Sports Picks & Predictions

This is a play on the MISSISSIPPI ST. BULLDOGS for our CFB Saturday Star Attraction. Georgia is coming off a comminating performance against then CFP No. 1 Tennessee as it allowed fewer than 300 total yards against one of the best offenses in the country but its own offense was not very good as the Bulldogs had a season low 387 yards and a second lowest 27 points. That was against a pretty average defense at home, granted in some wet weather, and now it hits the highway for only its third road game against a much better defense. Georgia has not played a true game since October 1st and narrowly escaped at Missouri and is now a heavy favorite in a very tough spot. Add to the fact this is a night game in the SEC that Georgia has yet to encounter and we all know how these home field edges can make a huge difference. While they stifled the Tennessee offense, they will be seeing a different Air Raid attack here and will be unlikely to even come close to the seven sacks registered last week. Mississippi St. had a scare last week but was able to take out Auburn in overtime to avoid a third straight loss and moved to 3-3 in the SEC and 6-3 overall. The home team is a perfect 6-0 in the Bulldogs six conference games this season and while we cannot call the outright upset here to keep that undefeated run alive, this is just too many points in a situation like this. Known for its offense, Mississippi St. has not been great but the passing game is on point as it is ranked No. 9 in the country behind Will Rogers who has thrown for 2,544 yards with 23 touchdowns and just four interceptions. As mentioned though, the other side will play a pivotal role as Mississippi St. is ranked No. 46 in total defense and No. 49 in scoring defense and it is going to apply a kind of pressure to Stetson Bennett that he has yet to see so another below average effort from the Bulldogs offense is in the cards. Maybe not the upset but a close one is expected. 10* (214) Mississippi St. Bulldogs

This is a play on the SOUTH ALABAMA JAGUARS for our Sun Belt Game of the Year. South Alabama is coming off a pair of road wins including against Georgia Southern last week as it rallied from a two-touchdown third quarter deficit to improve to 7-2 overall including 4-1 in the Sun Belt Conference but is not in the best shape to make it to the championship game as it trails Troy by a half-game and that one conference loss came against the Trojans. The Jaguars lost that game by only four points as they were stifled by a strong defense and the other loss was by only one point at UCLA. Both sides of the ball have played above average and should name the score here and there is some added incentive as this is a big revenge game for South Alabama as it lost at Texas St. last season by two points in four overtimes as a road favorite. The Jaguars are 5-1 ATS in their last six games against teams with a losing record. Texas St. has lost three straight games to fall to 3-6 so it needs to win out to be considered for a bowl game which is very unlikely at this point even though those final two games are at home but the Bobcats will have a tough time competing here. A lot of that is due to their horrible road play as they are 0-5 while getting outgained by an average of 114 ypg in those games. They are coming off a tough loss last week against UL-Monroe as they opened up a 21-0 lead but gave all of that back and had a chance to win but missed a 38-yard field goal to end the game that would have won it. The offense has been up and down, mostly the latter, as the Bobcats are No. 121 overall and No. 104 in scoring and this is not a good matchup against a very strong defense that has dominated lesser opponents. Texas St. has been outgained in seven of eight games against FBS teams. The Bobcats are 1-4 ATS in their last five games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game. 10* (176) South Alabama Jaguars

This is a play on the NAVY MIDSHIPMEN for our CFB Saturday Afternoon Dominator. Navy is coming off a 10-point loss at Cincinnati, the first of four games away from home to close the season which is not ideal as it needs three wins to become bowl eligible. The running game is not the best it has been but it is still very dependable as it is ranked No. 9 in rushing offense and while facing a solid rushing defense here, Notre Dame has struggled at times. The Midshipmen possess an above average defense, ranked No. 49 overall which shortens the games and keeps the offense on the field. Navy is 6-0 ATS in its last six games when playing against teams with a winning percentage between .600 and .750 and it makes logical sense because it is so good at ball possession while being a sizable underdog against those top teams which is the case here. Additionally it has covered all four games this season as a double-digit underdog for the same reasoning. The Irish are coming off a big upset as they exposed Clemson last week in a 35-14 victory. It has been three straight wins for Notre Dame thanks to some solid defense that has depended on turnovers but the offense has averaged just 359.8 ypg over its last four games. Notre Dame has been a mystery all season as many are aware of already and there is one pattern that cannot be overlooked. The Irish have taken points four times this season and covered all of those, winning three of those outright over North Carolina, Syracuse and Clemson and in the five games they have laid points, they have covered only once as a 3.5-point favorite against BYU while losing two of those outright against Marshall and Stanford at home no less. Here, we play on neutral field underdogs that are an excellent ball control team averaging 32 or more minutes in time of possession. This situation is 72-34 ATS (67.9 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (134) Navy Midshipmen

This is a play on the FRESNO ST. BULLDOGS for our MWC Game of the Month. This could very well have been a contrarian play with Fresno St. having won four straight games and UNLV losing four straight games but we are going with the current momentum in this one as the Bulldogs are finally playing to their potential. They went 10-3 last season and returned 15 starters but got off to a horrible start as following a win over Cal Poly of the FCS, the Bulldogs lost to Oregon St. by three points and then got blown out by USC prior to their bye week. Fresno St. then went to Connecticut and lost as a 22.5-point favorite and then got destroyed at Boise St. before starting its current four-game winning streak. The Bulldogs are a win away from bowl eligibility but more importantly, they control their own destiny at 4-1 in the MWC West Division and have two wins over the only remaining contenders so win out and they are in the championship game. They welcomed back quarterback Jake Haener two games back and all he has done is throw for 722 yards with seven touchdowns and only two interceptions. The defense can dominate here as Fresno St. is ranked No. 49 overall and No. 43 in points allowed and will be facing a below average offense. UNLV opened the season 4-1 but the biggest win came against North Texas and it has been downhill since as mentioned with its four consecutive defeats. There as been a consistency with the Rebels are the favorite has won all nine games involving UNLV so the Rebels have won the games they were supposed to and lost the games they were supposed to as well. Their offense has been pretty bad as they are ranked No. 101 overall and No. 82 in scoring and they have averaged only 11.3 ppg over the last four games. The defense has played better than expected but it is still not very good, ranking No. 67 overall and No. 84 in points allowed and they should get scorched here. Here, we play on road teams averaging between 5.6 to 6.2 yppl and after gaining 525 or more total yards in their previous game going up against teams allowing between 4.8 to 5.6 yppl. This situation is 56-22 ATS (71.8 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (123) Fresno St. Bulldogs

This is a play on the UL-LAFAYETTE RAGIN' CAJUNS for our CFB Thursday Enforcer. This is the classic matchup of strength against strength and weakness against weakness. Louisiana is coming off a brutal loss and an even more brutal bad beat for bettors as the Cajuns had a 17-0 lead heading into the final play of the third quarter but allowed Troy to tie it up with 2:41 left and then instead of kicking a game-winning field goal with 10 seconds left, the Trojans scored on a 22-yard touchdown run for the win and cover. It was the second straight loss for Louisiana as it fell to 4-5 so it needs to win two of its final three games to become bowl eligible and this is a must win as it has Florida St. on deck on the road. The final two games are on the road so this is the final home game of the season so Senior Night takes place in Lafayette. The strength of the Cajuns is their defense as they are ranked No. 33 overall and No. 36 in points allowed and on the season, they have given up 23 points or less in seven of their nine games. The offense has been the letdown as they are just No. 94 overall and No. 85 in scoring but face a very bad defense. Louisiana is 20-8 ATS in its last 28 games off a home loss against a conference opponent. Georgia Southern is also coming off a loss as it fell at home against South Alabama and it dropped to 2-3 in the Sun Belt Conference East Division which eliminated it from a chance at the championship game. The Eagles have now been outgained in six straight games and while the offense has done its job, the defense has not. They are ranked No. 18 in total offense but faces the strength of their opponent while the defense is No. 129 overall so that is where the Cajuns will have success. Georgia Southern needs just one more win to become bowl eligible and will likely get one of those over its last two games which take place at home. Here, we play against teams averaging 400 or more total ypg on offense, after allowing 6.25 or more yards per play in four consecutive games. This situation is 67-32 ATS (67.7 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (118) UL-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns

This is a play on the MIAMI REDHAWKS for our CFB Tuesday Enforcer. Ohio defeated Buffalo last week, which came into the game first place in the MAC East Division, but the Bobcats victory put them into a tie with the Bulls and Falcons at 4-1 and they hold one of the tiebreakers and have a meeting with Bowling Green in their season finale. Ohio has won four straight games and has covered five straight but four of those outright wins were at home and it enters Tuesday just 1-3 on the road and while two came against power five teams, the other was against 3-6 Kent St. where it was outgained by 286 total yards and allowed a whopping 736 yards to the Golden Flashes. The defense has shown promise of late but the Bobcats are still ranked No. 127 in total defense and No. 115 in scoring defense and that should give Miami life here. The Bobcats are 9-21 ATS in their last 30 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points. While Miami is likely out of the chase in the MAC East, it kept its season alive with a win over Akron last Saturday which gives it a little extra time for this home matchup. The RedHawks improved to 4-5 overall so they avoided having to win out over their last three games to become bowl eligible even though they have two winnable games to close out the season. Six of their nine games have been away from home and they have gone 2-4 in those games but two of those losses were against Kentucky and Cincinnati and the other two were against first place Buffalo and Bowling Green by four points apiece so this team has played a lot better than its record shows. The defense is good enough to win games as they are No. 36 overall and No. 31 in points allowed and will be a factor here. The RedHawks are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game. 10* (104) Miami RedHawks

This is a play on the JAMES MADISON DUKES for our CFB Saturday Enforcer. Louisville rolled over Wake Forest last week 48-21 but it was not because it dominated the Demon Deacons but because it benefitted from eight turnovers gained that included two interceptions returned for touchdowns. The Cardinals improved to 5-3 with the victory as they have won three straight games but they have been fairly average on both sides of the ball, ranked No. 55 in total offense and No. 50 in total defense. This is not a good spot coming off three straight conference wins with a game at Clemson on deck. The Cardinals are 4-14-1 ATS in their last 19 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points. James Madison opened the season 5-0 in its first season at the FBS level and got into the AP poll at No. 25 but it has dropped its last two games as a double-digit favorite despite winning the combined overall yardage in those games. The Dukes are ranked in the top 20 in both total offense and total defense so they have edges on both sides and while the schedule has come into play, this team is loaded and the transition into the upper tier of college football has not affected them at all after being a dominant program at the FCS level. The Dukes are 5-1 ATS in their last six games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game. Here, we play on road teams averaging 6.1 or more yards per play, after gaining 3.75 or less yards per play in their previous game. This situation is 30-5 ATS (85.7 percent) since 1992. 10* (337) James Madison Dukes

This is a play on the TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS as part of our CFB Saturday Afternoon Three Pack. This is the marquee game of the week as Tennessee was expected to be good but it has proven to be one of the top teams in the nation that included a win against Alabama. There have been a couple other close calls along the way but it is impossible to ignore the fact the Volunteers possess the top ranked offense in the country, both overall and in scoring. This is obviously going to be a tough road environment but they got a good scheduling time slot and while they have played only two road games, one of those was a 40-13 win at LSU, a team that has showed how good it is of late. The Volunteers are 4-1 ATS in their last five games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game. Georgia is rolling again after a couple of hiccups a month ago against Kent St. and Missouri and it has still been the most dominant team in the country, outgaining opponents by close to 270 ypg but has played no one since its opener against Oregon. The two best opponents since then have been Florida and Auburn, the former sitting at 4-4 and the latter coming off just firing their coach. The Bulldogs are the most complete team in the country but now face their toughest opponent by far. Georgia is 3-15 ATS in its last 18 home games against teams averaging 275 or more passing ypg. Here, we play on road underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points after gaining 525 or more total ypg over their last three games going up against an opponent after outgaining opponent by 125 or more total yards in their previous game. This situation is 30-7 ATS (81.1 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (399) Tennessee Volunteers

This is a play on the OKLAHOMA ST. COWBOYS as part of our CFB Saturday Afternoon Three Pack. Oklahoma St. started off 5-0 and the preseason prediction of a Big XII Championship were in full focus but an overtime loss at TCU after blowing a big lead cut into that but last week was the real dagger as the Cowboys lost at Kansas St. 48-0, the first time they have been shutout in close to 13 years. They came in ranked No. 3 in scoring offense in the country but were held to less half of their season average on offense as they managed only 217 total yards. This is a good bounce back spot with a good number and Oklahoma St. is 21-9 ATS in its last 30 games after allowing 17 points or more in the first half in two straight games. The magical season for Kansas has abruptly come to an end as it opened 5-0 and made it into the AP Poll for the first time since 2009 but has since lost three straight games. The Jayhawks have been outgained in five of their seven games against FBS opponents and the offense has decreased its production over the last three games as the absence of quarterback Jalon Daniels has hindered the offense and he is out at least two more weeks. One thing that has not changed is the defense that is ranked No. 113 overall and No. 102 in scoring and faces a fired up offense here. Kansas is 3-11 ATS in its last 14 games after two or more consecutive straight up losses. Here, we play on road teams averaging 425 or more total ypg, after gaining 3.75 or less yards per play in their previous game. This situation is 26-6 ATS (81.2 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (341) Oklahoma St. Cowboys

This is a play on the UAB BLAZERS for our C-USA Game of the Year. UAB is 4-4 on the season and has been all over the place but a return home is just what it needs. The home team is 8-0 in its eight games and the four road losses they have sustained have all been by one possession and the Blazers won the yardage battle in half of those games. At home, all four victories have been by at least two touchdowns and while this is the toughest opponent of the bunch, the line is indicative of that as is the fact UAB has failed to cover its last three games. The Blazers have a big edge on offense as they are No. 33 overall including No. 5 in rushing in the country. UAB is 12-3 ATS in its last 15 games coming off a loss against a conference rival and 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games off an upset loss as a favorite. UTSA has won five straight games but covered only one of those against Middle Tennessee St. and while it brings in a very solid offense, it goes up against a Blazers defense that is once again stout. The other side here is the problem as the Roadrunners are ranked No. 105 in total defense and No. 92 in scoring defense which gives the Blazers offense that advantage. UTSA has dominated in its last two road games but those were against FIU and Middle Tennessee St. The Roadrunners are 1-8 ATS in their last nine games following a straight up win. Here, we play against teams where the line is +3 to -3 after allowing 6.25 or more yards per play in their previous game going up against an opponent after outgaining opponent by 125 or more total yards in their previous game. This situation is 111-53 ATS (67.7 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (410) UAB Blazers

This is a play on the BAYLOR BEARS as part of our CFB Saturday Afternoon Three Pack. Oklahoma looked as though it may not have missed head coach Lincoln Riley jumping ship to USC as it opened 3-0 but that was against weak opposition and the Sooners then lost three straight games when they faced teams with a pulse. They have bounced back with a pair of wins but those were against Kansas which was missing its starting quarterback, and Iowa St. that has one of the worst offenses in the conference. Now they again face a quality opponent with a defense that is one of the worst in recent years as the Sooners are No. 114 overall. The Sooners are 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game. Baylor is also 5-3 on the season but has played much better than that as after getting outgained by BYU in their second game of the season, the Bears have won the yardage battle in six straight games including a pair of losses against Oklahoma St. and West Virginia with turnovers being the difference. they have the offense that can take advantage of this porous defense as they are ranked No. 27 overall and No. 15 in scoring while their defense is also in the top 30 overall and can shut down the Sooners rushing game. The Bears are 17-5 ATS in their last 22 road games against teams with a winning home record. Here, we play against home teams after being beaten by the spread by 49 or more points in their last five games, in weeks 10 through 13. This situation is 48-18 ATS (72.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (359) Baylor Bears

This is a play on the ARMY BLACK KNIGHTS for our CFB Saturday Afternoon Dominator. After a 1-4 start, Army has won two straight games to move to 3-4 which is a very disappointing start after going 9-4 last season. Over the last three years, Army has improved in the final rankings, finishing No. 89 in 2019, No. 66 in 2020 and No. 43 in 2021 and the 2022 version was supposed to be even better but the defense has fallen short. After finishing No. 15 in total defense last season, the Black Knights are No. 92 overall and No. 93 in scoring defense but facing a similar attack should produce better results. Army is 19-10 ATS in its last 29 games away from home after playing a game at home. Air Force is coming off a 19-14 home loss against Boise St. which was its third loss this season as a favorite. The Falcons have failed to cover three of their last four games which includes a 13-10 win over Navy which is a very similar matchup as the one they have here with the Midshipmen similar to Army in their schemes and the knowledge known how to defend. The possess the No. 1 rushing offense in the country and facing the No. 2 rushing offense this week so while they also have the knowledge that Army has, the fact they are laying over a touchdown is too much. The Falcons are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games after accumulating less than 275 total yards in their previous game. Here, we play on neutral field underdogs averaging 225 or more rushing ypg, after gaining 225 or more rushing yards in four straight games. This situation is 25-3 ATS (89.3 percent) since 1992. 10* (322) Army Black Knights

This is a play on the WASHINGTON HUSKIES for our CFB Friday Supreme Annihilator. Oregon St. is ranked for the first time since 2013 as it comes in at No. 23 in the AP Poll following three straight wins but those have come against teams that are a combined 3-13 in the Pac 12. The Beavers two losses came against two of the best teams in the conference in USC and Utah, the latter coming on the road by 26 points and their two road wins were against Fresno St. and Stanford by a combined four points. They are ranked in the top 50 in six of the eight major statistical categories on both sides but are not ranked higher than No. 30 in any of those so while consistent, they do nothing real outstanding and while the offense has an edge on the Washington defense, is will have a big disadvantage going up against the Huskies offense. Oregon St. is 6-17 ATS in its last 23 road games after allowing nine points or less last game. Washington was ranked as high as No. 15 in the country early in the season but a loss at UCLA at the end of September knocked it out and that was followed a bad loss at Arizona St. but the Huskies have rebounded with a pair of wins albeit against some poor opposition. They have some momentum back and return home where they are 5-0 on the season and have played here only once since late September so they will be fired up to be back and facing a ranked team. Washington is 0-4 ATS in its last four games so we are catching some value because of that and on the season, it has covered four of its five home games. the defense has been a disappointment for this normally stout unit but have made up for it with an offense that is No. 7 overall and No. 10 in scoring as quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. has been outstanding, throwing for 2,934 yards with 22 touchdowns and four interceptions. Here, we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 10 points off a win against a conference rival going up against an opponent off three straight wins against conference rivals. This situation is 87-42 ATS (67.4 percent) since 1992. 10* (320) Washington Huskies

This is a play on the COASTAL CAROLINA CHANTICLEERS for our CFB Thursday Star Attraction. Coastal Carolina was coming off a tough stretch where it snuck out close wins over Georgia Southern and UL-Monroe as a double-digit favorite and then lost to Old Dominion by 28 points, also as a double-digit favorite. The Chanticleers bounced back with an impressive road win at Marshall last week as a slight underdog and they come back this week as a small home underdog which has out heads shaking and this has been their wheelhouse as they are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games as home underdogs. Quarterback Grayson McCall has followed up his record-setting season by completing 68.8 percent of his passes for 2,061 yards with 19 touchdowns and only one interception and this has been done with less talent than last year. It is not just him however as it is a balanced attack as the running game is potent with C.J. Beasley and Reece White combining for 891 yards on 5.7 ypc. There will be some added motivation here as Coastal Carolina lost at Appalachian St. by three points last season which cost it a trip to the Sun Belt Championship. Appalachian St. is 5-3 on the season with tough losses against North Carolina and James Madison while also losing ugly to Texas St. The Mountaineers do have a big win at Texas A&M but it has become less impressive by the week with the Aggies struggles. The schedule has been in their favor as six of their eight games have been at home including five of their last six and travel on a short week for this one. The numbers favor Appalachian St. overall but the aforementioned schedule has had a lot to with that. Both teams are coming off solid defensive efforts and that has favored Coastal Carolina going forward based on the past as the Mountaineers are 3-14 ATS in their last 17 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game while the Chanticleers are 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game. Here, we play on home teams with a winning percentage of .800 or better off a double digit road win, playing a team with a winning record. This situation is 62-28 ATS (68.9 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (314) Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

