Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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12-28-18 | Auburn -3 v. Purdue | 63-14 | Win | 100 | 30 h 59 m | Show | |
My 9* Music City Bowl Play is a 9* on Auburn at 1;30 ET. Former Louisville QB Jeff Brohm is a hot coaching commodity but Purdue's future appears secure after Brohm rebuffed his alma mater to stay in West Lafayette (Brohm received a raise after turning down the Cardinals and will reportedly make over $5 million per year). Brohm led Western Ky to three straight bowls (30-10 record), winning in 2014 and 2015 but did not coach in the team's 2016 game when he left to take the Purdue job. The Boilermakers are in back-to-back bowls, after a stretch of four losing seasons in a row from 2013-2016 when Purdue went 9-39. Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn took over the Tigers in 2013 and led them within a whisker of winning the national title, losing a thriller to Florida State, 34-31 in the final BCS national championship game. This marks Auburn's sixth straight bowl appearance but Malzahn is just 1-4 in his first five bowl games with the Tigers. Auburn opened the year No. 9 in the AP's preseason poll and beat then-No. 6 Washington in its season opener. However, the Tigers enter this game a disappointing 7-5. Auburn QB Jarrett Stidham will play his final college game after declaring for the 2019 NFL Draft in early December. The Baylor transfer broke out as a sophomore in 2017 (66.5 completion percentage, 3,158 passing yards, 18 TDs and six INTs) but failed to maintain that level od success in 2018 (60.1 percent, 2,421 yards, 13 TDs and five INTs). Auburn will enter averaging 28.2 PPG (just 71st) on a modest 373.6 YPG (94th). However, Auburn's defense is first-rate, allowing 19.6 PPG (18th) on 363.6 YPG (44th). 5-9 freshman Rondale Moore is Purdue's bright shining star. The all-purpose threat set a school record for all-purpose yards in his first college game en route to finishing the regular season with 2,048 and winning the Paul Hornung Award as the most versatile player nationally. Moore enters bowl season with an FBS-best 103 receptions and a Big Ten-high 1,164 receiving yards (he also has 681 kick return yards and 203 yards rushing yards). Senior QB David Blough (school-record 66.6 completion percentage) had 3,521 passing yards with 25 TDs and just eight INTs. Purdue averages 31.9 PPG (44th) on 459.0 YPG (24th). However, the defense allowed 445.3 YPG (103rd) but did fare better in allowing 27.2 PPG, which ranked 68th. This is the first all-time meeting between the two schools. Purdue opened 0-3, including a 20-19 home upset loss to Eastern Michigan, as 15-point favorites. The Boilermakers did run off four wins in a row after that, including a 30-13 home upset win over Boston College (Sep 22) and the team's signature win of 2018, a 49-20 blowout over then-unbeaten Ohio State on Oct 20 (Purdue was a 12-point underdog). However, Purdue was not able to maintain that momentum, losing THREE of its next four, before becoming bowl eligible with a 28-21 road win over rival Indiana for the Old Oaken Bucket. Auburn began the season in the top-10 and optimistically had CFP aspirations. However, the year has been a major disappointment. The Tigers’ only quality wins in 2018 were a 21-16 victory over Washington in the opener and a near-miraculous, come-from-behind 28-24 home win over Texas A&M in early November. Still, I prefer this SEC team over its Big Ten opponent. Malzahn could "really use" a bowl win, atoning for last year's 34-27 upset loss to UCF (+10) in the Peach Bowl, as the Knights capped a perfect 13-0 season (note: UCF's winning streak now sits at 25 in a row). Go Tigers. Good luck...Larry | |||||||
12-27-18 | Miami-FL -3 v. Wisconsin | Top | 3-35 | Loss | -105 | 77 h 57 m | Show |
My 10* PERFECT STORM is on Miami-Fl at 5:15 ET. We don't often see two schools playing each other in back-to-back bowl seasons but that's the case Thursday at Yankee Stadium, as Miami-Fl and Wisconsin square off in this year's Pinstripe Bowl. Wisconsin won last year's Orange Bowl 34-24, as QB Alex Hornibrook passed for four TDs and the Badgers' outgoing senior class earned a record 45th win. The departure of those seniors saw Wisconsin, which opened the season No. 4 in the AP's preseason poll, take a huge backwards step in 2018. Wisconsin enters this bowl 7-5 (Badgers finsihed 13-1 last year and ranked 7th in the final AP poll). Miami opened No. 8 in the 2018 AP preseason but lost its first game, 33-17 to LSU. Five consecutive wins followed but an Oct 13 loss at UVa ('Canes were ranked 16th at the time), began a four-game slide. However, at 5-5, Miami was able to end the season with impressive back-to-back wins, 38-14 at Va Tech and 24-3 at home against then-No. 24 Pittsburgh. Miami’s offense struggled on and off, as QB Malik Rosier fell out of favor and the team went back and forth between he and redshirt freshman N’Kosi Perry. the duo combined for 2,096 yards with19 TDs and 10 INTs. Miami owns a veteran OL vet offensive line, leading the way fro a team which averages 197.3 YPG (42nd). Seven Miami defensive players, led by A-A DE Gerald Willis III and MLB Shaq Quarterman, were named to the all-ACC teams. Miami comes in allowing 18.2 PPG (15th) on just 268.1 YPG (2nd). I have never been much of a fan of Hornibrook and he was hampered by injuries this season (concussion problems kept him out of three full games). Hornibrook’s interception percentage climbed, but he threw just 13 TD passes (11 INTs), compared with a 25-15 ratio last season. However, RB Jonathan Taylor has been terrific, becoming the fourth Badger to win the Doak Walker Award, given annually to the nation's top running back (he joined Ron Dayne in 1999, Montee Ball in 2012 and Melvin Gordon in 2014). He is almost certain to get the 11 rushing yards needed to hit the 2,000-yard barrier for the season as he is averaging a nation-best 165.8 yards rushing per game. The Badgers defense had its moments but was far from the same dominant unit of a year ago, surrendering 81 points total in the last two games while allowing Minnesota to rush for 201 yards in the season finale. Yes, this is Wisconsin's 17th straight bowl appearance but this year's team is way off recent editions. I noted Wisconsin's fall-off on the defensive side of the ball earlier but will add here that this year's team allowed 24.2 PPG, its highest total in almost10 years. Miami comes into this game with some momentum, recording impressive wins at Virginia Tech and against Pittsburgh to garner this bowl bid. Conversely, Wisconsin, which is just 3-9 ATS on the season, enters having lost FOUR of its last five against bowl-bound teams. Miami owns the better athletes and gets its revenge from LY's Orange Bowl. Good luck...Larry | |||||||
12-26-18 | Minnesota v. Georgia Tech -5.5 | 34-10 | Loss | -109 | 55 h 45 m | Show | |
My 8* Las Vegas Insider is on Ga Tech at 5:15 ET. Tech head coach Paul Johnson has decided to "hang ‘em up after this game." He's had quite a career. He led Georgia Southern (then an FCS school() to back-to-back national championships in 1999 and 2000, before moving on to Navy in 2002. His first team went 2-10 but FIVE straight bowl seasons followed. He left the Naval Academy prior to the team's 2007 bowl appearance to take over at Ga Tech at the start of the 2008 season. This Quick Lane Bowll appearance makes it NINE in his 11 years at Ga Tech. Johnson's counterpart is Minnesota's PJ Fleck, who became famous at Western Michigan in 2016 by leading the Broncos to a 13-1 season, which ended with a 24-16 Cotton Bowl loss to Wisconsin (New Year's Six bowl). He used that as a springboard to take his "Row the Boat:" mantra to Minnesota. So far, Fleck has disappointed, going 5-6 in 2017 and enters this game 6-6 in 2018 (note: he's also just 5-13 in the Big Ten his first two seasons). . The Gophers own an average running game (163.8 YPG ranks 71st) plus the team had to deal with a mid-season injury to starting QB Zack Annexstad. Tanner Morgan (both are freshman) was effective enough that he stayed in the lineup after Annexstad returned to the roster. However, let's note the reality, that Minnesota QBs had 18 TDP and 14 INTs on the season (passing game has averaged 215.2 YPG to rank 81st) . The defense allows almost as much as the offense scores, yielding 27.9 PPG (offense averages 28.5 per). On a positive note, Minnesota won three of its final five games to become bowl eligible, including a 37-15 rout at Wisconsin (+12.5) in the Gophers' final regular season game, to beat the Badgers for the first time since 2003. Johnson introduced the option to Annapolis and made the Midshipmen relevant in quick order. He made a seamless transition to the ACC with Georgia Tech and the league’s coaches could never quite figure out how to slow the Johnson option,. Case in point is that this year's team enters this bowl game with the nation's No. 1-ranked rushing offense (335.0 YPG). The Yellow Jackets reached their ninth bowl under Johnson thanks to a furious late-season hot streak, helping to erase a 1-3 start with SIX in their seven games (including victories over Virginia Tech, Miami and Virginia), before losing to powerhouse Georgia, 45-17 to end the year,. The Minnesota rush D did hold six opponents under 100 yards on the ground but also allowed Maryland, Nebraska, and Illinois to each rush for more than 300 yards. Considering the Gophers draw the Yellow Jackets in their bowl matchup, those numbers are ominous. This is Minnesota's first bowl under Fleck but the Gophers had lost SEVEN of their previous nine bowl appearances. All FIVE of Georgia Tech's losses this year came against bowl-eligible teams and Johnson’s game management skills have always been called extraordinary. It's his "swan song" and I'll lay the points against Coach "Row the Boat!' Good luck...Larry | |||||||
12-22-18 | Louisiana Tech v. Hawaii | 31-14 | Loss | -125 | 62 h 45 m | Show | |
My 9* PERFECT STORM is on Hawaii at 10:30 ET. Louisiana Tech is making its fifth consecutive bowl appearance and is looking for its fifth straight win in its fifth different bowl game but the Bulldogs limp into this game having lost THREE of their last four games, leaving them with a 7-5 record on the season. It's been reported that the Bulldogs were physically and mentally spent after getting destroyed 45-3 at SEC Mississippi State on Nov 3. QB J’Mar Smith passed for 2,873 yards but completed a modest 56.9% with 14 TDs and 9 INTs. The team's rushing game has averaged only 126.7 YPG (113th), so it doesn't give Smith too much cover. La Tech's defense is solid, allowing 23.8 PPG (40th) on 350.9 YPG (32nd) Hawaii opened the season with three straight wins (averaged 48.3 PPG), including winning its first two games at Colorado St 43-34 (+17) and home to Navy, 59-41 (+13.5). The Rainbow Warriors would reach 6-1 but then the 'bottom fell out,' as Hawaii lost four in a row while allowing 48.8 PPG. With Hawaii staring at a six-game losing streak, the Rainbow Warriors won thrillers over UNLV and San Diego State to close the regular season with an 8-5 record. QB Cole McDonald threw for 3,790 yards with 35 TDs and was dominant in the regular season finale vs SDSU, passing for 452 yards, three TDs and no INTs in the 31-30 OT win. McDonald will have to bring his "A-game," as Hawaii's D allows 35.4 PPG (111th) on 438.7 YPG (101st). Technical factors favor La Tech, as Skip Holtz is 4-0 SU in bowls with Tech and 17-6 as a dog since 2014. That said, this game is basically pick'em, meaning La Tech can't be expected to cover, without winning. Hawaii is 5-2 SU at home in 2018, losing to Nevada and 11-2 Utah St. Home cookin' gets the cash! Good luck…Larry | |||||||
12-22-18 | Buffalo v. Troy +2 | Top | 32-42 | Win | 100 | 58 h 17 m | Show |
My 10* CFB Game of the Week is on Troy at 7:00 ET. 10-3 Buffalo and 9-3 Troy each went 7-1 during their respective conference regular seasons. However, only Buffalo (MAC) played in a conference title game, as Troy lost a tie-breaker with Appalachian St in the Sun Belt East. In retrospect, Buffalo would have preferred to "stay home," as the Bulls led NIU 29-10 in the final minute of the third quarter, only to go on to lose, 30-29. The teams meet in this year's Dollar General Bowl, for the first time-ever. There is no doubt that Buffalo has skill players on the offensive side of the ball (34.8 PPG ranks 26th in the nation). QB Tyree Jackson has thrown for 2,857 yards with 27 TDs and just INTs. His two favorite targets are Anthony Johnson(52 catches / 11 TDs) and K.J. Osborn (49 / 6 TDs). Last year’s leading rusher, Emmanuel Reed, was pushed aside this season by a pair of freshmen, Kevin Marks and Jaret Patterson, who combined for 1,751 rushing yards and 25 rush TDs this season. Buffalo’s offensive line, which was allowed just 12 sacks in 13 game. The "D" was good enough, allowing 24.7 PPG (49th) on 349.4 YPG (31st). Troy averages a more modest 29.8 PPG but it concedes just 21.2 (23rd) on 345.6 YPG (28th). BJ Smith had 100 rushing yards in five out of his last eight games (set a school record with five consecutive 100-yard rushing games), finishing with 1,093 yards and 12 TDs. QB Sawyer Smith has been up and down since taking over for injured starter Kaleb Barker at mid-season. However, the Trojans have a stable of talented receivers that allowed both Barker and Smith to throw for over 1,000 yards, just the second time that has happened in school history. Can anyone really trust Buffalo QB Jackson? The month of November was not kind tothe junior, as he broke the 200-yard barrier just once while the Bulls posted a 2-2 record. In comparison, over the first nine games, the MAC Offensive Player of the Year averaged 247 yards while throwing 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Those numbers dropped to 158 yards per game with four touchdowns and three interceptions in four games in November, which culminated with the Bulls allowing a 29-10 lead to slip away in the MAC championship game defeat. Buffalo is playing in just its third bowl game, having lost 49-24 to SD State in 2013 and 38-20 to UConn in 2009. You really want to trust a team from the MAC? MAC schools are just 2-15 in bowls since Christmas Day 2015! This game is being played in Mobile, roughly three hours from the Troy campus. The Trojans have won bowls the last two years and will take an overall 30-8 record the last three season into this contest. Note that Troy will also take a three-game bowl winning streak into this game, while averaging 42.0 PPG. Good luck...Larry | |||||||
12-21-18 | Florida International +6 v. Toledo | 35-32 | Win | 100 | 78 h 4 m | Show | |
My 9* Bahamas Bowl play is on FIU at 12:30 ET. This is the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl at Thomas Robinson Stadium, featuring 8-4 Florida International up against 7-5 Toledo. FIU's regular season ended on a disappointing note, as its 28-25 loss to Marshall prevented the school from earning a spot in the C-USA title game but the Panthers still garnered a trip out of the country to face Toledo in this contest. It's FIU's second straight bowl berth under coach Butch Davis, who took over a program that last went to a bowl back in 2011 and had gone 17-43 (.283) in the five years prior to Davis' arrival. it marks just the fourth bowl appearance in the program's history. In contrast, Toledo has a much richer postseason tradition with eight bowl appearances in the last nine years and 18 overall. Friday's game marks the schools' second bowl meeting, with the Golden Panthers stunning the Rockets 34-32 on a last-second field goal in the 2010 Little Caesar's Bowl. FIU quarterback James Morgan is a graduate transfer from Bowling Green and was named C-USA Newcomer of the Year, after setting a school single-season record with 26 TD passes (just seven INTs). He completed 65.3 percent of his passes for 2,727 yards.Toledo's QB situation is also noteworthy. A shoulder injury knocked QB Mitchell Guadagni out of action in late October, giving the job to backup and former Illinois soph QB Eli Peters. Peters’ passing numbers were decent-to-good, as he completed 55% for 1,573 yards with 15 TDs and 7 INTs but the problem is that Guadagni was better (58%, 13-3 TD/INT ratio.) and he was also the team’s leading rusher at the time of his initial injury. FIU stumbled a bit at the finish with two losses in its last four games to fall into a second-place tie in the East Division of C-USA but the team's eight wins still equaled the school record for victories in a season. As for Toledo, the Rockets soared down the stretch to keep alive their bowl hopes, winning four of their last five contests (averaged 50.8 PPG in the wins) to extend their streak of winning seasons to nine. Now here's the rub. The Rockets haven't won in the postseason since defeating Temple 32-17 in the 2015 Boca Raton Bowl plus despite Ohio U's 27-0 win over SD State on Wednesday, MAC schools are a mind-numbing 2-13 SU in bowl games since Christmas Day 2015. FIU is 14-6 ATS in its last 20 and 9-4 as an underdog since last season under Davis. The Golden Panthers are also 8-3 ATS in their last 11 following a SU loss. I still don't trust MAC schools in bowls (how could anyone?) and I believe the FIU defense is under-rated (24.7 PPG allowed ranks 47th and 386.7 YPG ranks 58th), giving them a legitimate shot at taking this one outright (a win sets a new single-season school record!). Take the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
12-20-18 | Marshall v. South Florida +3 | Top | 38-20 | Loss | -115 | 86 h 58 m | Show |
