Sports Picks & Predictions

At 3:30 pm, our selection is on the Troy Trojans minus the points over Louisiana Monroe.  The Warhawks upset Georgia State last week, 31-28, as a 13.5-point road underdog.  We'll fade Monroe on this Saturday afternoon, as Troy has gone 18-7-1 ATS vs. foes off an upset win, including 7-0-1 ATS if Troy owned a W/L percentage of .700+.  Additionally, Sun Belt teams have covered just 10 of 35 games off an upset win as an underdog of more than 9 points, including 0-7 ATS vs. foes with a W/L percentage > .700.  Take Troy minus the points.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 2:30 pm, our selection is on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish minus the points over Boston College.  BC upset NC State last week, 21-20, as an 18-point underdog.  We'll fade the Eagles on Saturday in South Bend, as underdogs of +15 (or more) points have gone 1-12 ATS in non-conference games off an upset road win as a 15-point (or greater) underdog.  Take Notre Dame minus the points

At 2 pm, our selection is on the Washington State Cougars minus the points over Arizona.  Last week, the Wildcats shocked UCLA as a 20-point underdog, 34-28.  But Pac-12 teams with a losing record are a horrid 17-40 ATS off an upset win as an underdog of +8 (or more) points.  Before last week's upset, Arizona had lost its four previous games -- each by more than 7 points -- so I expect it to revert to form on Saturday.  Lay the points with Washington St.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 2 pm, our selection is on the West Virginia Mountaineers + the points over Kansas St.  The Wildcats blew out Baylor, 31-3, as a 2.5-point road underdog last week.  We'll fade Kansas State here, as road favorites have covered just 36% since 1980 in conference games following an upset win by 28+ points against a conference foe.  Take West Virginia + the points.

At 2 pm, our selection is on the UNDER in the Houston/East Carolina game.  The Cougars have scored 42, 63 and 43 in their last three games.  And they've given up 27, 77 and 36.  Dating back to 2013, NCAA Football games have gone Under 67% of the time if a team scored 140+ points, and gave up 140+ points in its three previous games.  And the Under also falls into one of my two favorite College Football totals systems, which has cashed 62%.  Take the Under.

At 2 pm, our selection is on the Georgia State Panthers + the points over James Madison.  The Dukes are having a nice season, with a 6-3 SU/ATS record.  But we'll fade them in this game, as the Panthers are 24-12-1 ATS away from home vs. .500 (or better) teams.  Take Georgia State.

At 2 pm, our selection is on St Peter's minus the points over St. Francis.  These two teams met last season in Jersey City, and the Terriers upset the Peacocks, 71-60, as a 13-point underdog.  We'll take the Peacocks to avenge that defeat, as they fall into an 84-30 ATS revenge system of mine.  Lay the points.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 1 pm, our selection is on the UNDER in the Texas-San Antonio/Rice game.  The Roadrunners have gone under in four of their last five games and that's the way we'll look for this game vs. the Owls.  This will be the 10th meeting between these schools since 2012, and seven of the previous nine have gone under the total (including all four games played here, at Rice).  The Under also falls into a College Football totals system of mine which has cashed 61.8% since 2013.  Take the Under.  Good luck as always...Al McMordie.

At 1 pm, our selection is on the Elon Phoenix + the points over NC State. The Phoenix are on a 3-game losing streak, while NC State's on a 3-game win streak.  But we'll take the points with the dog in this match-up between cross-state rivals.  Elon is a terrific 31-9 ATS as a road dog of more than 5 points vs. a foe off back to back wins.  Additionally, the Wolfpack are 6-16 ATS their last 22 as a home favorite.  Take Elon + the points.

At 12 Noon, our selection is on the Baylor Bears + the points over TCU.  Baylor's 3-game win streak was snapped by Kansas State last week, as the Wildcats blew out the Bears, 31-3.  They'll now take on undefeated TCU.  The Horned Frogs upset Texas last week, 17-10, as a 7.5-point underdog, and have a clear path toward the playoffs if they can continue to win.  Of course, that's easier said than done.  And we'll look for the mild upset in Waco, on Saturday.  Indeed, Big 12 teams have covered just 22.7% since 1981 off an upset win as a dog of more than 5 points, if they were playing an opponent off a SU loss, and weren't getting more than 4 points in the current game.  Take Baylor + the points.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 12 Noon, on Saturday, our selection is on the Florida Gators minus the points over Vanderbilt.  The Commodores snapped their 5-game losing streak last week, as they went into Lexington, and upset Kentucky, 24-21, as a 17-point underdog.  Unfortunately for Vanderbilt, SEC teams off an upset conference win as a dog of more than 9 points have fallen flat the next week when matched up against winning SEC teams, as they've gone 9-24 ATS (and 0-7 ATS when getting more than 10 points).  Moreover, the Commodores are 4-16 ATS their last 20 home games, including 0-9 ATS when not getting 16+ points.  Take Florida minus the points.  Good luck as always...Al McMordie.

At 12 Noon, in a game being played in Dublin, Ireland, our selection is on the Niagara Purple Eagles over Stetson.  The Hatters come into this game off 3 straight upset wins.  But that has triggered a negative 37-69 ATS system of mine which goes against certain teams off upset victories.  Take Niagara to hand the Hatters their first loss of the season.