This is a play on the BOWLING GREEN FALCONS for our MAC Game of the Month. Bowling Green has won two straight games to move to 4-4 on the season as it has already matched its season win total from last year. Last season, Bowling Green was one of the most inexperienced teams in the country as it played numerous underclassmen so it can be excused but this season, the Falcons have the most experienced team in the nation as far as returning production and that is starting to show. The Falcons opened the season with a pair of losses, one at 7-1 UCLA and the other being a bad one against Eastern Kentucky of the FCS by two points in overtime. The other two losses since then were against Mississippi St. and a resurgent Buffalo team. They have outgained three of their last four opponents and while the defense has not been great, Bowling Green faces a very poor offense and it is 23-10 ATS in its last 33 games after allowing 125 or less rushing yards in two straight games. Western Michigan kept its slim bowl hopes alive with an upset win at Miami to move to 3-5 following a pair of blowout losses. The only other victory over an FBS team came against Ball St. in the second game of the season with the third win coming against New Hampshire which happened to be the only game the Broncos won the yardage battle. Take that game out, and they are getting outgained by an average of 100.9 ypg against FBS opponents. The season comes as no surprise as they lost a lot from last season and their returning production on offense was one of the worst in the country. They are ranked No. 119 in total offense and No. 112 in scoring offense and they have scored 16 points or less in five of their eight games. Western Michigan is 0-7 ATS in its last seven games against teams allowing a completion percentage of 62 or worse. Here, we play against road underdogs off a win over a conference rival as an underdog of six or more points going up against an opponent off a double digit road win. This situation is 59-23 ATS (72 percent) since 1992. 10* (308) Bowling Green Falcons

This is a play on the OHIO BOBCATS for our CFB Tuesday Enforcer. Buffalo has won five straight games after a 0-3 start that included a bad loss against Holy Cross of the FCS and overall, the Bulls are 6-0-1 ATS against teams from the FBS. They have covered four of their last five games by double-digits which is a big reason they come in as a road favorite. Buffalo does nothing special on either side of the ball as it is ranked No. 58 or lower in all major statistical categories on offense and defense. The Bulls lead the MAC East Division with a 4-0 record but extending that will be difficult here as they face another hot team that can overtake them in the standings with a victory. Buffalo is now 3-2 on the road but one of those victories came against 1-7 Massachusetts and now will be facing a team that is also looking for revenge after Buffalo scored 17 points in the fourth quarter to win 27-26 at home last season. Not to be outdone, Ohio has turned it around as well as it has won three games in a row and four of its last five after a 1-2 start and the Bobcats have covered four straight games and the only outright loss over that stretch came in overtime at Kent St. The defense was atrocious early in the season but they have picked up their game of late as they have allowed only 31 points over the last two games which has moved them to 3-1 in the MAC East Division and they can leapfrog the Bulls because of the head-to-head tiebreaker. Digging deeper into the analytical numbers, Ohio is ranked No. 68 in EPA on offense and No. 117 on defense while Buffalo is ranked No. 67 in EPA on offense and No. 114 on defense so the numbers are nearly identical and with the Bobcats coming in with a 4-0 record at home, they have the edge as home underdogs. Here, we play against road teams off an upset win as a home underdog of seven or more points, with a winning record on the season playing another winning team. This situation is 51-21 ATS (70.8 percent) since 1992. 10* (304) Ohio Bobcats

This is a play on the FRESNO ST. BULLDOGS for our CFB Saturday Supreme Annihilator. Fresno St. has won two straight games following a four-game losing streak and it is another team that can still run the table. The Bulldogs opened Mountain West Conference play with a loss to Boise St. but bounced back with victories over San Jose St. and New Mexico. Fresno St. is tied atop the West Division with San Jose St. and San Diego St., and a victory over the Aztecs would give Fresno St. a tiebreaker edge over both teams. This team came into the season as the favorite in the MWC West Division and the Bulldogs are still in good position to represent the conference in the conference championship game. Quarterback Jake Haener has been out with a high ankle sprain and it likely out again but there is still a possibility he returns and while Logan Fife has struggled overall as his replacement, he is coming off a good game against New Mexico and while the Lobos are trash, so is the defense he will be facing this week as the last two games have skewed everything. San Diego St. is coming off a pair of wins to move over .500 for the first time this season but those wins came against Hawaii and Nevada which are the two lowest ranked teams in the MWC and it is not even close and the Aztecs did not look good in either win. They outgained the two doormats by a combined 165 total yards which is surely a positive but those two games should have seen bigger yardage differentials as this is not a very good team which was known coming into the season. They were outgained in four of their first five games with the only advantage being their game against Idaho St. of the FCS. San Diego St. did defeat Nevada on the road last week and in the previous road game against a team with a pulse, it had only 114 total yards against Boise St. The offense is ranked No. 123 overall and No. 116 in scoring and scoring only 39 points against Hawaii and Nevada is not good. This is an excellent situation for Fresno St. as we play on conference home favorites that won as a conference road favorite by 13 or more points playing a team off back-to-back wins as a conference favorite. This situation is 55-20 ATS (73.3 percent) the last 75 occurrences. 10* (170) Fresno St. Bulldogs

This is a play on the MISSOURI TIGERS for our CFB Saturday Enforcer. South Carolina has won four straight games but it has been fortunate along the way with some deceiving victories. The Gamecocks started the streak with a blowout win by 36 points over Charlotte which just fired their coach and then came up with another blowout against South Carolina St. of the FCS. South Carolina then defeated Kentucky by 10 points on the road which looks impressive but the Wildcats were without starting quarterback Will Levis and last week, it was another upset against Texas A&M by six points but they were outgained by 112 yards as they jumped out to a 17-0 start thanks to returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown and then turning two Aggies turnovers into 10 more points. The special teams and defense have bolstered their scoring average as the offense is ranked No. 83 in the country overall as a strength coming into the season was supposed to be from transfer quarterback Spencer Rattler from Oklahoma but he has underwhelmed by throwing for only 1,465 yards with five touchdowns and eight interceptions while getting sacked 15 times. The Gamecocks are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up win. The Tigers moved to 3-4 on the season with a tougher than expected win over Vanderbilt last week as the offense sputtered but the defense once again kept them in it. They are ranked No. 22 in total defense and both units have performed well at No. 32 against the pass and No. 46 against the run and they will be facing a below average offense once again. After allowing 40 points to Kansas St. in their second game of the season, they have given up just 19.6 ppg over their last five games. Missouri is 0-3 on the road but two of those losses came at Florida and at Auburn by a combined 10 points and it outgained the Gators and Tigers by 73 and 95 total yards respectively. The worst effort over that stretch was allowing 26 points and that came against Georgia which shows the high level that the Missouri defense has been playing. The public wants nothing to do with the Tigers this week and that is just how we like it. The Tigers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game. 10* (127) Missouri Tigers

This is a play on the CENTRAL FLORIDA KNIGHTS for our CFB Saturday Star Attraction. Central Florida had a four-game winning streak snapped with a 34-13 loss at East Carolina last week but the game was a lot closer than that final score indicates as the Knights were outgained by only 32 yards but were -4 in turnovers and no team can overcome that. They are now 2-1 in the AAC which is good for a tie for third place and UFC can still run the table and it starts this week against Cincinnati. Last week, quarterback John Rhys Plumlee went 25-37 for 298 yards but he threw three interceptions which killed drives and the Knights are now No. 6 in total offense and No. 20 in scoring offense and while facing a tough defense, they can bounce back at home before hitting the road for a pair of tough games against Memphis and first place Tulane. The defense was not horrible against the Pirates but the points allowed were due to those turnovers and prior to that, they allowed an average of 14 ppg and now face a decent but far from powerful offense. The Knights are 5-0 ATS in their last five games following a straight up loss of more than 20 points. Cincinnati opened the season with a loss at Arkansas but has reeled off six straight wins including opening 3-0 in the conference but it has not been dominating. The Bearcats defeated SMU on its homecoming as a failed two-point conversion late in the game ended up being the difference and they benefitted from knocking out Mustangs quarterback Tanner Mordecai. They are ranked No. 17 in total defense but even that is a bit skewed as their two dominating games came against Miami Ohio and Kennesaw St. of the FCS and they have allowed 24 or more points in three of their last four games and will be tested here. Offensively, Cincinnati is ranked No. 45 overall and while it is No. 24 in coring, a lot of that is due to the defense setting up short fields and as mentioned, will be facing a strong defense that is a bit underrated. While they have been winning, they have not been covering at a high rate and they are underdogs for the first time since that Arkansas game for a reason. The Bearcats are 2-1 on the road but going back, they are 0-4-1 ATS in their last five road games. 10* (146) Central Florida Knights

This is a play on the MIAMI HURRICANES for our ACC Game of the Year. Miami is coming off one of its worst games in recent history as it was blown out by Duke 45-21 as a 10-point favorite but committed a school record eight turnovers which completely wiped out any chance for the offense to get going as it was outgained by only nine yards. The Hurricanes were up 21-17 late in the third quarter when it all imploded as they were outscored 28-0 the rest of the way and they will be out for blood this week and laying a short price against one of the lowest ranked teams in the conference. Following a blowout win to open the season, Miami has failed to cover each of its last six games and by an average of over two touchdowns with miscues all over the place that has brought it down. Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke left the game last week with a shoulder injury and backup Jake Garcia was trash but to his credit, he was forced into action with no practice time with the starters but he was able to work all week with them this week. The Hurricanes have outgained five of seven opponents and their numbers overall are very solid as they are ranked No. 33 in total offense and No. 34 in total defense so while their record is playing into this spread, the statistics are not. Virginia was fortunate to beat Georgia Tech last week as Yellow Jackets quarterback Jeff Sims went down and the offense went down with him as backup Zack Gibson could not move the offense, going 10-25 for 99 yards and Georgia Tech mustered just 202 total yards of offense. The Cavaliers also come in at 3-4 but they are a much worse 3-4 than Miami as they have been blown out in three of their losses while getting outgained by an average of 112.3 ypg. Virginia is ranked No. 90 in total offense and No. 123 in scoring offense and did nothing much against one of the worst defenses in the ACC last week. the defense has played at a higher level as the Cavaliers are ranked No. 38 overall and No. 43 in points allowed but do not have a ball hawking secondary that has only five interceptions on the season. Here, we play against home teams in the second half of the season averaging between 230 and 275 passing ypg and after allowing 4.5 or less passing yards per attempt last game going up against teams allowing between 230 and 275 passing ypg. This situation is 40-14 ATS (74.1 percent) since 1992. 10* (143) Miami Hurricanes

This is a play on the BYU COUGARS for our CFB Friday Night Lights Winner. This has not been classic BYU football over the last few weeks as the Cougars have lost three straight games but it has come against some tough competition. They lost to Notre Dame, which is not having a good season but it is still Notre Dame with a load of talent, Arkansas from the SEC and Liberty, which is 7-1, the only loss coming by a point against Wake Forest. Overall, BYU has played a schedule ranked No. 32 and has gone 1-3 against top 30 teams while going 3-1 against teams ranked outside the top 30 and that is where East Carolina falls. The key number here is 0-6 and that pertains to the 0-6 ATS run that BYU is on which creates value and we can look back to two home games against Wyoming and Utah St. where they were favored by more than three touchdowns and while those two teams are ranked lower than East Carolina, the power ranking point spread differentials between them and the Pirates are seven and 12 points. The Cougars are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game. East Carolina has won two straight games, taking out Memphis and UCF and now is in a bad scheduling spot as it goes out of conference right in the middle of the heated AAC race with games against Cincinnati and Houston on deck so this is the classic sandwich spot. The Pirates are 5-3 including a 3-2 record in the conference and this is just the third road game of the season after playing six of their first eight games at home. They have an edge with their offense but they scored only nine points against Tulane in their last road game and we can see this offense having a tough time on the road again. East Carolina is 2-10 ATS in its last 12 games after two consecutive games with a turnover margin of +2 or better and 10-27 ATS in its last 37 games after gaining 450 or more total yards in two consecutive games. While this is a game for East Carolina to become bowl eligible, BYU is the more desperate team in need to right the ship. 10* (112) BYU Cougars

This is a play on the WASHINGTON ST. COUGARS for our CFB Thursday Star Attraction. Both Utah and Washington St. are coming off their bye week and they are sitting in the top and bottom half of the Pac 12 respectively. Washington St. is part of a group of six teams that have just one conference victory so it is not looking very good for a shot at the Pac 12 Championship but the schedule is in its favor down the stretch to get to five wins with a possible six with a victory here. It will not be easy but we are more concerned about the cover and this is a very good number. As a comparison, two home games back, the Cougars were getting 6.5 points against first place Oregon and are getting a bigger number here based on their two straight losses. Those were both on the road and they are 3-1 at home with the lone loss coming against that Ducks team by just three points. The Washington St. offense has been a letdown as it is ranked No. 89 overall and No. 95 in scoring but the splits are the reason as it averages 32.8 ppg at home compared to 13.7 ppg on the road. It will be facing a defense that has underachieved and they can have success here. Washington St. is 22-9 ATS in its last 31 home games after being outrushed by 150 or more yards last game. Utah is coming off a big win over USC to improve to 3-1 in the conference but it has not been overly dominant as the Utes are only +31.3 ypg in Pac 12 games. The aforementioned defense has been the problem as they have allowed 42 points in back-to-back games against USC and UCLA and while Washington St, does not possess the same potent offense, it is more than capable. The Utes have relied on their offense that is currently No. 20 in the nation overall and No. 11 in scoring but will be squaring off against a Cougars defense that has allowed only 20.7 ppg which is No. 27 in the country. Utah has won only one of three road games with that coming against 2-5 Arizona St. Here, we play against road favorites of 3.5 to 10 points after gaining 450 or more total yards in two consecutive games, with eight offensive starters returning. This situation is 54-19 ATS (74 percent) since 1992. 10* (108) Washington St. Cougars

This is a play on the KANSAS ST. WILDCATS for our CFB Saturday Star Attraction. This is a great spot to play on Kansas St. and play against TCU based on scheduling from both sides. The Wildcats are 5-1 on the season including three straight Big 12 victories and the winner of this game will take over sole possession of first place in the conference and remain the lone undefeated team in the Big 12. The lone loss for Kansas St. was a shocker as it fell at home by a touchdown to Tulane as a two-touchdown favorite with a lookahead to Oklahoma likely being a main reason for not showing up. After a low start, the offense has picked it up in conference action and it is backed by a strong running game that is ranked No. 7 in rushing offense with 244.8 ypg led by Nebraska transfer quarterback Adrian Martinez who is second on the team with 546 rushing yards. Defensively, the Wildcats are ranked No. 14 in scoring defense and is solid on both levels that can slow down the TCU offense. TCU comes in with a 6-0 record including a similar 3-0 record in the conference and while this is another big game, the recent run has taken a lot out of the Horned Frogs. They took out rival SMU at the end of September, winning the yardage battle by just 11 yards then followed that up with the blowout over Oklahoma. They were then the target on College Game Day in Kansas for the first time as they escaped with a seven-point win despite getting outgained by 88 yards and then last week, it took a big comeback to defeat Oklahoma St. in double-overtime. TCU is No. 3 in the country in both total offense and scoring offense with two games skewing those numbers, the game against the Sooners and another against Tarleton St. The weakness is the defense as they are ranked No. 89 overall and No. 70 in scoring and while the passing numbers allowed are inflated because of teams needing to pass, the rushing defense is only No. 53 while allowing 4.4 ypc. Here, we play on road underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points that are averaging between 5.6 and 6.2 yppl going up and after gaining 6.25 or more yppl in their previous game going up against teams allowing between 4.8 and 5.6 yppl. This situation is 42-15 ATS (73.7 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (317) Kansas St. Wildcats

This is a play on the LSU TIGERS for our SEC Game of the Year. We have seen a line flip here as Mississippi opened as a slight favorite but LSU money came in early and the Tigers are now a slight chalk and it has remained steady despite more money coming in on the Rebels. LSU rolled over Florida last week in a game that was not as close as the 10-point final deficit indicates to improve to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the SEC and can move into a tie for first place in the SEC West with Alabama with a victory here. Two games back, the Tigers lost to Tennessee 40-13 as they were outgained by 147 yards but as we saw last week, the Volunteers are the real deal so that loss does not look as bad. They have been steady on both sides of the ball and while nothing stands out, balance is the key and they possess that on both offense and defense. The only unit ranked higher than No. 51 in the rushing defense where they are No. 69 and it is that low because of that Tennessee game. Mississippi has quietly gotten off to a 7-0 start including a 2-0 record on the road but those victories came against Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt, two of the worst offenses in their respective conferences. The offense has rolled through almost every game with the exception of games against Troy and Kentucky with the similarities being those two teams possess above average defenses and it faces another one this week. The Rebels have outgained every opponent but the caveat to that is the fact they have played the No. 70 schedule in the nation which has been the easiest of all teams in the SEC while LSU has played the No. 27 ranked slate. The number is now telling us something as the Rebels, despite being ranked No. 7 and facing an unranked team, are underdogs showing this is the toughest test thus far. While we would prefer a night game in Death Valley, a late afternoon start is just fine. Here, we play against road teams where the line is +3 to -3 averaging 34 or more ppg and after a playing a game where 60 total points or more were scored going up against teams allowing between 21 and 28 ppg. This situation is 31-7 ATS (81.6 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (384) LSU Tigers

This is a play on the GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES for our CFB Saturday Supreme Annihilator. Old Dominion is a team that is hard to figure out right now as it is 3-3 and leads the SBC East with a 2-0 record that includes a very impressive win at Coastal Carolina last week by 28 points as an 11.5-point underdog. The other conference win came against 2-5 Arkansas St. by just a field goal and the numbers have not been in their favor. One positive aspect is the fact the offense has improved its production every game, opening with 245 yards against Virginia Tech and capping it last week with 525 yards against the Chanticleers but that game was the first time all season that the Monarchs won the yardage battle as they are getting outgained by 95 ypg against an overall weak schedule. The issue has been the defense as Old Dominion is ranked No. 118 in total defense including No. 118 against the and No. 100 against the run and it is coming off a game where the defense was on the field for 80 snaps against Coastal Carolina and a repeat close to that would not be surprising. The Monarchs are 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing. Georgia Southern is a pass first offense which cuts down its time of possession but the Eagles are No. 2 in the country in offensive snaps so keeping that Monarchs defense on the field should not be a problem. The Eagles are coming off big win over James Madison last week to improve to 4-3 and picked up their first conference win after losing their first two SBC games by a single possession. Georgia Southern in ranked No. 3 in passing offense as it has thrown for at least 359 yards in four of seven games including a massive 578 yards passing last week. The offense is led by quarterback Kyle Vantrease, a transfer from Buffalo, after throwing for 1,861 yards in split time last season and he has had immediate success in this spread attack as he has been around the block for five seasons and has a plethora of receivers to throw to that are experienced and fast. The defense has struggled but have faced some very potent offenses along the way and get their first break in a while against a pedestrian offense. The Eagles are 5-0 ATS in their last five games after allowing more than 450 total yards. 10* (351) Georgia Southern Eagles