My 10* play is on USF at 8:00 ET. Marshall and USF meet for the first time in Thursday's Gaspariila Bowl. 8-4 Marshall is a dominating 11-2 all-time in bowl games and enters having won its last six (HC Holliday is 5-0 SU & ATS). Meanwhile, USF's 7-5 record includes them opening the 2018 season 7-0 (garnering a ranking of 21 in the AP poll), then losing its last five regular season games. The Herd may have won six straight bowls, but I think they’ll have their hands full with this hungry USF side.The Herd will have Tyler King and Brenden Knox in the backfield and they will present a formidable challenge for a Bulls' defense that allowed 39.6 PPG during its five-game slide. The Bulls rely on RB’s Jordan Cronkrite and Jonny Ford, who had nearly 1,800 combined yards rushing and 17 TDs between them. USF did not have No. 1 QB Blake Barnett in two of its last three games because of a shoulder injury and he may return. Chris Oladokun or Brett Kean would step in if Barnett can’t go. Head coaches Doc Holliday (Marshall) and Charlie Strong (USF) coached alongside each other as Florida assistants and I believe Strong could REALLY use a win. Why can't he get that win, as he's playing at home. The Bulls are 21-6 SU at home the last four seasons.USF has a chance to erase its poor finish with a third straight bowl win and the school's SIXTH win in its last seven bowl appearances. Good luck...Larry | |||||||
12-19-18 | Ohio v. San Diego State +3 | 27-0 | Loss | -116 | 101 h 57 m | Show | |
My 8* Frisco Bowl Situational Stunner is on SD State at 8:00 ET. While the outright win is clearly not out of the question, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can. SDSU backed its way into the bowl season with three straight losses to UNLV, Fresno State and Hawaii, but the MWC school is still loaded with talent. Ohio comes in off back-to-back wins over Buffalo and Akron. The Bobcats rank eighth in the country in rushing offense with an average of over 262 yards per game. But SDSU ranks fourth nationally in rush defense, allowing just 94.5 YPG, or 2.75 YPC. The Aztecs will have their hands full with the Bobcats’ AJ Ouellette, who had 1,142 rushing yards and 12 TDs this year. The Aztecs got hit by the injury bug early, with QB Christian Chapman missing six games and RB Juwan Washington missing four. Both however are playing today and each has something to prove after a somewhat wasted campaign. I think Ohio will be neutralized here though against SDSU’s strong run defense. I’ll point out as well that SDSU has been money in the bank for bettors in this spot, going 7-1 ATS in its last eight as an underdog (including 3-1 ATS this season), while Ohio is a poor 2-5 ATS in its last seven after scoring 42 points or more in its last game. In conclusion: Frank Solich has been a 'savior' for Ohio U (10th bowl in 14 seasons) but he is just 3-6 in bowl games with the Bobcats. Maybe more importantly, we've already seen two MAC schools lose this bowl season, Eastern Mich (Sat) and NIU (last night), as MAC schools are now 1-13 SU in bowl games since Christmas Day of 2015. Getting back to SDSU, the Aztecs (+14) lost 31-10 at Stanford back on Aug 30 (1st game of the season), as the favorite "got the cash." However, the underdog went a PERFECT 11-0 ATS over the Aztecs' next 11 games! So let's get this straight. MAC schools are now 1-13 SU in bowl games since Christmas Day of 2015 and I can add that SDSU is 13-0-1 SU all-time vs MAC schools. Then we have the fact that the underdog is a PERFECT 11-0 ATS over the Aztecs' last 11 games! I'm NOT 'stepping in front of that train!' Good luck…Larry | |||||||
12-15-18 | Middle Tennessee State +7 v. Appalachian State | Top | 13-45 | Loss | -103 | 267 h 35 m | Show |
The third pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on MTSU 10* (9:00 EST). MTSU is 8-5 and App State finished 10-2. Regardless of that, I think the Blue Raiders are going to at the very least, take this one right down to the wire in the New Orleans Bowl. Appalachian State beat Louisiana in the Sun Belt Title game to earn this spot. QB Zac Thomas had 75 yards passing, 59 yards rushing and two TDs. MTSU fell to UAB in its conference championship game. QB Brent Stockstill had 362 yards passing with two TDs, while Zack Dobson posted 52 yards rushing. I’ll point out though that MTSU is 4-1 ATS In is last five following an ATS loss, while App State is only 2-6 ATS in its last eight following a two weeks or longer break between games. I think Stockstill is the difference and i look for the talented pivot to keep his underdog team in this one late. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
12-15-18 | Eastern Michigan v. Georgia Southern +1 | 21-23 | Win | 100 | 263 h 5 m | Show | |
The second pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Georgia Southern 8* (5:30 EST). The 9-3 Georgia Southern Eagles take on the 7-5 EMU Eagles in the Cramton Bowl and in my opinion, this one has “blowout” written all over it. EMU finished on a three-game win streak and No. 2 in the MAC. Tyler Wiegers has 1,887 passing yards and an 11/3 TD/INT. Overall the Eagles have been weak defensively though, conceding 27.5 PPG. Georgia Southern QB Shai Werts has 954 passing yards with ten TDs through the air, with another 822 yards on the ground and another 13 major scores. Like the counterparts, the Eagles have struggled defensively this season, conceding 31.1 PPG. I’ll point out though that Georgia Southern is 4-0 ATS in its last four non-conference games, while EMU is just 2-5 ATS in its last seven when playing with two or more weeks of rest. Georgia Southern finished in the top 10 in the FBS in rushing yards per game with almost 200 YPG. I have a hard time seeing EMU keeping pace down the stretch. Play on Georgia Southern. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
12-15-18 | Arizona State v. Fresno State -4.5 | 20-31 | Win | 100 | 261 h 5 m | Show | |
The first pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Fresno State 8* (3:30 EST). I think the 11-2 Fresno State Bulldogs will run right over the 7-5 Arizona State Sun Devils. Fresno State has won ten of its last 11 games and another victory would be the schools most in its history. QB Marcus McMaryion has 3,453 yards passing and an elite 25/3 TD/INT. Defensively the Bulldogs have been dominant as well, allowing only 13.7 PPG. Arizona State won five of its final eight games of the regular season. QB Manny Wilkins has 2,896 passing yards and a sharp 19/4 TD/INT. Defensively the Sun Devils are allowing 25.1 PPG. I’ll point out though that Fresno State is 8-2 ATS in its last ten non-conference games, while Arizona State is just 2-7 ARTS in its last nine bowl games. Fresno State is on a mission for one last victory and it has the superior team on both sides of the ball. I have a hard time seeing ASU keeping pace down the stretch. Lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
12-01-18 | Northwestern v. Ohio State -14 | 24-45 | Win | 100 | 98 h 19 m | Show | |
The third pick in my Superstar Triple Play is on Ohio State 9* (8:00 EST). Clearly this is a mismatch, so the only question remains, will the Buckeyes come in a bit complacent and take this game for granted, or will they lay the hammer down from start to finish? In my opinion, it’s going to be the second scenario. Northwestern averages only 23.7 PPG, but it allows only 134.7 rushing yards and just 238 passing yards. The Wildcats have some big wins this year vs. teams like Iowa and Purdue, but remember they also lost 39-34 at home to Akron. QB Clayton Thorson has a 14/12 TD/INT, along with another eight rushing TDs. Ohio State is not assured a spot in the Playoffs, so the only thing it can control here is a posting a resounding victory. Overall the Buckeyes rank second in the nation in offense with 544.1 YPG, while allowing 161.9 rushing yards per contest. QB Dwayne Haskins has a huge 42/7 TD/INT. I’ll point out that Ohio State is 7-2 ATS in its last nine neutral site games, while Northwestern is just 1-5 ATS in its last six in this series. For all the reasons listed above, lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
12-01-18 | Fresno State +3 v. Boise State | 19-16 | Win | 100 | 98 h 55 m | Show | |
The first pick in my Superstar Triple Play is on Fresno State 8* (7:45 EST). This is the Mountain West Conference Championship game from Albertsons Stadium on Saturday night. Since the league went to a two-division format in 2013, these two teams have combined for seven championship appearances. Last year these teams met in the Championship game as well and Fresno State will indeed be playing with “revenge” after falling 17-14 in that one. The Bulldogs average 36.3 PPG and they concede 13.5. QB Marcus McMaryion had 317 yards passing and two TDs in last weeks win over San Jose State. Boise State averages 37.0 PPG and it concedes 22.3. QB Brett Rypien is averaging over 300 passing yards per game this season. I’ll point out though that the Bulldogs are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 vs. teams with winning records, while the Broncos are just 7-15 ATS in their last 22 home games. These teams met at this exact venue earlier this season and it was Boise State which came out on to top 24-17. This is in fact a “double revenge” scenario. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
12-01-18 | Clemson -26 v. Pittsburgh | 42-10 | Win | 100 | 97 h 4 m | Show | |
The second pick in my Superstar Triple Play is on Clemson 8* (8:00 EST). Clearly this is a mismatch. So will the mighty Clemson Tigers keep the foot on the gas from start to finish and clobber the Pittsburgh Panthers into oblivion? I think the answer is a resounding: “yes!” The Tigers are undefeated at 12-0 and a win today in the ACC Championship game secures them a berth in the Playoffs. Overall the Tigers are out-scoring their opponents by an average of 31.7 PPG this year. Overall they average 45.7 points and concede just 14.0. QB Trevor Lawrence has a 22/4 TD/INT. Pittsburgh is averaging only 27.8 PPG, while allowing 27.8 as well. Clearly that’s not a recipe for success most nights. RB Qadree Ollison has 1,134 rushing yards and ten TDs this season. I’ll pint out as well that Pittsburgh is just 4-5 ATS in its last nine off a loss vs. a conference rival, while Clemson is 19-10 ATS in its last 29 after two or more SU victories. I like the Tigers to dominate on both ends of the field. Lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
12-01-18 | Georgia +13.5 v. Alabama | Top | 28-35 | Win | 100 | 97 h 35 m | Show |
My 10* SEC Championship Game Winner is on Georgia (4:00 EST). This is a rematch of last year’s College Football Playoff and I think that Georgia bettors will get a small amount of “revenge” tonight. Alabama is 12-0 and it avenged its loss to the Tigers in the Iron Bowl last season with a 52-21 victory. Overall the Crimson Tide rolled up 500 yards of offense, with Tua Tagovailoa throwing for five TDs. Tagovailoa has an insane 36/2 TD/INT on the year. Defensively the Tide are strong too obviously, having not allowed an opponent to gain 300 total yards in its last six contests. Georgia won’t be going down without a fight. The Bulldogs are 11-1 and they have to win this game, or this will be the end of their season (other than the upcoming bowl of course, but a playoff spot out of the question and no SEC shot.) The Dogs though come in on top form as well, having won five straight, including a 45-21 destruction of Georgia Tech last weekend. QB Jake Fromm had three first half TD passes. Fromm has a 24/5 TD/INT. Georgia has the defense to compete today, allowing just 17.2 PPG. I’ll point out as well that Georgia is 5-2 ATS in its last seven as an underdog of 10.5 points or more, and 6-0 ATS in its last six neutral site games, while the favorite is 0-5 in the last five meetings between these teams. I’m not calling for the outright upset, but the stage is definitely set for a “nail biter.” Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
12-01-18 | Stanford -2.5 v. California | Top | 23-13 | Win | 100 | 95 h 27 m | Show |
My 10* GAME OF YEAR is on Stanford (3:00 EST). Stanford enters off a momentum building 48-17 home win over Oregon State, while Cal’s also off a big victory, holding on for an upset 15-14 road victory over USC. Note that Stanford won this matchup at home last year 17-14. This is a make-up game from a couple of weeks ago because of the wildfires. Stanford’ QB KJ Costello had 342 yards with four TD’s and an INT in its latest win over the Beavers. The Cardinal are averaging 28.3 PPG and they’re allowing 23.0. Cal is averaging only 22.7 PPG, but it makes up for it on the defensive end by allowing just 21.1 PPG. The Bears’ defense has looked sharp of late, but I think the unit gets tested in a big way here against Costello and company. I’ll point out as well that Cal is just 1-3-1 ATS in its last five home games and only 2-6 ATS in its last eight after posting less than 275 total yards in its previous game, while Stanford is a solid 36-15-1 ATS in its last 52 after posting more than 40 points in its previous game. I have a hard time seeing the Bears’ offense keeping pace down the stretch. With an extra week off to prepare, I like Costello to find a way to get the job done. Lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
12-01-18 | Texas +7.5 v. Oklahoma | 27-39 | Loss | -105 | 90 h 17 m | Show | |
My 9* Rivalry Rout is on Texas (12:00 EST). It’s the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners in the Big 12 Championship Game from AT&T Stadium in Texas. Texas beat Kansas last weekend to post its position in this contest. QB Sam Ehlinger wasn’t at his best last week, going for 314 yards, two TDs and no INTs. Over the Longhorns have been sharp defensively of late though, allowing only 20.3 PPG over their last three. Texas though is the No. 1 offense in the country, averaging 50.2 PPG. The Sooners are averaging 53.2 PPG over their last four games, but they’ve also conceded 47.3 in that span as well. Overall though Oklahoma is averaging 31.7 PPG this year and allowing 25.2. QB Kyler Murray had 364 yards, three TDs and one INT last weekend. I’ll point out though that Oklahoma is just 2-9 ATS in its last 11 neutral site games and 0-3-1 ATS in its last four after scoring 40 or more points in its previous outing, while Texas is 5-1 ATS in its last six neutral site games and 13-5-2 ATS in its last 20 vs. teams with winning records. The Longhorns are 6-0 ATS the last six in this series. Expect all of these strong trends to continue on Saturday afternoon. Play on Texas. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-30-18 | Northern Illinois +4 v. Buffalo | Top | 30-29 | Win | 100 | 107 h 0 m | Show |
My 10* MAC Championship WINNER is on Northern Illinois. Buffalo went 10-2 in the regular season and 7-1 in MAC action, while NIU went 7-5 with a 6-2 record in MAC conference play. If recent history is any precedence though, then NIU has to be liking its chances today, because when these teams met last year, it was the Huskies that posted the 14-13 road win. The Bulls averaged 35.2 PPG this year and they conceded 24.2. In the Bulls regular season finale they ran for 332 rushing yards in a 44-14 road win over Bowling Green. QB Tyree Jackson finished with a 25/11 TD/INT. The NIU Huskies averaged only 19.9 PPG, while limiting opponents to 20.9 PPG. The offense revolves around RB Tre Harbison, who had 100 rushing yards in three out of his last four games. I’ll point out as well that NIU is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 as an underdog, while Buffalo is just 1-3 ATS in its last four games played on a neutral field. The Huskies took the foot off the gas a little early to end the regular season, but NIU has the defense to keep it in this one. I’m expecting an all out war. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-24-18 | Utah State +3 v. Boise State | Top | 24-33 | Loss | -114 | 112 h 4 m | Show |
My 10* LEGEND is on Utah State (10:15 EST). To be the best, you have to beat the best. The 10-1 Utah State Aggies will look to dethrone the 9-2 Boise State Broncos. The Aggies come in having won ten straight after a 29-24 win over Colorado State last weekend. QB Jordan Love has been exceptional so far this season with 25 TDs and four INTs. But Utah State also has a pair of elite RBs in Gerold Bright and Darwin Thompson, who have combined for 1,670 yards rushing and 22 TDs. The Aggies have been unstoppable offensively this year, averaging 500.1 yards of total offense, while posting 49.3 PPG (ranked No. 2 in the country!) Boise State has won six straight, most recently a 45-14 victory over lowly New Mexico. QB Brett Rypien has been a standout with 3,270 yards, 28 TDs and seven INTs. On the season the Broncos are averaging 465 yards and 37.4 points per game. I’ll point out though that Utah State is 5-1 ATS in its last six vs. the conference, while Boise State is only 6-15 ATS in its last 21 home games. Finally note that the road team is in fact 7-2-2 ATS in the last 11 in this series as well. I like the Aggies’ amazing offense to be just too much for the Broncos to keep up with down the stretch. Lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-24-18 | Notre Dame v. USC +11 | 24-17 | Win | 100 | 107 h 1 m | Show | |
My 9* Rivalry Rout is on USC (8:00 EST). No. 3 Notre Dame and USC collide at the LA Memorial Coliseum on Saturday night and while I’m not calling for an outright victory, I do expect a more competitive battle than what the oddsmakers are trying to lead us to believe. Note that this is a revenge game after Notre Dame crushed USC 49-14 last year. Also note the Trojans are playing for their coaches job, as Clay Helton will be fired if he loses this one. The Irish have their eyes on the prize and they come in averaging 454.9 YPG. On the defensive side they’re conceding just 321.4 YPG. USC is 5-6 and will need to pull off an upset to become bowl eligible. The Trojans have nothing to lose and they’ll be especially motivated after falling to UCLA last weekend. Offensively USC is averaging just 138.1 YPG. Defensively the Trojans have been decent overall, allowing 211.5 YPG through the air and 168.8 YPG on the ground. I’ll point out as well that Notre Dame is already just 1-3 ATS this year as a favorite in the 10.5 to 21 points range and only 2-3 ATS in its last five vs. teams with losing records, while USC is still 4-1 ATS in its last five after two or more SU losses. For all the reasons listed above, play on USC. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-24-18 | Arizona State v. Arizona +2 | 41-40 | Win | 100 | 103 h 32 m | Show | |
