Sports Picks & Predictions

Tulane went through a tough 2016-17 season as head coach Mike Dunleavy, yes that Mike Dunleavy, was brought in to rebuild a program in shambles and year one went as planned., The Green Wave won just six games, but progress was made as the roster was overhauled for the future. It is already paying off as they already have four more wins than last season and are coming off a win in their conference opener at Temple. While it may seem strange to hear, Tulane has one of the best backcourts in the conference with Melvin Frazier and Cameron Reynolds who are averaging a combined 34 ppg and they are one and two respectively in rebounding. Tulane is one of seven teams in the AAC with an RPI of 80 or better. Tulsa is not part of that group as the Golden Hurricane hit the road following a 26-point win over East Carolina in their AAC opener. That win does not say much as the Pirates own the sixth worst RPI in the entire country. Tulsa is 0-2 on the road and still without one of its better players as DaQuan Jeffries remains sidelined with a hand injury. 10* (826) Tulane Green Wave

This is a play on the WISCONSIN BADGERS for our CFB Game of the Week. There is a long list of overrated teams this season in college football and Miami is right at the top of the list. The Hurricanes finished the season 10-2 and there was talk about them going to the CFP should they have defeated Clemson in the ACC Championship, but they proved they did not belong in any of that talk as they were blown out 38-3. They narrowly defeated Florida St., Georgia Tech, Syracuse and North Carolina in a four-game stretch in October and the other loss came against Pittsburgh which finished the season 5-7. Miami is ranked No. 60 in total offense and making matters worse, it will be without its best running back, wide receiver and tight end for this game. Many were proclaiming Wisconsin a fraud as well since its schedule was as easy as it gets but the difference between the Badgers and the Hurricanes is that the Badgers were rarely challenged as they blew out most every opponent. They played Ohio St. tough in the Big Ten Championship but could get nothing going in the running game, but the Buckeyes are No. 6 in rushing defense while Miami checks in at No. 43. Conversely, Wisconsin has the No. 2 ranked rushing defense and the No. 1 overall ranked S&P Defense according to Football Outsiders. While this may be a home game for Miami, the Badgers are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 road games. 10* (263) Wisconsin Badgers

The Pistons are coming off an embarrassing loss at Orlando on Thursday as they fell by 13 points against the short-handed Magic. That snapped a two-game winning streak and losing to the lesser teams has been a problem this season. Detroit is 10-4 ATS this season against teams with a winning record and it will look to improve upon its 11-5 home record. Additionally, the Pistons are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. The Spurs meanwhile have won three straight games but those came against the Kings, Nets and Knicks and of their last seven wins, only one has come against a winning team and that was a two-point victory at Portland. San Antonio is just 8-9 on the road let it is laying points against a team with a winning record. These teams met in San Antonio earlier this month and the Spurs are now laying more points on the road than they did at home. The return of Kawhi Leonard and the absence of Reggie Jackson for the Pistons has a lot to do with that, but the value is still with the home side tonight. 10* (506) Detroit Pistons

Texas A&M begins SEC play ranked No. 5 in the latest AP Poll and No. 8 in the RPI so this is a dangerous team. However, it is a dangerous team when fully loaded and that is not the case today. Leading scorer and top three-point shooter D.J. Hogg will miss his second straight game, part of a three-game suspension for a violation of team rules. Another starter, Admon Gilder, who is third on the team in scoring and their best free throw shooter, suffered a knee injury in the last game and is out indefinitely. These are two big losses and in the Aggies only other road game this season, they combined for 24 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists against USC. Alabama opened the year in the top 25 according to Blue Ribbon but it has been a shaky start for the Tide as they are 8-4 including a blowout loss against Texas in their last game. They are No. 33 in the latest RPI as they have played the No. 11 schedule in the country and it should be noted that their other three losses came by a combined 14 points and one of those came at Minnesota when they had to play the last 10 minutes with just three players. Going back, Alabama has covered 10 of its last 11 games following a non-road double-digit loss. 10* (554) Alabama Crimson Tide

We are going contrarian with Temple as it is catching a bigger than anticipated number. We played on Temple back on November 30 when it defeated South Carolina and since then, the Owls are 0-6-1 ATS which is the worst ATS run in the nation right now. That is playing a big part in this number as is the fact that Temple is 0-3 on the road. The highest ranked team from the AAC is not Wichita St. but Temple which is ranked No. 23 thanks to a 3-1 record against the top 50 while playing the second hardest schedule in the nation. Most will look at the 7-5 record and think the Owls are garbage when in fact they are a very good team. Houston is 11-2 on the season while outscoring opponents by 24 ppg but teams can accomplish that when having played the No. 212 schedule in the country. The Cougars are 6-0 at home and this is not an easy place for opponents to win in but we are not concerned about an outright victory although it would be far from a surprise. The Owls are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games following a double-digit loss at home while the Cougars are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a winning straight up record. 10* (521) Temple Owls

We have caught another undervalued team as TCU is a short favorite at home. The Horned Frogs are ranked No. 10 in the latest AP Poll which sounds strong on its own but in fact, they are ranked No. 3 in the RPI, the highest among all Big XII teams. TCU actually played a tough nonconference schedule which is very un-TCU like as it is ranked No. 66 compared to being in the late 200s in recent years. While they are off to a 12-0 start this season, the Horned Frogs have won 17 straight games after closing out last season with the NIT Championship. This will be a raucous environment as this is one of the biggest games in recent memory as it is the first time a ranked TCU team has faced a ranked opponent at home since Feb. 21, 1998. Oklahoma comes in at No. 12 in the country which is comparable to its RPI and it is getting a lot of pub thanks to its dynamic freshman Trae Young who is averaging 28.7 ppg and 10.4 apg and this type of publicity only helps in spots like this when backing the opponent. The Sooners will be a tough out, but TCU prevails at home and extends the longest winning streak in the nation. 10* (552) TCU Horned Frogs

This is a play on the MEMPHIS TIGERS for our Liberty Bowl Dominator. We picked Memphis to win the AAC at +625 in our futures report and it came oh so close as an overtime loss against Central Florida prevented the Tigers from the title. After finishing No. 26 in the country with 464.4 ypg on offense last season, the Tigers put up 548.2 ypg this season, currently No. 4 in the nation and they will be facing a strong Iowa St. defense that held its own in the offensive-happy Big XII. Since much of the success was accomplished in a Group of Five conference, the Tigers offensive players realize replicating their recent performances against a power five school in a high-profile bowl game would offer them a certain form of validation. The Cyclones defense will get its stops but putting the clamps on the Memphis offense will be impossible, so it will be up to the Iowa St. offense to keep up. That could prove difficult despite playing a below average Memphis defense as the Cyclones are ranked No. 76 in total offense, averaging fewer than 400 ypg. Iowa St. has gone over 23 points only once in its last five games which is not a good sign. The Cyclones finished as the best team in the country against the number as they went 10-1-1 ATS which helps the cause here, keeping this number at a playable one that should be higher. 10* (260) Memphis Tigers

Indiana lost its second consecutive game on Wednesday as it fell at home to Dallas as it caught a hot shooting Dallas team in a no rest, back-to-back spot. The Pacers have not lost three straight games since early November as they are now 3-0 following consecutive losses since November 8 ad on the season, they are 11-5 ATS following a loss including covering seven of the last nine. Indiana has 13 losses against top 16 teams, but it is 12-3 against the rest of the league. The Bulls have been a money-making machine of late as they have covered 11 of their last 12 games and the value of their lines are starting to shift in the opposite direction. Chicago has been favored four times this entire season, Atlanta, Phoenix, Orlando and New York, all of which have losing records, so this will be the first time the Bulls have been favored against a winning team. The Bulls are just 5-14 against the top 16 of the NBA. Victor Oladipo has already been ruled out of this game after being a game-time decision on Wednesday and the early decision for this one helps the Pacers getting ready. 10* (805) Indiana Pacers

We made a point yesterday about how comparing the AP Poll and the RPI can pull out false information where can take advantage. Seton Hall won and covered against overrated Creighton and while it was not the blowout as expected, we got the advantage of a good line based on the AP rankings. In this case Baylor is ranked No. 18 in the country yet its RPI is a very poor 146 and this is one of the biggest discrepancies in the country. The Bears may be 9-2 but they have played the No. 328 ranked schedule in the country while going just 1-2 against the top 50. Texas Tech is ranked higher than its RPI, but it is not close to the valiance of Baylor as the Red Raiders are No. 46 in the RPI. They own impressive wins over Boston College, Northwestern and Nevada with all three of those teams ranked within the top 100. Texas Tech picked up nine of its 11 nonconference wins by 20 or more points and lead the nation with a 23.0 ppg scoring margin. The Red Raiders are 9-0 at home and going back, they are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games against team with a winning percentage above .600. 10* (832) Texas Tech Red Raiders

This is a play on the NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES for our Arizona Bowl Dominator. Trying to decipher which team will be more motivated to play in one of these lesser bowl games can be tricky but that is not the case in the Arizona Bowl. New Mexico St. is making its first bowl appearance since the 1960 Sun Bowl, ironically which resulted in a win over Utah St. The Aggies needed to win their final two games to become bowl eligible and they did just that with convincing wins over Idaho and South Alabama as they won the yardage battle by 188 and 138 yards respectively. The Aggies will become independent next season and will persist as an FBS program with the ultimate goal getting an invite from the Mountain West Conference to join so a win here goes a long way. Utah St. also finished 6-6 on the season but it was not a very good 6-6. The Aggies do not possess a quality win and they lost to five bowl teams by an average of 26 ppg so they are fortunate to be here. This is an extremely young team that was not expected to make it to a bowl game so there will be motivation here as well, just not nearly as strong. The Aggies finished No. 71 in total offense and No. 74 in total defense which are two very poor rankings for a postseason team. Conversely, New Mexico St. finished No. 22 in total offense and No. 69 in total defense and with the Sun Belt Conference top passing offense averaging 353 ypg, New Mexico St. keeps the pressure on from the start. This will feel like a home game as New Mexico St. fans are expected to pack Arizona Stadium to near-capacity. 10* (254) New Mexico St. Aggies

This is a play on the WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS for our Belk Bowl Dominator. Teams with new coaches or no coaches going into a bowl game are rarely the way to bet and that is the case here with the Aggies. Kevin Sumlin is gone, Jimbo Fisher will be watching from a suite which leaves Jeff Banks as the interim coach for the game today. Aggies defensive lineman Kingsley Keke said the current coaching dynamic has made for "kind of a weird feeling." The same likely goes for some assistant coaches, including Banks, who are hoping to land a spot on Fisher's staff. It has been a tough month for everyone on this team and the regular season did not end well as the Aggies lost to LSU by 24 points while getting outgained by 319 yards. The regular season did not end great for Wake Forest either as it lost to Duke but it is better equipped to make a rebound. Wake Forest comes in with a high-powered offense that should challenge the Aggies. Quarterback John Wolford has been outstanding with 25 touchdowns and just three picks and he could be facing a young Texas A&M secondary without starting safety Armani Watts, one of the Aggies top defenders. The Demon Deacons have averaged more than 39 ppg over the last five games of the season, a stretch that included four bowl-bound opponents. Texas A&M is ranked No. 64 in total defense and No. 81 in scoring defense so this is not a typical stop unit which regressed as the season went on. The Demon Deacons are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a winning record while the Aggies are 5-16 ATS in their last 21 games following a straight up loss. 10* (248) Wake Forest Demon Deacons

This is a play on the MICHIGAN ST. SPARTANS for our Holiday Bowl Dominator. Michigan St. will be pumped following its dismal 3-9 season from last year after finishing with double-digit wins the three previous seasons and it can hit that again with a victory tonight. A blowout loss against Ohio St. was the only big blemish as losses against Notre Dame and Northwestern occurred despite winning the yardage battle in those games by 141 and 108 yards respectively. Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio always strives for balance on offense, and this season was no exception (499 runs, 402 passes). That type of balance is key against a Washington St. defense that was a potent unit and the balance can keep the Cougars off balance. Washington St. got off to a strong start at 6-0 and was highly ranked but then the defense started to get exposed and a 37-3 loss at California led to a lethargic 3-3 finish. The offense is not in very good shape for the Cougars as quarterback Luke Falk has a wrist injury and while he is probable, reaggravating that injury is more than possible. He will be without his two best receivers. Tavares Martin Jr., who led the team in catches, yards and touchdowns, and Isaiah Johnson-Mack, who was second on the team in catches, yards and touchdowns, have been dismissed from the team. That is 130 receptions, 1,386 yards and 14 touchdowns gone. Washington St. will find a way to move the ball but the explosive unit that we are accustomed to will be lacking. 10* (277) Michigan St. Spartans

