Sports Picks & Predictions

10 Unit Play. Take #102 Kansas City Chiefs over San Francisco 49ers (6:30p.m., Sunday, February 11 CBS) You can make a case for either team in this game, but we will side with the team that has the better defense along with the best quarterback in the league. Kyle Shannon has a tendency to freeze up in big games and I am just not sure Brody Purdy can carry him over the finish line. The Chiefs have had a great defense all season long with Chris Jones able to make plays and get to the quarterback. The 49ers will have their moments, but in the end the Chiefs will prevail and win their third Super Bowl in the last 5 years.

10 Unit Play. Take #319 Kansas City Chiefs over Baltimore Ravens (3p.m., Sunday, January 28 CBS) The Ravens have the better all-around team, but the Chiefs have the best player on the field, and we will gladly back Mahomes and the points in this game. The Kansas City offense played their best game of the season last time out against Buffalo and I look for that to continue in this game as well. Baltimore has all the pressure on them, as QB Jackson will win his second straight MVP and need a Super Bowl to validate his outstanding career. The Chiefs have a strong defense that can cause issues for QB Jackson with their blitz schemes, and I look for them to take this one down to the wire. KC seems to have a knack for winning close games and Sunday should be no different.

10 Unit Play. Take #316 Detroit Lions over Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3p.m., Sunday, January 21 NBC) NFL Playoff Game of the Year. The Buccaneers are a team that nobody wants to advance except for those in Florida and I see their season coming to an end on Sunday. Tampa Bay played well against Philadelphia last time out, but the two games prior they struggled against teams that did not even make the playoffs. Detroit will be rocking again for this game, as the Lions look to reach the conference championship round for the first time in over 30 years. The Lions have the more balanced offense this season and can beat you on the ground or through the air. Tampa Bay is reliant on the passing game and torching Philadelphia is one thing, but Detroit has a much better defense. These teams already met earlier this season with Detroit winning by a score of 20-6 at Raymond James Stadium. Detroit has been a story all season long in the NFL and that will continue with a double-digit victory at home. The Lions knocked off a hot team last week and will knock off another hot team on Sunday. This is the toughest ticket in the divisional round and the 12th man will also be a factor, as will the experience of Jared Goff (super bowl quarterback).

10 Unit Play. Take #144 Kansas City Chiefs over Miami Dolphins (8:15p.m., Saturday, January 13 Peacock) The Dolphins lost the division on Sunday Night Football and now must travel to play a night game against the Chiefs in chilly conditions. The temperature for this game will be around zero degrees and that will give the Chiefs a great advantage for this game. Miami is also banged up on defense with numerous injuries and I just do not see them coming away with a victory. These two teams met earlier this season with the Chiefs winning in London to make to 4 straight against the Dolphins. Kansas City has won 3 of their last 4 games and Miami just does not beat very many top tier teams. The Chiefs have their problems on offense, but they have a strong defense and a great home field advantage. Lay the points, as the Chiefs will win this game by double-digits.

10 Unit Play. Take #258 Kentucky Wildcats over Clemson Tigers (12p.m., Friday, December 29 ESPN) GATOR BOWL, COLLEGE BOWL GAME OF THE YEAR SEC is better than the ACC and Kentucky is the more battle tested team in this game. The Wildcats appear to have more players available for this game with the Tigers having a bunch of players sitting out for this game. Kentucky should have their quarterback and running back for this game and will be able to move the football against the Tigers. Kentucky is 3-1 ATS in 2023 when they are an underdog. The long layoff will help them in this game.

Clemson’s streak of double digit wins already ended this season and I just do not see them being that motivated to play in this game. Their offense is just not as strong as it has been in year’s past. The Tigers defense was outstanding this season, but it came against weak competition and some of their talent will not be playing in this game. Motivation is the deciding factor, as Kentucky is happy to be here and travels well to their bowl games in the Southeast. With a total in the mid 40’s getting this many points with the underdog is too good to pass up.

10 Unit Play. Take #124 Los Angeles Chargers over Denver Broncos (4:25p.m., Sunday, December 10 CBS) The Broncos came back to reality last week and Russell Wilson could not rally them late despite having a first and goal to win this game. He threw 3 interceptions in that game and now must face a more talented Charger team in their second straight road game. Los Angeles has covered the spread in 5 of their last 7 divisional home games. The last time Denver visited Sofi Stadium they lost 51-14 and the Chargers always seem to rally late in the season to get back into playoff contention.

10 Unit Play. Take #251 Jacksonville Jaguars over Houston Texans (1p.m., Sunday, November 26 CBS) TOP FOOTBALL PLAY OF THE WEEKEND Houston should have lost last week to Arizona, as CJ Stroud played his worst game as a professional. Now they face the divisional leader Jaguars, a team that just destroyed the Titans last time out. Just feel the Texans will hit a wall in the later portion of the season. The Jaguars have won 8 straight games playing outside of Jacksonville (8-0 ATS as well). Houston is not ready for primetime, and Trevor Lawrence and company will lock up the division with a victory today.

10 Unit Play. Take #142 Michigan Wolverines over Ohio State Buckeyes (12p.m., Saturday, November 25 FOX) This game is for all the marbles with the winner winning the Big 10 Championship Game next week and a ticket to the playoffs. Ohio State has been one dimensional on offense and whoever runs the football better wins this game (happened over 20 years in a row). Ohio State is 8th in the Big 10 in rushing this season. I feel Michigan is better in all 3 phases of the game especially on special teams. Ohio State has Marvin Harrison, but their quarterback is subpar and I just do not believe he can beat them with his arm. Michigan against the world continues, as the Wolverines advance to the playoff with a double-digit victory at the Big House.

10 Unit Play. Take #476 Kansas City Chiefs over Philadelphia Eagles (8:15p.m., Monday, November 20 ABC) This is a rematch of Super Bowl 57 and I look for the Chiefs to win this game again. Philadelphia has been winning ugly much of the season and it will catch up to them in this game. Andy Reid is 27-4 in his career following a bye week. Kansas City is 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games against NFC teams. Coach Reid will enjoy beating his former team for the second time in less than a year.

10 Unit Play. Take #367 Utah Utes over Arizona Wildcats (2:30p.m., Saturday, November 18 PAC12N) TOP NCAA FOOTBALL PLAY OF THE WEEK. Arizona has been on a roll and will enter this game having won 4 straight games. This will be the toughest team they faced in their last 5 games, as Utah will not self-destruct like UCLA, Oregon State and Washington State did. The Utes are extremely well coached and I feel the Wildcats are playing a little over their heads at the moment. They have had a great season, but this is a team that lost to Mississippi State earlier this season (just fired their coach). The spread tells me that the Wildcats are not as good as their record would indicate, and reality will hit them in this game. Jedd Fisch is a hot coaching commodity and should win Pac 12 Coach of the Year, but the overachievers take a step back on Saturday. Utah has beaten Arizona six straight times (5-1 ATS). Utah is 15-3 in their last 18 road games when they are an opening line underdog. 

10 Unit Play. Take #149 Michigan Wolverines over Penn State Nittany Lions (12p.m., Saturday, November 11 FOX) We are fading the Penn State offense in this game. Michigan has not been tested and this will be the best defense that they have faced all season long. But Penn State looked terrible against Ohio State, and I believe Michigan has a better defense than the Buckeyes. The Wolverines have won the last two games and are 6-3 straight-up and 7-2 ATS stretching that out to 9 games. Michigan has an us against the world mentality with all the outside noise going on around the program. JJ McCarthy is a much better player than Drew Allar and the offensive weapons are much better for the Wolverines. Penn State got a raw deal with this being a 12 p.m. game instead of a white out game at night. That edge allows Michigan to dominate this game and win it by double digits.

10 Unit Play. Take #269 New York Giants over Las Vegas Raiders (4:25p.m., Sunday, November 5 FOX) NFL GAME OF THE YEAR The Raiders are a mess, and we liked this play even before they fired their coach, offensive coordinator, and General Manager. Throw in they are starting a rookie at quarterback in Aiden O’Connell, and I see them really struggling on offense this entire game. Las Vegas is coming off back-to-back double-digit losses, and one of those was against the Bears. Finally, the Raiders have no home field advantage playing in Las Vegas, and expect a lot of Giants fans in attendance for this game.