At 9:10 pm, our selection is on the Utah Jazz over Phoenix.  The Jazz dropped their 3rd straight game on Wednesday to New York, 118-111.  We'll take Utah tonight to bounce back, as it's 106-71-4 ATS at home off a SU/ATS home loss.  Take the Jazz.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:40 pm, our selection is on the Dallas Mavericks minus the points over the Denver Nuggets.  The Mavs were upset here, at home, by Houston on Wednesday.  We'll take the Mavs to bounce back, as they're 41-20 ATS off a loss.  Lay the points.

At 8 pm, our selection is on the Texas Southern Tigers + the points over Auburn.  The TSU Tigers were blown out by Houston, 83-48, in their last game.  We played on Houston in that one, but will switch gears and take Texas Southern tonight, as it's 11-0 ATS after scoring less than 64 points in its previous game.  And it's 22-2 ATS as an underdog of 26 or less points (or PK) vs. foes that own a winning SU/ATS record.  Take Texas Southern.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie

At 7:40 pm, our selection is on the Philadelphia 76ers minus the points over the Milwaukee Bucks.  The Sixers were upset in their home opener, 90-88, by Milwaukee.  We'll take the revenge-minded 76ers at home tonight, as they're 38-20 ATS at home when playing with revenge from an upset loss, including 21-5 ATS when priced as a favorite of 7 or less points.  Take Philly.

At 7 pm, our selection is on the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions + the points over Cleveland State.  The Vikings have not been profitable when favored by 9 (or more) points in non-conference games, as they're 3-10 ATS, including 0-7 ATS off a SU win.  With the Vikings, indeed, off a win over Canisius in their most recent game, we'll fade Cleveland St. at a big favorite today.  Take the points with Pine Bluff.

At 3:15 pm, in the Paradise Jam tournament taking place in the Virgin Islands, our selection is on the Wyoming Cowboys minus the points over Howard.  Wyoming was upset by SE Louisiana in its last game.  We'll take Wyoming to bounce back this afternoon, as Howard is a horrid 9-25 ATS vs. .500 (or better) foes.  Lay the points.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Vegas Golden Knights minus 1.5 goals over the Arizona Coyotes.  After going on a nine-game winning streak -- with six of those coming on the road -- the Knights came home and lost two straight as heavy favorites.  They'll try again as big favorites on the Strip tonight against the Coyotes, a team that -- at 6-8-1 -- is doing better than most people probably would have predicted this season.  But they're up against it tonight, playing a team that has dominated them lately -- especially given the injuries they have right now.  No fewer than five regular Arizona skaters are either out indefinitely or for several more games due to various ailments and injuries.  With a scoring rate of just 2.67 GPG and a defense that is allowing 3.63 GPG, the Coyotes have one of the largest negative scoring differentials in the League.  Arizona is just 3-10 in the last 13 meetings with Vegas and 0-7 in the last seven here at T-Mobile Arena (with 5 of its last six losses coming by 2+ goals).  The home team is 11-3 in the last 14 meetings.  Take the Knights minus 1.5 goals.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:15 pm, our selection is on the Green Bay Packers minus the points over Tennessee.  We played on the Packers last Sunday as our NFC Game of the Month, and were rewarded with an upset win over the Dallas Cowboys in overtime.  We'll come right back with Green Bay tonight, as it's 64-41 ATS with Aaron Rodgers under center, as a favorite of less than 13 points vs. a foe not off an ATS loss.  Even better:  with Rodgers, Green Bay is an awesome 30-11-2 ATS at home vs. a foe off a SU/ATS win.  And, finally, the Packers are 11-3-1 ATS in Thursday games with Rodgers, including a perfect 7-0 ATS vs. a foe off a win.  Lay the points.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8 pm, our selection is on the Southern Illinois Salukis minus the points over Tennessee St.  We played on the Tigers three days ago, at home, vs. Alabama A&M, and got the $$$ in an 11-point win.  But that game was at home; tonight's game at Banterra Center will be TSU's first game this season on the road.  And the Tigers are just 10-25-1 ATS their last 36 road games.  Take Southern Illinois.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7 pm, our selection is on the South Carolina St. Bulldogs + the points over Kentucky.  The Wildcats come into this game off an upset loss at the hands of Michigan St.  We'll go against John Calipari's men, as they're 10-14 ATS their last 24 off an upset loss, and 2-7 ATS their last nine when favored by 31+ points.  Take the Bulldogs + the points.

At 7 pm, our selection is on the Pitt Panthers + the points over VCU.  This game will be played at Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, NY, as part of the Legends Classic.  The Panthers opened this tournament with a 91-60 blowout loss to Michigan, while VCU collapsed late against Arizona St, to fall, 63-59 (a game VCU led by 11 with less than 9 minutes left).  We'll grab the points with the Panthers, as ACC Conference teams, off blowout losses by 25+ points, have cashed 67% ATS since 1990 as underdogs in non-conference games.

At 8:10 pm, our selection is on the Chicago Bulls + the points over New Orleans.  These two teams met in Chicago just seven days ago, and the Bulls were defeated by four points, 115-111.  We'll take the Bulls in this rematch, as the Pelicans are a dreadful 59-96-2 ATS as a favorite vs. a revenge-minded foe.  Take Chicago.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8 pm, our selection is on the Houston Cougars minus the points over Texas Southern.  The Cougars are off to a 3-0 SU/ATS start this season, and have stifled their opponents by holding them to 25.8% shooting (40 for 155).  We'll lay the points as Houston is 27-6 ATS its last 33 when favored by 12+ points, including 8-0 ATS its last eight.  Take the Cougars.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:40 pm, our selection is on the Miami Heat over the Toronto Raptors.  Miami comes into this game off an ATS loss in its most recent game (a 1-point win over Phoenix).  The Heat are a solid 116-72-2 ATS on the road off an ATS loss, including 64-33 ATS vs. a foe off a SU win.  Take Miami.