This is a 9* play on Arizona (3:30 EST). Arizona State looks primed for a letdown here in my opinion after its three-game win streak was snapped at Oregon last weekend. Arizona has nothing to lose here and it’ll be eager to get back on track on seniors night after a blowout loss to high-flying Washington State. After last week’s 31-29 loss at Oregon last Saturday, the Wildcats have now officially been eliminated from Pac 12 Championship Game contention. And with that sad fact weighing heavily, I do indeed expect a predictable letdown here from the visitors in this difficult road venue. Besides, there’s no question that this one “means more” to Arizona, which still needs one more win to become bowl eligible. The home side will be risking life and limb today to try and secure a victory and I believe this will in fact be the difference maker in the end. Additionally note that ASU is just 1-3 ATS in its last four as a road favorite, while Arizona is 4-2 ATS at home and a perfect 3-0 ATS this season off a loss vs. a conference rival. For all the reasons listed above, play on Arizona. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-24-18 | Michigan -3.5 v. Ohio State | 39-62 | Loss | -110 | 99 h 3 m | Show | |
The first pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Michigan 8* (12:00 EST). The winner of this contest will compete in the Big 10 Title Game. Michigan enters off a 31-20 home win over Indiana, while Ohio State enters off an exhausting and improbable 52-51 OT road win over Maryland. Note that this is a big time revenge game as well for Michigan after Ohio State won this game 31-20 on the road last season. In fact, Ohio State has won six in a row in this series. Overall the Wolverines are averaging only 26.6 PPG, but they make up for it on the other end by conceding just 13.5. With a chance to avenge last year’s loss and to de-rail Ohio State’s National Title hopes, I think Michigan finally gets over the hump here. Overall the Buckeyes are averaging 41.6 PPG and conceding 24.6. I’ll point out that the Buckeyes though are just 1-6 ATS in their last seven after scoring 40 points or more in their previous game, while Michigan is a solid 18-7-1 ATS in its last 26 following an ATS loss. Defense wins the day. Play on Michigan. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-24-18 | Florida -5 v. Florida State | 41-14 | Win | 100 | 99 h 3 m | Show | |
The second pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Florida 8* (12:00 EST). Florida comes in off a 63-10 home win over Idaho and I look for the Gators to lay the hammer down on both ends of the field this afternoon as well. FSU comes in off a much tighter than expected 21-20 home win over BC and I think it’ll predictably stumble here in the “step up” in competition. Note that this is a revenge game as well for the Gators after the Seminoles took this matchup 38-22 last season. Florida is averaging 33.9 PPG and it’s conceding just 21. QB Feleipe Franks had 274 yards passing and three TDs last week. FSU is averaging only 22.6 PPG and it’s conceding 30.6. Clearly that’s not a recipe for long-term success. Deondre Francois has a poor 14/10 TD/INT. Additionally note that FSU is a poor 3-9-2 ATS in its last 15 vs. teams with winning records, while Florida is 4-1 ATS in its last five following an ATS victory. For all the reasons listed above, play on the Gators. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-24-18 | Purdue -4 v. Indiana | 28-21 | Win | 100 | 99 h 3 m | Show | |
The third pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Purdue 9* (12:00 EST). Purdue enters off a 47-44 triple OT loss to Wisconsin, while Indiana fell 31-20 at Michigan. If recent history is any precedence, though, then the Boilermakers have to be loving their chances for a bounce back here as last year they’d take this game 31-24. Purdue is averaging 32.3 PPG and it’s conceding 27.8. QB David Blough has a sharp 22/7 TD/INT. The Boilermakers still need one more victory to become eligible. Indiana is averaging 26.9 PPG and it’s conceding 30.1. Clearly that’s not a recipe for success. QB Peyton Ramsey has a weak 18/12 TD/INT. Note as well that Indiana is just 1-5 ATS in its last six following an ATS win, while the Boilermakers are interestingly 21-6 ATS in their last 27 after posing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game. Look for the desperate/hungry team to pull away down the stretch. Play on Purdue. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-23-18 | Washington v. Washington State -3 | Top | 28-15 | Loss | -106 | 86 h 27 m | Show |
My 10* Weekly Wipeout Winner is on Washington State (8:30 EST). The winner of this game will play in the Pac 12 Championship game next weekend and in my opinion. home field advantage can not be overlooked as a very real deciding factor in this particular contest. WSU comes in with a ton of momentum with seven straight victories. The Huskies have been playing well as well, with back-to-back wins over Stanford and Oregon State. Jake Browning and the Huskies have three losses this year, so they won’t be going to the Football Championship. They still have a shot at the Rose Bowl if they can win out, but I think they’ll fall flat against a surging WSU team which plays with triple revenge, having fallen to Browning three times already. The Cougars now have the best offense in the Pac 12, averaging 40.5 PPG. No other team in the conference is putting up more than 35.5. WSU most recently obliterated Arizona 69-28, with QB Gardner Minshew throwing for seven TD passes. So far Minshew has 36 TDs and just seven INTs. Note as well that Washington State is 6-1 ATS in its last seven vs. teams with winning records, while Washington is just 1-7 ATS in its last eight on the road. For all the reasons listed above, play on WSU. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-23-18 | Oklahoma v. West Virginia +1.5 | 59-56 | Loss | -109 | 86 h 58 m | Show | |
My 9* Big 12 DECIDER is on West Virginia (8:00 EST). Oklahoma comes in having won five in a row. The Sooners have already punched their ticket to the Big 12 Championship game, so a win or loss today means nothing in that regard. The Mountaineers though need to win this game, plus have Texas lose this weekend, and if that happens, then WVU will be playing Oklahoma next week as well. Oklahoma won last week, but it wasn’t pretty in the 55-40 victory over lowly Kansas. In fact note that the Sooners have dropped to seventh in scoring in the Big 12. The offense is amazing behind QB Kyler Murray, but clearly the Mountaineers are going to have their opportunities on that side of the ball as well. WVU is out to atone for a 45-41 setback to Oklahoma State, a rare poor defensive effort. QB Will Grier was sharp though, finishing with 364 yards and two TDs. Note that WVU is 4-1 ATS in its last five at home and 3-0-1 ATS in its last four vs. teams with winning records, while Oklahoma is just 2-6 ATS in its last eight on the road and only 1-5 ATS in its last six against teams with winning records. For all the reasons listed above, play on WVU. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-17-18 | Cincinnati +7.5 v. Central Florida | Top | 13-38 | Loss | -109 | 126 h 25 m | Show |
My 10* GAME OF THE MONTH is on Cincinnati (8:00 EST). This is a big game for both teams. The Bearcats are 9-1 and the UCF Knights are 9-0. Cincinnati has won four of its last five on the road and QB Desmond Ridder has 1,897 passing yards and a sharp 15/5 TD/INT. Note that Ridder has two or more TD passes in six of his last eight games. The ground game is averaging whopping 235.8 YPG, led by Michael Warren II with 1,082 yard and 17 TDs. Overall the Bearcats are allowing just 14.9 points and 279.8 YPG. The Knights’ McKenzie Milton has 2,309 yards passing and a 21/5 TD/INT. Overall the ground game is averaging 271.4 YPG and the defense is conceding 21.8. I think the Bearcats will have their chances today. They’re already 3-1 ATS this year as an underdog. UFC though is just 4-6 ATS in its last ten against teams with winning records. UCF may ultimately win this one outright, but I look for Ridder and company to take this one down to the wire. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-17-18 | Tulsa +5 v. Navy | 29-37 | Loss | -108 | 122 h 51 m | Show | |
The first pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on (8*) Tulsa (3:30 EST). Neither team has anything to play for now except pride as each sits at just 2-8. Note though that Tulsa plays with revenge here after the Midshipmen beat the Golden Hurricane 31-21. Tulsa fell flat 47-21 to Memphis last weekend. Corey Taylor II is the focal point of the offense and he so far has 748 rushing yards and seven TD’s on the ground. Defense has been the weak point for Tulsa all season. Navy has struggled with offensive consistency of late. The Midshipmen rank last in the country in passing with only 64.7 YPG average, while ranking third in the country in rushing with 295.7 YPG. Defensively the mids are in fact pretty poor as well, ranked 105th in yards allowed and 95th against the run. Additionally note that Tulsa is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 off a loss against a conference rival, while Navy is just 4-5 ATS in its last nine in the same position. I’m grabbing the points and expecting a very competitive battle. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-17-18 | West Virginia -5.5 v. Oklahoma State | 41-45 | Loss | -107 | 122 h 51 m | Show | |
The second pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on (8*) WVU (3:30 EST). Oklahoma State comes in off a near upset over Oklahoma and I think it’ll suffer a predictable letdown here. In fact the Cowboys have now lost two in a row. And that’s bad news facing a surging WVU team which has won its last three over TCU, Texas and Baylor. West Virginia QB Will Grier so far has 2,961 yards, 31 TDs and eight INTs. Grier has thrown for 300-plus yards over three straight starts, most recently going for 343 with three TDs and an INT against the Horned Frogs. Oklahoma State came up just short 48-47 last week and I think it’s primed for a letdown. QB Taylor Cornelius had 501 passing yards and three TDs, but the defense was a disaster show, allowing 702 yards to the Sooners. Note that WVU is 4-0-1 ATS in its last five following a win of more than 20 points, while Oklahoma State is just 2-6 ATS in its last eight after an ATS victory. For all the reasons listed above, lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-17-18 | USC v. UCLA +3.5 | 27-34 | Win | 100 | 102 h 56 m | Show | |
My 9* play in on UCLA (3:30 EST). I don’t think that the home field advantage can be overlooked as a very real deciding factor in this particular matchup. USC enters off a 15-14 home loss to Cal, and I think it suffers a predictable letdown here after that upset. UCLA enters off a tight 31-28 road loss to ASU on Saturday. USC is averaging 26.9 PPG and it’s conceding 26.6. QB JT Daniels has 1,986 passing yards with 11 TDs and eight iNTs. UCLA won’t be playing in a bowl, but it won’t be going down without a fight in the first season of the Chip Kelly ear. Last week the Bruins were edged 480-439, and they come into this one averaging 21.9 points, while allowing 33.3. I’l point out that USC is just 2-4 ATS in its last six off a loss against a conference rival and only 7-8 ATS in its last 15 on the road, while UCLA is 9-6 ATS in its last 15 off a loss against a conference rival and 6-4 ATS in its last ten after two or more SU losses. For all the reasons listed above, play on UCLA. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-17-18 | Louisiana Tech v. Southern Miss +2.5 | Top | 20-21 | Win | 100 | 122 h 51 m | Show |
The third pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on (9*) Southern Miss (3:30 EST). Southern Miss comes in off a a near upset of UAB and I think it’ll carry that momentum over here. Louisiana Tech enters off a victory over lowly Rice, but I think the Bulldogs come up short here. Bulldogs’ QB J’Mar Smith had 314 yards with one TD and two INTs last week. But Louisiana Tech is going to have its hands full with this Golden Eagles team which just pushed the mighty Blazers to OT. QB Tate Whatley and the offense managed 23 points last week and note that Southern Miss is 7-2 ATS in its last nine conference home games as a favorite in the +1.5 to +3.5 points range. I think the Southern Miss defense is the difference maker, but in the end I’ll recommend grabbing the points. Play on Southern Miss. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-16-18 | Memphis -8 v. SMU | Top | 28-18 | Win | 100 | 104 h 42 m | Show |
My 10* AAC West Showdown is on Memphis (9:00 EST). Memphis is 6-4 and bowl eligible, while SMU is 5-5 and needing one more win to punch its ticket. The Tigers won’t be satisfied with simply making a bowl game though and they’ll love nothing more than to prolong the Mustangs chances for another week. When the smoke clears at the end of this one, I’m expecting a decisive Memphis win. The Tigers have won two straight, but they’ll be cautious here as they’ve lost three of their last four away from friendly confines. QB Brady White so far has 2,512 passing yards and a sharp 22/3 TD/INT. Overall Memphis is allowing 30.5 PPG. SMU has won two in a row and three of its last four at home, but with the step up in competition, I believe the Mustangs predictably stumble here. William Brown and Ben Hicks have combined for 23 TD passes and five INTs. The Mustangs are even worse defensively than Memphis though, allowing 36.8 PPG. I’ll point out as well that Memphis is 4-0 ATS in its last four conference games and that the favorite is 4-0 ATS the last four in this series. The Tigers have scored more than 30 points five straight games and I look for that trend to carry over here. For all the reasons listed above, lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-15-18 | Florida Atlantic +3 v. North Texas | Top | 38-41 | Push | 0 | 80 h 11 m | Show |
My 10* Weekly Wipeout Winner is on Florida Atlantic (9:30 EST). FAU enters off a 34-15 drubbing of WKU and I think it carries that momentum over here. The Mean Green though enter off a tough 34-31 loss against ODU last weekend and I believe it’ll stumble again here as well. If recent history is any precedence, then FAU has to be liking its chances for another big victory tonight, because when these teams met last year it was FAU that posted the 69-31 home win. FAU has in fact won two in a row. The Owls don’t really rely on QB Chris Robison, who has an admittedly poor 8/10 TD/INT. He was very sharp last week though by completing 17 of 21 for 231 yards. But the FAU offense revolves around RB Devin Singletary, who already has 1,169 rushing yards to go along with 20 TD’s. Overall the Owls are averaging 31.1 PPG and they’re conceding 31.3. North Texas is averaging 37.2 PPG and it’s allowing 20.3, but last week it looked poor in the road loss to ODU. QB Mason Fine had 240 yards and two TDs and he still has an amazing 23/2 TD/INT on the year, but after last week’s collapse, I think the hungry Owls will have their opportunities today to pull off the outright upset. Note that FAU is 8-5 ATS in its last 13 off a win against a conference rival, while UNT is just 3-5 ATS as a favorite this year and already 0-2 ATS off a loss against a conference rival. For all the reasons listed above, grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-14-18 | Miami-OH +7 v. Northern Illinois | Top | 13-7 | Win | 100 | 55 h 47 m | Show |
My 10* MAC GAME OF THE YEAR is on Miami Ohio (8:00 EST). I’m not calling for an outright upset, but I believe this is going to be decided by whichever of these hungry teams has its hands on the ball last. NIU is rolling after back to back wins over Toledo and Akron, while Miami Ohio kept its bowl hopes alive with an impressive victory over Ohio last Wednesday. The Redhawks have no time to dwell on that win though as they have to keep the foot on the gas if they want to reach the promised land. Special teams came up big for Miami Ohio last week, as it would block a punt in the end zone for a TD. The defense also posted a second half fourth quarter safety. NIU is getting great play from RB Tre Harbison, who had 21 carries for 139 yards last week. QB Marcus Childers though hasn’t been spectacular and I think he’ll struggle against this aggressive and improving Miami Ohio defense. Note as well that Miami Ohio is already 3-0 ATS tho shear off a win against a conference rival, while NIU is still only 3-6 ATS in its last nine as a favourite in the 3.5 to ten points range. The Redhawks look vastly improved defensively last week and another effort like that could have them scoring the outright upset tonight. That said, in a contest which I envision being decided late, I’ll grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-10-18 | California +5 v. USC | Top | 15-14 | Win | 100 | 130 h 32 m | Show |
My 10* LEGEND is on California (10:30 EST). Both teams need one more win to become bowl eligible. Suffice it to say, I’m expecting a war to the end in this one. Cal will be hungry here to get back on track after it fell 19-13 to WSU this past weekend. A bright spot in the setback was the play of QB Chase Garbers, who had 127 yards, one TD, one INT and another 67 yards on the ground. Cal is averaging 23.6 PPG and it’s allowing only 21.9. USC looks poised for a classic letdown here in my opinion after it broke its two game slide last time out with a 38-21 win over Oregon State. Aca-Cedric Ware had 205 rushing yards and three TDs. Overall the Trojans are averaging 28.3 PPG and they’re conceding 27.9. I’ll point out as well that Cal is 7-2 ATS in its last nine after scoring 14 points or less in a conference loss in its last outing, while USC is only 2-6 ATS In its last eight after scoring 37 points or more in a conference contest in its previous outing. Ultimately I think the Golden Bears’ elite defense keeps them in this one late and as stated off the top, I’m expecting a competitive battle until the final moments. Grab as many points as you can, play on Cal. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-10-18 | Oregon v. Utah -3.5 | Top | 25-32 | Win | 100 | 122 h 56 m | Show |