The Giants did everything they could to lose a game that had over a 95% chance of winning last week. They could not muster any passing game, yet their defense played the best game of the year. The Jets offense is a lot like the Raiders offense, and I see another strong game from the Giants on Sunday. Danny Dimes is back, and that gives the Giants a much better chance to move the football via the air. He can run or pass, and he will need to utilize both in this game. The Giants are 17-8 in their last 25 games as a road underdog, including 9-0 during this streak when facing losing teams. They are 6-1 ATS (1 push) in their last 8 games against AFC teams. New York is also 4-1 ATS when facing foes coming off a Monday Night Football game. The Giants win this game, and we collect in the process as well.

10 Unit Play. Take #472 Philadelphia Eagles over Miami Dolphins (8:20p.m., Sunday, October 17 NBC) The Eagles suffered their first loss of the season on Sunday against the Jets. Expect them to bounce back in a big way tonight at home against the Dolphins, a team that has been beating up on bad team this season. Miami laid an egg against the only tough team they played this season in Buffalo, losing by 28 points on the road. The Eagles will be the best defense that they have faced in 2023 and look for them to go on another long winning streak similar to what they did in 2022. After the Eagles lost their first game of the season to the Commanders last October, they went onto win their next 5 games. The weather will be cold and not pristine conditions like Miami likes. Philadelphia is 10-1 in their last 11 games against AFC teams that won in their previous week. The Eagles get back on track, take care of the football and win this game by double-digits.

10 Unit Play. Take #326 Ohio State Buckeyes over Penn State Nittany Lions (12p.m., Saturday, October 21 FOX) Big 10 Game of the Year. Getting Ohio State playing at the Horseshoe at this line does not happen very often. Penn State has looked impressive this season, but they have not played anyone of significance and will not be battle tested for this game. Many people have been critical of Ohio State QB McCord, but he has an 11-1 touchdown to interception ratio and Penn State does not have a veteran quarterback either. Penn State has lost 10 of their last 11 games to Ohio State including 6 games in a row. The Lions have not gotten many explosive plays this season and they will need a bunch in order to beat Ohio State. Coach Franklin does not win many road games against elite teams and Saturday should be no different. DC Manny Diaz never seems to live up to the hype and I always like fading him in big spots. Ohio State has great wide receivers and many of their running backs should be back for this game. The Buckeyes have improved greatly on defense and Penn State has not seen a unit this strong yet this season. Ohio State is accustomed to winning these type of games and Penn State once again in not in that class to knock off big teams in true road games. Penn State is on a monster ATS run but I look for that to end on Saturday, as Ohio State wins this game by double-digits.  

10 Unit Play. Take #190 Oregon State Beavers over UCLA Bruins (8p.m., Saturday, October 14 FOX) We went against UCLA at the Rose Bowl last week and were a tough luck loser, as Wazzou offense played terribly in the second half. Now that makes this play at Oregon State much stronger in favor of the Beavers. Oregon State is 14-1 ATS in their last 15 home games. They have already beaten Utah at home, and they have a similar quarterback situation that UCLA does (freshman on the road). The Beavers are on a rampage and want to knock off all the teams leaving the conference next season. The fan base is that much more motivated, especially when playing UCLA, a team that started the dominos falling. UCLA has a strong defense, but they will not be able to win that game on defense alone. Oregon State is the best team that have played thus far, and they will not be up to the challenge.

10 Unit Play. Take #394 Alabama Crimson Tide over Ole Miss Rebels (3:30p.m., Saturday, September 23 CBS) TOP NCAA PLAY OF THE WEEK Many pundits and fans are throwing dirt on the grave of Alabama and Nick Saban, but I am not one of them. They have major issues at quarterback, but I feel they will right the ship on Saturday and win this game by double digits. Nick Saban is not a fan of Lane Kiffin, and he is 28-3 lifetime when facing his former assistants. Ole Miss never has a strong defense and tries to win most of their games by outscoring their opponents. They have beaten Alabama once in the past 16 meetings, and they just do not have the depth of a Nick Saban team. This is the game that Alabama will right the ship, and getting them at home with less than a touchdown is too good to pass up. 

7 Unit Play. Take #176 Florida Gators over Tennessee Volunteers (7p.m., Saturday, September 16 ESPN) The SEC appears to be way down this season and giving this many points on the road is not a recipe for success. Florida has dominated this series, winning 16 of the last 18 matchups. Tennessee has not won in Gainesville since 2003. Tennessee was loaded last year and still only beat Florida by 5 points in 2022 and that game was in Knoxville. The underdog has dominated Florida games going 14-3 ATS in their last 17 lined games. This is a rivalry game and Florida should be motivated to put on a good show and get their coach and quarterback off the hot seat.

10 Unit Play. Take #101 Kansas City Chiefs over Philadelphia Eagles (6:30p.m., Sunday, February 12 FOX) All the talk is about the Eagles dominate run to reach the Super Bowl, but the odds makers are having no part of that. They have kept this game as a pick’em and I believe that the books wants Philadelphia money in this game. I believe that the difference in this game will come down to experience, something Kansas City has a major edge in at the quarterback and head coaching positions. Jalen Hurts did not throw the ball well in the conference championship and if the Chiefs can contain the rushing attack and make him beat them they should be in a good shape. Philadelphia has had a cake walk to reach the Super Bowl and just are not as battle tested as Kansas City is. Philadelphia is 4-12 ATS in their last 16 games after allowing less than 150 yards passing in their previous game. Andy Reid earns his second Super Bowl victory, and this is one bittersweet coming against his former team. 

10 Unit Play. Take #323 Cincinnati Bengals over Kansas City Chiefs (6:40p.m., Sunday, January 29 CBS) Everyone is on the Bengals, which is sometimes a scary proposition, but as the games dwindle down, the public usually gets the big games correct. The Chiefs opened up as a favorite, but the wise guys and public were having no part of that. Cincinnati is now favored and the line during the week keeps going up. Joe Burrow has beaten Kansas City all three times in his career including earlier this season. The Chiefs are 1-8 (ATS) 1 push in their last 10 home games. The Bengals have won 10 straight games and will earn another trip to the Super Bowl on Sunday. Cincinnati has offensive line issues, but that was not a factor last week in Buffalo. Kansas City has quarterback issues with Patrick Mahomes suffering a high ankle sprain against Jacksonville last time out. He will play but I expect the injury to be worse this week compared to last week. Cincinnati is 13-2 ATS (1 push) in their last 16 games against teams with a winning record. Kansas City is 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. Joe Cool advances as we ride the public and the hot hand.

10 Unit Play. Take #318 San Francisco 49ers over Dallas Cowboys (6:30p.m., Sunday, January 22 FOX) The Cowboys played great last week against the Buccaneers, but I just do not believe they can follow that up with a second straight road victory. San Francisco has won 11 games in a row and have two extra days to prepare for this game. They have also covered the spread in 12 of their last 14 home games. Brock Purdy has been up to the challenge thus far and feel he will be playing with a lead most of this game. QB Prescott just had not been very consistent this season and playing his fourth straight road game will be too much to overcome. Dallas is 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games played in January. San Francisco is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 divisional playoff games.

10 Unit Play. Take #152 Tampa Bay Buccaneers over Dallas Cowboys (8:15p.m., Monday, January 16 ABC) Do not trust either coach in this game, but I do trust the greatest quarterback of all time. Dallas has not played well on offense of later, struggling to run the football and turning over the ball at an alarming clip. Tom Brady is 7-0 in his career against Dallas. Tampa Bay won the first meeting this season by a score of 19-3 and that was in Dallas. The Cowboys do not play well on grass and it showed last week in Washington and will show this week in Tampa.

10 Unit Play. Take #470 Denver Broncos over Los Angeles Chargers (4:25p.m., Sunday, January 8 CBS) Denver has gotten clarity on their coaching situation and they played better last week. The Chargers do not have much to play for in this game and would not be surprised if they rest a few of their starters. Denver has won 4 of the last 7 meetings between these two teams and all 4 of those victories came as an underdog. The Broncos are 3-0 straight-up (3-0 ATS) as well in the last 3 games against the Chargers played in Denver. QB Wilson wants to finish the season on a high note and look for that to occur on Sunday.

