoffs by the Rams last season.  The Rams have taken a big step back defensively this year in yielding 24.8 PPG and 396.8 YPG.  The Rams are 3-16 ATS in their last 19 games after yielding 400 or more total yards in 2 straight games.  Bets against all teams where the line is +3 to -3 with a terrible defense that yields 360 YPG or more, after gaining 400 or more yards in 2 straight games are 26-5 ATS over the last 5 years.  Take Seattle.

6* Red Sox/Rays ALDS *CA$H COW* on Tampa Bay -148

The Key: This one is pretty simple.  Shane McClanahan fares well against the Red Sox, while Eduardo Rodriquez doesn't have much success facing the Rays.  McClanahan sports a 2.81 ERA in 3 lifetime starts against the Red Sox.  Rodriquez sports a 5.21 ERA in 13 lifetime starts against the Rays.  The Rays are 45-17 in their last 62 home games.  Take Tampa Bay.

6* Coastal Carolina/Arkansas State NCAAF *Total* Annihilator on OVER 73

The Key: Coastal Carolina puts up 48.2 PPG this year and can name their number against an Arkansas State defense that gives up 45.6 PPG and 563.8 YPG.  The Chanticleers won't take their foot off the gas because this is a National TV standalone game.  Arkansas State is capable of keeping up as they average 32.0 PPG this year and 72 plays per game.  They play at one of the fasted paces in the country.  The OVER is 20-9 in Chanticleers last 29 road games.  The OVER is 8-2 in Chanticleers last 10 games against a team with a losing record.  Take the OVER.

7* Cardinals/Dodgers MLB *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 7.5

The Key: We have the likely Cy Young winner up against the underrated veteran in what should be a pitcher's duel tonight.  Max Scherzer is 15-4 with a 2.46 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in 30 starts this year, and 5-2 with a 2.31 ERA and 0.78 WHIP in 14 home starts.  He has dominated the Cardinals at 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA in his last 3 starts against them while firing 21 scoreless innings with 33 strikeouts.  Adam Wainwright is 17-7 with a 3.05 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 32 starts this year.  He is 7-6 with a 3.01 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 17 lifetime starts against the Dodgers as well.  Scherzer is 13-2 UNDER in his last 15 starts against NL Central teams.  The UNDER is 39-19-1 in the last 59 matchups.  The UNDER is 7-2 in the last 9 matchups in Los Angeles.  Take the UNDER.

7* Yankees/Red Sox MLB *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 8

The Key: Temperatures will be in the 50's at game time in Boston tonight.  Winds will be blowing in from center.  And I think we get a classic pitcher's duel here between Nathan Eovaldi and Gerrit Cole.  Eovaldi is 6-4 with a 3.39 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 19 home starts this year.  He is 4-4 with a 3.33 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 13 lifetime starts against the Yankees.  Gerrit Cole is 16-8 with a 3.23 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 30 starts this year.  He is 10-4 with a 3.32 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 16 road starts.  The UNDER is 7-1 in Red Sox last 8 games overall.  The UNDER is 6-1 in the last 7 matchups in Boston.  The UNDER is 12-3-1 in the last 16 matchups overall.  Take the UNDER.

7* Raiders/Chargers AFC West *Total* Annihilator on OVER 51.5

The Key: The Las Vegas Raiders are 3-0 this year behind an offense that is hitting on all cylinders.  The Raiders are scoring 30 PPG and averaging 471 YPG this year.  They still have a pretty weak defense this season.  The Chargers are averaging 394.7 YPG as their offense is humming as well behind Justin Herbert.  They beat the Chiefs 30-24 last week in a shootout.  And their defense hasn't been great either.  These teams played in 2 shootouts last year with the Chargers winning 30-27 on the road and the Raiders winning 31-26 on the road.  The OVER is 7-1 in Raiders last 8 games overall.  Take the OVER.

6* Panthers/Cowboys NFC *CA$H COW* on Carolina +4.5

The Key: The Carolina Panthers are 3-0 this year and continue to not get any respect from the books.  Now they have extra time to prepare for the Dallas Cowboys after beating the Houston Texans on Thursday last week.  The Cowboys are coming off a big divisional win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football.  This is a short week for them, adding to the great situation for the Panthers.  It is also a letdown spot off that division win on national TV.  The Panthers are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 road games.  Carolina is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games as an underdog.  Take Carolina.

