Sports Picks & Predictions

7* MAC Game of the Year on Ball State +8

The Key: Off a huge win at Northern Illinois, it's going to be mighty difficult for the Chippewas to bring the same energy to the field this Saturday. Ball State will have no trouble getting up for this contest following five consecutive defeats, including an ugly loss last week where it blew a 28-7 lead. While the Cardinals have dropped five in a row, they've been very competitive with three of these losses coming by seven points or less. There's no doubt Ball State is better than its 1-5 record. The Cardinals played Toledo tougher on the road than Central Michigan did. Ball State lost 34-23 to the Rockets while getting outgained 470-351. Central Mich lost 42-28 while getting outgained 543-386. The Cardinals have been a phenomenal investment on the road over the years at 42-16 ATS in their last 58. They are even on a 23-11 ATS run on the road versus teams with winning home records. The Chippewas haven't been a worthwhile investment at home where they are 6-13 ATS in their last 19. It's also worth noting that Ball State is 14-5 ATS in Saturday road games under coach Lembo, which speaks to how well he prepares his troops. Take the points.

7* Big Ten Game of the Week on Maryland -4.5

The Key: At home and having had a bye week to prepare, Maryland will take care of business against Iowa. The Terrapins were clubbed by Ohio State last time out but are on a 24-10 ATS run following a loss of 21 points or more. They are on a 12-3 ATS run in home games following a defeat of 28 points or more. It is also worth noting that they are on a 25-10 ATS run after being outgained by 225 yards or more. Iowa is 5-1 but really hasn't looked that impressive. It lost to an Iowa State team that's 2-4, should have lost to Ball State (1-5), had trouble putting away FCS Northern Iowa, trailed Pitt by double digits at the half and trailed Purdue 10-0. Iowa defeated Indiana 45-29 at home last week but was outgained by the Hoosiers. That game could have easily been a much different story had Iowa not come up with three turnovers, including a pick six, and had Indiana's starting QB not gone down with an injury. Maryland went on the road and defeated Indiana 37-15 while outgaining the Hoosiers 484-332. Don't expect Iowa's first Big Ten trip to Maryland to be a pleasant one. Lay the points.

7* AFC East Game of the Month on Jets +10

The Key: The Jets have lost five straight without covering a single spread during this span. However, only two of these losses have come by more than 10 points, and it should be only one because the Jets lose by only seven and cover last week against Denver if Geno Smith doesn't throw w picks six in the closing seconds. Despite the rough stretch, New York will have no problem getting up for hated division rival New England. The Jets have won or lost by fewer than 10 points in nine of the last 13 meetings. Three of the last four meetings have been decided by three points. You want to back road teams that have been defeated by 42 points or more against the spread over their last five games if they carry a win percentage of 25% or worse as doing so has produced a 34-10 ATS record the last 10 seasons. These teams have been underdogs of 9.5 points on average but have lost by only 6.9 points on average. This system is 14-2 ATS the last three seasons. Take the Jets.

7* ACC Game of the Month on Pitt pk

The Key: Virginia Tech has been one of the worst investments in college football in recent years. The Hokies are 14-29-2 ATS in their last 45 games. They are 2-0 SU and ATS on the road this season, but this is far from the norm as they are still only 4-11 ATS in their last 15 road contests. It's also worth noting that they are 3-11 ATS following a cover and 1-5 ATS coming off a bye week. The Panthers are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six following a bye and 9-1 ATS in their last 10 home games versus teams with a winning road record. Pitt has lost three straight following a 3-0 start so it will be highly motivated. Plus, it lost last season's matchup at VA Tech so it will be out for some revenge. The Hokies are 0-5 ATS in their last five meetings at Pittsburgh. Take Pitt.

7* MNF *HEAVY HITTER* on Rams +4

The Key: St. Louis has played well in its last two games against good Dallas and Philadelphia teams. It led the Cowboys 21-0 and lost to them by just three points. Dallas just went to Seattle and upset the reigning Super Bowl champs. The Rams also played the now 5-1 Eagles to a six-point game on the road last time out. Motivated by those defeats as well as a pair of losses to the 49ers last season, I expect the Rams to play some inspired football under the Monday night lights. The 49ers have a big one against Denver on deck and will likely already be looking ahead to that showdown. The 49ers are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games following an ATS win while the Rams are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games following an ATS loss. You want to back home underdogs or pickems that have failed to cover the spread in two of their last three games if they are a team with a win percentage of 25% or less playing a team with a winning record. Doing so has produced a proven 118-63 (65%) ATS mark since 1983. Take the points.