This is a play on the LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGS for our CFB Saturday Enforcer. Rice is off to a surprising 3-3 start to the season with two impressive wins over Louisiana and UAB as a double-digit underdog. The Owls were blown out by USC in their opener but the other two losses against Houston and Florida Atlantic were quality defeats as both were by one possession. All of this has led to a perfect 5-0 ATS run and that is clearly played into this line as they are road favorites for only the third time since late 2015, a span of 37 games. They rolled over McNeese St. from the FCS but in In five games against FBS opponents, Rice has been outgained four times despite a defense that has been pretty solid sitting No. 45 overall but No. 81 in scoring defense and that latter ranking is due to turnovers from the offense that has affected the defensive numbers. They have needed that defense to keep things close as the Owls are No. 102 in total offense and No. 74 in scoring offense and while they are facing a poor defense, they do not have a big edge in either rushing or passing. Louisiana Tech got rolled by North Texas last week to fall to 2-4 with the other three losses coming against South Alabama, Clemson and Missouri and while the second of the Tigers here are not very good, they are still a Power Five team while South Alabama and Clemson are a combined 12-1. The Bulldogs were a disappointing 3-9 last season and new head coach Sonny Cumbie brought in a new wide open offense that has not clicked yet because they have missed out on the clutch situations to score. They have the No. 20 ranked passing offense and while they have struggled running the ball, it should open up here as Rice is ranked No. 92 in rushing defense and it has been outrushed in all five FBS games. This line is a big overreaction and while the Bulldogs are not great, they should not be underdogs here. The home team is a combined 12-0 in games involving these two teams. Here, we play on underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points that are getting outscored by opponents by 7.0 or more ppg, after allowing 31 points or more in three straight games. This situation is 76-36 ATS (67.9 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (370) Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

This is a play on the WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS for our C-USA Game of the Month. It has been an up and down start for the Hilltoppers which are 4-3 following a win at Middle Tennessee St. but they have played better than the record shows. All three losses came by one possession and by an average of 4.3 ppg and they have outgained six of seven opponents, the lone exception coming against UTSA as they were outgained by only five yards. The biggest offensive turnaround in the country took place at Western Kentucky as after averaging 291.7 ypg in 2020, which was No. 121 in the country, it boosted that to 528.4 ypg last season which was second in the nation behind Ohio St. Bailey Zappe, who has turned into a household name after his stellar play in New England, orchestrated that offense and now it is transfer Austin Reed not missing a beat after winning the Division II National Championship at West Florida. He has thrown for 2,317 yards on over 70 percent completions with 21 touchdowns and five interceptions and has the No. 6 ranked passing offense in the country. The defense has been the weakness but it has not been horrible as the Hilltoppers are ranked in the top 50 in both total defense and scoring defense. UAB is 4-2 following a pair of home wins against Middle Tennessee St. and Charlotte which are nothing special and the home team is 6-0 in Blazers games this season. They have dominated the stats the last three games by an average of 193 ypg with Rice being the other team in the mix and UAB has been outgained by its two toughest opponents, Georgia Southern and Liberty. While they are sound on both sides, they are heading into a tough spot on the road and going back, the Blazers are 0-8 ATS in their last eight games after gaining 450 or more yards in two straight games. Here, we play against teams where the line is +3 to -3 after allowing 6.25 or more yppl in their previous game going up against an opponent after outgaining opponent by 125 or more total yards in their previous game. this situation is 108-51 ATS (67.9 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (314) Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

This is a play on the GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS for our CFB Thursday Star Attraction. The coaching change at Georgia Tech was just what it needed from what we have seen so far. Geoff Collins was fired on September 26 after a loss against UCF which was the ninth straight loss against FBS opponents and Brent Key took over on an interim basis. The Yellow Jackets have responded with a pair of wins including an upset of then No. 21 Pittsburgh and then won in overtime against Duke despite dominating the yardage by 134 yards but it was closer than it should have been as Duke returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown. Even in the 17-point loss against UCF, they won the yardage battle by 119 yards as turnovers, special teams and penalties did them in. Overall, the numbers are not great but they have edges in the right spots in this matchup namely in the running game as Georgia Tech should be able to control the line of scrimmage because Virginia cannot run the ball on offense and cannot stop the run on defense. Virginia opened the season 2-1 but those wins were against Richmond of the FCS and against Old Dominion by just two points. Since then, the Cavaliers have lost three straight games, all within the ACC and they were outgained in all of those and by a combined 301 total yards. They are 0-3 on the road and are the only winless team in the conference and while it was expected to be another down year, things are going bad all over the place. As mentioned the running game has struggled as they are No. 93 in rushing offense and No. 90 in rushing defense. The one strength has been against the pass as they are No. 43 in yards allowed but that is totally skewed based on teams not passing against Virginia because there is no reason to when possessing significant leads. A much better indication is their No. 69 ranking in passing efficiency defense and while Georgia Tech does not have a potent passing game, it can have success here especially after getting the running game going. 10* (308) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

This is a play on the APPALACHIAN ST. MOUNTAINEERS for our CFB Wednesday Game of the Month. Appalachian St. is coming off a bad loss as it fell at Texas St. 36-24 as a 19-point favorite as it could not overcome mistakes and could not recover from a 30-3 deficit. The Mountaineers had two turnovers, one of which was an interception returned 94-yards for a touchdown that ended up being a 14-point swing that ultimately put the game away. They outgained the Bobcats by 102 total yards and they have been outgained only once this season which was against 5-1 James Madison by just 78 yards in a four-point loss. Appalachian St. fell to 1-2 in the Sun Belt Conference so it has some work to do sitting a game and a half behind the leaders in the East Division. The offense has huge advantages here as the Mountaineers are ranked No. 34 in both total offense and scoring offense and while not off the chart rankings, they are definitely good enough against the defense they will be facing on Wednesday. Appalachian St. is 23-10 ATS in its last 33 games against teams averaging 425 or more ypg. Georgia St. opened the season 0-4 but has bounced back nicely with a pair of wins, one against rival Georgia Southern by eight points and an upset at Army by 17 points so they have been quality victories. There was not a real domination with the numbers though as the Panthers won the yardage battle in those two games by just a combined 161 ypg and hit the road for just the third time with the other game coming at South Carolina that resulted in a 35-14 loss. Their offense is decent, ranked No. 44 in the country but the scoring offense is just No. 65 and they face a very formidable defense which has had its numbers skewed because of that North Carolina game where they allowed 567 yards and 63 points opening weekend. The story here though is the defense that has not been able to stop many teams as the Panthers are ranked No. 113 overall and No. 115 in scoring and those are not skewed. They have allowed 33 or more points in five of six games. 10* (302) Appalachian St. Mountaineers

This is a play on the TCU HORNED FROGS for our CFB Saturday Supreme Annihilator. Oklahoma St. came into the season as one of the top favorites to win the Big 12 Conference and it remains there, tied with TCU at +300, right behind Texas which is +270. They are 5-0 but have not played like an undefeated team as they have been outgained in three of their four games against FBS opponents including last week against Texas Tech where they won by 10 points despite getting outgained by 93 total yards. That games makes this trip even more difficult for the defense as the unit was on the field for 104 plays and could get gassed here going against the best team in the country on offense as far as yards per play. Oklahoma St. is ranked No. 34 in offensive EPA (Expected Points Added) and No. 82 in defensive EPA and of the remaining 15 undefeated teams, they are the lowest ranked team in EPA Margin at No. 53 (10 of those undefeated teams are ranked No. 13 or higher in ERA Margin). TCU has been arguably the most impressive team in the Big 12 through the first half although some will argue Texas which is fair, but the Horned Frogs are ranked in the top five in the country in both scoring offense and scoring defense. As for the aforementioned yards per play offense rankings, TCU averages 8.08 yppl which is just ahead of Alabama and Ohio St. and its schedule is ranked No. 67 compared to No. 30 and No. 38 for the other two which is not a huge drop lower. The Oklahoma blowout win has lost some of its shine after the Sooners got waxed by Texas but it was impressive nonetheless as was the win at Kansas last week despite getting outgained. This is just the third home game for the Horned Frogs and revenge is in play after their 63-17 loss to the Cowboys last season. 10* (186) TCU Horned Frogs

This is a play on the KENT ST. GOLDEN FLASHES as part of our CFB Saturday Underdog Three Pack. Toledo is off to a 4-2 start including a 2-0 start in the MAC with a pair of wins and covers the last two weeks laying close to the same number as it is this week but the level of competition goes up here. The Rockets numbers have been skewed but are balanced out as they rolled up the stats in their first two wins against Long Island and Massachusetts, two blowouts against cupcakes, but were rolled by Ohio St. to even those numbers out. The real disparity was last week against Northern Illinois as they won by 20 points but were outgained by 75 yards as they benefitted from a +4 turnover margin so it was a misleading final and the big margin of victory is going right into this line. Kent St. has seen and opposite start as it 2-4 but three of those losses were on the road at Washington, Oklahoma and Georgia and the other defeat was also on the road last week at Miami Ohio by three points as the Golden Flashes fell behind 17-0 and could not recover. We played them against Ohio two weeks ago and despite outgaining the Bobcats by 286 total yards, the result was a touchdown win in overtime and those are the types of games that do not tell the story as everything going forward is based on scoring differential with rarely any boxscore info taken into consideration. Getting over a touchdown is big here and the fact that close to 70 percent of the public is on the Rockets is a reflection of the fact the home team in 6-0 in Kent St. home games and that is what we are bucking. Here, we play on road teams averaging between 5.6 to 6.2 yards per play going up against a team allowing between 4.8 to 5.6 yards per play, after gaining 525 or more total ypg over their last two games. This situation is 25-4 ATS (86.2 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (117) Kent St. Golden Flashes

This is a play on the WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS as part of our CFB Saturday Underdog Three Pack. Western Michigan is 2-4 following a bad loss at home against Western Michigan last week which also dropped it to 1-1 in the MAC. The Broncos have been a huge disappointment but it was sort of expected as from last season, only 11 starters came back to go along with a No. 124 returning production ranking so an early struggle could have been anticipated which came to fruition. The numbers have not been nearly as bad as the opponent on defense and overall, the Broncos have advantages in the three main categories of yards per play, yards per game and scoring average so the defense will be fine. The offense has been inconsistent but have the best opportunity to get it going this week as it has all season and we should see just that with a good edge of playing its third straight home game while Ohio has traveled between home/away and away/away games every week through six contests. This is the first of four straight winnable games. The Bobcats defense is horrible and are now a road favorite. Ohio took out Florida Atlantic in the season opener as it barely held off a late charge from the Owls and that defensive effort was a sign of things to come. The Bobcats then had a pair of tough road games at Penn St. and Iowa St. and the defense was lit up for 572 yards and 463 yards respectively which was going to be a given but last week was a total debacle as they hosted Fordham and gave up 52 points and 640 yards of offense. It got worse at Kent St. as they allowed 736 total yards and were extremely luck to cover and all said and done, Ohio has the worst ranked defense in the country and its scoring defense is ranked No. 127. The Bobcats had a better effort last week that was Akron and now face an offense ready to break out and there is no reason to think otherwise. 10* (190) Western Michigan Broncos

This is a play on the IOWA ST. CYCLONES for our Big 12 Game of the Year. This is the perfect situation for Iowa St., at least as far as a cover goes because overreaction happens every week and we are seeing that here based on recent results on both sides. Iowa St. opened the season 3-0 but has lost three straight games, all by one possession including the last two by four points combined as the offense shut down in those last two with 20 points scored combined. The defense remains a strength however as the Cyclones have allowed 14 points or less in five of their six games and now are getting more points than they have allowed in those games and on average for the season where they have given up only 13.7 ppg. The total defense is ranked No. 11 in the country, allowing 277.5 ypg and while facing a solid offense, it is one that it can slow down. This has been a great spot with Iowa St. going 6-0 ATS in its last six games as underdogs of three or more points coming off a loss while head coach Matt Campbell is 10-0 ATS his last 10 conference games against winning teams when getting double digits. While the last three losses for the Cyclones is part of the overreaction, the Texas 49-0 win against Oklahoma is an even bigger overreaction. It was a solid win over a very good Sooners team but a very overrated Sooners team that has been exposed the last three weeks on defense. The line opened high and has been bet up even higher which is giving us great value on the other side. Overall, Texas is ranked No. 37 in total offense and No. 34 in total defense which are very good rankings but nothing over the top that helps explain such a big line over a quality team. Coming off a blowout over their biggest rival can create a letdown but in addition, Texas has a revenge game on deck against Oklahoma St. while Iowa St. has a bye which solidifies taking the big underdog. 10* (187) Iowa St. Cyclones

This is a play on the PENN ST. NITTANY LIONS as part of our CFB Saturday Underdog Three Pack. Michigan is off to a 6-0 start but has played a soft slate for the most part as the best opponent has been Maryland which resulted in a seven-point win at home and it did not come close to covering. The Wolverines opened with three nonconference games against Colorado St., Hawaii and Connecticut, three teams ranked No. 136, No. 166 and No. 150 respectively in the latest power rankings and the three conference games have been far from daunting with the highest ranked opponent being Iowa at No. 33. To put it in perspective, the Wolverines have played a schedule ranked No. 111 which is second lowest in strength of all teams that are No. 45 or better in the country. Yes, Michigan has the talent to make another conference run but not being tested, no chance to back them against a quality opponent laying this number. One big gripe about head coach James Franklin is the fact he has stunk in this role of an underdog against teams highly ranked teams as he has lost eight in a row on the road against top ten teams but the price is a big deal with five of those defeats coming by five points or less so we are not dealing with a history of blowouts. The Nittany Lions offense has been solid as they are ranked No. 38 overall and No. 37 in scoring and a solid rushing game has buoyed this as they are averaging 192.6 ypg on the ground which is No. 33 in the nation. The Michigan defense has been one of the best but against no one. This is a good scheduling spot for Penn St. as while it will be a full house at the Big House, a noon game is different than a home game at night where the energy is completely different. Here, we play on underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points allowing 100 or less rushing ypg, after allowing 1.5 or less rushing ypc last game. this situation is 60-25 ATS (70.6 percent) since 1992. 10* (127) Penn St. Nittany Lions

This is a play on the NAVY MIDSHIPMEN for our CFB Friday Night Lights Winner. After a 0-2 start with bad losses against Delaware and Memphis, Navy has responded with wins in two of its last three games, both being impressive conference victories over East Carolina and Tulsa with the lone defeat being a three-point loss at Air Force. This is the time to jump on the Midshipmen as they are playing their style again and the markets have not caught up despite this being one of just two games on Friday. Navy rushed for 455 yards in its last game against Tulsa and while it was only one game, it is in a great spot here against a defense that has allowed an average of 195 rushing ypg in the four games against FBS opponents. Overall, Navy is No. 12 in rushing offense, averaging 231.8 ypg and being able to shorten the game with the running attack is important being a double-digit underdog. SMU has lost three straight games following a 2-0 start including a 22-point loss at UCF which was a horrible spot coming off two postponements which messed with travel and practice issues leading up to the game last Wednesday. The Mustangs do have extra time in this spot which is significant when prepping for the Navy offense but an extra two days is nothing compared to a bye week prior to the matchup. SMU does have a potent offense led by a passing game that is ranked No. 4 in the country with 355 ypg but it does come down to the rushing game and the point at the line of scrimmage as the Mustangs have been outgained on the ground in all four FBS matchups. Turnovers are an issue as well as the Mustangs are -6 in turnover margin over the last four games. Here, we play against teams averaging 6.2 or more yppl going up against teams allowing between 5.6 and 6.2 yppl, after allowing 6.75 or more yppl in two consecutive games. this situation is 35-10 ATS (77.8 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (113) Navy Midshipmen

This is a play on the ARIZONA WILDCATS as part of our CFB Saturday Underdog Three Pack. This is a very good spot for Arizona as it catches Oregon on a winning streak feeling good about itself and looking forward to a big game against UCLA next week. The Ducks got their doors blown off against Georgia in their series opener but have rolled through their last four games including impressive wins against BYU and at Washington St. and they are definitely in danger of a lookahead here. The Oregon offense has been just fine as expected and the big improvement was supposed to be the defense with Dan Lanning coming over from Georgia to take over as head coach but the unit has not come round yet as Oregon is ranked No. 72 in total defense and No. 98 in scoring defense. As for the offense, Bo Nix has been excellent at quarterback over the last four games with 12 touchdowns and just one interception but this is Bo Nix we are talking about and put him in a tough road environment at night and his SEC road nightmares could come back to life. We expected Arizona to have a turnaround season as we took the over 2.5/3 wins and a win or a push is assured but all tickets will cash and the Wildcats have a great opportunity to see where they actually are in the Pac 12 hierarchy. The Wildcats opened the season with a win over San Diego St. and while the Aztecs are not very good, it was on the road, it was a needed confidence boost and it was a dominating performance. The two losses came against Mississippi St. and California and while both were by more than two touchdowns, they were outgained by only a combined 195 total yards so both were closer than what the final score indicated. Arizona rolled Colorado last week which is not saying much but it was another opportunity to get some meaningful time for quarterback Jayden de Laura who is a transfer from Washington St. and has shown what he can do especially now being used to his new receivers. 10* (364) Arizona Wildcats

This is a play on the ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI for our Big Ten Conference Game of the Year. The Big Ten has produced some early season surprises with Illinois being one of those as it is off to a 4-1 start including a 1-1 record in the conference and it could be 5-0. The loss to the Hoosiers was a tough one as Illinois outgained Indiana 448-362, had nine more first downs and controlled the clock for over 13 more minutes but had four turnovers and it had chances late as it got into Indiana territory on four straight possessions but resulted in just one field goal as it had a fumble, and interception and a turnover on downs at the Indiana four-yard line. The Illini have outgained all five opponents as they have been buoyed by a defense that has been incredible, ranking No. 1 in scoring defense and No. 3 in total defense and we saw what just happened to Wisconsin. While there might be the scare of a letdown, Illinois has not had a start like this in a long time so they are not going to look past this one, especially considering it is Iowa. This one sets up almost identical to another game we are playing based on one time intangible. The schedule worked in the favor of Illinois this week as they are playing at 7:30 ET which is the only Big Ten game with a kickoff scheduled past 4:00 ET so the Illini will have a significant home field edge as opposed to playing at 3:30 ET which was the original kickoff time. This is a rare instance for Illinois and we are going to back these unique occasions as this is just the second time in the last 20 games that the Illini are favored in a Big Ten game and they have not been favored over Iowa since 2008. Iowa recovered from its first loss of the season against Iowa St. but that next game was against Nevada and now at 3-2, the Hawkeyes are showing who they are. They have a strong defense but the offense is abysmal as they are ranked No. 119 or worse in all four major offensive categories. 10* (394) Illinois Fighting Illini

This is a play on the IOWA ST. CYCLONES as part of our CFB Saturday Underdog Three Pack. Iowa St. is coming off a tough loss against the surprising Jayhawks as it missed three field goals late in the game that could have sent the game into overtime which came after a seven-point home loss against Baylor the previous week. The Cyclones need to shake those off quickly as they face one of the hottest teams in the Big XII and then are at Texas next week so a non-fully focused team this week could be a partial reason for a possible 0-4 start in the conference prior to their bye week. The defense has been exceptional as Iowa St. is ranked No. 8 overall and No. 11 in points allowed and it has been strong against both the run and the pass. Offensively, they have been below average and quarterback Hunter Dekkers has been pretty solid but his six interceptions has held him back and the Wildcats are nothing special on defense. The schedule worked in their favor this week as they are playing at 7:30 ET which is the only Big XII game with a kickoff scheduled past 3:30 ET and Iowa St. will have a significant home field edge as opposed to playing at 1:00 ET which was the original kickoff time. The Wildcats are coming off a pair of wins against Oklahoma and Texas Tech and that Sooners victory is not as strong anymore after their blowout loss against TCU. For the Kansas St. offense, it is basically what you see is what you get as the Wildcats are ranked No. 3 in rushing offense and No. 122 in passing offense and this is not an ideal style especially when facing a great defense and the style is only good for a total ranked offense of just No. 69. Adrian Martinez has carried the offense the last two weeks as he has seven rushing touchdowns and 319 yards on the ground against Oklahoma and Texas Tech but Iowa St. has the defense that can slow that down especially after seeing what the Cyclones did to Jalon Daniels last week despite the loss. 10* (356) Iowa St. Cyclones

This is a play on the ARKANSAS ST. RED WOLVES as part of our CFB Saturday Underdog Three Pack. The public is starting to catch up to James Madison. In their first year at the FBS level, the Dukes are 4-0 and have covered all four games by a total of 61.5 points against the number. Their number got inflated last week against Texas St. and it was not enough and now they are playing their first ever road game as favorites and big ones for that matter. One cause for concern as that the Dukes know how to win on the road going back to the FCS days as they have won 13 straight away from home but of course, the opposition was much weaker and this is an interesting line. James Madison was getting six points in its only other road game this season and is now a double-digit favorite. The Dukes have been great on both sides of the ball as they are ranked No. 8 in scoring offense and No. 9 in scoring defense but it has come against a schedule ranked No. 157 in the nation. The ATS record of Arkansas St. offsets the James Madison spread record as the Red Wolves are 5-0 against the number but their success is not being taken into consideration in this spread based on our raw numbers so there is value on the home team. The Red Wolves are 2-3 to start the season and those two wins have already matched their win total from last season which two of their losses were close games late and the other defeat was at Ohio St. The offense is making strides as after being one of the worst in the country last season, they have been much more efficient and balanced and while facing a tough defense here, they will be able to keep up a chance for the outright upset is definitely in play. Quarterback James Blackman has been very solid as he has thrown for 1,212 yards on 69.7 percent completions with seven touchdowns and just one interception and he has big time experience coming from Florida St. 10* (354) Arkansas St. Red Wolves

This is a play on the LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGS for our CFB Saturday Enforcer. We played against UTEP last week and going into the game, a question was asked. Which UTEP team shows up here? The one that narrowly defeated bad New Mexico St. (and we can add Charlotte to that now) team and lost by 17 points to an equally bad New Mexico team or the one that just defeated Boise St. by 17 points as a 16.5-point underdog? Last week, UTEP returned two fumbles for touchdowns and overall, had four takeaways which explains losing the yardage battle by 18 yards against the 49ers. Playing six games in the first six weeks of the season has its benefits as they know what they have, or at least should know what they have, and any lack of chemistry should be gone, but on the flip side, playing six straight weeks can be grueling especially with the way their schedule has panned out. The Miners have alternated home and road games through the first six contests so there has been no two-week stretch of being at home since late August. This team could be gassed. Louisiana Tech has gotten off to a rough start as it is 1-3 but the schedule has dictated that record as the lone victory came against Stephen F. Austin of the FCS while the losses on the road were at Missouri, Clemson and South Alabama. The game last week against the Jaguars would have been the one true game to look at to see where this team stands but nothing could come out of it as the Bulldogs had five turnovers including four interceptions from quarterback Parker McNeil so we can toss that out. Louisiana Tech came into the season with a new head coach in Sonny Cumbie and a new system to get the fledging offense back on track. He directed the Air Raid offenses at TCU and Texas Tech as offensive coordinator and if he can get the most out of the quarterback here, there should be plenty of points against this Miners defense. The small favorite collects. 10* (408) Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

This is a play on the CENTRAL MICHIGAN CHIPPEWAS for our CFB Saturday Supreme Annihilator. This one has the makings of a name the score game for Central Michigan, similar to Kent St. last week as it outgained Ohio by 300 total yards but failed to cover for us, as the Chippewas are back home following a pair of road losses at Penn St. and Toledo to fall to 1-4 on the season. The schedule has been brutal with the other two losses coming against Oklahoma St. and South Alabama and the four losses have come against teams a combined 16-3. Coming off the loss against the Rockets, there is now work to be done in the MAC West with the Chippewas needing to go to 1-1 after this game with favorable schedule on the way to get some momentum going. The offense has been slowed down the last two weeks as Central Michigan managed only 31 points in the two contests yet the offense is still decent in the rankings thanks to previous success and now they face a defense that has been awful against FBS opponents. Taking a look at what the defense has done is not going to show much of what can take place going forward based on the difficulty of the slate. Ball St. is 2-3 to start the season with the wins coming against Murray St. of the FCS 31-0 and Northern Illinois last week by six points in double overtime as it overcame a 17-point deficit at half time. The offense has been pretty good over the last four games but only one of those was on the road which came against Georgia Southern and the defense has been the real story of why the Cardinals are not good now with not much expected to change. Taking away the 0 points and 155 yards allowed against Murray St. and the defensive averages go from an already bad 432.2 ypg and 33.6 ppg to 501.5 ypg and 42 ppg and anything north of 500 and 40 is not very good. A big issue has been allowing easy yards on the ground and that is heightened by the fact Ball St. has allowed 14 rushing touchdowns through its first five games. 10* (398) Central Michigan Chippewas

This is a play on the NEVADA WOLF PACK for our CFB Friday Night Lights Winner. Typically, revenge comes into play following a bad loss the previous season but the situation is different here with Nevada being all amped up for this game not because of a loss but because of former head coach Jay Norvell coming back to Reno after bolting for Colorado St. last season prior to the Wolf Pack bowl game and taking many of the players with him. They have not forgotten what they were left with when they travelled to Ford Field for the Quick Lane Bowl against Western Michigan and were blown out by 28 points and outgained by 272 total yards. While the Broncos would normally be the revenge prey, Colorado St. has taken their place here. Nevada last lost three straight games and it has not been pretty with the three losses coming by 69 points combined with the last two coming on the road at Iowa and Air Force so the return home comes at a perfect time as does its bye week. Quarterback Nate Cox returned after not playing against Iowa and while he did not put up big numbers against the Flacons, the whole offense was shut down but that will not be the case here. The Norvell move was a questionable one as it was considered a lateral move and it clearly has not started well. Losses against Michigan and Washington St. were expected but home losses against Middle Tennessee St. and Sacramento St. of the FCS were not and the numbers are ugly. The Rams are dead last in the country in total offense and No. 130 in scoring offense and the defense has done nothing to keep it close as they are ranked No. 103 and No. 126 in those categories respectively on the defensive side. Colorado St. is also coming off a bye week with is beneficial to try and regroup and hope the time off helped quarterback Clay Millen who is questionable after leaving the last game. While not very good, he is their best option and a dinged up version on the field is better than nothing but still not prime. 10* (308) Nevada Wolf Pack

This is a play on the UCF KNIGHTS for our AAC Game of the Month. This game between SMU and UCF has moved a second time as the game had originally been pushed back from Saturday to Sunday but was moved back three more days with the schedule allowing it to do so with both teams having bye weeks in Week 6. This is a big disadvantage for SMU which has had to change travel plans numerous times during the week and while their offense has been keeping things competitive, the defense has struggled the last two games to prevent the wins. The offensive gameplan should be fairly straightforward for the Knights and that is no establish the run to open up the passing game and they should not divert from this if there is not early success. SMU is hit or miss with the rushing defense as it is ranked No. 105 in the country, allowing 184.8 ypg and has been outrushed by all three FBS opponents. UCF has the personnel with the passing game although it has not been put fully on display yet because the running game has been so good as the Knights are ranked No. 3 in the nation with 274.5 ypg. But that passing game can have its coming out party here as the Mustangs allowed 510 yards passing on 75.5 percent completions, 9.6 ypa and five touchdowns against Maryland and TCU. The Knights defense has been outstanding as they are No. 26 in the country overall and No. 8 in points allowed with just 13.5 ppg and they have not played slouches as Florida Atlantic and Louisville are both ranked in the top 60 in total offense and while this will be the best offense they have seen, it is also the best defense the Mustangs have encountered. This line was -3.5 last week when the game was still scheduled to be played on Saturday and has not moved much and there is now value because of the travel aspect as it has disrupted the Mustangs not only in their itinerary but also the practice and preparation has been thrown all off course. Here, we play on teams where the line is +3 to -3 averaging 34 or more ppg and after allowing 17 points or less in two straight games going up against teams allowing between 21 and 28 ppg. This situation is 43-15 ATS (74.1 percent) since 1992. 10* (422) UCF Knights

This is a play on the STANFORD CARDINAL as part of our CFB Saturday Underdog Three Pack. Oregon trailed 34-22 with just 3:49 left against Washington St. last week but the Cougars gave it away and the Ducks capped the comeback with a 27-yard interception return for a touchdown to take a two-score lead with a minute remaining. It was a fortunate win for the Ducks which have now won three straight games since getting crushed in their opener against Georgia but this is now a tough spot against what we consider an undervalued opponent. The Ducks offense has been rolling since that game against the Bulldogs and they are currently No. 18 in total offense and No. 26 in scoring offense with good balance and they should be able to move the ball again this week but it is the other side that is the concern. Defensively, they have not been very good, currently sitting No. 79 in total defense and No. 94 in scoring defense despite a game against Eastern Washington where it allowed only 187 yards of offense and 14 points. Stanford opened the season with an easy win against Colgate but the schedule amped up quickly with back-to-back games against USC and Washington, the two best teams in the Pac 12 that are ranked No. 6 and No. 15 respectively. The Cardinal lost both games by double-digits but held their own, getting outgained by only 85 ypg, and now they are getting a bigger number than last week which is based on the scoreboard. The running game will be of the utmost importance here, not only to keep some balance within the offense but to keep the Ducks offense off the field. Stanford has a two-headed running back combo in E.J. Smith and Casey Filkins that have combined for 403 yards on 72 carries (5.6 ypc) and quarterback Tanner McKee had a solid game against the Huskies last week but a -3 turnover differential proved to be pivotal. Revenge is in play for Oregon following a loss to Stanford on the road last season in overtime and that was the last time the Cardinal have covered a game as they are 0-10 ATS over their last 10 games going back to last season and the value now is too big as that futile streak finally comes to an end. 10* (173) Stanford Cardinal

This is a play on the TULSA GOLDEN HURRICANE as part of our CFB Saturday Underdog Three Pack. Tulsa returns home following a battle at Mississippi where it ended up losing 35-27 as it played through adversity and a tough environment so easily cover and put a scare into the Rebels. The Golden Hurricane came back from a 21-point deficit to make it a one-possession game as they shut out the Rebels in the second half and had three different opportunities to try and tie the game but failed each time. The adversity that came into play was not the fact it was playing a team from the SEC, and a very good one, but that the offense did its part with a backup quarterback after starter Davis Brin was injured and Braylon Braxton took over and did a fine job in first real time playing experience. Brin is day-to-day but with Braxton getting the reps with the first team in practice this week, it will be fine either way. The other loss this season came against Wyoming in the season opener in overtime despite outgaining the Cowboys by 122 total yards so this team could be 3-1 with an outside shot at 4-0 had they gotten a late break last week. Cincinnati is coming off a win over Indiana by 21 points but outgained the Hoosiers by just 394-348 as turnovers hurt Indiana which included a fumble recovery for a touchdown by the Bearcats. They have now won three games in a row by an average of 31.7 ppg and they are now gaining votes in the latest AP Top 25 poll but this is a team that is still hard to get sold on, especially laying big lumber on the road especially against a competent opponent. Wins over Miami Ohio and Kennesaw St. were impressive blowouts but against much weaker opposition and one quick line observation shows that the Bearcats were favored by 16.5 points against Indiana at home last week which puts them under a two-touchdown favorite on a neutral field and that is roughly the same number here based on their road chalk and Tulsa is a higher ranked team than Indiana across most power ratings. This is a quality team no doubt but after blowing away most every team last season, Cincinnati is going to be involved in more competitive games this year and this is one of those instances. 10* (160) Tulsa Golden Hurricane

This is a play on the CHARLOTTE 49ERS as part of our CFB Saturday Underdog Three Pack. Which UTEP team shows up here? The one that narrowly defeated a bad New Mexico St. team and lost by 17 points to an equally bad New Mexico team or the one that just defeated Boise St. by 17 points as a 16.5-point underdog? Typically, we go with the latter based on recent form being more important than what happened prior to that but in this case, it was a monumental home win for the Miners and now hitting the road against a team they have no interest in spells letdown. It was monumental based on the fact it was the first time UTEP won as a double-digit home underdog in over a decade. The Miners came into the Boise St. game 1-3 that also included blowout losses against North Texas and Oklahoma and now they are favored on the road and by more than what they were favored by at New Mexico and that is the recency bias rearing its ugly head and we will take advantage with a Charlotte team that is back to full strength. We played against the 49ers last week and they held their own for a half against South Carolina but they imploded with turnovers and mistakes in the second half which led to the 56-20 defeat. Starting quarterback Chris Reynolds was solid in the season opener against Florida Atlantic but was injured and he missed the next two games before returning against Georgia St. where he went 31-43 for 401 yards with five touchdowns and an interception. He expectedly struggled against South Carolina but now the schedule is on his side as this is his first time playing at home and against a defense that has not faced a decent offense the last three games and yes that includes Boise St. which is ranked No. 122 in the country in total offense. Defensively, Charlotte has been one of the worst teams in the country as it is ranked No. 127 or worse in total defense, rushing defense, passing defense and scoring defense but now faces an offense that has scored more than 20 points only once and has reached only 400 total yards just once as well. Charlotte is in a great situational spot here and is definitely the potential live dog back home. 10* (210) Charlotte 49ers

This is a play on the UL-LAFAYETTE RAGIN' CAJUNS for our Sun Belt Conference Game of the Month. South Alabama came a few seconds away from a major upset at UCLA and instead of folding in a letdown spot, the Jaguars responded with a strong effort defensively against Louisiana Tech in a 38-14 win. The Jaguars are one of nine teams still perfect against the spread this season and at four games, that is the magic number we go against with the public going to be lining up on their side based on the spread record and recent results. After putting up over 500 total yards of offense in its first two games, South Alabama has failed to reach 400 yards of offense in its last two games and could struggle once again. While the scheduling situation is in the favor of South Alabama, the overreaction of this line is too much to look past Louisiana here especially with the line already having risen by a field goal since opening. The Cajuns easily won their first two games of the season at home but they have gone on the road the last two weeks and lost both games outright despite being heavily favored in both. The loss against rival UL-Monroe was an especially tough one and after those two games, we will see a focused bunch this week in their return home. Consistency on offense has been the issue as the quarterback situation is still in limbo after the first month of the season. Coming into the season, we noted in our preview that there will be a battle between Chandler Fields and Ben Wooldridge and seeing that both have different styles, both could see decent time on the field and that has been the case with both players seeing action in all four games. Balance will be key however as Lafayette will have to get the running game going as it currently sits No. 112 in the country in rushing offense with the inexperienced offensive line now four games in. Lafayette was a 12-point road favorite last season on the road, which means there is a three-touchdown adjustment almost to the calendar year and the Cajuns have thrived in this spot as they have been home underdogs three times over the last five-plus seasons and have won all of those outright including a 28-point thrashing of Appalachian St. last season. 10* (156) UL-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns

This is a play on the KENT ST. GOLDEN FLASHES for our CFB Saturday Enforcer. Kent St. returns home to open MAC play as it played three of its four nonconference games on the road at Washington, Oklahoma and Georgia and held its own. The offense could not do much in those games as expected but was a point and a half away from covering all three of those. Now being battle tested, the Golden Flashes face a team they can devour as the offense can come back to life like it did against Long Island and while Ohio is clearly a better team than that, laying 30 points less against the Bobcats certainly helps. Getting a true read on the offense and defense is hard in a spot like this considering the elite opposition they have faced, the No. 1 toughest schedule in the country thus far, but it does good going forward. If this sounds familiar, it is. Last season after a 1-3 nonconference start, the losses against Texas A&M, Iowa and Maryland, the Golden Flashes righted the ship, going 6-2 in the conference and went to the MAC Championship. Quarterback Collin Schlee is finding his footing and the one-two punch of Marquez Cooper and Xavier Williams is potent after the two combined for 2,017 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2021. Ohio took out Florida Atlantic in the season opener as it barely held off a late charge from the Owls and that defensive effort was a sign of things to come. The Bobcats then had a pair of tough road games at Penn St. and Iowa St. and the defense was lit up for 572 yards and 463 yards respectively which was going to be a given but last week was a total debacle as they hosted Fordham and gave up 52 points and 640 yards of offense and basically had to rally the entire second half to pull out the victory. Yes, Fordham of the FCS. The Bobcats are ranked No. 130 in total defense and No. 127 in scoring defense so it will be up to the offense to try and keep pace and we do not see that happening on the road as giving up 33 points to Oklahoma and 39 points to Georgia is a win by the Kent St. defense so matter how you look at it. Last season, the Bobcats finished No. 88 in total offense and No. 105 in scoring offense and are on pace for more of the same. 10* (204) Kent St. Golden Flashes

This is a play on the UCLA BRUINS for our Pac 12 Game of the Month. UCLA is off to 4-0 start following a Pac 12 opening win over Colorado this past Saturday and are back home to face its toughest test of the season and the line is telling us just that. There is not a whole lot of confidence in the Bruins, especially following a one-point win over South Alabama at home two weeks ago but this is a talented team and that scare against the Jaguars is just what this team needed. Against Colorado, UCLA won the yardage battle 515-309 including a 249-51 edge in rushing yards and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson had another strong game, going 19-23 for 234 yards and a pair of touchdowns and on the season, he is completing 74.8 percent of his passes while tossing eight touchdowns and only one interception and overall, he is the second highest rated quarterback on the conference, right behind his opponent on Friday. Head coach Chip Kelly made two excellent points heading into this week as he expressed that the conditioning of this team is outstanding as the Bruins have outscored opponents 78-21 in the second half including two shutouts. Also, he noted an edge because of the NFL experience of his coaches which gives them a preparation edge when playing on a short week. Washington is also off to a 4-0 start after another blowout win as it took out Stanford 40-22 and with the ease of the victories, the Huskies are catching some early CFP buzz, mostly due to the impressive win over Michigan St. But, that win has lost a lot of luster after the Spartans were blown out at home against Minnesota this past Saturday so while still a quality win by the Huskies, it is far from what it looked like two weeks ago. Like UCLA, the strength of schedule has not been great and this is their first venture on the road after playing the first four games at home. While Washington is ranked No. 5 in total offense and No. 22 in total defense, the Bruins are not far behind as they are ranked No. 12 in total offense and No. 20 in total defense and the scheduling is in their favor more than this being the first Huskies road game as this is the first UCLA game being played later than 2:00 local time so the atmosphere will be the best all season. Here, we play against road favorites after one or more consecutive straight up wins going up against an opponent after three or more consecutive straight up wins. This situation is 36-11 ATS (76.6 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (112) UCLA Bruins

This is a play on the SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS for our CFB Saturday Enforcer. South Carolina is done with its toughest back-to-back set of games this season after facing Arkansas and Georgia the last two weeks, although a season-ending back-to-back against Tennessee and Clemson ranks up there too, and it remains home following a 48-7 loss to the Bulldogs. With a game against South Carolina St. on deck, there is no lookahead and they want to right the ship here and should have no problem doing so. South Carolina has faced three teams that like to and can run the ball with success and all of those teams took advantage as they averaged 236 ypg on 46.3 carries (5.1 ypc) but now it gets a break. Charlotte has run the ball a decent amount considering it has played from behind in the majority of its games and there has been no success as the 49ers have averaged 97.8 ypg on 28.5 carries (3.4 ypc). Sure, it can be argued they are facing a poor rushing defense but a look at the strength of schedule will tell a different story with the Gamecocks having faced the No. 6 ranked schedule and the 49ers going against the No. 84 ranked slate. Charlotte picked up its first win of the season after a 0-3 start as it defeated Georgia St. in a game it never should have won. The 49ers scored with under a minute remaining to seal the victory after the Panthers took the lead in their possession right before that. They did have their best offensive performance of the season with 501 total yards but the defense allowed 602 total yards so coming away with a win despite getting outgained by over 100 yards is very fortunate. Charlotte has been outgained in all four games by at least 100 yards and by an average of 178.8 ypg and we cannot see it keeping up with a Power Five team, similar to the game against Maryland where it lost 56-21 and was outgained 619-388. The 49ers were able to pass all over Georgia St. last week for 401 yards but do not expect anything close to that here. An added bonus is that this game as originally scheduled for 12 ET but was moved to 7:30 ET and a rowdy night crowd is just what the Gamecocks need. Here, we play against road underdogs getting outscored by 10 or more ppg, after two straight games where 70 total points or more were scored. This situation is 62-21 ATS (74.7 percent) since 1992. 10* (318) South Carolina Gamecocks