6* Giants/Saints NFC *CA$H COW* on New York +7.5

The Key: The New Orleans Saints have been on the road for over a month.  They are a tired team right now.  They are getting too much respect from the books against the New York Giants this week.  They beat the Patriots 28-13 on the road last week, but it was misleading as they only had 252 total yards and were +3 in turnovers.  The Saints are only averaging 234 YPG on offense this year.  The Giants are hungry for their first win after coming close the last 2 weeks with a 1-point loss to Washington and a 3-point loss to Atlanta.  The Giants are 20-7 ATS in their last 27 road games.  New York is 7-0 ATS in its last 7 road games against NFC teams.  Take New York.

7* NFC Game of the Month on Washington ML -113

The Key: The Washington Football Team is better than the Atlanta Falcons and that will show on the field Sunday.  I like getting a hungry Washington team here coming off a blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills.  The Atlanta Falcons will take a breather after picking up their first win of the season last week against the injury-ravaged New York Giants.  Ron Rivera has gone 26-9 ATS off a road loss as a head coach in his career.  Take Washington.

7* NCAAF Non-Conference Game of the Year on Louisiana Tech +19

The Key: The LA Tech Bulldogs are close to being 4-0 despite a brutal schedule.  Their 2 losses are to Mississippi State and SMU by a combined 3 points.  And they had both of them on the ropes with late leads in the 4th quarter.  This couldn't be a worst situation for NC State.  They are feeling fat and happy off their win over Clemson last week.  They won't give the Bulldogs their full attention this week.  The Wolfpack are 0-9 ATS in their last 9 games against good passing teams that average 8 YPA or more.  Take Louisiana Tech.

6* Oregon/Stanford Pac-12 *CA$H COW* on Stanford +8

The Key: The Oregon Ducks are 4-0 this season and getting too much respect from the books because of it.  Their 41-19 win over Arizona last week was very misleading.  They were +5 in turnovers and didn't pull away until late.  They were outgained by 42 yards by the awful Wildcats.  Stanford has shown me enough the last 3 weeks to know they can hang here.  The Cardinal pulled the 42-28 upset at USC, then went on the road and won 41-23 at Vanderbilt.  They did lose by 11 at home to UCLA, but I like the fact that they are home again here for a 2nd straight week.  They were a tired team from all the travel going into that UCLA game.  The Ducks are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games as favorites.  Take Stanford.

6* Nevada/Boise State MWC *CA$H COW* on Nevada +5

The Key: Nevada has 2 full weeks to get ready for Boise State.  The Wolf Pack are a serious contender in the Mountain West and will prove that Saturday.  Boise State's numbers have not been good this season.  They are 2-2 and getting outgained by nearly 50 YPG.  Their 27-3 win over Utah State last week was very misleading as Utah State managed just 3 points despite 435 yards.  The Wolf Pack are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games as dogs.  Nevada is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games off an ATS loss.  The Broncos are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games off a win.  Take Nevada.

6* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Houston Astros -128

The Key: The Houston Astros are trying to earn the 2nd seed in the American League.  They lead the White Sox by 2 games for that spot.  They have something to play for.  The Oakland A's have been eliminated from postseason contention by going 3-7 in their last 10 games overall.  Framber Valdez is the better starter in this matchup at 11-5 with a 2.98 ERA in 21 starts this year.  Sean Manaea is 10-10 with a 3.94 ERA in 31 starts for the A's.  Manaea is 2-4 with a 6.18 ERA in his last 10 starts, yielding 35 earned runs in 51 innings.  Valdez is 1-1 with a 3.16 ERA in 4 lifetime starts against the A's.  Manaea is 3-8 with a 3.64 ERA in 19 lifetime starts against the Astros.  Take Houston.

