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This is a 10* play on LAL@MEM to go UNDER the total.

The Lakers are coming off a 113-80 loss to Toronto last night, shooting just 34.4 percent from the field. Playing on the road on back to back nights against one of the league's best defenses in Memphis tonight, I expect another poor showing offensively for LA. The Grizzlies are coming off a 95-94 win over Orlando, and they've failed to reach 200 points in four straight home games. Injuries to DeAngelo Russell and Nick Young haven't helped the Lakers, and LA has failed to reach the total in five straight. Memphis has it's own injury concerns, as they've been without Mike Conley, Zack Randolph and Vince Carter. The Grizz have gone under in four straight at home versus teams with a losing record, and that's a trend I expect to continue tonight.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Virginia Tech Hokies.

Clemson will be a big favorite against Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship game, but I think the Hokies can keep this game close. Jerod Evans has quietly had a big year for the Hokies, throwing for over 3000 yards with 26 TDs and just five INTs. He's also run for over 700 yards and eight TDs. Deshaun Watson had a big game against South Carolina last week, but he's been wildly inconsistent all year long. Clemson has failed to cover in four of it's last five games against teams with a winning record, and the underdog has covered the spread in four of the last five meetings between these two teams. The Hokies have quietly been one of the better defensive teams in the country, ranking 20th nationally allowing just 21 points per game. Virginia Tech has all the tools to give Clemson a run for it's money here, and maybe even pull off an upset.

Take VT.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the St. Louis Blues.

The Blues are hot, coming into tonight's home game versus Winnipeg as winners of seven of their last eight overall. They are 8-0-1 in their last nine home games, and Jake Allen is 9-0-2 with a 1.78 GAA at home so far. The Jets have lost six straight road games, and their starting goaltender has really been struggling. Connor Hellebuyck allowed six goals on 29 shots in a home loss to Edmonton on Thursday, and he's 2-5 with a 3.51 GAA on the road this year. The Jets are at a serious disadvantage on special teams, ranking 25th on the penalty kill and 19th on the power play. The Blues scored three power play goals in a 5-4 win over Tampa on Thursday, and they rank 6th overall converting on 23.3 percent of their chances this season. The Jets are just 3-10 in the last 13 meetings in this series.

Take STL.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

Gonzaga comes into LA undefeated, winning seven straight games to start the season. This game against Arizona is a revenge spot for the Bulldogs, who have lost three straight, and six of the last seven in this series. Things could be different this time around, as Gonzaga is averaging 85.6 points per game on 48.9 percent shooting. They have shot slightly better than Arizona from beyond the arc (38.7 percent), but their biggest advantage may be on the boards. The Bulldogs are averaging 39.1 rebounds per game, and they pulled in a whopping 45 boards in their last game, a 97-63 win over MVSU. Arizona has a win over #12 ranked Michigan State, which doesn't look quite as impressive after the Spartans dropped out of the Top 25 with four losses. They also lost to unranked Butler by a score of 69-65. Arizona will be shorthanded here, without starting PG Peter Jackson-Cartwright, and G Allonzo Trier. The Bulldogs can smell blood: "We feel like we owe them some payback. It's been some years building up. Saturday's a time for us to get back at them."

Take GONZ.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

The Sooners will be a double digit favorite at home against Oklahoma State, but it wouldn't be "Bedlam" unless this game was close. The Sooners have won three of the last four in this series, but the last two games in Norman were each decided by just three points. The road team covered in all four meetings, and the underdog has covered in three of the last four. Oklahoma won big last year, but Mason Rudolph was unable to start that game due to injury. Rudolph has quietly thrown for more yards than Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield, and while he has 10 fewer TD passes, he's also thrown half as many INTs. The Cowboys have been far better on defense than Oklahoma this year, and they will need to be at their best to slow down the Sooners high flying offense. They are coming off a dominant road win at TCU, limiting Kenny Hill to 166 passing yards with 1 TD and a pair of INTs. Hill lit up the Sooners for 449 yards and five TDs in a 52-46 home loss earlier in the season. I expect the Cowboys to hang in there in a thriller in Norman.

Take OKST.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on MTL@SJS to go UNDER the total.

The Montreal Canadiens have seen the exact same final score in four of their last five games (2-1). They might be expected to play another low scoring game here at the Shark Tank, as San Jose ranks first in the NHL in goals against, allowing opponents to average just 2.1 goals per game. The Sharks starting goaltender Martin Jones has held opponents to one goal or less in four of his last five starts, and he's been spectacular at home, going 7-3 with a 1.61 GAA. Carey Price is widely considered to be the best goaltender in the world, and he's looked the part lately, leading the NHL with a .947 save percentage. These two teams have failed to reach the total in five of the last six meetings, and eight of the last 10. The under is 14-4-6 in the Sharks last 24 home games, and they've gone under in 10 of their last 12 when playing on one day's rest.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on DAL@MIN to go OVER the total.
The Cowboys have won 10 in a row, but that streak can't last forever. Dallas will lose, it's just a matter of when. There will be plenty of situational handicappers picking Minnesota to record the upset here at home, but I just don't think the Vikes match up well versus Dallas. The Cowboys weakness is that they are vulnerable against the pass, but the Vikings rank 25th in the league in passing. Their running game is even worse, ranking dead last in the NFL rushing. They won't have any choice but to pass, and that could result short possessions, taking little time off the clock and handing the ball right back to the mighty Cowboy's offense. As good as the Vikings defense is, the Vikes have given up 20+ points in five of their last six games. During that span they've only held one team under 100 rushing yards, and that was Detroit. They'll have their hands full tonight against the best offensive line in football, and I can't see them stopping Dallas from piling up the yards and scoring plenty of points. The Cowboys have scored at least 27 points in seven straight games, and not even the Baltimore Ravens #1 ranked defense was able to stop them. I am expecting a shootout in Minny.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys have won 10 in a row, but that streak can't last forever. Dallas will lose, it's just a matter of when. There will be plenty of situational handicappers picking Minnesota to record the upset here at home, but I just don't think the Vikes match up well versus Dallas. The Cowboys weakness is that they are vulnerable against the pass, but the Vikings rank 25th in the league in passing. Their running game is even worse, ranking dead last in the NFL rushing. They won't have any choice but to pass, and that could result short possessions, taking little time off the clock and handing the ball right back to the mighty Cowboy's offense. As good as the Vikings defense is, the Vikes have given up 20+ points in five of their last six games. During that span they've only held one team under 100 rushing yards, and that was Detroit. They'll have their hands full tonight against the best offensive line in football, and I can't see them stopping Dallas from piling up the yards and scoring plenty of points. The Cowboys have scored at least 27 points in seven straight games, and not even the Baltimore Ravens #1 ranked defense was able to stop them. I am expecting the Cowboys to win in a shootout in Minny.

Take Dallas.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the St. Louis Blues.

The Blues have won six of their last seven overall, and they are 7-0-1 in their last eight home games. They host the Tampa Bay lightning tonight, and the Bolts have lost three straight. Tampa is really missing Steven Stamkos, who suffered a serious knee injury two weeks ago. He had scored nine goals and totaled 20 points in 17 games prior to the injury. The Lightning haven't had much success against the Blues, losing five straight in this series, and four straight at St. Louis. The Blues starting goaltender Jake Allen is riding an impressive hot streak, he's 11-3-3 with a 2.39 GAA this season, and he's won six straight starts at home. Goaltending has been a sore spot for the Lightning, as starter Ben Bishop owns a losing record (7-8) with a 3.04 GAA. He's lost his last three starts, surrendering 12 goals in those losses. Backup netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy was lit up for five goals on 38 shots in a loss to Columbus on Tuesday.

Take STL.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Milwaukee Bucks.

Milwaukee has won three of it's last four, including a home win over the defending champs. They will play on the road tonight in Brooklyn, and head coach Jason Kidd will have a chance to stick it to his former team. The Nets could suffer a let down coming off an upset win over the Clippers Tuesday. That win ended a seven game losing skid, and it was just the second time in 10 games that Brooklyn covered the spread. The Nets have lost six straight to Milwaukee, and they've covered the spread just once in the last eight meetings in this series. Giannis Antetokounmpo is on fire for the Bucks, he recorded a career high 34 points in the win over the Cavs, and he's averaged 26.4 points on 57.8 percent shooting over the last five games. He recorded a triple-double the last time the Bucks played in Brooklyn, and the Bucks won 109-100. I expect a similar result here tonight.

Take MIL.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the St. Mary's Gaels.

The Gaels look to remain undefeated when they face Stanford in a tough road game tonight. Stanford will be looking to avenge a 78-61 loss at St. Mary's last season. The Gaels led the nation in field goal percentage last year, and they come into tonight's game averaging 81.8 points per game on 52.8 percent shooting. Stanford will need to play it's best defense, because there is no way the Cardinal can match the Gaels in a shootout. St. Mary's has covered the spread in seven of their last eight versus PAC12 teams, while the Cardinal have covered the spread just once in their last six versus teams from the WCC. Stanford has also failed to cover in four of their last five versus teams with a winning record, and they are 1-4 ATS in their last five games as an underdog.

Take SMC.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Portland Trailblazers.

The Blazers won nine of their final 10 home games at the end of last season, and went on to upset the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs. They haven't lived up to expectations so far this season, sitting eighth in the West with a 9-10 record. They are just 5-4 at home, and are coming off a 130-114 home loss to Houston. They host the Indian Pacers tonight, and Indiana has lost five of six on the road. Portland has won six of the last seven meetings with the Pacers, and the Blazers have won four straight home games versus Indiana. Paul George has miss four of the last five games with a sore back, and his status for tonight's game remains uncertain. The won game he did play was a 96-85 loss to Atlanta, and he shot just 6-of-22 from the field, and 2-of-11 from beyond the arc in the loss. Damian Lillard has averaged over 30 points per game at home this season, and he scored 33 points the last time he faced the Pacers.

Take POR.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on ATL@PHX to go UNDER the total.

The Atlanta Hawks have lost three straight, scoring an average of just 87 points in those losses. They will be a favorite in Phoenix tonight, facing a Suns team that has won just once in it's last five games overall. These two teams have failed to reach the total in five straight meetings dating back to 2014, and tonight's total is significantly higher than it was in any of the last four meetings. The Hawks are one of the league's top defensive teams, holding opponents under 100 points per game on average. The under is 19-7 in their last 26 road games, and they've failed to reach the total in 21 of their last 29 versus Western Conference teams. The Suns have failed to reach the total in seven of their last 10 versus Eastern Conference teams.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on LAL@CHI to go UNDER the total.