At 7:30 pm, our selection is on the Presbyterian Blue Hose + the points over UAB.  Presbyterian comes into this road game off back to back road losses.  I look for the Blue Hose to have a much better outcome tonight, as UAB has covered just 6 of 26 games vs. foes off back to back road losses.  Take Presbyterian + the points.

At 7:30 pm, our selection is on the Seton Hall Pirates over Iowa.  Seton Hall is a terrific 19-3-1 ATS at home vs. non-conference foes when not laying 13+ points.  Take the Pirates.

At 7:10 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Timberwolves minus the points over Orlando.  We played against the Magic two nights ago, and got the $$$ with Charlotte, as the Hornets snapped their 7-game losing streak.  We'll go against Orlando again tonight, as it is a horrid 80-115 ATS at home off a home loss.  Take the T-Wolves.

At 7 pm, our selection is on the Toledo Rockets minus the points over Oakland.  Toledo was upset last season by Oakland, 80-59.  We'll take the revenge-minded Rockets tonight, as Oakland has covered just 2 of its last 16 lined games.  Lay the points.

At 7 pm, our selection is on the Tennessee Volunteers minus the points over Florida Gulf Coast.  The Vols were upset by Colorado, 78-66, on Sunday.  But we'll take Tennessee to bounce back, as it's 44-19 ATS off a double-digit loss.

At 11 pm, our selection is on the USC Trojans minus the points over Vermont.  The Catamounts have not stepped up when playing on an opponent's home court, and especially not when installed as a road underdog.  Vermont is a poor 2-17 SU and 4-14-1 ATS its last 19 as a road underdog.  Lay the points with USC.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 10:00 pm, our selection is on the Brooklyn Nets over the Sacramento Kings.  The Kings upset the defending champion Warriors, 122-115, on Sunday.  But off that upset win, we'll fade Sacramento tonight, as it's 56-92-5 ATS at home off an upset win.  Take Brooklyn.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 10 pm, our selection is on the Alabama St. Hornets + the points over San Jose St.  The Spartans blew out Bethesda, 90-68, on Sunday.  But off that high-scoring game, we'll fade San Jose, as it's 10-33 ATS after scoring 80+ points, including 0-9 ATS when not getting more than 2 points.  Take Alabama St.

At 9:10 pm, our selection is on the New York Knicks + the points over the Utah Jazz.  Prior to the season, not much was expected from the Utah Jazz, after they jettisoned their two best players (Rudy Gobert; Donovan Mitchell).  Surprisingly, though, the Jazz have been terrific this season, as they're 10-5 SU/ATS.  But their success has been as an underdog, where they're 9-2 ATS.  As a favorite, Utah is 1-3 ATS.  We'll grab the points with the New York Knicks tonight, and go against a (now) overrated Utah team, which is starting to come back down to Earth, and has lost its last two games, straight-up.  Take New York.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 9 pm, our selection is on the Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix + the points over Wisconsin.  The Badgers blew out the Phoenix last season, 72-34.  We'll take Green Bay as it's 61-24 ATS when playing with revenge from a loss by 13+ points.  Take Green Bay + the points tonight.

At 7 pm, our selection is on the Maryland Terrapins minus the points over Binghamton.  Binghamton comes into this game off an upset win over Marist.  But the Bearcats are 9-17 ATS off an upset win.  Take Maryland minus the points.

At 7 pm, our selection is on the Syracuse Orange minus the points over Colgate.  The Raiders upset the Orange, 100-85, last season, as an 11.5-point road underdog.  But prior to that upset defeat, the Orange had won the 54 previous meetings vs. Colgate, and hadn't lost to Colgate since now-head coach Jim Boeheim was a redshirt freshman for the Orange.  Syracuse may not win the next 54 games, but it will win this revenge match tonight.  Lay the points with Syracuse.