We have a possible false favorite here as LSU and Memphis are real close to each other in the latest RPI which should make the Tigers the favorite based on home court advantage. They are coming off a pair of wins following a loss against Louisville and the latest victories improved them to 9-0 at home. There is plenty of size on this Tigers team, but the strength is in the backcourt where four of their top five scorers occupy. They are led by Jeremiah Martin who has averaged a team-high 18.6 ppg and 4.3 apg while shooting 80.2 percent from the free throw line. There is good news on the injury front as senior Jimario Rivers, who has missed the past two games going through concussion protocol, will return. LSU comes in at 8-3 after winning just 10 games all of last season but the schedule has played a big part of the success this year. A win over Michigan was solid but a 39-point loss to Notre Dame shows there us a lot to be done still. The schedule has also helped in that this is the first true road game of the season for the Tigers which were 1-10 on the road last season. Memphis has covered four straight games against teams above .600. 10* (544) Memphis Tigers

Valparaiso is playing its first game in the Missouri Valley Conference and it is getting its best player back at just the right time. The Crusaders are coming off a brutal five-game roadtrip prior to Christmas where they went 1-4 but four of those games were played without leading scorer Tevonn Walker as he was battling mono. They have had over a week off since that trek and Walker is on track to return tonight to grab that inaugural MVC victory. Valparaiso has finished above .500 in true road games in four of the last five seasons, including a 7-6 mark in such games last year. Indiana St. comes in at 5-7 but to its credit, it has played a relatively tough schedule which included an upset win at Indiana to open the season. However, the Sycamores have been blown out in all other games against above average teams and of the other four victories, two came against non-Division I teams. Indiana St. is the lowest ranked team in the conference RPI and the stats back that up with the biggest disadvantage in this matchup being rebounding margin. Going back, the Sycamores are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 10* (525) Valparaiso Crusaders

6:30 ET Start. Comparing the AP Poll and the RPI is a great tool in handicapping college hoops because the former is a farce and means nothing while the latter gives a truer indication of where a team stands. Creighton comes in ranked No. 25 in the country in the latest AP Poll and this could be the most flawed ranking in the polls. The Bluejays are ranked No. 50 in the RPI which is 7th in the 10-team Big East and this has a lot to do with a weak schedule played heading into conference action. They come in riding a five-game winning streak, but all those games were at home and the best win of the bunch was against Nebraska which is not saying much. Conversely, Seton Hall is No. 22 in the AP Poll but No. 13 in the RPI so the Pirates are just the opposite when it comes to perception and reality. Seton Hall is 11-2 which includes impressive wins over Louisville, Texas Tech and VCU and this team is loaded with four starters back from its 21-12 season a year ago. The Pirates are outscoring opponents by 19.5 ppg at home and this is the first time since January 21, 2001 that a ranked Seton Hall team is taking on another ranked team (although the other team technically should not be ranked). 10* (516) Seton Hall Pirates

This is a play on the VIRGINIA CAVALIERS for our Military Bowl Dominator. The consensus is on Navy this afternoon based on this being a home game for the Midshipmen but that is not necessarily an advantage since teams would rather not play at home, especially teams from the northeast. The stadium will not be all Navy fans so there is no home field edge based on that and in this matchup, the Cavaliers have a big advantage in several key areas. The biggest factor could be motivation as this is the first bowl game for Virginia since 2011 so the job Bronco Mendenhall has done in Charlottesville is outstanding and should not go to waste. Another edge for the Cavaliers is the preparation time as they have been off two more weeks than Navy and getting ready for the triple option, that extra time is huge. Virginia already possesses one victory over an option team this season, a victory over Georgia Tech. Offensively, the Cavaliers have a potent passing attack that is ranked No. 43 in the country and should flourish here as Navy has struggled to get any pressure to the quarterback all season. Additionally, the Midshipmen are ranked No. 110 in redzone defense. Virginia meanwhile possesses a strong defense that is No. 36 overall including No. 5 in redzone defense. Both teams come limping in with three-game losing skids to end their regular season and Virginia seems to be better equipped and prepared to end the season with a win. 10* (241) Virginia Cavaliers

This is a play on the MISSOURI TIGERS for our Texas Bowl Dominator. This is a case of who is not playing for Texas as the Longhorns will be missing up to eight players, including many key contributors, after multiple declarations for the NFL Draft, injuries and suspensions. Texas will be without linebacker Malik Jefferson, the co-Big 12 defensive player of the year, who is out with a turf toe injury, as well as defensive backs Holton Hill and DeShon Elliott, who are skipping the game to prepare for the NFL Draft. Tackle Connor Williams will also miss the game due to his decision to enter the NFL Draft, and sophomore receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey was one of three players recently suspended for a violation of team rules. This is a big reason the line has increased but it has not gone up nearly enough to compensate for the Texas personnel issues. Missouri is back in the postseason for the first time since 2014 after winning its final six games following a 1-5 start and it will be carrying that momentum into its bowl game. Both head coach Barry Odom and his players said on Tuesday that since getting to Houston on Friday, the practices they have had have been their best of the season, so this is a team playing with confidence. With all the injuries and early-departures on the Texas defense, the Tigers passing attack will flourish under quarterback Drew Lock. Missouri has scored at least 45 points in every game during this winning streak after averaging 18.4 ppg in its first five games against FBS teams. 10* (239) Missouri Tigers

Big East action tips off tonight with three games and we see a good opportunity in one of those. Xavier hits the road ranked No. 2 in the nation in the latest RPI as it is 12-1 with the lone defeat coming against No. 3 Arizona St. in Las Vegas. The Musketeers are 2-0 in true road games with wins over Wisconsin and Northern Iowa. Xavier is second in the Big East and 16th nationally in rebounding margin at +8.9 rpg while Marquette is just +0.4 in that category giving the Musketeers a huge edge on the glass. The Golden Eagles have won four straight games and come in ranked No. 63 in the RPI while going 0-2 against the top 25. While Marquette still possesses some powerful offensive weapons, it lost three 1,000-point scorers from last season and we have seen struggles on offense a few times. The Golden Eagles led the nation in three-point shooting last season, topped by Markus Howard who shot 54.7 percent from long range, but he is down to just 39.1 percent this season. Marquette swept this season series last year and the Musketeers have not forgotten. 10* (727) Xavier Musketeers

Waiting on injury information for this game, Victor Oladipo is listed as questionable with a knee injury. He has been off the court only once this season and that resulted in a home loss albeit it was against Boston. The recommendation is to wait until his status is updated and play it if he is in and optional to play if he is not although the line will reflect it so there will be value so it should be played either way. The Pacers are coming off a blowout loss in Detroit in a game that was never close as they did not lead while the Pistons led by as many as 27 points. Indiana is 8-2 ATS as a favorite of less than nine points while going 11-4 ATS following a loss. We won with Dallas last night as it defeated Toronto outright as a home dog making this a prime to against spot. The Mavericks are just 2-7 following a win and 1-5 when playing with no rest including 0-5 when the second of the back-to-back is on the road. Dallas has lost eight straight road games and is 2-14 on the season on the highway. 10* (704) Indiana Pacers

This is a play on the SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI GOLDEN EAGLES for our Independence Bowl Dominator. Motivation plays a huge role during the early stages of bowl season as often times you will get teams typically not playing these lesser bowl games as expectations were not met. This is certainly the case with Florida St. as it came into the season with National Championship aspirations but an opening loss to Alabama coupled with the loss of quarterback Deondre Francois sent the Seminoles on a downhill spiral. Give them credit for winning their final three games to become bowl eligible but those games were against Delaware St., ULM and Florida so losing those games was not going to happen anyway. Motivation is low and making matters worse, their coach walked out on his team before the season ended so Florida St. is a mess right now. There is plenty of motivation on the other side as Southern Mississippi would like nothing more than to take down a Power Five opponent in a bowl game. The Golden Eagles played two teams from that group during the regular season and lost both which adds to the effort today. Southern Mississippi should have a bit more consistency on offense with Kwadra Griggs under center this time around. In eight combined quarters against P5 teams thus far, Griggs only played three of those quarters. Plus, four defensive starters will be out for the Seminoles giving the Golden Eagles ample opportunity to succeed on offense. 10* (235) Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles

This is a play on the UCLA BRUINS for our Cactus Bowl Dominator. This was one of those wait and see games because of the status of some players and because of what has transpired, the public is all over Kansas St. which gives us significant line value on the Bruins. UCLA won its final game to become bowl-eligible at 6-6, but quarterback Josh Rosen is not expected to play, and coach Jim Mora was fired after a 5-6 start. Give the Bruins credit for not quitting and we can expect a good amount of fight tonight under interim head coach and offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch. There will not be a huge disadvantage at quarterback for UCLA as redshirt freshman Skylar Thompson, the third quarterback to play for the Wildcats this season, started the final three games, throwing for 515 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions while completing 63.3 percent of his passes. It is impossible to ignore the fact that the Wildcats were outgained in each of their last nine games while getting outgained by 64 ypg on the season. Overall, Kansas St. is ranked No. 96 in total offense and No. 97 in total defense which are numbers that a legitimate bowl team should not possess. The Wildcats will be shorthanded on the offensive line which is a big aspect as they will be without right tackle and top blocker Dalton Risner. 10* (234) UCLA Bruins

Toronto has won six straight games and 12 of its last 13 to take over the top spot in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors are coming off a pair of divisional wins over Philadelphia including the last one at home where they are now 12-1 on the season. They hit the road where they are 11-7 and they are in a tough spot here as they have a game at resurgent Oklahoma City tomorrow so the lookahead possibility is there. Dallas is one of two teams in the NBA with single-digit wins yet it is not near the bottom of the power rankings showing the season has been better than the record shows. The Mavericks have played a tough schedule and like Toronto, they have been much better at home than on the road. They are playing better after a 2-14 start and have won four of their last five home games. Going back, the Mavericks are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a winning straight up record. 10* (502) Dallas Mavericks

This is a play on the OAKLAND RAIDERS for our NFL Monday Primetime Play. The win by the Vikings on Saturday and victories by the Saints and Rams Sunday put a little bit of pressure on the Eagles heading into Monday night. They could have coasted into the position of home field advantage for the playoffs but now they need to win tonight or next week against the Cowboys. That being said, this line has jumped up into double-digits and it is an overadjusted number based on public perception and what is at stake. The loss of quarterback Carson Wentz is huge and while Nick Foles did a good job filling in the Eagles win by five points, they were outgained by 163 total yards. The Raiders have officially been eliminated from playoff contention after losing to Dallas last week and Kansas City winning yesterday and there is nothing left to play for but pride and because this is a nationally televised game, there will be no quit with the Raiders. Defensively is where the game can be decided for the Raiders as the pass rush has improved since Ken Norton Jr. was dismissed as defensive coordinator after Week 11 and replaced by John Pagano because the pass rush has improved immensely. Oakland had 14 sacks through 10 games and has put up 14 sacks over its last 10 games. Additionally, the Raiders had just 68 total pressures from edge defenders under Norton, 25th in the NFL, to 46 pressures over the last four games which is tied for second, under Pagano. 10* (131) Oakland Raiders

This is a play on the FRESNO ST. BULLDOGS for our Hawaii Bowl Dominator. It was a special season for Fresno St. as it went 9-4 and despite losing the MWC Championship to Boise St., the Bulldogs have a lot of momentum built following their 1-11 season from a year ago. They can hit double-digit wins for the first time since 2013 and they will be looking for their first bowl win since 2007 as they have lost six straight bowl games. This is a trend not to worry about as a new coaching staff is in place and Jeff Tedford is the reason as his days at California produced solid results before he was let go after 2012. Fresno St. is outgaining opponents by nearly 70 ypg as quarterback Marcus McMaryion has been extremely efficient and the defense has been potent all season as it is ranked No. 16 overall and No. 9 in points allowed. Houston defeated Navy to end the regular season, but it was a poor second half as the Cougars went 3-3 over their final six games. The potent offense from last season took a step back as it is averaging a touchdown less per game while the defense is allowing nearly 100 more ypg than it did last season. Houston could be shorthanded on offense with top receiver Linell Bonner nursing an arm injury. The Cougars went 3-5 ATS this season as single digit favorites and this is one of those small price situations where the wrong team is favored. That is just fine however as Fresno St. is a perfect 6-0 ATS this season when getting points. 10* (228) Fresno St. Bulldogs