My 10* Weekend Wipeout Winner is on Utah (5:30 EST). Both teams enter at 6-3, but I don’t think that the home field advantage can be overlooked as a very real deciding factor once it’s all said and done. The Ducks broke their two-game slide with a 42-21 win over UCLA last time out, punching their sixth win of the year and eligibility. Oregon was actually out gained by UCLA 496-492, but the Ducks would benefit from recovering three turnovers. Overall Oregon is averaging 37.2 PPG and it’s led by QB Justin Herbert, who has 22 TDs and six INTs. The Ducks’ defensively allow 27.6 PPG. The Utes average 30.3 PPG and they concede only 19.1. RB Zack Moss has 11 TD’s on the year while averaging over 121 YPG. The Ducks bounced back after consecutive losses on the road, but I think they’ll struggle again here in this difficult venue. Utah lost starting QB Tyler Huntley last time out, but behind Moss and a 17th ranked defensive unit, I believe the home side finds a way to get the job done at the end of the night. Lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-10-18 | Virginia Tech v. Pittsburgh -2.5 | 22-52 | Win | 100 | 99 h 9 m | Show | |
My 8* ACC (Coastal) Showdown is on Pittsburgh at 3;30 ET. What has happened in Blacksburg in 2018. The Hokies opened 2-0 and were ranked 13th when they lost 49-35 at Old Dominion (as a 4-TD fave), allowing the Monarchs to run up 632 yards (Frank Beamer must be steaming somewhere). Va Tech is 4-4 overall (3-2 in the ACC Coastal) and has allowed 43.5 PPG in those four losses. In contrast, Pitt has won three of four (5-4 overall but 4-1 in ACC play) and now leads the ACC Coastal, after the team's 23-13 (at +7.5) upset at Virginia. A number of final thoughts. Pitt who has covered 10 of the last 11 meetings with Va Tech, including seven outright upsets (note: Pitt is the small favorite here). The home team is 11-2 ATS in the last 13 meetings and note that the Panthers have won their last four ACC home games (Miami last year plus Ga Tech, Duke and Syra this year). Pitt ran for 254 yards in the upset of Virginia (Hall had 229) and the Panthers (averaging 230,8 YPG on the ground on the season) will go up against a Va Tech rush D that has allowed 219 or more rush yards in each of the team's last three games. I’m expecting a rout from start to finish. Lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-10-18 | Washington State -6 v. Colorado | 31-7 | Win | 100 | 99 h 7 m | Show | |
My 9* PERFECT STORM is on Washington St at 3:30 ET. Wash St fell out of the Ap top-25 after losing the Holiday Bowl 42-17 to Mich St. The Cougars were picked fifth in the Pac-12 North by some and naturally were unranked. However, the Cougars entered the poll at No. 25 after opening 5-1 and after back-to-back wins over ranked opponents Oregon and Stanford (plus last week's squeaker over Cal), Wash St is ranked No. 10. As for the Buffs, Colorado opened 5-0 to reach No. 19 in the AP poll but in a repeat of last year, have collapsed. Colorado jumped out to a 3-0 start in 2017, only to go 2-7 in Pac-12 play. The team welcomes Wash St to Boulder on a four-game slide, allowing 41 and 42 points in its last two games. Colorado blew a 31-3 lead against Oregon St in its most recent home game, before losing 41-34 in OT. Then in last week's game at Tucson, as Arizona finished with a 566-383 yardage edge in the Wildcats' 42-34 win. The Cougars control their own destiny in the Pac-12 North and could still possiibly be in the mix for a CFP berth. Meanwhile, the Buffs are 'in the tank.' I'll back the Cougars. In last year's meeting (in Pullman), Wash St won 28-0, out-gaining the Buffs 406-174. Note that Wash St enters a PERFECT 4-0 ATS on the road in 2018. Make that 5-0, here! Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-10-18 | Ohio State v. Michigan State +3.5 | 26-6 | Loss | -108 | 119 h 3 m | Show | |
My 9* Champs Classic play is on Michigan State (7:00 EST). While MSU lost some players to the NBA in the offseason, Tom Izzo still has plenty of talent in center Nick Ward (12.4 PPG, 7.1 boards) and point guard Cassius Winston (12.6 PPG, 6.9 assists). Last year the Spartans dominated teams on the boards by over 14 per game discrepancy. They also led the country in field goal percentage offense at 49.6. KU always has a lot of talent, but it comes in with a young group this year. Point guard Devon Dotson averaged 28.5 PPG and 5.3 assists and Providence Day School. The Jayhawks averaged 81.4 PPG last season, but the defense was nothing to write home about by allowing 71.9. I’ll point out as well that Kansas is just 8-17 ATS in its last 25 vs. the Big Ten, while Michigan State has always fared well in this match-up, going 6-2 ATS in its last eight in this series. The Spartans boast the more experienced line-up and on Opening Night, I believe that will be the difference. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-09-18 | Fresno State v. Boise State +3 | Top | 17-24 | Win | 100 | 106 h 33 m | Show |
My 10* GAME OF THE WEEK is on Boise State (10:15 EST). Fresno State is 8-1 overall and 5-0 MWC play with a one-game lead over SDSU, who it hosts next weekend. Can anyone say “look-ahead/letdown” spot?! The Bulldogs come in off seven straight wins, most recently destroying UNLV 48-3 on the road last Saturday. Boise State is 7-2 and 4-1 in MWC action and it’s still in the mix as well, sitting one game back of No. 18 Utah State for the Mountain Division lead. The Broncos come in on top form as well, winners of four straight, they’ll now look to pull off the slight upset and play spoiler. The Bulldogs look strong on both sides of the ball, as they’ve given up just three TDs and 36 points in MWC play. Boist State QB Brett Rypien had 214 yards and a TD in last week’s win over BYU. So far he has 24 TD passes this year. The Broncos are also among the best in the nation defensively, with 12 fumbles recovered thus far. I’ll point out as well that Boise State is 4-2 ATS in its last six after three or more consecutive SU wins, while Fresno State is just 1-4 ATS in its last five after five or more SU victories. This one has “upset” written all over it. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-07-18 | Ohio v. Miami-OH +3.5 | Top | 28-30 | Win | 100 | 54 h 15 m | Show |
This is a 10* MAC ATTACK on Miami Ohio (7:00 EST). Ohio has won four straight and I think it’s going to suffer a letdown here against the hungry RedHawks, who enter having lost two in a row. The Bobcats most recently enter off a 52-14 win over Ball State and a 59-14 road victory over WMU as a three-point underdog. AJ Ouellette and Maleek Irons combined for 188 yards rushing and three TDs in last week’s victory. And while Miami Ohio has had to endure injuries this year, it’s not going down without a fight today as it still looks to become eligible. While the defense struggled in last week’s loss to the high-powered Bulls, the offense was firing on all cylinders once again and I expect the unit to bring the same intensity in this important/crucial game as well. I’ll point out as well that the RedHawks are 12-7 ATS in their last 19 following a conference game (including 4-0 ATS this year) and 12-6 ATS in their last 18 as an underdog, while Ohio is just 1-3 ATS in its last four as a road fav in the 3.5 to 7.5 points range. Grab the points and expect a “nail-biter.” Play on Miami Ohio. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-03-18 | California +10.5 v. Washington State | Top | 13-19 | Win | 100 | 130 h 36 m | Show |
My 10* Weekend Wipeout Winner is on California (10:45 EST). After four straight wins, I think that WSU comes in a big complacent vs. its lowly opponent, enough of a letdown anyways to let the hungry visitors sneak in through the back door down the stretch. WSU had a one-half game lead over Washington and it’ll be difficult not to get caught “looking ahead” to The Apple Cup. Cal’s on the edge of eligibility as well and it’ll be eager to pull off the upset. The Golden Bears haven’t been to a bowl game since losing to Air Force in the 2015 Armed Forces Bowl. But the Golden Bears are poised for a return after last week’s 12-10 upset of then No. 12 Washington last Saturday. QB Chase Garbers returned two games ago and since then he’s gone 33 of 49 for 387 yards, three TDs and zero INTs. It won’t be easy obviously facing Mike Leach’s “Air Raid” offense, but after a slim 41-38 win at Stanford last Saturday, I do indeed feel that this sets up as a classic “letdown” spot Not surprisingly, Cougars’ QB Gardner Minshew leads the nation in passing yards and is fifth in TD passes. I’ll point out though that Washington State is just 4-7 ATS in its last 11 after a three games or more unbeaten streak, while Cal is 4-1 ATS in its last five off a win against a conference rival and 14-9 ATS in its last 23 as an underdog. For all the reasons listed above, grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-03-18 | Stanford v. Washington -9 | 23-27 | Loss | -110 | 128 h 52 m | Show | |
My 8* PERFECT STORM is on Washington (9:00 EST). Sanford comes in off a 41-38 home loss to WSU, while Washington fell 12-10 at Cal. Note that this is a “revenge” game for Washington after Stanford posted the 30-22 home win over the Huskies last year. Stanford comes in averaging 26.5 PPG and allowing 23.2. QB KJ Costello had 323 passing yards and four TDs but it still wasn’t enough last week. RB Bryce Love has been dealing with an ankle injury all year and he had just 71 rushing yards. Washington is averaging 26.6 PPG and it’s conceding just 15.2. That’s eighth overall in the country. QB Jake Browning was benched and then put back in the game last week, he’d finish with 148 yards, a TD and an INT. Overall he has 2,049 passing yards and a 12/8 TD/INT. The Huskies have given up just 25 points total the last weeks though and I think the home side’s defensive unit will be the difference maker again here today as well. Additionally note that Washington is 4-1 ATS in its last five home games against teams with winning road records, while Stanford is just 1-4 ATS in its last five against games with winning records. The Cardinal have lost three of their last four and I think they stumble again here in this difficult venue. Lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-03-18 | Alabama v. LSU +14 | 29-0 | Loss | -109 | 127 h 53 m | Show | |
My 9* Rivalry Rout is on LSU (8:00 EST). I don’t think that home field advantage can be overlooked in this big game. It’s No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 LSU from Tiger Stadium on Saturday night and in my opinion, this one’s going to end much closer than what the oddsmakers would like us to believe. Alabama enters off a 58-21 win over Tennessee, while LSU pulled away for a convincing 19-3 victory over Mississippi State. To say this is a “revenge” game would be a bit of an understatement as well, as Alabama has won seven straight in the series, including a 24-10 home win last November. The Crimson Tide are averaging 54.1 PPG and they’re conceding 15.9. QB Tua Tagovailoa had four TD passes last week and he so far has an amazing 25/0 TD/INT ratio. LSU is averaging 30.4 PPG, but it’s conceding just 15.1. LSU relies primarily on its strong run game to generate offense. Note though that LSU is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 against the conference, while Alabama is interestingly just 1-4 ATS in its last five when allowing 275 total yards or less in its previous game. I’m not calling for the outright upset, but I’m expecting a competitive battle until the end. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-03-18 | Syracuse -4 v. Wake Forest | 41-24 | Win | 100 | 119 h 54 m | Show | |
My 9* Eye-Opener is on Syracuse (12:00 EST). The Orange come in off a 51-41 home win over NC State and I expect them to carry that momentum over here. Wake Forest enters off a 56-35 destruction of Louisville, but I believe it’ll have its hands full against this surging Syracuse offense. Note as well that this is a revenge game for the Orange after Wake Forest recorded the 64-43 road victory last year. Syracuse comes in averaging 43.6 PPG and conceding 28.6. QB Eric Dungey had 411 yards and three TDs last week. So far he has 1,844 yards and a strong 13/4 TD/INT. Wake Forest gave up 532 total yards and 35 points to a weak Cardinals offend last week. So far the Demon Deacons are averaging 33.4 PPG and conceding 36.8. RB Matt Colburn had 243 yards and three TDs last week. Note though that the Demon Deacons are just 1-5 ATS in their last six at home and 0-5 ATS in their last five vs. teams with winning records, wile Syracuse is 7-0-1 ATS in its last eight following a SU win and 4-1 ATS in its last five after scoring more than 40 points in its previous game. After scoring 51 points against an elite Wolfpack offense, I have a hard time seeing the Demon Deacons slowing down this juggernaut. Lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-02-18 | Pittsburgh +7.5 v. Virginia | Top | 23-13 | Win | 100 | 103 h 13 m | Show |
My 10* GAME OF THE WEEK is on Pittsburgh (7:30 EST). Pittsburgh comes in off a shootout victory over Duke and I look for the Panthers to carry that offensive momentum over here against Virginia, which comes in contented off three straight victories. The Panthers most recently pulled away for a 54-45 win over the Blue Devils. V’Lique Carter had 137 yards rushing and two TD’s, while Qadree Ollison had 149 yards and a TD as well. The Cavs enter off the 31-21 victory over UNC, but this is s spot in which Virginia has done terribly in for bettors over the years, going just 7-12 ATS in its last 19 after playing a conference game. Note that the Cavs are also just 3-4 ATS in their last seven off a win against a conference rival. Pittsburgh on the other hand has excelled in this spot by going 10-3 ATS in its last 13 against teams with winning records and 11-6 ATS in its last 17 as an underdog. I’m not calling for the outright upset, but I think it goes right down to the wire. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
11-01-18 | Ohio v. Western Michigan -2 | Top | 59-14 | Loss | -104 | 80 h 16 m | Show |
My 10* Oddsmaker's Error is on Western Michigan at 7:00 ET. WMU's 51-24 home loss last week to Toledo ended the Broncos' six-game winning streak and dropped them one game back of Northern Illinois in the race for the MAC's West title. However, WMU still controls its own destiny, Win here at home vs Ohio plus Nov 13 at Ball St (currently a 3-6 team) and the Broncos will host Northern Illinois on Nov 20 with the winner qualifying for the MAC championship game. First things first, let's talk Ohio U. The Bobacats are 5-3, including 3-1 in the MAC East, one game back of 4-0 Buffalo. However, the Bobcats have back-to-back road games here at WMU and then against the school's long-time rival, Miami-Ohio. After that, it's a home date with Buffalo, which is arguably the MAC's best team (7-1 overall). Note that Ohio is just 1-3 away from home, allowing an average of 33.3 PPG in its three losses, with its lone win coming 27-26 at Kent (go-ahead score came with about 1 1/2 minutes left), which is just 1-7 overall (0-4 in MAC play). I’ll point out that Ohio is just 1-4 ATS in its last five road games against teams with a winning home record, while WMU is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 after posting more than 280 passing yards in its previous game. Bottom line is that oddsmaker' overreacted to WMU's shocking 51-24 home loss last week to Toledo and bettors have piled on. Almost ALL the money is on Ohio but I expect a comfortable Western Michigan win. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-27-18 | Texas v. Oklahoma State +3 | Top | 35-38 | Win | 100 | 127 h 36 m | Show |
My 10* LEGEND is on Oklahoma State (8:00 EST). While I obviously believe the outright win isn’t out of the question in this one, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can in a contest which I envision being decided by whichever team has its hands on the ball last. Texas held on for a 23-17 road win over Baylor last time out and I think the Longhorns finally have a letdown here in this difficult venue and after five straight victories. QB Sam Ehlinger so far has 1,534 yards passing with an 11/2 TD/INT, while completing 65.7 percent of his passes, while RB Keontay Ingram so far has 403 yards rushing. Overall Texas is averaging 30.7 PPG. Oklahoma State is the “hungrier” team here no doubt after losing three of its last four, most recently a 31-12 setback to K-State. Cowboys’ QB Taylor Cornelius though is a difference maker, as he already has 2,009 passing yards and a decent 16/8 TD/INT. Overall OKS is averaging 493 total yards of offense per game, along with 39.4 PPG. I’ll point out as well that Texas is just 3-5 ATS in its last eight after two or more consecutive SU victories and just 3-4 ATS in its last seven as a road favorite, while Oklahoma State is 5-3 ATS in its last eight off a loss against a conference rival and 5-2 ATS in its last seven as an underdog. As stated off the top,while I do in fact believe the outright win is very possible, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can. Play on Oklahoma State. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-27-18 | Boise State v. Air Force +10 | 48-38 | Push | 0 | 125 h 27 m | Show | |
My 9* Under The Radar Rout is on Air Force (7:00 EST). I’m not calling for an outright upset, but I do definitely think that the stage is set for a much tighter battle than what the oddsmakers would like us to believe. Boise State comes in complacent after back-to-back victories, while Air Force comes in having gone 2-1 in its last three, most recently holding on for a win over UNLV. BSU QB Brett Rypien is still 0-2 in his last two trips to Falcon Stadium, including a 27-20 setback in November 2016. The Air Force offense is being overlooked here in my opinion. Its still ranked just 106th in the nation, but last week QB Isaiah Sanders had four TD’s and the offense rolled up 572 yards. Sanders had 217 yards passing with a TD, along with 173 yards rushing and three more scores on the ground. I’ll point out as well that Boise State is just 3-5 ATS in it last eight as a favorite in the 3.5 to ten points range and only 5-10 ATS in its last 15 after two or more SU victories, while Air Force is 4-1 ATS in its last five as an underdog in the 3.5 to ten points range and 5-3 ATS in its last eight off a win against a conference rival. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-27-18 | Kentucky v. Missouri -6.5 | 15-14 | Loss | -110 | 103 h 8 m | Show | |