The Lakers will be shorthanded when they face the Bulls in Chicago tonight, already missing starting PG DeAngelo Russell, they could be without Nick Young who suffered a strained Achilles in the loss to New Orleans last night. These teams have gone over the total in each of the last four meetings, but we see a higher total in tonight's game than in any of those previous contests. The Bulls are one of the league's top defensive teams, holding opponents to an average of just 99 points per game. These teams have failed to reach the total in nine of the last 12 meetings at the United Center, and Chicago has held opponents to an average of 95.8 points while winning four of five home games this season.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on MEM@TOR to go OVER the total.

The Raptors have scored over 110 points in nine of their last 11 games overall. They scored a whopping 122 points in a blowout win over Philly last night, and they host a banged up Memphis team here tonight. Memphis is already missing Zack Randolph, Mike Conley and Chandler Parsons, and could be without Vince Carter here in Toronto. The Grizzlies have a reputation for being one of the league's toughest defensive teams, but I don't like their chances of slowing down the Raptors with a depleted lineup. The over is 9-2 in Toronto's last 11 overall, and they've gone over in seven of their last 10 home games. These two teams have failed to reach the total in five straight meetings, but two of the last three times they met, the total was over 200.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on DET@BOS to go OVER the total.

The Pistons will play their second game in as many nights on the road at Boston tonight. They 112 points in an upset win over the Hornets in Charlotte last night, and they were 12-of-28 from three point range in the victory. These teams have failed to reach the total in each of the last four meetings, but the listed total was over 200 in all four of those games. Tonight's number looks a little too low, and I am expecting the Pistons to be competitive, with a little momentum coming off an impressive performance. The Celtics are also coming off an impressive showing, scoring 112 points and hitting 11-of-27 from three-point range at Miami on Monday.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on URI@VALPO to go OVER the total.

History tells us to expect a low scoring game when Rhode Island faces the Crusaders in Indiana tonight, but this year's Rams team is nothing like the mediocre squads in past seasons. Last year the Crusaders won at home by a score of 58-55. The Rams are 5-1, with their only loss coming in a close game against Duke. They have scored an average of 82.2 points per game, shooting better than 50 percent from the field, and 38.4 percent from beyond the arc. Both teams are hitting better than 70 percent from the charity stripe, but Valparaiso ranks second nationally with an 83.6 free throw percentage. The Rams have gone over in six of their last eight non-conference games, and all but one of their games this season has seen more points than the listed total for tonight's game.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on BUF@OTT to go UNDER the total.

The Sabres rank dead last in the NHL in scoring averaging just 1.8 goals per game. The Sens aren't much better, ranking 28th in the league in scoring. Both teams though have managed to stay reasonably competitive by playing strong defense. They rank 7th and 8th respectively in goals against. The Sens are coming off an impressive 2-0 shutout win over the Rangers, and Craig Anderson has allowed just two goals in his last three starts. These two teams have a history of playing low scoring games, failing to reach the total in eight straight meetings dating back to 2014. The under is 12-2-2 in the Sabres last 16 overall, and 10-0-1 in their last 11 versus a team with a winning record.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Charlotte Hornets.

The Hornets will play their second game in as many nights at home versus Detroit. Charlotte is coming off back to back wins, putting them half a game up on Atlanta for the lead in the Southeast Division. I don't think they'll let up here in a home game against a struggling Pistons team. Detroit has lost eight of nine games on the road this season, and their last game was a 106-88 loss at Oklahoma City. They have really missed starting PG Reggie Jackson, who has returned to practice but isn't expected to play until this weekend at the earliest. The Hornets have covered the spread in seven of the last 10 meetings, and four of five home meetings during that span. The Pistons are 0-5 ATS in their last five road games versus a team with a winning record.

Take CHA.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on BSU@ORE to go OVER the total.

The Ducks are coming off a 79-69 win over the Connecticut Huskies, and they shot 54.7 percent from the field, and 42.9 percent from beyond the arc in the victory. They host the Boise State Broncos tonight, and I expect to see both teams score their share of points. The Broncos are coming off back to back blowout wins, scoring 90 against Western Michigan, and dropping 82 on Presbyterian. These teams have met twice since 2011, and the home team won each meeting. Last year the Broncos won 74-72 at home, and the Ducks won the previous meeting 79-71 at Eugene. The total for tonight's game looks a little low, especially when you consider that both teams scored over 70 points in each of the previous two meetings. The Ducks have averaged 83.5 point on 46.6 percent shooting at home so far, and they have hit 81.1 percent of their free throws at home.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on BUT@UTAH to go OVER the total.

The Butler Bulldogs are 6-0, coming off an impressive win over #8 ranked Arizona. They face another tough test tonight, taking on the Utes in Utah. Both teams have been scoring a ton of points, and I expect to see a high scoring game here in this one. Utah is averaging 89.5 points per game on 49.6 percent shooting. The Utes have gone over the total in six of their last seven overall, and the over is 10-2 in Utah's last 12 non conference games. The Bulldogs have gone over in five of their last six versus PAC12 teams. Both these teams are shooting a high percentage from beyond the arc, and both teams are hitting better than 70 percent from the charity stripe. Last year Utah scored at least 80 points in each of it's first eight home games. That includes wins over San Diego State and BYU. They over is 5-1 in Utah's last six home games.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on UTAH@MIN to go UNDER the total.

The Jazz are the top defensive team in the NBA, holding opponents to an average of just 92.8 points per game. They are coming off their most impressive victory of the season, holding the Hawks to just 68 points in a 95-68 home win on Friday. They are in Minnesota tonight, and the T-Wolves have lost four of their last five. Minnesota ranks 19th in the NBA scoring an average of 103.1 points per game, but has been held to less than 100 points in four of it's last five games. These two teams have gone under in three of the last four meetings, and the one game that went over saw just 193 total points. This is a big game for the Jazz, who sit just a half game back of Oklahoma City in the Northwest Division standings. Minnesota sits dead last in the division, and the T-Wolves have gone under in seven straight versus Northwest Division teams.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on MINN@FSU to go UNDER the total.

The Gophers are 6-0, and they come into Tallahassee averaging over 80 points per game so far. This will be their first game against a ranked opponent, and I don't like their chances of scoring 80 here against the Seminoles. Florida State is 5-1 overall, and 4-0 at home. These two teams have met four times since 2007, and they failed to reach the total in three of those four contests. Tonight's total is 10 points higher than it was in any of those previous meetings. Minnesota has failed to reach the total in five of it's last seven non conference games, while Florida State has gone under in four of it's last five versus BIG10 teams. After suffering their first loss of the season to Temple on Thanksgiving, the Seminoles tightened things up in a 72-61 win over Illinois Friday. I expect to see a similar score here against the Gophers tonight.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Denver Broncos.

I am not going to mince words, I think the Chiefs are a FRAUD! They aren't anywhere near as good as their 7-3 record would indicate. They trailed by double digits in wins over San Diego and Carolina, but rallied to win those games. Falling behind here in Denver could prove to be fatal, as this defense doesn't often blow leads. The Broncos are coming off a bye week, and that extra time to rest an prepare for the Chiefs should give them a huge advantage. Derek Wolfe and Aqib Talib are back for the Broncos, while Tamba Hali, Marcus Peters, Dee Ford and Jeremy Maclin are all banged up for Kansas City. Alex Smith has not played well at all, and playing on the road against the Super Bowl champs isn't going to be easy for the struggling quarterback. The Broncos are 6-1-1 in their last eight home games, while the Chiefs are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road games versus a team with a winning home record.

Take DEN.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Oakland Raiders.

The Raiders are 8-2, and quarterback Derek Carr is making a case for NFL MVP. He threw for 295 yards, three TDs and just one INT in last week's win over the Texans in Mexico City. I expect Carr to put up big numbers here at home today against a Carolina defense that is reeling after losing Luke Keuchly. Carolina has really missed Josh Norman, and the Panthers come into this game at Oakland ranked 21st in the league versus the pass. They've lost three of four road games so far this season, and haven't covered the spread on the road in eight straight dating back to last season. The reigning MVP has really struggled all year, and last week against the Saints he completed just 42 percent of his passes for 192 yards and a TD. That's not likely going to be good enough to keep up with Carr and the Raiders high powered passing game.

Take OAK.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Seattle Seahawks.

Seattle has won three straight, and Russell Wilson has thrown for 902 yards with six TDs and no INTs during this winning streak. Wilson had been limited by a knee injury earlier this season, but since he regained his mobility, he's been a handful for opposing defenses. The Bucs have lost two of their last three home games, and they gave up at total of 73 points in those losses. Tampa's defense ranks 24th in the NFL allowing 26 points per game. I don't like the Bucs chances of stopping Seattle, and it's going to be tough for Tampa to score enough point to keep this game close. Jameis Winston hasn't seen a defense like Seattle's since he played at home versus Denver in the first week of October. He threw for 179 yards on 17-of-35 passing, with two picks and no TDs in a 27-7 loss in that game. He was even worse against Arizona, throwing four picks in a 40-7 loss in Week 2. Seattle has covered the spread in five straight games in November, and the Hawks are 4-1 ATS in their last five at Tampa.

Take SEA.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on DEN@EWU to go OVER the total.

The Denver Pioneers come into Saturday's game at Eastern Washington as one of the top shooting teams in the country, hitting 53.8 percent from the field in three games this season. That hasn't translated into wins though, because the Pioneers are brutal on defense, allowing opponents to average 83 points per game. The Eagles aren't much better, with an opponent's scoring average of over 81 points per game. Both these teams like to shoot a lot of three pointers, and neither team has been particularly effective defending the perimeter. The Eagles are hitting 83.1 percent from the charity stripe, and that could be huge here against a Denver team that has seen opponents take an average of 30 free throws per game. Denver has seen the total go over in six of it's last seven against teams from the Big Sky Conference, and this has all the signs of another barn burner.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the San Francisco Dons.

The Dons are off to a 3-0 start, and they won their last game at home by a score of 79-67 over Troy. Senior guard Ronnie Boyce scored 25 points on 8-of-14 shooting in the victory, and he's averaging 28 points per game so far. The Dons play the Sacramento State Hornets tonight, and the Hornets are 1-3 with their only win coming against the Antelope Valley Pioneers. This looks like a tough spot for Sacramento State, as they are just 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 games versus teams from the WCC. Despite a soft schedule, the Hornets have only managed to hit 35.6 percent from the field, and 21.2 percent from beyond the arc. They've been clobbered on the boards, and have allowed opponents to average 84.7 points per game. Sacramento State has failed to cover in four of it's last five non-conference contests, and I don't like the Hornet's chances of hanging with the Dons.