This is a play on the NEW ORLEANS SAINTS for our NFL Game of the Year. We had Atlanta in the first matchup two weeks ago and it was a fortunate victory as the Saints had a chance to win but Drew Brees tossed a late pick to secure the victory for the Falcons. The division is still on the line with the Saints, Falcons and Panthers all still alive for the NFC South and any three of those teams can clinch a playoff berth with a victory. The scenario is simple for the Saints as if they win out, they claim the division and they have the easiest road with this home game and them a game against Tampa Bay next week to close out the season. New Orleans is 6-1 at home with the only loss coming against New England in its home opener. Since that loss, the Saints are 10-2 with the two losses coming by a combined nine points and they have something to prove this week as they have now lost three straight games to the Falcons. Atlanta played Monday which is a disadvantage in this rematch and it did not look very good against Tampa Bay as it made the plays to get it done but was unable to pull away against what is considered an inferior team. The passing defense struggled and while the Saints are a more balanced team, Brees can still pick them apart if the running game gets going early. The Falcons are 1-5 ATS in their last six games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game. This is a spot the Saints have thrived in as they are 22-4 ATS in their last 26 home games against teams with a winning road record. 10* (116) New Orleans Saints

This is a play on the TENNESSEE TITANS for our NFL Sunday Enforcer. Not sure of the rationale behind this number but certainly a lot has to do with the Rams rout last week at Seattle. Los Angeles now has a two-game lead over the Seahawks in the NFC West and are likely a lock for the playoffs and winning the division as it has a home game against San Francisco in its season finale, so a win here really is not a must. There is no doubt the Rams are for real and while they have been favored twice on the road in the second half of the season, those games were against the Cardinals and Giants, two teams not sniffing the playoffs. Despite a pair of losses on the road, Tennessee remains in the playoff hunt as it is 8-6 and currently locks down the No. 1 Wild Card spot in the AFC. With a home game against Jacksonville next week, the Titans can win the division if they win out and the Jaguars lose this week against the 49ers on the road which is more than possible. The best part is that the Titans game is early so winning will be at the forefront instead of scoreboard watching. The Rams have been great on the road at 6-1 but Tennessee brings in a 5-1 home record and with everything on the line, this is going to be a tough environment for the Rams. It can be argued that they were in a tough environment last week, but that game was over early, so it was pretty docile. The Rams are 1-4 ATS in their last five games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game including 0-2 straight up and ATS this season while the Titans are 4-1 ATS in their last five games following a straight up loss. 10* (110) Tennessee Titans

Oklahoma City is coming off a last second victory last night as Russel Westbrook hit a three-pointer in the final seconds to avoid overtime against the hapless Hawks. That concluded a 3-0 homestand for the Thunder which hit the road tonight where they are just 5-10 on the season. They lost by 15 points against the Knicks in their last road game and this will be the second time this season playing with no rest and going from home to the road. The first instance resulted in a 16-point loss at Dallas and going back, the Thunder are 0-8 ATS in their last eight games against teams with a losing straight up record. Utah snapped a three-game losing streak with an 11-point win over San Antonio at home on Thursday to improve to 6-1 in its last seven home games. It was one of its best defensive performances this month and the Jazz have been solid at home on that side of the ball, allowing just 94.8 ppg. This is a good spot to keep it going as the Jazz are 4-0 ATS in their last four home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. 10* (518) Utah Jazz

This is a play on the SAN DIEGO ST. AZTECS for our Armed Forces Bowl Dominator. While it was a great season for the Aztecs with a 10-2 record, it was disappointing not to the Mountain West Conference as losses against Boise St. and Fresno St. in consecutive weeks knocked them out of contention. San Diego St. closed the season strong however as it won its last four games in blowouts style and while none of those came against current bowl teams, it provided much needed momentum that was lacking midway through the season. Army is known for its rushing offense as it leads the country, but San Diego St. has its own potent rushing attack as it is ranked No. 11 in the nation led by running back Rashaah Penny who finished fifth in Heisman voting after bursting onto the scene with 2,027 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns while averaging a whopping 7.4 ypc. The Aztecs are looking for their third consecutive bowl win after beating Cincinnati 42-7 in the Hawaii Bowl in 2015 and topping Houston 34-10 in the Las Vegas Bowl last season. A win against Army would make it the first time in the San Diego State history to win three consecutive bowl games in a row. It was a great season for Army as well as it lost just three games and defeated Navy for a second consecutive season. The schedule was soft however and the four wins over bowl teams came by a combined 13 points. As mentioned, the rushing game leads the way, but the difference is on defense as the Black Knights allow 5.0 ypc compared to 3.5 ypc for the Aztecs. A victory would give San Diego St. an unprecedented third straight 11-win season. 10* (224) San Diego St. Aztecs

Evansville had a five-game winning streak snapped at Duke as it lost by 64 points so if that does not provide motivation for today, nothing will. A return home held as the Purple Aces are 34-7 at home over the last three seasons including a perfect 8-0 record this season. Evansville leads the nation in three-point shooting percentage, hitting 48.3 percent of its attempts. Additionally, the Purple Aces have connected on 201 out of 261 free throw attempts, 77.0 percent, which ranks 19th in the country. Ryan Taylor could return today which would give the offense an even bigger boost. Illinois St. went 17-1 in the MVC last season enroute to a trip to the NIT where it lost in the second round. At 6-6, the Redbirds are one loss shy of their total defeats from last season as losing four starters from their 28-win team is taking its toll. They have won two games in a row, but they are 1-3 in true road games on the season. The Redbirds are 0-5 ATS in their last five games following a straight up win while the Purple Aces are 4-1 ATS in their last five home games against teams with a losing road record. 10* (536) Evansville Purple Aces

As a perennial postseason team, it was odd to not see Northern Iowa in any tournament last season but that will change this year. The Panthers have already surpassed half of their win total from last season and they are going to be a contender in the MVC, so this is a team back on the rise. They are coming off a loss against Iowa St. in the Hy-Vee Classic which snapped a three-game winning streak that included a very impressive home win over UNLV as a one-point favorite. Northern Iowa is off to a 6-0 start at home and is now catching a big number because of the opponent name. Xavier is ranked No. 9 in the country following an 11-1 start which has included impressive wins over Cincinnati and Baylor, but this is just the second true road game for the Musketeers. The first one came against a rebuilding Wisconsin team, so this is the first true road test. There is payback in store tonight as well as the Panthers lost twice to Xavier last season including putting up a season low 42 points in a 22-point loss in Cincinnati last November. Too many points tonight. 10* (854) Northern Iowa Panthers

The Knicks picked up another win last night as they defeated Boston to make it five wins over their last six games despite Kristaps Porzingis going a dreadful 0-11 from the floor after missing the previous two games. This will be the third occasion this season that New York has played a road game after a home game with no rest and it went 0-2 both straight up and against the number in both of those games, losing by 13 and 18 points. The Knicks have won just twice on the road this season while going 2-8 straight up and 3-7 ATS as road underdogs. Detroit has had an up and down season as a great start was followed up by a seven-game losing streak, but it has won three of its last four games since then. The last game resulted in a loss at Dallas on Wednesday and it heads back home looking for win No. 10 on its new floor and the situation definitely calls for it. Going back, the Pistons are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points. 10* (802) Detroit Pistons

Bradley has produced double-digit victories in just three of the previous six years, but it has already hit that this season as it is 10-2 following wins in three straight games. It has been a while since the Braves have been conference contenders, but they are expected to make a move this year in the third season under head coach Brian Wardle. All five starters are back from the team that improved by eight wins from the previous season and momentum is rolling right now with their last two wins coming on the road. Mississippi is coming off a win over Texas A&M-CC which stopped the bleeding from a 1-4 run. The Rebels are 6-5 this season against a mediocre schedule and they are expected to finish in the bottom half of the SEC following a trip to the NIT last season. Only one starter is back while one player, Karlis Silins, was supposed to play a big role but has yet to hit the court this season. While three of the losses for the Rebels have been in overtime showing that their record could possibly be better, it also shows that it plays close games and those losses were against South Dakota St., Virginia Tech and Illinois St. 10* (829) Bradley Braves

San Diego St. missed the postseason last year and is breaking in a new coach, but it has been a seamless transition for head coach Brian Dutcher as he served as an assistant under Steve Fisher for numerous years. The Aztecs are 7-3 following a tough one-point loss to California and hope to get Trey Kell back in at least a limited role but this team is still loaded with 10 other players averaging double-digit minutes as it continues to play a suffocating defense. Offense was the issue for the Aztecs last season, but they are averaging 77.6 ppg which is close to 10 more ppg than last season. Gonzaga has shown that it is vulnerable this season as it got taken to overtime at home against North Dakota before pulling out a six-point victory. This is a much different team than the one from last season that lost two games and nearly won the National Championship. The Bulldogs lost three double-digit scorers as well as some tough defenders and it is showing in their numbers. After not allowing an opponent to shoot 50 percent or better in 64 straight games, they let it happen twice in 11 days this month (and let two other teams shoot 47.3 and 48.3 percent). Additionally, they are allowing 13.4 points more per game than last season and are allowing opponents to shoot nearly 10 percentage points higher from beyond the three-point line. 10* (536) San Diego St. Aztecs

This is a play on the FIU PANTHERS for our Gasparilla Bowl Dominator. FUI exceeded expectations this season as it posted its first winning record since 2011 to make it to its third ever bowl game. The Panthers closed with two straight wins to go 8-4 on the season and a win tonight would give them the most wins in program history. Credit needs to be given to head coach Butch Davis who is in his first season at FIU which shows what good coaching can do. Temple closed the season strong by going 3-1 over its last four games to become bowl eligible. The Owls struggled this season against good opposition as they went just 1-5 against bowl teams and are at a disadvantage playing this gamed in Florida. These teams are very similar to each other and we give the offensive edge to the Panthers. Senior quarterback Alex McGough closed the season on a tear as he threw just two interceptions and completed more than 70 percent of his passes. He'll match up against a Temple defense that leads the AAC in passing yards allowed at 210.0 ypg but has surrendered 21 touchdowns through the air while picking off just eight passes. Additionally, the Owls will have their work cut out for them as they square off against a Panthers offensive line that has allowed just 22 sacks all season. Temple made a quarterback change late in the season and it sparked the offense but the FIU defense is underrated as taking away games against UCF and FAU, the Panthers allowed just 22.9 ppg and Temple is 1-5 this season when being held to fewer than 25 points. Going back, the Panthers are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game. 10* (216) FIU Panthers

We lost with Kent St. on Monday as it caught a hot shooting Northeastern team. The Golden Flashes shot 51 percent from the floor, but the Huskies hit 56.5 percent of their shots while also going 20-23 from the free throw line giving Kent St. no chance. It is in a good spot to rebound tonight and snap its three-game losing streak. It has certainly been a disappointing start for the Golden Flashes which are 5-6 and have been a solid bounce back team as they 5-2 ATS in their last seven games following a double-digit loss at home. Despite an 8-3 record, the Beavers are the third lowest ranked team in the Pac 12 Conference as they do not own a quality win with a schedule that is ranked No. 338 out of 351 Division I teams. They are riding a six-game winning streak but only two of those were by big margins. Oregon St. defeated St. Louis, Jacksonville St., Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Loyola-Marymount by a combined 10 points so those were very unimpressive victories. Another reason the schedule is rated so low is that this is the first true road game for the Beavers. This has typically been a horrible spot as the Beavers are 1-7 ATS in their last eight road games following three or more consecutive home games. This is the second meeting in two years and last season on this very same date, Kent St. lost in Eugene by 19 points so there is revenge in play tonight. 10* (522) Kent St. Golden Flashes

The Spurs take a two-game winning streak into Portland with both of those wins coming at home where they have won 10 straight games. The road has been a different story for San Antonio as it has lost eight of its last 12 games on the highway. The only victories over this stretch have come against Dallas, Phoenix, Memphis and Charlotte which are a combined 45 games under .500. The Spurs have welcomed back Kawhi Leonard but have brought him back slowly as he is averaging just 16 minutes per game. He will not be in the lineup tonight and because of his lack of production, it is not a real big deal. Portland is coming off a five-game roadtrip where it went a respectable 3-2 and heads home where it looks to break a four-game home losing streak which dates back over a month. The Blazers have covered six straight games yet are laying a short price here because it is the name of the Spurs and not the way they have been on the road. 10* (720) Portland Trailblazers

The Bulls continue their torrid run as they have won six straight games after starting the season 3-20 but now the markets are catching up. Chicago has been an underdog in each game during the six-game winning streak which can make it more impressive but now we are seeing a massive line swing as the Bulls are favored for just the third time all season and the first time by more than two points. The adjustment is just too much in this spot as we go contrarian with Chicago and also go contrarian with Orlando. The Magic have lost five straight games and will again be without Aaron Gordon, but the rotation is loaded, and the offense should again produce well here. They have struggled to a 3-14 record against teams ranked within the top 16 of the league but are a much more respectable 8-6 against the rest. As good as Chicago has been playing, it has a game at Cleveland tomorrow night so a lookahead is imminent. 10* (713) Orlando Magic

This is the most Brooklyn has been favored by this season and we will be backing the Nets to snap their three-game losing skid. They have had two days off following that three-in-four situation which came after an impressive 3-1 run over their previous four games. Brooklyn has fared better against the tougher Western Conference this season as it is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 games against the west. It has been the opposition for Sacramento as the Kings are 4-10-2 ATS in their last 16 games against teams from the Eastern Conference despite the upset win last night against the Sixers. They caught a break when Joel Embiid was a late scratch so now Sacramento will have to try and refocus, but this has not been an ideal situation. The Kings have won just once in nine games following a win and they are 0-5 this season when playing with no rest. 10* (704) Brooklyn Nets

Towson opened the season with a three-point loss at Old Dominion but has since reeled off 10 straight victories including a pair of wins in Ireland but now comes a real test in just its third true road game of the season. The Tigers sit atop the Colonial power rankings but that is not saying much in what is a weak group of teams this season and overall, they have played a schedule ranked No. 225 in the country. This is a very talented and deep team and one that will contend in the CAA but we like going against the winning streak as the Tigers are 2-6 ATS in their last eight road games following three or more consecutive home games. Oakland typically plays a tough early season schedule to get ready for this part of the season and this year is no exception as it has played Syracuse, Kansas and Michigan St. those were all blowout losses, but the experience is huge. Towson will be out for revenge from last season as it lost to Oakland 90-72 in the Vegas 16 Tournament, but road revenge is not a good angle and that game shows how good the Golden Grizzlies matchup with Towson. Going back, they are 28-11-1 ATS in their last 40 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 10* (734) Oakland Golden Grizzlies

The Bucks were expected to challenge Cleveland in the NBA Central Division but that has not been the case as they trail the Cavaliers by 6.5 games following their third consecutive loss on Saturday. They held their own against Houston and return home where they look to bounce back from their ugliest home loss against the Bulls to fall to 9-5 at home. Making the gap even bigger against Cleveland is the fact Milwaukee has lost the first two meetings including a 19-point loss here back in October bringing the revenge factor into play. The Cavaliers have responded from a poor start to the season to go 18-1 over their last 19 games but it has not exactly been against supreme opposition. Overall, the Cavaliers have played the easiest schedule in the NBA and this is now a tough spot with this being the fourth game in six days for Cleveland. Going back, the Cavaliers are 1-5 ATS in their last six games following a straight up win while the Bucks are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600. 10* (506) Milwaukee Bucks

Northern Kentucky heads to Texas A&M sporting a 7-4 record with three of those losses coming by a combined five points. The Norse were an NCAA Tournament team last season with a 24-11 record and put up a fight with Kentucky before losing by nine points and the end to last year is important for this year as they have four starters back. This is the biggest test to date for Northern Kentucky, but it matches up well here as it can counter down low with Texas A&M where the Aggies usually have a big edge. Texas A&M is 9-1 with the lone loss coming against Arizona and it has moved up to No. 8 in the latest AP Poll. The public is all over the Aggies here in what is believed to be too short of a price, but it is actually the opposite based on recent happenings. Robert Williams is a beast down low but is on concussion protocol and while he is expected to play, he is not 100 percent. Another starter, Admon Gilder, who is third on the team in scoring and their best free throw shooter, suffered a knee injury in the last game and is out indefinitely. His absence will be costly to a team that is shooting just 63.4 percent from the charity stripe in five home games. Going back, the Norse are 7-2 ATS in their last nine road games against teams with a winning home record while the Aggies are 0-7 ATS in their last seven home games against teams with a losing road record. 10* (523) Northern Kentucky Norse

This is a play on the AKRON ZIPS for our Boca Raton Bowl Dominator. Florida Atlantic is the biggest favorite of the bowl season and it is not even close as it opened at 17.5 and has climbed all the way up to -23 in some spots. The Owls have cruised over the second half of the season, winning their final nine games with all but one coming by double-digits. They were outgained in four of those games however with all of those coming against current bowl participants and while they will be playing this game on their home field, it is too big of a price. Playing in a bowl game is a reward for a great season and it usually comes with a trip to a fun destination but that is not the case for Florida Atlantic so while playing at home is nice, there is some disappointment along with it which brings motivation into question. Many players and fans were disappointed because the team was not going to travel, robbing them of the true bowl experience. Akron comes in at 7-6 after winning the MAC West and playing in Florida is a big deal. This is just the third ever bowl game for the Zips with the first two being played in Detroit and Boise, so they so get the true bowl experience. Akron has played much better after a 1-3 start and it comes down to the defense keeping things close. Akron went 5-1 ATS in its last six games as a double-digit underdog with this being the biggest pointspread of them all. Despite a bad loss against Toledo in the MAC Championship, the Zips are 6-0 ATS in their last six games following a straight up loss. 10* (211) Akron Zips

Syracuse is coming off a huge win against Georgetown on Saturday in overtime and that could spell letdown tonight as focus could be a real issue. The Orange are now 9-1 on the season including other win over Connecticut and Maryland but those are programs in rebuilding mode and while the opponent tonight will not scare many teams because of name, the Bulls will be a tough out. All of Buffalo's losses have all come against solid teams and include a 73-67 loss against No. 20 Cincinnati on a neutral court. Buffalo could be adding another weapon tonight as Wes Clark, a transfer from Missouri, could make his season debut after sitting out the first 10 games because of transfer rules in fall semester grades are posted by tonight. Still, Buffalo has a very balanced offense with five players averaging double-digits in scoring not counting Dontay Caruthers who is out with a stress fracture in his foot. The Bulls are No. 16 in the country in pace so the full court press that Syracuse brought out against Georgetown could be neutralized. The Bulls are 6-1 ATS in their last seven road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 while the Orange are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up win. 10* (509) Buffalo Bulls

This is a play on the TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS for our NFL Monday Primetime Play. As expected, Carolina was a winner yesterday which puts Atlanta in a near must win situation tonight. Waiting it out again proves the right call as the linemakers are adjusting this line based on the importance for Atlanta which is a big example of why these games late in the season should not be bet early in the week. The Falcons are a game and a half behind the Panthers for the first Wild Card spot and just a half-game ahead of Detroit, Seattle and Dallas so this is in fact a big game. However, they are paying the price as this line has risen as much as two and a half points in some places as must win and actually winning are two different things entirely. It has been a disappointing season for the Buccaneers as they have lost three straight games to fall to 4-9 on the year and it has been a tough stretch with six of their last nine games taking place on the road. They are coming off a loss to Detroit at home in their last game as the Lions kicked the game-winning field goal with 20 seconds remaining to fall to 3-3 at home. Five of the nine losses have come by five points or less or in overtime, so things could be better record wise for Tampa Bay and while it is out of the playoff picture, playing spoiler is the goal and we will see an all-out effort because they are on national television. Going back, the Falcons are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game while the Buccaneers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game. 10* (332) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

One of the hottest team in the Eastern Conference is no surprise as Cleveland has won five straight games but the fact the Bulls have also won five straight games is a major surprise after a 3-20 start to the season. The Bulls won at Milwaukee on Friday for their fifth straight victory all of which have come as underdogs and while they are underdogs again tonight, they are getting the shortest number during this streak. The recent run is keeping it down as is the fact the Sixers will be shorthanded as Joel Embiid has already been ruled out tonight as he is resting due to a slightly injured back. Philadelphia is coming off a pair of overtime games which could typically be a red flag but those were on Tuesday and Friday so there is no issue with fatigue problems. The Sixers split those two games and they bring in a 7-7 record on the road and it has been a case of winning games they and losing games to the top teams. Five of the road losses have come against Washington, Toronto, Golden St., Boston and Cleveland all of which are either in first or second place in their divisions. Overall, Philadelphia has played the toughest schedule in the NBA and the Sixers are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 road games against teams with a losing home record. 10* (707) Philadelphia 76ers

Kent St. is back home following a pair of tough road games at Xavier and Wright St. and is in good position to rebound and at a very favorable price. The Golden Flashes are 3-1 at home this season with the lone loss coming against Southeastern Louisiana, a contender in the Southland Conference. Star player Jaylin Walker went 10-20 from the floor in that game but the rest of the team was a dreadful 31 percent. The Golden Flashes have put an exciting product on the floor this season, with a faster style of play than last year's MAC Tournament Championship team as they are averaging 70.6 possessions per game, the fastest Kent St. team on record. Northeastern is riding a four-game winning streak but all those wins came at home where the Huskies are a perfect 5-0 but away from home, they are just 1-4. This is the first time they have been favored on the highway and it is a bit overaggressive as they have failed to cover and of their four lined games on the road. Northeastern is shooting just 37.7 percent on the road as the offense misses T.J. Williams, the 2016-17 CAA Player of the Year. 10* (724) Kent St. Golden Flashes

This is a play on the OAKLAND RAIDERS for our NFL Sunday Primetime Play. This game had a lot more appeal before the season started but there is still a lot on the line for both teams. Dallas and Oakland are both hanging by a thread as far as the playoffs go and the loser of this game will be eliminated from postseason consideration. The Raiders are a game under .500 following a loss in Kansas City last week but they are still just a game out of the AFC West lead and win here guarantees them to still be a game out with the Chiefs and Chargers squaring off Saturday. A loss will put them two games back and even if they win out, they will lose out because of tiebreakers. This is another game where we are grabbing a home underdog that has every chance of pulling out a victory which is key when backing home underdogs. The Cowboys are in a similar situation as they need to win to stay alive, albeit for a Wild Card spot. They are a game behind Atlanta for the final Wild Card spot in the NFC but do nor own the tiebreaker because of the head-to-head loss against the Falcons. Dallas has rebounded from three straight losses where the offense scored a total of 22 points as it has won its last two games but those were against the Redskins and Giants which are going in downhill quickly. The absence of Ezekiel Elliott was bigger than expected as it seems to have hurt Dak Prescott more than anything although he has looked better during the wins. The fact that the Cowboys were -4 in New York and are -3 here shows how the markets are affecting this line because the public is all in on the Cowboys. 10* (330) Oakland Raiders

This is a play on the PITTSBURGH STEELERS for our NFL Sunday Star Attraction. The Patriots lost in Miami on Monday night but in the big picture, it meant nothing as home field advantage in the AFC comes down to this game. Fearing the public was going to hammer New England after that loss, the linesmakers were forced to make the Patriots the favorites and we will take advantage of this line. If this game was in New England, the line is saying the Patriots would be a double-digit favorite and that is not reality. The record of New England coming off a loss under Tom Brady is impeccable, but this team is as vulnerable as we have seen in a while. The offense is strong as usual, but the defense remains an issue despite what some are saying about how it has improved over the course of the season. They will be going against a Steelers offense that is playing as good as ever with Roethlisberger, Bell and Brown. They are ranked No. 4 in total offense while New England remains No. 29 in total defense so this is a clear edge for Pittsburgh. On the other side, the Patriots possess the No. 2 ranked offense in the NFL and they will be facing the No. 6 ranked defense in the league. Ryan Shazier is a big loss no doubt but the fact the Steelers are ranked No. 4 in passing defense will be a big difference here. Pittsburgh is 5-1 at home with the one loss coming against Jacksonville which is a surprise, but the Steelers lost that game because of turnovers as they won the yardage battle by 58 yards. While New England has owned the Steelers of late, things are different this year and Pittsburgh will be jacked for payback after losing 36-17 in the AFC Championship last season. 10* (326) Pittsburgh Steelers

This is a play on the SEATTLE SEAHAWKS for our NFL Game of the Week. It is going to be a playoff atmosphere in Seattle this week and it needs to be as this is a playoff game for both sides. It is more important for the home team in this case as a loss by Seattle will in all likelihood kill any chance of winning the NFC West as it would fall two games behind the Rams with two games to play. It would also drop its record to 8-6 and severely hurt the Wild Card chances. A win would put the Seahawks into a tie with Los Angeles and they would own the divisional tiebreaker because of the season sweep so this is a huge swing game. They are coming off a loss at Jacksonville last week which snapped a two-game winning streak and dropped them to 4-3 on the road. Seattle is 4-2 at home which is not great for this team, but those losses were both by a field goal despite the Seahawks winning the yardage battle in both games. The Rams are coming off a loss last week against the Eagles even with Carson Wentz leaving the game with a torn ACL as they were outgained by 148 total yards. It was the third time in four games Los Angeles has been outgained and while it has played the Seahawks tough over the last few years, Seattle is favored by single digits at home for the first time since 2011 so we can see where the value lies. The Rams are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up loss while the Seahawks are 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 games following a straight up loss. 10* (324) Seattle Seahawks