My 8* Unranked vs Ranked Money-Maker is on Missouri at 4:00 ET. It's been a great start to the season for Kentucky, Mark Stoops' sixth year at Lexington. His teams went 12-24 (4-20 in the SEC) in his first three but he led the Wildcats to bowl games in each of the last two (Kentucky lost both bowls, finishing 7-6 each season). So, this year's 6-1 start (4-1 in the SEC!), is quite notable, as is the school's AP ranking of No. 12. Kentucky entered the top-25 back on Sep 23, for the first time since the 2007 season. Kentucky is allowing 12.8 PPG (second-best among all FBS schools) but the offense is a concern, as the Wildcats have gained just 178 yards (in a 20-14 OT loss at A&M) and 298 yards (in a 14-7 home win over Vandy) over the last two weeks Meanwhile, Missouri snapped a four-game slide with last week's 65-33 win over Memphis. The Tigers had opened the season 3-0 and while they are just 4-3 overall, note that the team is averaging an impressive 49.0 PPG in its wins. Sure, Kentucky's D presents a formidable challenge but Barry Odom's team owns an outstanding offense (501.1 YPG & 38.6 PPG) plus has a great chance for an eight-win season with a victory here. Florida is up next but the Tigers finish with games against Vandy, Tennessee and Arkanasas. Those three schools are-currently 8-15 overall, including 1-11 in SEC play. However, first things first. Missouri enters this contest on an 11-4 ATS run in its last 15 regular season games, including 4-0 ATS at home here in 2018. There's a reason the 4-3 team is favored over the 6-1 team, ranked No. 12 in the nation. Lay it with Missouri. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-27-18 | Georgia -7 v. Florida | Top | 36-17 | Win | 100 | 122 h 58 m | Show |
My 10* Rivalry Rout is on Georgia (3:30 EST). A couple of 6-1 teams collide from EverBank Field in Jacksonville Florida on Saturday afternoon. The Gators have won five in a row and they moved to 4-1 in conference play after a 37-27 victory over Vanderbilt. QB Feleipe Franks has 1,406 yards with 15 TDs and five INTs, while only completing 56.6 percent of his passes. Overall Florida is averaging 34.4 PPG. The Bulldogs come in off their first loss of the year, a 36-16 setback to LSU. Georgia though has had its bye week to filter and process the loss and I think the extra time off will prove to be very beneficial for the Bulldogs. With their first loss out of the way and with a full week to process and refocus, it could in fact be the best thing that could have happened for Georgia this season. So far QB Jake Fromm has 1,409 yards passing with a 13/4 TD/INT. Overall the Bulldogs are averaging 39 PPG. I’ll point out though that Florida is just 1-5 ATS in its last six as an underdog in the 3.5 to ten points range and only 2-3 ATS in its last five games played on a neutral field, while Georgia is 5-3 ATS in it slast eight as a favorite in the 3.5 to ten points range and 6-1 ATS in its last seven games played on a neutral field. For all the reasons listed above, play on Georgia. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-27-18 | Wisconsin v. Northwestern +6 | 17-31 | Win | 100 | 118 h 29 m | Show | |
My 8* EYE-OPENER is on Northwestern (12:00 EST). Northwestern won’t be going down without a fight today. The Wildcats come on on a three game win steak, most recently taking care of business in what could have been a trap game against lowly Rutgers last week. Wisconsin comes in off a 49-20 beatdown of Illinois. Northwestern’s defense will keep it in this one, it comes in conceding just 24.6 PPG. QB Clayton Thorson has been good as well with 1,900 passing yards and nine TDs to go along with another two rushing TDs. He does have seven INT’s and overall the offense is averaging just 24.3 PPG. Wisconsin is allowing 20.0 PPG and it’s averaging 33.0. RB Jon Taylor has 1,109 yards rushing with eight TDs. But note that the Badgers are just 2-4 ATS in their last six as a favorite, while Northwestern is 10-5 ATS in its last 15 off a win against a conference rival and 9-3 ATS in its last 12 as an underdog. I think Northwestern takes this one down to the wire. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-26-18 | Miami-FL -3.5 v. Boston College | Top | 14-27 | Loss | -104 | 102 h 58 m | Show |
My 10* ACC Game Of The Month is on Miami Florida (7:00 EST). Miami Florida comes in off a stunning loss to Virginia and suffice it to say, I think the Hurricanes take out their frustrations on the Eagles. Last week Miami fell 16-13 on the road and it’ll now try to steamroll a BC side which comes in off a satisfying 38-20 victory over Louisville last Saturday. The Hurricanes are making a permanent move back to QB Malik Rosier, after freshman K’Kosi Perry completely underwhelmed last week. Perry was just 3 of 6 for 20 yards with two INT’s. Rosier would come in in the second half and throw for 170 yards and an INT. Miami’s offense has plenty of issues, but the senior Rosier should bring back some steady calm to a unit which desperately needs it. The Hurricanes defense though remains one of the best in the country, among the leaders in almost every defensive category. BC’s offense revolves around its running attack, which averages 226.9 YPG. Last week RB David Bailey and Ben Glines combined to run for 219 yards and two TDs. But BC struggles are on the offensive side of the ball, while the defense remains a strength of the team. I’ll point out though that Miami is 21-15 ATS in its last 26 after giving up less than 20 points in its previous game, while the road team is 4-1 ATS in the last five in this series overall as well. I think the change of QB for Miami will in fact prove to be a good move andI look for the Hurricanes superior defense to then deliver the knock out blow. Lay the points, play on Miami. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-25-18 | Toledo v. Western Michigan -5.5 | Top | 51-24 | Loss | -110 | 79 h 54 m | Show |
My 10* MAC Attack is on Western Michigan at 7:00 ET. No upsets here in my opinion, as I look for the first place WMU Broncos to find a way to get the job done on Thursday night. Toledo comes to town off a 31-17 home loss to Buffalo, while Western Michigan enters off a 35-10 road win over CMU in its previous action. Note that this is a “revenge” game as well for the Broncos after the Rockets scored the 37-10 home win in the series last season. Toledo is averaging 39.3 PPG and it gave up 326 passing yards to Buffalo last weekend. QB Eli Peters has a 6/2 TD/INT. Note that the defense is allowing 34.3 PPG. WMU is averaging 36.4 PPG and it’s conceding 28.4. QB Jon Wassink already has 1,980 passing yards with a strong 16/6 TD/INT. I’ll point out as well that the Broncos are 4-1 ATS in their last five following a SU win over more than 20 points, while Toledo is just 1-4 ATS in its last five against teams with winning records. In conclusion, this year's Toledo team hardly looks bowl-bound. The Rockets have been to 11 bowls since 2001 and to SEVEN in the previous eight seasons. However, last year's 11-3 record seems as 'far away,' as Toledo lost its second straight and dropped to 3-4 (1-2 MAC) on the season. Toledo was outgained by Buffalo 463-to-295 in yards, while committing four turnovers in the 31-17 loss. Toledo has struggled on the road this season going 0-2, while allowing 77 points, and will 'limp' into this game 0-4 ATS in its last four overall (also checks in at 0-3 ATS to begin MAC play). Meanwhile, Tim Lester's second season at Toledo is going well. He had a tough act to follow (P.J. Fleck led WMU to a 13-1 season and a New Years' Six bowl game in 2016) but 2017's 6-6 record is a thing of the past. The Broncos opened 2018 with back-to-back losses (to Syracuse and at Michigan) but enter this contest on a six-game winning streak (4-0 start in MAC play) in which the team has averaged 41.0 PPG. WMU's balanced offense (249.4 YPG passing and 220.2 YPG rushing) will allow the Broncos to win this game with "room to spare!' Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-21-18 | Nevada v. Hawaii -3.5 | Top | 40-22 | Loss | -105 | 130 h 1 m | Show |
My 10* ABSOLUTE BLOWOUT on Hawaii (11:55 EST). Nevada is 3-4 overall and 1-2 in Mountain West play. It most recently lost its second straight, most recently a 31-27 setback to Boise State. The Wolfpack were out gained by a whopping 506-386 margin. QB Ty Gangi was just 24 of 42 for 204 yards, two TDs and an INT. Overall Nevada is averaging 31.6 PPG and conceding 33.6. Hawaii on the other hand is 6-2, including 3-0 in Conference action. The Warriors come in off a 49-23 non-conference loss to BYU this past Saturday (I had the Cougars in that one!) WR John Ursua had 89 yards and a TD. QB Cole McDonald has 26 TDs and three INTs on the year. Overall Hawaii is averaging 36.5 PPG and it’s conceding 32. I think Nevada is overmatched on both sides of the ball today. The Wolfpack also come in with zero momentum and they’ve been struggling away from friendly confines as well. The Warriors can smell the blood in the water in my opinion (note as well that Hawaii is 7-2 ATS in its last nine after allowing 48 points or more in its previous contest.) Lay the points and expect a rout. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-20-18 | Akron -4 v. Kent State | 24-23 | Loss | -108 | 122 h 32 m | Show | |
The second pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Akron 8* (3:30 EST). Akron comes in hungry after dropping its third straight, most recently a 24-6 setback at Buffalo last weekend. A date against hapless Kent State is just what the doctor ordered for the Zips to get back on track though, as the Golden Flashes come in having lost five straight. And if recent history is any precedence, then Akron has to be liking its chances today as it’s taken three straight in the series, including a 24-14 victory last season. Akron is averaging 23.2 PPG and it’s conceding only 26.4. QB Kato Nelson struggled in last week’s loss, going just 12 of 29 for 115 yards and an INT. Overall though he has 980 yards passing, seven TDs and six INTs. Kent is averaging only 23 PPG and it’s conceding a whopping 36.6. QB Woody Barrett has 1,560 passing yards, to go along with seven TDs and eight INTs. Akron has its issues, but this a big opportunity which I believe it will make the most of. I’ll point out as well that Kent State is just 1-5 ATS in its last six after allowing more than 450 total yards in its previous game, while Akron is 6-2 ATS in its last eight following an ATS loss. For all the reasons listed above, lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-20-18 | SMU v. Tulane -7 | 27-23 | Loss | -102 | 122 h 32 m | Show | |
The third pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Tulane (8*) (3:30 EST) This is an important game. Houston is going to likely win the conference, but the victor of this contest will be solidly in the second position. To say this is a “revenge” game for Tulane though would be a bit of an understatement, as SMU has won six of the last seven in the series. SMU has had a week of to ponder its 48-20 beatdown at the hands of UFC. Overall the Mustangs are allowing 39.7 PPG. Last week Tulane fell 37-21 to Cincinnati (who has since cracked the Top 25). Overall the Green Wave are averaging 379 YPG. I’ll point out though that SMU is just 1-3 ATS in its last four following its bye, while Tulane is 7-2 ATS in its last nine after allowing 36 points or more in its previous contest. Despite some of the QB issues that Tulane is going through, I think the Green Wave finds a way to get the job done at home in this crucial contest. Lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-20-18 | Eastern Michigan v. Ball State +3 | 42-20 | Loss | -109 | 121 h 2 m | Show | |
The first pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Ball State 8* (3:00 EST). Ball State is 3-4 overall and 2-1 in the MAC West. The Cardinals though come in with plenty of momentum as they look to move back to .500, most recently rallying from a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to knock off CMU last weekend 24-23. EMU held on for a 28-26 win last weekend, nearly squandering a 28-3 half-time lead, struggling after QB Mike Glass left with injury. If Glass can’t play today (and if he does, one has to wonder about his health?!), then Tyler Wiegers would fill in. Last week he was 11 of 15 for 83 yards and he’s been decent with five TDs and just one INT this season. Ball State still needs three more wins for bowl eligibility, so the home side will clearly have the “foot on the gas” from start to finish here as it looks to take advantage of this EMU team that’s dealing with some pretty major QB issues at the moment. Ball State has a solid receiving corps, led by Riley Neal, who has 40 catches for 546 yards. The Cardinals are averaging a very respectable 441.4 yards of offense a game, thanks in part to them running nearly 85 play on offense per contest. I’ll point out as well that Ball State is interestingly 6-1 ATS in its last seven after allowing fewer than 170 passing yards in its previous game, while EMU is a horrible 9-23 ATS in its last 32 following a SU victory. For all the reason listed above, play on Ball State. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-20-18 | Michigan -7 v. Michigan State | 21-7 | Win | 100 | 119 h 37 m | Show | |
My 9* Rivalry Rout is on Michigan (12:00 EST). Michigan State traveled to Ann Arbor last year and scored the 14-10 upset victory. Suffice it to say, it’s payback time! Michigan looks to avenge that setback and it comes into this one on top form, having posted six straight victories after an Opening season loss to Notre Dame. Michigan State on the other hand looks poised for a classic “letdown” here in my opinion after a big win over Penn State last weekend. Last week the Wolverines won 38-13 at home over Wisconsin. QB Shea Patterson had 124 passing yards, along with a season-high 90 yards rushing with a TD. RB Karan Higdon had 100 yards rushing as well. The difference maker today for me though is the Wolverines’ defensive unit, which limited Wisconsin QB Alex Hornibrook to 100 passing yards, one TD and two INT’s. Wisconsin came into that game averaging 30.3 points and 447.3 YPG. MSU QB Brian Lewerke managed a TD pass to Felton Davis with 19 seconds left on the clock to score the 21-17 victory over the Nittany Lions last weekend. But it wasn’t pretty, as Lewerke finished with a 22.8 QB rating and he was sacked three times, while the offensive line would additionally give up seven tackles for a loss. I’ll point out as well that Michigan State is just 1-4 ATS in its last five following an ATS victory and only 1-4 ATS in its last five at home, while Michigan is 4-1 ATS in its last against the conference. For all the reasons listed above, play on Michigan. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-18-18 | Stanford -2.5 v. Arizona State | Top | 20-13 | Win | 100 | 80 h 35 m | Show |
My 10* PAC-12 GAME OF MONTH is on Stanford (9:00 EST). Stanford comes into this one hungry and rested. The Cardinal are off their bye and they’re looking to halt a two-game slide, most recently falling to Notre Dame and Utah. Arizona State is just 1-3 in its last four, most recently falling to Colorado. Stanford has to be feeling more confident this week though because RB Bryce Love, who has missed the last two games with a small injury, is back and ready to go. Love already has 327 yards through four games. With Love in the line-up, Stanford is an entirely different team and I have a hard time seeing ASU’s porous defensive front slowing him down at all. ASU also comes in off its bye, but instead of rest leading to success, I think the opposite will be true for the Sun Devils. QB Manny Wilkins was injured in the loss to Colorado, but he’s also been given the green light today. I’ll point out though that Arizona State is just 1-2 ATS in its last three following its bye-week and only 2-4 ATS in its last six when the line in the game is set between +3 and -3, while Stanford is 2-1 ATS in its last three following its bye and 6-3 ATS in its last nine when the line in the game is set between +3 and -3. The Cardinal have upcoming games against Washington and Washington State, so they can ill afford another loss. Stanford’s recent slide is directly attributable to Love’s absence, but now that he’s back though I’m expecting a complete “180.” Lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-13-18 | Colorado v. USC -7 | Top | 20-31 | Win | 100 | 128 h 21 m | Show |
My 10* LEGEND is on USC (10:30 EST). Colorado enters off a 28-21 home win over Arizona State, while USC got the better of Arizona 24-20 on the road as well. If recent history is any precedence, then the Trojans have to be liking their chances today, because when these teams met last year USC would post the convincing 38-24 road victory. I think Colorado comes in complacent after it’s 5-0 start. Overall the Buffs are averaging 37.8 PPG, while holding the opposition to just 18.4. QB Steven Montez had 328 passing with two TDs in last week’s win over Colorado State. USC is averaging 24.6 PPG and its conceding 26.2. QB JT Daniels had 197 passing yards last week, while RB Aca’Cedric Ware had 173 rushing yards. After two poor performances on the defensive side of the ball to Texas and Washington State, the Trojans limited Arizona to just 98 rushing yards last week. I’ll point out as well that Colorado is just 2-4 ATS in its last six as an underdog in the 3.5 to ten points range and only 5-6 ATS in its last 11 against teams with winning records, while USC is 9-5 ATS in its last 14 off a win against a conference rival. I like USC’s improved defensive play to carry over here and I’m finally expecting the Buffs to stumble. Lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-13-18 | Hawaii v. BYU -14.5 | 23-49 | Win | 100 | 128 h 5 m | Show | |