At 9 pm, our selection is on the Tennessee State Tigers minus the points over Alabama A&M.  These two teams met in Huntsville last season, and the Bulldogs upset the Tigers, 82-73.  We'll take the revenge-minded home team tonght, as it falls into an 81-29 ATS revenge system of mine.  Additionally, the Bulldogs are 22-38 ATS on the road off a SU loss.  Take the Tigers minus the points.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the Chicago Blackhawks.  The Blackhawks are a team with a lot of success over the past 20 years, including three Stanley Cups between 2009 and 2015.  So the current dry spell must be hard for the fans of this proud franchise to stomach.  The Hawks have only been to the post-season once in the past five years, and that was a first-round exit.  They have a new coach in Luke Richardson but it will take more than him to turn this club around after GM Kyle Davidson stripped it down to the core this summer.  The Hurricanes have looked like world-beaters one game, and then an AHL team the next.  In their previous game, they lost a tough one to the defending Stanley Cup champion Avalanche, so they look to bounce back tonight against a team they've dominated lately.  Top net-minder Frederik Andersen has been placed on the IR but is eligible to return tonight.  Regardless, the 'Canes have gotten solid reserve play from the tandem of Antii Raanta and Pyotr Kochetkov.  Carolina is 5-1 in the last six meetings with the Hawks and 6-2 in the last eight in Chicago.  Meanwhile, the Blackhawks are 11-40 their last 51 vs. foes with a winning record!  Take the 'Canes.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8 pm, our selection is on the Florida State Seminoles minus the points over Troy.  The Seminoles were upset, 68-54, by Central Florida on Friday, and are now 0-2 on the season.  I love Florida State to bounce back tonight, as it's cashed 73% as a favorite in non-conference games since 1990 when it was off an upset loss, and also lost two games back.  Lay the points.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:40 pm, our selection is on the Boston Celtics minus the points over Oklahoma City.  The Thunder have won two straight games -- both as underdogs -- but are in a prime letdown spot tonight.  Even worse, they're playing without rest against a rested opponent.  Boston is 13-2 ATS at home when rested against an unrested foe off a win.  Lay the points.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:10 pm, our selection is on the Charlotte Hornets over the Orlando Magic.  The Hornets were blown out by Orlando by 20 points back on October 28.  But I love the Hornets in this revenge match, as they fall into a 206-104 ATS revenge system of mine which plays on certain teams that lost by 19+ points vs. division rivals.  Additionally, the Magic are an awful 17-41-2 ATS at home vs. foes off back to back losses.  Take Charlotte.

At 7 pm, our selection is on the South Florida Bulls minus the points over Stetson.  The Hatters stunned Florida State, 83-74, to open their season.  Off that upset win, we'll look for a letdown tonight vs. the Bulls, as South Florida's cashed 60% since 1990 at home vs. non-conference foes off an upset win.  Lay the points.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Washington Capitals.  These two teams met just two nights ago, and Washington walloped Tampa, 5-1.  We'll take the Lightning in this rematch, as they're 24-3 at home vs. an opponent which won the season's previous meeting  And Tampa's also 23-5 after scoring less than 2 goals in its previous game.  Take the Lightning.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 6:10 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Timberwolves over the Cleveland Cavaliers.  After starting the season 8-1, the Cavs are now on a 3-game SU/ATS losing streak.  We'll go against them here, as they're a wallet-busting 13-36-2 ATS off back to back ATS losses, including 0-9-1 ATS vs. .420 (or worse) teams, as well as 0-9-1 ATS when favored by 7 or less points.  Take Minnesota + the points.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 5 pm, our selection is on the Alabama State Hornets + the points over Pepperdine.  The Hornets come into this game off back to back blowout losses, as they lost by 41 to UAB, and by 38 to Southern Cal.  But off those losses, they now fall into a 710-496 ATS system of mine.  Additionally, the Hornets are 16-6 ATS off a loss, while Pepperdine is a soft 43-65 ATS at home in non-conference games.  Grab the points with Alabama State.   Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 4:25 pm, our selection is on the Green Bay Packers + the points over the Dallas Cowboys.  We played on the Packers as a big underdog vs. Buffalo, and got the $$$$ with Aaron Rodgers & Co.  Unfortunately for Green Bay, it faltered last week as a favorite in the Motor City against the Lions.  Now, Green Bay has been installed as a home underdog, and we'll once again take the points with Green Bay.  Indeed, the Packers are 70-41-4 ATS in Aaron Rodgers' home starts, including 5-1-1 ATS as an underdog!  And they're 8-1 ATS (whether home or away) as an underdog off an upset loss.  Green Bay also falls into 306-202, 372-274 and 195-101 ATS systems of mine that play on certain teams against superior opponents.  Finally, Dallas has covered just 33% since 1980 as a road favorite off a SU win, if they were matched up against a foe off an upset loss.  Grab the points with the Packers.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 1 pm, our selection is on the Chicago Bears minus the points over the Detroit Lions.  The Bears come into this game off back to back losses to Dallas and Miami, while Detroit upset the Packers last week.  The good news for Justin Fields & Co. is that Chicago is 44-22 ATS at home off 2 or more losses, if the Bears weren’t favored by 3.5 (or more) points, including 23-6 ATS vs. a foe off a SU win.  Take Chicago minus the points.

At 1 pm, our selection is on the Houston Texans + the points over New York.  After pulling upset wins in five of their first seven games, the Giants finally came back down to Earth in their last game, and were blown out by the Seattle Seahawks.  This game against Houston will be the first time this season that the Giants are favored by more than a field goal in almost 2 years!  I hate laying a lot of points with teams that are unaccustomed to doing so.  And the Giants are a horrible 4-16 ATS at home when they owned a winning record, and were favored by more than a field goal (compared to 11-1-1 ATS their last 12 at home when NOT favored by more than 3 points).  Take Houston + the points.