7* NCAAF Friday Night Lights on Iowa -3

The Key: The Iowa Hawkeyes are 4-0 this season behind an elite defense that is one of the best in the country.  And defense clearly travels, so I like Iowa to cover this short 3-point spread on the road at Maryland tonight.  The Hawkeyes are giving up just 11.0 PPG and 271.5 YPG while forcing 9 turnovers in 4 games.  These teams have a common opponent in Kent State.  Iowa only gave up 264 yards to Kent State.  Maryland allowed 458 yards to the Golden Flashes.  While Iowa has already played two Top 25 teams in Indiana and Iowa State, Maryland has feasted on a weak schedule during its 4-0 start.  The Hawkeyes are more battle-tested and will get the job done here.  The Hawkeyes are 20-6 ATS in their last 26 games as road favorites.  The Terrapins are 9-27 ATS in their last 36 games off a win.  Maryland is 7-20 ATS in its last 27 vs. a team with a winning record.  Take Iowa.

7* Jaguars/Bengals AFC *Total* Annihilator on OVER 45.5

The Key: The Jaguars and Bengals have 2 of the worst defenses in the NFL.  That has especially been the case for the Jaguars, who are yielding 30.3 PPG and 418 YPG this year.  Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence are going to want to put on a show in this battle of youngsters on the prime time stage.  I think they will do just that, and there should be some turnovers that lead to easy scores as well.  Take the OVER.

6* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Toronto Blue Jays -134

The Key: The Toronto Blue Jays are on the outside looking in in the wild card race.  They need this win more, and I think they get it against the New York Yankees due to their edge on the rubber.  Ace Robbie Ray is the Cy Young favorite and is 13-6 with a 2.68 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 31 starts this year.  Ray is 8-3 with a 2.28 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in 16 home starts.  Corey Kluber sports a 5.00 ERA in 7 road starts this year.  Kluber is 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA in 3 starts against the Blue Jays this year, yielding 6 earned runs and 4 HR's in 11 innings.  Ray sports a 3.48 ERA in 4 lifetime starts against the Yankees.  Take Toronto.

7* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Boston Red Sox -1.5 (-154)

The Key: The Boston Red Sox have lost 4 in a row and are in jeopardy of missing the playoffs now.  Look for them to bounce back tonight with a blowout win over the Baltimore Orioles due to their edge on the rubber.  Nathan Eovaldi is 10-9 with a 3.83 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 31 starts this year.  Eovaldi is 3-1 with a 1.84 ERA in his last 5 starts against the Orioles, yielding only 6 earned runs in 29 1/3 innings.  Zac Lowther is 1-2 with an 8.68 ERA and 1.77 WHIP in 5 starts this year for the Orioles.  He is 0-1 with a 15.90 ERA and 2.83 WHIP in 2 starts against the Red Sox this year, yielding 10 earned runs in 5 2/3 innings.  Take Boston on the Run Line.

7* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Boston Red Sox -1.5 (-155)

The Key: The Boston Red Sox have a big edge on the rubber tonight over the Baltimore Orioles that will have them winning this game by at least 2 runs.  Chris Sale is 5-0 with a 2.57 ERA in 7 starts this year and getting stronger by the start.  Bruce Zimmerman is 3-4 with a 5.17 ERA and 1.57 WHIP in 11 starts for the Orioles this year.  Boston is 6-0 in its last 6 matchups with Baltimore with all 6 wins coming by 2 runs or more.  Take Boston on the Run Line.

7* Eagles/Cowboys MNF *Total* Annihilator on OVER 51.5

The Key: The Dallas Cowboys are rotten defensively yet again this season.  They rank 27th in total defense giving up 419.5 YPG and 28th in giving up 6.7 YPP.  But the Cowboys are loaded on offense at 4th at 435 YPG while averaging 6.4 YPP.  The Eagles have faced 2 poor offenses which has helped their defensive numbers.  But injuries will catch up to them this week as they just lost one of their best defensive players in DE Brandon Graham to a season-ending injury last week against the 49ers.  The Cowboys have injuries of their own on defense missing DE Demarcus Lawrence and having several other defenders questionable, mostly along the defensive line.  I think we should see another shootout similar to last year's matchup in Dallas in which the Cowboys won 37-17 in one of the first games played by Hurts.  Dak Prescott didn't even play in that game and the Cowboys still had 513 total yards.  The Eagles had 477 total yards themselves but 3 turnovers was the reason for just 17 points.  With Dak back and showing he is elite, the Cowboys should hang another big number on the Eagles.  Philadelphia will be able to keep pace with Hurts and this improved offense.  The OVER is 32-15 in Eagles last 47 road games.  The OVER is 8-2 in Cowboys last 10 home games.  Take the OVER.

