PAGE_HEADER

This classic rivalry pitts the offense of Ole Miss, ranked 5th overall, vs the defense of Mississippi State, ranked 22nd. The Ole Miss offense racks up the yards, but their red zone efficiency is not all that good at just 66.6% overall. Miss State Bulldogs are a small favorite here today and they do well in that role, 9-4 ATS their last 13 as a home chalk. The Bulldogs have also covered four of the last five in this series. We can get any stats to back up either side, but for me it's about the home field and fans in this rivalry and that falls to Miss State today.

The Raiders have been a team in disarray every since news broke about Jon Gruden and he was forced to resign. Since then they have lost WR Henry Ruggs and a starting defensive back - both to off field issues. And since then they are just 1-3, including last week's loss at home to Cincinnati, 13-32. The once top ranked offense now looks out of sorts and has not cracked 300 yards in the last two game (both at home). The Dallas Cowboys ran into a buzz saw last week in Kansas City and could only manage nine points in the loss, 9-19. The offense had just 276 total yards for a team that is ranked 1st in the NFL in offense. I don't expect the Raiders to get it together in this short week, but I do expect the Cowboys will. Take Dallas.

NIT Season Tip Off from Brooklyn, NY has evening action between Memphis and Virginia Tech. Both these teams come into tonight's contest undefeated. The Memphis Tigers are 4-0 S/U and 2-2 ATS on the season. The Tigers are coming off a win over Western Kentucky, 74-62, but failed to cover the 14.5-point line. Virginia Tech is 5-0 S/U and ATS on the season, though they have yet to face competition of tonight's level. The Hokies have yet to be a favorite of fewer than 11-points with four of their games 19-points or more. Now they are a dog against a much higher class opponent. I don't believe this Tech team is all that good and tonight should prove it. Play Memphis.

Battle 4 Atlantis College Tourney action here today from Atlantis Grand Island has Virginia Commonwealth taking on Syracuse. The VCU Rams are 2-2 S/U and ATS on the season. They are coming off a loss at home to UT Chattanooga on Saturday, 54-56 as a 3.5-point favorite. They will take on Syracuse in the opening round of this tourney. The Orange are 2-1 S/U and 1-2 ATS thus far and coming off a Saturday loss to Colgate, 85-100 as a 11.5-point favorite. The Orange will want to get that taste out of their mouths when they play VCU here today. VCU saw their season end early as they had to withdraw from the NCAA tournament due to Covid issues. I look for VCU to have a hard time cracking this Syacuse zone defense here today. I'll lay the points with Syracuse.

Gulf Coast Showcase final round action has Vermont taking on Appalachian State today from Estero, FL. The Vermont Catamounts are 4-2 S/U and 2-3 ATS on the season. They are coming off a win last night to Evansville, 58-49. This will be their third game in three nights after losing to Oakland in round one of the tournament, 61-63. The will face a Appalachian Moutaineers team that is 3-3 S/U and 1-4 ATS on the season. The Mountaineers are coming off a win over Akron in the tourney, 57-45 as a 2-point dog. They lost in the opening round to Delaware, 68-75 as a 3-point dog. These tournaments are very tough on teams and test their depth as this is the only time of the year they play three games in three nights. I'll take the points in what I expect to be a tight contest. Play App St.

Early action today from the Battle 4 Atlantis first round from Atlantic Paradise Island has Loyola Chicago taking on Michigan St. The Loyola Ramblers off to a fast start at 4-0 S/U and 2-2 S/U. The Ramblers have had a few days off before this tourney after beating Illinois Chicago on Saturday, 80-63. The Ramblers have been at least 18-point favorites in every game thus far. So today's 2.5- point dog line will come as a bit of shock to them. Then again, they are moving up in grade against Big 10 foe Michigan St. The Spartans are 3-1 S/U and ATS this season. They lost their opening game to Kansas 74-87 and since have beaten Western Michigan, Butler and Eastern Michigan, all by at least 19-points. Should be a great game, I'm going to take Loyola here though.

The Denver Nuggets look to stay above the .500 mark today as they travel to Portland to take on the Blazers. The Nuggets are 9-8 S/U and 7-10 ATS on the season. They are just 2-5 S/U and ATS on the road and being outscored by a 102.0-108.9 margin. The Nuggets have lost four straight games both S/U and ATS. Their last win came against these Blazers on Nov 14th at home, 124-95. Portland is also 9-8 S/U and 8-9 ATS on the year. The Blazers are much better at home where they are 8-1 S/U and 7-2 ATS and outscoring their visitors by a 116.1-104.9 margin. The Blazers have won three straight games both S/U and ATS. I look for Portland to continue their home dominance against a struggling Denver team tonight. Play Portland.

Gulf Coast Showcase from Estero FL here today. The Fordham Rams look to build on their most recent game, a win over Akron, 63-43. That snapped a two-game losing skid. The bad spot on the resume is a home loss to Maryland Eastern Shore, 73-75 as a 12.5-poing favorite. The Delaware Blue Hens are 3-1 and after losing their opening game of the season to Davidson they have rattled off three straight wins. The Hens are 2-2 vs the number. The Hens are laying 6.5 here today. They have played much better competition and played much better. I'll take Delaware.

 The Miami Heat off to a very good start at 11-6 S/U and 12-5 ATS on the season. The Heat haven't been great on the road with a 5-5 S/U and 6-4 ATS mark, but are still outscoring their hosts by a 108.7-105.1 margin. The Heat are coming off a loss at Washington last game, 100-103 as a 2.5-point favorite. That loss snapped a four game win streak. As for Detroit, new year, same old song. The Pistons are 4-12 S/U and 7-9 ATS overall. They are 2-7 S/U and 4-5 at home and being outscored by a 99.7 to 107 ppg average. The Pistons have lost two in a row and are coming off a loss to the Lakers, 116-121, though they did cover the 7-point line. Heat just too good and while this is a lot to lay on the road, I have no confidence in the Pistons. Play Miami.

The George Mason Patriots have looked pretty good to start the season at 4-2 S/U and ATS. They started 4-0 before dropping their last two games, including last night vs Washington, 74-77. Tonight, they play a team they would normally never play in Nevada. This game will be played in Sioux Falls, North Dakota. Nevada is still smarting from their defeat last night by South Dakota State, 75-102 as a 2.5-point dog. The Wolf pack opened the year with a win over Eastern Washington and have since dropped four straight games and are 1-3 vs the number in that span. Defense has been the issue, as they have allowed 73 or more points in all five games for an average allowed of 84.4 ppg. Now they have to lay around 5-points to a very good GM team? I don't think so, I'll take Mason and even look for an outright win.

MAUI Invitational Second round action has the Wisconsin Badgers taking on the Houston Cougars. The Badgers beat the Texas A&M Aggies in the first round yesterday, 69-58 and covering the 3-point line. Wisconsin is now 3-1 S/U and 2-2 ATS on the season. The Badgers shooting has not been good, hitting over 40% from the field in just one of four games. The defense is good as it is always, holding opponents to just 53.3 ppg on the season. Houston had little trouble with Butler in the opening round, 70-52, covering the 10-point spread. The Cougars are 4-0 S/U and 3-1 ATS on the season. In fact, they have won their last games by 18 (Butler), 20 (Virginia) and 27 (Rice). All impressive wins. They are holding their opponents to just 55 ppg and scoring 74.8 ppg. Always tough in these tournaments playing back to back games as they are today. Houston is just too good on offense and almost equal on defense. I'll lay the points in what I believe won't be a close game. Play Houston.

A pair of 4-0 teams meet tonight in the Legends Classic first round from Newark, NJ. Providence is not only 4-0 S/U but 2-2 vs the number. They are coming off a win over New Hampshire, 69-58 as a 13.5-point favorite. The Friars have shot 51% from the field or better in three of their four games. They have also held their opponents to 39% or less in three of four games. Northwestern is 4-0 S/U and 3-1 ATS. The Wildcats are coming off a win over Farleigh Dickinson, 82-46, as a 24.5-point favorite. They Cats have shot really well from 3-point arc, 33% or better in all games. Should be a great game, but I'll take the Friars in this one. Take Providence.