Writeup: My 8* Bailout is on BYU (10:15 EST). After three straight victories, I think the Warriors are going to finally stumble here at the national level. The Warriors are 6-1 and the currently lead the West Division of the Mountain West Conference. Hawaii though has won its last two games by a combined seven points. Last week it had to hold on for a much tougher than expected 17-13 win over Wyoming. QB Chevan Cordeiro was 19 of 29 for 148 with two TD’s and an INT. BYU will be eager to get back on track here after back-to-back losses, most recently a 45-20 home loss to Utah State. QB Tanner Mangum was 27 of 46 for 270 yards with two TD’s and an INT. You’ll also want to keep your eyes on WR Dylan Collie, who had eight catches for 68 yards and a TD last week, but who had 1,300 yards receiving and nine TD’s with Hawaii before transferring last season. BYU is deep, as four players have at least ten receptions and seven different players have a TD catch. I’ll point out as well that the Cougars are 15-8 ATS in their last 23 non-conference games, while Hawaii is just 5-6 ATS in its last 11 in the same position. For all the reason listed above, play on BYU. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-13-18 | Western Kentucky v. Charlotte +9.5 | 14-40 | Win | 100 | 121 h 23 m | Show | |
The first pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Charlotte 8* (3:30 EST). While I’m not predicting an outright upset, I do think the home side will keep this one a lot more competitive than what the oddsmakers are trying to lead us to believe. Both teams come in off their bye week. WKU most recently lost 20-17 at home to Marshall, while Charlotte lost 28-7 to UAB in its latest action. This is a revenge game for the 49ers after the Hilltoppers took the only other game ever played between the schools, a 45-14 home win last October 14th. WKU is averaging 18.6 PPG and it’s conceding 25. QB Drew Ecklels has 514 yards with three TD’s so far, while Davis Shanley has 412 yards and a TD. Charlotte was out gained 330-271 by UAB in its loss two weeks ago. It did however own a convincing 33:37 to 26:26 time of possession advantage. Two costly turnovers proved to be too much to overcome. The 49ers average 21.8 PPG and they concede 31.4. QB Chris Reynolds had 1,062 yards with six TDs and two INTs, while RB Benny LeMay has 414 yards with three scores on the ground. I’ll point out though that WKU is a poor 1-6 ATS in its last seven as a favorite in the 3.5 to ten points range and only 1-3 ATS in its last four off a loss against a conference rival, while Charlotte is 5-3 ATS in its last eight as an underdog in the 3.5 to ten points range and 6-2 ATS in its last eight off a loss against a conference rival. I think the week off helps Charlotte in this home situation. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-13-18 | Marshall -3.5 v. Old Dominion | 42-20 | Win | 100 | 121 h 23 m | Show | |
The second pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Marshall 8* (3:30 EST). Marshall enters off a 34-24 home loss to MTSU, while ODU was smashed 52-33 at FAU last weekend. If recent history is any precedence though, then the Herd have to be liking their chances this afternoon because when these schools met last year it was Marshall which posted the convincing 35-3 win at home. Marshall is averaging 26.2 PPG and it’s conceding 26.4. Last week QB Alex Thomson had 173 passing yards with two TD’s and one INT. RB Tyler King though had a big day with 165 rushing yards. WR Tyre Brady has 427 receiving yards and five TDs. Marshall’s lone conference win was a tight 20-17 road victory at WKU. ODU is averaging 28.7 PPG and it’s conceding 38.7. RB Jeremy Cox was poor last week with 13 yards on eight carries. QB Blake LaRussa had 383 yards, two TDs and two INTs. The Monarchs defense was terrible though, allowing 52 points on 605 total yards against FAU and I think Thomson and Brady will have their opportunities as well. Additionally note that Marshall is still 8-5 ATS in its last 13 on the road, while ODU is a poor 5-10 ATS in its last 15 as an underdog and just 4-5 ATS in its last nine after two or more consecutive SU losses. For all the reasons listed above, play on Marshall. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-13-18 | Washington -3.5 v. Oregon | 27-30 | Loss | -100 | 121 h 22 m | Show | |
The third pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Washington 8* (3:30 EST). I like the No. 7 Washington Huskies to pull away down the stretch in Oregon to take on the No. 17 Ducks. Washington enters off a potentially dangerous victory over UCLA last week, avoiding the “trap” and at least securing a solid 31-24 outright road win. Oregon had its bye week, but before that it got the better of Cal 42-24 on the road on September 29th. If recent history is any precedence, then Washington has to be liking it chances this afternoon, because when these teams played last year the Huskies would smash the Ducks 38-3. Washington is averaging 29.2 PPG and it’s conceding only 13.7. Last week QB Jake Browning had 265 passing yards with one TD and one INT. Overall he has 1,508 passing yards and a 9/5 TD/INT. Oregon is averaging 45.6 PPG and it’s conceding 24.4. QB Justin Herbert had 225 yards and two TDs in the victory over Cal on Sept. 29th. I’ll point out though that Washington is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 off a win against a conference rival, while Oregon is just 2-8 ATS in its last ten as an underdog. For all the reasons listed above, play on Washington. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-13-18 | Nebraska +5.5 v. Northwestern | 31-34 | Win | 100 | 118 h 55 m | Show | |
My 9* Eye Opener is on Nebraska (12:00 EST). Nebraska will need to run the table to earn a bowl bid and while that obviously isn’t going to happen, I still believe that Scott Frost will have his troops ready to play as they look to get off the schneid and break the 0-5 slide. In fact the Huskers have lost nine straight dating back to last year. Note that that slide started with a loss to these very Wildcats. With a chance to avenge that setback and to finally punch one into the win column, I’m expecting this contest to come right down to the wire. Besides, Northwestern is primed for a letdown here after last week’s upset win over MSU, a victory which snapped a three-game skid of its own. Last week Nebraska fell 41-24 to Wisconsin. The defense has been the major issue to this point, allowing 39.2 PPG so far. QB Adrian Martinez though is starting to trend in the correct direction and I think that progression gets carried over. Northwestern enters off the shocking 29-19 win over MSU last weekend. The run game was once again a disaster though, posting just eight positive yards. QB Clayton Throson had a mixed back with 373 yards and three TDs, but also two INTs. Overall he has a weak 6/5 TD/INT. These teams are evenly matched in my estimation. But I’m banking on all of the external motivating factors working in favor of the visitors to be the difference here. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-13-18 | Florida v. Vanderbilt +7.5 | 37-27 | Loss | -129 | 118 h 54 m | Show | |
My 10* Situational Stunner is on Vanderbilt (12:00 EST). I think the No. 14 ranked Gators come in a bit complacent here and get caught looking past the hungry Commodores. I’m not calling for an outright upset, but I do definitely expect a much tighter than expected battle. Vandy has played a very difficult schedule to open the campaign, with two Top 10 opponents in Georgia and Notre Dame. Next week the Commodores are at No. 18 Kentucky. The Gators come in content after back-to-back wins over ranked foes, most recently knocking off LSU 27-10. QB Feleipe Franke was just 17 of 27 though for 161 yards, one TD and one INT. Overall the Gators are averaging 34 PPG and conceding 14.8. The Commodores were humbled by Georgia 41-13 last week. QB Kyle Shurmur was only 14 of 28 for 169 yards, no TD’s or INT’s. The Commodores though would run for 138 yards. Overall though Shurmur owns a respectable 9/4 TD/INT. Overally Vandy averages 25.2 PPG and it concedes just 24. I’ll point out as well that Florida is still just 1-3 ATS in its last four as a road favorite an interestingly, 0-6 ATS in games played on turf, while Vandy 3-0 ATS in its last three as home dog in the 3.5 to seven points range. For all the reasons listed above, grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-06-18 | California v. Arizona -1.5 | 17-24 | Win | 100 | 130 h 48 m | Show | |
My 9* Situational Stunner is on Arizona (10:00 EST). I don’t think that the home field advantage can be overlooked as a very real deciding factor in this particular matchup. Arizona QB Khalil Tate has struggled somewhat this year, but I think he’ll have his opportunities tonight against the Golden Bears. Cal looks ripe for the picking here after its first loss of the season in a 42-24 home defeat to No. 19 Oregon. The Golden Bears would go on to commit five turnovers in the setback. Cal utilizes a two QB system, but both Mcillwain and Garbers struggled against the Ducks defensive pressure. In all they combined for two fumbles and four INT’s. Overall Cal comes in averaging 28.5 PPG, while conceding 25. The Wildcats are averaging 31.6 PPG and conceding 28.4. Tate was 16 of 33 for 232 yards, two TD’s and one INT in last week’s 24-20 loss to USC. RB JJ Taylor remains a standout with 527 yards rushing and three TD’s so far (5.9 YPC.) I’ll point out as well that Cal is just 5-7 ATS in its last 12 on the road, while Arizona is 4-1 ATS in its last five home games after scoring 21 points or less in its previous contest. I like Tate to bounce back here. Play on Arizona. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-06-18 | Notre Dame -5 v. Virginia Tech | 45-23 | Win | 100 | 128 h 10 m | Show | |
The third pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Notre Dame 8* (8:00 EST). Notre Dame is undefeated so far this season and I think the Irish carry over that momentum over at least one more game. Last week ND defeated a good Stanford team. Virginia Tech is 3-1, its lone loss was a big upset to ODU. In the victory over the Cardinal, ND QB Ian Book was 24 of 33 for 278 yards, four TD’s and no INT’s. WR Miles Boykin had 11 catches for 144 yards. The Hokies were a 6.5 point underdog in Duke last week, but they ended leaving with a 31-14 outright victory. QB Ryan Willis had 332 yards and three TD’s. Note though that the VT defense is suspect, especially after allowing 632 yards of offense to the Monarchs just two weeks ago. I’ll point out as well that the Hokies are 0-5 ATS in their last five after allowing more than 250 passing yards in their previous game, while ND is 7-2 ATS in its last nine following a three games or more unbeaten streak. VT is still without starting QB Josh Jackson to injury. I think his backup is going to struggle against this focused and talented Notre Dame defense though. Lay the points with confidence. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-06-18 | Kentucky v. Texas A&M -5 | Top | 14-20 | Win | 100 | 127 h 49 m | Show |
My 10* ODDSMAKERS ERROR is on Texas A&M (7:00 EST). Kentucky comes in off back-to-back wins and I think it’ll get caught complacent after victories over then No. 14 Mississippi State and last week’s 24-10 effort over South Carolina. Texas A&M bounced back last week from a loss to Alabama by beating Arkansas 24-17. Kentucky comes in ranked as the No. 13 team in the country after starting the year 5-0. The defense has been the biggest difference this season Mark Stoops’ team. However, I think that unit is going to be tested by the Aggies up-tempo offense today in this difficult road venue. Texas A&M might have two losses already, but it’s been against Alabama and Clemson (and note that in the setback to the Tigers, it came down to final moments.) In last week’s win RB Trayveon Williams was a stand out with 152 rushing yards and two TD’s. I’ll point out as well that Kentucky is just 2-6 ATS in its last eight after an ATS win and only 4-9 ATS in its last 13 played on grass, while Texas A&M is 4-0 ATS in its last four against teams with winning records and 6-2-1 in its last nine following a SU victory. I think Kentucky will indeed finally come up short in College Station. The Wildcats aren’t running the table this year and I look for the perfect start to come to an end here. I’m laying the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-06-18 | Northern Illinois -3.5 v. Ball State | 24-16 | Win | 100 | 123 h 50 m | Show | |
The second pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Northern Illinois 8* (3:00 EST). NIU will look to keep the foot on the gas here after a 2-0 start in the West Division of the MAC. Ball State ended a three-game skid with a win over lowly Kent State last weekend. NIU took out EMU 26-23 last week. The Huskies’ defense is limiting teams to just 348.6 YPG though, which ranks 41st nationally. The offense leaves everything to desire, but NIU catches a break this week facing Ball State. Last week the Cardinals hammered Kent State 52-24, but the Flashes are just terrible defensively. So far Ball State’s numbers are skewed because of a dominant offensive performance against an FCS opponent to start the year. I’ll point out as well that Ball State is just 1-5 ATS in its last six against teams with losing records, while NIU is 19-7-1 ATS in its last 27 road games against teams with losing home records. I think the Huskies’ tough defensive play is the difference in this one. Lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-06-18 | Boston College +4 v. NC State | Top | 23-28 | Loss | -102 | 120 h 23 m | Show |
My 10* GAME OF THE MONTH is on Boston College (12:30 EST). Boston College bounced back from its first loss of the year to secure a convincing 45-35 win over Temple at home last Saturday, which was a potential “trap” for the Eagles. With that “land-mine” out of the way, I think BC will at the very least, keep this one competitive down to the final moments. NC State comes in a tiny bit complacent, still unbeaten after hammering Virginia 35-21 at home last weekend. Note that this is a revenge game as well for Boston College after NC State won 17-14 on the road in the last matchup on November 11th, 2017. BC is averaging 43.2 PPG and it’s conceding just 26.8. QB Anthony Brown has 861 passing yards with 12 TD’s and four INT’s. RB AJ Dillon has 652 yards rushing with six TD’s. NC State is averaging 34.3 PPG and it’s conceding 15.3. QB Ryan Finley has 1,313 yards with eight TD’s and one INT. RB Reggie Gallaspy II has 220 yards and five scores. I’ll point out though that BC is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 on the road, while NC State is only 2-4 ATS in its last six off a win against a conference rival. I think the Eagles’ high-flying offense finally tests this NC State Wolfpack defense. Look for this one to be decided by whichever of these teams has its hands on the ball last and grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-06-18 | Syracuse -5.5 v. Pittsburgh | 37-44 | Loss | -106 | 120 h 10 m | Show | |
The first pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Syracuse 8* (12:20 EST) Syracuse enters off a 27-23 loss to No. 3 Clemson, while Pitt returns home after a humbling 45-14 beatdown loss to No. 13 UCF last Saturday. The Orange average 44.2 PPG and they concede 21.4. Last week Syracuse took the loss despite allowing only one turnover, while forcing three. QB Eric Dungey so far has 1,013 yards with nine TD’s and two INT’s, while Moe Neal has 367 yards on the ground and two scores. The Panthers average 22.4 PPG and they concede 32. QB Kenny Pickett has 743 years, five TD’s and four INT’s (he also has 111 rushing yards and two more scores.) Qadree Oillison has 404 yards on the ground with four more scores. I’ll point out though that Pitt is just 1-4-1 ATS in its last six after allowing more than 280 yards passing in its previous game, while Syracuse is 3-1 ATS in its last four as a favorite in the 3.5 to ten points range. The Orange gave Clemson everything it could handle and I have a hard time seeing the Panthers keeping pace down the stretch. Lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
10-05-18 | Utah State +2.5 v. BYU | Top | 45-20 | Win | 100 | 107 h 38 m | Show |
My 10* RIVALRY ROUT is on Utah State (9:00 EST). Utah State comes in fresh off its bye and while the outright win is obviously not out of the question, I will in the end recommend grabbing the handful of points. In their previous game the Aggies posted a 42-32 home victory over Air Force. BYU returns home dejected after its listless 35-7 road loss to Washington. If recent history is any precedence, then Utah State has to be loving its chances here today, as note that it would destroy BYU 40-24 at home in last year’s matchup. Note that Utah State also managed to score 31 points against a strong Michigan State team in Week 1. QB Jordan Love had 356 passing yards and two TD’s in the win over the Falcons two weeks ago. The Aggies also feature a strong run game with Darwin Thompson and Gerold Bright combining for over 550 yards already. Utah State’s defense has also been decent. Overall the Aggies are averaging 51.5 PPG and allowing 23.8. BYU is averaging 21.4 PPG and it’s conceding just 20.6. Its two-game win skein came to an end in last week’s setback to No. 11 Washington. QB Tanner Mangum was 18 of 21 for 160 yards. He has 772 passing yards and a weak 3/2 TD/INT. RB Squally Canada so far has 335 rushing yards and five TD’s to lead the offensive side of things for BYU. The Cougars outstanding defensive play has led to victories over Arizona and Wisconsin already this season, but I think the unit will stumble here against this high-octane Aggies unit, which comes in rested as well. I’ll point out as well that BYU is just 2-7 ATS in its last nine at home, while Utah State is 4-1 ATS in its last five on the road. For all the reasons listed above, play on the Aggies. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-29-18 | Marshall v. Western Kentucky +6.5 | 20-17 | Win | 100 | 107 h 49 m | Show | |