6* Seahawks/Vikings NFC *CA$H COW* on Minnesota +2

The Key: I like the price we are getting on the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3.  They will be hungry for their first victory.  And they wouldn't be home underdogs in this game if they were 2-0 instead of 0-2, which they easily could be.  Dalvin Cook fumbled when the Vikings were in FG range in OT against the Bengals and would have won had they simply kicked the FG.  Then last week kicker Joseph missed an XP and the potential game-winning 37-yard field goal at the buzzer in a 33-34 loss at Arizona.  So you could argue that they should be 2-0.  This team will not quit on the season and will dig deep here.  The Vikings have been so much better at home than on the road under Zimmer and keep in mind that both of those losses were on the road.  The Seahawks blew a 30-16 lead against the Titans last week and lost 30-33 in OT.  They gave up 212 rushing yards to the Titans and 542 yards total.  Cook should have another monster game after the Vikings rushed for 177 yards on the Cardinals last week.  The Vikings will also be revenge-minded after blowing a late lead in a 26-27 road loss to Seattle last year.  They gave up the game-winning TD with 15 seconds left.  The Seahawks are 1-6 ATS in their last seven road games.  The Vikings are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games as home underdogs.  Minnesota is 39-17 ATS in its last 56 games off a loss.  Take Minnesota.

6* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on St. Louis Cardinals -1.5 (+107)

The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals have now won 15 in a row.  They have scored 8 or more runs in 5 straight games.  And they will put it on the Chicago Cubs again today due to their edge on the rubber.  John Woodford is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in his last 3 starts for the Cardinals.  Keegan Thompson is 0-0 with an 11.11 ERA and 2.82 WHIP in his last 3 starts for the Cubs.  Take St. Louis on the Run Line.

7* AFC Game of the Month on Los Angeles Chargers +6.5

The Key: The Kansas City Chiefs don't blow teams out, and the Los Angeles Chargers don't get blown out.  So this is a pretty easy choice for me.  The Chargers only lost 2 games all season last year by more than one score.  They they have lost by more than one score just twice in their last 18 games when you figure they won by 4 at Washington and lost by 3 at home to the Cowboys in their first 2 games this year.  The Chiefs have won just one of their last 13 games by more than one score.  That's a big reason they are just 2-11 ATS in their last 13 games overall.  Their leaky defense is the reason they can't blow out teams, and it has reared its ugly head again this year.  The Chiefs have yielded 469 YPG and 7.6 YPP in 2 games this year against the Browns and Ravens.  The Chargers averaged 447.5 YPG in 2 matchups with the Chiefs last year.  The Chargers are 34-15-4 ATS in their last 53 games as road dogs.  Take Los Angeles.

6* Bengals/Steelers AFC North *CA$H COW* on Cincinnati +3.5

The Key: The Pittsburgh Steelers were fortunate to beat the Bills in Week 1 due to big players from their defense.  But the injuries caught up to them last week as they were upset at home 17-26 by the Raiders.  And it's not getting any better this week against the Bengals.  The Steelers lost their best player in TJ Watt to a groin injury after he had one sack and four tackles in the 1st quarter against the Raiders, and that's when the game turned.  They were already without LB Devin Bush and CB Joe Haden.  WR Diontae Johnson got hurt late in that game, and QB Ben Roethlisberger suffered a pec injury.  They were already without DE Stephon Tuitt as well.  No team has been hit harder by injuries than the Steelers.  The Bengals upset the Vikings in Week 1 and nearly upset the Bears last week in a 20-17 road loss.  Joe Burrow just keeps them in games, and their defense is vastly improved this year.  The Bengals actually rank 4th in the NFL in giving up just 4.5 YPP on defense through 2 games.  Cincinnati is 13-3 ATS in its last 16 Week 3 games.  Pittsburgh is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games as a favorite.  Take Cincinnati.

6* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-138)

The Key: The Los Angeles Dodgers are trying to keep pace with the San Francisco Giants in the NL West.  They should continue their dominance of the Arizona Diamondbacks as they have gone 15-2 in 17 matchups with them in 2021.  They have the edge on the rubber with Clayton Kershaw, who is 10-7 with a 3.27 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 20 starts this year.  Kershaw is 19-10 with a 2.82 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 39 lifetime starts against the Diamondbacks.  Zac Gallen is 2-10 with a 4.53 ERA in 21 starts this year for Arizona.  Gallen yielded 4 earned runs in 5 1/3 innings of a 5-1 loss to the Dodgers in his last start against them on September 13th.  Take Los Angeles on the Run Line.

6* Indiana/Western Kentucky NCAAF *CA$H COW* on Western Kentucky +9.5

The Key: Indiana remains overrated with a 28-point loss at Iowa and a 14-point home loss to Cincinnati.  Western Kentucky is underrated, nearly upsetting Army in their last game.  And the Hilltoppers now have a bye week to get ready for the Hoosiers, who will be reeling from that Cincinnati loss last week.  Senior QB Bailey Zappe has already thrown for 859 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2 games for the Hilltoppers.  Take Western Kentucky.

6* Akron/Ohio State NCAAF *CA$H COW* on Akron +49.5

The Key: The Akron Zips face a poor Ohio State defense that is allowing 471 YPG this year.  QB Demarcus Irons had a huge game last week accounting for 432 total yards and 4 touchdowns as a dual-threat.  The Buckeyes will be without their starting QB in CJ Stroud for this game.  Underdogs of at least 49 points in a matchup of 2 FBS teams are 12-1 ATS in their last 13 tries dating back to 1996.  Take Akron.

7* SEC Game of the Month on South Carolina +5.5

The Key: The South Carolina Gamecocks are underrated this season.  They are 2-1 SU & 3-0 ATS and just played Georgia last week in a cover.  Now they get to host Kentucky, which will be playing its first road game of the year.  The Wildcats weren't impressive in their 7-point home win over Missouri or their 5-point home win as a 31-point favorite against UT-Chattanooga last week.  They barely escaped with victory over that bad FCS team, and they shouldn't be road favorites here against the Gamecocks.  The home team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 matchups.  Take South Carolina.

6* Saturday NCAAF *Total* Annihilator on Tennessee/Florida OVER 63

The Key: Josh Heupel brought his up-tempo offense from UCF with him to Tennessee.  Dan Mullen is also an up-tempo guy.  This game has offensive fireworks written all over it.  Florida has put up 35 points on FAU, 42 against USF and 29 against Alabama while averaging 74 plays per game and 553 YPG.  Tennessee is scoring 42.7 PPG this season and running 78 plays per game.  The OVER is 6-0 in Gators last 6 games vs. a team with a winning record.  Take the OVER.

6* UCLA/Stanford Pac-12 *CA$H COW* on Stanford +5

The Key: The Stanford Cardinal backed up their 42-28 upset win as 17-point dogs at USC with a 41-23 road win as 12.5-point favorites at Vanderbilt in a tricky spot last week.  Inserting Tanner McKee into the starting QB role against USC has made all the difference for this team.  He is completing 71.4% of his passes for 570 yards with 5 TD's and zero INT's.  Stanford is 12-1 SU & 10-2-1 ATS in its last 13 matchups with UCLA.  Take Stanford.

7* NCAAF Friday Night Lights on UNLV +30.5

The Key: The Fresno State Bulldogs are in the ultimate letdown spot tonight.  They just upset UCLA late Saturday night in a 40-37 win as 10.5-point dogs.  That was one of the most exciting, back-and-forth games of the season.  QB Jake Haener played through an injury and just kept coming in one of the most remarkable games you will ever see by a quarterback.  He had to basically be carried off the field and cannot be 100%.  Look for the Bulldogs to be cautious with him.  They just won't be able to get up for UNLV.  This is actually a step down in competition for UNLV after facing Arizona State and Iowa State the last 2 weeks.  The Rebels are expected to get back QB Doug Brumfield after he missed the last 2 games with injury.  He played well in the opener against Eastern Washington with 117 passing yards and 9.0 YPA as well as 27 rushing yards and a score.  The Rebels only lost that game 33-35 (OT) as 2.5-point dogs against one of the best teams in FCS.  Fresno State has only won one of its last 10 matchups with the Rebels by more than 29 points.  Take UNLV.