At 1 pm, our selection is on the Denver Broncos + the points over the Tennessee Titans.  Last week, the Broncos had their bye week following their upset win against Jacksonville, 21-17.  Denver has historically been terrific in the regular season off its bye week, as it's 25-7 ATS, including 12-1 ATS when not laying more than 3 points.  Last Sunday night, the Titans almost pulled off a big upset at Kansas City, as a 14-point underdog, but ended up losing by 3 points, 20-17.  It's true that the Titans covered the spread for the 6th straight game last week.  But unrested NFL favorites, off 6 (or more) ATS wins, are a soft 56-71-2 ATS since 1980, including 6-15 ATS if they scored less than 20 points in their previous game.  Take Denver + the points.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 1 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Steelers over the New Orleans Saints.  The Steelers come into this game off a 22-point blowout loss at Philadelphia.  But the good news for Pittsburgh is that it has been dominant at home in the regular season in matchups between non-winning teams, if Pittsburgh was off a point spread loss, as it's gone 38-13 ATS, including 19-0 ATS if it lost its previous game by 18+ points.  Take the Steelers.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 1 pm, our selection is on the Chicago Bears + Detroit Lions to go UNDER the total.  Detroit's first four games this season were extremely high scoring, as they averaged 70.25 ppg.  But its last four games have seen a precipitous drop-off in points, as they've averaged a mere 35.25 ppg -- which is 50.1% of the number of points scored in the first four games.  Last week, Detroit played its lowest-scoring game yet, as it defeated Aaron Rodgers & the Packers, 15-9.  I look for this game to be relatively-low scoring as well.  Take the Under.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 1 pm, our selection is on the Buffalo Bills minus the points over Minnesota.  QB Josh Allen has been upgraded to 'probable,' which is all I needed to pull the trigger on Buffalo this afternoon.  The Bills suffered an upset loss at the hands of the Jets last week.  But the Bills are 16-4 ATS at home off a SU/ATS loss, if they’re playing a non-division opponent off a SU win.  And they're 11-0-1 ATS vs. foes off a SU win, if the Bills owned a .600 (or better) win percentage, and were off back to back ATS losses.  Lay the points with Buffalo.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 9:30 am, in a game played in Munich, Germany, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers minus the points over Seattle.  The Bucs won last week, 16-13, vs. the LA Rams, but pushed against the spread.  And they have not covered since Week 2 vs. New Orleans.  Meanwhile, the Seahawks are 4-0 SU/ATS their last four.  I'll lay the points with Tampa, as teams off back to back wins have covered just 22% of NFL games played overseas (vs. foes not off back to back wins).  That doesn't bode well for Seattle.  Even worse, teams off 3 (or more) SU/ATS wins have covered just 27% vs. foes on a 6-game (or worse) ATS losing streak.  Lay the points with Tom Brady & Co.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8 pm, our selection is on the Syracuse Orange + the points over Florida St.  We played against the Orange last week, and got the $$$$ with Pittsburgh in its 19-9 triumph.  Today, we'll back Syracuse as Florida State is a dreadful 35-62-4 ATS vs. conference foes not off a SU/ATS win.  Take Syracuse + the points.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the New York Islanders over the Columbus Blue Jackets.  Which version of the Islanders will show up tonight at UBS Arena?  Will it be the one that beat the Flames and Rangers on back-to-back nights last Monday and Tuesday?  Or will it be the one that got shut out by the Red Wings in Detroit just before those two wins and then -- even worse -- was blanked in its last game here in New York by the lowly Coyotes?  They get a chance to bounce back tonight against another bad team as the 4-9 Blue Jackets come to Queens for the first time this season.  The Jackets made a huge move signing F Johnny Gaudreau in the off-season to a seven-year contract.  Gaudreau now plays on the top line alongside fellow star Patrik Laine, but will this pairing be enough to overcome the Jackets' serious defensive and goaltending shortcomings?  Through the first 13 games, Columbus has the worst goals-against in the East at 4.38 (second-worst in the NHL to the Ducks).  The Jackets are 3-8 in the last 11 meetings (1-5 in the last six here in NY).  Take the Isles.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:30 pm, our selection is on the Texas Longhorns minus the points over TCU.  The Longhorns are 6-3 on the season, while TCU is 9-0, including 3 double-digit wins in its last three games.  The knee-jerk reaction might be to play on the undefeated Frogs.  But consider that, since 1980, .667 (or worse) teams have cashed 83%, at Game 7 forward, when favored by 6+ points over an .888 (or better) foe off a double-digit win.  This will be a rout.  Lay the points.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie. 

At 7:30 pm, our selection is on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons minus the points over North Carolina.  We played against Wake Forest in each of its two previous games, and we got the $$$ in each, as the Demon Deacons lost to both Louisville and NC State.  But those two games were on the road.  Here, in Winston-Salem, the Deacs have gone 11-1 ATS its last 12 home games vs. conference foes.  Meanwhile, North Carolina is an ugly 1-12 ATS on the road off a conference win.  With UNC, indeed, off a win last week vs. Virginia, we'll fade the Tar Heels tonight. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:30 pm, our selection is on the Under in the Auburn/Texas A/M game.  Something's gotta give today, as each of these two teams enters this game on a 5-game losing streak.  The problem for each has largely been on the defensive side of the ball.  Auburn has given up 38.2 ppg over its last five games, while A&M has given up 33.6 ppg.  I look for a lower scoring game here, as NCAA games between 2 losing teams have gone under the total 62% of the time if each went Over the total in its previous game, and the current game is competitively-priced with a point spread of less than 3 points.  Take the Under.   Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7 pm, our selection is on the Mississippi State Bulldogs + the points over Georgia.  We played on Georgia last week over Tennessee, and were rewarded with a double-digit win against the then-No. 1 team in the country.  But off that emotional victory, we'll fade the Bulldogs this evening.  Indeed, defending National Champs are an awful 11-26 ATS after winning SU/ATS the previous week vs. an undefeated foe.  Take Mississippi State + the points.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 3:30 pm, our selection is on the UAB Blazers minus the points over North Texas.  The Mean Green routed Florida International, 52-14, last Saturday.  But off that 38-point win, we'll fade North Texas this afternoon, as it's 13-35 ATS as an underdog off a straight-up win.  Take UAB.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 3:30 pm, our selection is on the Miami-Fla Hurricanes + the points over Georgia Tech.  These two teams are 4-5 on the season.  So, both need a win in this game in order to have a chance to play in a Bowl game at season's end.  Georgia Tech is a wallet-breaking 0-8 ATS its last eight games as a favorite vs. FBS schools.  And it's 5-17 ATS its last 22, when the game was priced with a point spread less than 10 points.  Take Miami-Fla + the points.