7* AFC West Game of the Year on Raiders +7.5

The Key: The Raiders needed a change, and I expect them to rally behind interim coach Tony Sparano. It is also to their benefit that they've had an extra week to prepare for this contest. San Diego has looked good during its four-game win streak but only one of the wins came on the road. The Chargers have won by more than seven points just three times in 12 road games dating back to the beginning of last season. One of these was a 10-point loss at Oakland in a game where it was favored by 6.5. You want to take underdogs of 3.5 to 10.0 points that have been held to 14 points or less in two straight games as doing so has produced a 17-4 ATS mark the last three seasons and a 29-10 ATS record the last five seasons. It is also worth noting that the underdog is 9-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings in this series. Take the points.

7* NCAAF Sandwich Game of the Year on North Carolina +17

The Key: Off a big win over Stanford and with a huge showdown at Florida State on deck, Notre Dame is in prime position for a letdown. North Carolina hasn't covered a spread all season, and we are getting a great number as a result. The Fighting Irish are 0-7 ATS in home games since 1992 after finishing under the total in four consecutive games or more. They have lost by an average score of 28.7 to 26.9 in this situation. The Irish are also 2-5 ATS in their last seven home games versus teams with a losing road record. The Tar Heels are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games following a double-digit loss at home and 28-12-1 ATS in their last 41 games after being held to less than 20 points in their previous game. You want to back teams like UNC that have allowed an average of 525.0 yards or more per game over their last three games if they average 4.8-5.6 yards per play and are up against a team that gives up 4.2 to 4.8 yards per play. Doing so has produced a 26-7 ATS mark since 1992. Take the points.

7* NCAAF Friday Night Lights Game of the Month on UNLV +10

The Key: I expect UNLV to keep this one within the number behind a strong effort. The Rebels will be extremely motivated following four consecutive losses. The last three have come on the road so they will be chomping at the bit to take the field in front of the home fans. The Rebels showed well in their last home game, racking up 499 yards in a 48-34 loss to Northern Illinois. UNLV was tied with the Huskies in the fourth quarter despite spotting them a 28-5 advantage. I don't expect the Rebels to spot Fresno State a lead like that. UNLV was crushed 38-14 by a much better Fresno State side last season, and that loss provides added motivation for the home team. UNLV is 16-5 ATS in home games since 1992 after allowing 31 points or more in two straight games. It is 9-2 ATS under coach Hauck in home games after two or more consecutive straight up losses. It has won by an average score of 32.1 to 27.3 in this spot. Take the points.

7* NFL Thursday Night Football *HEAVY HITTER* on Texans +3.5

The Key: This is a tough spot for Indy playing on the road in a short week. To make matters worse, it will face a hungry Houston squad. The Texans are coming off an overtime loss to Dallas, and in case that's not enough motivation they'll draw from three straight losses to the Colts. Indy has struggled in Houston where it is 1-3 in the last four meetings with the lone win coming by only three points. The Colts are 2-6 ATS in their last eight road games versus a team with a winning home record. The Texans are 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall, and the home team is 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings. In addition, you want to fade road favorite that outgain opponents by an average of 70.0 passing yards per game or more if they allowed 5.5 passing yards or less per attempt last game. Doing so has produced a 67-32 ATS mark since 1983. This system is 15-4 ATS the last five seasons.

7* Monday Night Football *HEAVY HITTER* on Redskins +7.5

The Key: Washington will be hungry after getting crushed 45-14 on this field by the NY Giants last time out. As if that's not enough motivation, the Redskins were defeated on this field the last time they faced Seattle in the 2013 playoffs, blowing a 14-0 lead in the game. Despite boasting a stellar secondary, Seattle has given up an average of 286 yards per game through the air in its last two games. Washington is throwing the football well with Kirk Cousins under center, and it possesses the running game to keep the Seahawks off balance. After back-to-back strong performance, Cousins had a rough outing last time out. That poor performances assures us he'll be focused and ready to bounce back strong. You want to back underdogs or pickems that average 7.5 passing yards or more per attempt following three consecutive games of averaging 7.0 passing yards per attempt or more. Doing so has produced a 22-4 ATS mark the last five seasons and an 11-1 ATS record the last three seasons. Take the points.