Take SF.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on MSU@PSU to go UNDER the total.

The Spartans are a lot better than their 3-8 record, and they proved that by nearly upsetting the Buckeyes at home last week. Four of their eight losses have come by four points or less, and they've played far better defensively in recent weeks. Running back L.J. Scott has carried the offense, running for 282 yards and two TDs on 39 carries the last two weeks. We could see both teams lean on the run this week when they play at Penn State. The weather forecast is calling for wind and freezing cold temperatures, similar to last week's game versus the Buckeyes. The Stakes couldn't be any higher for the Nittany Lions, who can clinch a spot in the BIG10 Championship game with a win, and a Michigan loss to Ohio State. Penn State's defense has surrendered just 14 points in it's last two home games, and they've held the Spartans to less than 20 points in three of the last five head to head meetings. Previous meetings have gone over the total at a rate of 13-3-1 in the last 17 meetings between these two teams, but the number in this game is far higher than it was in any of the last seven meetings. I expect a close, low scoring game in bad weather this weekend.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on MICH@OSU to go UNDER the total.

The Buckeyes just narrowly escaped with a 17-16 win on the road at East Lansing last week, and they will face another tough test at home versus Michigan in Week 13. There's a lot on the line here, as the loser is likely going to be eliminated from the playoffs. Michigan bounced back from a 14-13 loss at Iowa to beat Indiana by a score of 20-10 last week. The Wolverines offense is still sputtering though, and backup quarterback John O'korn three for just 59 yards on 7-of-16 passing in his first start since Wilton Speight went down with a broken collar bone. J.T. Barrett didn't have a great day either, throwing for just 86 yards and a TD on 10-of-22 passing. Both coaches will say that the weather was to blame for last week's poor performance on offense, but in a high stakes game in Columbus in late November, defense should reign supreme. These two teams rank 1st and 3rd respectively in total defense, and the weather man is calling for another cold and windy day in Ohio.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Texas Longhorns.

With all the negativity surrounding this Texas Team, it's important to remember that only one of their six losses this season have come by more than a touchdown. In fact they've lost four games by five points or less, two of those against Top 25 ranked teams. That's still not good enough to save Charlie Strong's job, and he's expected to be fired following Friday's game against TCU. The Longhorn's players should be highly motivated to give Strong a positive sendoff, as he's well respected in the locker room. The nation's leading rusher D'Onta Foreman will likely see plenty of touches, and he should put up huge numbers against this TCU defense that was shredded for 334 rushing yards in a home loss to Oklahoma State last week. TCU quarterback Kenny Hill was brutal in that game, throwing for just 166 yards with a TD and two INTs on 18-of-27 passing. Hill isn't playing well, but his receivers haven't been doing him any favors, dropping a lot of balls that should have been caught. The Horned Frogs really miss Josh Doctson. The Horned Frogs have failed to cover in six of their last seven conference games, and they are 0-5 ATS in their last five versus teams with a losing record. Texas has covered in four of their last five home games.

Take TEX.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on Montreal.

The Habs sit at the top of the NHL standings with a record of 14-3-2. Montreal's hot start comes as no surprise to me, as this is the team I picked to win it all before the season started. Here is what I said just a few weeks ago:

"The Montreal Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup a record 24 times. Last year they started off well, winning their first nine games, and going into November with the league's best record. An injury to starting goaltender Carey Price derailed their season, and it was all downhill from there. Price was 10-2 with a 2.06 GAA and a .934 save percentage prior to the injury, and those stats would have led the league if he played enough games to qualify.

If you're thinking to yourself: "that's a small sample size", keep in mind that he led the NHL in GAA, wins and save percentage the previous season (2014-15). Price is clearly the best goalie in the world, and he proved that once again while winning gold with Canada in the World Cup of Hockey in September.

Shea Weber was the anchor on defense for team Canada in the tournament, and he replaces P.K. Subban on the Habs blue line. What Weber might lack in terms of raw talent (compared to Subban), he makes up for it with maturity and leadership.

And what might prove to be the biggest off-season pick up by any team, they added 2015 KHL scoring leader Alexander Radulov. He returns to the NHL at the age of 30, and he looks like he's grown up a lot since he was benched in the playoffs when he played for Nashville in 2012. He's looked great in the pre-season so far, and he has the potential to be the team's leading scorer.

Given that the Habs went to the Conference Finals two seasons ago, and they have the NHL's best goaltender, I think it's fair to call them a contender. I like their chances a lot better than teams like St. Louis, Dallas, Nashville, LA, or San Jose, and the payout is much higher on Montreal."

They host the Carolina Hurricanes tonight, and this is a game that Montreal needs to get back on track. The Canes might be a little complacent after winning five straight. One of those five wins came here at Montreal, adding a revenge angle here for the Habs.

Take MTL.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Texas A&M Aggies.

The Tigers are coming off an ugly 16-10 home loss to Florida, and they come into College Station asked to cover a big spread as a road favorite. That's going to be challenging without leading rusher Leonard Fournette, and I expect the Aggies to keep this game close. Texas A&M has lost two of four since Trevor Knight went down with a season ending injury, but those losses came in games decided by a combined total of eight points. Backup quarterback Jake Hunenak has thrown for 811 yards with six TDs and just two INTs on 59.8 percent passing so far, but he has his work cut out for him against this tough LSU secondary. The Tigers have won four straight in this series dating back to 2012, and all four of those games went under the total. Their two wins at College Station each came by less than seven points. LSU has played three games away from home, losing two of those three and scoring less than 20 points in each of those losses. Last week's home loss to Florida was particularly deflating, getting stuffed on the goal line twice at the end of the game.

Take AGGIES.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on LSU@TAM to go UNDER the total.

The Tigers are coming off an ugly 16-10 home loss to Florida, and they come into College Station asked to cover a big spread as a road favorite. That's going to be challenging without leading rusher Leonard Fournette, and I expect the Aggies to keep this game close. Texas A&M has lost two of four since Trevor Knight went down with a season ending injury, but those losses came in games decided by a combined total of eight points. Backup quarterback Jake Hunenak has thrown for 811 yards with six TDs and just two INTs on 59.8 percent passing so far, but he has his work cut out for him against this tough LSU secondary. The Tigers have won four straight in this series dating back to 2012, and all four of those games went under the total. Their two wins at College Station each came by less than seven points. LSU has played three games away from home, losing two of those three and scoring less than 20 points in each of those losses. Last week's home loss to Florida was particularly deflating, getting stuffed on the goal line twice at the end of the game. LSU has gone under in nine of it's last 10 games in the month of November.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on WAS@DAL to go OVER the total.

The Cowboys have now won nine straight, and they've been unstoppable on offense during that span. They rank 3rd in the league in scoring, averaging over 28 points per game. They've scored at least 27 points in six straight games, and that trend should continue here at home against the Redskins #22 ranked defense. They'll likely need to score plenty to beat the Redskins, who are one of the leagues highest scoring teams. Kirk Cousins ranks 3rd in the league in passing, and he should be primed to put up big numbers against an injury depleted Dallas secondary. Jordan Reed is a matchup nightmare, and the Washington TE caught five passes for 70 yards in a 27-23 home loss to Dallas earlier in the year. Cousins has been playing far better since that game, and he's got plenty of weapons with DeSean Jackson back and healthy, Jamison Crowder and Pierre Garcon. These two teams have gone over the total in three of the last four head to head meetings, and Washington has gone over in eight of it's last 10 overall.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Nevada Wolfpack.

This Wolfpack team looks like a true contender in the Mountain West. Nevada absolutely crushed Oregon State on Friday, winning by a score of 83-58. The Wolfpack are 3-0 at home so far, with both of those wins coming by double digits. They were 11-3 at home last season, and won the CBI Tournament. Nevada returns four of five starters, including D.J Fenner and Cameron Oliver who each averaged over 13 points per game last year. Oliver scored a team high 24 against Oregon State, and he scored 22 points in a win over Iona on Sunday. They travel to Alaska to play the Oakland Grizzlies, who have failed to cover in eight of their last 11 neutral site games. Nevada is 8-1-1 ATS in it's last 10 non conference games, and they've dominated teams from smaller conferences the last two years. Oakland lost last year's leading scorer Kay Felder to the NBA draft, and it will be difficult to replace that productions as he average over 24 points per game last year.

Take NEV.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Leafs are coming off a 2-1 loss at Montreal on Saturday night, but on a positive note, Frederik Anderson had another strong start. Toronto has plenty of firepower, ranking 3rd in the NHL in scoring, but poor goaltending proved costly early this season. Anderson though has been playing much better lately. He's won three straight home starts, and he's 7-2 overall at Air Canada Center. The Leafs host Carolina tonight, and the Canes have really been brutal on the road. While they've won four straight home games, the Canes have just two wins in nine games on the road so far. The Leafs have won six of their last seven home games, and they are 2-0-1 in the last three meetings in this series. I like the price we get on the home team, especially given how well Toronto has played since Babcock made them skate in the dark following a 7-0 loss to the Kings two weeks ago.

Take TOR.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Washington Redskins.

The Packers have lost three straight, allowing an average of 37 points per game during that span. Aaron Rodgers has been struggling, and he was picked off twice in an ugly loss at Tennessee last week. Without any real threat in the running game, opposing defenses have been able to put a ton of pressure on Rodgers. He was sacked five times in last week's loss to the Titans. Washington is 5-1-1 in it's last seven overall, and the Skins have won three straight at home during that span. Kirk Cousins is playing a lot like he did last year, ranking fourth in the NFL in passing, with 2,716 yards, 14 TDs and seven INTs. He's benefiting from strong play by the Skins O-Line, as well as an abundance of weapons to throw to. Last week against Minnesota, he was sacked just once while throwing for 262 yards and a pair of TDs on 22-of-33 passing. With Jordan Reed, Pierre Garcon, Jamison Crowder and Vernon Davis, Cousins has an embarrassment of riches. It only gets better as DeSean Jackson is expected to return to the lineup to face Green Bay. The Packers have failed to cover the spread in six of their last seven games in November, while the Skins are 6-1 ATS in their last seven overall.