At 3 pm, our selection is on the Under in the Houston/Temple game.  The Cougars gave up a ghastly 77 points in last week's loss to SMU.  The good news for Dana Holgorsen's men today is that Temple's offense is not very explosive, as it's scored more than 20 points just twice this season.  We'll take the Under as teams that gave up 59+ points in their previous game have bounced back to go under 63.7% if their current opponent's offensive avg. was less than 20.9 ppg.  Take the Under.  Good luck as always...Al McMordie.

At 3 pm, our selection is on the Houston Cougars minus the points over Temple.  The Cougars lost against the spread for the 2nd consecutive game last week.  But off that defeat, we'll lay the points with Houston this afternoon, as it's 8-1 ATS its last nine off a point spread loss.  Take Houston.

At 12 Noon, our selection is on the Ohio State Buckeyes minus the points over Indiana.  The Bucks come into this game off back to back point spread defeats at  Penn State, and at Northwestern.  But Ohio St is back home at the Horseshoe today, and we'll lay the points.  Indeed, OSU is 41-27-2 ATS in Big 10 games after not cover the spread in each of its two previous games.  Lay it.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 12 Noon, our selection is on the Connecticut Huskies + the points over the Liberty Flames.  The Flames pulled off two big upsets in their two previous games.  They defeated BYU, as a 7-point dog, and followed that up with a win at Arkansas, as a 14.5-point underdog.  Unfortunately, road favorites have cashed just 28% the past 43 years after back to back upset wins as 7-point (or greater) underdogs.  Take Connecticut + the points.

At 12 Noon, our selection is on the under in SMU/South Florida.  Last week, the Mustangs outlasted Houston, 77-63.  Off that high-scoring win, we'll take the Under this afternoon.  For technical support, consider that NCAA teams have gone Under in 11 straight after giving up 63+ points in their previous game, if their current game had an O/U line of 63+ points.  Take the Under.

At 12 Noon, our selection is on the Purdue Boilermakers + the points over Illinois.  The Illinois have been historically poor in this point spread range, as they're 17-50-3 ATS at home when priced from +3 to -12.5 points.  Take Purdue.

At 12 Noon, our selection is on the Arkansas Razorbacks + the points over LSU.  We had a huge play on LSU over Alabama last week, and were rewarded with an outright win, as a 13-point underdog.  Unfortunately for the Tigers, they've covered just 28% over the last 43 years off an upset win as a double-digit underdog.  Grab the points with Arkansas.

At 10 pm, our selection is on the Portland Pilots minus the points over the Portland State Vikings.  Portland will conclude a 3-game home stand tonight, and seek its 3rd straight win following victories over Lewis & Clark and Florida A&M.  The Pilots are 8-3 SU/ATS vs. their cross-state rival, while Portland State is 0-5 ATS its last 5 non-conference games.  Take Portland.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 9:40 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Timberwolves + the points over the Memphis Grizzlies.  These two teams met in last year's playoffs, and the #2 seeded-Grizzlies bounced the T-Wolves in six games.  After that strong showing in last year's playoffs, the T-Wolves were expected to be a contender this season. But the T-Wolves are off to a somewhat disappointing 5-7 start. The season is a long one, though, so there's still time to right the ship.  We'll take the Timberwolves + the points tonight, as it falls into one of my favorite Playoff revenge angles.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 9 pm, our selection is on the Arizona Wildcats over Southern U.  Arizona annihilated Nicholls St on Monday, 117-75, and easily covered the 25-point spread.  Today, we'll lay the points, as the Wildcats are 30-2 SU and 23-7-1 ATS in their next game after winning a blowout by 39+ points.  Take Arizona minus the points.

At 8:10 pm, our selection is on the San Antonio Spurs over the Milwaukee Bucks.  San Antonio is 31-7 ATS off a straight-up loss, when matched up against an Eastern conference foe off a straight-up win, and not favored by more than 6 points.  Take San Antonio.  Good luck as always...Al McMordie.. 

At 8 pm, our selection is on the Oklahoma Sooners minus the points over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.  Both of these teams lost by 1 point in Game 1.  The Sooners fell, 52-51, to the Bearkats of Sam Houston State, while the Golden Lions lost, 73-72, to TCU.  Pine Bluff then bounced back on Wednesday to defeat Champion Baptist, 87-55, and will attempt to make it two-in-a-row tonight, in Norman.  We'll lay the points, as Oklahoma is 18-7 ATS after failing to cover the spread in its previous game by more than 9 points.