6* Yankees/Red Sox AL East *CA$H COW* on UNDER 9

The Key: This is a huge game between the Yankees and Red Sox tonight.  I look for it to be a pitcher's duel with aces going for both teams.  Gerrit Cole is 15-8 with a 3.03 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 28 starts this year, and 9-4 with a 2.95 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 14 road starts.  Cole sports a 3.97 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 10 lifetime starts against the Red Sox.  Nathan Eovaldi is 10-8 with a 3.52 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 30 starts this year, and 6-3 with a 2.91 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 18 home starts.  Eovaldi is 4-3 with a 2.59 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 12 lifetime starts against the Yankees as well.  The UNDER is 9-3 in those 12 starts.  Take the UNDER.

6* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Houston Astros -157

The Key: The Houston Astros are 7-1 in their last 8 games overall and have scored at least 4 runs in all 8 games.  The Los Angeles Angels are 0-6 in their last 6 games overall and have been held to 5 runs or fewer in all 5 losses.  The Astros have a big edge on the rubber tonight with Lance McCullers, who is 12-4 with a 3.11 ERA in 26 starts this year, and 7-1 with a 2.53 ERA in 11 road starts.  McCullers is 5-4 with a 2.92 ERA in 17 lifetime starts against the Angels.  Alex Cobb is 1-3 with an 8.50 ERA and 1.94 WHIP in 4 lifetime starts against the Astros.  Take Houston.

6* Panthers/Texans TNF *CA$H COW* on Carolina -7.5

The Key: The Houston Texans are in a very tough situation tonight.  They have to try to get rookie quarterback Davis Mills ready to start in 3 days against the best defense in the league to this point in the Carolina Panthers.  This is a Panthers defense that is allowing just 10.5 PPG, 190 YPG and 3.7 YPP.  You can expect things to go very rough for Mills in this one.  I love head coach Matt Rhule who has this Panthers organization on the rise.  They have been underrated in the early going with their 2-0 ATS start with dominant wins over the Jets and then the Saints 26-7 last week.  They should improve to 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS with a win and cover at Houston Thursday night.  Take Carolina.

7* Marshall/App State NCAAF *Total* Annihilator on OVER 59

The Key: Marshall is a dead nuts OVER team this year.  They average 43.7 PPG and 603.7 YPG on offense and run 80 plays per game.  Appalachian State's offense will have no problem keeping up with them as they average 33.3 PPG and 446.3 YPG along with 68 plays per game.  Marshall just scored 80 combined points with East Carolina last game and gave up 553 yards to a mediocre Pirates offense.  The OVER is 21-5 in Thundering Herd last 26 non-conference games.  The OVER is 6-1 in Thundering Herd last 7 September games.  Take the OVER.

7* Interleague Game of the Month on Boston Red Sox -1.5 (+110)

The Key: The Boston Red Sox have won 6 straight games all by 2 runs or more.  They have scored at least 6 runs in all 6 wins.  It should be more of the same tonight against the New York Mets, who are 1-6 in their last 7 games overall and quickly getting eliminated from postseason contention.  Chris Sale is 4-0 with a 2.40 ERA in 6 starts this year.  Taijuan Walker is 3-6 with a 5.18 ERA in 13 road starts this year.  Walker is 0-1 with a 7.63 ERA in his last 3 outings.  Take Boston on the Run Line.

7* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Cincinnati Reds -1.5 (+104)

The Key: The Cincinnati Reds are 3 games out in the wild card and in need of wins during this stretch where they have the Pirates and Nationals at home in their next 2 series.  They got off to a good start with a 9-5 victory over the Pirates in Game 1.  It should be another blowout victory in their favor tonight due to their edge on the rubber.  Tyler Mahle is 12-5 with a 3.54 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 30 starts this year.  Mahle is 4-0 with a 0.92 ERA in his last 5 starts against the Pirates, yielding just 3 earned runs in 29 1/3 innings.  Mitch Keller is 4-11 with a 6.14 ERA and 1.74 WHIP in 20 starts this year.  Keller has never beaten the Reds, going 0-3 with a 7.86 ERA and 1.82 WHIP in 6 lifetime starts against them.  Take Cincinnati on the Run Line.