7* AFC Game of the Year on Jets +7

The Key: Off three consecutive defeats, New York will be highly motivated when it takes the field Sunday. The Jets have yet to cover a spread this season while the Chargers have covered in each of their games, and we are catching a great number as a result. New York's record is not indicative of how good it is. It is outgaining opponents by an average of 75 yards on the season. Consider that the Chargers have outgained their foes by just 27 yards on average. The Jets are averaging more yards per game and allowing less yards per game than San Diego. Turnovers have let the Jets down the past couple weeks, but they are catching a big enough number here to cover the spread even if they lose the turnover battle. Teams off blowout victories tend to be overvalued. The Chargers are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games following a win of more than 14 points and 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game. It is also worth noting that they are 0-7 ATS in home games the last three seasons following a game where they finished over the total. They have lost in this situation by an average score of 25.0 to 14.4. The Jets are 6-2 ATS in their last eight meetings and 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings in San Diego. The underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings. Take the points.

7* Big Ten Game of the Year on Michigan +3

The Key: Brady Hoke is taking a beating in the media after back-to-back double-digit home defeats and for his handling of QB Shane Morris following a head injury. He knows his job is on the line, and I expect him to have the Wolverines ready to go in the face of adversity. It's still early in the season, and I like Big Blue's chances of regrouping. Michigan has more talent than Rutgers, and that talent will be motivated following a pathetic effort.  The Wolverines amassed just 83 yards on the ground and 88 yards through the air against Minnesota. The Wolverines are 7-0 ATS under Hoke after a game with 125 passing yards or less and have won by an average score of 40.6 to 15.1 in this spot. Teams headed up by Hoke are 14-2 ATS in road games after a game where they were held to 100 rushing yards or less. The Michigan defense has been really good, holding opponents to just 283 yards per game. That's good enough for 9th in the nation. It's time for the offense to respond, and I like its chances versus a Rutgers stop unit that ranks 83rd in the country with 409 yards allowed per game. Take the points.

7* NFL Game of the Week on Jets +2

The Key: Expect a letdown from the Lions as they head out on the road following a satisfying win over Green Bay. Look for the Jets to put forth a gritty performance at home as they look to bounce back following consecutive defeats. Detroit hasn't been the same team on the road where it is 0-4 SU and ATS in its last 4. It has also been a dead as road chalk, going 8-22 ATS as a road favorite since 1992. It's 4-13 ATS as a road favorite of 3 points or less during this span. The Jets have had one less day to prepare having played the Monday nighter last week, but playing this one at home certainly helps. They are 18-4 ATS in home games off a home loss since 1992, winning by an average score of 23.7 to 16.6 in this spot. They are 9-2 ATS in this situation under coach Ryan with a 9.4-point average margin of victory. The Jets are on a 16-6 ATS run in their next game after playing on Monday Night Football. Take the Jets.

7* ACC Game of the Year on Miami -7

The Key: Motivated by last week's double-digit loss at Nebraska and further fueled by last season's 18-point loss at Duke, Miami will be all business when it takes the field Saturday evening.  Duke is 4-0 but is yet to play anyone and takes a big step up in competition here.  Miami blew a 10-0 lead in last year's matchup and outgained the Blue Devils so the final score was misleading.  The Hurricanes are 8-1 in their last nine games against Duke with the wins coming by 19.1 points on average.  The Canes are 4-0 at home during this span with these wins coming by an average of 27.0 points.  Duke is 1-8 ATS under coach Cutcliffe on the road versus teams that average 6.25 yards per play or more.  It has lost these games by an average score of 43.6 to 18.0.  Lay the points.