At 6 pm, our selection is on the Houston Cougars minus the points over St Joseph's.  This game will be played at Alumni Hall, in Annapolis, Maryland, and will be part of a double-header televised by the CBS Sports Network.  The Cougars blew out Northern Colorado, 83-36, on Monday.  And that continued a trend where the Cougars are 31-10 ATS as a favorite of -8.5 (or more) points, including 9-0 ATS its last nine.  Houston's also 26-9 ATS when playing on a neutral court.  Lay the points with Houston.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 11 pm, our selection is on the Southern Cal Trojans minus the points over Alabama State.  Andy Enfield's Trojans lost their season opener to Enfield's former school -- Florida Gulf Coast University -- on Monday.  And USC was favored by 18 points!  We'll take the Trojans to bounce back off that debacle, as they've cashed 74.1% of their regular season, non-conference games off an upset loss.  Take the Trojans.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:15 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Panthers + the points over the Atlanta Falcons.  These two NFC South division rivals went to overtime two weeks ago, and the Falcons prevailed, 37-34.  We'll take the Panthers in this rematch, as revenge-minded home teams have cashed 67.3% since 1980 if the two teams previously met within the last 2 games, and the home team wasn't favored by 2+ points.  Even better:  the Panthers are 11-1 ATS at home off a loss by 16+ points, if their current opponent wasn't a winning team.  Take Carolina.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:15 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons to go UNDER the total.  A couple of weeks ago these two teams met, and Atlanta survived to win, 37-34, in overtime.  We'll take the UNDER in this contest, as competitively-priced NFC South division games, with point spreads < 3 points, have gone under 68% if the O/U line ranged from 42 to 53 points.  Additionally, Carolina has gone UNDER 32-8 at home vs. division foes when not getting 3+ points.  Take the UNDER.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie

At 7 pm, our selection is on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights minus the points over Sacred Heart.  The Scarlet Knights blew out Columbia, 75-35 on Monday.  And we'll look for another blowout on this Thursday.  Key stat:  since 1990, Big 10 teams have cashed 60% after holding an opponent to 40 or less points.  The last three times these teams have met, the Knights have won by 23, 25 and 26 points.  And that dovetails with Sacred Heart's previous nine meetings vs. Big 10 schools, as it's lost by an average of 26 ppg.  I look for another blowout tonight.  Lay the points.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 10:10 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Lakers + the points over the Clippers.  LeBron James and Anthony Davis are 'probable' tonight, and that's all we need to pull the trigger on the Lakers.  The Lakers play this game with revenge from an earlier loss, 103-97, to the Clippers, and now fall into a 132-65 ATS revenge system of mine.  Additionally, the Clippers check in off an upset loss over the Cleveland Cavaliers.  And that upset win has triggered 19-3 and 236-151 ATS systems of mine.  Los Angeles is also 16-7 ATS off 3 ATS losses.  Grab the points with the Lakers.  Good luck, as always....Al McMordie

At 8:10 pm, our selection is on the New Orleans Pelicans minus the points over Chicago.  The Pelicans have lost their last four ATS, but I love them to bounce back tonight, at Chicago.  The Bulls are a dreadful 43-79 ATS at home vs. non-conference foes off an ATS loss.  Take New Orleans + the points.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Washington Capitals.  The Pens are mired in a long, 7-game losing streak, after dropping a 3-2 decision to the Seattle Kraken four days ago.  But we'll play on them tonight in Washington, against their division rival.  The Penguins are a solid 57-39 in division games, and they're 35-16 when playing with at least 3 days' of rest.  Take the Penguins.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7 pm, our selection is on the James Madison Dukes minus the points over Hampton.  These two schools have switched conference affiliation this season.  The Dukes left the Colonial Athletic Association for the Sun Belt Conference.  And the Pirates are now in the Colonial Athletic Ass'n, after departing the Big South Conference.  James Madison blew out Valley Forge, 123-38, on Monday, while the Pirates will be playing their first game tonight.  The Dukes fall into 34-13 and 134-72 ATS systems of mine, based on their Game 1 statistics.  And they're 28-13 ATS as double-digit home favorites vs. Colonial Athletic Ass'n foes.  Lay the points.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Buffalo Sabres over the Arizona Coyotes.  No Jack Eichel, no problem should be the theme for the Sabres this season.  Buffalo is 7-5 in its first 12 games and they no longer have the ultra-talented but oft-disgruntled 26-year-old superstar Center on the team.  The Sabres finally traded Eichel to the Golden Knights last season and although Vegas seems to be thriving with Eichel, Buffalo is doing just fine too.  Last season, the Sabres had a revolving door of goaltenders that included no fewer than six net-minders, led by veteran Craig Anderson.  With the off-season signing Eric Comrie from the Jets, Buffalo seems to be set on going with him and the 40-year-old Anderson as its tandem this season.  Team defense has been a weakness of the Sabres for quite some time, but there’s reason to believe they have a group trending in the right direction, led by 2018 #1 overall draft pick Rasmus Dahlin.  The Coyotes are 6-16 in the last 22 meetings with the Sabres.  And they're 17-33 off a win. Take Buffalo.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:15 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Lakers + the points over the Utah Jazz.  There's no question that the Jazz are the league's biggest surprise this season.  They're 8-3 after upsetting the Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers in L.A. last week.  And when installed as an underdog, Utah is a stunning 7-2 straight-up, and 8-1 ATS (the average point spread in those nine games was +5.6).  However, tonight, the Jazz are a favorite, rather than an underdog.  And Utah is 1-1 straight-up, and 0-2 ATS as a favorite this season.  We'll take Los Angeles tonight, as it's 63-40 ATS on the road when playing with revenge from a home loss, if the Lakers weren't getting more than 4 points in the current game.