10 Unit Play. Take #277 Mississippi State Bulldogs over Illinois Fighting Illini (11a.m., Monday, January 2 ESPN2) ReliaQuest Bowl. Bowl Game of the Year. Just feel Mississippi State wants to send out the pirate with a win. The Bulldogs have most of their key players and have promoted from within to take over for Mike Leach next season. Mississippi State is making their 13th straight bowl appearance and I feel that Illinois got exposed during the second half of the season. They lost 3 of their last 4 games including two home games against so-so teams in Michigan State and Purdue. The Illini have a strong defense, but their competition was not of SEC caliber offenses, and they will be without CB Witherspoon for this game. The Bulldogs are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games following an ATS win in their previous game. The Fighting Illini are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game. Expect a low scoring game that the Bulldogs win straight-up and end the Mike Leach era on a positive note.

10 Unit Play. Take #128 Green Bay over Minnesota (4:25p.m., Sunday, January 1 CBS) The Packers continue to win games of late. We expect them to run the table and make the playoffs. Minnesota has already clinched the division and they luck in one score games continues to be impressive. When they lose, they seem to lose big and that is what we are looking for on Sunday afternoon. Minnesota is 3-10 ATS in their last 13 games against teams with a losing record. The home team is 9-4 ATS in the last 13 meetings between Minnesota and Green Bay.

10 Unit Play. Take #473 Las Vegas Raiders over Pittsburgh Steelers (8:15p.m., Saturday, December 24 NFLN) The Mike Tomlin consecutive winning seasons will come to an end in 2022. The Raiders are the much more talented team on offense, and they will win this game straight-up. Just do not believe the Steelers have the weapons to exploit this suspect Raiders defense. The Raiders went into Pittsburgh last season and won by 9 points and expect a similar performance in this game. Las Vegas is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games against Pittsburgh. The underdog is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings between the Raiders and Steelers.

10 Unit Play. Take #328 Tampa Bay Buccaneers over Cincinnati Bengals (4:25p.m., Sunday, December 18 CBS) Hard to take Tampa Bay after their showing last week in San Francisco, but this team is desperate and needs to win their remaining home games. The Bengals have been a covering machine this season, but now they are the hunted and giving points on the road is never easy. I still like the Tampa Bay defense better than the Cincinnati defense. The Bengals struggle to handle prosperity and the law of averages will bite them in this game. Tampa Bay is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 games against Cincinnati. The Underdog is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 games between the Bengals and Bucs.

10 Unit Play. Take #101 Las Vegas Raiders over Los Angeles Rams (8:15p.m., Thursday, December 8 Amazon Prime) These two teams are heading in opposite directions, and I see a double digit victory for the visitor. The Raiders have won 3 straight games and played well last week against the Chargers, a game which was not as close as the final score would indicate. The Raiders have the much better offense with Derek Carr, Davonte Adams, and Josh Jacobs playing outstanding of late. The Rams are 3-7 ATS (1 push) in their last 11 games as a home underdog. The Raiders are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following an ATS win in their previous game.

10 Unit Play. Take #465 Green Bay Packers over Chicago Bears (1p.m., Sunday, December 4 FOX) NFL GAME OF THE YEAR The Packers are in freefall now having lost 7 of their last 8 games. But Aaron Rodgers and company own the Bears having beaten them in 12 of the last 13 meetings (10-3 ATS). Green Bay played their best game of the season against Chicago earlier this season. The Packers are 24-5 against the Bears in games Aaron Rodgers has started. The Bears are in worse shape injury wise compared to the Packers and I just do not believe Justin Fields can win this game by himself. The favorite is 20-8 ATS in the last 29 games between Green Bay and Chicago. That includes Green Bay going 23-7 ATS in the last 30 meetings and 18-5 ATS in the last 23 games at Soldier Field.

10 Unit Play. Take #266 Seattle Seahawks over Las Vegas Raiders (4:05p.m., Sunday, November 27 CBS) Just have no confidence in the Raiders to win back-to-back road games. Seattle is coming off a bye after playing in London last time out against Tampa Bay. Look for them to come back strong on Sunday, as they are 3-1 at home this season. Seattle has covered the spread in 4 of their last 5 home games and are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games against AFC teams. The home team has covered the spread in 7 of the last 9 meetings between Las Vegas and Seattle.

10 Unit Play. Take #398 Baylor Bears over TCU Horned Frogs (12p.m., Saturday, November 19 FOX) It end’s tonight! TCU’s magical season comes to an end on Saturday in Waco, TX. The Frogs are coming off an impressive win on Saturday at Texas and now must go on the road again to play Baylor. Back-to-Back road games is always a tough bill to overcome and this will be one of the best defenses they will face in 2022. The underdog is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 games between TCU and Baylor. The Bears are 21-4 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 27 games following an ATS loss in their previous game.

10 Unit Play. Take #255 Las Vegas Raiders over New Orleans Saints (1p.m., Sunday, October 30 CBS) The Raiders are a better team than their 2-4 record would indicate and now they get to play a team with major issues at quarterback. Las Vegas has won 2 straight games against New Orleans. Not a fan of hiring Dennis Allen and he needs to right the ship, as the Saints have lost 5 of their last 6 games. I do not look for it to happen in this game, as the roster of the Raiders is just better on both sides of the football. The Saints are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a losing record. The Raiders are 11-4 ATS over the last 15 games during Week 8 of the regular season.

10 Unit Play. Take #466 Denver Broncos over New York Jets (4:05p.m., Sunday, October 23 CBS) The Jets are winning games with smoke and mirrors I do not see them winning this game unless Denver helps them. Playing back-to-back road games is always tough in the NFL and Denver is desperate for a victory today. Denver has won 5 of their last 6 games against New York including a 26-0 victory last season. The Jets were just 1 for 11 on third down last week and had just 278 total yards. Denver is 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games after scoring less than 15 points in their previous game. New York is 6-14 ATS in their last 20 games against teams with a losing record. This is a must win game for Denver and they get it by close to double-digits.

10 Unit Play. Take #401 Purdue Boilermakers over Wisconsin Badgers (3:30p.m., Saturday, October 22 ESPN) Big 10 Game of the Year These two teams are heading in opposite directions. This is the time that Big 10 West teams can get their revenge on Wisconsin, a team that has dominated this west division since the inception. The Badgers have played two terrible teams the last two weeks and gone 1-1. Both Michigan State and Northwestern have terrible defenses and that is not the case with Purdue. The Boilermakers have won 4 straight games and could easily be 7-0 on the season. They have a much better passing game and have a defense that can stop the running attack of Wisconsin. This play is more about going against Wisconsin, a team that fired their coach 2.5 weeks ago and has a coaching staff that does not get along well the uncertainty of their coaching futures. Two more Badger players entered the transfer portal this week and I do not see things getting any better down the stretch. They will win some game because the Big 10 West is bad, but you just cannot count on them to win game against similar or better talented teams. Wisconsin has scored over 17 points just 6 times dating back to last year and they are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games. Purdue is 3-0 ATS in their last 3 games in Madison. Purdue is the second-best team Wisconsin will have played this season and loss No. 5 will happen on Saturday. The road team is 7-0 ATS in the last 7 games between Purdue and Wisconsin. The Badgers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. The Boilermakers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a losing record.

10 Unit Play. Take #256 Indianapolis Colts over Jacksonville Jaguars (1p.m., Sunday, October 16 CBS) It end’s today. The Colts have not had much success against Jacksonville in recent games, but they are just a better team not to beat them at home. Indianapolis has extra rest for this game, and they are 2-2-1 on the season despite not playing very well. That will change and QB Ryan will start to move the football through the air in this game. Jacksonville is coming off a bad loss to Houston last time out and they have not looked the same since a hot first quarter against Philadelphia two games ago. The home team is 7-2 ATS (1 push) in the last 10 games between Jacksonville and Indianapolis. The Jaguars are 8-20 ATS in their last 28 games played during the month of October.

10 Unit Play. Take #466 New York Jets over Miami Dolphins (1p.m., Sunday, October 9 CBS) The Dolphins are in turmoil after the handling of QB Tua the last two weeks and now just travel on the road to take on the Jets. New York is riding high coming back from Pittsburgh last Sunday to 2-2 on the season. The Jets have yet to win a home game this season, but I look for that to end on Sunday. Miami is 0-4 ATS (1 push) in their last 5 games played during the month of October. Look for this game to go down to the wire and the Jets to pull in out.