Take WAS.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Nevada Wolfpack. The Iona Gaels lost six players from last year's team that finished with a 22-11 record in second place in the MAAC. They were 0-4 on the road versus non-conference opponents last year, and they lost by 25 points at Valparaiso, and by 20 points at Oregon State. They have started this season in similar fashion, losing 99-78 at Florida State in their opener. It won't get any easier at Nevada, as this Wolfpack team looks like a true contender in the Mountain West. Nevada absolutely crushed Oregon State on Friday, winning by a score of 83-58. The Wolfpack are 2-0 at home so far, with both of those wins coming by double digits. They were 11-3 at home last season, and won the CBI Tournament. Nevada returns four of five starters, including D.J Fenner and Cameron Oliver who each averaged over 13 points per game last year. Oliver scored a team high 24 against Oregon State, and he should be primed for a big night versus Iona.

Take NEV.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Baltimore Ravens.

The Dallas Cowboys are the hottest team in the NFL, coming into this week's home game versus Baltimore as winners of eight in row. It's not easy to stay on top in the NFL, and that is especially true for a rookie quarterback like Dak Prescott. He might be feeling just a little more pressure this week, after Dallas legend Tony Romo gave an emotional speech, passing the torch to Prescott and calling him the undisputed team leader. He's facing a Baltimore defense that ranks #1 in the NFL in total defense and #1 overall versus the run. The Ravens are 5-4, but their average margin of defeat in the four games they lost is less than five points. If Baltimore can slow down Ezekiel Elliot, it's going to put a ton of pressure on Prescott, which may spell trouble for the Cowboys. Dallas is just 5-11-1 ATS in it's last 17 home games, and I think it's going to be difficult for the Cowboys to run up the score here against the league's best defense.

Take BAL.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on OKLA@WVU to go UNDER the total.

The 8-1 Mountaineers aren't getting much respect from bookmakers this week, listed as a home underdog to the 8-2 Oklahoma Sooners. Everybody loves Oklahoma's offense, and we've seen quarterback Baker Mayfield put up some impressive numbers. He threw for 545 yards and seven TDs against Texas Tech, and he had big games against Texas, Iowa State, TCU and Baylor. None of those teams can play defense like West Virginia. The Mountaineers have shut down a few high powered offenses already this year, holding the likes of TCU, Texas Tech and Texas under 21 points. West Virginia might want to focus on running the ball here at home, especially after Skyler Howard was picked off three times last week against Texas. The weather forecast in Morgantown is calling for a 90% chance of rain, as well as high winds. The Sooners have failed to reach the total in five straight, while West Virginia has gone under in five of it's last six overall. This total appears to be a little inflated, especially given the bad weather.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Stanford Cardinal.

Since Keller Chryst took over at quarterback for the Cardinal, Stanford has won three straight games, all by double digits. The junior threw for 258 yards and three TDs in a 52-27 win at Oregon last week. This week's game against Cal should be very similar, as the Bears are another team that really struggles on defense. In fact, Cal ranks dead last in the FBS in points allowed, giving up an average of 45.6 points per game so far. They've given up an FBS worst 28 rushing TDs, and they rank dead last in yards per carry, allowing opponents to average 6.2 yards per attempt. That should spell trouble as they get set to face the most prolific running back of all time (McCaffrey owns the single season record of all purpose yards). Last week at Oregon, McCaffrey ran for 135 yards and three TDs, and caught five passes for 52 yards. Cal has scored plenty of points this season, but for the most part against inferior opponents. I don't like the Bears chances this week, with a banged up Davis Webb facing a tough Cardinal defense. Stanford has won six straight in this series, and five of those wins came by a double digit margin. This looks like a good spot for the Cardinal to win in another blowout.

Take STAN.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on NJD@LAK to go UNDER the total.

The Devils are a team that is short on offense, and an injury to leading scorer Taylor Hall doesn't help. Hall leads the team with five goals and 12 points in 14 games, and he's expected to miss 3-4 weeks due to a knee injury. The good news for the Devils is that Corey Schneider has been standing on his head, and New Jersey ranks #1 overall in the NHL in goals against. We should expect a defensive hockey game here in a matinee in Los Angeles, as the Kings rank 22nd in the league in goals scored, and they own one of the NHL's worst power play units. With starting goalie Jonathan Quick injured earlier in the season, it looked like the Kings could be in trouble. Veteran Peter Budaj has stepped up, going 8-6-1 with a 2.12 GAA. These teams have a history of playing low scoring games, failing to reach the total in eight of the last 10 meetings. The Devils have only gone over the total once in their last 13 road games, while the Kings have failed to reach the total in six of their last seven home games.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

The Maryland Terrapins are coming off consecutive blowout losses, and they were out-scored 121-6 in those games versus Ohio State and Michigan. The good news is that they need to win just one of their remaining two games to become bowl eligible, but it's unlikely that they will get that win here on the road at Nebraska. In fact, they might be better off resting their injured players for next week's game versus Rutgers. Maryland used three quarterbacks in last week's 62-3 home loss to the Buckeyes, and they combined to throw for just 133 yards and an INT on 15-of-27 passing. Their starter Perry Hills suffered a shoulder injury two weeks ago versus Michigan, and then injured the other shoulder last week against Ohio State. His status for this game is in question, and the Terps may also be without their top two running backs. Leading rusher Ty Johnson is questionable with a shoulder injury, and freshman Lorenzo Harrison is serving a suspension due to an off field incident. Harrison leads the team with five rushing TDs. The Cornhuskers also have injury concerns, but playing at home against a short-handed Maryland team should be a cake walk. 

Take NEB.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on Utah.

The Utah Utes have played twice this season, winning both games by 40+ points. They are a huge favorite at home tonight against Coppin State, but I don't think 26 points is a big enough number all things considered. The Eagles are playing a rare third game in three nights, and fourth game in five nights. They are coming off back to back 30+ point losses at BYU and Coastal Carolina. Last night in Provo they shot just 25.9 percent from the field, and made just 50% of their free throws. They've given up an average of more than 80 points per game, and this Utah team is as good as anybody they have faced so far. The Utes are well rested, and this looks like it should be a complete mismatch. Utah ranks 3rd nationally averaging 56 rebounds per game, and they have held opponents to an average of 45 points during their 2-0 start. The home team should win this game by 30+ points.

Take UTAH.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on ARI@CAL to go UNDER the total.

The Flames are coming off an impressive 1-0 win on the road at Minnesota, and they are back home to host Arizona in their second game of a back to back. The Coyotes are coming off back to back home losses to Boston and Winnipeg, scoring just three goals in those games. We might not see a lot of offense here in Cow Town tonight, as these are two of the least talented teams in the league. Calgary ranks 25th in the league in scoring, and they have one of the league's worst power play percentages (10.2 %). The Yotes aren't much better, ranking 24th in the NHL converting on just 11.9 percent of their power play chances. The status of Calgary's leading scorer Johnny Gaudreau is up in the air after he sat out the third period of last night's game. These teams have a history of playing low scoring games, failing to reach the total in six of the last seven meetings. Calgary has gone under in five of it's last six overall, and four straight when playing on back to back nights.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Nashville Predators.

After a slow start to the season, the Preds have won three straight. The scary thing for Leafs fans is that Pekka Rinne is coming off a 27 save shutout, and has conceded just two goals in his last three starts. Toronto's goaltending situation has been a complete nightmare, with Frederik Anderson really struggling. The former Anaheim Ducks starting netminder has conceded 11 goals while losing two of his last three starts, and he has an unsightly 3.42 GAA in 13 games played. Toronto ranks 28th in the league allowing an average of 3.6 goals per game. Nashville should be able to take advantage of the Leafs defensive shortcomings, especially on the man-advantage. The Preds boast the league's 5th best power play, converting on roughly 25 percent of their chances. Nashville has won three straight, and four of their last five at Toronto.

Take NAS.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the San Diego Chargers.

The Miami Dolphins take a three game winning streak into this Sunday's game at San Diego, but all three wins came at home. Playing on the road on the other side of the country looks like a tough spot for the Fish, who are still looking for their first road win this season. Phillip Rivers is having another outstanding season, and he's thrown for 994 yards with nine TDs and just one INT at home this season. The Chargers are 3-1 at home, and the home team has won six straight in this series since 2008. The Dolphis have been successful in recent weeks, leaning on running back Jay Ajayi. He's facing a stout San Diego defense though, that ranks among the NFL's best run defenses, holding opponents to an average of 85 rushing yards per game. The Dolphins run defense has been one of the worst in the NFL, ranking 29th overall, allowing over 136 yards per game. That could mean another big game for Melvin Gordon, who ran for 196 yards and a TD in last week's win over Tennessee. The Chargers are 4-1 ATS in their last five home games, while Miami has failed to cover in four of it's last five on the road.

Take SD.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the New Orleans Saints.

The Saints are surging, coming into this week's home game versus Denver as winners of four of their last five. The Broncos on the other hand are coming off an ugly loss on the road at Oakland, and have lost three of their last five. Denver has really missed C.J. Anderson, who has been sidelined for the rest of the season with a knee injury. Backup running back Devontae Booker has been playing through a shoulder injury, and he's been limited to just 76 yards on 29 carries while starting the last two games. The Broncos are also dealing with injuries on defense, and they really struggled in the loss to Oakland, taking 12 penalties for a total of 104 yards. Drew Brees threw for 323 yards and three TDs on 28-of-39 passing in a win at San Francisco last week, and he ranks second in the NFL in passing yards. He has incredible numbers at home, completing almost 70 percent of his passes for 1,529 yards, 12 TDs and just two INTs. His last home game was a win over the Seattle Seahawks, throwing for 265 yards and a TD on 27-of-35 passing. I expect a similar result this week against another tough defense at the Super Dome.

Take N.O.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Washington Redskins.

After losing their first two games of the season, the Redskins have gone 4-1-1 in their last six overall. Kirk Cousins ranks among the league leaders in passing, and he threw for a whopping 458 yards in last week's 27-27 tie versus Cincinnati. Washington's biggest problem has been a poor run defense, which isn't likely to hurt them against Minnesota, a team that ranks 31st in the league in rushing. The Vikings offense is in shambles, averaging just 12 points per game during a three game losing streak. Minnesota's defense carried the team early this season, but injuries to several key players have hurt the Vikes. It looks like they will be without starting corners Marcus Sherels and Captain Munnerlyn. Washington might be without DeSean Jackson, but Cousins still has his fair share of weapons in Jordan Reed, Jamison Crowder, Pierre Garcon and Vernon Davis.

Take WAS.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the USC Trojans.