At 8:45 pm, our selection is on the Brooklyn Nets + the points over Dallas.  The Mavs went into Brooklyn last month, and defeated the Nets in overtime, 129-125.  We'll grab the points with Brooklyn in this rematch, as it's 12-0 ATS away from home as a an underdog of more than 3 points vs. a .620 (or better) foe, provided Brooklyn had a losing record, and was playing with revenge from a home loss.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:10 pm, our selection is on the Memphis Grizzlies + the points over Boston.  The Grizzlies have been installed as a home dog vs. the Celtics, who have won their last 2 games.  And Memphis is 10-0 ATS its last 10 at home vs. a foe off a win, if Memphis wasn't favored by 2+ points.  Take the Grizzlies + the points.

At 8:15 pm, our selection is on the Atlanta Hawks + the points over Milwaukee.  The Bucks are undefeated, at 9-0, and are the NBA's lone unbeaten team.  But their win streak should come to a halt tonight, as the Hawks are 10-0 ATS their last 10 at home vs. foes on a 4-game (or better) win streak.  Grab the points with Dejounte Murray & Co.

At 8:20 pm, our selection is on the Kansas City Chiefs minus the points over Tennessee.  The Chiefs had last week off after blowing out San Francisco, 44-23.  In coach Andy Reid's career, his teams are 22-12 ATS when playing with rest.  They'll welcome a Titans team which has won each of its last 5 games.  Unfortunately, underdogs of +6 (or more) points, off 4+ wins, have covered just 34.2% the past 15 seasons.  Take the Chiefs minus the points.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 5:05 pm, our selection is on the New York Rangers over the Detroit Red Wings.  The Rangers (and goalie Igor Shesterkin) were smashed, 5-2, by the Boston Bruins last Thursday night.  Still, there isn't much shame in losing to Boston these days, as it has the league's best record.  And that was Shesterkin's first loss in regulation this season (the Rangers are 6-1-2 in his starts).  After having the last two days off, New York will be the fresher team tonight, given that Detroit played in the Motor City yesterday vs. the Islanders.  We'll take the Rangers to bounce back off that loss, as they're 29-19 (+9.2 net games on the moneyline) after allowing 4+ goals in their previous game.  Meanwhile, Detroit is 2-5 off a shutout win; 12-22 off a home win; 6-14 off a win by 3+ goals.  Take New York.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 4:05 pm, our selection is on the OVER in the Arizona/Seattle game.  The Seahawks blew out the New York Giants last week, and will travel to Phoenix to take on the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.  Arizona has given up 34 points each of its last two games and, not surprisingly, both went over the total.  Seattle has gone OVER 81-46-1 after winning at home in its previous game and we'll look for another high-scoring game here.  Take the OVER.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 3:40 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Lakers + the points over the Cleveland Cavaliers.  After opening the season with a loss in Toronto, the Cavaliers have ripped off 7 straight wins.  They're now a small road favorite at the 2-6 Lakers.  We'll take the points with the Lakers, as .440 (or worse) NBA teams have covered 66% since 1990, at Game 4 foward, if they were not getting 5+ points from an .875 (or better) foe.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie

At 1 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Chargers minus the points over Atlanta.  The Falcons outlasted the Panthers last week, in overtime, 37-34, while the Chargers had last week off following an upset home loss, 37-23, to the Seahawks.  We'll fade Atlanta in this game, as the Falcons are 0-12 ATS as a home dog off a home win, if matched up against a winning foe.  Additionally, rested, single digit road favorites off a loss have cashed 77% since 1980 vs. non-division foes.  Finally, the Chargers are a super 50-27 ATS off an upset loss, including 14-0-1 ATS their last 15 when they lost by > 11 points in their previous game.  Lay the points with the Chargers.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 10:10 pm, our selection is on the Phoenix Suns minus the points over Portland.  The Suns are 6-2 this season, with both losses coming at the hands of the Trail Blazers.  Last night, these two teams played on this floor, and the Suns were upset, 108-106, as an 12-point favorite.  We'll take Phoenix in this revenge match, as NBA favorites of -6 (or more) points that lost their previous game (to the same opponent), as a double-digit favorite, have covered the spread in the regular seasons 67% since 1990.  Lay the points with the Suns.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Calgary Flames over New Jersey.  The Devils will look for a 3-game sweep in Western Canada, as they defeated Vancouver (5-2) and Edmonton (4-3) earlier this week.  But the Devils are 17-27 after scoring 4+ goals in their previous game, and 8-13 off back to back wins.  Even worse:  this will be New Jersey's 3rd game in five days.  And it's a wallet-breaking 32-68 when playing 3 games in five days, including 4-10 if all three games came on the road.  Take Calgary.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8 pm our selection is on the NC State Wolfpack + the points over Wake Forest.  We played against Wake last week, and easily got the $$$$ when Louisville upset it in blowout fashion.  And we'll once again go against the Demon Deacons on the road in Raleigh.  NC State lost last season's meeting 45-42, but is a solid 31-19 ATS as a revenge-minded home dog.  Meanwhile, Wake is a horrible 6-14-2 ATS as a road favorite vs. a revenge-minded foe.  Take North Carolina State.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie