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My selection is on LSU minus the points over Florida at 8 pm et on Saturday.

This is the marquee matchup on Saturday’s board as the 6-0 Gators challenge the 5-0 Tigers in the Bayou. While Florida is coming off a hard-fought emotional home win over rival Auburn last Saturday, LSU enjoyed nothing more than a tune-up in a 42-6 rout of Utah State. I’m still not sure we’ve seen the best the Tigers have to offer, which is saying something considering they’ve scored 60+ points on two separate occasions already this season. This is the game where I look for the LSU defense to step to the forefront and serve as the key to victory. Gators standouts Lamical Perine and Freddie Swain absolutely exploded against Auburn last Saturday but I’m confident the Tigers will do a better job of keeping that duo in check in this one. Florida QB Kyle Trask has managed the last couple of games nicely but won’t be able to match LSU QB Joe Burrow in this one. While we can’t expect Burrow to keep up his ridiculous pace, I do look for him to consistently put the Tigers in good position to score on Saturday night, ultimately helping them pull away for another convincing win. Take LSU (10*).

CFB Big 12 Game of the Month. My selection is on Baylor minus the points over Texas Tech at 4 pm et on Saturday.

Baylor is one of the nation’s more surprising undefeated teams as we head into mid-October. The Bears are coming off back-to-back impressive wins over Iowa State and Kansas State and now have the opportunity to really get rolling before heading on the road for a showdown with Oklahoma State next week. Texas Tech is in a clear letdown spot here as it tries to follow up a surprising 45-35 win over Oklahoma State last Saturday. The Red Raiders jumped all over a Cowboys squad that was arguably ‘fat and happy’ off a big win over Kansas State the week previous. Keep in mind, Texas Tech is still playing without starting QB Alan Bowman. Jett Duffey has filled in admirably, not only this season but last year as well, but faces a tall task against a quality Baylor defense here. Just two weeks ago, Duffey was held to 11-of-20 passing for 120 yards and ran the ball seven times for just 16 yards against Oklahoma. Take Baylor (10*).

My selection is on Alabama minus the points over Texas A&M at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

We got backdoored by Texas A&M earlier this season as it scored a last-second touchdown to close the gap to 14 points at Clemson. I won’t hesitate to go back to the well fading the Aggies here, however, as they face another steep challenge against Alabama. We actually cashed an ‘under’ ticket the last time A&M took the field, two weeks ago against Arkansas in Dallas. The Aggies had a tough time putting away a middle-of-the-road Arkansas squad on that day, ultimately prevailing by a 31-27 score. QB Kellen Mond has now thrown four interceptions and has fumbled the football three times through five games this season. If he can’t take care of the football against the Crimson Tide it will be lights out in a hurry for the Aggies. There’s not a lot to say about Alabama. The Tide continue to roll but after giving up a grand total of 43 points in their first four games they allowed 31 against Ole Miss last Saturday. That should help keep their motivation level high as they head to College Station, noting that ‘Bama took this matchup by 22 points last season. Take Alabama (10*).

My selection is on Georgia minus the points over South Carolina at 12 noon et on Saturday.

Georgia doesn’t seem to garner the same respect level as Alabama and Oklahoma but it should. The Bulldogs are off to a perfect 5-0 start, allowing a grand total of just 54 points in the process. The final score read 43-14 but last week’s win in Tennessee wasn’t a true blowout. Here, I look for Georgia to be even sharper. South Carolina has won twice in five games so far this season, including a 24-7 rout of Kentucky last week. That could leave the Gamecocks a little ‘fat and happy’ entering this not likely winnable contest on Saturday. Note that South Carolina has topped the 24-point mark only once this season and that came against FCS squad Charleston Southern. In the Gamecocks two road games to date they gave up 58 points against North Carolina and Missouri. Georgia rolled to a 24-point victory in this matchup last year but I don’t expect it to overlook South Carolina in this spot. Take Georgia (10*).

CFB AAC Game of the Year. My selection is on Memphis minus the points over Temple at 12 noon et on Saturday.

I really like the way this spot sets up for a Memphis team that remains under the radar despite its perfect 5-0 record. The Tigers are coming off a 52-point explosion on the road against Louisiana-Monroe last week. RB Kenneth Gainwell is seemingly getting better with each passing game, racking up well north of 350 rush yards and four touchdowns over his last three contests. The Tigers defense didn’t perform particularly well in last week’s win, but did earn the game-sealing interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. We have seen this unit step up when it has needed to – remember Memphis defeated Ole Miss by a 15-10 score back in Week 1. We suffered a tough backdoor defeat with Temple last week as it won in unimpressive fashion at East Carolina. The Owls are off to a solid 4-1 start this season but only their victory over then-21st ranked Maryland back on September 14th was all that impressive. Their offense seems to be regressing each week and that’s certainly not encouraging as they could very well need to keep up in a shootout here on Saturday. Take Memphis (10*).