The Washington Huskies head into this Saturday's home game versus USC ranked 4th nationally, looking to move to 10-0 on the season. They've beaten some good teams already this season, but this looks like their toughest test to date. The Trojans opened the season losing three of their first four games, but have since won five straight. Sam Darnold took over at quarterback in Week 4 versus Utah, and the Trojans held a lead in that game right up until the final 16 seconds when Utah scored late for the come from behind win. The freshman has thrown for over 1,800 yards with 20 TDs and just four INTs this season, and USC has scored at least 45 points in three straight games. The Huskies have won just three of their last 10 against USC, and all three of those wins came in gamed decided by five points or less. I expect Washington to be tested here, and we should see another close game. This line looks a little inflated, and I'll take the points with USC. The underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last five in this series.

Take USC.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Arkansas Razorbacks.

The Razorbacks are getting a generous cushion at home this week against an LSU team that failed to score a single point in a home loss to Alabama last Saturday. Of course the Hogs defense isn't likely to be as successful stopping the run as the #1 ranked Crimson Tide, but Arkansas has one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC. The Hogs are coming off an impressive 31-10 win over Florida, holding the Gators to just 12 yards on 14 carries. These teams have played seven times since 2009, and Arkansas is 6-1 ATS in those games. The Hogs won outright at Baton Rouge last year (31-14), and won 17-0 at home in 2015. There's no secret that the key to beating the Tigers is stopping star running back Leonard Fournette. He was held to just 35 yards on 17 carries in the loss to Alabama last Saturday, and it won't get any easier here this week. Arkansas was one of just two teams to hold Fournette under 100 yards last season.

Take ARK.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Milwaukee Bucks.

The 0-8 Pelicans played back to back games on Monday/Tuesday, and they play their third game in four nights on the road at Milwaukee tonight. This looks like a tough spot for the shorthanded Pelicans, who are at the end of a three game road trip. New Orleans has really missed Tyreke Evans and Quincy Poindexter, who have both battled knee injuries. This is a "get right game" for the Bucks, who didn't play well in an 86-75 loss at Dallas on Sunday. They have won three of four at home this season, and they were a solid 23-18 at home last year. The Pelicans have lost 36 of their last 45 road games, and they are 1-4 ATS in their last four away from the Big Easy. New Orleans ranks dead last in the NBA with a three-point shooting percentage of .277 this season. The worst part is that Anthony Davis is averaging over 30 points and 11 rebounds per game, so it's not like you can ask him to do anymore.

Take MIL.

GL,

Jesse Schule.

This is a 10* play on the Toledo Rockets.

The Northern Illinois Huskies have been to six consecutive MAC Championship games, winning the conference title three times during that span. They have really dropped off here this season, coming into this week's home game versus Toledo with a 3-6 record. All three of those wins have come against bottom feeders in the conference (Ball State, Buffalo and Bowling Green). They've been crushed when they've played tougher opposition, suffering double digit losses to South Florida, San Diego State and Western Michigan). They even lost at home to an opponent from the FCS (Western Illinois). The Huskies have won six straight in this series, and I think past results have resulted in line value on the Rockets, who should be a much bigger favorite here. NIU was getting 17.5 points versus Western Michigan, 13 points versus San Diego State and 14 points versus South Florida. Facing a Rockets team that ranks 14th nationally in points scored should prove to be too much at a neutral site at US Cellular Field.

Take TOL.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 7* play on the Anaheim Ducks.

The Ducks opened the season with four straight losses, but have gone 5-2-1 in eight games since. They are coming off a 5-1 blowout win at home over Arizona on Friday, and they host a struggling Calgary team playing on the back end of a back to back at the Duck Pond tonight. Calgary was shutout in a 5-0 loss to the Kings at the Staples Center last night, and they have lost three of their last four overall. The Flames special teams play has been brutal, ranking 28th on the power play, and 29th on the penalty kill. The Ducks goaltender Jon Gibson stopped 21-of-22 shots in the win over the Coyotes, and he has owned the Flames in recent meetings. He was 4-0 with a 0.83 GAA in four starts versus Calgary last year. The Ducks have a long history of dominating Calgary, going 9-0-1 in the last 10 meetings, and 28-1 in their last 29 home meetings with the Flames.

Take ANA.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Lakers.

Coming off a shocking upset win over Golden State, this might seem like a classic "let down spot" for the Lakers. I've never been a big fan of situational handicapping without considering the rest of the available info, and everything else I see tells me that getting the Lakers as a small favorite at home here is a bargain. You could argue that the Suns are also in a let down spot, coming off an overtime win on the road at New Orleans. Devin Booker hit a buzzer beater to tie that game, forcing OT.  It was just the Suns second win in six games, and Phoenix has been brutal defensively. The Suns rank 30th in the NBA, allowing opponents to average 112.3 points per game so far. The Lakers coach puts things in perspective with this comment: "Honestly, we're looking at the big picture and the big picture isn't beating Golden State and then losing Sunday night at home," Los Angeles coach Luke Walton said. "The big picture is we make it really hard on teams that come into Staples Center and get wins, and so far we've had two home games against two really good teams and won both." The Lakers are 6-0 ATS in their last six home games, and they had six players score in double figures in their home win over the Warriors Sunday. Julius Randle and Lou Williams each scored 20 points.

Take LAL.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on DEN@OAK to go OVER the total.

The defending Super Bowl champs are tied with Oakland in the AFC West with both teams at 6-2 after eight games. The Raiders host Denver on Sunday night, and the total looks a little low considering how potent Oakland's offense has been. Derek Carr is having an MVP caliber season, throwing for 2,321 yards with 17 TDs and just three INTs so far. He threw for a whopping 513 yards and four TDs on 40-of-59 passing in a win over Tampa last week. Surely he will have a tougher time against Denver's defense, but I like his chances of putting enough points on the board to push this total over. While Oakland is a team that has a pass happy offense, the Broncos normally try to establish the run. They were a little more pass happy last week, with Trevor Siemian attempting 38 passes in comparison to just 25 running plays. Injuries in the secondary, and a depleted backfield for Denver should also contribute to a potential higher scoring game. The Raiders have been trending over at home, reaching the total in nine of their last 12 in Oakland.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the New Orleans Saints.

Both the Saints and the 49ers have losing records, but these two teams have very different goals ahead of this Week 9 matchup. San Francisco needs to start looking ahead, with this season already a write off. The Saints are 3-4, but are still in second place in the NFC South. They've won three of their last four games, and their defense has tightened up in recent weeks. Drew Brees is having another MVP caliber season, completing almost 70 percent of his passes for a total of 2,366 yards, 18 TDs and five INTs. He'll face a San Francisco defense that ranks dead last in points allowed, giving up over 31 points per game. The Niners were lit up last week at home by Jameis Winston, who threw for 269 yards and three TDs in a 34-17 blowout win. Colin Kaepernick is completing less than 50% of his passes, throwing for just 330 yards the last two weeks. He's also been sacked seven times in those games. This game appears to have blowout written all over it.

Take N.O.

GL,

Jesse Schule

10*

This is an 8* play on the Alabama Crimson Tide.

After losing two of their first four games, the Tigers fired head coach Les Miles. They have won three straight since, but I am still skeptical that this team can truly contend with elite teams. Last week's 38-21 win over Ole Miss wasn't quite as impressive as the score would indicate. The game was tied 21-21 at halftime, and the Rebels suffered yet another second half collapse. Leonard Fournette ran all over Mississippi's defense, with a whopping 284 yards and three TDs on just 16 carries. Don't expect those big plays to come against Alabama, and LSU's one dimensional offense is going to be hard pressed to put points on the board. Last year Fournette ran for a season low 31 yards, averaging just 1.6 yards per carry in a 30-16 loss to Alabama. He ran for 79 yards on 21 carries in a 20-13 home loss to Alabama the previous season. The Crimson Tide have won all but one of their games by at least two TDs, with the exception being a 48-43 win at Ole Miss. Alabama ranks 1st nationally in rushing defense, allowing opponents to average just 2.2 yards per carry. That doesn't bode well for an LSU team that needs to run the ball to score points.

Take BAMA.

GL,

Jesse Schule

10*

This is an 8* play on the Atlanta Falcons.

The Bucs upset the Falcons in Atlanta in Week 1, but Atlanta has since won five of seven to take a two game lead in the NFC South. The Falcons have won three of four on the road, while the Bucs are 0-3 at home. Matt Ryan is having an MVP caliber season, leading the NFL with 2,636 yards, 19 TDs and just four INTs. He should be able to pick apart a Bucs defense that surrendered a whopping 626 yards in a home loss to Oakland last week. That game was decided in overtime, despite the fact that Oakland had a 626-270 edge in total yards. Tampa is banged up in the backfield, with starting RB Doug Martin and backup Jaquizz Rodgers both inactive for tonight's game. That puts even more pressure on Jameis Winston, who has been wildly inconsistent. He threw for just 180 yards, completing 50 percent of his passes in the loss to Oakland Sunday. That likely won't be good enough here against the Falcons.

Take ATL.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Cleveland Indians +1.5.

The Indians have been an underdog in every game so far, yet they head home for Game 6 of the World Series with a 3-2 lead. They will try to clinch at home tonight, and starting pitcher Josh Tomlin is undefeated so far in the post-season.

Tomlin went 4 2/3 innings, surrendering no runs on two hits in a 1-0 win in Game 3 at Wrigley. He allowed just three runs on seven hits over 10 2/3 innings in wins over Boston and Toronto previously. Tomlin won't be asked to do all the heavy lifting, as the Indians can turn to their studs out of the bullpen.

The Cubs hand the ball to Jake Arrieta, who was brilliant in Game 2 at Progressive Field. He gave up one run on two hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings in that game. He had been rocked for six runs on 12 hits over 11 innings, losing his previous two post-season starts.

Four of the last seven games between these teams have been decided by one run.

Take CLE.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Edmonton Oilers.

Oilers have been stockpiling #1 draft picks for the better part of a decade, and it finally appears to be paying dividends. Edmonton's 19 year old captain Connor McDavid leads the NHL in scoring with 12 points in eight games. The Oilers have won five straight, and boast a 7-1 overall record. They host Ottawa Sunday, and the Senators are coming off a 5-2 loss to Calgary on Friday. Ottawa has lost 2-of-3 on the road so far, and they rank near the bottom of the league on special teams. Cam Talbot has been solid between the pipes for the Oilers, allowing just two goals in his last four starts. The Sens have lost 21 of their last 31 on the road, and I think we get a good line backing the red hot home team here in Edmonton.

Take EDM.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the New England Patriots.