The third pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Western Kentucky 9* (7:30 EST). Marshall comes in off its first loss of the year in a setback against NC State last week. The Thundering Herd broke a three-game losing streak in this series last year, but I think WKU will bounce back and revenge that loss with its first home victory over the season. Marshall allowed 377 passing yards last week. QB Isaiah Green has been very lacklustre as well to this point, coming in sporting a 6/3 TD/INT ratio. WKU won’t be taking anything for granted. After a tough 0-3 start, the Hilltoppers now look to build off last week’s solid 28-20 win over Ball State. WKU’s defense has made big strides in just two games and I think that momentum gets carried over here. I’ll point out as well that Marshall is 0-2 ATS in its last two as a favorite in the 3.5 to ten points range, while WKU is 12-6 ATS in its last 18 as an underdog in the same points range. I don’t think home field can be overlooked as a factor working in favor of WKU here either. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-29-18 | Hawaii v. San Jose State +13.5 | 44-41 | Win | 100 | 106 h 18 m | Show | |
My 8* DISCOUNT BLOWOUT is on San Jose State (7:00 EST). San Jose State comes in desperate as it’s so far winless to this point. Hawaii has so far exceeded expectations, most recently coming off a win over Duquesne in Week 3. In its last road game though Hawaii lost by a TD to Army. Warriors’ QB Cole McDonald had five TD’s and one INT in Hawaii’s win over the Dukes. In the loss to Army though the Warriors gave up 303 rushing yards and four TD’s. San Jose State has been downright terrible, especially on the defensive side in conceding an average of 525.3 yards per game. Offensively it’s been decent. Last week QB Josh Love had 237 yards, one TD and two INT’s in the loss to Oregon. The Spartans will look to take advantage of a complacent Hawaii team, as note that the Warriors are a poor 6-20 ATS in their last 26 after passing for more then 450 total yards in its previous game and only 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games on the road against a team with a losing record at home. I’m not calling for an outright upset, but I do expect this one to end a lot closer than what the oddsmakers are trying to lead us to believe. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-29-18 | Iowa State +10.5 v. TCU | Top | 14-17 | Win | 100 | 125 h 11 m | Show |
My 10* LEGEND is on Iowa State (7:00 EST). Both teams are hungry for its first conference victory. TCU comes in dejected off two straight losses, most recently to Ohio State (40-28) and Texas (31-16) this past weekend. Iowa State on the other hand enters off a confidence building 26-13 home win over Akron, snapping a two-game slide to Iowa (13-3) and Oklahoma (37-27). If recent history is any precedence, then Iowa State has to be liking its chances today, because last year it upset TCU 14-7 on the road. Iowa State turns to QB Zeb Noland, who has completed 68.8 percent of his passes for 636 yards and one INT in three games. In the loss to Oklahoma he had 360 yards and two TD’s. Defensively the Cyclones are allowing just 21 PPG and 3.46 YPC. The defense posted ten tackles for a loss, four sacks, seven pass breakups, four QB hits and also forced two fumbles in the victory over Akron. TCU QB Shawn Robinson turned it over three times and also lost a fumble in last week’s setback. Robinson finished 17 of 28 for 197 yards, one TD and two INT’s. So far he has five TD’s and six INT’s. The offense is averaging 443.8 YPG, while the defense is conceding 22.5 PPG. I’ll point out though that TCU is just 3-14 ATS in its last 17 at home and only 1-4 ATS in its last five conference contests, while Iowa State is 6-1-1 ATS in its last eight on the road. I think the Cyclones’ defense keeps them in this one late. TCU QB Robinson is struggling with turnovers, which doesn’t bode well facing this talented Iowa State unit. I also think Noland continues his progress as well. I’m not calling for the outright upset, but I’m grabbing the points and expecting a “nail-biter.” Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-29-18 | Utah v. Washington State +1 | 24-28 | Win | 100 | 105 h 19 m | Show | |
The second pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Washington State 8* (6:00 EST). Utah played Washington two weeks ago and lost 21-7. It comes in off its bye and I think it’ll stumble here as well. Prior to the setback to the Huskies, the Utes managed just 17 points on the road against NIU. Utah turned the ball over three times in the loss to Washington. QB Tyler Huntley is averaging 6.3 yards per attempt with a 4/2 TD/INT. And that doesn’t bode well facing a Cougars defense which is allowing less than 160 yards passing per game so far this season. WSU QB Gardner Minshew already has 1,547 yards, 11 TD’s and just three INT’s over four games. The Cougars come in out gaining opposing teams by an average of 222.5 YPG. Note as well that WSU is 7-0 ATS in its last seven at home, while Utah is interestingly just 5-13 ATS in it last 18 after allowing less than 170 yards passing in its previous contest. Huntley looks horrible this year and I think he’ll struggle to keep up to this high-flying Mike Leach offense. Play on Washington State. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-29-18 | Nevada +7 v. Air Force | 28-25 | Win | 100 | 103 h 19 m | Show | |
The first pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Nevada 8* (4:00 EST). Nevada enters off a 66-43 road loss to Toledo, while Air Force most recently feel 42-32 at Utah State. Note that this is a revenge game for Nevada after it fell 45-42 at home to Air Force last year. The Wolfpack is averaging 40.8 PPG and it’s conceding 39.5. To a Taua was a bright spot in the loss to the Rockets last week, posting 170 rushing yards and three TD’s. Air Force is averaging 32.3 PPG and it’s allowing 25. QB Isaiah Sanders has already rushed the ball 44 times in two games. Last week the Falcons’ defense allowed 489 yards to Utah State. I’ll point out as well that Air Force is just 8-24 ATS in its last 32 following a SU loss, while Nevada is 4-0 ATS in its last four against teams with losing records. The Wolfpack passing game ranks 28th in the country, which doesn’t bode well for this struggling Falcons’ secondary. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-29-18 | Army v. Buffalo -8 | 42-13 | Loss | -115 | 99 h 20 m | Show | |
My 9* Eye Opener is on Buffalo (12:00 EST). I’m expecting a blowout from start to finish, as I don’t think Army will be able to keep up with Buffalo’s high-flying offense. Army comes in dejected off a 28-21 setback in Oklahoma, while the Bulls come in off a confidence building 42-13 smash job on the road over Rutgers. Note that this is a revenge game as well for Buffalo after it fell 21-17 to the Black Knights last year. Army came up short in OT last week. The option went for 339 yards on 78 carries. QB Kelvin Hopkins Jr had just 40 yards and two INT’s, but he had 125 yards rushing and two TD’s on the ground. The defense was decent, allowing 335 yards to the Sooners. Army has averaged 25.2 PPG and it’s conceded 24.2 so far this season. Buffalo has averaged 40.2 PPG and it’s conceded just 20. The Bulls had 445 yards of offense last week, including 182 on the ground. Jaret Patterson had 104 yards with two TD’s. QB Tyree Jackson had 263 yards and three TD’s last week and overall the passing game is ranked 44th in the nation. I’ll point out as well that Buffalo is 7-1 ATS in its last eight at home, while Army is a poor 3-8-1 ATS in its last 12 following an ATS victory. I think Army has a letdown here after last week’s near upset. Look for Buffalo to pull away down the stretch for the comfortable cover. Lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-22-18 | Wisconsin v. Iowa +3.5 | 28-17 | Loss | -110 | 127 h 40 m | Show | |
My 8* BAIL-OUT BLOWOUT is on Iowa (8:30 EST). Wisconsin comes in off a stunning loss to BYU and I think it’s ripe for the picking here as well. The Badgers fell 12 spots in the AP Top 25 after a 24-21 upset loss to BYU at home last weekend. Johnathan Taylor was a standout with 117 rushing yards, but overall the team went just 4 of 13 on third down. QB Alex Hornibrook had 190 passing yards, but he also had a costly INT which the Cougars turned into a TD. Iowa comes in confident sitting at 3-0 after hammering Northern Iowa 38-14 last Saturday. The Hawkeyes gave up the two TD’s in the final ten minutes of garbage time as well. QB Nate Stanley was 23 of 28 for 302 yards and two scores, while Mekhi Sargen had two TD’s while rushing for 72 on the ground. Overall Iowa would finish with 545 yards of offense. I’ll point out as well that Wisconsin is interestingly just 4-9-1 ATS in its last 14 after gaining more than 200 rushing yards in its previous game, while Iowa is 6-1-1 ATS in its last eight at home and 4-1 ATS in its last five following a SU victory. This is a big time revenge game for the Hawkeyes as well, who have lost five of the last six in the series, including the last three at home by a combined 11 points. Iowa catches Wisconsin at the most opportune of times. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-22-18 | Stanford v. Oregon +2.5 | Top | 38-31 | Loss | -110 | 126 h 11 m | Show |
My 10* PAC-12 GAME OF THE YEAR is on Oregon (8:00 EST). Stanford comes to the Pacific Northwest off a 30-10 home win over UC Davis, while Oregon comes in off a tougher than expected 35-22 home victory over San Jose State. Note that this is a revenge game for the Ducks after they were smoked 49-7 by the Cardinal last year. Stanford QB KJ Costello had two TD’s but also two INT’s last week. So far he has 729 passing yards and a 7/3 TD/INT ratio. The Cardinal have looked very strong defensively so far, allowing an average of just 7.7 points over the first three games. However, there’s no question that Stanford faces its stiffest test yet. Oregon is also 3-0. So far the Ducks have scored an average of 52 PPG, good for eighth in the country. The defense has been the weak point, but it’s still been pretty good, allowing an average of 20 PPG over the first three. Stanford features an elite defense, but I think that unit will be on its heels all afternoon long. The Ducks come in with a chip on their shoulder and I look for their combination of high-flying offensive firepower and above average defensive play to be just too much for satisfied Stanford to keep up to down the stretch. Play on Oregon. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-22-18 | Western Kentucky +3 v. Ball State | 28-20 | Win | 100 | 121 h 21 m | Show | |
My 8* Oddsmakers Error is on Western Kentucky (3:00 EST). Western Kentucky will be desperate to get off the schneid today after starting the season with losses to Wisconsin, Maine and Louisville. Ball State is the perfect opponent to get untracked against as it comes in struggling as well with consecutive setbacks to Notre Dame and Indiana. WKU looked a lot better against the Cardinals last week though and I think it can carry that all around momentum over into this one. QB Davis Shanley threw for 240 yards and a TD in a losing cause last week, and he also ran in for a score as well after coming in off the bench. He’s the “X factor” in this play for me and I look for him to be a big time difference maker this afternoon. After an “oh-so-close” 24-16 setback at Notre Dame on September 8th, the Cardinals came back down to Earth in a 38-10 loss at Indiana last Saturday. QB Riley Neal was 12 of 24 for 115 yards and overall the Cardinals committed eight penalties for 75 yards. I’ll point out that WKU is 3-0 ATS in its last three after two or more consecutive SU losses, while Ball State is just 3-8 ATS in its last 11 in the same position. While the outright win is obviously not out of the question, I’ll recommend grabbing the points in the end. Play on WKU. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-22-18 | Notre Dame v. Wake Forest +8 | 56-27 | Loss | -106 | 118 h 12 m | Show | |
My 8* Las Vegas Insider is on Wake Forest (12:00 EST). Notre Dame has beaten Michigan, Ball State and Vanderbilt and each game has been close (24-17, 24-6 and 22-17.) Wake Forest started the year 2-0, but it comes in hungry to return to form off a loss to Boston College last Saturday. Notre Dame beat Vandy despite getting out-gained 420 yards to 380 last week. Wake Forest has been no “push over” early, scoring 23, 51 and 34 points so far, most recently coming out on the short-end of last week’s 41-34 shootout loss to BC. The Demon Deacons though posted 298 yards on the ground, including 117 from Matt Colburn. QB Sam Hartman already has 834 yards and six TD’s (although he also has five picks.) Overall the offensive line has given up just five total sacks this year as well. Additionally I’ll point out that Wake Forest is 7-3 ATS in its last ten against Independents and 4-1 ATS its last five at home against teams with winning road records, while Notre Dame is 0-5 ATS in its last five following a SU victory. I can’t see the Fighting Irish’ offense pulling away from the talented Demon Deacons. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-22-18 | Boston College -6.5 v. Purdue | Top | 13-30 | Loss | -110 | 118 h 13 m | Show |
My 10* PERFECT STORM is on Boston College (12:00 EST). I had a big play on Purdue last week (my 35-Club Play signature release), but this weekend I’m going against the winless Boilermakers. Purdue has lost its three games by a combined eight points. I have a hard time seeing the Boilermakers keeping up to the Eagles though, who have averaged 52.7 PPG in the early going. The BC defense has been sharp as well, holding the opposition to just 340.7 yards per game average. Boston College’ QB Anthony Brown has 626 yards, nine TD’s and zero INT’s so far. WR Kobay White has 163 yards receiving and RB AJ Dillon has 432 rushing yards and five TD’s. Dillon had 185 yards on 33 carries against Wake Forest. Purdue is scoring an average of 27.7 PPG. QB David Blough was 39 of 55 for 572 yards, three TD’s and an INT in last week’s tight setback. Note though that the Boilermakers are a poor 2-8 in their last ten home games against teams with a winning road record, while BC is 7-1-1 ATS in its last eight nine after a SU victory. I love BC to kick Purdue while it’s down. Lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-21-18 | Washington State +3.5 v. USC | Top | 36-39 | Win | 100 | 106 h 52 m | Show |
My 10* CFB GAME OF THE WEEK is on Washington State (10:30 EST). Washington State comes into this Friday night contest on top form, still unbeaten after destroying Easter Washington 59-24 at home Saturday. USC comes in deflated after losing its second straight, most recently a listless 37-14 setback on the road in Texas. The Cougars will be feeling confident here as well, because when these teams played last year on September 29th, it was WSU which left with the 30-27 home win. So far Washington State is second in the nation in passing with 421 yards per game. Overall the team is averaging 43.7 PPG and conceding just 14.3. QB Gardnew Minshew already had 1,203 yards with eight TD’s and three INT’s. He also has 30 rushing yards another score on the ground. James Williams has 137 yards on the ground and four TD’s. The Trojans are averaging just 274 yards per game and just 20 PPG scoring average, which is ranked 114th. The defense hasn’t been great either, conceding 25 PPG. QB JT Daniels has 817 yards, one TD and three INT’s. I’ll point out that the Trojans are 0-3-1 ATS in their last four conference games, while the Cougars are 4-0 ATS in their last four after scoring 40 or more points in their previous contest. I have a hard time seeing USC slowing down the Cougars’ high-flying offense. Washington State has proven to be extremely tough defensively in the early going as well. Grab the point, play on the Cougars. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-20-18 | Tulsa +7.5 v. Temple | Top | 17-31 | Loss | -110 | 79 h 8 m | Show |
My 10* PERFECT STORM is on Tulsa (7:30 EST). I’m not calling for the outright upset, but I do think that the table is set for a a much closer battle than what the oddsmakers are trying to lead us to believe. Tulsa comes in off a 29-20 loss at home to Arkansas State, while Temple comes in primed for a letdown after its first win of the season, a massive 35-14 upset on the road over Maryland. Note that this is a revenge game for Tulsa after the Owls took the latest match-up 43-22 on November 25th, 2017. Tulsa is averaging 26.3 PPG and conceding 28. QB Luke Skipper has 521 yards with four TD’s and three INT’s on the year. Temple is averaging 27 PPG and it’s conceding 23. QB Frank Nutile has 401 yards passing, four TD’s and four INT’s so far, while Anthony Russo has 252 yards and a TD on the season. I’ll point out though that Tulsa is 9-6 ATS in its last 15 as an underdog, while Temple is already 0-2 ATS this season as a favorite. I think Temple has a classic letdown here after its big upset on the road. Well, enough of one anyways to let the Golden Hurricane to comfortably sneak in through the back door with the sizeable spread that they’ve been afforded. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-15-18 | Missouri v. Purdue +8 | Top | 40-37 | Win | 100 | 122 h 57 m | Show |