7* Big 12 Game of the Month on Texas Tech +14

The Key: Off last week's ugly loss to Arkansas and with five consecutive defeats to the Cowboys eating at them, the Red Raiders will be lacking no motivation this evening. Texas Tech is 10-4-1 ATS in its last 15 games following a double-digit loss at home, which speaks to the way teams respond after getting kicked and the way odds makers overreact to big losses. Oklahoma State has won the last four meetings by at least 17 points so odds makers are clearly begging for money on the home team based on this line. The Cowboys won last season's meeting by 18, but that was a letdown spot for Texas Tech, which had just suffered its first loss of the season at Oklahoma the week before after a 7-0 start. Teams that go that deep into the season undefeated start to think about running the table and winning a national title and clearly the Red Raiders never recovered from the loss until the crushed Arizona State in bowl action. Take the points.

7* Monday Night Football *HEAVY HITTER* on Jets -2.5

The Key: Expect a letdown from Chicago following last week's big come-from-behind win in San Francisco.  The Bears have been a poor investment after cashing a ticket, going 1-7 ATS in their last eight.  They have also been a bad play in games odds makers expect to be close.  They are just 4-13 ATS the last three seasons when the line is +3 to -3.  The Bears were outgained 361-216 last week but were bailed out by four San Francisco turnovers.  With this, it is worth noting that they are 1-9 ATS the last three seasons following a game with a turnover margin of plus-two or better.  The Chicago defense has been extremely vulnerable against the run.  In fact, it ranks 31st in the league with 160.0 yards allowed per game.  The Jets lead the league in rushing with 179.0 yards per game.  Look for the Jets to "run" away with a victory tonight.  Lay the points.

7* NFL Non-Conference Game of the Year on Giants +2.5

The Key: Motivated by back-to-back double-digit defeats, look for the Giants to respond at home Sunday.  They are 9-3-2 ATS in their last 14 games following a double-digit loss at home.  The Texans are on a 0-7 ATS skid after playing their last game on the road and have lost by an average of 10.9 points in these contests.  Houston is also on a 0-7 ATS slide in games played on fieldturf.  Houston has been outgained in each of its first two games but has managed to roll due to a plus-5 turnover margin.  Turnovers have cost the Giants thus far, but I don't see it continuing.  They'll make a concerted effort to take care of the football this week and will come out on top as a result. 

7* NCAAF Blowout Game of the Year on BYU -14

The Key: Virginia has showed well to this point, covering the spread in all three games while taking UCLA down to the wire and upsetting Louisville.  But now it heads out on the road for the first time, and it will be up against the wrong opponent.  BYU was upset at Virginia last season at Virginia, and it will be out for some serious payback.  BYU will have had two extra days of preparation time, and it will be extremely focused after nearly blowing a 23-0 lead against Houston.  Virginia is 1-7 ATS in its last eight games following a win.  It is also 1-8 ATS over the last three seasons versus teams that complete 62% or more of their pass attempts.  BYU is 17-5 ATS all-time when playing against teams with a win percentage of 60-75% under coach Mendenhall.  Lay the points.

7* NCAAF Thursday Night Game of the Month on Kansas State +9.5

The Key: Auburn is being overvalued by odds makers because it has covered the spread in 13 consecutive games.  One thing you can't afford to do is take the Wildcats lightly.  They are 14-2 ATS in their last 16 regular season games as an underdog, including 8-1 ATS in their last nine.  They have also performed well with extra preparation time, going 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a bye week.  The Wildcats are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games versus teams with a winning record, and I expect them to take Auburn right down to the wire Thursday.

7* Monday Night Football *HEAVY HITTER* on Colts -3

The Key: The Colts haven't lost consecutive games in the regular season with Andrew Luck under center.  They have gone a perfect 10-0 SU and ATS in bounce back spots with these 10 wins coming by an average of 8.3 points.  Indy is also on a 10-0 ATS run in home games when the total is 45.5 or higher, a 7-0 ATS run following a road loss and a 6-0 ATS run in home games after allowing 30 points or more last time out.  The Colts are 4-0 ATS in their last four home games overall and 5-0 ATS in their last five games after being held to less than 90 yards rushing in their last game.  The Eagles are 0-5 ATS in their last five Week 2 and 0-5 ATS in their last five meetings with the Colts.  Lay the points with Luck and company at home.