The Bills didn't just beat the Patriots this season, they shut them out, winning 16-0 at Foxboro. Bill Belichick will look to avenge that loss here in the rematch in Buffalo this week. Things should be different this time around, with Tom Brady back from suspension, and Rob Gronkowski coming in with 16 catches for 364 yards and a pair of TDs in his last three games. LeGarrette Blount ran for 127 yards and a pair of TDs in last week's win over Pittsburgh. He could have a big day here in Buffalo, facing a Bills defense that was run over in a loss to Miami last week. The Bills have allowed opponents to average over 125 rushing yards per game so far, ranking 27th in the NFL against the run. The Buffalo backfield is in rough shape heading into this Sunday's game, with LeSean McCoy and Mike Gillislee both battling injuries. McCoy left last week's game at Miami after just eight carries for 11 yards, and he did not practice during the week. The last time the Pats played at Buffalo they won 40-32, and they are 10-2 in their last 12 at Buffalo. I'll take Brady and Belichick here in this revenge spot.

Take NE.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on ARI@CAR to go UNDER the total.

The Cardinals offense led the league in total yards last season, but Arizona has struggled to score in 2016. Carson Palmer threw for 342 yards on 29-of-49 passing in a 6-6 tie versus Seattle last week. He's been picked off five times, and has thrown just two TD passes in his last four starts. He's facing a Panthers secondary that has really struggled since Josh Norman left for Washington. Carolina couldn't stop Drew Brees in a 41-38 loss at New Orleans two weeks ago. Brees lit them up for 465 yards and four TDs. I would expect this defense to be better here at home coming off a bye week, and they did hold the Bucs to just 17 points in their last home game. Arizona has played very well defensively this season, ranking 5th in the NFL allowing just over 15 points per game. These two teams have gone over the total in three of four meetings since 2011, but the total for this Sunday's game is higher than it was in any of those previous contests. The Cardinals have gone under in 11 of their last 15 overall, and four straight on the road.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on STAN@ARI to go UNDER the total.

Stanford has lost three of it's last four games, and has scored an average of just 11 points per game during that span. Ryan Burns is really struggling at quarterback for the Cardinal, and he's thrown five INTs and just one TD pass in his last three starts. Christian McCaffrey has been banged up, failing to run for 100 yards in each of his last three starts. He wasn't able to play in Stanford's 17-10 win at Notre Dame. The good news for the Cardinal is their defense has played well, holding Colorado to 10 points last week, and Notre Dame to 10 point the week earlier. Arizona has lost four straight, and it's offense only managed 14 points in a home loss to USC last week. Stanford's defense should make life difficult for the Wildcats, and I think we'll see another low scoring game here in Arizona. The Cardinal have failed to reach the total in five of their last seven overall.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the St. Louis Blues.

The Blues opened the season winning three straight, but have since won just once in five games. Goaltender Jake Allen has played well, with a 3-1-2 record and a 2.13 GAA. He stopped 26-of-27 shots in a 2-1 shootout loss to Detroit on Thursday. The Kings are down to their third string goaltender after starter Jonathan Quick and backup Jeff Zatkoff went down with injuries early in the season. They have won four straight with veteran backup Peter Budaj between the pipes, but all four of those wins came after regulation. It's going to be tough to keep that streak alive here on the road in St. Louis. The Blues have a huge edge on special teams, with the second best penalty killing unit in the league, and an above average power play. The home team is 11-4 in the last 15 meetings between the two teams, and the Kings have lost eight of their last 11 on the road.

Take STL.

GL,

Jesse Schule

10* analysis before game time

This is a 10* play on the Florida Gators.

The Gators and the Bulldogs are two teams trending in different directions. Georgia is coming off an ugly loss at home to Vanderbilt, while Florida crushed Missouri 40-14 at home two weeks ago. The Bulldogs have lost three of their last four games, including a 45-14 loss at Ole Miss in September. Freshman quarterback Jacob Eason completed 16-of-36 passes for 137 yards and an INT in that game. The Bulldogs one dimensional offense is likely to struggle against a Gators defense that ranks 2nd overall in points allowed (12 per game). Georgia's running game couldn't get off the ground in the loss to Vanderbilt, gaining just 75 yards on 35 carries. The Gators have beaten the Bulldogs by double digits in each of the last two seasons, and they are 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings. I expect another blowout here in Jacksonville Saturday.

Take FLA.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Montreal Canadiens.

After just five games, the Habs have the best record in the NHL. The are tied with St. Louis with nine points overall, but the Blues have played one more game. Montreal's hot start comes as no surprise to me, as this is the team I picked to win it all before the season started. Here is what I said just a few weeks ago:

"The Montreal Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup a record 24 times. Last year they started off well, winning their first nine games, and going into November with the league's best record. An injury to starting goaltender Carey Price derailed their season, and it was all downhill from there. Price was 10-2 with a 2.06 GAA and a .934 save percentage prior to the injury, and those stats would have led the league if he played enough games to qualify.

If you're thinking to yourself: "that's a small sample size", keep in mind that he led the NHL in GAA, wins and save percentage the previous season (2014-15). Price is clearly the best goalie in the world, and he proved that once again while winning gold with Canada in the World Cup of Hockey in September.

Shea Weber was the anchor on defense for team Canada in the tournament, and he replaces P.K. Subban on the Habs blue line. What Weber might lack in terms of raw talent (compared to Subban), he makes up for it with maturity and leadership.

And what might prove to be the biggest off-season pick up by any team, they added 2015 KHL scoring leader Alexander Radulov. He returns to the NHL at the age of 30, and he looks like he's grown up a lot since he was benched in the playoffs when he played for Nashville in 2012. He's looked great in the pre-season so far, and he has the potential to be the team's leading scorer.

Given that the Habs went to the Conference Finals two seasons ago, and they have the NHL's best goaltender, I think it's fair to call them a contender. I like their chances a lot better than teams like St. Louis, Dallas, Nashville, LA, or San Jose, and the payout is much higher on Montreal."

They host Philly Monday, and the Flyers come in ranked 25th in goals against, and 21st on the penalty kill. The home team has won 20 of the last 26 meetings in this series, and Philly has lost four straight at Montreal.

Take MTL.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Arizona Cardinals.

The Seahawks are coming into Arizona off three straight wins, and they really have their swagger back. I bet against them last week, and here is what I said prior to the game: "Seattle is coming off a couple of double digit wins against inferior opponents. In fact, when you look at the Seahawks schedule, you can see that they've faced possibly the four worst quarterbacks in the NFL." "Seattle's offense has plenty of question marks, with injuries in the backfield, and a running game that has underachieved. Russell Wilson was injured in the win over San Francisco, limiting his ability to run the ball. He's run for -2 yards on six attempts in his last two starts. Christine Michael has a rather pedestrian 290 yards and two TDs as the feature running back" While they got the win at home versus Atlanta, they failed to cover as a seven points favorite. In fact the Falcons appeared to be engineering a potential game winning driver, which ended with a controversial non-call that most felt should have been pass interference. The running game was lackluster once again, with a total of just 72 yards on 27 carries. Arizona's run defense looked pretty damn good in the win over the Jets, giving up just 33 yards on 14 attempts. David Johnson ran for 111 yards and three TDs, and Carson Palmer was accurate completing 23-of-34 passes for 213 yards and a TD. Seattle's defense could be a little shorthanded this week with both Kam Chancellor and Michael Bennett nursing injuries.

Take ARI.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Minnesota Vikings.

The bubble appears to have burst for the surprising Philadelphia Eagles. After winning three straight to start the season, Philly is coming off consecutive losses to Detroit and Washington. Rookie quarterback Carson Wentz has struggled, throwing for just 179 yards and no TDs on 11-of-22 passing last week. He's been sacked eight times the last two weeks, and the offensive line is in rough shape since Lane Johnson started serving his suspension. The last thing you need when your offensive line is struggling to protect your rookie quarterback, is a meeting with the NFL's best defense, coming off a bye week. The Vikings have to be happy with their quarterback, as Sam Bradford has been spectacular since coming over via trade from Philly. He'll be looking forward to executing a bit of revenge on the franchise that decided to let him go. The Redskins gained 493 total yards against Philly's defense last week, and I expect a similar result here against Minny.

Take MIN. GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Chicago Cubs +1.5.

The Cubs are on the brink of clinching the NLCS versus L.A., but they will face the Dodgers ace in Game 6 at Wrigley.

Clayton Kershaw was dominant in a win in Chicago in Game 2, but he had surrendered eight runs on 15 hits in his previous two starts in these playoffs. Here is what I said about Kershaw before the NLDS versus Washington: "While he's widely considered to be the best pitcher of his generation, Kershaw hasn't had much success in the post-season. He owns a career record of 2-5 with a 4.59 ERA in the playoffs."

The Cubs hand the ball to Kyle Hendricks, who had the lowest ERA in the majors during the regular season, and he was particularly strong at Wrigley. The 26 year old was 9-2 with a 1.32 ERA in 14 starts in Chicago, and he was dominant in his only start versus the Dodgers.

The Dodgers are 4-8 in the last 12 meetings between the two teams, and three of those four wins came by a single run.

Take CHC.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the WVU Mountaineers. The TCU Horned Frogs just barely escaped with a come from behind 24-23 win over Kansas in Week 6. Quarterback Kenny Hill threw three picks, with just 206 yards and a TD on 17-of-32 passing. TCU is really missing Josh Doctson, and it's inexperienced receiving corps is making life difficult for Hill. It doesn't get any easier this week, facing the Mountaineers in Morgantown. West Virginia's defense has been impressive, and last week at Texas Tech they limited the Red Raiders to just 379 total yards. There are plenty of similarities between TCU and Texas Tech, and we should expect a similar result to what we saw last week when WVU won 48-17. TCU has failed to cover in five of it's last seven versus BIG12 teams, and five of their last six overall. The Horned Frogs are allowing over 30 points per game, ranking 85th nationally. Take WVU. GL, Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Wisconsin Badgers.

The Badgers have played a tough schedule, facing four teams ranked in the Top 10. Three of those opponents were ranked Top 5, and they lost close games at Michigan and last week blew a lead late against #2 ranked OSU. Considering the opposition, they deserve a lot of credit for going 4-2 and ranking in the Top 10 in scoring defense. Wisconsin has allowed just over 15 points per game, and I think they'll make life difficult for C.J. Beathard this week. Iowa's quarterback has failed to throw for 200 yards in five of seven games so far, and he's thrown as many picks (3) as touchdowns the last three weeks. This is a big time revenge spot for the Badgers, who lost 10-8 to Iowa at home last year. Beathard threw for just 77 yards on 9-of-21 passing, with 1 TD and an INT in that game. Wisconsin's offense did well last week, gaining 450 yards in a loss to the Buckeyes. Corey Clement ran for 164 yards on 25 carries, and he might have a big day against an Iowa defense that surrendered 198 rushing yards and two rushing TDs in a loss to Northwester a few weeks ago. Iowa already has two home losses to unranked teams, and I expect the #10 ranked badgers to be too much for them to handle.