My 10* 35-CLUB PLAY is on Purdue (7:30 EST). Missouri comes in a tiny bit complacent after two straight victories, most recently throttling Wyoming 40-13 at home last Saturday. Purdue though comes in desperate as it’s dropped two in a row, including a shocking 20-19 setback at home to Eastern Michigan as a 16 point favorite last weekend. If recent history is any precedence though, then the Boilermakers have to be loving their chances tonight as when these teams met last year, it was Purdue that came away with the 35-3 road victory on September 16th, 2017. Missouri is so far averaging 396 YPG, averaging 45.5 PPG. QB Drew Lock has 687 yards with eight TD’s so far this season. Overall the Tigers are allowing just 13.5 PPG early, but clearly the unit faces a stiff test today against the hungry and determined Boilermakers. So far Purdue is averaging 23 PPG, as David Blough has 122 yards passing and 36 rushing, while co-QB Elijah Sindelz has 283 yards, two TD’s and three picks. The defense has been a bright spot though, allowing only 25.5 PPG. This is a great situational play in my opinion. I think Missouri comes in complacent here in this non-conference matchup as it gets caught looking ahead to its conference schedule. Purdue does not have that luxury at all though obviously and I think the intensity in which the Boilermakers play with today will turn out to be the difference. I’m not calling for an outright upset, but I’m going to grab the points in a much closer than expected battle. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-15-18 | South Florida -9.5 v. Illinois | 25-19 | Loss | -109 | 118 h 16 m | Show | |
My 8* Oddsmaker’s Error is on South Florida (3:30 EST). Lovie Smith and the South Florida Bulls get ready to invade Illinois at Solider Field on Saturday afternoon and in my opinion, the visitors are going to run away with this one. USF comes in off a confidence building upset over Georgia Tech last week, led by QB Blake Barnett, who had 207 yards and two TD’s through the air, while another 86 rushing yards and two more major scores on the ground. Tyre McCants had ten catches for 104 yards. The Illini come in off a victory over Western Illinois last weekend, but the victory came at a cost, as QB AJ Bush suffered a leg injury in the first quarter and did not return. MJ Rivers looked decent in his place going 9 of 16 for 105 yards and two TD’s. However note that the team also lost WR Edwin Carter in the second half. I’ll point out as well that USF is 4-0 ATS in its last four after scoring 40 or more points in its previous game and 7-1 ATS in its last eight against teams with winning records, while Illinois is just 9-23 ATS in its last 32 following an ATS victory. The Illini lost their starting QB and now have to deal with one of the most dangerous two way teams in the country. I’m expecting a rout, lay the points with confidence. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-15-18 | LSU +9.5 v. Auburn | 22-21 | Win | 100 | 118 h 5 m | Show | |
My 8* Wipeout Winner is on LSU (3:30 EST). It’s an important early season SEC West match-up on Saturday and in my opinion, we’re going to witness a much closer battle than what the oddsmakers are trying to lead us to believe. And if recent history is any precedence, then LSU has to be loving it chances today because when these teams played last year it scored the 27-23 home victory. LSU comes in off a 31-0 home win over SE Louisiana. QB Joe Burrows had two TD passes in the victory RB Nick Brossette has 262 yards rushing over two games, which includes 125 against a touch Miami Hurricanes defense. The LSU defense has been a difference maker early and I believe it will be again here, holding the Hurricanes to just 17 points in Week 1. Auburn enters off a 63-9 win over Alabama State last weekend. QB Jarrett Stidham had 113 yards and he so far has a 2/0 TD:INT. The run game posted a whopping 429 total yards, but clearly the unit faces its stiffest test of the young season. Auburn was challenged by a top notch defense in Week 1 vs. Washington and it managed only 21 points in that one. The Tigers did hold the Huskies to just 16 points though in the victory. I’ll point out as well that Auburn is 0-4 ATS in its last four after allowing less than 100 rushing yards in its previous game, while LSU is 8-2 ATS in its last ten road games against a team with a winning home record. I think this is going to be nail-biter, so I’m going to grab all these points. Play on LSU. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-15-18 | Hawaii v. Army -6 | 21-28 | Win | 100 | 115 h 32 m | Show | |
My 8* Las Vegas Insider is on Army (12:00 EST). Hawaii comes in complacent here in my opinion after starting the year 3-0 with victories over Rice, Navy and Colorado State. Army lost to Duke in its opener, but then the Black Knights bounced back with a win over Liberty last week. Hawaii QB Cole McDonald was 22 of 33 for 319 yards and four TD’s in the 43-29 win over Rice last week. Fred Holly III had 100 yards and two scores on the ground. Army rushed for 449 yards last week behind its triple-option attack, with Darnell Woolfolk leading the way with 96 yards and two TD’s. The Black Knights have won eight in a row at home and I’m expecting that trend to continue here. Nine different players had rushing attempts for Army last week and six of those had at least 32 yards, including five with over 60. I’ll point out as well that despite it’s early success, Hawaii is still a horrible 1-6 ATS in its last seven as an underdog in the 3.5 to ten points range, while Army is 4-2 ATS in its last six as a favorite in the same points range. I think Hawaii finally stumbles here after it’s unrealistic/unsustainable start. Lay the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-13-18 | Old Dominion v. Charlotte +2 | Top | 25-28 | Win | 100 | 24 h 30 m | Show |
My 10* PERFECT STORM is on Charlotte (6:00 EST). While I obviously wouldn’t be completely shocked by an outright upset, I’m going to recommend grabbing as many points as you can in the end. ODU is so far winless on the year with setback to Liberty and FIU, while Charlotte opened with a victory over Fordham, before then dropping its second game against a surging Appalachian State team. The Monarchs have looked horrible. Last week QB Steven Williams and Blake LaRussa combined to go 13 of 19 for 237 yards and two TD’s in the first half, but then went just 6 of 18 for 66 yards the rest of the way. Charlotte also uses two QB’s. This week we can expect to see a lot of Hasaan Klugh, who was mainly featured as a runner last weekend. The 49ers got some great individual defensive play in the blowout setback to the Mountaineers, as safety Ben Deluca had 11 total tackles. I’ll point out as well that Charlotte is 5-1 ATS in its last six at home and 4-1 ATS in its last five conference tilts, while ODU is 1-4 ATS in its last five conference contests and a dismal 6-16-1 ATS in its last 23 following a SU loss. The Monarchs are banged up and their offense is stuck in neutral. Meanwhile the 49ers have looked a lot better through all three phases. This one has ATS blowout written all over it. Play on Charlotte. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-13-18 | Boston College -5.5 v. Wake Forest | Top | 41-34 | Win | 100 | 76 h 14 m | Show |
My 10* GAME OF THE WEEK is on Boston College (7:30 EST). An important early ACC clash favors the visitors on Thursday night in my opinion. BC enters off a 62-14 smoke-job over Holy Cross last weekend, while Wake demolished Towson 51-20. Note that this is a revenge game for the Eagles after Wake recorded a 34-10 victory at Boston College last year. Eagles’ QB Anthony Brown only played one quarter last week and he threw four TD’s. RB AJ Dillon had 149 rushing yards and the defense limited Holy Cross to just 194 total yards. So far BC has looked fantastic on both sides of the ball over its first two games. Wake Forest has won its first two games as well. QB Sam Hartman had 242 passing yards and two TD’s last week, while the defense held Towson to just 65 rushing yards. However note that the Demon Deacons have struggled against the pass early, as evidenced by the 345 passing yards they gave up last week. I’ll pint out as well that Wake Forest is 0-4 ATS in its last four after allowing more than 280 passing yards, while BC is 6-0-1 ATS in its last seven conference tilts. The Eagles have the superior pass defense, a unit which finished 22nd in the country last year. I think that’ll be the difference tonight. Lay the points, play on Boston College. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-08-18 | Cincinnati v. Miami-OH -1 | Top | 21-0 | Loss | -105 | 145 h 3 m | Show |
My 10* GAME OF THE MONTH is on Miami Ohio (8:00 EST). Cincinnati is 1-0 and Miami Ohio is 0-1. I look for the home side to lay everything on the line today though as it looks to get off the schneid. The Bearcats come in off a highly satisfying 26-17 road win over UCLA as two TD underdog. Can anyone say “letdown” spot? The Bearcats had 305 yards of offense and they also conceded about 305 yards on defense. Desmon Ridder was just 13 of 24 for 100 yards. The Redhawks were small dogs when their game kicked off against visiting Marshall in Week 1 and Miami Ohio would wind up falling 35-28. The Redhawks though had 445 yards of offense and I expect the unit to build off that performance. QB Gus Ragland was 25 of 46 for 357 yards, three TD’s and no INT’s. Jack Sorenson was key in the passing game with three catches for 106 yards and a major score. It’s difficult to win on the road and even more difficult to cover in back to back weekends away from friendly confines. The Bearcats are improved from last year’s poor team, but not that much. Look for the “hungrier” home side to find a way to get the job done. Play on Miami Ohio. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-08-18 | Fresno State +2.5 v. Minnesota | 14-21 | Loss | -110 | 145 h 44 m | Show | |
My 8* Oddsmakers Error is on Fresno State (7:30 EST). Fresno State annihilated Idaho 79-13 last Saturday and while clearly the Bulldogs will face a much stiffer test this time around, I still think that the visitors high-octane offense will prove to be too much for the Gophers to keep up to down the stretch. Fresno State posted 486 yards total offense last week, including 239 and seven rushing TD’s on the ground. QB Marcus McMaryion had 207 yards passing, while Romelio Harris had 47 yards on four carries. The Bulldogs would go on to allow 307 yards, including 205 through the air. Minnesota enters off a 48-10 win over New Mexico State last Thursday. The Golden Gophers went up 35-10 at half time and then cruised to relatively easy victory on the second. The Gophers allowed just 38 rushing yards, but note they’d get torched through the air by allowing 271 passing yards. QB Zack Annexstad was just 16 of 33 for 222 yards and two TD’s. I think Minnesota is going to be in for a shock today though facing McMaryion and company. The Fresno State dual threat offense proves to be too much for Minnesota to keep up with down the stretch. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-08-18 | Memphis v. Navy +3.5 | 21-22 | Win | 100 | 141 h 40 m | Show | |
My 8* Las Vegas Insider is on Navy (3:30 EST). Memphis comes in complacent here in my opinion after its 66-14 home win over Mercer in its season Opener. Navy on the other hand comes in desperate after falling 59-41 in Hawaii last weekend. Also note that this is a revenge game for the Midshipmen after they lost 30-27 to the Tigers last year. Memphis QB Brady White was 22 of 28 for 358 yards and five TD’s last week. RB Darrell Henderson went for 76 yards, while Damonte Coxie had four catches for 79 yards. Last year the offense was a force, averaging 45.5 PPG, but the unit will take a step back with a few new faces at key positions this season. The Tigers were horrible defensively though in 2017 by conceding 32.5 PPG and I think they’ll have their hands full today with this revenge minded and winless Navy side. Navy utilizes three different QB’s, as Malcom Perry, Garret Lewis and Zach Abey will once again all see time under center today. Last year Perry had 1,182 rushing yards and he had 108 in the loss to Hawaii. The Midshipmen averaged 30.5 PPG last season and while they only allowed 26.3 PPG on the defensive side, clearly the unit has some work to do after stumbling against Hawaii’s arial attack. But Navy always plays tough at home and after the Week 1 setback, this becomes a “must win” for all intents and purposes for the Midshipmen. Last year the Tigers allowed an average of 191 rushing yards per game and last season Navy led the nation in rushing. Grab the points, play on Navy. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-08-18 | Colorado v. Nebraska -4.5 | Top | 33-28 | Loss | -110 | 141 h 39 m | Show |
My 10* PERFECT STORM on Nebraska (3:30 EST). Colorado is 1-0, while Nebraska opens up its 2018/19 campaign after its game was postponed last week. The Buffs enter off a 45-13 win over Colorado State, but note that they’ve lost four of their last five on the road. Last week QB Steven Montez had 33 yards, four TD’s and an INT in the win over the Rams. The ground game looked strong as well with 258 yards, with Travon McMillan leading the charge with 103 yards and a TD. The defense looked sharp, but clearly the unit faces a much more difficult task in Week 2. Nebraska’s Week 1 contest was postponed due to poor weather, so the Huskers come in with a ton of anticipation and energy. After losing four straight home games, you can bet the team will be looking to reverse their fortunes here. Nebraska features an experienced offensive line. The defense was a weak point last season, but it returns many starters and it’s expected to take a big leap in the right direction this year. Note as well that the Buffs have failed to cover in six of their last seven as a underdog of three points or more on the road. Nebraska’s advantage in the trenches turns out to be the difference though. Lay the points, play on Nebraska. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-08-18 | Arizona +4.5 v. Houston | 18-45 | Loss | -110 | 137 h 6 m | Show | |
My 8* SITUATIONAL STUNNER is on Arizona (12:00 EST). Clearly the outright win is not out of the question here, but I’m still going to recommend grabbing the points in the end. Arizona comes in “hungrier” here after falling 28-23 to BYU last week. The Wildcats will be focused and desperate to break a three-game road slide. QB Khalil Tate had 197 yards and a TD last week. The ground game produced 129 yards and JJ Taylor leads the way so far with 85 yards and a TD. Houston came out on top of Rice 45-27 last week and while the Cougars have won ten of 12 at home, I think they’re going to stumble here against this hungry visiting side. Last week QB D’Eriq King had 320 yards and three TD’s. The Houston ground game had 257 yards, but the defense was pretty unremarkable considering the opponent. As mentioned off the top, I think Arizona is the “hungrier” side in this one. I also think that Arizona has the much better QB. These two major factors collide making the Wildcats the correct call. Grab the points. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-07-18 | TCU v. SMU +21.5 | Top | 42-12 | Loss | -110 | 124 h 43 m | Show |
My 10* PERFECT STORM is on SMU (8:00 EST). I’m grabbing the points on the big hungry home dog on Friday night. The Horned Frogs come in complacent after their 55-7 season opening win over Southern. Conversely, the Mustangs do indeed come in hungry after falling 46-23 to North Texas on the road. Note that this is a revenge game as well for SMU after it fell 56-36 on the road at TCU last year. Last year TCU averaged 33.7 PPG and it looked pretty good against a weak Jaguars defense last week. Shawn Robinson was 17 of 24 for 182 yards and three TD’s. The Horned Frogs have three strong RB’s including Darius Anderson, who had 768 rushing yards last year. Last season the Horned Frogs allowed just 19 PPG and the defense will be a strength again this year. SMU clearly has its hands full. And recent history is not in its favor either as it comes in having lost six straight in this series. But I’m not calling for an outright, straight-up victory here. I just think that SMU has improved enough this season to be much more competitive this time around. The Mustangs averaged 37.8 PPG last year, but they’d also concede 36.7. QB Ben Hicks had 252 passing yards, two TD’s and an INT last week. Last season he had 3,500 passing yards and a strong 33/12 TD/INT. As mentioned above, the outright win is not on the table here whatsoever. I do think though that this improved SMU side can catch TCU a bit complacent this season and I look for it keep this one interesting until the third quarter. Grab the points, play on SMU. Good luck…Larry | |||||||
09-03-18 | Virginia Tech +7.5 v. Florida State | Top | 24-3 | Win | 100 | 35 h 10 m | Show |
My 10* PERFECT STORM is on Virginia Tech (8:00 EST). Virginia Tech was dominant on the defensive side of the ball last year, but it’s going to have to make adjustments with many new faces throughout the unit this season. The Hokies though return their starting QB and I think he’ll help his team keep this one competitive. Last year Virginia Tech finished 9-4 in the regular season. Florida State was 7-6. The Hokies return QB Josh Jackson, who had 2,991 passing yards and a 20/9 TD:INT ratio last season. Overall the offense averaged 28.2 PPG last season, but that mark is expected to go up with Jackson’s expected progression. The defense allowed just 14.8 PPG and while many of the key pieces are gone from the unit that posted those numbers, note that safety Reggie Floyd is back after he finished third on the team with 72 tackles, while also posting three INT’s. The Seminoles welcome back Deondre Francois as their QB, as he missed most of late year with injury. He’ll be leaning heavily on RB Cam Akers to start, as he finished with 5.3 YPC average. FSU allowed just 21.2 PPG last year and the defense should be a strength this year as well. However, as mentioned off the top I think that Jackson is going to have his opportunities tonight. I’ll point out as well that FSU is 0-6-2 ATS in its last eight conference games, while VT is 5-2-1 ATS in its last eight in the same position. Bank on a much closer than expected battle and grab as many points as you can. Play on Virginia Tech. Good luck…Larry |
Service | Profit |
---|---|
Ross Benjamin | $675 |
Sean Murphy | $454 |
William Burns | $419 |
Ricky Tran | $323 |
Sean Higgs | $237 |
Will Rogers | $192 |
Joseph D'Amico | $127 |
Joey Tron | $16 |