The Giants had last week off to prepare for tonight's game at Tampa Bay. The Giants are coming off a win at Las Vegas, 23-16 as a 3-point dog. The defense has played much better of late, allowing 20 points or fewer in each of their last three games, though the defense still ranks just 24th. The offense is ranked 21st overall. The Tampa Bay Bucs are coming off a road loss to Washington, 19-29 as a 9.5-point favorite. It was the worst offensive output of the season for the Bucs with just 273 total yards and Brady being intercepted twice. The Giants have been very good on the road, evidenced by their 21-6 ATS mark over their last 27 away games. The road team is 6-1-1 ATS the last eight in this series and the Giants are 5-0-1 ATS the last six trips to Tampa Bay. I'll take the points here tonight with the Giants.

The College of Charleston Cougars are 3-1 S/U and ATS as they head to Oklahoma State for tonight's contest. The Cougars are coming off their first loss of the season last time out against North Carolina, 83-94, but covered the 12.5-point dog line. The Cougars have outrebounded three of their four opponents so far. The Oklahoma State Cowboys are 4-1 S/U and 3-2 ATS so far. The Cowboys one loss came in a big upset by Oakland, 55-56 as a 17-point favorite. They are coming off a win in their last game over NC State, 74-68 as a 4.5-point favorite. The Cougars getting 16 points here should be enough for them to come in under that number. take the dog, play College of Charleston.

The Harvard Crimson is 3-1 S/U and 2-0 ATS so far this season. They are coming off a win over MIT, 98-52. Their last board game was a win at Albany, 60-53 as a 6.5-point favorite. This might have been a nice test for the Crimson tonight, however Seina is 0-4 S/U and ATS on the season. The Saints are coming off a loss at Georgetown, 65-83 as 15.5-point dogs. They have yet to be a favorite in a game. Again here tonight, they are the dog on their home court to Harvard. This Siena team lost by 20 points at home to Delaware and I believe Harvard is better then they are. I'll lay the points with Harvard.

 Opening round of the Fort Myers Classic Beach Division here tonight has Ohio State taking on Seton Hall. Ohio State is 3-1 S/U and 1-3 ATS on the season. The Buckeyes are coming off their first loss of the year at Xavier, 65-71 as a 2.5-point favorite. The Buckeyes had their worst shooting performance as they hit just 37.7% from the field and had eight fewer rebounds. Seton Hall is 3-0 S/U and ATS to start the season. The Pirates are coming off a huge win over Michigan, 67-65 as a 8-point road dog. The Pirates look to be the real deal and I look for them to beat their second straight Big-10 team here tonight. Play Seton Hall.

The New York Knicks in the 2nd of a back-to-back spot here tonight. The Knicks won, but didn't cover last night at home against Houston, 106-99. However, they trailed for almost all the first three quarters of that game. The Knicks have been hit and miss lately, going 2-3 the last five and 4-6 their last 10. They have to face a Chicago Bulls team that is 11-5 S/U and ATS on the season. The Bulls played Friday at Denver and came away with the win, 114-108 as a 1-point road dog. That was their third win and cover in their last four games. The Knicks have to be tired after a tough battle last night and then hitting the road for today's contest. Good spot here for the Bulls. Play Chicago.

The Indianapolis Colts started the season 1-4, but have since won four of their last five games. They are coming off a win at home vs the Jacksonville Jaguars, 23-17, but failed to cover the 10.5-point line. The offense did sputter a bit though, with just 295 total yards to the Jags 331 yards. The Colts offense has been good, ranked 12th overall and 6th in rushing with Jonathon Taylor carrying the load. The Buffalo Bills rebounded nicely last week with a 45-17 win at the NY Jets as a 13-point favorite. They lost the previous week at Jacksonville, 6-9. The Bills can climb back into a first way tie with the Patriots with a win here today at 7-4. A loss and they drop to 6-4 and 2nd place in the division. I like the way the Colts have been playing in recent weeks and getting a TD or bit more looks very good today. Play Indianapolis.

Hall of Fame Basketball Tip off Finals today from Uncasville, CT has 3-1 Villanova taking on 4-0 Purdue for the crown of this tourney. Villanova could easily be 4-0 if they didn't collapse at the end of their game at UCLA back on Nov 12 and then lose in OT. Still, the Cats are 3-1 S/U and 2-2 ATS. Purude does come into this final undefeated at 4-0 S/U and 3-1 ATS on the season. They are coming off a win over North Carolina, 93-84. They also have wins over Wright St, Indiana St and Bellarmine. The Boilermakers have scored at least 90 points in all four games. This looks to be one of the best games of the day with two top 10 ranked teams facing off. I'll take the couple of points though. Take Villanova.

San Diego comes into today's contest with a 3-0 S/U and 2-0 ATS record. They are coming off a win over SD Christian, 97-60. They have a big win over Cal on opening night, 80-67 as a 14.5-point dog. Then they came right back with another big win over George Washington, 75-55 as a 1-point dog. Sacramento State is 2-1 S/U and 1-1 ATS on the season. They opened with a win over William Jessup, 89-59 and then lost at Utah, 56-89 as a 18.5-point dog. They came back on Monday with a win over Cal Poly SLO, 58-57 as a 5-point dog. San Diego is outscoring their opponents by a 84-60.7 margin. San Diego right now looks to be much better with bigger wins on its resume. I'll take the visitor in this one and lay the points. Play San Diego.

Oklahoma State should be going to a big bowl game this year as they sport a 9-1 S/U and 8-2 ATS record. The Cowboys have won three straight since their only loss of the season came at the hands of Iowa State on Oct 23, 21-24. Since that loss they are 3-0 and have outscored their opponents by a 142-23 margin. They face a 6-4 Texas Tech team here today. The Red Raiders are 6-4 vs the number. The Raiders bounced back after losing two straight week with a win at home over Iowa Sate, 41-38 as a 12.5-point dog. Now they look to do the same here today against the favored Cowboys. I'll lay the points here with the Cowboys.

 PAC-12 Action here on Saturday has two of the conferences best teams facing off as Utah hosts Oregon. Oregon is 9-1 S/U on the season, but only 5-5 vs the number. Both teams average right at 35 ppg and both teams allow similar points with Oregon allowing 22.6 and Utah allowing 23.8 ppg. Oregon is coming off a win over Washington State, 38-24 as a 13-point favorite. They have covered two of their last four games. Utah is coming off a road win at Arizona, 38-29 as a 23.5-point favorite. The Utes have yet to lose at home in four games, but only covered two of those four. Utah a very good home team and laying a small number here today. I'll take the host. Play Utah.

Charlotte Hornets having a decent season at 10-7 both S/U and ATS. The Hornets are one of the few teams that are averaging in the high numbers with a 112.8 ppg average and 113.6 ppg allowed average. Those numbers are even a bit higher allowed on the road where they average 111.3 and allow 115.6 ppg. The Hornets bring a five-game win streak into today's contest at Atlanta, but S/U and ATS. They are coming off a win at home over Indiana, 121-118 as a 1-point dog. The Hornets hit the road here today after a four-game home stand. The road wasn't kind in their last trip, going 1-4 S/U and ATS. Atlanta Hawks are 7-9 S/U and 6-10 ATS on the season. The Heat are about even in scoring with 109 ppg for and 109.5 ppg against. After a stint that saw the club go 0-6 both S/U and ATS they have now won and covered their last three. They have also been scoring with 120, 129 and 110 points in those three games. The team has done well at home with a 6-1 S/U and ATS record in seven games. They have also outscore their visitors by a 115-7 - 104 margin. I look for the Hawks to continue their winning ways at home. Play Atlanta.

 North Texas enters its last two games of the regular season with a 4-6 S/U and 7-3 ATS record. They can still make the post season with a win here today at Fla International and then a win at home in the final week over UTSA. The Eagles are averaging 24.9 ppg and allowing 30.0 ppg. They face a Florida International Golden Panthers team that is 0-9 S/U and 2-7 ATS on the season. They are coming off a loss at Middle Tenn State last week, 10-50 as a 10.5-point dog. FIU scores just 19.1 points on average while allowing 42.2 points. North Texas laying just 10-points here today looks like bargain price to me. Play North Texas.

These two PAC-10 and intercity rivals meet once again as USC hosts cross city UCLA. UCLA is coming off a win over Colorado, 44-20, covering the 17-point line. That win snapped a two-game losing streak for UCLA who now sits at 6-4 S/U and is bowl eligible. USC not having a good year as they are just 4-5 S/U and 3-6 ATS on the season. They will have to win both remaining games if they want to go to a Bowl game. UCLA will have revenge this year after losing last season's contest, 38-43. Both teams combined for almost 1000 yards of offense in that game. I look for UCLA to win and cover this game this year. Take UCLA.