This is a play on the SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI GOLDEN EAGLES as part of our CFB Saturday Underdog Three Pack. Tulane is coming off a huge upset at Kansas St. last week and is off to a 3-0 start where it also defeated a pair of cupcakes in Massachusetts and Alcorn St. The Tulane defense ruled in the second half as it shut out the Wildcats, forcing four punts and stopping Kansas St. on fourth down three times. The Green Wave had two scoring drives of 53 and 52 yards after two of those fourth down stops to score the final 10 points. Both teams had 336 total yards, Tulane had an 18-15 first down edge and both punted seven times as third down conversions were hard to come by as Tulane was 1-12 while Kansas St. was 2-15. While the defense was impressive, they faced a Wildcats offense that has their shortcomings and while allowing a total of 10 points in the first two games is certainly impressive, the opposition had a lot to do with that. The offense struggled last week and faces an underrated defense this week that kept Miami Fla. in check for most of that game. Tulane is 4-17 ATS in its last 21 games coming off an upset win as a road underdog since 1992. Southern Mississippi opened the season with a pair of losses against Liberty in four overtimes and Miami Fla. but rebounded last week with a 64-10 win over Northwestern St. as it outgained the Demons 588-234 and while it came against a team from the FCS, it was a needed confidence boost heading into its last nonconference game of the season. The Golden Eagles bring back 16 starters and has the No. 7 ranked returning production in the country so this is a very deep team that is getting a huge number in this spot. The defense from last season was not great as they finished No. 80 in points allowed but that was a bit skewed as the offense had 31 turnovers, the most in the nation, that led to the defense being pinned leading to scores on short fields which upped the points allowed and falsely reduced the length of scoring drives and this is a unit loaded with talent at all three levels. On offense, the Golden Eagles exploded last week and ball control will be key here with Frank Gore, Jr., who is averaging 5.9 ypc, being a pivotal piece. Southern Mississippi is 23-7 ATS in its last 30 road games after outrushing opponent by 125 or more yards last game. 10* (409) Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles

This is a play on the JAMES MADISON DUKES as part of our CFB Saturday Underdog Three Pack. James Madison came into the 2022 season with a few unknowns, namely how would it handle the jump into the FBS? The Dukes came over from a very successful run in the FCS ranks following a 12-2 record last season including a 7-1 record in the CAA to win their third straight conference championship. No. 3 seed James Madison rolled over SE Louisiana and Montana in the first two rounds of the FCS playoffs before succumbing to No. 2 seed North Dakota St., the eventual National Champion by six points. It has been so far, so good for James Madison as it has rolled over its two opponents Middle Tennessee St. and Norfolk St. by a combined score of 107-14. The Dukes take a step up in class and will be playing on the road for the first time but this team is loaded and it could not be catching a better spot for their first ever Sun Belt Conference game. Not only has the host gone through the emotions of a full season in just three games but James Madison is coming off a bye week which was an added bonus prior to kicking off conference action. Appalachian St. opened the season with a crushing loss against North Carolina as a missed two-point conversion (twice) prevented overtime. The Mountaineers then went to Texas A&M and defeated the Aggies as close to three-touchdown underdogs and then there was last week. The Mountaineers took a fourth quarter, three-point lead but Troy retook the lead and then took a safety in its own end zone to keep a two-point lead but Appalachian St. tossed a 53-yard Hail Mary as time expired to win the game. We played against them last week to get the cover and will do so again here in what is the ultimate letdown spot. They have played good enough to win all three games for sure and now they face the unknown which is another advantage for the road team that has something to prove. Appalachian St. is ranked No. 38 in total offense and No. 46 in scoring offense and faces the top ranked total defense in the country albeit against a much softer schedule but do not be surprised to see the fireworks going the other way this week for the Mountaineers that are just 1-8 ATS in their last nine home games as a single-digit favorite. 10* (357) James Madison Dukes

This is a play on the BUFFALO BULLS for our MAC Game of the Month. Eastern Michigan is coming off a major upset at Arizona St. last Saturday and the whole week it has heard about how good it is and there was certainly celebration taking place throughout. We are basing this play partly because of the line and going against what the public will perceive as a very short price based on last week therefore we are going opposite as there is more to Eastern Michigan than last week. The Eagles opened the season against Eastern Kentucky from the FCS and snuck out an eight-point win despite getting outgained by 97 total yards as they benefitted from five turnovers. They then went to Louisiana and got thumped by the Cajuns by 28 points before last week and it is safe to say that Arizona St. had plenty of issues going into that game considering how fast Herm Edwards was fired after the loss and now reports coming out about information being leaked to opponents. While it was a good win over a Power Five team, there is more to it than that. Eastern Michigan is 4-17 ATS in its last 21 games after scoring 24 points or more in the first half last game. Buffalo is off to a 0-3 start following a 12-point loss against Coastal Carolina last week but the game was not decided until late and the Bulls could have been excused for coming in flat following a loss against Holy Cross the previous week on a Hail Mary to end the game. Buffalo opened the season with an expected loss against Maryland although it was a competitive game through the first half until the Terrapins scored on a 70-yard touchdown to open the second half and the Bulls did a good job against a very strong Maryland offense. The season is far from lost at 0-3 with this being the conference opener and they could not be catching their opponent in a better spot. Overall, the numbers are pretty similar with the offenses sitting below average and the defenses very below average with both teams playing a similar strength of schedule. The line has already risen two points and would not be surprised to see it get higher. Here, we play on underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points getting outscored by opponents by 10 or more ppg, after allowing 31 points or more in three straight games. This situation is 58-23 ATS (71.6 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (355) Buffalo Bulls

This is a play on the WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS as part of our CFB Saturday Underdog Three Pack. Clemson is off to a 3-0 start but there is something skeptical about it. They were three games the Tigers never should have been threatened in, which on the scoreboard they were not, as they were favored by at least 24 points in all three games and won them all by at least 23 points. Last week, they were up just 13-6 at the break and they broke it open in the third quarter with three consecutive touchdowns which came after a pair of interceptions and a turnover on downs that accumulated only 152 yards and then scored its last touchdown on a 12-yard drive. Not exactly going up and down the field. Against Furman, Clemson had only 376 yards of offense and was outgained by the Paladins, and in the opener against Georgia Tech, it had just 378 yards on offense and needed a pair of blocked punts to seal the big win. This offense is reminiscent of last season when it started slow and relied on the defense which it has done by allowing only 10, 12 and 20 points but here comes the first test. Wake Forest is also 3-0 and the positive news is that quarterback Sam Hartman only missed one game after taking a leave for a non-football related issue and has had two games to prepare for this one. He was not great last week against Liberty as the Demon Deacons won by only one point which was a game they did not show up for with a possible lookahead being the reason. They went ahead 20-5 and should have pulled away but instead allowed 18 unanswered points and eventually won the game by denying a two-point conversion at the end of the game. Wake Forest lost this meeting last season by 21 points as it was getting 3.5 points on the road and now it is getting a touchdown at home which does not add up considering the game was played in late November when the Tigers were playing their best and now the Demon Deacons catch them early where there seem to be struggles once again. Hartman did throw for over 300 yards in that game. Here, we play against road favorites of 3.5 to 10 points in the first month of the season, after closing out last season with three or more straight wins. This situation is 63-27 ATS (70 percent) since 1992. 10* (340) Wake Forest Demon Deacons. 10* (340) Wake Forest Demon Deacons

This is a play on the AIR FORCE FALCONS for our CFB Friday Night Lights Winner. Nevada is 2-2 to open the season and very could be 0-4. After winning the turnover battle 5-0 in its opener against New Mexico St. where it won 23-12, Nevada again took advantage with a 4-0 takeaway edge and it scored 21 points off those turnovers in a 38-14 win over Texas St. The 2-0 start was short-lived as the Wolf Pack have dropped their last two games, losing to Incarnate Word 55-41 as a favorite and then losing 27-0 at Iowa last week. One constant similarity from the first four games is that Nevada was outgained in all four of those as turnovers were the difference, being +9 in the two wins and just +1 in the two losses and the Wolf Pack cannot be expected to win the turnover battle against a disciplined Air Force team that is even in turnover margin through three games. Nevada is a team that was the most experienced in the country heading into last season with 22 returning starters to now being the least experienced coming into 2022 with only six starters back and that is definitely showing. They should not stand a chance against this Falcons running game. Air Force is coming off an embarrassing effort against Wyoming last week as the Falcons entered the game ranked No. 1 in rushing offense with 508.5 ypg but were held to just 171 yards on 40 carries (4.3 ypc). Overall, the Cowboys outgained Air Force 342-272 yet the Falcons had a chance to win but Wyoming came up big as it went 75 yards for the game-winning score. This is not the game to try and stand in the way of the Falcons as they will be out for a big rebound and will not be letting up no matter how big the lead may be as they need to regain the confidence and get back to .500 in the conference. Head coach Troy Calhoun has been here 15 years and has been in this situation many times and has succeeded as over the last 17 games, his Falcons are 13-4 ATS when coming off a loss as a favorite and playing a team with a .500 or worse winning percentage. Here, we played against teams averaging 4.2 or fewer yards per play on offense after gaining 2.75 or fewer yards per play in their previous game. this situation is 26-6 ATS (81.2 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (310) Air Force Falcons

This is a play on the GEORGIA ST. PANTHERS for our Sun Belt Conference Game of the Month. Coastal Carolina is coming off a win over Buffalo to move to 3-0 on the season but it was not as easy as it should have been. The Bulls were in the game for a while as nearing the end of the first half, they went 80 yards to take a two-point lead into the break. The Chanticleers retook the lead for a good on a fumble recovery for a touchdown as it outscored Buffalo 21-7 in the fourth quarter. They outgained the Bulls 504-337 including 221-59 on the ground (7.9 ypc to 1.3 ypc) so the game should not have been as tight but costly mistakes have played a role early in the season. Coastal Carolina did struggle in the previous game against FCS Gardner Webb as it won by only four points while getting outgained by 141 total yards and that is playing into this line which is shorter than it probably should be so the public is all over the 3-0 chalk going up against the 0-3 underdog. This is the first road game for Coastal Carolina. It has been a disappointing start for the Panthers as they are 0-3 after coming into the season with a projected win total of 7.5 and a likely contender in the Sun Belt Conference although the latter is still more than possible as they have been on the wrong end of some bad breaks. They are coming off a bad loss against Charlotte as it was a back and forth game no thanks to a bad break as Georgia St. was driving to take a 14-point lead in the second quarter but Charlotte returned a fumble 58 yards for a touchdown and then put up another offensive touchdown to take it first lead. The Panthers looked to have put it away as they took a six-point lead with 1:43 remaining but the 49ers went 69 yards in 1:16 to score the game winner. Georgia St. won the yardage battle 602-501 and while that is a little skewed because of the number of plays ran, it kept the time of possession edge which is important in this matchup. The Panthers also outgained South Carolina and were outgained by only 46 yards against North Carolina so they have basically been on the right side in all three games but failed to come away with a victory. Here, we play on teams coming off a home loss by three points or less, in the first month of the season. This situation is 76-30 ATS (71.7 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (306) Georgia St. Panthers

This is a play on the BOWLING GREEN FALCONS as part of our CFB Saturday Underdog Three Pack. Marshall is coming off an upset victory at Notre Dame to move to 2-0 on the season following a 55-3 win over Norfolk St. This is an epic win for the Thundering Herd and now trying to get up on the road once again against a much lesser opponent is going to be a tough task. Notre Dame took the lead early in the fourth quarter but the Thundering Herd got the lead back late in the quarter and then iced the game returning an interception 37 yards for a touchdown. Marshall outgained the Irish by 13 total yards with nearly even time of possession and both teams were just 4-13 on third down and while the Marshall effort was impressive, it really showed how bad the Notre Dame offense really is. The win is the second victory against a top-10 ranked team in program history with the first coming in 2003 against then-No. 6 Kansas St. Not much was expected of the Thundering Herd coming into the season as they had a 5.5-win total with only 11 starters back and a No. 103 returning production ranking. After losing to UCLA in the season opener, the Falcons are coming off a disappointing loss against Eastern Kentucky where they were favored by over a touchdown but this is a very experienced team that can regroup. Bowling Green jumped ahead 10-0 after the first quarter but Eastern Kentucky went on a 31-7 run that included four straight scoring drives that totaled 276 yards which was sandwiched around a fumble recovery for a touchdown. The Falcons responded with three straight touchdowns to take a seven-point lead but allowed the Colonels to drive 75 yards on 14 plays to tie the game with no time left in regulation. Eastern Kentucky knocked down a pass in the seventh overtime to seal the win. Last season, Bowling Green was one of the most inexperienced teams in the country as it played numerous underclassmen so it can be excused but this season, the Falcons have the most experienced team in the nation as far as returning production. Here, we play on teams off an extremely close home loss by three points or less, in the first month of the season. This situation is 71-28 ATS (71.7 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (166) Bowling Green Falcons

This is a play on the COLORADO ST. RAMS for our CFB Saturday Enforcer. Washington St. is coming off an upset over Wisconsin and while it is chalked up as a Cougars win, it can be classed more of a Badgers loss. After scoreless first quarter, Washington St. took its first possession of the second quarter 53 yards to take a 7-0 lead. Wisconsin took the ensuing kickoff and went 65 yards to tie the game and then forced a punt with 55 seconds remaining in the first half and went 45 yards in 35 seconds to take a seven-point lead into the half. The Cougars opened the second half with a field goal and went ahead midway through the third quarter with a touchdown following an interception. Wisconsin got inside the Cougars 12-yard line on its last two possessions but turned it over both times. The Badgers outgained Washington St. 401-253 but the turnovers did them in as did 11 penalties for 106 yards. In their first game, the Cougars snuck by Idaho 24-17 as they managed only 360 yards on offense so with two games with 613 total yards, beating a number this big will be a challenge. The Cougars are 2-7 ATS in their last nine nonconference games. It was an ugly loss for the Rams last week as Middle Tennessee St. jumped out to a 34-0 lead before Colorado St. made it look more respectable. The Blue Raiders returned an interception 32 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the game and the offense did its part after that, scoring on five of its first eight possessions with another 10 points coming off turnovers by the Rams. The defense was the real story as Middle Tennessee St. allowed 57 total yards in the first nine Colorado St. possessions, forcing three turnovers and six punts. The Blue Raiders outgained the Rams 380-246 including giving up -10 yards rushing 34 attempts (-0.3 ypc) in part due to having nine sacks for 70 yards. This came after a blowout loss at Michigan and head coach Jay Norvell is not off to a great start after coming over from Nevada. Sacramento St. is on deck for the Rams so there is no chance of a lookahead and this is a great opportunity for the defense to get back on track and the underdog price gives them a lot of leeway. The Rams are 21-9 ATS in their last 30 road games against teams with a winning home record. 10* (161) Colorado St. Rams

This is a play on the TROY TROJANS for our CFB Saturday Ultimate Underdog. After falling a two-point conversion short two weeks, Appalachian St. rebounded with a major upset at Texas A&M. The Mountaineers struck first after a fumble recovery led to a 29-yard touchdown drive but the Aggies responded by going 75 yards in seven plays and then their offense completely shut down. Texas A&M had only five possessions after that as its other touchdown came on a 95-yard kickoff return after Appalachian St. took a 14-7 lead and the Aggies mustered only 95 yards of offense while missing a game-tying field goal in the final minutes. The Mountaineers outgained Texas A&M 315-186 and held it to just nine first downs while possessing the ball for nearly 23 more minutes. It was a great performance following the disappointment against North Carolina and Appalachian St. in now in the double-letdown situation as an overpriced favorite that is feeling pretty good about themselves. The Mountaineers are 1-5 ATS in their last six games after allowing less than 275 total yards in their previous game. Troy opened the season with a loss at Mississippi but bounced back last week with a win against Alabama A&M. Against the Rebels, a slow start doomed the Trojans as Mississippi jumped ahead 21-0 as Troy could get nothing going on offense as it managed only 59 total yards on its first five possessions. The second half was bad for both teams as the Rebels scored a touchdown to open the half but their next five possessions ended with three turnovers and two punts while gaining only 57 yards. The Trojans had more production as they had six drives that totaled 220 yards but scored only one touchdown as they had a fumble, an interception and turned it over on downs three times. The offense got it going last week, albeit against an FCS team, but it was a much needed game to get things right and the passing game will play a big part here as the Trojans have averaged 375 ypg through the air and the Mountaineers secondary could be susceptible here which is always a bonus with a sizable underdog than can sneak in a backdoor cover if it comes down to that. The Trojans are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games after accumulating less than 275 total yards in their previous game. 10* (155) Troy Trojans

This is a play on the UAB BLAZERS for our CFB Saturday Supreme Annihilator. UAB is coming off a disappointing loss at Liberty as it went on the road as a favorite and could get nothing going on offense and that changes here. After forcing a three and out to open the game, UAB fumbled on its first offensive play but no damage was done. The Blazers punted on their next possession and fumbled again on the next drive but Liberty missed a field goal and UAB took advantage by going 80 yards in four plays to take a 7-0 lead. The Flames tied the game early in the second quarter which ended the scoring for both teams before the half. Liberty added a pair of touchdowns and was ready to put the game away but fumbled on its own 20-yard line and UAB punched it in but the Blazers never got the ball back as Liberty was able to run out the clock. The Flames outgained UAB 390-355 and benefitted from four fumbles. The Blazers put up 59 points and 478 total yards in their opener against Alabama A&M and they have a chance to light it up again here. Georgia Southern is coming off a monumental win at Nebraska. Just how big? It is the first time in 215 home games at Memorial Stadium that Nebraska has lost while scoring 35 or more points. The Eagles had second half leads twice before Nebraska took a 42-38 lead with 3:05 remaining but Georgia Southern went 75 yards in 11 plays to take back the lead and Nebraska missed a game tying field goal as time expired. The Eagles outgained the Huskers 642-575 and while Nebraska won the turnover battle 2-0, it was hurt by 10 penalties that awarded the Eagles four first downs. The offense is no joke but it will be challenged here as the UAB defense was No. 16 in total defense and No. 41 in scoring defense last season and with eight starters back, they are in great form. While the Eagles offense hummed along, the defense showed signs of the big step back it took a year ago because last season was a disaster as the Eagles allowed 441.7 ypg which was No. 109 in the country and only five starters are back. Here, we play against underdogs of 10.5 to 21 points after gaining 6.75 or more yppl in their previous game, with five defensive starters returning. This situation is 31-10 ATS (75.6 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (154) UAB Blazers

This is a play on the OHIO BOBCATS as part of our CFB Saturday Underdog Three Pack. Iowa St. brought the Cy-Hawk Trophy back to Ames for the first time since 2014 as it finally broke through against its bitter rival but it was far from pretty. The Cyclones had the advantage of facing one of the most inept offenses of the power five conference so far in the early part of the season as Iowa scored its lone touchdown on a 16-yard drive following a blocked punt and the Hawkeyes finished with 92 yards passing and 58 yards rushing. The Cyclones were not efficient either as they had three turnovers and had two punts blocked while managing only 313 total yards. The go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter went 99 yards on 21 plays that took 11:49 off the clock. This came after a 42-10 win over SE Missouri St. but it took three second half touchdowns to put the game away. The Cyclones host Baylor next week in their Big 12 opener so coupled with the win last week, they are trapped in this sandwich game. Ohio is coming off an expected blowout loss at Penn St. as the Bobcats were never in it as four-touchdown underdogs. Now they are getting another big number that is just over a touchdown less than last week against a far more inferior team than the Nittany Lions. The Ohio defense was far from good but they allowed only three third down conversions in 12 attempts and had five sacks and will be a less potent offense here. The Bobcats opened the season with an upset over Florida Atlantic as they held off a late charge from the Owls. Florida Atlantic took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards for a score to take a 7-0 lead and never trailed in the first half, taking a 17-13 lead into the break. Ohio scored touchdowns on three of its first four possessions of the second half to take a 17-point lead but the Owls scored three late touchdowns and got the ball with 1:37 remaining in the game but turned the ball over on downs with 32 seconds to go. Here, we play against home favorites good rushing defense from last season allowing 125 or fewer rushing ypg, after allowing 100 or less rushing yards last game. This situation is 48-18 ATS (72.7 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (127) Ohio Bobcats