Take WISC.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on the Toronto Blue Jays.

Cleveland is still in the driver's seat, but they are running out of fresh arms. The bullpen has done the heavy lifting here in Toronto, and now the Tribe send a rookie to the mound in Game 5. Marco Estrada has been dominant this post-season for the Jays, and they finally got something going with the bats on Tuesday. I like Toronto to force a Game 6.

Estrada (9-9, 3.48 ERA) went eight innings, allowing just a pair of runs on six hits, striking out six in a losing effort in Game 1. Ryan Merritt will make just his second start in the major leagues, and he was 11-8 with a 3.70 ERA in 24 starts in the minors. He's going to need nerves of steel here on the road against one of the scariest lineups in the majors leagues.

Take TOR.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Edmonton Oilers.

The Carolina Hurricanes finished 10 points out of a playoff spot last year, and they lost the heart and soul of their team in the off-season. Eric Staal was traded to Minnesota, as the Canes look to start a rebuild. Starting the season with six straight road games isn't ideal for Carolina, and earning points in their first two games should be considered an achievement, despite losing both games in OT.

They are in a tough spot here in Edmonton, facing a young Oilers team that can really fly. The Oilers scored 12 goals in back-to-back wins over Calgary to start the season, but then suffered a let down in a 6-2 loss to Buffalo. The loss caused head coach Todd McLellan to cancel a scheduled off-day, getting the players back on the ice at practice.

Connor McDavid has an NHL best six points so far, and he should get his fair share of chances against a Carolina team that conceded nine goals in two games so far.

Take EDM.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on the Cleveland Indians +1.5.

The Blue Jays mighty bats were silenced in Cleveland, scoring just one run while losing both Games 1 and 2. This really shouldn't be a surprise, the Jays flashed a bit of power in their series win over Texas, but prior to the post-season Toronto's bats were ice cold. They ranked dead last in the American League in runs scored in September, and batted just .238 as a team during that span.

Marcus Stroman will toe the slab for Toronto, and while he's pitched well this post-season, I don't think he should be a 2-1 favorite. Stroman (9-10, 4.37 ERA) allowed a pair of runs on four hits, striking out six in six innings in the American League Wild Card Game. He made six starts in the final month of the season, and Toronto lost five of those six games.

The Indians hand the ball to Trevor Bauer, who pitched well against Toronto this year. He allowed a pair of runs on seven hits, with 16 strikeouts in 13 innings versus the Jays. Bauer will be on a short leash, as Cleveland's bullpen is stacked with quality arms.

Four of the last five meetings between these two teams have been decided by one run.

Take CLE +1.5.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Atlanta Falcons.

There is plenty of hype surrounding both teams as the Falcons get set to face the Seahawks in Seattle this week. The question is, which of these two teams is for real? The answer might be both teams, but so far only Atlanta has really proved anything. Seattle is coming off a couple of double digit wins against inferior opponents. In fact, when you look at the Seahawks schedule, you can see that they've faced possibly the four worst quarterbacks in the NFL. 

This week they face the NFL's leading passer, and MVP front runner Matt Ryan. Matty Ice has thrown for 1,740 yards with 12 TDs and just two INTs this year. Perhaps more impressive, he's done it against teams like Denver and Carolina.

This game is quite reminiscent of last year's Week 6 matchup when Seattle was a 7-point favorite at home to Carolina, and eventual MVP Cam Newton. I had the Panthers in that one, and they trailed for most of the game, but managed to keep it close. They eventually came from behind to win on a last minute touchdown drive.

Seattle's offense has plenty of question marks, with injuries in the backfield, and a running game that has underachieved. Russell Wilson was injured in the win over San Francisco, limited his ability to run the ball. He's run for -2 yards on six attempts in his last two starts. Christine Michael has a rather pedestrian 290 yards and two TDs as the feature running back.

The Falcons defense held Denver to just 84 rushing yards without a rushing TD last week. I like Atlanta to keep this one close, if not winning outright at Seattle.

Take ATL.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Oakland Raiders.

The Chiefs are 0-2 on the road so far this season, and they will play at Oakland on Sunday. Quarterback Alex Smith completed just 57 percent of his passes, with 473 yards, two TDs and one pick in two road games. He's completed 73 percent of his passes for 600 yards and three TDs with one INT in two home games.

The Raiders are 4-1, and they rank 4th in the NFL in scoring, averaging over 28 points per game. Derek Carr is playing like an MVP candidate, throwing for 1,383 yards with 11 TDs and two INTs so far. Last week against the Chargers he threw for 317 yards and two TDs on 25-of-40 passing.

The skeptics will point out that Oakland's defense ranks 31st in the NFL against the pass. Perhaps we need to cut them some slack after facing the NFL's leading passer Matt Ryan, 6 x NFL passing leader Drew Brees, and Phillip Rivers who ranks 2nd in the NFL in passing yards.

Take OAK.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Buffalo Bills.

Rex Ryan and the Bills have turned things around, coming into Sunday's home game against San Francisco as winner of three straight. All three of those wins were blowouts, decided by more than 10 points. I expect a similar result here against a San Francisco team that is a complete mess on both sides of the ball. Blaine Gabbert has been a total bust at quarterback for the Niners, and he threw for 161 yards on 18-of-31 passing in last week's loss to Arizona. He was sacked seven times, and threw a pair of interceptions with just one TD. Fans are calling for backup Colin Kaepernick to step up to replace him, and that in itself is a testament to how desperate the situation is.

Kaepernick started eight games for San Francisco last year, and six of those were losses. He really looked awful in the pre-season, and there is concern that he's dropped a ton of weight, and may be less durable as a dual-threat quarterback. Only the Miami Dolphins have allowed more rushing yards than San Francisco this season, and that's alarming heading into a game against a Buffalo team that ranks 3rd in the league in rushing. LeSean McCoy will be looking to make a point here against former coach Chip Kelly, and McCoy ran for 150 yards against the Rams last week.

Take BUF.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Hawks will play the second game of a home and home series versus Nashville on Saturday, and they are still looking for their first win of the season. They lost 3-2 at Nashville last night, setting up a nice revenge angle here in Chicago. The Blackhawks had one of the best home records in the league last year, going 26-11-4 at the United Center. Nashville has lost seven of it's last eight games at Chicago.

Patrick Kane led the league in scoring last year, but has yet to record a single point in two games this season. I expect a much better effort from Toews and Kane, and the entire Chicago team as they look to avenge last night's loss. The Predators have lost four straight on the road, and they are just 18-38 in their last 56 games when playing on back-to-back nights.

Take CHI.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on Cleveland +1.5.

The Jays were shutout in Game 1 of the ALCS, losing 2-0 to Cleveland. Toronto is a favorite in Game 2 at Progressive Field, but I think the value is with the home team as a dog.

Josh Tomlin will toe the slab for the Tribe, and he was solid in a win at Boston in Game 3 of the ALDS. He gave up a pair of runs on four hits, striking out four and walking just one batter. That makes it six consecutive appearances where Tomlin has allowed two runs or less.

Toronto will hand the ball to J.A. Happ, who has been outstanding all year. The southpaw gave up nine hits in his only start in the division series, but limited Texas to one run in five innings. The Indians will hope to run up his pitch count, so they can get to work on Toronto's below average bullpen.

The Jays flashed a bit of power in their series win over Texas, but prior to the post-season Toronto's bats were ice cold. They ranked dead last in the American League in runs scored in September, and batted just .238 as a team during that span.

Take CLE +1.5.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on KSU.

The Oklahoma Sooners will host BIG12 rivals Kansas State this Saturday, and Oklahoma is a double-digit favorite. The Sooners spanked the Wildcats in Manhattan by a score of 55-0 last year, setting up a nice revenge angle in this rematch. Blowouts have been rare in this series, as the Wildcats had won two of three prior to last year's game, and all three of those games were decided by fewer than 10 points.

While Oklahoma has won back to back games, they were guilty of sloppy play and horrendous defense in both those victories. TCU scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull within three points of the Sooners two weeks ago. The Horned Frogs ended up with the ball, and a chance to win the game on their last drive, but came up short.

Last week against Texas they turned the ball over four times, and held on to win by just five points. Watching that game I noticed that several players on the Sooners defense were carted off the field, leaving them thin at several key positions. Kansas State comes into this game without any injuries to report.

The Wildcats might not have the same offensive firepower as Texas and TCU, but they have a far better defense than either of those two teams. Special teams may just be a deciding factor here, as Bill Snyder's squad ranks 6th nationally with a special teams efficiency of 72.5. The Sooners have been woeful on special teams, ranking 125th nationally with an efficiency of 22.4.

Oklahoma has allowed 40 or more points three weeks in a row, and ranks 109th nationally in scoring defense, surrendering over 36 points per game. It's hard enough to win games with a defense that bad, let alone cover. This game has upset written all over it.

Take KSU.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the San Francisco Giants.

The Giants are down 2-0 to the Cubs, and they turn to Madison Bumgarner in a must win game Sunday.

Bumgarner (15-9, 2.74 ERA) went the distance, striking out six and surrendering just four hits in a 3-0 win over the Mets in the NL Wild Card Game. He allowed a pair of runs on eight hits over 13 2/3 innings, winning both his starts versus the Cubs during the regular season. He was 9-4 with a 2.14 ERA in 17 home starts.

The Cubs hand the ball to Jake Arrieta, who was unhittable in the first half the season. The 30 year old faded down the stretch, losing three of his final five starts. He was torched for seven runs on 10 hits in five innings in an 8-4 loss at Pittsburgh his last time out.

The Giants are 5-1 in Bumgarner's last six starts against Chicago.

Take SF.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Green Bay Packers.

The Giants are coming off a tough 24-10 loss at Minnesota on Monday night, and they head to Green Bay to face the Packers at Lambeau with just five days to rest and prepare. The Packers are coming off a bye week, and I think this sets up Aaron Rodgers and company for a big blowout home win in this spot.

Manning threw for 261 yards and an INT on 25-of-45 passing against the Vikings, and Odell Beckham Jr. caught just three passes for 33 yards. They struggled to run the ball with Shane Vereen and Rashad Jennings sidelined by injury, totaling just 78 yards on the ground. The chemistry between Manning and Beckham seems to be deteriorating, as evidenced by Manning's comments after the loss to Minnesota: "He kind of brought that on himself".