7* Sunday Night Football Game of the Month on Bears +7

The Key: After a disappointing opener, I expect the Bears to come storming back in Week 2.  This is too many points for Chicago to be catching considering how competitive it has been.  Five of its last seven losses have come by five points or less.  The 49ers posted a double-digit win in Dallas last week, but they were helped out by four first half Dallas turnovers.  Consider that they were outgained 382-319 for the game, and the Cowboys outscored them 14-0 in the second half when they took care of the football.  Chicago should be able to take the Niners down to the wire if it takes care of the football, and it will place a big emphasis on doing so after three giveaways last week.  The 49ers are just 1-4 ATS in their last five games following an ATS win.  Take the points.

7* NCAAF Bailout Game of the Month on Colorado +16

The Key: Colorado will be lacking no motivation when it takes the field in its home opener.  That's because Arizona State has thumped the Buffaloes each of the past three seasons.  I expect this meeting to be a lot more competitive as Colorado brings back 16 starters and ASU returns only eight.  This is a bad spot for the Sun Devils as they are 4-13 ATS in road games off a road win since 1992.  They are just 2-10 ATS in road games off a double-digit road win since 1992.  Also, you want to take home underdogs of 10.5 to 21.0 points in conference games if they return eight offensive starters or more including the QB.  Doing so has produced a 146-71 (67.3%) ATS mark since 1992.  Take the points.

7* NCAAF Letdown Game of the Year on Boston College +18

The Key: This is a bad situation for USC, which is in a letdown spot following a huge win over Stanford.  The Trojans will have one less day to prepare as B.C. played Friday last week.  Plus, making the cross-country trip cuts further into their prep time and affects their body clocks.  I don't see USC being fully invested this week knowing it crushed the Eagles 35-7 last season.  That loss, and last week's 10-point home loss to Pitt, assures us Boston College will be extremely motivated.  The Trojans are 3-11 ATS in their last 14 road games while the Eagles are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 at home.  The Eagles are also 4-0 ATS in their last four home games versus teams with a winning road mark and 6-1 ATS in their last seven games following an ATS defeat.  Take the points.

7* NCAAF Friday Night Lights on Buffalo +36

The Key: This is Baylor's first road game of the season, and I expect it to get caught looking past a Buffalo squad it defeated 70-13 last year.  I still expect Baylor to win comfortably, but I expect Buffalo to put up a much better fight on their home field.  There's no better motivation than getting embarrassed.  Baylor has some injuries to key players and has a bye week following this game before conference play begins so it wants to make sure it enters the conference season healthy.  While Bryce Petty is expected to go despite cracking two small bones in his back in the opener, receivers Clay Fuller and Levi Norwood are out and Antwan Goodley and Corey Coleman likely won't play either.  That's a lot of production that won't be on the field tonight.  The Bulls gave up a lot of yards to Army last week but are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game.  Take the points.

7* NFL *HEAVY HITTER* on Ravens -1

The Key: Motivated by a loss in Week 1, I expect the Ravens to bounce back strong at home against a Pittsburgh team they have defeated four times in the last six meetings.  The Steelers have been a poor early season investment, going 0-6 ATS in their last six September contests.  They are 3-12 ATS all-time under Tomlin in road games in the first month of the season.  It is also worth noting that they are 0-6 ATS under Tomlin in road games after gaining an average of seven yards or more per play in their previous game.  They have lost by an average of 4.2 points in this situation.  The Ravens are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games versus teams with a winning record.  Take Baltimore.

7* Monday Night Football *HEAVY HITTER* on Lions -6

The Key: I'll lay the points with the Lions at home as they have the edge on both sides of the football.  New York's O-line is an area of concern, and I see it having major problems against Detroit's D-line - Ziggy Ansah (eight sacks last year), Ndamukong Suh (5 1/2) and Nick Fairley (six).  New York's defense should be improved, but I don't see it being a well-oiled machine right out of the gate, especially against a team with so many offensive weapons.  New York won't have an answer for Calvin Johnson and Reggie Bush tonight.  In addition, the Lions will have the motivational edge.  Unlike New York which finished last season strong, the Lions lost their last four games and six of their final seven.  One of those losses came in OT at home to the Giants so Detroit will be out for a little revenge.  The Giants are 0-4-1 ATS in their last five September contests and 1-3-1 ATS in their last five Week 1 matchups.  The Lions are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 season openers.  Lay the points.