10 Unit Play. Take 274 Las Vegas Raiders over Denver Broncos (4:25p.m., Sunday, October 2 CBS) It ends tonight! The Raiders will notch their first victory of the season and move to 1-3 and 1-1 in the division. The Raiders have been competitive in all 3 of their games this season and they just seem more buttoned up then the Broncos are at the moment. Las Vegas has won 4 straight games against Denver and the Broncos have only covered the spread in 2 of their last 7 games. Denver has been bad on offense most of the season, especially in the red zone. Denver is 9-19 ATS in their last 28 games against AFC West teams. The home team is 9-3 ATS in the last 12 games in this series.

10 Unit Play. Take #291 Minnesota Vikings over Philadelphia Eagles (8:30pm., Monday, September 19 ABC) The Vikings looked impressive in their season opening game dominating Green Bay for the majority of that 60 minute game. Now they travel on the road to face a team that many believe will be the NFC East winner come January. Always tough to trust the Vikings on a consistent basis, but that have a new coach and just are the more talented team in this game. That includes the quarterback position. Minnesota needs to stop the run in this game and make Jalen Hurts beat them through the air. Philadelphia is 3-13 in their last 16 games played during Week 2 of the regular season. Getting rid of the negative Mike Zimmer energy will help the Vikings immensely.

10 Unit Play. Take #482 Seattle Seahawks over Denver Broncos (8:15p.m., Monday, September 12 ESPN) The Hawks are not expected to contend this season as they traded away their quarterback to Denver. But the fan base will be excited for this game, and it is one of the toughest tickets in town. Look for Seattle to rise to the occasion and take this game down to the wire. Denver gave up a ton of capital to get Russell Wilson and they were not a very good team last year. Seattle is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games against AFC teams. The Hawks are also 8-2 ATS in their last 10 home games when they are an underdog. Seattle has won 9 of their last 10 home games. Too much emotion for Russell Wilson to blow out Seattle and expect this game to go down to the wire and we will come out on top either way.

10 Unit Play. Take #169 Louisville Cardinals over Syracuse Orange (8p.m., Saturday, September 3 ACCN) Just do not see much hope for Syracuse and Dino Babers turning things around. He is 3-15 in the ACC the last 2 years and is facing a team that has had his number of late. Louisville has covered the spread against Syracuse in 7 of the last 8 meetings. That included winning 41-3 last year and their margin of victory in the last 8 games is 31 points. Louisville picked up some key transfers this season and Syracuse has a new offensive coordinator that might not fit their skill players system. The favorite has covered the spread in this game 8 straight meetings.

10 Unit Play. Take #311 Vanderbilt Commodores over Hawaii Warriors (10:30p.m., Saturday, August 27 CBSSN) This is more a play against Hawaii instead of liking the worst team in the SEC. The Warriors are in a major rebuild having lost their coach due to off the field issues. Now former quarterback Timmy Chang is the head coach, and he will struggle to keep this team competitive in 2022. Hawaii returned just 6 starters and only 2 of them are on defense. Vanderbilt has the better defense and running game and that should be good enough to win this game by double digits. They lost to an FCS team in their opening game last year and need to avoid a similar fate to open the season this year. Vanderbilt is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 road games. Hawaii is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 nonconference games.

10 Unit Play. Take #102 Cincinnati Bengals over Los Angeles Rams (6:30p.m., Sunday, February 13 NBC) The Bengals have a knack for hanging around in games and I expect them to take this game down to the wire as well. The Rams have all the pressure on them for this game, as they are playing at home and have a team full of stars. The Bengals have the better quarterback and if given time to throw the football he will pick apart this Rams secondary. The 49ers had the Rams on the rope and should have won that game if they could have made a play on either side of the football in the fourth quarter (dropped interception and two 3 and outs). The Rams were just 10-9 ATS (1 push) this season, whereas the Bengals are 12-6 (2 pushes) on the season. Take the points as this game like most of the NFL Playoffs games this season should go down to the wire.

10 Unit Play. Take #322 Kansas City Chiefs over Cincinnati Bengals (3:05 p.m., Sunday, January 30 CBS) The Chiefs got a break with Tennessee losing last week, and Patrick Mahomes and company get to play at home yet again in the AFC Playoffs. Cincinnati won the earlier meeting this season, but that was in the Queen City and this game will be at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs have been unstoppable during the postseason, putting up 84 points in two games. They also have a pass rush that should lead to issues for QB Joe Burrow, as he was sacked 9 times last week on the road. Despite covering their last two games, the Bengals are just 2-6 ATS (1 push) in their last 9 playoff games. The home team is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 games between Cincinnati and Kansas City. The Chiefs are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 home games.

10 Unit Play. Take #317 Buffalo Bills over Kansas City Chiefs (6:30p.m., Sunday, January 23 CBS) All the experts in sports handicapping like Buffalo in this game and getting points is too good to pass up. Buffalo has a strong offense that already won in Kansas City this season by 18 points. The Kansas City defense is improved but they have not faced many explosive offenses like they will see on Sunday night with Buffalo. Buffalo did not punt once in their game last week against New England and scored a touchdown on every possession that did not kneel. Buffalo is 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games played at Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City is 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game.

10 Unit Play. Take #148 Dallas Cowboys over San Francisco 49ers (4:30p.m., Sunday, January 16 CBS) The 49ers have the Rams number but that is not the case with the Cowboys. Dallas is the No. 1 scoring offense averaging close to 30 points per game. Dallas has beaten San Francisco 5 of the last 7 postseason meetings. San Francisco went 4-5 straight-up against teams with a winning record. The 49ers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 playoff road games. Dallas is 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games. Both teams come in hot, but the different in this game will be the Cowboys offensive firepower.

10 Unit Play. Take #481 Los Angeles Chargers over Las Vegas Raiders (8:20p.m., Sunday, January 9 NBC) The Raiders have played better of late to stay in the hunt for a wild card berth, but this franchise has not won many games like this during the 21st century. Los Angeles dominated the first meeting of the season winning by 14 points. Las Vegas is just 4-4 at home with losses to Chicago and Washington part of those 4 losses. Los Angeles has better playmakers on both sides of the football, and they will march onto the playoffs next weekend. The road team is 10-4 ATS in the last 14 meetings between the Chargers and the Raiders. Las Vegas is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 home games.

10 Unit Play. Take #308911 Montana State Bobcats over North Dakota State Bison (12p.m., Saturday, January 8 ESPN2) This line has been trending down and with this long of a layoff I expect his to be a low scoring competitive game. The over under in this game is just 42 points and that is a low total for a team to cover more than a touchdown spread. NDSU is solid on both sides of the football but their offense is not as dynamic as it has been in previous seasons. The Bobcats have the more impressive resume in 2021 with a ton of skill players. Montana State is starting a freshman quarterback but he has the ability to beat you with his legs and arm. Expect this to be a defensive battle and we will grab the points in this championship game.

10 Unit Play. Take #125 Detroit Lions over Seattle Seahawks (4:25p.m., Sunday, January 2 FOX) Seattle is coming off a bad loss to the Bears and the reality of a bad season is starting to set in with them. They have make major changes in the offseason and they do not even have their first round draft pick in 2022. Detroit has been more competitive of late winning against Arizona and should have won against Atlanta last Sunday. Detroit is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games. Seattle is 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games played during the month of January. Seattle has too many issues on both sides of the football to be this big of a favorite.

10 Unit Play. Take #257 Tennessee Volunteers over Purdue Boilermakers (3p.m., Thursday, December 30 ESPN) MUSIC CITY BOWL Just believe Purdue underachieved this season and now will be without David Bell and George Karlaftis for this game. Throw in the face this game is played in Nashville giving the Volunteers a big home field advantage and I expect Tennessee to win this game by double-digits. Purdue was in this same bowl in 2018 and got run over by a so-so SEC team and that same situation presents itself on Thursday. Tennessee held their own in the SEC West and has a first year head coach that wants to finish off the season the right way. They have won 3 of their last 4 games (only loss to Georgia) and should be able to outscore Purdue in this game. Purdue struggles to score points and they need their defense to create situations for their offense. Tennessee is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against Big 10 teams. Purdue is 2-6 ATS in their last 8 bowl games.