Aaron Rodgers threw for 205 yards and four TDs in a home win over the Lions two weeks ago, and he owns the NFL's highest home passer rating of all time (110.2). The Giants have failed to cover in seven straight road games against teams with a winning record, and that's a trend that I expect to continue here in Green Bay.

Take GB.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Oakland Raiders.

The Raiders are 3-1 and they've been pretty impressive offensively so far. I don't think they are getting enough respect, listed as just a small favorite at home to the Chargers. San Diego is reeling, coming into this week's game with a 3-1 record, and a long list of injury woes. Phillip Rivers continues to keep them in games, but with Woodhead, Johnson and Allen out, and Gates questionable, he's running out of targets to throw to. They are perhaps worse off on the defensive side of the ball, without Verrett, Te'o and possibly Joey Bosa as well. Derek Carr has thrown for over 1000 yards with nine TDs and just one INT so far, and he should have a field day against a struggling Chargers defense that is thin in the secondary. The Raiders won both meetings last season, by a combined margin of 11 points. I expect the Chargers to struggle here on the road with so many key players sidelined by injury.

Take OAK.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Steelers came out flat in a 34-3 loss at Philly two weeks ago, but they came back and throttled Kansas City 43-14 last Sunday. They host the struggling New York Jets this week, and I really see no reason why this won't be another blowout. The Jets are coming off back-to-back double digit losses, and Ryan Fitzpatrick was picked off NINE TIMES in those games. It's almost impossible to conceive that Fitzpatrick could match serves with Big Ben, but an injury to Jets top wideout Eric Decker makes that even more unlikely. There is more good news for the Steelers, as it looks like Darrelle Revis will miss the game with a hamstring injury. The Steelers have covered the spread in four of their last five home games, and the home team is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings.

Take PIT.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Minnesota Vikings.

The Houston Texans are 3-1, and sitting in first place in the lowly AFC South. Their wins have all come at home though, and against some of the worst teams in the NFL. Chicago, Tennessee and Kansas City have just four wins between them. Houston has played just one road game, and they got their asses handed to them in a 27-0 loss to the Patriots at Foxboro. Brock Osweiler threw for 196 yards and an INT on 24-of-41 passing in that game, and he's thrown more interceptions (6) than he has touchdowns (5) overall this season.

It won't get any easier on the road at Minnesota, facing a Vikings defense that ranks 2nd overall allowing just over 12 points per game so far. Perhaps the most impressive thing about the Vikings 4-0 start, is that they've beaten 2014 MVP Aaron Rodgers, 2015 MVP Cam Newton, and two time Super Bowl winner Eli Manning.  That doesn't bode well for a below average, mistake prone QB like Osweiler. Lamar Miller is unlikely to be the answer, he's averaging 3.8 yards per carry, and has yet to score a touchdown.

Take MIN.

GL,

Jesse Schule

10*

This is a 10* (GOM) Play on Texas A&M.

Two undefeated teams will square off when the Vols visit College Station this week, but while the Aggies appear to be the real deal, there's plenty of doubt surrounding Tennessee. The Vols have spent the majority of this season battling from behind, despite the fact that they have played five unranked teams. Last week's win came on a Hail Mary pass as the clock expired, and they are in a prime spot for a let down here this Saturday.

The Aggies defense has been lights out! Texas A&M ranks 12th nationally allowing just 15.4 points per game. Unlike the Vols, they've actually faced a pair of Top 25 teams in UCLA and Arkansas. They also won on the road at Auburn and crushed the Gamecocks last week in South Carolina.

Trevor Knight is getting it done at quarterback, throwing for 1,261 yards with seven TDs and three INTs, and running for six scores. He's got plenty of weapons, with one of the deepest receiving corps in the country.

Senior Josh Dobbs has not been spectacular for the Vols, with 1,035 passing yards, 13 TDs and six INTs. The Vols running game has also struggled, and #1 running back Jalen Hurd left with an injury in the second half of last week's game at Georgia.

The Aggies rested several star players last week (Myles Garrett, Ricky Seals-Jones, and Speedy Noil), but Kevin Sumlin said we can expect everybody to be ready for the Vols.

Take AGGIES.

GL,

Jesse Schule

10*

This is a 2-team (7.5 point) tease W/49ers+Under.

San Francisco is coming off a home loss to Dallas on Sunday, and they only managed to accumulate 295 total yards in that game. Blaine Gabbert is putting up pedestrian numbers at quarterback, with as many picks (4) as touchdowns in the first four weeks. Even in a Week 1 win over the Rams, he threw for just 170 yards and a TD. The good news is that the defense has looked pretty solid, and they should be able to hang in there against a struggling Cardinals offense with backup quarterback Drew Stanton getting the start. Stanton was picked off twice, completing just 4-of-11 attempts for 37 yards after replacing the injured Carson Palmer in last week's loss to the Rams. He started eight games for the Cardinals two seasons ago, and won five of those starts. The Cardinals failed to score 20 points in six of those eight games though, and seven of those contests failed to reach the total. Three of the last four meetings in this series have failed to reach the total, and only one of those four games was decided by a double digit margin.

Take SF+UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Boston Red Sox.

The Red Sox will go with their ace in Game 1, while the Indians turn to Trevor Bauer, who has been inconsistent all year.

Bauer (12-8, 4.26 ERA) allowed three runs on six hits and two walks over six innings in a no decision versus Kansas City in his last start. He's 5-5 with a rather concerning 5.36 ERA in his last 15 starts. He's only pitched six innings against the Red Sox this year, surrendering six runs on 10 hits and three walks, along with a pair of home runs. He only faced Boston once in 2015, and surrendered five runs on six hits before getting the hook in the second inning.

The Red Sox hand the ball to Rick Porcello, who led the major leagues with 22 wins this year. Porcello is 11-2 with a 2.62 ERA in his last 15 starts, and he allowed just a pair of runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings, winning his only start against Cleveland during the regular season.

The Red Sox are the highest scoring team in the majors, and Big Papi is 4-for-5 lifetime versus Bauer.

Take BOS.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on the Memphis Tigers.

The Temple Owls are coming off back to back big home wins over minnows SMU and Charlotte, and I think they are going to suffer a huge setback on the road in Memphis. The Tigers rank 6th nationally averaging over 45 points per game, and they boast a Top 25 defense as well. Their last home game was a 77-3 win over Bowling Green, and junior quarterback Riley Ferguson threw for 357 yards and six TDs on 20-of-27 passing in the victory. He was pretty solid in a losing effort at Ole Miss, despite throwing three INTs. He threw for 346 yards on 30-of-46 passing, and scored a couple of rushing TDs. Memphis scored 28 points on the road against one of the nation's top teams, and halfway through the third quarter of that game they were within six points. They should be able to pile on here at home, and Temple doesn't have the firepower to keep up. Temple's last three road games came at Penn State, Houston and South Florida. They lost all three of those games, and losses to the Cougars and Bulls came by double-digits. Memphis has been a juggernaut at home, covering the spread in 16 of their last 21 home games versus teams with a winning record.

Take MEM.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Minnesota Vikings.

The Giants haven't impressed much while winning two of three games this season. One of those wins came at home versus New Orleans, and they didn't even score an offensive touchdown in that game. Eli Manning threw for 350 yards on 25-of-38 passing in a home loss to Washington last week, with just one TD an two INTs. It won't get any easier in Minnesota, facing a Vikings defense that leads the league in sacks as well as interceptions. Eli was sacked four times and threw three picks in a 49-17 loss at Minnesota last year. Without much of a threat in the running game, the Giants are going to have trouble protecting Eli from the fierce Minnesota pass rush. Sam Bradford has been quite solid for the Vikes, throwing for 457 yards and three TDs without an INT in two starts. While the offense wasn't that impressive last week, I expect Bradford to have a big game here at home against a Giants defense that was lit up by Kirk Cousins last Sunday. The Giants also took 11 penalties for 128 yards in that game. The Vikings are a more disciplined team, better coached, with a superior defense and a more dependable quarterback. I'll take the home favorite.

Take MIN.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Steelers laid an egg in Philly last week, but I don't think it's any time for Pittsburgh fans to start panicking. They host the 2-1 Chiefs, who have been quite lucky so far. Last week they had the game handed to them courtesy of Ryan Fitzpatrick, who looked like he was throwing the ball to the wrong team. Fitzpatrick was picked off six times, and one of those was returned for a TD. They scored another TD on a fumble return. The Chiefs didn't look great on the road in Week 2, losing 19-12 to the Texans. Alex Smith threw for just 186 yards with no TDs on 20-of-37 passing in that game. Home field has been crucial in this series, as the home team has won each of the last three meetings, and has covered the spread in six of the last seven meetings. The Steelers offense gets Le'Veon Bell back this week, and I don't see Kansas City slowing down Big Ben and Antonio Brown in Steel Town.

Take PIT.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on DAL@SF to go UNDER the total.

The 49ers defense pitched a shutout in a home win over the Rams in Week 1, but they were blown out on the road in each of their next two games. I expect a better showing from San Francisco here at home versus Dallas, and with both teams likely to lean on the run, it could be a low scoring battle. Ezekiel Elliot ran for 140 yards on 30 carries in a win over the Bears last week. Carlos Hyde had a big game for San Francisco, running for 103 yards and two TDs on 21 carries in the loss to Seattle. San Francisco's passing game has been futile, with Blaine Gabbert who threw for just 119 yards last week. The Cowboys will be without their top wide receiver as Dez Bryant is sidelined by an injury. San Francisco has gone under in seven straight home games versus teams above .500. The Cowboys have gone under in six of their last seven games played on grass.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Toronto Blue Jays.

The stakes are high at Fenway on the final day of the regular season. The Jays need to win to lock up a Wild Card berth, while the Red Sox are looking to finish ahead of Cleveland, which would give them home field in the ALDS.

David Price will toe the rubber for the Red Sox, and he's coming off a real stinker. Price (17-9, 4.04 ERA) was rocked for six runs on 12 hits and three home runs in a loss to the Yankees his last time out. He's been far from perfect this season, especially in day games where he has a 5.18 ERA in 11 starts.

The Jays hand the ball to Aaron Sanchez, who has been dealing all year long. Sanchez (14-2, 3.06 ERA) struck out 10 Orioles while allowing one run on five hits in a home win over Baltimore his last time out. He's 8-1 with a 2.56 ERA in 16 appearances on the road this season, and he was dominant in his only start at Fenway. He went seven innings, allowing one run and fanning seven in that game.

Because of Toronto's shaky bullpen, I prefer to take the runs in case the closer blows the save.

Take TOR.

GL,

Jesse Schule