This is a play on the NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS as part of our CFB Saturday Underdog Three Pack. It took three games into the season for Nebraska to fire head coach Scott Frost and that arguably was something that should have happened at the end of last season. Following a loss against Northwestern in the season opener, the Huskers bounced back with a win against North Dakota and gave it back last week with a home loss against Georgia Southern. It was a game that was back and forth throughout and the Huskers were in good position to take it but the defense came up small at the end. The Eagles had second half leads twice before Nebraska took a 42-38 lead with 3:05 remaining but Georgia Southern went 75 yards in 11 plays to take back the lead and Nebraska missed a game tying field goal as time expired. The Eagles outgained the Huskers 642-575 and while Nebraska won the turnover battle 2-0, it was hurt by 10 penalties that awarded the Eagles four first downs. The horror stories of summer/fall camp are now in the past and we are going to see a much looser team under interim head coach Mickey Joseph. Oklahoma hits the road following a pair of easy home wins but the Sooners were not very dominant last week against a team from the MAC. It started the game with four straight punts and Kent St. was able to take a 3-0 lead early in the second quarter before the Sooners finally got the offense going with a 76-yard drive capped by a 36-yard touchdown pass with 18 seconds left in the first half. Oklahoma scored on its first four second half possessions to put the game away but they struggled again late with only 31 total yards in the fourth quarter on four possessions. The Sooners won the yardage battle 430-295 as the Golden Flashes did do a good job keeping the ball away from Oklahoma as they had the ball for over 12 more minutes while the Sooners were just 3-12 on third down. The Sooners will be fired up for this old rivalry but this is too many points to be laying with a team not clicking as of yet. Here, we play on teams off an extremely close home loss by three points or less, in the first month of the season, after closing out last season with two or more straight losses. This situation is 34-10 ATS (77.3 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (124) Nebraska Cornhuskers

This is a play on the AIR FORCE FALCONS for our MWC Game of the Month. Air Force is off to a 2-0 start with a pair of blowout wins over Northern Iowa of the FCS and Colorado as it has won by a combined score of 89-27 and it won the yardage battle by 286 and 317 yards. This is the first road game of the season but the road has not been an issue as the Falcons were 5-0 last season and this should not be a matchup to worry about. Quarterback Hazziq Daniels is back after finishing second on the team in rushing and while the passing game was limited as he completed only 45.7 percent of his passes, he led the country with 22.6 yards per completion. Leading rusher Brad Roberts returns and there is a decent amount of depth behind him and the offensive line has three starters back with all five up front having solid experience. The top three rushers this season have gained 597 yards on 69 carries (8.7 ypc). Good rushing performances for the Falcons have been followed up with more of the same as they are 8-0 ATS in their last eight games after gaining 350 or more rushing yards last game. Wyoming has bounced back from an opening loss at Illinois 38-6 with a pair of wins as it defeated Tulsa in overtime and then defeated Northern Colorado of the FCS last week 33-10. In the win over Tulsa, the Cowboys were outgained 521-399 as their points were also bolstered by defense and special teams as they had a sack/fumble that was recovered in the endzone for a touchdown and also blocked a punt for a touchdown. While the rushing defense has been solid the last two games, those were against inept running teams and Wyoming allowed 260 yards rushing on 41 carries (6.3 ypc) against Illinois and with only four starters back overall and two of those along the defensive line, this is an issue as the rushing defense was the liability last season. Offensively, they only have four starters back as well and the Cowboys had only 294 yards against Northern Colorado last week. Here, we play on road favorites of 10.5 to 21 points with four or more total starters and an experienced quarterback returning going up against teams with new starting quarterback. This situation is 38-13 ATS (74.5 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (107) Air Force Falcons

This is a play on the NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES for our CFB Saturday Enforcer. Northern Illinois has some big expectations this season and there is no reason to believe that the Huskies will not reach and/or exceed those. Last season they went 9-5 and won the MAC Championship for the fourth time in 10 years as the Huskies welcomed back 19 starters and head coach Thomas Hammock could be building something really good again. They have 18 starters back this season while being ranked No. 8 in returning production and a repeat is the goal. They opened the season against Eastern Illinois and won 34-27 and that closer than expected finish is going to worry some but this is a veteran team that will regroup and all that narrow victory did was give us line value this week. The Huskies led by 22 points in the second half on two different occasions and instead of going for the jugular, they took the foot off the gas so a lot of the Panthers output was after the game was pretty much decided. Nonetheless, they have to play better which we are expecting they do. Tulsa put up a dud last week against Wyoming as they lost in overtime by three points as there were facets of the game that they failed at against what was considered a pretty bad team coming off a 38-6 loss against Illinois where the Cowboys could do nothing. The Golden Hurricane could not run the ball, turned it over more than they should have and special teams was horrible. The one big positive was quarterback Davis Brin who threw for a career-high 460 yards and three touchdowns but still could not get it done against a Cowboys defense that returns just four starters and have just one holdover in the secondary so he should have gone off. This line should be in the field goal range so we get value there in a game the Huskies can win outright. Here, we play on underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points that averaged 425 or more total ypg last season, with eight or more offensive starters including the quarterback returning, in the first month of the season. This situation is 29-8 ATS (78.4 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (385) Northern Illinois Huskies

This is a play on the KANSAS JAYHAWKS as part of our CFB Saturday Underdog Three Pack. We bet the Kansas over win total of 2.5 and we are almost halfway there and while one victory over an FCS team is not going to say the Jayhawks are now a force to be reckoned with, it was a very positive step and an additional one that goes back to last season. There have been seven coaches on the Kansas sideline during this putrid 13-year stretch but good things happened down the stretch last year and if Lance Leipold was able to turn things around in Buffalo, he has a chance to do it here, in time of course. At the end of last season, Kansas defeated Texas in a wild 57-56 overtime upset and then lost its final two games by just nine points combined. Why is this important? Quarterback Jalon Daniels took over those games and was excellent and over the last four games, he is 80-110 (72.7 percent) for 895 yards with seven touchdowns and four interceptions. He was efficient last week and now teams have to pay attention not only to the running game, but to the passing game. West Virginia is coming off a tough loss against Pittsburgh in the Backyard Brawl which puts them in a tough spot as it could get guilty of looking past Kansas. Against Pittsburgh, West Virginia had 190 rushing on 33 carries (5.8 ypc) while the Panthers had just 76 yards rushing on 38 carries (2.0 ypc) so that goes to the Mountaineers but Pittsburgh threw for 308 yards (19.3 yards per completion) compared to the Mountaineers passing for 214 yards (9.3 yards per completion). Daniels has every chance to be successful again here. The Kansas defense was one of the worst in the country last season but there is plenty of experience and the depth has increased thanks to the transfer portal. They allowed only 10 points and 190 total yards and while that was Tennessee Tech, the recent history of FCS games has not been good so this is a big thing and a huge thing to build on. Not much was expected with a 5.5 win total and just 12 starters returning with a No. 111 returning production ranking. 10* (371) Kansas Jayhawks

This is a play on the IOWA HAWKEYES for our CFB Saturday Rivalry Rout. How bad was the Iowa offense last week against South Dakota St.? The Hawkeyes managed just one touchdown in the 7-3 victory. Correction, it was not even a touchdown as their scoring came from a field goal and a pair of safeties so the offense was even worst than that seven-point total can possibly look. The offense managed 166 yards of offense, quarterback Spencer Petras was 11-25 for 109 yards, running back Leshon Williams was the leading rusher with 72 yards and the MVP was punter Tory Taylor who punted 10 times with seven of those being downed inside the 20-yard line including five inside the 10-yard line. Injuries played a role last week but they will be more healthy this week and the playing time of the younger players was a big edge even though the performances were not there. Iowa St. looked much better in its opener against an FCS opponent as it defeated SE Missouri St. 42-10 but it was not as dominating as that score might indicate. The Cyclones won the yardage battle 469-320 and had a fairly narrow 7.0 to 5.3 yard per play edge. If there is good news for the Iowa passing game it is that the Redhawks threw for 222 yards on an 11.7 completion average, the same as the Cyclones. Iowa St. quarterback Hunter Dekkers is a redshirt freshman that saw limited action last season so there is not much for teams to look at on film but the Hawkeyes have firsthand experience as he faced them in relief duty last season, going 11-16 for 114 yards and a touchdown and while those numbers were good, Iowa has a big edge having played against him. Iowa will have a much better defense than that of SE Missouri St., and because of this, the Cyclones need to use the clock to their advantage and that is what the Hawkeyes will plan on taking away. No one will be backing Iowa here and as of Wednesday morning, 60 percent of the action is on the Cyclones and from just a scoreboard analysis from last week, it is not hard to imagine that. There is more to it than that. 10* (368) Iowa Hawkeyes

This is a play on the TEXAS A&M AGGIES for our CFB Saturday Supreme Annihilator. We lost with Appalachian St. last week while some may have pushed and we are going against the Mountaineers here in a much different matchup and situation. That was a heart-wrenching loss as they came all the way back with a monster fourth quarter but came up just short in a game they had circled all summer and the biggest home crown in program history went home disappointed. Picking up the pieces will not be easy and this is where a cupcake would come in handy but they are not so lucky. Looking at the stats shows a masterful quarterback performance from Chase Brice who threw for six touchdowns and 361 yards against the Tar Heels and many people will go by that and think that this attack is now balanced and can give the Aggies fits but two weeks ago, North Carolina allowed 279 yards on 28-39 passing with a 7.2 yard per attempt average against Florida A&M from the FCS so the Brice numbers do not look as sparkly. Texas A&M toyed with Sam Houston St. last week in a 31-0 victory that might not look very impressive score-wise but it was a pure domination. The Aggies put up 497 yards of offense on 7.4 yards per play and looking at the drive chart shows it took a while for that offense to get rolling in the first game of the season as they had 184 yards in their first seven possessions, one accounting for 77 of those, but they tallied 303 yards over the final six possessions. Haynes King was great at quarterback despite a pair of picks as he threw for 364 yards and three touchdowns on 65 percent completions. The defense, despite down six starters from last season, did what was expected as it held the Bearkats to 198 yards and 10 first downs and will give the Mountaineers fits unlike how North Carolina tried. Here, we play on favorites of 10.5 to 21 points that averaged 4.75 or more rushing ypc last season, with an experienced quarterback returning as starter, in the first month of the season. This situation is 74-31 ATS (70.5 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (354) Texas A&M Aggies

This is a play on the GEORGIA ST. PANTHERS as part of our CFB Saturday Underdog Three Pack. Georgia St. lost to South Carolina last week 35-14 but it was a misleading final as the Panthers were in the game but special teams did them in. They were down by just five points at halftime and picked off a pass on the second play of the third quarter and converted that into a touchdown for their first and only lead. South Carolina scored the final 23 points to pull away thanks to a pair of blocked punts returned for touchdowns. If those did not happen and the final score was closer to 10 points, this line would not be nearly as high. Georgia St. won the yardage battle 311-306 and take a big step down in opposing defense this week. Quarterback Darren Grainger was not great last week but he can go off here just like Chase Brice did last week as he threw for six touchdowns and 361 yards with a very similar offense to that of the Panthers run first option. North Carolina may be 2-0 but it has not been impressive. This defense is not good and will keep many teams around so a look at a home underdog is always an option, especially one that is coming off a solid game against an SEC team. The Tar Heels let Brice go off and the argument will be that the Mountaineers were down huge and had to throw. Sure that is the case but the defense knew it was coming and had no answers. This after giving up 279 yards on 28-39 passing with a 7.2 yard per attempt average to Florida A&M of the FCS. The North Carolina offense is strong but will be facing an underrated defense. The Panthers were great against South Carolina and going back to last season, they improvement immensely by giving up only 20.3 ppg over the final eight games and have seven starters back led by linebackers Blake Carroll and Jordan Veneziale who combined for 169 tackles and 9.5 sacks last season and had 10 and one last week. Here, we play on home underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points team that had a winning record last season, in non-conference games. This situation is 83-35 ATS (70.3 percent) since 1992. 10* (322) Georgia St. Panthers

This is a play on the SOUTHERN MISS GOLDEN EAGLES as part of our CFB Saturday Underdog Three Pack. Southern Mississippi is coming off a loss to Liberty in four overtimes and now must change directions quickly. Liberty outgained Southern Mississippi 447-391 but needed 15 more plays to do so and the Golden Eagles had the better yard per play average and this team is expected to be a much improved program. They stumbled to a 3-9 record under first year head coach Will Hall and Southern Mississippi brings back 16 starters and has the No. 7 ranked returning production in the country so they have the experience that will be ready. The quarterback situation is still in the air but that is a position that was already low coming in. While one player cannot make a difference in a game, something says Frank Gore, Jr. has had this game circled for a while coming off a career-high 178 yards on a career-best 32 carries and a pair of rushing scores last week. The Hurricanes hung 70 points on Bethune-Cookman which comes as no surprise as the offense did what it wanted but the defense was not great, allowing 342 yards on a 6.1 yard per play average and this is a game it should have dominated on defense. Now after one big victory over an FCS school, there is already talk about the U being back. We need to pump the brakes a bit here even though this team is no doubt going to be heading in the right direction under new head coach Mario Cristobal but it is too soon. For starters, even though it was a game against an FCS team, this is an awful spot with the letdown/lookahead situation. Letdown? Yes. Over 56,000 fans came to watch the debut of the new look Hurricanes in primetime and now they have a noon kickoff against a team no one in Florida cares about and with a game at Texas A&M next week, not only the lookahead there but for this game, they will keep things simple and not show their cards. Here, we play on teams off a home loss by three points or less, in the first month of the season. This situation is 67-27 ATS (71.3 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (327) Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles

This is a play on the CLEMSON TIGERS for our CFB Monday Star Attraction. While this might be considered a home game for Georgia Tech, it will not be as Clemson will be making the trip with a huge fan base in tow for what in reality is a neutral site game to open the ACC for both teams. A 10-win season was a downer for the Tigers and what they need is a quick start this season after stumbling out last year with a 4-3 start that included losses against NC State and Pittsburgh with three wins coming by 15 points combined against non-bowl teams. This included a 14-8 win over Georgia Tech at home and Clemson has not forgotten that one. Last year was the first one since 2014 that Clemson was not ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll at some point in the season as it got to No. 3 and finished No. 14, the third lowest in the 11 years. The quarterback play has to improve as the offense was abysmal last season but nine starters are back with playmakers at both wide receiver and running back to go along with a veteran offensive line. Defensively, the strength is along the front line with four potential NFL players manning a great run stopping unit and the ability to get to the quarterback. Clemson finished No. 8 in rushing defense and had 42 sacks which was tenth most in the nation so they will once again be all over the place in opponent backfields. Georgia Tech has a lot of work to do and no time to do it. Head coach Geoff Collins was hired after two successful campaigns at Temple and nothing has gone right. He has gone 9-25 in three years and after ending last season with six straight losses including getting shutout against Notre Dame and Georgia in the final two games by a combined 100-0, the fact he still has a job is a little shocking. Only eight starters are back including five on offense that is rebuilding its offensive line, not idea facing Clemson out of the gate. They are worse off defensively with only three starters back after finishing No. 117 in total defense and No. 112 in scoring defense. Clemson should name the score here and the motivation is there to do so. 10* (235) Clemson Tigers

This is a play on the TEXAS ST. BOBCATS for our CFB Saturday Ultimate Underdog. We lost by going against Nevada last week but we were on the right side, the breaks just went the wrong way. The Aggies got inside the Nevada 30-yard line on its first two possessions but missed a field goal and threw an interception and they had four turnovers on seven drives in the half and were unable to score. The second half was much better where they gained 198 yards on their last three possessions but resulted in a touchdown, a field goal and another turnover at the Nevada nine-yard line in the final minute. Nevada was actually outgained 303-257 but benefitted from those five turnovers while not turning the ball over on offense. That offense has work to do as it had only 78 yards passing with just a 3.4 yard per attempt average while the rushing game averaged only 4.0 ypc. The public sees a win and a cover and will be all over this short number. The Bobcats have endured seven straight losing seasons, compiling a 19-65 record over that stretch. Current head coach Jake Spavital is entering his fourth season and while a 4-8 record last year is hardly a big move, it was the best record over the past seven years. Texas St. returns 16 starters and has a No. 23 returning production ranking including No. 7 on offense where some big steps forward are expected. Taking over at quarterback is Arkansas St. transfer Layne Hatcher who was not very good on a very bad team last season but this offense can fit his style. The receiving corps is solidified with Javan Banks and Marcell Barbee combining for 1,068 yards and 10 touchdowns. The defense improved by over 60 ypg and five ppg but it was still bad yet brings back good depth and experience and the Nevada offense is not going to scare anyone. This is the first time in a while that there are expectations to improve even more and if things can go the Bobcats way, the first ever bowl game is within reach. 10* (207) Texas St. Bobcats

This is a play on the SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS for our CFB Saturday Underdog Shocker. South Florida has been awful over the last two seasons and this line has a lot to do with that. There is a lot of pressure at the top as head coach Jeff Scott has to make a positive move forward. He has gone 3-18 in his first two seasons and entering 2022, there are no excuses as 19 starters are back from a 2-10 team with the only FBS win coming against Temple. Almost everyone is back from the offense that finished No. 102 in total offense and No. 99 in scoring offense and help is on the way at the most important position. Former Baylor quarterback Gerry Bohanon will step into the starting role for Timmy McClain who could not get the offense rolling. On the other side, the Bulls were No. 124 in total defense and No. 117 in scoring defense and there is plenty of experience back to improve in all areas. Be disruptive is the goal and there are pieces in place to do so. The linebackers are the strength as Antonio Grier and Dwayne Boyles both return after combining for 159 tackles. Going 21-4 over the last two seasons has put BYU back on the map and it is loaded for another big year with 19 returning starters and a ranking of No. 2 in returning production. Offensively, BYU took a step back last season from 2020 on offense as it averaged more than 70 fewer ypg and put up 11 fewer ppg. Quarterback Jaren Hall took over last season and was solid in 10 games where he threw for 2,583 yards and 20 touchdowns with just five interceptions and he should be even better. The Cougars lost leading rusher Tyler Allgeier who ran for over 1,400 yards so they will take a step back behind one of the better offensive lines in the country. The defense was not great last season as BYU finished No. 74 overall, No. 77 in passing and No. 66 in rushing but it was opportunistic with 25 takeaways that led to a good scoring defense and turnovers cannot be counted upon. 10* (168) South Florida Bulls

This is a play on the BOWLING GREEN FALCONS for our CFB Saturday Enforcer. Bowling Green head coach Scott Loeffler has compiled a 7-22 record in his three seasons with the Falcons and this season is likely the last stand if there is not a major turnaround. Last season, Bowling Green was one of the most inexperienced teams in the country but this season, the Falcons have the most experienced team in the nation as far as returning production. Offensively, the Falcons have 10 starters coming back so there should be massive improvements all around. Quarterback Matt McDonald was decent with 2,555 passing yards but threw only 12 touchdowns and tossed seven interceptions but with the experience around him, the redshirt senior transfer can flourish. He has players everywhere around him as the two top targets are back and there is plenty of depth with four players behind them that has at least 100 yards receiving. The two top running backs return also as well as four starting offensive linemen. UCLA is getting the love once again as it typically does but it is hard to be sold on this team. UCLA snapped a five-season losing streak last year with an 8-4 record with head coach Chip Kelly responsible for three of those losing campaigns and while things look to be on the upturn, there are a lot of questions going into this season. They had 20 starters return in 2021 so expectations were high but this season, only eight starters are back and this could be a massive trap. The Bruins are set at quarterback with Dorian Thompson-Robinson but he needs players to step up big around him. the Bruins have to replace nine starters from a defense that finished No. 70 overall, allowing 384.4 ypg while giving up 26.8 ppg, which was No. 74 in the nation. UCLA was not clutch on this side of the ball as it allowed opponents to convert 43.6 percent of its third down opportunities, tied for No. 110 in the country. 10* (199) Bowling Green Falcons

This is a play on the APPALACHIAN ST. MOUNTAINEERS for our CFB Nonconference Game of the Month. North Carolina has a game played this season and while that may seem like an advantage, it is actually a disadvantage in some cases and that includes this one as North Carolina rolled over Florida A&M but did not look good in doing so. It also gives the current opponent a whole game of film to dissect. Last week after a first possession punt, North Carolina scored touchdowns on its next three drives and eight of the next 10 to pull away. Florida A&M did have success of its own on offense as after two punts to open the game, it scored on four of its next six possessions with the last cutting the lead to 35-24 late in the third quarter before the Tar Heels pulled away with three fourth quarter touchdowns. North Carolina outgained the Rattlers 608-335 with the rushing game being the difference as it had 314 yards on 40 carries (7.9 ypc) while allowing just 56 yards on 27 carries (2.1 ypc). The area for concern for the Tar Heels was giving up 279 yards on 28-39 passing with a 7.2 yard per attempt average. While that rushing defense for North Carolina was solid, it takes a big step up in class here. Quarterback Chase Brice returns following a very successful campaign where threw for 3,020 yards, 23 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 61.9 percent of his passes. Receivers do have to step up. He has the best offensive line in the conference in front of him with four starters back and both Nate Noel and Camerun Peoples return along with their 2,463 rushing yards. Defensively, the Mountaineers lost five of their top seven tacklers but there is still plenty in the cupboard to make another run. The rushing defense, which led the Sun Belt last season, is the key to success on this side of the ball as Appalachian St. is undersized and inexperienced along the defensive line so the linebacking strength will have to keep this unit stout. 10* (178) Appalachian St. Mountaineers

This is a play on the TEMPLE OWLS for our CFB Friday Night Lights Winner. The last two seasons have seen a significant drop off as Duke has gone 5-18 and in comes new head coach Mike Elko to try and turn things around. The Blue Devils closed last season with eight straight losses with the defense allowing a whopping 46.6 ppg and no team can succeed with that. Only 11 starters are back in 2022 and they have one of the worst returning production rankings in the country so it could take some time for any sort of significant improvement in Durham. The offense this season is basically starting over with new players at the key positions but they can build around an experienced offensive line that returns four starters. Duke will turn to Riley Leonard at quarterback where he saw limited action last season. The defense was one of the worst in the country last season and one of the worst in program history as Duke was ranked No. 130 in total defense and No. 129 in scoring defense. Yes, Duke should be the favorite here but not by anything close to a touchdown After a 3-2 start last season, Temple closed with seven straight losses, all by 20 or more points and the writing was on the wall before the season ended as the team quit on head coach Rod Carey. It is not a complete rebuild but this is more about turning around the culture that went south fast. New head coach Stan Drayton comes over from Texas and has that winning culture in his back pocket in his first head coaching gig and the schedule is in their favor early on. On offense, quarterback D'Wan Mathis showed promise last season but was unable to stay on the field as he missed two games early as well as the final three games so keeping him healthy is goal number one. That will be the priority of the offensive line that has three starters back and should not have an issue with the Duke front. The defense has been gashed over the last two seasons, allowing close to 38 ppg and an inability to stop the run where they gave up nearly 5.0 ypc. This is the ideal matchup for a season opener to gauge where the unit stands. Here, we play on road underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points that were outscored by opponents by 17 or more ppg last season. This situation is 36-11 ATS (76.6 percent) since 1992. 10* (159) Temple Owls

This is a play on the PURDUE BOILERMAKERS for our CFB Thursday Enforcer. Last season, Purdue finished 9-4 that included quality wins over Iowa, Michigan St. and Tennessee and the four losses against teams with nine or more wins. 15 starters are back along with a No. 37 ranked recruiting class means Purdue could be here to stay now and for the foreseeable future. This is a statement game right out of the gate and the Boilermakers have the talent and experience to pull the upset. Quarterback Aiden O'Connell was outstanding in his first year as the full time starter as he threw for 3,712 yards with 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while completing over 72 percent of his passes. The Purdue defense has typically been a sieve but it has improved in each of the last four seasons yardage-wise and last year was No. 48 in total defense and No. 34 in scoring defense and it was actually better than that as those rankings are inflated because of their bowl game. Penn St. closed last season 2-6, with the wins coming against Maryland and Rutgers, including closing with a dud against Arkansas in the Outback Bowl. It has been a very average stretch of late with Penn St. going 14-13 over its last 27 games going back to the end of the 2019 season and the Nittany Lions have only 11 starters back. Offensively, they bring back some excellent talent but the big question going into the season is the offensive line as only two starters are back and they will be mixing in some transfers and young players and it might take time to come together in finding the right rotation. Defensively, the Nittany Lions were solid against both the run and the pass and the main area of concern will be up front. Their sack leader is gone and the pass rush was not great to begin with as they had only 27 sacks and their 2.1 sack per game average was tied for No. 74 in the country. going back a level, the linebacking corps loses their top two tacklers that combined for 148 stops so the entire front seven is going to be a work in progress. Here, we play on home underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points that had a completion percentage of 62 percent or better, with an experienced quarterback returning as starter, in the first month of the season. This situation is 26-6 ATS (81.2 percent) since 1992. 10* (146) Purdue Boilermakers

This is a play on the NEW MEXICO ST. AGGIES for our CFB Saturday Enforcer. New Mexico St. has been dreadful for years and another rebuilding project is in store but they are getting no respect here at home and with a significant new coaching advantage. The good news is that Jerry Kill is on the sidelines once again after numerous health problems took him from coaching for a few years after being at Minnesota but came back as an interim coach at TCU last year. The hope is a great pedigree will bring some sort of turnaround. The Aggies are pretty much starting over on offense and that is not a bad thing as they have only three starters back which is part of the No. 129 ranked returning production offense. Kill is in place to turn around a running game that averaged 100.4 ypg, which was No. 104 in the country, and having lost its leading rusher, the Aggies turn to a pair of transplants to get it going. The offensive line is the most experienced group where those three starters return. The Aggies were horrible on defense last season but nine starters are back and this is an ideal offense to go against in their first game. First year head coach Ken Wilson, who was in the program for 21 years, inherits a Nevada team that was the most experienced in the country heading into last season with 22 returning starters to the least experienced coming into 2022 with only six starters back. Nevada has had four straight winning seasons including an 8-5 record last season that included three losses by two points apiece and those eight wins are tied for the most since 2010 but this year looks to be a rebuild from the start especially with an incoming recruiting class ranked No. 116. On offense, two starters are back, the running back and an offensive lineman and every other position will be up for grabs. Quarterback Carson Strong threw for 4,175 yards with 36 touchdowns and eight interceptions and will be impossible to replace and it will be either Shane Illingworth from Oklahoma St. or Nate Cox who threw only 43 passed last season for the Wolf Pack while the top five pass catchers are all gone. The defense is nearly as inexperienced with just four returning starters. 10* (304) New Mexico St. Aggies

This is a play on the NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS for our CFB Big Ten Game of the Month. It has been a forgettable run for the once proud Nebraska football program as it has had five straight losing seasons, the last four under current head coach Scott Frost. They have gone 13-31 in the Big Ten during this five-season slide and while the 3-9 record last season was the worst of them all, it was arguably the best of them all as far as competitiveness. All nine losses were by single digits and by an average of 6.2 ppg so Nebraska was painfully close to putting together a winning season. Taking over at quarterback will be Casey Thompson who transferred in from Texas following a great season where he threw for 2,113 yards with 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions. The top two receivers are gone and while there are a few holdovers, three solid transfers enter the picture. The Huskers are experienced on defense and to be a success, they need to take the ball away more and generate a bigger pass rush. The sacks should spike as the Huskers welcome defensive end Ochaun Mathis where he started 34 games at TCU and had 15.5 sacks. The defensive front did ok in stopping the run and that should also get better especially with Luke Reimer and Nick Henrich at linebacker, the two top tackling leaders, where they combined for 208 stops as a sophomore and freshman respectively. Last season, Northwestern went through a rebuilding year with only eight starters back and it showed with a 3-9 record, matching the 2019 team that had only 11 starters return, which are the two worst in the 16 seasons under head coach Pat Fitzgerald. They are experienced on offense but the quarterback situation is still a concern. Ryan Hilinski will get a second chance after throwing for just 978 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions. Defensively, only five starters are back with the top guy being linebacker Bryace Gallagher who was second on the team with 90 tackles and will have to be the leader with two new starters on the outside around him. The lone starter back on the defensive line is Adetomiwa Adebawore who led the team with 4.5 sacks from the middle and he will need help with most of the other sack producers having moved on while the secondary is a question mark as the best player is gone. 10* (300) Nebraska Cornhuskers

This is a play on the GEORGIA BULLDOGS for our CFP Championship Winner. This could finally be the game that Georgia gets that Alabama monkey off its back as it has dropped the last seven meetings to the Tide. This includes a 41-24 loss this season as the Bulldogs allowed 526 total yards which was by far a season high as was the 41 points given up. Watching a replay of that game showed that Georgia was not the same team that we have seen in almost every other game this season and after rolling Michigan, the Bulldogs are ready to make the leap to National Champions. It was a dominating performance against Michigan as the Bulldogs had four sacks which was more than the Wolverines allowed in a single game all season and Georgia held them to a season-low 91 rushing yards. Kirby Smart and his players said afterward that the loss served as a wake-up call and they certainly woke up in the semifinal game. Alabama wide receiver John Metchie III will miss the game after tearing his ACL in the second quarter of the SEC Championship. He caught six passes for 97 yards and one touchdown on six receptions in the in the first meeting and his 1,142 receiving yards on 96 receptions will be missed. After he left the game against Georgia, the Bulldogs allowed only 10 points to the Alabama offense. The Alabama offensive line is also banged up as two starters left the Cincinnati game and while both could return, they are not 100 percent and the Georgia pass rush must get more pressure on quarterback Bryce Young to avoid the same fate it suffered in December and the injury situation is a hidden factor that could help the Bulldogs immensely. The Georgia offense is a step below its defense but it can still be potent as evidenced by racking up 521 total yards against a very stout Michigan defense. The Bulldogs have averaged 484.8 ypg over their last six games which is 42 ypg more than their overall season average. Alabama will provide a test on defense but Georgia should adjust and be able to move the ball. Georgia is 20-8 ATS in its last 28 games away from home revenging an upset loss against opponent as a favorite while the Tide are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up win of more than 20 points. Here, we play on teams in the second half of the season averaging between 190 and 230 rushing ypg and after allowing 100 or less rushing yards last game going up against teams averaging between 140 and 190 rushing ypg. This situation is 51-17 ATS (75 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (287) Georgia Bulldogs

This is a play on the LSU TIGERS for our CFB Game of the Week. We have seen a huge line shift in this game favoring LSU based on public perception and some opt outs but the Tigers will be highly motivated so avoid their first losing season since 1999 and will be doing for their remaining coaches as well. Everyone has been down on LSU this season and rightfully so as it opened with a double-digit loss to UCLA and while it recovered with three straight losses, it went on a 1-4 stretch that cost Ed Orgeron his job. Of their six losses, the Tigers lost three games by one possession, all against SEC bowl teams, and that included a six-point loss at Alabama. LSU lost two big names on its defense two weeks ago, as senior linebacker Damone Clark and defensive tackle Neil Farrell opted out but this team is still loaded with talent on defense and they will face a pretty pedestrian offense. LSU is 8-0 ATS in its last eight games after allowing 100 or less rushing yards last game while going 6-0 ATS in its last six games after outgaining opponent by 125 or more total yards in two consecutive games. Kansas St. comes into the game riding a two-game losing streak to finish at 7-5 overall. One of those wins came against Southern Illinois of the FCS while three others came against non-bowl participants. Overall, they went 0-4 against teams ranked within the top 30 (LSU is ranked No. 29) so they have struggled against better competition. Kansas St. is ranked No. 101 in total offense and No. 81 in scoring offense so a lower scoring game is a good possibility which favors the underdog. The Wildcats did not have any players opt out of this game so that is an advantage as their roster comes intact into this game but top to bottom, it does not match up to that of LSU. Running back Deuce Vaughn, who rushed for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns while also hauling in 47 receptions for 471 yards will be main focal point for the Tigers as slowing him down basically shuts down the entire offense and the Tigers have the front seven to do so. The Wildcats are 0-5 ATS in their last five games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game. 10* (285) LSU Tigers

This is a play on the UTAH UTES for our CFB Game of the Month. Utah closed the regular season with five straight wins to get into the Pac 12 Championship where it dominated Oregon for the second time in three games so it showed that it can slow down a potent offense as it allowed a combined 17 points to the Ducks. The Utes could be one of the most underrated teams in the country as it dominated most opponents and the run down the stretch brings in a ton of momentum into the Rose Bowl. They are making their first trip to the Rose Bowl but they will not be starstruck as it will be business as usual and while this line may seem low, it is not at all as the matchup involved has brought this number down despite the majority of the money and bets are on Ohio St. the Utes are 14-5 ATS in their last 19 games following a straight up win. Ohio St. lost out on a chance for a spot in the College Football Playoff after getting manhandled by Michigan as its 10 wins were bookended by losses. The Buckeyes were dominated on the offensive and defensive lines when they played Michigan and Utah brings a similar type of physical play and can make life just as difficult. Ohio St. is ranked No. 1 in the country in both total offense and scoring offense so it will not be easy for the Utes but you know have been breaking down that Michigan tape. The Buckeyes are going to be without two of their top receivers as Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson have opted out which is surprising considering the magnitude of this game. They are on the opposite end of the motivation here. The Buckeyes are 1-4 ATS in their last five games following a straight up loss. Here, we play on teams in the second half of the season averaging between 190 and 230 rushing ypg going up against teams allowing between 140 and 190 rushing ypg, after allowing 100 or less rushing yards last game. this situation is 50-17 ATS (74.6 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (281) Utah Utes

This is a play on the GEORGIA BULLDOGS for our CFB Orange Bowl Winner. The College Football Playoffs begin on Friday and the second game has Georgia going up against Michigan in the Orange Bowl. The Bulldogs had the inside track for the No. 1 spot but fell to Alabama in the SEC Championship 41-24 but the game was closer as an Alabama interception for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter broke it open. We expect a big bounce back here especially from the defense as the 41 points allowed against the Tide was more than its previous five games combined. One of the concerns with the Georgia defense throughout the season was its pass defense as the front-seven has been great, but the Bulldogs did not have to face an offense with a lot of firepower, until Alabama. The Bulldogs do not have to worry about that here. The Bulldogs are 20-7 ATS in their last 27 games following an ATS loss. A tough loss against Michigan St. was the only blemish for Michigan this season as it closed the season with a home win over Ohio St. and then a rout of Iowa in the Big Ten Championship. The Wolverines play a different style of offense compared to the Tide as Michigan has run the ball 547 times through 13 games, more than any team Georgia has faced. Even though their rushing game is ranked No. 10 in the country with one of the top offensive lines, this is a much better matchup for Georgia. Defensively, the Wolverines are solid but not spectacular in one area as they are ranked No. 21 in rushing defense and No. 22 in passing defense. They will be facing one of the better offenses they have seen as the Bulldogs are No. 7 in the country in scoring. The Wolverines are 1-4 ATS in their last five neutral site games as an underdog. Here, we play on favorites of 3.5 to 10 points allowing 3.25 or less rushing ypc, after allowing 125 or less rushing yards in two straight games. This situation is 61-30 ATS (67 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (269) Georgia Bulldogs

This is a play on the WISCONSIN BADGERS for our CFB Blowout of the Month. Wisconsin had a seven-game winning streak snapped in its regular season finale against Minnesota which cost it a berth into the Big Ten Championship game. Instead, the Badgers finished in a three-way tie for second place at 6-3 and finished 8-4 overall. This Wisconsin team is not much different than most we are accustomed to as it has a strong rushing game and a defense that does not give up much. The Badgers finished No. 16 in the country with 215.3 ypg on the ground and defensively, they were No. 1 in the country in total defense, allowing just 241.4 ypg while finishing No. 6 in scoring defense, yielding only 16.4 ppg and this came against the No. 7 ranked schedule in the country. The Badgers are 17-5 ATS in their last 22 games after accumulating less than 275 total yards in their previous game. Arizona St. also finished 8-4 but the very weak Pac 12 played a big role in that and the Sun Devils will have their hands full here especially with a lot of key players not making the trip because of opt outs and transfers. Arizona St. will not have its top two running backs, Rachaad White and Deamonte Trayanum, its top two cornerbacks, Chase Lucas and Jack Jones and its best linebacker, Darien Butler. The Sun Devils will lean even more heavily on quarterback Jayden Daniels who is a duel threat but without his two best rushers behind him, he could find it difficult to find a lot of success against the stout Wisconsin defense. Arizona St. does have a strong defense but again, it is missing key players and Arizona St. beat only one team with a winning record. The Sun Devils are 0-7 ATS in their last seven games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game. Here, we play on favorites of 3.5 to 10 points with a rushing defense allowing 3.25 or less ypc, after allowing 125 or less rushing yards in two straight games. This situation is 61-30 ATS (67 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (262) Wisconsin Badgers

This is a play on the MARYLAND TERRAPINS for our CFB Wednesday Pinstripe Bowl Winner. Maryland is in its first bowl games since 2016 so it should be pretty fired to finally get back to the postseason. The Terrapins finished 6-6 which was rather disappointing after starting the season 4-0. But five of the next seven games came against ranked teams and one of the others was now 8-4 Minnesota. The Maryland offense is the best unit on the field in this game as it finished No. 33 in the nation in total offense and it will go up against a below average Virginia Tech defense that is missing key players. On the other side, the Terrapins have been below average as well but their strength is stopping the run and they will likely see a lot of that based on the Hokies personnel changes heading into the bowl game. The Terrapins are 5-1 ATS in their last six nonconference games. The Hokies also finished 6-6 highlighted by a season ending win against rival Virginia to become bowl eligible. It was considered a down year and that led to the dismissal of head coach Justin Fuentes so they will have a whole new coaching staff in place and that can be an issue. The personnel changes referred to is that Virginia Tech is down three key players on offense, quarterback Braxton Burmeister and its leading two receivers. They are also down their best cornerback and their top pass rusher so they could very well struggle against the pass. Overall, the offense is ranked No. 90 while the defense is ranked No. 72 and obviously those rankings are now skewed based on what they lost heading into Wednesday. The Hokies are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games following a ATS win. Here, we play on favorites of 3.5 to 10 points off an upset win as a road underdog going up against an opponent off a road win. This situation is 41-17 ATS (70.7 percent) since 1992. 10* (249) Maryland Terrapins

This is a play on the AIR FORCE FALCONS for our CFB Tuesday Enforcer. Louisville and Air Force square off in the First Responder Bowl on Tuesday and the Falcons have some big edges here yet come in as the underdog. Air Force is the top rushing team in the country, averaging 341.5 ypg which no surprise, it also leads the nation in time of possession. Another reason is the fact that the Falcons have no problem keeping drives going as they have the fourth-most fourth down attempts in the country with 40 and they convert 77.5 percent of those which is third best in the nation. On the other side, the Falcons play strong defense as they are ranked No. 5 in total defense, trailing only Wisconsin, Georgia, Oklahoma St. and Minnesota, and they are ranked No. 7 in rushing defense. The Falcons are 20-6 ATS in their last 26 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points. Louisville does have a solid offense as it is No. 21 overall and No. 39 in scoring but it is nothing special and the Cardinals will be without two of their top four receivers. They have scored more than 24 points only three times in their last six games and those three came against non-bowl teams. Overall, Louisville went 1-6 against bowl teams. The Louisville defense will be a liability here as the Cardinals have struggled to stay off the field. They are ranked No. 84 overall including No. 77 against the run which will be a real issue here. They have outrushed the majority of their opponents but they have faced nothing like this. Forcing turnovers will be key but that is unlikely against the disciplined Falcons. The Cardinals are 11-27-1 ATS in their last 39 games against teams with a winning record. Here we play on neutral field underdogs outrushing their opponents by 100 or more ypg on the season, after gaining 225 or more rushing yards in three straight games. This situation is 31-8 ATS (79.5 percent) since 1992. 10* (240) Air Force Falcons