10 Unit Play. Take #257 Tennessee Volunteers over Purdue Boilermakers (3p.m., Thursday, December 30 ESPN) MUSIC CITY BOWL Just believe Purdue underachieved this season and now will be without David Bell and George Karlaftis for this game. Throw in the face this game is played in Nashville giving the Volunteers a big home field advantage and I expect Tennessee to win this game by double-digits. Purdue was in this same bowl in 2018 and got run over by a so-so SEC team and that same situation presents itself on Thursday. Tennessee held their own in the SEC West and has a first year head coach that wants to finish off the season the right way. They have won 3 of their last 4 games (only loss to Georgia) and should be able to outscore Purdue in this game. Purdue struggles to score points and they need their defense to create situations for their offense. Tennessee is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against Big 10 teams. Purdue is 2-6 ATS in their last 8 bowl games.

10 Unit Play. Take #308 Buffalo Bills over Carolina Panthers (1p.m., Sunday, December 19 FOX) The Bills have been struggling of late but Carolina should allow them to get back on track. When Buffalo wins games this season it tends to come via blowouts and today should be no different. Buffalo is 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games against NFC teams. Carolina has lost 3 straight games and 8 of their last 10 overall. All of Buffalo’s 7 wins this season have come by at least 15 points, over today’s posted number.

10 Unit Play. Take #101 Pittsburg Steelers over Minnesota Vikings (8:20p.m., Thursday, December 9 AMAZON) The Vikings are coming off a bad loss to the Lions that greatly damaged their playoff chances for this season. They also have injuries for this short week game and I do not see them blowing out the Steelers on Thursday night football. Coach Tomlin has never had a losing record and I do not see that occurring in 2021 either. Minnesota is 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games when the are favored. Pittsburgh is 4-1 ATS (1 push) in their last 6 games played on Thursday. Minnesota is 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games played in December.

10 Unit Play. Take #475 New England Patriots over Buffalo Bills (8:15p.m., Monday, December 6 ESPN) First place in the AFC East is on the line in this game as New England travels to Buffalo to take on the Bills. New England will enter having won 6 straight games and if they can keep it close they will likely win it straight up. All of Buffalo’s 7 wins this season have come via blowouts. That means if New England can keep it close early, Buffalo will likely find a way to lose it. The road team is 22-8 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 32 meetings between New England and Buffalo.

10 Unit Play. Take #318 Alabama Crimson Tide over Georgia Bulldogs (4p.m., Saturday, December 4 CBS) Georgia has the best defense in the country but they have not played a quarterback like Bryce Young. Alabama will be able to move the football and put-up points against this defense and I am not sold on how Georgia will respond when that occurs. Stetson Bennett is a game manager, and I was not impressed with him last season. He has been efficient this season but has not faced any pressure. Alabama needs this game to make the college football playoff and Georgia will still make the playoff even if they lose this game. That is a big difference and will allow Alabama to win this game straight-up. The underdog is 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings between Georgia and Alabama. The Crimson Tide is 11-3 ATS in their last 14 games following an ATS loss in their previous game.

10 Unit Play. Take #174 Purdue Boilermakers over Indiana Hoosiers (3:30 p.m., Saturday, November 27 FS1) BIG TEN GAME OF THE YEAR It can be dangerous laying this many points in the Old Oaken Bucket Game, but Indiana is the worst team in the Big Ten. Injuries have taken their toll on this team, and they have scored over 15 points just one time since September. The Hoosiers are just 2-9 ATS and are one of a handful of teams without a conference win in 2021. Purdue has covered the spread in 4 straight games against Indiana and are 9-3 ATS dating back to 2008. For Purdue to win and cover they need to take care of the football on offense and pressure the Indiana quarterback. If they do that, they should win by 20+ points. Purdue is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games against Indiana in West Lafayette.

10 Unit Play. Take #475 Pittsburgh Steelers over Los Angeles Chargers (8:20p.m., Sunday, November 21 NBC) Just do not trust the Chargers as this big of a favorite over a traditional powerhouse team like Pittsburgh. The Steelers are 13-4 ATS in their last 17 games as a road underdog. Big Ben should be back for this game and thus we can look past their tie against the Lions last season. Pittsburgh is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games at the Chargers. Los Angeles is 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games played during Week 11 of the regular season. They are also 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games played during the month of November.

10 Unit Play. Take #322 Nevada Wolf Pack over Air Force Falcons (9p.m., Friday, November 19 FS1) Nevada should be able to bounce back and move the football on the ground and through the air on Friday. They had a devastating loss to San Diego State last Saturday but expect them to bounce back playing a team that will have trouble stopping the pass. Nevada defense will give up some yards on the ground but hopefully they will come up big in the redzone and hold the Falcons to field goal attempts. Air Force will be playing their second straight road game and that will catch up to them in this game. Nevada is 6-2 ATS in their last 8 conference home games. The Force is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a winning record.

10 Unit Play. Take #262 Denver Broncos over Philadelphia Eagles (4:25p.m., Sunday, November 14 CBS) Both teams are limited on offense, but I just feel Denver is the better all-around team. Philadelphia could not stop Justin Herbert whatsoever last week (Chargers never punted) and I see Teddy Bridgewater putting up big number in this game as well. Denver is coming off one of the most impressive and shocking results of the season, beating Dallas in Arlington. That game was never competitive and look for them to follow that up with another strong performance in this game. Philadelphia was lucky to hang around against the Chargers last week and if the Broncos can stop the run they will win this game by double digits. The Eagles are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road games. The Broncos are 4-1 ATS int their last 5 games against teams with a losing record.

10 Unit Play. Take #201 Miami Hurricanes over Florida State Seminoles (3:30p.m., Saturday, November 13 ESPN) Remember when this game was must watch TV? That is certainly not the case now, but Miami has quietly been playing decent football of late. They have won 3 straight games and their last two losses before than just can by a combined 5 points. Miami has won 4 straight in this rivalry including winning last year by a score of 52-10. Florida State will enter off two double-digits losses (Clemson should not have been) and losing has taken its toll on this program. They cannot seem to find the right coach and they will be lucky to win one of their three remaining games. The road team is 6-1 ATS in the last 7 games between Miami and FSU. The Seminoles are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games following a loss in their previous game.

10 Unit Play. Take #467 Los Angeles Chargers over Philadelphia Eagles (4:05p.m., Sunday, November 7 CBS) Philadelphia got back on track last week but that was against Detroit, a winless team in 2021. Los Angeles is coming off a disappointing loss to New England last Sunday but look for them to bounce back. They have a major edge in talent on the offensive side of the football. Philadelphia is 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games against AFC teams. The Chargers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games. Los Angeles needs this game more and they get it by double digits behind a strong performance from QB Herbert and company.

10 Unit Play. Take #254 Atlanta Falcons over Carolina Panthers (1p.m., Sunday, October 31 FOX) NFL Game of the Year The Panthers are in freefall now having lost 4 straight games. They are backing their turnaround on Christian McCaffrey coming back later in the season, but I do not see things getting any better until then. Atlanta has won 3 of their last 4 games and played well last week against Miami leading for most of that game before turnovers got the Dolphins a late lead. They will clean that up on Sunday and win this game by close to double digits. Carolina has had turnover issues and I do not expect that to be cleaned up in this game either. QB Donald is not a top tier player and Carolina did much of their damage at the start of the season against bad teams. Atlanta is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games against Carolina. The Panthers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games. Atlanta is 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games against teams with a losing record.

10 Unit Play. Take #190 Ohio State Buckeyes over Penn State Nittany Lions (7:30p.m., Saturday, October 30 ABC) Ohio State has been rolling of late winning 5 straight games and all of them have come by more points than tonight’s posted number. Penn State could not run the football against Illinois, and they are gassed after losing to the Illini in 9 overtimes. QB Clifford did return from an injury against Iowa but did not look good, throwing for just 165 yards on 56% completions. Penn State is going to have to score points to stay in this game and I just do not believe that is something they can do at this stage of the season. Ohio State still has a great chance to make the college football playoff if they win out and win convincingly. They have scored at least 52 points in their last four games and if they hit that number on Saturday, they will win this game with ease. Penn State is 4-20 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 26 games following a loss in their previous game. Ohio State is 13-5 ATS in tier last 18 games following an ATS win in their previous game. The James Franklin to USC rumors heat up and Penn State continues to lose games, this one coming by 20+ points.

10 Unit Play. Take #386 UAB Blazers over Rice Owls (3:30 p.m., Saturday, October 23 ESPN+) UAB has dominated this series of late, winning 4 straight games. These teams appear to be heading in opposite directions with Rice being blown out last week by UTSA and barely beating Southern Miss the week before. All 4 of Rice’s losses have come by at least 21 points. The Blazers have won 4 of their last 5 games and pitched a shutout last time out against SMU. Rice is 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games played in Birmingham. UAB is 18-7 ATS (1 push) in their last 26 home games.