My selection is on Louisiana-Monroe minus the points over Texas State at 9:15 pm et on Thursday.

At the onset of the season I had Texas State rated as one of the worst teams in the entire nation and despite the Bobcats 2-3 record, I still believe that is the case. Louisiana-Monroe checks in with an identical 2-3 mark but it has certainly faced a difficult draw with its three losses coming against Florida State and Iowa State on the road and undefeated Memphis at home. Even though the Warhawks lost by 19 at home against the Tigers last time out, that was a competitive game until the fourth quarter. Texas State has one impressive victory to its credit, or somewhat impressive at least. The Bobcats took down Georgia State by a 37-34 score at home back on September 21st. Keep in mind, they needed three overtimes to get it done and it's worth noting they didn't reach the end zone on offense until the final four minutes of the first half and then not again until overtime. The Warhawks took this matchup a year ago and I expect a similar story to unfold here. Take Louisiana-Monroe (10*).

NFL Thursday Night Football Game of the Month. My selection is on New England minus the points over New York at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

We won with the Patriots as a massive road favorite last Sunday in Washington and there’s little reason to jump ship as they return home on a short week to host the injury-riddled Giants on Thursday night. New York is expected to be without arguably its two best offensive players in this one as RB Saquon Barkley and TE Evan Engram are sidelined with injuries. That leaves rookie QB Daniel Jones in a really tough position going up against a fierce Patriots defense that should have little trouble exposing the Giants offensive line. Even when Jones does have time in the pocket he’ll have few options to work with down field. Maybe WR Golden Tate goes off in his second game back but I highly doubt it. It’s also worth mentioning that WR Sterling Shepard will miss this game after suffering an ugly concussion last week. Offensively, the Pats should be able to do whatever they want against one of the weakest defenses in the league. New York has had an extremely difficult time slowing down any opposing offense other than the lowly Redskins this season and continues to deal with a number of key injuries. The Patriots really didn’t get rolling until the second half against the Redskins last Sunday but still managed to put 30+ points on the board. Expect a sharper performance from Tom Brady and co. here as they roll past the G-Men in Foxborough. Take New England (10*).

My selection is on New England minus the points over Washington at 1 pm et on Sunday.

The oddsmakers really can't set this line high enough as the Patriots should have little trouble disposing of the Redskins in Washington on Sunday. This could be the end of the line for 'Skins head coach Jay Gruden. The team is in further turmoil this week after word got out that Gruden didn't want the team to draft QB Dwayne Haskins. Colt McCoy will get the start under center this week but your guess is as good as mine as to whether he'll finish the game. The Patriots defense has arguably been the best in football this season and should absolutely feast on a miserable Redskins offensive line. Washington's only real bright spot this season has been WR Terry McLaurin but he's dealing with a hamstring injury and questionable to play after missing last week's game. Even if he can go, he'll face the daunting challenge of Pats CB Stephon Gilmore's coverage here. I'm not even sure we'll need a lot from the New England offense but this is a really nice bounce-back spot off of last week's hard-fought, low-scoring win in Buffalo. Take New England (10*).

My selection is on Michigan State plus the points over Ohio State at 7:30 pm et on Saturday.

We won with Ohio State in its absolute annihilation of Nebraska last Saturday night but I'm expecting a much tighter affair this week as the Buckeyes welcome Michigan State to The Horseshoe. We also cashed in this matchup a year ago, winning a ticket on the 'under'. I do think we'll see points come at a premium again this year (last year's tilt reached only 32 total points). With that in mind, we're being given an awful lot of points with a quality Spartans squad. All most bettors can remember is Michigan State's ugly low-scoring home loss to Arizona State earlier this season. Outside of that game, the Spartans offense has performed well, however, and combine that with a terrific defense and I think Michigan State can stick around and make things interesting here. With a pointspread this generous and considering the tendency the Buckeyes have shown to ease off the gas in the later stages of football games (due entirely to building insurmountable leads), Spartans tickets should be in play right down to the final whistle. Take Michigan State (10*).

My selection is on Army plus the points over Tulane at 12 noon et on Saturday.