Wake Forest has had a great season with their 9-1 S/U and 5-4-1 ATS records. The Demon Deacons are coming off a big win over NC State last week, 45-42 as a 1.5-point favorite. They have scored at least 40 points in five straight games and 35 or more in every game this year. Not a big stretch to say that this Wake team is ranked 7th nationally in offense. They will face a Clemson team that has the 11th ranked defense in the FBS. The Tigers are coming off a win over Connecticut last week, 44-7, but failed to cover the 41-point line. In fact, this Clemson team is just 1-8-1 ATS in their 10 games this season. Should be a great game with the Wake offense against the Clemson defense. I'll take Wake Forest here in this game.

Florida State can still make a Bowl game, but they have to win their last two games today against BC and then at Florida to close the season. Their kept their Bowl hopes alive with a win last week at home over Miami Florida, 31-28 as a 2.5-point dog. That made them 4-6 S/U and 4-5-1 ATS on the season. Boston College is 6-4 and Bowl eligible after their win last week over Georgia Tech, 41-30. They finish today against Florida State and then at home against Wake Forest. Boston College is the better team and they will end FSU's Bowl hopes today. Play Boston College.

The Dallas Mavericks are 9-5 S/U and 6-7-1 ATS on the season. The Mavs have been outscored though, 104.5 to 105.6 overall. The Mavs and Suns just played on Wednesday with the Mavs losing 98-105, but covering the 8-point spread. Today, they look to be without one of their best players in Luka Doncic, who is doubtful with an ankle injury. Doncic averages 24.9 ppg this year. The Suns improved to 11-3 on the season with that win over the Mavericks. Phoenix started the season 1-3 and have now won 10 straight games and are 7-3 ATS during that spread. I look for the Suns to take this second game too, an with Doncic likely out they should get the cover in this one. Play Phoenix.

The Florida International Golden Panthers are 2-1 S/U and 1-1 ATS after three games. The Panthers are coming off a win and cover over Ball State, 73-60 as a 1.5-point favorite. They also played Georgia, losing 51-58 as a 6.5-point dog, narrowly missing the cover. They play a Wisconsin Green Bay Phoenix team that is still looking for their first win of the season against three losses. The Phoenix lost to Indiana State in their opener, 77-81 as a 2.5-point dog. Then lost at Wiscosin, 34-72 as a 21-point dog and then lost last time out to UNC Greensboro, 58-60, but covering the 10-point dog line. This is not a very good Green Bay team and today they will find it difficult to get that first win against a very good FIU club. Play FIU.

The Indiana Pacers are just 6-10 S/U and 8-8 ATS to start the season. The Pacers have lost two straight games on this two-game road trip. They are coming off a loss at Detroit, 89-97 as a 6.5-point favorite. The Pacers are now 2-8 S/U and 4-6 ATS on the road and being outscored by a 103.6 - 107.2 margin. The Charlotte Hornets bring a four game S/U and ATS win streak into today's game and have improved to 9-7 S/U and ATS overall. They are 5-2 S/U and ATS at home and outscoring their opponents, 113.4 to 110.4 on their home court. Charlotte looks to be the team with the momentum and playing much better. I'll take the home team here. Play Charlotte.

College tournament action here today as the Marquette Golden Eagles look good out the gate with a 4-0 S/U and 2-2 ATS mark. The Eagles have won and covered the least two games against ranked Illinois, 67-66 as a 8-point dog and then over Ole Miss, 78-72 as a 3.5-point dog. The will face a 3-0 West Virginia team here today. The Mountaineers opened with a win over Oakland, 60-53 as a 17.5-point favorite, then beat Pitt 74-59 as a 17-point favorite and then last game beat Elon, 87-68 as a 14-point favorite. This will be the first game for WVA away from home. Marquette getting 5.5-points here today. I'll take that on a neutral court.

 Weber State Wildcats are 3-0 S/U and 2-0 ATS to start their season. They opened with a win over Western St College and then had two nice wins over Duquesne, 63-59 and then last game over U Mass, 88-73. Ball State is just 1-2 S/U and 0-3 to start their season. They opened with a loss at GA Southern, 71-82, then lost at home to Neb-Omaha and Fla Intl, failing to cover all three spreads. Ball State is 3-7 ATS in their last 10 Friday games and 4-10 ATS in their last 14 overall games. They are also 4-11 ATS in their last 15 as a dog. Weber is 13-5 ATS in their last 18 games overall and 12-5 ATS in their last 17 as a favorite. I'll lay the points here with Weber State.

The Bradley Braves are 1-2 S/U and 0-2 ATS to start the season. They opened with losses to South Dakota State, 65-81 as 9-point dog, then to Howard, 64-76 as a 12.5 point favorite. They won last time out vs Missouri S&T, 92-66. Colorado State is 3-0 S/U and 1-0 ATS to start their season. They opened with a win and cover over Oral Roberts, 109-80, then beat Arkansas Pine Bluff, 91-71 and last game over Peru State, 88-62. CSU has dominated all three games this season and looked stacked with returning players including on one of the best in the Mountain West, Isaiah Stevens. Bradley won't stand much of a shot against this high scoring CSU team today. Play Colorado State.

Louisville comes down to their last two regular season games, tonight against Duke and then closing out in 9-days at home vs Kentucky. The Cardinals are 5-5 and need tonight's win to get bowl eligible. They are coming off an easy win at home over Syracuse, 41-3. Louisville has the 40th ranked offense and the 67th ranked defense. Duke won't be going to a bowl game this year as they sit 3-7 with two games left. They Blue Devils have also lost six straight games vs the spread. They are coming off a loss last week at Virginia Tech, 17-48 as a 11.5-point dog. The defense is terrible, ranking 129th in the country. The offense is better, ranked 45th, but not good enough to overcome this horrible defense. Duke has allowed at least 45 points in each of their last four games. I look for Louisville to score a lot of points here tonight and cover this big spread.

Shriner's Children Classic opening round here today. The Marquette Golden Eagles are off to a fast 3-0 start. They opened with a win over SIU Edwardsville, 88-77, losing to the 21-point number. Then they beat New Hampshire, again failing to cover the 12.5 point line. Finally, last game out they beat No 10 ranked Illinois, 67-66 and covered as a 8-point dog. The Ole Miss Rebels are 2-0 S/U and 1-1 ATS. They opened with a win over New Orleans, 82-61, but failed to cover the 23-point line. Last game they won and covered against Charleston Southern, 93-68. Marquette coming off that amazing win over highly ranked Illinois. On a neutral floor I'm sticking with Marquette.      

The Arkansas Little Rock Trojans are 3-0 S/U to start the season and 1-0 AS. The Trojans are coming off a win over Arkansas Baptist, 91-60 and Champion Baptist before that, 115-51. Their one test was a narrow win over Southern Illinois, 69-66 as a 6.5-point dog. The Loyola Marymount Lions are 1-1 after losing to UT Chattanooga to open the season 64-75 as a 7-point favorite. They are coming off a win over Arizona Christian, 75-67. Neither outing very impressive for this Lions team. I'll take the visitor here tonight. Play Arkansas Little Rock.

Lebron James continues to be out for the Lakers as they make the trip East to take on the Milwaukee Bucks tonight. The Lakers are 8-7 S/U and 5-10 ATS on the season. They are being outscored overall 109.8 to 112.5 on the season. The are 1-2 both S/U and ATS on the road and being outscored 110 to 116.3 per game. The defending Champion Bucks have struggled to a 6-8 S/U and ATS record this year. They have lost two straight games including last time out at Atlanta, 100-120. The Bucks return home after a five game road trip in which they went 2-3 both S/U and ATS. The Lakers are 4-9-1 ATS in their last 15 road games and 5-13 ATS their last 18 games overall. The Bucks are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games as a favorite. With James out still and the Lakers making the long Eastern trip, I'll take the Bucks tonight.

Northern Illinois coming off a last second field goal to beat Ball State last week, 30-29. The game was back and forth and with the Huskies trailing 27-29 with just seconds left they hit the winning field goal. That make the Huskies 7-3 S/U and 6-4 ATS on the season. NIU has a one-game lead in their MAC Western division over Central Michigan. This is a huge game tonight for the Huskies as a win puts them in the MAC Championship game on Dec 4th. Buffalo, 4-6 overall, needs to win out if they hope to make a bowl game. The Bulls are coming two straight losses, including last week at Miami Ohio, 18-45. NIU is 19-9-1 ATS in their last 29 as a road favorite. NIU has also won 12 of the last 14 meetings with Buffalo. I look for NIU to be highly motivated tonight to secure their spot in the MAC Championship. Play Northern Illinois.

A pair of 3-0 teams meet here tonight as Maryland hosts George Mason. The George Mason Patriots are not only 3-0 but have covered all three spreads. They opened with a win over Stony Brook, 74-52, then beat Penn, 87-66 and last game over Morgan State, 90-53. The Patriots have shot at least 50% from the field in each game and over 45% from the 3-point line in their last two games. Maryland is also 3-0, but just 1-2 vs the number. They are coming off a win over Vermont, 68-57, just covering the 9-point line. Unlike Mason, they have shot 36.7% vs Vermont and 37.5% vs George Washington. They play a very good George Mason team here today and are laying right around 10-points. Their field goal shooting has me concerned though. I'll take the points in this one. Play George Mason.

The Drexel Dragons are 1-1 beating Neumann College 103-74 and then losing last game at Syracuse, 60-75 as a 15.5-point dog. Syracuse shot great from the field, 55.6% and 50% from 3-point arc. St Josephs Hawks are 2-0 coming into tonight. The Hawks have two softball wins on their resume, 69-67 over Maryland Eastern Shore and 80-60 over Mount St Marys. They covered against St Marys but didn't against Eastern Shore. The latter a 24.5-point favorite and they won the game by just 2-points. Can't put a lot of stock in St Joe's early wins, especially the one they were 24.5-point favorites. This is a team that was 5-15 last year and 11-41 in the two years under HC Billy Lange. Drexel made the NCAA last year and have Wynter back this year. I'll take Drexel here tonight.

The Seton Hall Pirates put their perfect 2-0 record on the line as they travel to Big 10 Powerhouse Michigan tonight. The Pirates have had an easy go of it thus far with blowout wins over Fairleight Dickinson, 93-49 and then Yale, 80-44. They are also 2-0 ATS in those two games. The test comes tonight at Michigan. The 4th ranked Wolverines are also 2-0 S/U and 1-1 ATS. They beat Buffalo to open the season, 88-76, but just failed to cover the 12.5-point line. Last game they won easily against Prairie View A&M, 77-49 as a 23.5-point favorite. The Pirates should be taken lightly as they rank 35th in the Kenpom power rankings. This Pirates team also has experience and depth which they will need tonight. The Pirates will be able to run bodies in and out of the game and I fully expect them to hang with the Wolverines. Play Seton Hall.

The St Louis Billikens are 3-0 to start their season and 2-0 ATS. They haven't really played anyone of significance yet with wins over Central Arkansas, Harris Stowe and their last game over Eastern Illinois, 86-44 as a 21-point favorite. The will face the 11th ranked Memphis Tigers tonight who are 2-0 S/U and 1-1 ATS on the season. The Tigers opened with a win over Tennessee Tech and then last time out beat NC Central, 90-51 as a 28.5-point favorite. St Louis Freshman Gibson Jimerson has been a early bright star, averaging 18.7 ppg through the first 3 contests. Memphis has aspirations of a long trip through the NCAA's this year. This Tigers teams is expected to be one of the best defensive teams in the nation this year. This Memphis team looks to be a early favorite in the country to win and win big. Yes, St Louis is undefeated, however they haven't faced a dynamic team like Memphis yet. This is just too much quality for the Billikens. Play Memphis.

 The Golden State Warriors look to be the early surprise team at 11-2 S/U and 9-4 ATS on the season. The Warriors are coming off only their 2nd loss of the season at Charlotte, 102-106. That snapped a 7 game win streak both S/U and ATS. The Warriors are 3-1 S/U and 2-2 ATS on the road. They are outscoring their hosts 112-106 in the four games. The Nets are 10-4 S/U and 7-7 ATS on the season. The Nets have won three straight and covered two of those. They are 4-2 S/U and 3-3 ATS at home and outscoring opponents 105.2-100.7. This looks to be a great game, but I'll take the points with the Warriors who can win this outright.

The Austin Peay GOvernors take their 1-1 record on the road to Indiana Purdue-Fort Wayne here tonight. The Governors opened the season with a slim win over Martin Methodist, 86-79. They were outshot from both the field and 3-point line in that contest. Last time out they went to Southern Illinois and lost badly, 55-73 as a 13.5-point dog, again getting outshot 39% to 57%. The defense has been horrible thus far and if they hope to compete tonight they will have to improve. IUPU-Fort Wayne is 1-0 after beating a overwhelmed Earlham College, 103-54. This will be their first real test tonight for the Mastodons. Austin Peay is 0-6 ATS in their last six road games while the Mastodons are 4-1 ATS overall their last five games. I don't like this Austin Peay defense, even against a poor opponent they played poorly. I'll lay the points tonight with Fort Wayne even though they only have one game played. Play IUPFW

The LA Rams can tie the Cardinals for first place in the NFC West with a win here at San Francisco on Monday night. The 49ers are just 3-5 and have yet to win a home game this year. The Rams had last week off to contemplate their loss the previous week at home to the Tennessee Titans, 16-28. The Titans played without RB Derek Henry for the first time since he was injured. If you looked at just the stats you would swear the Rams would have won the game. They held Tennessee to 69 yards rushing and 125 passing yards for just 194 total yards. The loss dropped the Rams to 7-2 S/U and 4-5 ATS. The Rams defense is ranked 12th overall, 8th vs the rush and 18th vs the pass. The 49ers are also coming off a loss, losing at home to the Cardinals last week, 17-31. The 49ers have covered just two of their eight games this year. The 49ers have the 8th ranked defense, 26th vs the rush and 6th vs the pass. Both teams had horrible losses, but the Rams are the better team and I expect a rebound from them here tonight. Play LA Rams.

The Furman Paladins bring a 2-0 record into this evenings contest at Belmont. The Palidins pulled off the big upset win in their last game over Louisville in OT, 80-72. This followed their win over NCU-Greenville, 118-66. Furman shot 42.9% from three-point arc vs Louisville and held the Cardinals to just 36.2% overall shooting and 24.1% 3-point shooting. The Belmont Bruins are 1-1 to start the season. They lost their opener to Ohio U, 80-92 as a 4-point home favorite. Then followed with a win over Evansville, 81-43 as a 14-point favorite. Furman is only 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games and 0-8 ATS in their last eight game after a ATS win. Have to throw out that NCU Greenville game as everyone scores 100+ against that team. The Louisville win was a resume builder, but the fact that the Cardinals were just horrible and still forced OT is something to think about. I don't like Furman on the road and Belmont will build on their last win. Play Belmont.

New Orleans Pelicans won for just the second time this season in their last game at home over Memphis, 112-101. That makes them 2-12 S/U and 6-8 ATS on the season. They are 1-6 S/U and 2-5 ATS on the road, getting outscored 97.7 to 111.4 on the year. Meanwhile the Wizards are off to an excellent start at 9-3 S/U and 8-3-1 ATS. They are 5-1 S/U and 3-3 ATS at home. The Wizards have covered the last five meetings with the Pelicans in Washington and are 9-3 ATS the last 12 meetings overall. Don't see Washington having much trouble today with the Pelicans. Play Washington in a blowout.

The Boston Celtics look to get back to the .500 mark here tonight at Cleveland. The Celtics are 6-7 S/U and 6-6-1 ATS on the season. They are 4-4 and 4-3-1 ATS on the road this year. They just played Cleveland on Saturday, losing 89-91 as a 1.5-point road favorite. The Cavs are not proving to be the pushover everyone expected, at least thus far. The Cavs are 9-5 S/U and 10-3-1 ATS on the season. They are 5-3 S/U and 4-1-1 ATS at home and outscoring their visitors by a 100.5 to 97.7 margin. Pretty much same line as Saturday. If the Cavs can keep this game slow and a half court game, then I see the same outcome. Play Cleveland.

Two AFC West teams that really have struggled with both on field and off field problems of late. Not sure what is going on with the Chiefs, as QB Patrick Mahomes having his worst stretch as a pro. The Chiefs barely got by a Packers team last week that had on Aaron Rodgers playing at QB. The Chiefs won, but just barely at 13-7. They rushed for just 77 yards and Mahomes passed for 160, that's 237 total yards. As for the Raiders, they lost HC Jon Gruden a few weeks ago when he resigned. Then WR Henry Ruggs got into a alleged DUI accident and was arrested and later released by the Raiders. Then another first round pick in defensive back Damon Arnette was released last week when controversial video of him was released. The Raiders can only hope that bad things come in threes with half the season left to play. The Raiders lost at NY Giants last week, 16-23. They are 5-3 S/U and 4-4 ATS on the season. The offense did sign WR DeSean Jackson and he's questionable to see action here on Sunday. Both teams having issues, but the Raiders are more off field while the Chiefs are more on field. I'll take the Raiders at home plus the few points.

The Arizona Cardinals had to play without QB Kyler Murray last week at San Francisco. However, that didn't bother them as backup Colt McCoy came in and and passed for 274 yards and the rushing game got another 163 yards in a win, 31-17. It was the team's 7th win against the spread in nine games this year. The Panthers played another lackluster effort last week, losing at home to the Patriots, 6-24. The Panthers have scored just 28 total points over their last three games. They have also covered the spread just one time in their six games. RB Christian McCaffrey is back, but QB Sam Darnold will miss today's contest. QB PJ Walker looks to get the start today. Walker will have to face a Cardinals team ranked 4th overall in the NFL on defense. More bad news for the Panthers, Murray will be back at QB for the Cardinals today. Panthers are a team going South and fast while the Cardinals continue to fly high. Play Arizona.

The New Orleans Saints lost last week at home to the Atlanta Falcons, 25-27. The rushing defense remains the best in the NFL, allowing just 74 yards per game. It's the passing defense that isn't very good, allowing 273 yards (27th). Today they face a Tennessee team that has no Henry at RB. The Titans beat the Rams last week, 28-16. However, if you look at the stats you would swear they lost. The Titans had just 69 yards rushing without Henry and 125 passing yards. Less than 200 yards of offensive production. They can't do that again here today if they hope to win. The Saints defense won't give up much on the ground so it will up to the passing game if the Titans hope to win this one. For me, the Henry loss really hits them today as they struggle to score. Play New Orleans.

 Battle of ranked teams here as No 5 Texas takes on top Ranked Gonzaga from the Great Northwest tonight. Texas gets the opportunity to show just how good they are tonight against the nation's top ranked team. If there is a game that Texas can catch Gonzaga sleeping a bit, this is the one early in the season. This Texas team is excellent on defense and they will need it against one of the best scoring teams in the nation. This early, I'll take a good defensive team like Texas in this spot. Take the points.

Rivalry game here tonight in the I-10 Battle has UTEP taking on New Mexico State from Las Cruces. UTEP opened the season with a win over Western New Mexico, 85-57. New Mexcico State also opened with a win over UC Irvine 62-51. UTEP has a new coach in Joe Golding. Golding led led Abilene Christian to a NCAA tournament last year. NM State always a good defensive team, it's on offense they need to find more points. They averaged just 71.1 ppg last year. The Aggies return three starters, but also lost some bench production too. I like this new coach for UTEP and will take the points with his new team tonight. Play UTEP.

If you were asked the top offensive team in the country was, you might name a few or lot of teams before you came to Virginia. But yes, the Cavaliers average 545 yards per game, tops in the nation. The passing game averages just over 400 yards per game. Yes, those yards do translate to points with the Cavs scoring 40 or more points in five games and 48 or more in each of their last three games. However, the defense is almost as bad as the offense is good, ranking 122nd. They are coming off a game at BYU where they scored 49 points. Bad news is they allowed the Cougars 66 points. Notre Dame is coming off a win at home over Navy, 34-6. The Irish are 8-1 S/U and 6-3 ATS on the season. Virginia's offense could be without their QB here today, as Brennan Armstrong is questionable with a rib injury. I believe Armstrong will play today and the six points at home will be enough for the Cavaliers to come in under. Should be a fun game to watch too. Play Virginia.

Georgia has a fairly easy remaining schedule after today they play Charleston Southern and then close against Georgia Tech. The Dogs are 9-0 S/U and 6-3 ATS on the season. It's the defense that really is outstanding, ranked 2nd overall in the country allowing just 230 yards per game. The offense isn't bad though, ranked 45th overall. They will face a Tennessee team that is 5-4 S/U and 4-5 ATS on the season. The Volunteers are coming off a win at home over Kentucky, 45-42 as a 1-point dog. The Vols defense is ranked 94th and the offense is ranked 19th. Georgia is laying 20 points on the road here today. The Volunteers would like nothing more than to tarnish that perfect record of Georgia. I believe the Tennessee offense is good enough to get points on the board and cover this big spread. Play Tennessee.

Boston College has had an up and down season. They started nicely enough, winning their first four games and covering three. Since then, they are just 1-4 S/U and 2-3 ATS. They are coming off a win over Virginia Tech last week, 17-3 as a 3-point dog. Georgia Tech has lost two straight games, including last week at Miami Florida, 30-33. They are 3-6 S/U and 5-4 ATS on the season. Boston College has the 99th ranked offense and the 28th ranked defense. BC getting a point or two here on Saturday. I look for them to win outright so won't need the points. Take Boston College.

 Georgia State almost pulled the upset last week as they gave La Lafayette all they could handle in a 17-21 loss. Ga State has covered four straight games and six of their last seven as they hit the road to play Coastal Carolina. This will be their third road game in a row. They are just 4-5 S/U but can finish above .500 and become bowl eligible. Coastal Carolina improved to 8-1 S/U and 4-3-2 ATS with their win at Georgia Southern last week, 28-8. Coastal should win 11 games this year with a fairly easy schedule the rest of the way. Both these teams have done well covering spreads, though the road team has covered the last four in this series. Coastal a double digit favorite here today. I like Georgia State who has been very competitive this year. Play the Panthers.

Big 10 clash here on early Saturday has Michigan traveling to Penn State to face the Nittany Lions. Michigan is 8-1 S/U and 6-3 ATS on the season. The Wolverines rebounded from their 33-37 loss to Michigan State with a win last week at home over Indiana, 29-7. Michigan has the 27th ranked offense and the 6th ranked defense. The Wolverines are just 0-6 ATS in their last six games vs a team with a winning record. Penn State is 7-2 S/U and 6-2 ATS on the year. The Nittany Lions are coming off a win at Maryland, 31-14 as a 10-point favorite. That win snapped a two-game losing streak to Illinois and Ohio State. Michigan laying 1 or 1 1/2 here on the road. The Lions will be in this game at the end. I'll take Penn State.

UCLA gets tested early as they host Villanova at Pauley Pavillion tonight. Both these teams are ranked in the top 5 in the country. Villanova opened with an easy winner over Mount St Mary's, 91-51 while UCLA had little trouble with Cal Bakersfield, 95-58. Villanova lost leading scorer Jeremiah Robinson-Earl to graduation but return plenty of talent on this team. UCLA is one of the best shooting teams in the nation. They are also one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the nation. They hit on 13-of-27 from three point land vs Bakersfield. This will be a high scoring affair tonight as both teams can shoot lights out. I'll take the dog in this one. Play Villanova.

Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns opened their season on Tuesday with a win at home over West Florida, 81-47. The defense was outstanding, holding West Florida to just 27.3% from the field an 21.1% from 3-point arc. The Ragin' Cagins his 47.9% from the field though they need to improve on free throws, hitting just 45.5%. The play at Southern Miss tonight. The Golden Eagles got a win on Tuesday at home over William Carey, 81-57. One big problem for the Eagles is they got outrebounded 43-76. My numbers tonight show ULL a bigger favorite then what he have right now. I'll take ULL against a Southern Miss team that doesn't look to have a very good season. Play ULL

Both these play their second games of the season tonight in Hawaii as the Warrior Rainbows host the Northern Colorado Bears. On Wednesday, the Bears beat Pacific, 67-65 and Hawaii beat Hawaii-Hilo, 97-67. No Colorado finished last year at 11-11 (6-8 in conference). Hawaii has had a winning record in each of their last five seasons, but that might a tall hill to climb this year as they will be without their top two scorers from last year in Justin Webster and James Jean-Marie. Both those players transferred out of Hawaii after last season. NO Colorado has all it's top players back from last year. Both teams will have to see about conditioning after playing last night. I am taking Northern Colorado as they have more returning talent back this year.

The Indiana Pacers are off to a 4-8 S/U and 6-6 ATS start this season. The Pacers are coming off a loss at Denver, 98-101 as a 3-point favorite. They will play their fourth road game on this Western swing tonight at Utah. Problem is that the Pacers played last night in Denver, which is high altitude, and now plays in Salt Lake City which is also high altitude. Back-to-back is enough to take something from a team, let alone the altitude. Utah is 8-3 S/U and 7-4 ATS on the season. The Jazz had last night off after beating Atlanta on Tuesday, 110-98. That snapped a two-game losing streak for the Jazz. I like this situation here tonight as the Jazz had the night off and get the Pacers in the 2nd of a back-to-back spot. Take Utah.

North Carolina is 5-4 S/U and 4-5 ATS on the season. They are coming off a win over Wake Forest, 58-55 as a 2.5-point favorite. The defense isn't very good, ranked 95th overall in the nation. The offense is very good, ranked 9th overall. The defense has allowed 55, 44, 42 and 35 points in each of their last four games. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is 7-2 S/U and 6-2 ATS on the year. The Panthers are coming off a win at Duke, 54-29 as a 21 point favorite. The Panthers are ranked 35th overall in defense and 3rd in the nation in offense. They also have one of the best red zone efficiency ratings in the nation at 80.1%. I like the Panthers at home tonight. Play Pitt.

Early action here on the Thursday college hard court as Air Force takes on South Dakota. This non-conference game opens the season for both teams. Air Force was just 5-20 in Joe Scott's first year as head coach. South Dakota was 14-11 last year and lost in the Summit League semi-finals to North Dakota State. These clubs have met two times in the past with Air Force taking both those games. Air Force is not known for offense as they play a ball-control game with lots of movement. South Dakota is the better team here, but if Air Force can play their normal ball control and keep the score lower, they will cover this spread. Play Air Force.

 The Miami Heat off to a good start this season at 7-3 S/U overall and ATS. The Heat are coming off a loss at Denver last time out, 96-113. The Heat are even in scoring this season at 101.1- 101.5 overall. They are outscoring opponents on the road though, 109.4-104.2 this season. The LA Lakers are 6-5 S/U and 3-8 ATS on the year. They snapped a two-game losing streak last time out, 126-123 over Charlotte, covering the 2-point line. The Lakers ongoing injury saga continues tonight with F Anthony Davis probable and F Lebron James out (abs). Also hurting, G Rajon Rondo is questionable. This looks to be the them for the Lakers this year and for me, I'll take the Heat to win this one going away tonight. Play Miami.

Oklahoma City Thunder are 3-6 S/U and 5-4 ATS on the season. The Thunder have won two straight games S/U and three straight vs the number. They are coming off a win over San Antonio, 99-94 as a 3.5-point dog. New Orleans Pelicans are the big disappointment of the season thus far. The Pelicans are just 1-10 S/U and 4-7 ATS on the season. They last won back on October 25th at Minnesota, 107-98. The are being outscored 100.5-112.3 overall and 105-5-113.8 at home. The Pelicans will be without Zion Williamson tonight who has a foot injury. They may also be without forward Brandon Ingram, who is questionable with a hip injury and has averaged 23 ppg in his six games this year. Yet, here they sit a 4-point favorite. Go figure that one out. I'll take the points in this game and look for OKC to win outright.

More MAC action here on Wednesday as the 5-4 Ball State Cardinals take on the 6-3 Northern Illinois Huskies. The Huskies can take over the top spot in the MAC West with a win here tonight. Their five game win streak came to an end last time out vs Kent, 47-52. Ball State is coming off a win over Akron last week, 31-25. One area to keep watch tonight is NIU QB Rocky Lombardi, who is questionable with a head injury. Lombardi having a excellent season with 1853 yards and 12 TD's and a 57.8% completion percentage. Any loss of Lombardi here tonight could be very bad for this team. If Lombardi doesn't play or if he does and isn't 100% then I don't see this NIU team being able to stop Ball State on offense. Play Ball State.

William & Mary Tribe play their opening game of the season on the road tonight at Wake Forest. The Tribe are coming off a 7-10 season and 4-6 conference mark. Wake also coming off a poor season that saw the Demon Deacons go 6-16 overall. Will & Mary returns four starters and added senior Brandon Carrol who averaged 11.3 ppg last year for Florida Southern. The Tribe will need to improve on their three-point shots as they ranked 291st in the nation from beyond the arc last year. Wake had to endure a full month off between games last year due to Covid. That can put a hinder into anyone's game. The roster has nine new players, which could be good after such a dismal season last year. They do return Davien Williamson who averaged 12.9 ppg last year. Don't know what to fully expect from this Wake team yet, but I'm going to take them here tonight against a William & Mary team that returns players but to a losing team. Take Wake Forest.

The Portland Trailblazers are 5-5 S/U and 4-6 ATS on the season. They have won two straight games and are coming off a win over the Lakers, 105-99 as a 5.5-point favorite. The Blazers already faced the Clippers once this season back on October 25 where they lost at LA, 86-116 as a 3-point dog. The Clippers are 5-4 S/U and ATS on the season. After starting the season 1-4 they have won four straight games. They are coming off a home win over Charlotte, 120-106. The Clippers are just 2-5 ATS in their last seven home games. I'm going to take the dog here today as the Blazers look for that first road win. Play Portland.

Early MAC action here tonight has Ohio U taking on Eastern Michigan. Eastern Eagles got a big road win last week over Toledo. Meanwhile, Ohio beat their rivals, Miami Ohio last week. Ohio is just 2-7 on the season but they have been competitive. Ohio's season started on a bad note when coach Frank Solich retired and OC Tim Albin had to take over. While Ohio won't make a Bowl game this year they look to finish strong in their final three games. Eastern is Bowl Eligible and looks for a win here tonight against an Ohio team they haven't faced since 2017. Eastern just the better team and I look for a win here tonight by the Eagles.

Akron has just two wins on the season as they head to Western Michigan tonight. The Zips have lost three straight after losing to Ball State last Tuesday, 25-31. The team's only wins have come against FBC Bryant and Bowling Green. Western opened the year with impressive wins over Buffalo and Pittsburgh en route to a 4-1 start. However, the Broncos have dropped three of the last four games. They did win big over Kent State, 64-31. The team's offense is good, ranked 42nd overall with a 432.8 yards per game average. Akron has gone to a freshman QB which has helped a lot of late and made this team better. Add to that fact that Western has covered the spread just one time in their last eight MAC games and I'll take a shot plus the points here tonight.

First meeting ever between these basketball teams. Albany Great Danes are led by Antonio Rizzuto who was the America East All Defensive team player. Albany has a new coaching staff and really a new team with nine new players suiting up for the purple and gold. Not a lot to go with here in opening games but Alabany looks to be a team that will take time for both coaches and players to get used to each other. I'm going to take Towson here on opening night.

Full schedule of action today to tip-off College Hoops season. Tonight, Southern Illinois Salukis take on the Little Rock Arkansas Trojans. SIU was 12-14 last season while Little Rock was 11-15. SIU started 7-0 last year in non-conference games but then faltered once they got into conference. I look for the Salukis to be much improved this year in a conference that is crowded with some good teams. They have 2020 Freshman of the Year Marcus Domask back and a very good backcourt. Look for this version of the SIU team to be a lot better. Play Southern Illinois.

 The Golden State of old looks to have returned after a few down years. The Warriors are 8-1 S/U and 6-3 ATS on the season. They have covered four streak games and blowout out their last four opponents by 13, 41, 21 and 22 points. They have a 5-1 home record and have covered four of those. They are also outscoring opponents on their home floor by a 113.2-97.2 margin. The Atlanta Hawks are just 4-6 overall on the season and 3-7 vs the spread. They are playing the third game of a west coast swing that saw them lose at Utah on the 4th 98-116 and then at Phoenix on Saturday, 117-121. Yet here are the Warriors just a 3.5-point home favorite tonight. I don't understand this line at all. I'm taking the Warriors.

The Miami Heat have gotten off to a excellent start at 7-2 S/U and ATS. They are coming off a big win over Utah, 118-115 as a 2-point favorite. The Heat are outscoring opponents 111.7 - 100.2 this season. They are doing well on the road too, 3-1 S/U and ATS and outscoring home teams 112.8 - 102.0. Denver finally back above the .500 mark with their win over Houston last game, 95-94 as a 11.5-point favorite. The Nuggets have failed to cover the spread in three straight games. The Heat are now 10-2-1 their last 13 games as a favorite and 9-3 ATS in their last 12 road games. I like Miami here tonight.

The Arizona Cardinals lost last week for the first time season as they saw their 7-0 record drop to 7-1 after losing to Green Bay, 21-24. The offense had their lowest rushing performance of the year, just 74 yards and 334 total yards and three turnovers to Green Bay's no turnovers. QB Kyler Murray injured his ankle in that game and while he is probable today, you have to wonder how this will hinder his ability to scramble and run. WR DeAndre Hopkins missed the Green Bay game and is questionable here today. With WR A.J Green out due to Covid, this could leave the receiving core very limited. With a healthy QB and WR's this Arizona team is arguably the best in the NFL. WIth them hurting, I'll have to take the 49ers here on Sunday. Play San Francisco.

The New England Patriots have quietly strung together four straight wins after last week's road win at the Chargers, 27-24. The Pats offense has been fair, nothing great but they get the job done. They rank 15th in the league, 22nd rushing and 13th passing. The defense ranks a bit better, 13th overall. The will face the league's 2nd ranked defense in the Carolina Panthers. Carolina has the 13th defense vs the rush and 2nd vs the pass. The offense is not so good, ranked just 25th overall. The Patriots have been a good under team on grass, going 6-20 O/U their last 26. They are also 2-5 O/U in their last seven road games. The Panthers are 2-9 O/U in their last 11 overall games and 1-4 O/U in their last five home games. Both RB Christian McCaffrey (hamstring) and QB Sam Darnold (shoulder) are both listed as questionable for today's contest. Either way, I'm looking at a low scoring game. Play under.

Raiders continue to add drama to their lives as they now have WR Henry Ruggs released after his DIU fatal crash in Vegas. Plus, another player is having issues now with some legal problems. All this on the heals of Jon Gruden leaving the team. The Giants came oh so close last week to beating the Chiefs in KC. If they would have recovered a Patrick Mahomes fumble late in the game they would have got the win. For me, too many issue with this Raiders team to be on them here today. Despite some Covid issues for the Giants, I'll take them today.

 Eastern Conference clash here today as Philly hits the road to play in Chicago. The Sixers have won five straight games and covered four straight. They are coming off a road win at Detroit last game, 109-98 as a 4.5-point road dog. One of those games included a home win over the Bulls, 103-98, covering the 2.5-point home line. Philly hit 43% from the 3-point arc in that contest and still only won by five points. The Chicago Bulls are 6-2 S/U on the season. Their last game was that loss at Philly. Their only other loss coming at the hands of the Knicks. The Bulls laying just 3 or 3 1/2 points here today. I'll take Chicago in what shouldn't be close. Play Chicago

Ever since the Longhorns lost that last second game to Oklahoma, 48-55, they just haven't looked the same. They lost at home to Oklahoma, 24-32 and then lost last week at Baylor, 24-31. The offense just hasn't clicked since that OU game. Now they have to travel to Iowa State. The Cyclones had their 3-game win streak snapped last week at West Virginia, 31-38. Iowa State has the 5th best defense in the country and the 45th ranked offense. I think Texas will have trouble getting back to winning against a very good Iowa State team here today. Play Iowa State.

Alabama has rebounded nicely from its loss to Texas A&M back on October 9th, 38-41. They have rebounded with wins at Mississippi State, 49-9 and then last week at home over Tennessee, 52-24. That is four covers in their last five games. LSU will have its hands full here today after losing last week at Ole Miss, 17-31. That makes three losses both S/U and ATS in their last four games for the Tigers. Not sure how LSU will stop or stay with this Alabama team here on Saturday. I look for a big Alabama blowout win. Play the Tide.

The Bulldogs of Mississippi State has strung together two very good games, beating Vandy 45-6 and then last week beating Kentucky, 31-17. That makes the dogs 5-3 S/U and 4-3-1 ATS on the season. The offense is 46th overall on the season while the defense is 16th. They face an Arkansas team here today that is 5-3 S/U and ATS. The Hogs started the season in great form, winning and covering their first four games. That was before they ran into a Georgia team that beat them 0-37. Have to take last week with a grain of salt since they beat FBC team, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 45-3. Miss State getting points here today is too much for me to pass on. We get four points points but I don't think will need any. Play Mississippi State.

 Michigan State showed they are the other team in Michigan and they are just as good. The Spartans came from behind last week at Michigan to win 37-33. That kept the Spartans unbeaten in the nation at 8-0. They now eye one of the four playoff spots, but first they have to get through Purdue, Maryland, Ohio State and Penn State on the schedule. Purdue would like to do nothing more than put a dent in MSU's playoff picture. The Boilermakers rebounded from their loss to Wisconsin two weeks ago with a win last week at Nebraska, 28-23 as a 7.5-point dog. They improved to 5-3 S/U and 4-4 ATS on the season. MSU just a 3-point road favorite here today. I will take them and see if they can stay perfect on the season. Play Michigan State.

 Baylor Bears look to extend their win streak to four games here today. The Bears are 7-1 S/U and 6-2 ATS on the season. They are coming off a win at home over Texas, 31-24 as a 3-point favorite. The Bears defense has been outstanding, holding ever team they have played under 30-points. They rank 35th overall on defense and 17th on offense. TCU has not been good to bettors this year, covering just one time in their eight games. They are also 3-5 S/U and have lost three straight games. The defense ranks 112th and the offense is 39th. Baylor is laying around 6.5-points here on Saturday on the road. That should be no problem for the Bear. Play Baylor.

Cal Bears look to extend their win streak to three games here on Saturday at Arizona. The Bears are coming off a home win over Oregon State, 39-25 as a 2-point dog. They are now 3-5 after starting the season 1-5. The good news is they face a Arizona team that has now lost eight straight this year and 20-games overall. They are coming off a road cover at USC last week, 34-41. They also covered two weeks ago against Washington, 16-21. Today they get 12-points at home against Cal. Problem is this team has scored more than 19 points just one time this year and that was last week's 34 points at USC. I just don't see them scoring enough points here to cover this line. Play Cal.

Temple travels South today to take on the East Carolina Pirates. Temple is coming off a blowout loss last week at home to Central Florida, 7-49. That was the team's third loss both S/U and ATS the last three games. They have been outscored their last three games, 24-135. They have been bad on the road. losing at Rutgers, 14-61, at Cincinnati, 3-52, at South Florida, 14-34. Their only win coming at Akron back in September, 45-24. East Carolina coming off their fifth straight cover last week. They beat South Florida last week at home, 29-14. They are also 4-4 S/U. The Pirates playing at home should score a lot of points vs this Temple team. I'll lay the 15-points. Play E.Carolina

The Utah Utes are 5-3 S/U and 3-5 ATS on the season. The Utes have four more games to close out the regular season and with Stanford, Arizona and Colorado on the schedule they look poised for another Bowl Berth. The Utes are coming off a home win over UCLA, 44-24 after losing at Oregon State, 34-42. The defense is good, ranked at 58th overall. The offense is also decent, ranking at 54th. These teams haven't met since 2018 when Utah won at Stanford, 40-21. Stanford has struggled to a 3-5 record this season. They don't look to be bowl headed with Notre Dame, Cal, Oregon State and Utah on the schedule. They are coming off a loss at home to Washington, 13-20 as a 2.5-point favorite. They have now lost three straight games. Don't expect a win either here tonight against a much better Utah team. Play the Utes.

The New Orleans Pelicans have struggled greatly thus far, going 1-8 out of the shoot. The Pelicans have lost five straight and are 2-3 vs the number. They are coming off a 99-112 loss at Sacramento on Wednesday. They have been outscored 103.2-111.2 on the season. Their one win came on the road at Minnesota back on Oct 25th, 107-98. They will face a Golden State team that is 6-1 S/U to start the season. They are also 4-3 ATS. The Warriors are coming off a win over Charlotte, 114-92. The Warriors have been very good and New Orleans has struggled. The Pelicans will also be without F Zion Williamson and F Brandon Ingram is questionable. I'll lay the points with the Warriors.

The Boston Celtics play their third game in four nights as they travel to Miami tonight to play the Heat. The Celtics won last night at Orlando, 92-79. That win snapped a three game S/U and ATS losing streak. The Celts haven't done well with no rest between games, evidenced by their 4-9 ATS record that last 13 in that situation. They are also 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games overall and 2-5 ATS their last seven road games. The Heat are off to a great start, 6-1 S/U and ATS on the season. They have won five straight games and are coming off a blowout of Dallas on Tuesday, 125-110. They have outscored their last three opponents by 15, 26 and 15 points. They are also 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 games when installed as the favorite. The Heat have also covered seven of the last 10 in this series with the Celtics. Everything points to one side in this game, the Heat.

Georgia State looks to extend its 3-game win streak here tonight as they take on the Rajun Cajuns of UL Lafayette. They are coming off a win over Georgia Southern, 21-14 as a 6.5 point favorite. They have now covered three straight and five of their last six games. Their best game of the year was a trip to Auburn where they lost 24-34, but covered the 27-point line. The defense is ranked 80th and the offense is defense is 101st. Louisiana Lafayette is coming off a 45-0 win at home over Texas State as a 21-point favorite. They have won seven straight game since their opening week loss to Texas, 18-38. However, they haven't fared as well against the spread, going 3-5 overall. The offense is ranked 47th and the defense is ranked 53rd. The teams met last year at Georgia State with ULL winning 34-31 but failing to cover the 16.5-point line. I believe State is a team that can keep this game close here tonight. I'll take the 2+ TD's. Take Georgia State.

The Atlanta Hawks are 4-3 S/U and 3-4 ATS so far this season. They are coming off a win at home over Washington on Monday, 118-111 as a 5.5-point favorite. The Hawks are narrowly outscoring opponents this year, 107.9-106.6 overall. The will face the Brooklyn Nets tonight who are still without star Kyrie Irving. The Nets are coming off a win on Sunday over Detroit, 117-91 as a 12-point favorite. It was the teams second win in row, as they sit at 4-3 S/U and 3-4 ATS on the season. The Nets are about even in scoring as they average 104.6 ppg on offense and in defense. Nets haven't been scoring like they did last year and now they have to cover a 5-point spread against a good Hawks team. I'll take the points in this one. Play Atlanta.

Northern Illinois is coming off a close win at Central Michigan, 39-38 as a 6-point dog. The Huskies have won five games in a row since their loss to Michigan back on Sept 18th. They are now 6-2 and 4-0 in the MAC. The Huskies are ranked 66th in offense and 96th in defense. They will take on Kent State tonight. Kent is coming off a win at Ohio, 34-27 as a 5-point favorite. Kent is 4-4 overall on the season and 3-1 in the MAC. Kent is ranked 28th in offense, but 123rd in defense. The Huskies are coming off a week off where they have done well, going 7-0 ATS the last seven times after a bye week. They are also 19-7-1 ATS in their last 27 games as a road dog and 40-18-2 their last 60 on the road overall. The Golden Flashes are just 1-4 ATS their last five games vs a team with a winning record and 2-5-1 ATS at home their last eight vs a winning team. I'm going to take the visitor here plus the points. Take Northern Illinois.

Both these MAC teams are just 2-2 in a bunched-up conference. Toledo Rockets have won two straight games in this series. Eastern Michigan has not been a good team historically, however they are close to being Bowl eligible this year. They are coming off a big win over Bowling Green last week, 55-24. They played Northern Illinois, the best team in the MAC, to just a 7-point loss. Eastern is also healthy tonight and this for a team that has moved up in the offensive rankings. The defense is about mid-range, which is good news on both sides of the ball. I'm taking the points here tonight with Eastern as both teams look closer to each other than the oddsmaker seems to have been given credit for. Take Eastern Michigan.

Early college football action tonight in the MAC has Ball State taking on Akron. Ball State is 4-4 overall on the season and 2-2 in conference after last week's loss to Miami Ohio, 17-24 as a 3.5-point home favorite. Akron is also coming off a loss, that being at Buffalo 10-45 as a 13.5-point dog. They Zips are now 2-6 overall and 1-3 in the MAC. Ball State is the defending MAC Champion looked to got back on track with three straight wins before their loss last time out to Miami. The Cardinals are now just 3-5 vs the number on the year. The offense has had troubles scoring points, evidenced by their 24.5 ppg while the defense is not good with a 27.9 ppg allowed. The Zips still in a rebuild mode have shown some good signs, but they are still 3-5 vs the spread. The offense averages just 19.9 ppt and the defense is near the bottom of the FBS. Hard for me to lay 20-points with a team that barely scores more than that. I'll take the home dog here and the generous points. Play Akron.

The Washington Wizards hit the road tonight to face the Atlanta Hawks. The Wizards are 5-1 S/U and ATS on the season. The Wizards have won and covered three straight games including their last game at home over Boston, 115-112 as a 2-point chalk. They have outscored opponents 112.7 - 108.5 this season. They also beat Atlanta on the 28th of October, 122-111 at home as a 3-point dog. The Hawks are off to a 3-3 S/U and ATS on the season. They have lost two straight games, including last time out at Philly, 94-122 as a 3.5-point dog. The Hawks are just outscoring opponents, 106.2 - 105.8 overall. Atlanta has been much better at home though where they are 23-8 ATS in their last 31 games. They are also outscoring opponents at home, 117.5 - 95.5 this year. I look for the Hawks to get some payback tonight against the Wizards. Play Atlanta.

The San Antonio Spurs have started the season with a 2-4 S/U and 4-2 ATS record thus far. They are coming off a win at Milwaukee, 102-93 as a 7-point dog that snapped a four game losing streak. The Spurs are 4-0 ATS in their last four road games and 20-8-1 ATS in their last 29 games as a road dog. They are also 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 games playing on 1 day rest. The Pacers one of the disappointing teams this year at just 1-6 S/U and 2-5 ATS on the season. They are coming off a loss at home to Toronto, 94-97 as a 2.5-point favorite. It's been a rough start for the Pacers. They could be without shooting guard Malcom Brogdon tonight who is questionable with a hamstring injury. Brogdon has averaged 23.4 ppg through five games. With or without Brogdon, they shouldn't be laying points until they can win games outright. Play San Antonio.

Tampa Bay has won four straight since losing in week three to the Rams, 24-34. Since then they are 4-0 S/U and 2-2 ATS. They are coming off a win last week at home against Chicago, 38-3 as a 12-point favorite. QB Tom Brady has the offense ranked 2nd overall, 1st in passing and 21st in rushing. They will face a good Saints defense here today that is ranked 9th overall, 3rd vs the rush and 20th vs the pass. The Saints are now 3-3 S/U and ATS on the season. They are coming off a win last week at Seattle, 113-10, though they failed to cover the spread. The Bucs covered the last meeting, a 30-20 win last year in New Orleans. Before that though the Saints have covered the last five games in the series. I'll take the points here at home with a good defensive team. Play New Orleans.

The Patriots head out West for their game with the LA Chargers here on Sunday. The Patriots coming of their best offensive game of the season, although it was against the Jets, in a 54-13 final. They improved to 3-4 S/U and and ATS on the season. The offense improved a few spots to 15th overall and the defense is 12th. The Chargers had last week off after their worst offensive performance the week before in a rod loss to the Ravens, 6-34. They could muster just 208 total yards of offense in that loss. The setback dropped them to 4-2 S/U and ATS on the season. The defense is ranked 19th overall while the offense dropped to 8th after that performance two weeks ago. The Patriots have won and covered the last three meetings in this series, including last year's 45-0 win at LA. The Chargers running game has not been good as they have to rely on QB Justin Herbert most of the time. I'll take the points on the road here today with the Patriots.

The Indianapolis Colts are coming off a win last week at San Francisco, 30-18. They held the 49ers to just 280 total yards and had a +2 in the turnover ratio. The Colts are 3-4 S/U and 5-2 ATS on the season. The Titans come into today's contest off two huge wins at home over Buffalo (34-31) and last week over Kansas City, 27-3. They held the Chiefs to just 334 total yards and sacked Patrick Mahomes four times, once putting him out of the game. The Titans are now 5-2 S/U and ATS on the season. They have the 11th ranked offense, 3rd rushing, 24th passing and the league's top rusher in Derrick Henry. What concerns me here with the Titans is that they might be in for a letdown this week after beating two of the top AFC teams in a row. I'll take the Colts at home here on Sunday.