This is a play on the HOUSTON TEXANS for our NFL Sunday Enforcer. There are many surprising teams in the NFL this season, but the Jaguars take the cake as the most surprising. They are coming off a statement victory last week over Seattle to take over sole possession in the AFC South with a 9-4 record. They lost early in the season at home against Tennessee so the season finale game at the Titans is going to likely decide the division and this game spells letdown. This is an overrated team where the schedule has fallen their way as a lot of the teams they have faced have not been at full strength or have been in a horrible scheduling spot. That was certainly the case last week with Seattle which was coming off a huge win over Philadelphia the previous week. The Jaguars have a pair of losses against the Jets and Cardinals and supposed elite teams do not let that happen. Houston lost its third straight game last week despite winning the yardage battle in two of those and losing Tom Savage last week is probably not a bad thing. Houston is getting outgained by just 0.3 ypg on the season so the record is deceiving. Rarely will you see the Jaguars favored by double-digits against a quality team and while it has been a lost season for the Texans, they are still considered a quality team. They have only lost two games by more points than what they are getting this week and one of those was against Jacksonville at home so while road revenge is usually not an angle play, it will have the Texans giving a full effort. 10* (315) Houston Texans

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES CHARGERS for our NFL Saturday Primetime Play. Kansas City is coming off a win over Oakland last week but that is no reason to think its problems are over. The Chiefs had lost six of their previous seven games after a 5-0 start and there is a reason they are listed as home underdogs this week. They were able to get the offense going last week against Oakland, but the Raiders defense is among the bottom third of the league while the Chargers possess a top ten stop unit. Kansas City is getting outgained on the season because the offense has regressed of late while the defense has been poor all season as the Chiefs are ranked No. 28 in total defense. While they had a good offensive game last week, the Chiefs are 0-4 ATS in their last four games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game. Los Angeles had had the opposite type of season as it started 0-4 and was left for dead but has since won seven of its last nine games to move into a tie with the Chiefs atop the AFC West. A loss here likely eliminates the Chargers from playoff contention because they will have lost twice to the Chiefs, so a tie gives the division to Kansas City and cashing in the Wild Card would be a stretch. In that first meeting, Los Angeles won the yardage battle, but Philip Rivers tossed three interceptions which is nearly half of his seven total interceptions on the season. He has been on fire of late and that success should continue here. The Chargers are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games against teams with a winning home record. 10* (305) Los Angeles Chargers

Milwaukee came up small for us last night, but we will be backing the Bucks tonight as they fall into a great bounce back situation with an overpriced line. They have dropped two straight games after a three-game winning streak and are now sitting at 15-12 overall. Milwaukee is a respectable 6-7 on the road and it is catching double-digits for the first time this season. While it has been an underdog 10 times, it has not been an underdog of more than 4.5 points which shows the overlay in this number. No rest is a non-issue as the Bucks are 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 games playing with no rest and have won three of four games outright this season. The reason for the big number is the play of the Rockets as they are closing the gap between them and Golden St. and proving to be a threat to the Warriors. They have won 12 straight games but are just 7-4-1 ATS in those games and they are coming off a statement win over San Antonio last night which puts Houston in a letdown spot here. This is the third time this season playing on no rest and the Rockets have gone 2-1 in those games and they are 1-4 ATS in their last five games when their starting five combine for more than 160 minutes the previous day. 10* (511) Milwaukee Bucks

This is a play on the OREGON DUCKS for our CFB Las Vegas Bowl Dominator. It was an up and down season for Oregon which finished 7-5 and is now going through its second coaching change in two years. Co-offensive coordinator Mario Cristobal takes over for Willie Taggart, who departed for the Florida St. head-coaching job two days after Oregon accepted the Las Vegas Bowl bid. He made it clear that the trip to Las Vegas will be important to set the tone for the program going forward. Injuries played a role in the inconsistency of the Ducks season but now starting quarterback Justin Herbert is healthy. The Ducks are 6-1 when he starts and averaging 52.1 ppg but when true freshman Braxton Burmeister had to fill in while Herbert recovered from a fractured collarbone, Oregon was 1-4 and averaged 15 ppg. The main question still will be whether Royce Freeman plays as he has not decided as of Wednesday afternoon. He did practice with the team however which is a good sign for the Oregon all-time leading rusher to suit up. The Broncos won the MWC Championship over Fresno St. to improve to 10-3, their second straight 10-win season and third in four years under head coach Bryan Harsin. Boise St. did struggle against the better teams on its schedule as the three losses came against bowl teams and none of the victories over bowl teams were impressive. There is a big injury concern for Boise St. as running back Alexander Mattison was hurt in the third quarter Dec. 2 against Fresno St. and leads the Broncos with 1,074 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. He will be a game time decision. 10* (205) Oregon Ducks

While we usually turn our heads at road revenge, this is a completely different situation. Cincinnati was 30-5 after a first-round win in the NCAA Tournament last season but got ousted in the second round by UCLA as it lost by 12 points as the Bruins were efficient as they shot 50 percent from the floor, hit 11 three-pointers and committed just three turnovers. That is not Cincinnati basketball and it is showing that this season by allowing opponents to shoot just 36.1 percent from the floor while forcing 16.2 turnovers per game. The Bearcats lost consecutive games against Xavier and Florida bust bounced back with a big win over Mississippi St. last time out to gain momentum heading into today. UCLA is off to a 7-2 start but five of those wins came against nobodies and it has struggled against teams with a pulse. Wins over Georgia Tech and Wisconsin came by three and two points respectively and losses against Creighton and Michigan were big. The Bruins are 5-0 at home but those victories were against those poor teams, so this will be the first true home test of the season. Going back, the Bruins are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games against teams with a winning % above .600 and we expect them to struggle again against a team out for serious payback. 10* (545) Cincinnati Bearcats

This is one of those lines that makes you think, as Florida St. is No. 19 in the country thanks to winning and covering every game this season at 9-0 and 7-0 respectively yet is favored at a reasonable price. The public has taken note as the Seminoles are one of the biggest consensus plays of the day but despite that, the line has actually come down, so we take advantage of the reverse line movement. We played against the Cowboys last Saturday as they were getting too much respect at home against Wichita St., but they match up a lot better here. Oklahoma St. is a balanced team with eight players averaging between 7.4 and 12.7 ppg and that can be tough to defend. Florida St. does possess an impressive win over Florida but that is about it as even with that game, it has played a schedule ranked No. 286 in the nation. The Seminoles went 26-9 last season but lost four starters from that team including two that are playing in the NBA so because of that and the soft schedule, it is hard to get a read on a team like this. The talent and athleticism are here once again but the fact of the matter is that Florida St. has not been tested much this season and is laying too much here on a neutral floor. 10* (599) Oklahoma St. Cowboys

It comes as no surprise that the public is all over Iowa here based on name in this matchup and what many will consider being a short line. The fact is that the Hawkeyes are not a good basketball team and we learned that the hard way a couple weeks back when they lost at home to Penn St. in their conference opener. This is a deep roster that should be producing better results, but they have been unable to make a move while four of their five wins have come in non-lined games. Drake won seven games last season under two different coaches and this season has a new head coach, but this is a team heading in the right direction. The Bulldogs brought back a lot of production and they have been very competitive with a 5-5 start, four of those losses coming by five points or less including defeats against Colorado, Wyoming and Minnesota. This is a deep team as well and has the best player on the court in Reed Timmer who leads the team in all categories. Drake possesses a big edge in the significant free throw shooting category as it is shooting 79.8 percent from the line which is No. 5 in the country, compared to 65.2 percent for Iowa, good for No. 309. 10* (603) Drake Bulldogs

This is a play on the TROY TROJANS for our CFB New Orleans Bowl Dominator. Troy won a share of the Sun Belt Conference regular season championship with Appalachian St. and kicks off bowl season against North Texas in the New Orleans Bowl. The Trojans finished the season 10-2 with the lone losses coming at Boise St. and at home against South Alabama which may seem like a surprise but that has turned into a bitter rivalry battle. They capped their season with a win over Arkansas St. which prevented the Red Wolves from getting a share of the title and it was a game where they got severely outstated. Troy lost the yardage battle by 313 total yards, but the defense and special teams were the difference and will be the difference here as well. The Trojans are ranked No. 11 in scoring defense and have not allowed more than 25 points in any game. North Texas qualified for a bowl game by winning the C-USA West Division, but this is a team hard to get excited about. Only two of its conference wins came against teams with a winning record in the C-USA and after getting hammered during the regular season by Florida Atlantic, it got hammered again by the Owls in the C-USA Championship. The offense was very good at times, but this is a tough defense it will be facing while its own defense was rough. The Men Green allowed 33.8 ppg which is No. 106 in the country and their 431.2 ypg allowed is good for No. 97. Bowl season tends to favor the better defense and in this case, it will favor the defense that is better by 90 ypg. We have great line value as well with the spread dipped under the key number of seven. 10* (202) Troy Trojans

Denver expects to get Nikola Jokic back tonight after missing seven games with a sprained ankle and it could not come at a better time. This line came out late because of his status and the Nuggets will be out to rebound from a poor roadtrip where they went 2-4 to fall to 5-11 on the season away from home. They have been significantly better at home as they are 10-2 which includes seven consecutive wins. They have not been here much over the last month as 10 of the last 13 games have come on the road and Denver has taken care of the teams it should at home as the two losses have come against Washington and Golden St. New Orleans won on Wednesday at home against Milwaukee and while it comes into tonight with a respectable 7-7 record on the road, the situation has had a lot to do with that. The Pelicans have won five of six road games when favored but just 2-6 as road underdogs making the chalk 11-3 in their 14 games away from home. Denver will be out for revenge as well after losing in New Orleans by nine points in the second game of the recent roadtrip. 10* (820) Denver Nuggets

Chicago has won four straight games which is one more victory than it had through its first 23 games as it started 3-20 but the last three have come at home. The Bulls are just 2-12 on the road with one of those wins coming in overtime and on the season, they are getting outscored by over 11 ppg on the highway. This winning streak has coincided with the return of Nikola Mirotic who is averaging 19.5 ppg which leads the team by a comfortable margin, but this will not last. It has been an up and down season for Milwaukee and it has been the former of late as the Bucks have won six of their last eight games although they are coming off a loss against New Orleans last time out on Wednesday. That was on the road however and they are on a four-game home winning streak where they are 9-4 on the season with the four losses coming against Cleveland, Boston, Oklahoma City and Washington. Chicago cannot be lumped into that group and the Bucks playing elite competition has been the problem as they are 3-7 against the top ten of the league while going 12-4 against every other team. 10* (816) Milwaukee Bucks

Dartmouth finished in a tie for last place in the Ivy League last season and it is expected to hold down last place again this season. The Big Green are off to a 3-4 start including a win at Maine last Friday but now they face their biggest challenge of the season as they have played a schedule ranked No. 341 out of 351 Division I teams. This is a very young team with nine freshmen and sophomores on the roster and are even worse off now. Dartmouth was expected to have three starters back from last season including preseason All-Conference forward Evan Boudreaux, but he is out for the season as he was ruled ineligible after averaging 17.5 ppg and 9.5 rpg last season. Additionally, Guilien Smith, the only other double-digit returning scorer, is out until January with a broken finger. Illinois-Chicago is off to a disappointing 3-6 start, but the schedule has been challenging. The Flames have a solid nucleus back from a team that improved its record by 12 games last season and they are expected to contend in the Horizon League this season. We are getting value in this line considering they are off to a 0-6 ATS start and going back, the Flames are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games following a double-digit loss at home. 10* (824) Illinois-Chicago Flames

We won with Detroit last night and part of the reason for playing the Pistons was because of the schedule it has recently faced. They had lost seven straight games, all against teams currently sitting in playoff positions, so facing the Hawks was a needed break. Now they go back to the tough slate as they are again going up again a playoff contending team and doing so with no rest. Detroit has not covered back-to-back games since last month and the Pistons are 5-11-1 ATS in their last 17 games playing with no rest. Indiana lost its last game in the much-anticipated return of Paul George as it fell to the Thunder despite outshooting Oklahoma City, but the difference was from the charity stripe as the Pacers were outscored 15-4 which is kind of rare for a home team to have such a negative disparity. The loss snapped a four-game home winning streak where they are 10-5 and have won all seven games as a home favorite, covering six of those. The Pacers are 5-0 ATS in their last five games following a straight up loss while going 6-2 ATS in their last eight games against teams with a winning straight up record. 10* (802) Indiana Pacers

USC opened the season 4-0 but has lost three straight games against some powerful competition so it catches a break tonight and will be fully motivated to put the pedal on the gas. The Trojans made a run in the NCAA Tournament last season and came into the season ranked No. 10 in the AP Poll, but the three losses have dropped them out of the poll. They have four of five starters back and while the offense has struggled of late, they will be playing one of the worst defensive teams in the nation. Santa Clara had a winning record last season as it finished a game over .500 but its season ended in the WCC Semifinals and did not get to play in a postseason tournament. The Broncos have three starters back, but the losses will be hard to replace especially Jared Brownridge who finished his career as the No. leading scorer in program history. Santa Clara is 3-6 to start the season with six games coming at home and the other three on a neutral floor in Seattle making this its first true road game of the season. The only victories came against Division III La Verne University, Arkansas Pine Bluff and Northern Arizona with the last two teams possessing an RPI of No. 344 and No. 277 respectively. 10* (514) USC Trojans

This is a play on the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS for our NFL Thursday Primetime Play. Denver snapped an eight-game losing streak with a win over the Jets as New York was a mess with and without Josh McCown as it managed a mere 100 yards of total offense. The Broncos defense can take some of that credit, but the Jets offense is a bad unit to begin with, so it went both ways. Denver vaulted up to No. 1 in total defense with that effort but now they have to travel on a short week which puts them in a difficult spot and while they are the top unit, they allow 24.2 ppg which is No. 24 in the NFL. The defense is the reason they are favored here but and while the Colts offense has been inconsistent this season, they are a better unit at home. They have faced four straight teams with potent defenses and while this one will be the fifth straight, the advantage will be the short week and travel for Denver as mentioned as well as the Broncos defense being banged up. Denver goes from the role of home underdog to road favorite and that is a bad move in this case with the Jets and Colts not being different enough from each other. Indianapolis is 2-4 at home with three of those losses coming by four points or less, two of those coming against upcoming playoff teams. Going back to last season, the Broncos are 0-8 ATS in their last eight road games while the Colts are 4-0 ATS in their last four games after accumulating less than 250 total yards in their previous game. 10* (302) Indianapolis Colts

While the term desperate may not quite be the term to use for Detroit right now, this team needs a victory to get its season turned back around. The Pistons have lost seven straight games after a 14-6 start, but the schedule has played a role in that as all seven games came against teams that are currently sitting in a playoff spot. There are no excuses for a losing streak like this, but the toughness of the slate can make a team go in the wrong direction despite being considered a team that is trending up. Detroit has gone 8-2 against teams ranked outside the top 16 so a visit to Atlanta is just what it currently needs. The Hawks have been playing competitively as they have covered four straight games and six of their last seven which is keeping lower that it should be. Atlanta is 1-13 against top 16 teams and it is the only team in the NBA that has fewer than two wins against teams in that group. The Hawks are 3-9 at home and there have been few upsets here as the favorite is 11-1 in those 12 games including Atlanta going 0-8 as a home underdog. The Pistons last game resulted in a 19-point loss to Denver and they are 4-1 ATS in their last five games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points. 10* (501) Detroit Pistons

It has been a disappointing run of late and a disappointing season overall for the Thunder, but they are in a rare spot tonight where they can break out. Oklahoma City has dropped nine straight games against the number to fall to 7-18-1 ATS on the season and the problem has been when expectations are high. The Thunder are 6-18-1 ATS as favorites while winning just 11 of those games outright but they won and covered their lone game as underdogs, a 17-point victory against Golden St. Going back, the Thunder are 38-18-1 ATS in their last 57 games following a double-digit loss at home. The Pacers have been the beneficiaries of the offseason trade between these two teams as Victor Oladipo has been more productive than Paul George at this point but that is a comparison that is skewed based on what is around each player. The Pacers are 16-11 on the season after four straight wins highlighted by the victory over the Cavaliers that snapped their 13-game winning streak. Indiana is tied with Milwaukee for fourth place in the Eastern Conference, but the success has come within the conference as it is just 5-5 against the west. 10* (705) Oklahoma City Thunder

Temple has won two straight games and is now playing its third straight home game after opening the season with six straight games away from home. While the Owls are facing the No. 1 team in the AP Poll, a better indicator of this matchup is looking at the RPI since rankings are meaningless. They come in ranked No. 8 in the most recent RPI while the Wildcats are ranked just slightly ahead at No. 6, so these teams are much closer to each other than what the public is aware of. Temple does have some impressive wins on the resume as it has defeated Clemson, Auburn and South Carolina and most impressive, all were away from home and overall it has played the No. 3 ranked schedule in the nation. We have seen some big upsets this season and Villanova is on alert now in what will be a tough road game for a team that has not played a very tough schedule. A 16-point win over Gonzaga looks impressive but the Bulldogs are not the same team from last season as it is No. 38 in the RPI. While the Wildcats are still extremely talented, the loss of Josh Hart, Kris Jenkins and Darryl Reynolds is tough to make up while on the flip side, Temple has four starters back from last season plus the return of point guard Josh Brown who played only five games last season. 10* (720) Temple Owls

We lost with the Knicks on Sunday as they won but failed to cover by a bucket and we will be going back with them tonight. It has not been a very good run of late for New York which is 3-6 over its last nine games but keep in mind it has not been at full strength as Kristaps Porzingis missed three of those games which all resulted in losses. The Knicks are 12-5 at home and on the season, the home team is 20-6 in their games which makes this spot even better as they are a perfect 7-0 as home favorites and laying a short price here. Going back, they are 7-2 ATS in their last nine home games against teams with a losing road record. The Lakers have opened their current roadtrip with a pair of victories which is just the third time they have won consecutive games this season. They failed to make it three in a row in the previous two instances and with a game at Cleveland on deck, the focus may not be there tonight. The Lakers are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 road games against teams with a winning home record. 10* (506) New York Knicks

At first glance, this line looks to be inflated but it should be higher based on the situation. Mississippi St. comes in with a perfect 8-0 record which is exactly half of what it won all of last season, but it is a skewed undefeated record. The Bulldogs have played a schedule that is ranked No 341 out of 351 Division I teams and on top of it, they have yet to leave Starkville as all eight games have come on their own floor. They are the lone remaining team in the county that has not played away from home and they are going into a hornets nest tonight. The Bearcats are coming off a 30-win season and have three starters back including AAC Preseason Player of the Year Gary Clark. After opening the season 7-0, Cincinnati has dropped its last two games against Xavier and Florida, two above average teams both of which were away from home. The Bearcats return to BB&T Arena where they look to extend their 30-game home winning streak which is the longest in the country and they have not lost three games in a row since February, 2015. Mississippi St. is 0-7 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up win of more than 20 points. 10* (522) Cincinnati Bearcats

This is a play on the MIAMI DOLPHINS for our NFL Monday Primetime play. This is a sneaky tough spot for the Patriots which are coming off a divisional road win last week in Buffalo which basically locked up the division and they have a huge game at Pittsburgh next week that will go a long way in deciding home field advantage in the AFC. That will close a stretch of five of six games being played on the road so this has been a challenging part of the schedule. New England does not seem too phased by it considering it has won eight straight games and covered the last six which is a big reason they are overpriced here. Losing outright will likely be a small option but a letdown and lookahead effort leading to a non-cover is a strong option. The Dolphins are coming off one of their best games of the season as they defeated the Broncos 35-9 and while the playoffs are a minor miracle away from happening, they will be ready to play in the national spotlight against a hated rival. Miami will likely test the New England rush defense that has allowed 1,449 yards on the ground (26th in the NFL) and an NFL worst 5.1 ypc and it was Kenyan Drake who had a coming out party in his first game where he was the featured back. Defensively, the Dolphins will not have to worry about tight end Rob Gronkowski who is suspended after tearing Miami apart two weeks ago with a pair of touchdowns. The Dolphins are 6-2 ATS in their last eight home games vs. a team with a winning road record while the Patriots are 2-6 ATS in their last eight road games against teams with a non-winning home record. 10* (134) Miami Dolphins

The Knicks are now 2-6 over their last eight games following a loss last night in Chicago and we are looking for a big bounce back tonight. The recent run started back on November 24 with a 12-point loss in Atlanta after blowing a 15-point lead after the first quarter and while it is just the Hawks, revenge is in play here. New York committed 20 turnovers in that game which led to 20 more shots taken for the Hawks and it was a rare instance where a team shot over 50 percent and lost by double-digits. The Knicks are 6-1 ATS in their last seven home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. Atlanta won a rare game last night as it defeated Orlando by seven points in the second game of a home-and-home with the Magic. It was only the sixth win for the Hawks and they are in duel poor spots tonight as they are 0-5 when playing with no rest and 0-5 when coming off a victory. This is the first time this season they have played this combo together on the road and we are expecting ugly results. 10* (512) New York Knicks

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA EAGLES for our NFL Sunday Star Attraction. The Rams moved to within a game of the Eagles and Vikings in the NFC with a win on the road in Arizona coupled with the Philadelphia loss in Seattle. It was the second straight win for Los Angeles, but it did get outgained last week against the Cardinals as it benefitted from three turnovers including an interception returned for a touchdown. The Rams are ranked No. 5 in the NFL in total offense after finishing dead last in the league last season, so the turnaround has been impressive. They will be facing a stout defense this week and they have struggled when going up against tough stop units. This will be the third top three defense they it has faced this season and Los Angeles managed only 254 yards against the Vikings and just 249 yards against the Jaguars. The Eagles and allowing 293.2 ypg which is currently third in the league and the offense is just as good as they are ranked No. in total offense. Despite losing last week, they outgained the Seahawks by 115 total yards which was the ninth straight game they have outgained their opponent. Last week, they lost the turnover battle 2-0 and were shutout in the redzone so the 348-yard game from Carson Wentz went for naught. A win here for the Eagles would give them some redemption and help them keep pace with Minnesota for the top seed in the NFC while a loss would drop them down to the No .3 seed based on head-to-head tiebreakers. This is the first meeting between the top two quarterbacks taken in the draft last year and while Jared Goff is having a great season as well, Wentz will be the one to get it done. 10* (127) Philadelphia Eagles

This game could not set up any better for Kansas which is coming off its first loss of the season. The Jayhawks lost to Washington in Kansas City by nine points as a 21.5-point favorite, so we will see them buckle up and get the job done in their return home to Allen Fieldhouse. Six of their previous seven wins resulted in double-digit victories and there is no reason to think that it will not happen again today. Arizona St. is a quality team as it comes in undefeated and ranked No. 17 in the current AP Poll. The Sun Devils own a quality win over Xavier but that is about it and Sunday is their first true road game of the season. They could not have picked a worst time and opponent to be hitting the highway. Under head coach Bill Self, Kansas is 37-4 at home against ranked opponents and this streak includes 19 consecutive wins. It gets even better when the Jayhawks are back home following a loss as they are 37-0 at home in their last 37 games after a defeat. 10* (516) Kansas Jayhawks

This is a play on the CAROLINA PANTHERS for our NFL Game of the Week. While the Falcons and Saints both control their own destiny in the NFC South, that is not the case for Carolina. The Panthers have two games left within the division but neither of those are against New Orleans as they lost both meetings which means they will have to finish a game ahead of the Saints to claim the division. If they do in fact win out and the Falcons can defeat the Saints in two weeks, Carolina would be division champions, but it needs to take care of business here first. This is the first of three straight home games for Carolina where it is 3-2, losing to the Saints and Eagles. This is the time of year that the Panthers pick up their game and after having a four-game winning streak snapped last week, the Panthers are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a straight up loss. The Vikings continue to impress and because of the Eagles loss at Seattle last week, they are tied with Philadelphia for the top spot in the NFC. Minnesota has won eight straight games while covering the last seven of those and that is the top reason it comes in as a road favorite here. The Vikings are tied with the Rams for the best road record in the NFC at 5-1 but this spot is not ideal as it is their third straight road game and while they will not play any less hard, the fatigue factor is most important especially this late in the season. Minnesota has dropped five straight games in this situation of a third straight roadie and we can expect the winning streak to come to an end here. 10* (116) Carolina Panthers

This is a play on the CLEVELAND BROWNS for our NFL Sunday Enforcer. We won with the Packers last week as they defeated Tampa Bay in overtime which came after a close three-point loss at Pittsburgh the previous week. The problem is while the scores look impressive, Green Bay was outgained by 155 yards against the Steelers and by 119 yards against the Buccaneers, so the results have been skewed. Quarterback Brett Hundley looked good against Pittsburgh, but he had a bad game against Tampa Bay despite the Buccaneers possessing a poor defense and that was his fourth quarterback rating of less than 50. The Packers have relied on the running game as they have outrushed five of their last six opponents, but Cleveland has a very underrated defense as it is ranked No. 9 overall including No. 6 against the run while its 3.3 ypc average allowed is the best in the NFL. The Browns problems have been on the offensive end as they are No. 24 overall but have been undone by mistakes as their 30 giveaways are the most in the league which has led to a league-low 14.7 ppg. The Packers defense is nothing special as they are ranked No. 23 in the league and over their last eight games, they have allowed an average of 25 ppg. Wide receiver Josh Gordon played his first game last week since 2014 and while there was rust, he was targeted 11 times and averaged 21.3 ypr on four catches and he could be in for a big game this week against a horrible Green Bay secondary. The Packers failed in their only other game as a road favorite this season and will do so again here. 10* (118) Cleveland Browns

This is the contrarian play of the night as Houston comes in riding an eight-game winning streak with all those wins coming by double-digits and additionally, it is on a seven-game road winning streak. Conversely, the Blazers have dropped all three games of this current homestand, so it may not come as a shock that the linesmakers have put up a double-digit number here. That is an aggressive move as this is a 16-point spread swing for Portland from its last game against Washington where it got crushed by 14 points. The Blazers have had four days off to stew about that defeat as well as the three-game slide, so we will see a very motivated bunch tonight. Portland has not been an underdog of more than 4.5 points all season so this is a massive jump and the extra time off also helps knowing that the Blazers are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games playing on three or more days rest. 10* (720) Portland Trailblazers

We won with the Miners last Saturday and will be backing them again here as they are home dogs once again with a lot of that based on records. They had lost six straight prior to that win but they have played a tough schedule which is currently ranked No. 46 in the nation. The Miners roster is comprised of eight newcomers including five freshmen and only five returners from last year's fourth-seeded C-USA team that went 15-17 overall but an impressive 12-6 in conference play. They do return four starters while getting graduate transfer Keith Frazier from SMU, who is a former McDonald's All-American. Washington St. won 13 games last season and lost four starters and is expected to contend for last place in the Pac 12. The Cougars played their first true road game on Wednesday and got annihilated at Idaho by 27 points so wins over San Diego St, and St. Marys are a thing of the past. 10* (792) UTEP Miners

Tulsa and Kansas St. square off in Wichita with the Golden Hurricane grabbing a significant number on a neutral floor. They are 4-4 with only one of those losses coming by more than what they are getting here. Tulsa returns eight letterwinners, including four starters, and 72 percent of its offense from last season's team. It is shooting 47.1 percent from the floor and it has shot at least 45 percent in six of its eight contests, including four games of at least 50 percent shooting. One significant improvement from last year is the defense as it has allowed opponents to shoot just 38.6 percent away from home. Picked to finish eighth in the Big XII Conference, Kansas St. returns eight letterwinners and three starters from last year's team that went 21-14 and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats lone loss came against a good Arizona St. team and they have failed to cover their last four games when laying points. 10* (783) Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Gallagher-Iba Arena used to be one of the most feared places for opponents to go to but that is not the case anymore as the Cowboys home court advantage has shrunk. They went 19-13 over the last two seasons and while they are 6-0 at home this season, the best win came against Austin Peay which is currently ranked No. 266 in the RPI. Oklahoma St. has the worst RPI of all Big XII teams as its schedule is ranked No. 339 out of 351 teams in the nation. Wichita St. comes in with an identical 7-1 record but against a much tougher schedule and the Shockers have had this game circled for close to a year. The Cowboys won last season in Wichita by 17 points which was the only home loss of the season for the Shockers and they will be out for serious payback. Laying points on the road is usually not ideal to back but the case is different today. 10* (763) Wichita St. Shockers

We won with Army in this game last season and the Black Knights have covered five of the last six meetings and we have been on them in each of those. They snapped the 14-game losing streak in this series last year and one big reason for that can be attributed to the fact Army had an extra week to prepare and the same holds true this season as it has been off since November 18 while Navy played its last game on November 24. It is important because preparing for the opposing rushing offenses can be a challenge. Army comes in with the top ranked rushing offense in the country with 368.1 ypg on 6.24 ypc and most impressive about this is the fact the Black Knights have outrushed their opponents by 200 or more yards in eight of their 12 games. Navy is right there as well as it is ranked second in the country in rushing, but it has not been nearly as dominant as it has outrushed opponents by 200 or more yards only three times. The Midshipmen started the season 5-0 but they have struggled over the latter part as they have gone 1-5 over their last six games and they have been outgained in six of their last seven games. Army has been outgained only twice all season and one of those came against Ohio St. Of the three losses, the other two came by four and three points and the Black Knights won the yardage battle both times. These teams are nearly dead even in power rankings, so the fact Army is the underdog is surprising and we will again take the points with the teams that has played better overall. 10* (103) Army Black Knights

It has been a good start to the season for Oklahoma which is off to a 6-1 start and those six victories are more than half of their wins from last season. The Sooners lost a ton of production from two years ago, so they are more experienced now but are not nearly the same team that made it to the 2016 Final Four. The Sooners are getting too much credit for a win over Oregon back on November 26 as the Ducks are in a rebuilding mode and struggling to find consistency. They were favored by 29 and 23.5 points in their last two games and did not come close to covering either of those yet continue to be overvalued heading into this game. USC opened the season 4-0 and has lost its last two games but those came against Texas A&M and SMU, two powerful programs. The Trojans came into the season ranked No. 10 in the AP Poll and the two losses have dropped them to No. 25, but this team is still loaded with potential. They brought back all five starters from last season and while they are without De'Anthony Melton, Jonah Mathews has filled in great. While this is a neutral court game, the fact that it is in Los Angeles is a big edge for the Trojans. 10* (524) USC Trojans

Milwaukee is starting to put things together as it has won four of its last five games including two straight at home while going back, the Bucks are 5-1 in their last six home games. The offense is clicking as they have hit the century mark in seven straight games, averaging 107 ppg over that stretch after averaging 101.4 ppg through their first 16 games. Overall, Milwaukee is ranked No. 10 in the NBA in offensive efficiency and the Bucks are 5-2-1 ATS in their last eight games against teams with a losing straight up record. The Mavericks are coming off a loss in Boston, but it was a solid effort as they had a lead going into the fourth quarter but could not hold on. Dallas has covered three straight games and is 6-1 ATS over its last seven games so this recent history is keeping this line down. How much so? Milwaukee is favored by just one point more here than it was favored by in Dallas just 20 days ago. Milwaukee will have no issues running the score up here if given the opportunity following a 32-point loss in Dallas in that game which was its biggest loss in close to two years and it lowest offensive output of the season. 10* (512) Milwaukee Bucks

Oklahoma City and Brooklyn head to Mexico City Thursday night and it should be the Thunder that have the advantage in the high altitude. They have now won three straight games but failed to cover any of those and are now on a 0-6 ATS run but tonight gives them a solid opportunity to break that streak. Oklahoma City remains a game under .500 and have not been .500 or better since November 15. The Thunder are 16-6 ATS in their last 22 games against teams with a winning percentage below .400. Brooklyn has held its own this season, going 9-14 overall but most of those wins have come against lower level teams as it is 6-6 against teams outside the top 16 while going 3-8 against teams inside the top 16 including 2-5 against the top 10. The Nets are coming off a win over Atlanta by 20 points and have gone 8-1 ATS over their last nine games but putting together actual winning streaks has been an issue as the Nets are just 1-7 following a win this season. Going back, they are 6-14 ATS in their last 20 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points. 10* (705) Oklahoma City Thunder

This is a play on the ATLANTA FALCONS for our NFL Thursday Primetime Play. The Falcons are still on the outside looking in following a loss to the Vikings at home last Sunday and that loss could make them pay. The good news is that the final four games of the season are all divisional games including two against the Saints and seeing they trail New Orleans by two games, they control their own playoff destiny. This is the third of three straight home games so playing on a short week with no travel is big. While there is just a difference of two games between Atlanta and New Orleans, the Falcons should not be home underdogs in this spot as the Saints are a public favorite now. New Orleans had its eight-game winning streak snapped in Los Angels two weeks ago but bounced back last Sunday with a big home win over Carolina as they outgained the Panthers by 121 total yards. It was even worse than that as Carolina put on some garbage yards late in the fourth quarter. Injuries are starting to pile up for New Orleans which hurts when playing on a short week late in the season and it could be down as many as five starters this week. For the Falcons, cornerback Desmond Trufant has been cleared from his concussion symptoms and should play against the Saints which would be significant even though New Orleans is much more balanced this season. The Falcons are 19-8 ATS in their last 27 games after scoring less than 15 points in their previous game. 10* (102) Atlanta Falcons

It has been a miserable couple seasons for Drexel as it has gone 15-48 the last two seasons and while there will be some minor improvements this season, the Dragons are still predicted to finish near the bottom of the CAA. They are off to a 4-4 start and do have an impressive win over Houston, but they have sense endured a bunch of injuries that have killed their depth as they are basically a six-deep team right now with injuries to Troy Harper, Sam Green and Miles Overton taking their toll. Drexel has won two straight but against much inferior opposition and in the only true road game this season, it lost at NJIT by 12 points. LaSalle is 5-4 but has played a much tougher schedule and it is back home where it is 3-0 on the season. This includes an upset win over Temple and this will be a good game to get them prepared for their game against Villanova on Sunday. The Explorers went 15-15 last season and have all five starters back so this is a team than can make some noise in the Atlantic Ten. They have a clear edge at the free throw line as they are hitting 81.1 percent from the stripe, which is fourth in the nation. 10* (714) LaSalle Explorers

Vanderbilt made a surprising trip to the NCAA Tournament last season, but it has its work cut out already as it fell to 3-5 after a loss against Kansas St. it has been a brutal schedule thus far as according to KenPom.com, Vanderbilt has the 40th toughest schedule so far in the nation and the seventh-toughest among Power Five schools. The slow start is a little surprising as the Commodores return eight letter winners and three of their top four scorers from last season. Vanderbilt has not been kind to its backers as it has gone 0-7 against the number. Middle Tennessee also went to the NCAA Tournament last season as it is coming off 31 wins, but it is now in reloading mode as it lost C-USA Players of the Year JaCorey Williams and All Second Team player Reggie Upshaw. The Blue Raiders are coming off back-to-back wins over Florida Gulf Coast and its only real test so far resulted in a loss at Belmont. This is an under the radar rivalry and the Commodores will be out for payback following a 23-point loss to the Blue Raiders last season. 10* (552) Vanderbilt Commodores

The Knicks have lost two straight and five of its last six games to fall under .500 for the first time since October 29 when they were 2-3. The last two losses came with the absence of Kristaps Porzingis who was out with an ankle injury, but he will return tonight which is huge to get back to their winning ways. He has missed four games this season and the Knicks have gone 0-4 in those games. New York is 10-5 at home overall and it is a perfect 5-0 straight up and against the number as a home favorite. Memphis snapped its 11-game losing streak with an upset win at home over Minnesota on Monday. The Grizzlies have lost five straight road games, yet it is catching the lowest spread over this stretch which suggests that this one could go either way, but they are clearly struggling without point guard Mike Conley who will be out until later this month. They are 1-10 without him overall on the season. Going back, the Knicks are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points while the Grizzlies are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games against teams with a losing straight up record. 10* (508) New York Knicks

Temple is the only team from a major conference that has yet to play a home game but that finally ends tonight as the Owls open the home portion of their season against Wisconsin. They are coming off a bad loss at George Washington as 11-point favorites which was their second loss of the season, the first coming against city rival LaSalle. Temple does have some impressive wins on the resume as it has defeated Clemson, Auburn and South Carolina and most impressive, all were away from home. We played against Wisconsin on Monday and it pulled off the upset at Penn St., but it almost did not happen as the Badgers nearly blew a 17-point second half lead as it was a missed Nittany Lions shot in the final seconds to avoid the loss. The victory snapped a 1-5 run against some elite competition and the cohesiveness of this team is still not there after losing four starters from last season. This is not a deep team as after forward Ethan Happ, there is a drastic decline in production. 10* (526) Temple Owls

Princeton won the Ivy League last season for the first time in six years as it went undefeated and it will be contending again. The Tigers are off to a disappointing 2-5 start which includes losses against Butler, BYU and Miami and tonight presents a good opportunity to snap a two-game slide. The Tigers have not been hot from long range over the last two games, combining for 15 of 56 (.268) against Lehigh and Miami and hitting 30 percent neither time. History suggests they will break out of it, as it has been five years since Princeton shot below 30 percent in three consecutive games. Princeton has failed to cover any of its four lines games so that is where the value comes into play. George Washington pulled the upset over Temple last time out to even its record at 4-4. That was clearly the signature win for the Colonials whose other victories have come against Howard, Hampton and Morgan St. After finishing sixth in the Atlantic Ten last season, they are picked to finish No. 11 as they lost a lot of production with four starters gone. 10* (529) Princeton Tigers

This line came out late due to the questionable status of Utah guard Rodney Hood who has missed four straight games due to an ankle injury. It has not affected the Jazz as they have won six straight games following a 2-8 stretch so it has been an up and down season to say the least. Last night, Utah defeated Washington by 47 points and Monday marked the fourth time in franchise history the Jazz have beaten a team by at least 45 points. Five of the six wins have come at home where Utah is 11-4 compared to just 2-7 on the road. Oklahoma City looks to be slowly turning the corner as it has won two straight games following a 1-5 run, but it has not dominated and going back, the Thunder have dropped five straight games against the number. That along with Utah covering six straight games has kept this line within reason and an opportunity for both ATS streaks to come to an end. The Jazz are 2-6 ATS in their last eight road games while the Thunder are 20-6 ATS in their last 26 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. 10* (704) Oklahoma City Thunder

This is one of our favorite college basketball situations where we are backing an unranked favorite over a ranked underdog on the road. The Red Raiders are coming off a loss in their last game against Seton Hall which took place at MSG as they caught a hot shooting Pirates team that went 11-20 from long range. Texas Tech heads back home where it is 4-0 on the season and it has put together a 33-game nonconference home winning streak dating back to the 2013-14 season. The streak is the nation's fifth-longest only behind Duke, Arizona, Butler and Villanova. The Red Raiders are a tough out and they rank inside the NCAA Top 35 in seven categories including rebounding margin where they have a significant edge tonight. Nevada is off to an 8-0 start and cracked the AP Top 25 and while this is a very solid team, the Wolf Pack have not defeated any one of note. On top of them going 8-0, they have covered every game as well and that streak is skewing the markets. The Wolf Pack have already won a nation's best four true road games this season and have won seven consecutive true road decisions dating back to last season. However, the Red Raiders are 5-1 ATS in their last six home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600. 10* (724) Texas Tech Red Raiders

This is a play on the CINCINNATI BENGALS for our NFL Monday Primetime play. The Steelers roll into Cincinnati riding a six-game winning streak and they hold a 2.5-game lead over Baltimore and a four-game lead over the Bengals in the AFC North. Pittsburgh is hanging with New England for the top spot in the AFC as it trails the Patriots by a half-game, so this is clearly a big game. The problem has been playing on the road and while the Steelers are 5-1, four of those wins have come by six points or less including two by a field goal. Wide receiver Antonio Brown leads the NFL in catches (80), yards (1,195) and yards per game (108.6) but he is battling a toe injury and has been downgraded to questionable for tonight. The Bengals are keeping their slim playoff hopes alive as they have won two straight games to move to 5-6 and are currently a game and a half behind the Ravens for the second Wild Card spot in the AFC. While the offense has had its struggles, after starting the season with four picks in the opener against Baltimore, quarterback Andy Dalton has eighteen and just four interceptions since and no picks in his previous five games. Pittsburgh is going to miss cornerback Joe Haden who is out with a leg injury. The Bengals defense is an underrated unit that is ranked No. 14 overall, No. 10 in points allowed and No. 4 in passing defense. Aside from just beating the Steelers this week and losing no more than one game the rest of the season to get into the playoffs, it is the venue that the Bengals need to conquer. 10* (380) Cincinnati Bengals

Orlando is coming off a win yesterday against the Knicks and will be playing its fifth back-to-back of the season. It has been a struggle of late for the Magic which are 2-10 over their last 12 games and it was a rare road win on Sunday after having dropped seven straight on the highway but they were fortunate that New York was without Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr., the top two scorers for the Knicks. Going back, the Magic are 7-19 ATS in their last 26 games following a straight up win. Charlotte is struggling with a four-game losing streak which came after three straight wins, but the Hornets will be getting a weapon back tonight as Kemba Walker is returning after missing the last two games with a shoulder injury. The Charlotte offense has dominated the Orlando defense in recent meetings as the Hornets have averaged 115.4 ppg while beating the Magic eight times in a row including a win earlier this season. The Hornets are 4-1 ATS in their last five games after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game. 10* (504) Charlotte Hornets

We played against Penn St. over the weekend and it resulted in a push as the Nittany Lions went to Iowa and won by four points to open 1-0 in the Big Ten while securing their first victory at Iowa since 2001. This is a team on the rise that has all five starters back from a team that hung with the big boys last season but dropped a bunch of close games. They have only suffered two losses, both to worthy opponents away from home against Texas A&M and NC State. The rest of their non-conference plays into their favor and there is reason to believe that they will come in to the full Big Ten slate with a record of 13-2. Wisconsin made another trip to the Sweet 16 last season, but this edition may miss out on all postseason tournaments. The Badger lost four starters from last year and they are struggling on offense, coming off a pair or poor showings against Ohio St. and Virginia. They have faced some tough opponents and as strange as it may sound, Penn St. now falls into that category. The Nittany Lions have not defeated Wisconsin since 2011and this is the first time they have favored over this stretch which shows how these teams are trending. The Nittany Lions are 10-1-1 ATS in their last 12 games against teams with a losing straight up record. 10* (526) Penn St. Nittany Lions

This is a play on the SEATTLE SEAHAWKS for our NFL Game of the Week. Philadelphia comes in at the top of some power rankings and behind the Patriots in others following nine straight wins and eight straight covers. What is not being taken into consideration is that the Eagles have defeated only one team with a winning record which came at Carolina in Week Six. Since then, they have been on the road only once and have had four home games as well as a bye so not only has the scheduled teams helped them, but logistics have as well. Seattle is 6-2 over its last eight games to keep pace in the NFL West as it trails the Rams by a game. The Seahawks are tied with Atlanta for the second Wild Card spot, but they do not hold the tiebreaker because of the head-to-head loss two weeks ago so each game is huge at this point. Their last three losses have come by a total of 12 points including a pair of losses by a field goal at home, so they will be out to snap a two-game home slide. You have to go all the way back to November 2008 to find the last time Seattle has lost three straight home games. The Eagles were favored by the same amount at Dallas in their last road game and we cannot Seattle which is No. 9 in the power rankings and Dallas which is No. 17. This is the time of year Seattle steps its game up as the Seahawks are 19-6-1 ATS in their last 26 games in December. 10* (378) Seattle Seahawks

This is a play on the ARIZONA CARDINALS for our NFL Sunday Enforcer. We are coming off a win with the Rams last week as they snapped the Saints eight-game winning streak and while there should not be a letdown this week based on everything to play for, we are going against this line which is overinflated. Los Angeles has been outgained by five of 11 opponents this season including four of their five road games and the only time they won the yardage battle on the highway was against the 2-9 Giants. The Rams are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games against teams with a losing record. Arizona is still alive for a playoff berth as it is 5-6 including a 3-2 record at home after a win over Jacksonville last week and this will be the third straight home game where the Cardinals are getting at least six points. Overall, it has been a disappointing season for Arizona and the loss of quarterback Carson Palmer did not help matters but the Cardinals have held their own as they have outgained seven of 11 opponents and overall, they are getting outgained by just 3.2 ypg. Then there is the matter of revenge as Arizona will be out to avenge the 33-0 loss in London to the Rams which was the game Palmer was lost for the season. On top of that, head coach Bruce Arians had never been shut out prior to that game. 10* (374) Arizona Cardinals

We won with Boise St. on Friday as it defeated Oregon outright in Eugene on a half-court shot as time expired, snapping the 46-game home court winning streak for the Ducks but now the Broncos are paying the price. This is a huge overlay because of that win and this has letdown written all over it. That was the third straight victory and cover for the Broncos and now they go from a seven-point dog to a 19-point favorite which is a huge swing no matter the opposition difference. The Pilots had their hands full as one of the host teams of the PK80 tournament over Thanksgiving weekend. Portland drew the defending champion North Carolina Tar Heels in the first round and were handed a 102-78 defeat then followed that up with losses against Oklahoma and DePaul. While all three wins have come against non-Division I teams, this is still a solid team built around a high-scoring offense that can keep pace here. Going back, the Pilots are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 while the Broncos are 0-7 ATS in their last seven home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. 10* (725) Portland Pilots

This is a play on the GREEN BAY PACKERS for our NFL Sunday Supreme Annihilator. Green Bay put up a great effort in Pittsburgh last week, losing to the Steelers by just a field goal as time expired to fall to 5-6 on the season. The Packers are far from done in the playoff picture despite losing five of their last six games as they are two games behind Seattle for the final Wild Card spot in the NFC. Quarterback Brett Hundley is coming off his best game as a starter and he has been solid of late with ratings of 110.8 and 134.3 in two of his last three games. The Green Bay problem has been the defense more than anything as it is ranked No. 23 overall including No. 25 against the pass but that should not be a cause for concern here. Tampa Bay will be getting Jameis Winston back this week, but it is too little, too late for the Buccaneers which come in 4-7 following a loss in Atlanta last week. He has been very inconsistent this season which can be said for the entire offense that is averaging just 20.3 ppg which is No. 23 in the NFL. This was supposed to be a vastly improved defense, but it has gone the wrong way as Tampa Bay is ranked dead last in total defense and passing defense, so this is great news for the Packers and Hundley. The Packers are 4-1 ATS in their last five home games against teams with a losing road record while the Buccaneers are 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven road games. 10* (366) Green Bay Packers

We won with New Mexico on Wednesday as it hammered Evansville at home, but the home venue played a big part in that play and now the Lobos hit the road for just the second time this season. New Mexico has played one true road game this season which resulted in a 19-point loss at New Mexico St. The Lobos are favored on the road not because of what they have done but what their opponent has done of late. UTEP is coming off a horrible game where it shot 37.5 percent from the floor including 4-23 from long range and not one player scored in double figures. That was its sixth straight loss, but this team is much better than that. The Miners roster is comprised of eight newcomers including five freshmen and only five returners from last year's fourth-seeded C-USA team that went 15-17 overall but an impressive 12-6 in conference play. They do return four starters while getting graduate transfer Keith Frazier from SMU, who is a former McDonald's All-American. This is a great opportunity to get back into the win column as the Miners have covered nine of their last 10 home games going back to last season. 10* (596) UTEP Miners

This is a play on the WISCONSIN BADGERS for our CFB Saturday Big Ten Championship Annihilator. Wisconsin can silence the haters with a win here as it has been criticized all season for laying a soft schedule, but you cannot blame the team for it as they have no control how good or bad the teams are. There is a certain calmness and coolness the Badgers have exhibited all year, successfully maintaining focus on Big Ten play despite the national rankings that have had them on the outside of the playoff picture each week. There is pressure to win here for sure but there has been pressure each week and they have passed one. The Buckeyes can sneak into the CFP with a dominating win and some help, but they have struggled this season against the top teams they have played with the exception of a win over Michigan St. Now they will be facing the toughest defense they have seen all season as Wisconsin is No. 1 in the country in total defense. Additionally, it is ranked No. 1 nationally in red zone defense, allowing opponents into the end zone at a 30 percent clip and among all FBS teams, only TCU also sits below 42 percent which shows how good the unit really is. Offensively, the Badgers have one of the best running back no one has heard of in Mike Weber while quarterback Alex Hornibrook has been quietly solid as his 8.8 ypa ranks eighth among Power 5 quarterbacks. Wisconsin has not defeated Ohio St. since 2010 but it is safe to say this is the best Badger team since then when it went 11-2. 10* (328) Wisconsin Badgers

This is a play on the CLEMSON TIGERS for our CFB Saturday ACC Championship Annihilator. Even though Miami lost last week, getting into the CFP is more than possible with a win here so the defeat was not overly costly. What it did do though was give Clemson a good idea of how to beat the Hurricanes and the Tigers have been great at gameplanning over the last few years. Miami deserves to be here to represent the ACC Coastal because it was better than average among the average teams in the division, but it was far from dominant. Four of the Hurricanes conference wins came by just one possession while it took a big comeback to defeat Virginia before losing to Pittsburgh, a team that is not even going to a bowl game. Granted, Clemson lost to a non-bowl contender in Syracuse, but the Tigers lost their quarterback in that game so being No. 1 in the current rankings comes as no surprise. The running game could be huge in this outcome. Clemson running back Travis Etienne is a very underrated player as he averaged 7.4 yards per rush, trailing only Stanford's Bryce Love and Alabama's Damien Harris among Power 5 backs with at least 90 carries. For Miami, Travis Homer has done well filling in for Walton, but last week the Hurricanes had nowhere to run, an ominous sign considering the Clemson run defense is the best in the conference. If the Tigers can get out to a quick start, it could be game over as the Miami offense has been a work in progress all season and faces its biggest test against the best defense it has faced all season. 10* (326) Clemson Tigers