7* NFL Game of the Week on Buccaneers -2

The Key: Cam Newton isn't 100 percent, and I expect him to take a step back this season as he adjusts to a new group of wideouts.  He's at his best when he moves outside the pockets and looks for opportunities to run, but I expect him to be hesitant here with the sore ribs.  Tampa Bay's defense should be improved under Lovie Smith, and the Bucs also got an upgrade at QB with Josh McCown, who had a 108.2 passer rating in five starts for Chicago last season.  The Bucs will bring a little extra enthusiasm to their opener as they seek revenge for a pair of lopsided losses to Carolina last season.  The Panthers are 0-5 ATS in their last five season openers.  The favorite is 6-1 ATS in their last seven meetings.  Lay the points.

7* NCAAF Non-Conference Game of the Year on Navy -3

The Key: Navy will benefit from having played a high-caliber opponent (Ohio State) last week.  The Midshipmen racked up 370 rushing yards on the Buckeyes while averaging nearly 5.9 yards per carry.  I expect Temple to have even more problems with Navy's ground attack.  The Midshipmen have won four of the last five meetings in the series with the four wins coming by an average of 18.5 points.  Navy is an incredible 72-36 ATS in road non-conference contests since 1992.  Lay the points.

7* NCAAF *HEAVY HITTER* on Texas-San Antonio +7.5

The Key: UTSA was crushed 38-13 at Arizona last season, but I expect things to go a lot differently this year.  The Roadrunners bring back 20 starters (Arizona returns just 13), and those starters will be lacking no motivation as they seek revenge.  They were blown out by Houston last season but returned the favor with a 27-7 victory last week.  The UTSA defense came up big against Houston, and I expect that to be the difference here.  I also expect the Roadrunners to have a lot of success through the air offensively.  You want to take home underdogs of 3.5 to 10.0 points in non-conference action if they had a completion percentage of 62% or higher last season.  Doing so has produced a 23-3 ATS mark since 1992.  This system has produced a perfect 7-0 ATS record the last three seasons.  Take the points.

7* NCAAF Labor Day *HEAVY HITTER* on Miami +3.5

The Key: Miami will be out for some serious revenge after getting crushed by Louisville in last season's Russell Athletic Bowl.  Plus, this won't be the same Louisville squad without Teddy Bridgewater and with just four defensive starters returning.  The Cardinals will also be without top playmaker Devante Parker.  Miami QB Brad Kaaya is worth the hype.  I expect him to lead the Hurricane offense to plenty of success against Louisville's inexperienced defensive unit.  Al Golden's teams are 34-19 ATS all-time as underdogs.  Take the points.

7* NCAAF Game of the Week on UAB -2.5

The Key: UAB will be out for revenge when it takes the field Saturday at 12 PM ET.  The Blazers led by 14 points entering the fourth quarter in last year's matchup at Troy, but they ended up losing in OT.  With 15 starters back and home field on their side, I expect the Blazers to have their revenge.  The home team is 5-1 in the last six meetings, winning these games by an average of 7.2 points.  Troy has really struggled on the road where it is 2-8 in its last 10.  Lay the points with UAB.

7* NCAAF *HEAVY HITTER* on Texas-San Antonio +10.5

The Key: The Roadrunners return 20 starters from a team that finished last season on a five-game win streak.  Larry Coker led UTSA to a 7-5 record last season, and he expects an even stronger campaign.  One of UTSA's blemishes a year ago was an ugly 59-28 home upset loss to Houston.  The Roadrunners won the yardage battle but had five turnovers and didn't force any.  That poor performance will be all the motivation Coker's squad will need here.  The Roadrunners are 7-1 ATS in their last eight road games and 7-1 ATS in their last eight non-conference games.  Take the points.

7* NCAAF *HEAVY HITTER* on Temple +14

The Key: Vandy is being overvalued following an impressive 9-4 campaign.  Keep in mind, the Commodores bring back only 10 starters and lost one heck of a coach (James Franklin).  Temple went just 2-10 last season but made some serious strides down the stretch with P.J. Walker under center.  The Owls are a terrific 7-0 ATS in their last seven games as an underdog, and they were 5-0 ATS as a road dog last season.  They are also 6-0-1 ATS in their last seven August games.  Take the points.