10 Unit Play. Take #272 New England Patriots over Dallas Cowboys (4:25p.m., Sunday, October 17 CBS) Just feel Dallas is due for a regression having covered the spread in every game that they have played in 2021. Dallas has not won a game in Foxboro since the 1980s and they have also lost 6 straight games to New England. Also do not believe the Patriots will lose 4 straight home games. This game will go down to the wire and we will cover the spread with whoever comes out on top. Dallas is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as a road favorite. New England is 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games as a home underdog.

10 Unit Play. Take #155 Colorado State Rams over New Mexico Lobos (7p.m., Saturday, October 16 Stadium) Just feel these two teams are going in opposite directions. The Rams are dominated the Lobos over the last decade going 10-0 straight-up and 8-2 against the spread. New Mexico really has trouble moving the football averaging just over 200 yards per game during this 4-game losing streak. They are averaging just 7 points per game over this losing streak. The favorite is 6-1 ATS (1 push) in the last 8 games between Colorado State and New Mexico. The Lobos are 8-22 ATS in their last 30 games following an loss in their previous game.

10 Unit Play. Take #457 New Orleans Saints over Washington Football Team (1p.m., Sunday, October 10 FOX) Just do not believe in Washington especially on the offensive side of the football. New Orleans plays better on the road going 16-7 ATS in their last 16 road games when they are the favorite. They still have more playmakers compared to Washington and that will be the difference today. The Saints are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games. Washington is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games. Jameis takes care of the football and the Saints take advantage of a couple of key injuries on offense for the Football team.

10 Unit Play. Take #379 Oklahoma Sooners over Texas Longhorns (12p.m., Saturday, October 9 ABC) The Cotton Bowl is the site for this annual edition of the Red River Rivalry. Oklahoma has just been getting by of late and thus the spread in this game has dropped to around a field goal. Oklahoma has won 9 of the last 12 meetings and if they win today, they should be able to cover this small spread as well. I still believe Oklahoma’s best football is still ahead of them and it will start on Saturday.

10 Unit Play. Take #280 Los Angeles Chargers over Las Vegas Raiders (8:15p.m., Monday, October 3 ESPN) Just do not feel the Raiders will be able to handle prosperity. They enter this game at 3-0, but needed to survive last week at home against the Dolphins, a team that was playing a backup quarterback. The Chargers are coming off an impressive victory at Kansas City last Sunday and have covered the spread in 5 of their last 7 games (1 push). Las Vegas is 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games played during the month of October. Los Angeles is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 divisional games. 

10 Unit Play. Take #120 Purdue Boilermakers over Minnesota Golden Gophers (12p.m., Saturday, October 2 BTN) Purdue has some injuries on the offensive side of the football, but this is a game Coach Brohm wants badly. Purdue lost to Minnesota last year when a go-ahead touchdown was called back on a terrible offensive pass interference call. Everyone who saw that play was upset with the call and payback will be coming this Saturday. Minnesota is coming off a terrible loss to Bowling Green last week, a terrible MAC team that was a 30+ point underdog. QB Tanner Morgan has not been himself so far in 2021 and this will be the best defense he has had to face so far in 2021. The home team is 11-5 ATS (1 push) in the last 17 games between Minnesota and Purdue. This will be a defensive battle, but Purdue wants it more and wins it by double-digits.

10 Unit Play. Take #496 San Francisco 49ers over Green Bay Packers (8:20p.m., Sunday, September 26 NBC) Green Bay pulling away late on Monday Night Football gave us the value we like for this game. The favorite has dominated this match in recent years covering the spread at an 80% clip. Just am not sold on this Green Bay defense, as new coordinator Joe Barry seems lost as the leader of the defense. Just do not believe the Packers will be able stop the rushing attack of the 49ers and thus I do not expect Jimmy G to have to win this game with his arm. Green Bay must travel on short rest should allow the 49ers to win this game by around double-digits.

10 Unit Play. Take #364 Stanford Cardinal over UCLA Bruins (6p.m., Saturday, September 25 PAC 12 Network) UCLA just cannot handle prosperity and now must travel on the road for this first time in 2021 after a bad loss to Fresno State last Saturday. Stanford has been going along nicely since losing to Kansas State in their first game of the season. Once Tanner McKee has been inserted into the line-up this team has gelled and has been able to score points including 42 against USC two weeks ago. The Cardinal will be playing their first home game after 7 straight road games. Stanford has owned this series under David Shaw winning 12 of the last 13 meetings (11-2 ATS). Just do not think UCLA is back yet and laying points on the road in a conference game is never a spot to back them. UCLA found a way to lose last week, and I see this game going down to the wire as well. UCLA is 8-20 ATS in their last 28 games as a favorite. Stanford is 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games as home underdog.

10 Unit Play. Take #291 Tennessee Titans over Seattle Seahawks (4:25p.m., Sunday, September 19 CBS) Tennessee getting blown out was one of the most shocking results in week 1 of the 2021 Regular Season. The Titans have beaten the Seahawks in 2 of the last 3 meetings and they are 6-2 ATS over the last 8 years in their road opening game. Seattle is 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games following a victory in their previous game. Just think pride sets in for Tennessee and they take this game down to the wire.

10 Unit Play. Take Marshall Thundering Herd over East Carolina Pirates (6p.m., Saturday, September 18 Stadium) East Carolina blew the game last week against South Carolina and now must face a better Marshall team in their first true road game of the season. East Carolina has scored just 36 total points in two games this season. Marshall has been lighting up the scoreboard in their two games this season and has received impressive play from QB Grant Wells, who has thrown for over 300 yards in both games this season. The Pirates are 4-12 ATS (1 push) in their last 17 nonconference games. The favorite has covered the spread in 4 of the last 5 games between these former rivals. East Carolina cannot score enough points to keep this deficit in single digits.

10 Unit Play. Take #361 NC State Wolfpack over Mississippi State Bulldogs (7p.m., Saturday, September 11 ESPN2) This is a classic case of an SEC team playing an ACC team at home and thus the number does not fully reflect the talent disparity between the two teams. Mike Leach is not Lane Kiffin when it comes to offenses in the SEC, the Bulldogs were not able to run the ball at all against Louisiana Tech last week. The La Tech Bulldogs blew that game last week being outscored 21-3 in the fourth quarter and missing a field goal at the buzzer to lose by 1 point. NC State has two strong running backs, and they return their entire secondary. This will not shutdown the Bulldogs passing attack but I expect them to be able to hold their own. NC State is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games. Mississippi State is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games against ACC teams.

10 Unit Play. Take #217 Nevada Wolf Pack over California Golden Bears (10:30p.m., Saturday, September 4 FS1) Just believe Nevada is better on both sides of the football, especially on offense. The Wolf Pack have an NFL prospect in Carson Strong and will have a bunch of fans at this game trying to get away from the smokey conditions in Reno. Cal is just 1-8 ATS (1 push) in their last 9 games as a home favorite and this line has the wrong team favored. The Bears went just 1-3 last season and all 3 of those losses were against bad teams. This is the year Nevada is expected to make a run for the MWC Championship and it will start on Saturday. This line is just a Power 5 team playing at home so the public will jump on that number. In reality Nevada has better talent, and they will win this game straight-up.

10 Unit Play. Take 308903 Sam Houston State Bearkats over South Dakota State Jackrabbits (2p.m., Sunday, May 16 ABC) The line is going up and I feel that the Bearkats have what it takes to take this game down to the wire. The Missouri Valley Conference was not as strong this season, but still got credit based on the strength of NDSU this decade. The Jackrabbits are the best team in the league, but this will be far and away the most explosive team they have seen in 2021. San Houston State had no business winning last week against James Madison, but they scored 28 points in under 3 minutes and held on against James Madison last week. They have a huge edge in this game since it is being played in Texas and they can bus to the game (about a 3-hour trip). This game will go down to the wire and we will come out on top with whoever pulls it out by a field goal.