This is a play on the WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS for our CFB Quicken Lane Bowl Winner. Nevada had high hopes heading into the Quicken Lane Bowl but things have changed as the Wolf Pack are severely depleted which caused this massive line shift. Overall, they lost 16 players to the transfer portal so the 8-4 regular season takes on a whole new meaning. The offense has been hit the hardest as Nate Cox, will be the starting quarterback, and he will be without the top six wide receivers from the regular season, all of which left the roster. The defense was not hit as hard but considering they finished No. 83 in total defense, it will not make a difference. The new starters have had little time to gel so the offense will find it difficult to find any cohesion. The Wolf Pack are 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points. Western Michigan finished 7-5 with all five losses coming against bowl teams including one against Michigan. The Western Michigan offense will be hard to stop as they finished No. 15 in the country in total offense led by quarterback Kaleb Eleby who threw for 3,115 yards and 21 touchdowns and running back Sean Tyler who rushed for over 1,000 yards. The Broncos outgained all but two opponents this season and not only because of the offense, but the defense finished No. 29 in the country so they are solid on both sides. This is essentially a home game for Western Michigan as the game is being played in Detroit and the body clock for the Wolf Pack will be affected by the 11:00 start time. The Broncos are 4-1 ATS in their last five games against teams with a winning record. Here, we play on favorites of 3.5 to 10 points in the second half of the season averaging 440 or more ypg going up against teams allowing between 390 and 440 ypg, after gaining 6.75 or more yppl in their previous game. This situation is 33-11 ATS (75 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (233) Western Michigan Broncos

This is a play on the BALL ST. CARDINALS for our Camillia Bowl Winner. Georgia St. comes into the Camellia Bowl on a three-game winning streak including a win over Costal Carolina to open the streak. The Panthers finished 7-5 including a 6-2 record in the Sun Belt Conference which was good for a second place tie in the East Division. Their success has relied on a strong running game that is ranked No. 8 in the country, averaging 225.4 ypg and they face a pretty average Ball St. rushing defense and this part of the game is a reason while this line has climbed from 3.5 to 6. Despite the winning record, Georgia St. was outgained during the regular season including over 100 yards through the air. The Cardinals were able to secure a bowl berth with a 20-3 win over Buffalo in their season finale. It was an up and down season and the win over the Bulls stopped a rather poor end to the season. The Cardinals finished with just two wins in their final five games, but one of those defeats was a one-point loss at Northern Illinois and another coming against Miami, which is coming off a 13-point win in the Frisco Football Classic yesterday, by just a touchdown. The Ball St. passing offense is far from potent but it can take advantage of a weak Panthers passing defense. The Cardinals are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games when playing against a team with a winning record. Here, we play on underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points after going under the total by more than 21 points in their previous game, in the second half of the season. This situation is 38-19 ATS (66.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (231) Ball St. Cardinals

This is a play on the ARMY BLACK KNIGHTS for our CFB Game of the Week. Both Missouri and Army are coming off losses in their regular season finales and square off in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth. The Tigers have just on win this season against a team above .500 and that was against Central Michigan in their season opener. Missouri comes in very average on both sides of the ball and it is its inability to stop the run will play a huge factor. Missouri is ranked No. 125 in rushing defense, allowing 229.3 ypg and will face an  Army offense that is ranked No. 2 in rushing offense at 286.9 ypg. Additionally, Army is second in the country in offensive time of possession at 35:59 so the ball control will also play a big part. Making matters worse, the Missouri defense will be without a trio of starters including their leading tackler as well as Akayleb Evans who decided not to play to get ready for the NFL draft. The Tigers are 3-15 ATS in their last 18 games following an ATS loss. The Army defense also has an edge here as the Black Knights are ranked No. 15 overall including No. 14 against the run. They have allowed 17 points or less in their last five games and their overall scoring defense is skewed because of the one game where they allowed 70 points to Wake Forest which has the No. 5 scoring offense in the country. The Black Knights are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games after scoring less than 20 points in their previous game. 10* (226) Army Black Knights

This is a play on the SAN DIEGO ST. AZTECS for our CFB Tuesday Enforcer. San Diego St. is coming off a loss against Utah St. after four straight wins and is getting a good line here after that 33-point loss. The Aztecs rely on a strong defense that is ranked No. 14 overall and No. 17 in scoring defense and can definitely slow down the Roadrunners. The Aztecs are 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up loss. UTSA is coming off a win over Western Kentucky after suffering its first loss of the season against North Texas. They have scored over 40 points in six games this year, though they will be without running back Sincere McCormick after he opted out to focus on NFL Draft prep. Here, we play against teams where the line is +3 to -3 outscoring opponents by 7 or more ppg, after allowing 31 points or more in 2 straight games. This situation 45-19 ATS (70.3 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (223) San Diego St. Aztecs

This is a play on the OLD DOMINION MONARCHS for our CFB Monday Enforcer. Old Dominion has won three straight games including a win over SMU is its last game which can be considered a quality win and now the Monarchs are getting a huge number here. The Monarchs are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game. Tulsa is still favored by a big amount despite having their coaches heading out and while that might not be a big factor to some, it is. Here, we play on underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points off a win by 10 points or more over a conference rival against opponent after a road game where both teams score 31 points or more. This situation is 61-23 ATS (72.6 percent) since 1992. 10* (220) Old Dominion Monarchs

This is a play on the UAB BLAZERS for our CFB Game of the Week. BYU is on a five-game winning streak, including wins against Washington St., Virginia, and USC but it is overpriced here on a neutral field. The Cougars played a tough schedule and were still able to win 10 games but this is an opponent that matches up well. The BYU defense is below average at No. 73 overall which includes No. 77 against the pass and No. 63 against the run so as a sizable favorite, the underdog has the edge in a possible back and forth game. The Cougars are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game. UAB comes in off a win in its last game and has won three of its last four games to move to 8-4 on the season. The Blazers have faced a ton of good running backs this season and had success in stopping them so they can do it again against Tyler Allgeier who has been one of the best. The Blazers are 4-0 ATS in their last four game against teams with a winning record. Here, we play on underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points off a win by 10 points or more over a conference rival going up against an opponent after a road game where both teams scored 31 points or more. This situation is 60-23 ATS (72.3 percent) since 1992. 10* (211) UAB Blazers 

This is a play on the NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES for our CFB Friday Enforcer. Northern Illinois is coming off a win over Kent St. to make in three wins in four games. The Huskies finished the season 9-4, but they were six points away from finishing 11-2. The Northern Illinois offense averages 30.8 ppg and 409.5 and ypg and they lead the nation in 4th down conversion percentage at 84 percent. The running game is the strength as they are ranked No. 4 in rushing offense with 229.5 ypg. Northern Illinois is 16-5 ATS in its last 21 games off an upset win over a conference rival as an underdog. Coastal Carolina finished 10-2 following an overtime win over South Alabama to close the season but after a great start, the Chanticleers slowed down with a pair of losses with two of their last four wins coming by one possession. The offense was on high octane but they put up over a touchdown less in the second half of the season than the first. The defense finished well, being a respectable No. 18 overall and No. 19 in scoring defense but the rushing defense should be an issue here as the last time they faced a potent running game, they were outgained by 173 yards on the ground. The Chanticleers are 1-5 ATS in their last six games as a favorite. 10* (204) Northern Illinois Huskies

This is a play on the NAVY MIDSHIPMEN for our CFB Saturday Top Play Winner. Army heads into the annual rivalry with an 8-3 record and will be going to its second straight bow game and fifth in the last six years. This coincides with this game as Army will try to beat Navy for the fifth time in the past six years, after losing 12 straight in this series, and capture their fourth Commander-in-Chief Trophy in the last five seasons. The Black Knights are ranked No. 2 in the country in rushing offense with 301.7 ypg, its sixth straight year of putting up at least 273 yards on the ground. The numbers are a bit skewed though as three of those games came against UMass, Bucknell, and UConn as they put up a total of 1,409 yards in those three games. Army is 9-22 ATS in its last 31 games against teams averaging 4.5 or less yppl. Navy comes into the game with a 3-8 record which is the second straight season it comes in with the worse by at least three games. The Midshipmen will miss their second straight bowl game after making a postseason appearance in seven of the previous eight years. The season could have been a lot better but close losses doomed Navy as four of its eight losses were by one possession. Navy is ranked No. 7 in the country in rushing at 228.2 ypg so the Midshipmen have been solid in running the ball and can have success here. Army is the 11th bowl bound team Navy will face as the Midshipmen have played the third toughest schedule in the country while the Army schedule is ranked No. 93. The Midshipmen are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog. Here, we play on underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points after going over the total by 28 or more points total in their last three games going up against an opponent after going over the total by 35 or more points total in their last five games. This situation is 51-20 ATS (71.8 percent) since 1992. 10* (103) Navy Midshipmen

This is a play on the HOUSTON COUGARS for our AAC Championship Winner. This has the opportunity to be one of the best championship games of the weekend and Houston is catching a great number and is flying under the radar with Cincinnati being right in the middle of the CFP positioning. The Cougars opened the season against Texas Tech and after a 21-7 halftime lead, they allowed 31 unanswered second half points as quarterback Clayton Tune threw four interceptions which is his total over his last 11 games combined. Houston has gone 11-0 since then and absolutely dominated, getting outgained only once over that stretch. Obviously, the schedule has not been great or overpowering but the same can be said for the other side and it that first game went different, there would be a lot more on the line for both sides. The Cougars are 20-7-1 ATS in their last 28 games as a road underdog. It is simple for the Bearcats, as if they win they are in. Cincinnati started the season as undervalued and rolled to a 5-1 start against the number including a big win against Notre Dame but then it hit a stretch of four straight spread losses and while those lines were all -22 or more, none of those teams match up with Houston. They are coming off a big win against East Carolina to remain undefeated but it was not easy with the Pirates remaining within in two possessions up until a late touchdown sealed it for the Bearcats. While both offenses have been potent of late, both of these defenses are ranked within the top 10 in the country and being able to grab an underdog as this price with that scenario is big. Here, we play on road underdogs that are outgaining their opponents by 75 or more ypg, after outgaining their last opponent by 225 or more total yards in their previous game. This situation is 96-53 ATS (64.4 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 9* (313) Houston Cougars

This is a play on the SAN DIEGO ST. AZTECS for our CFB Game of the Week. San Diego St. won its last four games to take the MWC West Division title and its 11 victories are the most in program history. With a win, the Aztecs keep their hopes of an invite to a New Year's Six Bowl alive if Cincinnati goes down against Houston. Thanks to the better record, that get to host the conference championship and they have won six of seven home games, the lone loss coming against Fresno St. which was their last game they were outrushed and the line of scrimmage will be a big factor here. With Utah St. allowing 163.8 ypg on the ground, which is 8th worst in the conference, San Diego St. will use its strength where it is averaging 177.6 ypg rushing. On the other side, the Aztecs defense allowed just 78.7 ypg rushing, the best in the conference and No. 2 in the nation. The Aztecs are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games as a home favorite. Utah St. won its season finale against New Mexico to claim the MWC East Division thanks to a tiebreaker with a head-to-head win over Air Force. The Aggies like to run an up-tempo offense but protection could be a problem. While they are averaging 304.8 ypg passing, San Diego St. gets to the quarterback well. Keeping Logan Bonner upright has been a challenge, as he has been sacked 20 times and the offensive line has allowed numerous quarterback hits. The Aggies are 6-14 ATS in their last 20 road games against teams with a winning home record. Here, we play on favorites of 3.5 to 10 points with a rushing defense allowing 3.25 or fewer rushing ypc, after allowing 125 or less rushing yards in two straight games. This situation is 60-28 ATS (68.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (324) San Diego St. Aztecs

This is a play on the WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS for our C-USA Championship Winner. A magical season ended abruptly for UTSA as it brought a perfect 11-0 record into its season finale and got housed by North Texas in a game that was not even as close as the final 22-point deficit. The Roadrunners came out of the gates by covering eight of their first nine games but then they came back to earth with a 10-point win over 3-9 Southern Mississippi as 32.5-point favorites, a three-point win over UAB and then the loss to the Mean Green. For having such a good record, UTSA has been overly average on the field as it is ranked No. 36 in total offense and No. 41 in total defense and that was against a schedule ranked No. 124 in the country. Taking nothing away from winning but the overrated Roadrunners could be in for a long night here. Western Kentucky has been absolutely rolling as it has won seven straight games following a 1-4 start that saw three one-possession losses that was culminated with a loss at home against UTSA so revenge is in play here. The Hilltoppers offense nearly unstoppable as they are ranked No. 1 in the country in total offense and has averaged 45.3 ppg during its winning streak but it is the defense that could be the deciding factor here. They have allowed only 18.9 ppg over these last seven games and while they did allow 52 points against UTSA prior to that, they outgained the Roadrunners by 106 yards but penalties a couple costly turnovers did then in. The Hilltoppers are 16-5-1 ATS in their last 22 games following a straight up win. Here, we play against teams where the line is +3 to -3 that are outscoring opponents by seven or more ppg, after allowing 31 points or more in two straight games. This situation is 45-18 ATS (71.4 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (303) Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

This is a play on the MICHIGAN ST. SPARTANS for our CFB Game of the Year. Michigan St. is coming off an absolute disaster of a game as it went to Columbus and got shellacked by Ohio St. 56-7. The Spartans allowed 655 total yards and 36 first downs while getting outgained by a total of 431 total yards. This game was over a minute into the second quarter as Ohio St. built a 28-0 lead and it scored a touchdown on its first seven possessions. The Spartans can either carry that over or be highly motivated to bounce back and we are expecting the latter after the embarrassment this past Saturday. Despite the effort, the Michigan St. offense has improved by over 14 ppg and the defense has improved by close to 10 ppg from the 2-5 record from last season. While a bowl game was out of the question last season when these teams met in the season finale, Michigan St. will be out for revenge after blowing a 21-10 lead at halftime, getting outscored 29-3 in the second half in the 39-24 defeat. The Spartans are 5-0-2 ATS in their last seven games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game. Penn St. had lost three of four games and then recorded its best defensive effort of the season as it shut out Rutgers while giving up only 160 total yards, 67 yards on the ground and 93 yards through the air while allowing just 10 first downs. That was the Nittany Lions final home game of the season and now they hit the road where they are 2-2 on the season. Penn St. is getting outgained 387-359 away from home and the big problem has been the running game as it has averaged only 71 ypg on 2.5 ypc on offense. The Nittany Lions are dealing with the flu going through the roster which could have an effect going into the final regular season game. There is not a ton at stake for Penn St., which at this point is likely headed to either the Music City Bowl, Las Vegas Bowl or the Pinstripe Bowl, certainly not what it was looking for when it opened the season 5-0. Penn St. is 8-25 ATS in its last 33 road games after allowing nine points or less last game. 10* (224) Michigan St. Spartans

this is a play on the ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS for our CFB Friday Game of the Month. Arkansas is coming off a tough loss against Alabama as it fell by a touchdown and at 7-4 it will be looking for its most regular season wins since 2011. The Razorbacks have already matched their win total from the three previous years combined and will be playing their first bowl game since 2016. Three of the Razorbacks four losses have come against ranked teams (Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss) and the other came against Auburn, its only home loss of the season. Arkansas has a strong offense that is ranked No. 29 overall including No. 14 in rushing offense, averaging 222.7 ypg on the ground and it will be able to take advantage in this matchup. Arkansas is 13-4 ATS in its last 17 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game. The Tigers are coming off a one-point victory over Florida in overtime which got Missouri bowl eligible and it has now posted at least a .500 record in five straight years. They have won two straight games but both of those came at home and the Tigers are just 1-3 on the road with the only win on the highway being a 37-28 victory at Vanderbilt which enters this week with a 2-9 record. Despite the winning record, the Tigers are ranked next-to-last in the SEC in scoring defense; allowing 34.7 ppg which is only ahead of the Commodores. The biggest weakness for Missouri is the rushing defense that is dead last in the conference, which as mentioned, is the Arkansas strength on offense. The Tigers are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a winning record. Here, we play on conference favorites of 10.5 to 21 points in the first half of the season that are averaging between 190 and 230 rushing ypg going up against teams allowing between 140 and 190 rushing ypg. This situation is 25-6 ATS (80.6 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (132) Arkansas Razorbacks

This is a play on the MISSISSIPPI REBELS for our CFB Thursday Star Attraction. Mississippi has won three straight games to improve to 9-2 on the season and with a win here, the Rebels will post the highest regular-season win total in school history. They are coming off a lackluster effort against Vanderbilt but they were just going through the motions looking forward to this game. They have the best player on the field in quarterback Matt Corral who is 233-345 for 3,100 yards passing and 19 touchdowns with just three interceptions while rushing for another 10 touchdowns and he has become a Heisman candidate. It is just not about the passing however as Mississippi has rushed for 231.1 ypg, and have had six games of more than 250 yards including four in the SEC. The Rebels are 4-0 ATS in their last four games after allowing more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game. Mississippi St. has won four of its last five games to become bowl eligible for the 12th straight season although last season comes with an asterisk as the Bulldogs were 4-6 but with COVID, they were able to get into the Armed Forces Bowl because of a lack of teams. The Bulldogs have a solid quarterback of their own as Will Rogers has averaged 390 ypg over his last four games but he has a tough test here. Mississippi has given up an average of 259 ypg through the air in SEC games and has only allowed more than 300 yards just once this season. In a Mike Leach offense, the Bulldogs passing game is no surprise but they could use some balance here yet that is unlikely. Mississippi St. had just its second 100-yard game on the ground last week but that was against Tennessee Tech of the FCS. Here, we play on teams where the line is +3 to -3 averaging 8.3 or more passing ypa after allowing 5.5 or less passing ypa last game going up against teams allowing between 6.4 and 7.5 passing ypa. This situation is 33-11 ATS (75 percent) over the last 10 seasons. 10* (111) Mississippi Rebels

This is a play on the BALL ST. CARDINALS for our XFB Tuesday Enforcer. The Cardinals are coming off a disappointing performance last week against Central Michigan as they had a chance to grab their sixth win of the season on their home field but lost by 20 points. Hope is not lost however as Ball St. is still vying for its second straight bowl bid with a win tonight to improve to 6-6 and it can make every team in the MAC West Bowl eligible. It is Senior Night and a big one at that as The Cardinals have 10 All-MAC selections from last season will be playing their final home game with a lot on the line. This group helped to win the MAC Championship last season and go to a bowl game for the first time since 2013 and they want a repeat of a bowl game before they move on. The passing game will be important for the Cardinals against a suspect Bulls passing defense as they are 3-1 when passing for more than 200 yards, the only exception being a seven-point loss to Miami. The Bulls had their chances as they were 4-4 through eight games and had a golden opportunity to add to that but lost at home to 3-8 Bowling Green by 12 points as a 13.5-point favorite then got hammered at Miami. They did their best to keep the six-win goal alive last week but fell in overtime to Northern Illinois and Buffalo was eliminated from bowl contention and clinched its first losing season since 2016. There may be motivation from losing the MAC Championship last season to the Cardinals but the recent rough stretch will have the Bulls in a tough spot here. Buffalo has struggled in this spot this season as they are 0-3 on the road when getting points, getting outscored by an average of 20.7 ppg. The Bulls are 0-6 ATS in their last six games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game. 10* (102) Ball St. Cardinals