10 Unit Play. Take #308973 James Madison Dukes over Sam Houston State Bearkats (2:30p.m., Saturday, May 8 ABC) A battle of unbeatens is set to do battle at Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, TX on Saturday with a television broadcast on ABC. The Dukes are outstanding at ball control and I feel they have the better defense in this game. James Madison honestly believes they should be hosting this game and expect them to make a statement in this game as they advance onto the championship game (also being played in Texas). SHS is coming off a big win last week against North Dakota State, the dominate team over the last decade in FCS and I just do not know how much left they will have for this game. NDSU was nowhere near as strong this season and SHS still had to hold onto dear life to beat them. JMU has a much better quarterback than what NDSU showed last week and that will be the different today.

10 Unit Play. Take #308958 James Madison Dukes over North Dakota Fighting Hawks (6p.m., Sunday, May 2 ESPN2) Just feel the Hawks are getting to much publicity in this game due to the conference that they played in. North Dakota State destroyed them on March 20, and they have not been able to play many games since then. James Madison is not flashy at the quarterback position and they are rock solid on defense and I just do not see them losing this game at home. The Dukes were upset when they were given a No. 3 seed in the FCS Playoffs and expect them to march onto the final four with a victory on Sunday at home. We will lay the small points and expect close to a double-digit win.

10 Unit Play. Take #308919 Southern Illinois Salukis over Weber State Wildcats (4p.m., Saturday, April 24 ESPNU) The Wildcats were a top 5 team going into the spring season, went undefeated and yet are only around a 4-point favorite against a 5-3 team. How is that possible? That is because they have not looked that impressive against fledging team that did not make the playoffs. Their last 4 wins have come by a combined 18 points and Southern Illinois is the strongest team that they will have faced in the spring season. Southern Illinois has wins over Northern Iowa and North Dakota State this season and played in the highly competitive Missouri Valley Conference. Weber State is just playing with fire each and every week and that will bite them on Saturday. Southern Illinois wins this game straight-up and getting points is just icing on the cake.

10 Unit Play. Take #308995 Richmond Spiders over James Madison Dukes (2p.m., Saturday, April 17 Flo Football) The two best teams in the CAA are finally set to do battle Saturday in Harrisonburg, VA. Both teams have had the last two weeks off and both teams are undefeated in 2021. I just do not see a blowout in this game since it means more to Richmond with regards to making the FCS Playoffs. Both teams are strong on offense scoring over 30 points per game and I just do not believe the Dukes will be able to completely shutdown Joe Mancuso and company. This is the toughest opponent James Madison will have played in 2021 and while I see them winning, I expect a battle for 60 minutes. Grab the points in this battle of unbeaten teams.

10 Unit Play. Take #308958 Richmond Spiders -11 over Elon Phoenix (4p.m., Saturday, March 27 NBC Sports Washington/FLO SPORTS) FCS GAME OF THE YEAR We have faded the Phoenix the last two weeks and easily won both games and now we look to complete the trifecta on Saturday. These two teams met two weeks ago in Elon and Richmond won that game 38-14. The selection just comes down to the fact the Phoenix are using their third or fourth string quarterback. Neither one is any good and expect the Spiders to stock the box and force them to beat them through the air, something they have not been capable of doing in 2021. Elon is getting beat up and they are 1-4 on the season with 3 of those losses coming by at least 21 points. Richmond will dominate this game for 60 minutes and win by 20+ points.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

10 Unit Play. Take #102 Tampa Bay Buccaneers over Kansas City Chiefs (6:30p.m., Sunday, February 7 CBS) SUPER BOWL 55. Just feel Tampa Bay is the better all-around team and Tom Brady seems to be the destined winner of this game. Tampa Bay has won three straight road games to get to this point or being the first team ever to host the Super Bowl in their own stadium. Kansas City is loaded on offense, but they have offensive line injuries, and the Buccaneers have a pass rush capable of putting pressure on QB Mahomes for the entire 60-minute game. Kansas City has been winning games of late, but they have not been covering the spread and I just do not see them being able to move the football at will against this Tampa Bay defense.

These two teams met earlier this season and Kansas City jumped out big before Tampa Bay rallied, and had they gotten a stop might have been able to win that game. Tampa Bay has gotten revenge on two teams in the playoffs and I expect them to get revenge on Kansas City as well. The underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 games between Tampa Bay and Kansas City. The Chiefs are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games. The Buccaneers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as an underdog. Tampa wins this game straight-up and gives Brady his 7th Super Bowl.

10 Unit Play. Take #312 Green Bay Packers over Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3:05p.m., Sunday, January 24 FOX) This line has been creeping down since it opened Sunday night and I now like the Packers even more. QB Brady has played in cold weather for most of his career but he just is not playing at the same level as QB Rodgers is now. Tampa Bay benefited greatly from 4 New Orleans turnovers last week and I just do not believe Green Bay will do the same thing. The Packers have not only been winning games of late, they also have been covering the spread in those games as well. Now we get them at home (with fans) and a low number. Green Bay is 8-1 straight-up at home this year (6-3 ATS) and I see them jumping out early and winning this game by double-digits. Tampa Bay is 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games played during the month of January. Green Bay is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games played during January. The home team is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 matchups between the Buccaneers and Packers.

10 Unit Play. Take #302 Green Bay Packers over Los Angeles Rams (4:35p.m., Saturday, January 16 FOX) NFL PLAYOFF GAME OF THE YEAR We used the 49ers has our top play last year right out of the gate in the Divisional Round and will follow that formula again in 2021. The Rams are banged up and the game time temperature for this game should be around 30 degrees. The Packers are rested and QB Rodgers knows the importance of having the No. 1 seed in the NFC (only had it 1 other time in his career). Green Bay is 13-1 in their last 14 home games. QB Rodgers has a 23-2 touchdown to interception ratio at home this year. Green Bay led the league in points this year and I just do not believe Los Angeles will be able to match them score for score in this game. The Rams are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games against the Packers. The favorite is 9-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings as well. Green Bay is 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games against teams with a winning record.

10 Unit Play. Take #150 New Orleans Saints over Chicago Bears (4:40p.m., Sunday, January 10 CBS) The Bears backed into the playoffs this season with a soft schedule down the stretch before getting pounded at home last week against the Packers. The Saints are simply better on both sides of the football and they will win this game by double-digits. New Orleans lost last year in the wildcard round and thus they will not take this game lightly. QB Trubisky has played better of late, but neither the coaching staff or fans have much confidence that he will perform well in this game. He is not the quarterback of the future and this may be the end of the road for him in Chicago as the starter. New Orleans is 5-1 ATS (1 push) in the last 7 games against Chicago. The Saints are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall.

10 Unit Play. Take #105 Green Bay Packers over Chicago Bears (4:25p.m., Sunday, January 3 FOX) The Packers will need to win this game to clinch the No. 1 seed and earn the only bye in the NFC. Green Bay has won 8 of the last 9 games against Chicago and crushed them in the first meeting in November at Lambeau Field. The favorite is 14-6 ATS in the last 20 meetings between Green Bay and Chicago. The Bears are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games against teams with a winning record. QB Rodgers cements his legacy as the 2020 MVP with another outstanding performance and a double-digit Packers victory.

10 Unit Play. Take #334 Clemson Tigers over Ohio State Buckeyes (8p.m., Friday, January 1 ESPN) Sugar Bowl This is a rematch of the semi-final game last year in which questionable officiating allowed Clemson to emerge victorious. But in 2020 I just do not see the same Ohio State team that have been so explosive in year’s past. Clemson had a 541-263 yardage edge against Notre Dame and that game was never in doubt after the first quarter. Everyone thinks Ohio State will be motivated for revenge and the diss that Dabo Sweeny gave them by ranking them No. 11 in the coaches poll, but in the end talent wins out.

10 Unit Play. Take #312 Wake Forest Demon Deacons over Wisconsin Badgers (12p.m., Wednesday, December 30 ESPN) Duke Mayo Bowl We have faded Wisconsin in their last two games and easily covered both games. Wisconsin has quarterback issues, banged up wide receivers, and running backs that are not explosive. They have a solid defense, but they have yet to face an offense as up-tempo and explosive like Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons are coming off a bad performance against the Cardinals, but that final score is a little misleading (Louisville scored 17 points in the last 17 minutes of that game). Wake Forest is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 bowl games. Wisconsin is 0-6 ATS in their last 6 neutral site games as a favorite. If Wake Forest can take care of the football, they should be able to take this game down to the wire and win it straight-up.

10 Unit Play. Take #480 Green Bay Packers over Tennessee Titans (8:20p.m., Sunday, December 27 NBC) Green Bay has the No. 1 seed in sight if they win this game tonight and I see no reason not to lay this small number with the best team in the NFC. QB Tannehill has played outstanding this season but he is not in the same league as Aaron Rogers, the likely MVP of the league. Green Bay has been jumping out early on teams of late and I see them doing the same as well in this game. They will need to stop the run-on defense, but their defense last been playing better of late as well. The Titans are 3-13 ATS (1 push) in their last 17 games played during Week 16 of the regular season. Green Bay is 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games following an ATS loss in their previous game. The Packers win this game by 7-10 points and lay claim to the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

10 Unit Play. Take #252 USC Trojans over Oregon Ducks (8p.m., Friday, December 18 FOX) Oregon was a late add to this game after Washington did not have enough healthy players. The Trojans have a major edge getting to play this game at their home stadium and I just do not trust Oregon enough to keep this close. Both teams have played down to the level of their competition, but USC tends to pull away late, whereas Oregon often loses close games. Losing to Cal and Oregon State is embarrassing for the Ducks and now they must face a team with better talent and experience than what they have. Oregon is 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games as a road underdog. USC is 7-3 ATS (1 push) in their last 11 games against teams with a winning record. The favorite is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 games between Oregon and USC.

10 Unit Play. Take #158 New York Giants over Arizona Cardinals (1p.m., Sunday, December 13 CBS) Just believe these two teams are heading in opposite directions. Arizona is a fluke play away from losing 5 straight games and they may need to win 3 of their last 4 to make the playoffs. The Giants have won 4 straight and have control of the NFC East since they own the tiebreaker with Washington. They are coming off their best performance of the year beating Seattle in the Emerald City last time out. It goes not matter who the Giants start at quarterback, they are going to win this game. Arizona has been easy to run on of late and Wayne Gallman should put up big numbers. Arizona is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite. The Giants are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games as an underdog.

10 Unit Play. Take #477 Buffalo Bills over San Francisco 49ers (8:15p.m., Monday, December 7 ESPN) Buffalo has already won in Arizona this season and now they get a huge advantage with the 49ers having to play on the road as well. Just not sold on the 49ers, especially on offense. QB Mullins has limitations and if Buffalo does not turn over the football, the 49ers will struggle to score points. Buffalo has gone 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games against NFC teams. They have already beaten the Rams and Seahawks, and had the Cardinals beat before giving up a Hail Mary pass with just seconds remaining. They will make it 3 of 4 on Monday night against the NFC West with a double-digit victory.

10 Unit Play. Take #383 UCLA Bruins over Arizona State Sun Devils (10:30p.m., Saturday, December 5 FS1) Just cannot trust Arizona State laying points in this game. The Sun Devils have been off since November 7 and now have to play a team that is getting better in UCLA. The Bruins are 2-2 and both of their losses went down to the wire and I see them winning this game straight-up. UCLA was a mess last year but dominated ASU leading by over 30 points at one point in that game. The Bruins may also get back Dorian Thompson-Robinson and that will only enhance their chances of winning this game. UCLA is 12-5 ATS in the last 17 games against Arizona State.

10 Unit Play. Take #148 Iowa Hawkeyes over Nebraska Cornhuskers (1p.m., Friday, November 27 FOX) The Hawkeyes have righted the ship winning 3 straight games in blowout fashion. Nebraska is terrible on both sides of the ball and I do not see things getting any better in this game. They cannot stop the run and they are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games as a road underdog. Iowa has won 5 straight in this series and winning their games by an average of 30 points is just hard to overlook. Penn State was just as desperate last week against Iowa and they got killed. Nebraska has quarterback issues and whoever gets the start will struggle to move the football against this Iowa defense. Nebraska is 3-10 ATS in their last 13 games. Iowa is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a losing record.

10 Unit Play. Take #123 Washington Football Team over Dallas Cowboys (4:30p.m., Thursday, November 26 FOX) Nobody can handle prosperity in the NFC East and I look for this game to go down to the wire. Dallas had a medical emergency on Tuesday and thus they were not able to practice for a team already on a short week. Washington won the first meeting by 22 points and having a stable quarterback in Alex Smith should allow this team to win some games down the stretch. The underdog is 28-13 ATS in the last 41 meetings between Washington and Dallas.

NOTE: THIS IS A FIRST HALF PLAY. 

10 Unit Play. Take #395 Wisconsin Badgers (-3.5 First Half Line) over Northwestern Wildcats (3:30p.m., Saturday, November 21 ABC) Big Ten Game of the Year

Northwestern is 4-0, but they have started poorly in two of their four games. They would not have covered this number against Iowa or Nebraska, two teams that are inferior to Wisconsin. I expect Wisconsin to jump out early and feel great value lies with the first half line.

Wish this line came in under a touchdown for the game, but the Badgers dominated Michigan last week and thus we are left with this higher number. Wisconsin is clearly the second-best team in the league, and the winner of this game will likely reach the Big Ten title game in Indianapolis. The Wildcats have not been as impressive since their 40-point victory over Maryland to open the season, grinding out games against Iowa, Nebraska, and Purdue to reach 4-0. Their defense is good, but they have yet to face a team like Wisconsin that can beat you on the ground or through the air. I just feel that Wisconsin is better on both sides of the football (healthier for this game compared to last) and will pull away in the second quarter to win this game by double-digits. Northwestern can only play at a certain pace. And if they get behind, they will struggle to come back if they are one-dimensional. Wisconsin is 17-7 ATS in their last 24 road games. Northwestern is 2-8 ATS (1 push) in their last 11 home games.

10 Unit Play. Take #185 Oregon Ducks over Washington State Cougars (7p.m., Saturday, November 14 FOX) The Ducks have a chance to make the College Football Playoff and I just feel they are better on both sides of the ball in this game. Washington State has a new head coach, and they are very inexperienced at the quarterback position. The Cougars have been great against Oregon in recent years, but they no longer have Mike Leech and Anothy Gordon on the sidelines. The Ducks have covered the spread in 5 of their last 7 road games when they are the favorite. Oregon put up 35 points last week against a better defensive team in Stanford and they know they need to come out and dominate to break into the top 10 rankings. Wazzou is 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games following a victory in their previous outing.

10 Unit Play. Take #260 Cleveland Browns over Las Vegas Raiders (1p.m., Sunday, November 1 CBS) Just feel the line is light and we will side with the home team looking for their sixth victory on the season. OBJ is out, but Cleveland still has a ton of weapons and QB Mayfield should be able to pick apart this suspect Raiders defense. Las Vegas has a ton of issues on both sides of the football and Cleveland usually does well when not playing Pittsburgh or Baltimore. The Raiders have allowed 30+ points in 5 of their last 6 games including 12 rushing touchdowns during this span. Cleveland is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games against Las Vegas. The Raiders are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 AFC games.

10 Unit Play. Take #138 Cincinnati Bearcats over Memphis Tigers (12p.m., Saturday, October 31 ESPN) Really like this Cincinnati team and we will continue to use them with these low numbers. The Bearcats won in Dallas last week against SMU as a small underdog. Now they are back at home and face an easier team in Memphis. Payback is also on the line, as Memphis beat Cincinnati in back to back games last year to earn the Group of 5 New Year’s Six Bowl bid (Cincinnati covered both games). But this is not the same Memphis team, as they have a new coaching staff and gave up 500 total yards to Temple last week. The Bearcats has an outstanding defense allowing just 12.5 point per game and if they can score close to 30 points in this game they should easily cover. Cincinnati is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games against Memphis. The Tigers are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games.

10 Unit Play. Take #472 Denver Broncos over Kansas City Chiefs (4:25p.m., Sunday, October 25 CBS) Denver is coming off a big victory at Foxborough last Sunday, a team the Chiefs struggled to beat. Now Kansas City must play in the Mile-High air on short rest against a team that is desperate to remain in the playoff race. Kansas City has dominated Denver in recent years but getting Drew Lock back should stabilize the Broncos offense. The Broncos are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games played during the month of October.

10 Unit Play. Take #382 Nevada Wolf Pack over Wyoming Cowboys (7p.m., Saturday, October 24 CBSSN) Just believe that the wrong team is favored in this game. Nevada returns a ton of talent on both sides of the football including QB Strong, who played well as the season went on last year. They should be able to move the football on a Wyoming defense that does not return much talent and have the replace their defensive coordinator for the second straight year. Nevada is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games. Jay Norvell lost his father this week and I think they play an inspired game in his honor.