In a game where points should come at a premium, I'll gladly grab the points with what I believe is the better team, at home no less, on Saturday afternoon. Tulane is coming off an emotional 38-31 win over Houston on national tv, but that came more than two weeks ago. The Green Wave were certainly up for that spotlight game at home but I'm not convinced we're going to see the same type of emotionally-fueled performance here. Army stumbled out of the gates this season, narrowly escaping with a 14-7 win over Rice back in Week 1. The Black Knights have gotten stronger with each passing week, however, including a near stunning upset win on the road against Michigan and back-to-back blowout victories over UTSA and Morgan State. Like Tulane, Army is also coming off its bye week. In what should be a competitive contest, I like the Knights to come away victorious. Take Army (10*).

My selection is on New Mexico plus the points over San Jose State at 10 pm et on Friday.

This isn't a pretty matchup by any means as New Mexico travels to face San Jose State with both teams sporting identical 2-2 records. All that most remember about the Lobos is that they got throttled 66-14 at Notre Dame two weeks ago. But let's keep things in perspective. New Mexico actually didn't allow an offensive touchdown until over three minutes into the second quarter in that game. They suffered some big defensive breakdowns allowing big play touchdowns in that contest, but won't face anything close to the same type of challenge against the Spartans here. San Jose State is coming off a 41-24 loss to Air Force last week. After scoring a touchdown in the first five minutes of the game, the Spartans didn't reach the end zone again until there were less than four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. In their first home game this season - a 34-16 loss against Tulsa - the Spartans didn't reach the end zone until over halfway through the second quarter and then not again until there were less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter. Look for New Mexico to do a good job of shortening this game by churning out long drives, which obviously works in our favor with a play on the underdog. Take New Mexico (10*).

My selection is on Temple minus the points over East Carolina at 8 pm et on Thursday.

Temple has absolutely owned this series, reeling off five straight double-digit victories in five meetings since 2014. The Owls are off to a 3-1 start this season but haven't looked all that impressive in getting there. Here, on the national stage on Thursday night, I look for them to get loose against an East Carolina squad that isn't as good as it 3-2 record would seem to indicate. We were on the 'over' in East Carolina's narrow 24-21 win over Old Dominion last Saturday. That was by no means an impressive victory as neither team was able to get anything going in a truly ugly affair. Save for a 48-point outburst against FCS squad Gardner-Webb, the Pirates offense has been non-existent this season. The game script should set up well for the Owls to ultimately put this game away with a dynamic offense that has yet to really get rolling this season. Veteran QB Adam Russo got bogged down against Georgia Tech last week but has still thrown 10 touchdowns through four games this season. Meanwhile, RB Re'Mahn Davis is coming off a breakout 135-yards, two-touchdown performance against the Yellow Jackets and should run wild on an ECU defense that got torched for 315 yards on the ground against Navy earlier this season. Take Temple (10*).

My selection is on Pittsburgh minus the points over Cincinnati at 8:15 pm et on Monday.

After cashing with Pittsburgh in an ATS but not SU victory in San Francisco last Sunday, I like the Steelers to cover the number again, albeit as a favorite this time around. This is an excellent matchup for the Steelers defense to absolutely tee off on a Bengals offensive line that has struggled to open up running lanes for Joe Mixon while also allowing opponents to get a ton of pressure on QB Andy Dalton. Should the Steelers build a lead they'll be able to pin their ears back and force a key turnover or two as this game progresses. On the flip side, the Steelers offense will likely go back to basics here and let RB James Conner go to work against a Bengals defense that has surrendered a whopping 5.2 yards per rush this season. Last week's matchup wasn't good for Steelers QB Mason Rudolph but he should bounce back against a much more favorable draw here. Cincinnati has not done a good job of generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks, recording just five sacks so far this season. Take Pittsburgh (10*).

NFL NFC Game of the Month. My selection is on Los Angeles minus the points over Tampa Bay at 4:05 pm et on Sunday.

This game has blowout written all over it as the Rams return home following a business-like 20-13 win in Cleveland last Sunday night. Los Angeles used a supreme defensive effort to hold off a hungry Browns squad in that one but here should be able to get loose offensively, particularly through the air against a struggle Bucs pass defense. On the flip side, I don’t see the Bucs accomplishing much in this one with the Rams outstanding secondary likely to take care of business against the dynamic duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Tampa Bay’s ground game is a virtual non-factor and playing from behind on Sunday isn’t likely to change that. Look for another dominant performance from the Rams as they remain undefeated with another convincing win. Take Los Angeles (10*).

My selection is on Kansas City minus the points over Detroit at 1 pm et on Sunday.

Perhaps due to their weak defense and the surprising start of the Lions, the Chiefs remain a relatively short road favorite in Detroit on Sunday afternoon. We won with the Lions in their upset victory in Philadelphia last week but that had more to do with the Eagles laundry list of injuries than anything else. This may be a showdown between two undefeated teams but they really couldn’t be at much more opposite ends of the spectrum offensively. The Chiefs just keep rolling along and catch the Lions in a tough spot with a number of key injuries on the defensive side of the football, the least concerning of which to CB Darius Slay. QB Patrick Mahomes should be in for another monster performance in ideal conditions at Ford Field on Sunday afternoon. Kansas City’s struggles defending the run will likely encourage the Lions, already a ‘run-first’ team, to pound the football on the ground here, but it’s the wrong move in my opinion as Detroit simply won’t be able to keep pace with an explosive Chiefs offense by running the football. Take Kansas City (10*).

My selection is on Ohio State minus the points over Nebraska at 7:30 pm et on Saturday.

Ohio State continues to steamroll inferior competition and while Nebraska looks like it poses a significant challenge on paper, I’m not sure it’s going to play out that way on the field. The Cornhuskers are coming off yet another offensive explosion last week, scoring 42 points in a road win over Illinois. QB Adrian Martinez has done it all on a weekly basis but I’m confident the Buckeyes can develop a gameplan to slow down the Huskers dynamic quarterback. The argument can certainly be made that Ohio State has been the most impressive team in college football so far this season, outscoring the opposition by a ridiculous 214-36 margin. This represents the Buckeyes first true test and I definitely believe they’ll be up for it, especially after narrowly escaping with a 36-31 in this same matchup last November. Lost in Nebraska’s hot start offensively has been its awful defensive play against any opponent with a pulse, giving up 34 points at Colorado and 38 at Illinois. Home cooking has been kind so far, but those performances came against South Alabama and Northern Illinois as double-digit favorites. Expect a different story to unfold here. Take Ohio State (10*).

My selection is on Kansas State plus the points over Oklahoma State at 7 pm et on Saturday.

While Oklahoma State was involved in a shootout loss against rival Texas last Saturday, Kansas State was idle and enters this game with its undefeated record intact. The Wildcats have just one impressive win to their credit, that coming in their last game, a 31-24 win as a touchdown underdog at Mississippi State (we won with the ‘over’ in that game). I do like the way this one sets up for Kansas State as well as I expect it to run the football at will and control the clock, ultimately shortening this game against offensive-minded Oklahoma State. The Cowboys have a potent ground attack of their own but I suspect they’ll be in tough contending with a rested and ready Wildcats defense. Note that Kansas State held Mississippi State out of the end zone in the critical final 19 minutes of the game two weeks ago, after falling behind 21-17. Wildcats QB Skylar Thompson hasn’t been racking up the completions or yardage totals but has been efficient, throwing four touchdowns compared to no interceptions through three games. Take Kansas State (10*).

My selection is on Los Angeles minus the points over Cleveland at 8:20 pm et on Sunday.

This is a tough spot for the Browns, returning home on a short week to face one of the league's best teams, and potentially doing so without a number of key cogs. Cleveland enters this game banged-up after Monday's win over the Jets, losing TE David Njoku and OLB Christian Kirksey to injuries in that game. The Rams come in relatively healthy and off an easier-than-expected home win over the Saints thanks to Drew Brees' injury. The Browns will certainly be up for this opportunity to prove that all of the preseason hype was warranted but the fact is, they haven't looked very good through two games, and I don't believe they can hang around for 60 minutes against a vastly superior team. Yes, Rams QB Jared Goff has struggled in games such as this, on the road in primetime, but that has little bearing here as he's a more experienced quarterback now and figures to have learned how to better handle these situations. Los Angeles is well-positioned to move to 3-0 on Sunday night. Take Los Angeles (10*).

My selection is on Pittsburgh plus the points over San Francisco at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

Most are quick to write off the Steelers after losing QB Ben Roethlisberger for the season in last week’s home loss to the Seahawks. I’m not sure we’re going to see much of a dropoff in offensive production with backup QB Mason Rudolph at the helm, however. It’s not as if Big Ben was lighting it up for the Steelers in early action this season. In fact, it was Rudolph that gave the team a major spark and moved the football at will after entering last week’s game. It appears Steelers RB James Conner will be good to go this week after an injury scare. Even if he can’t, the Steelers have excellent depth at the position with Jaylen Samuels a dynamic playmaker as well. San Francisco came up with a nice blowout win in Cincinnati last week, moving to a surprising 2-0 on the season. Let’s not get carried away with that result, however, as the Bengals figure to be a bottom-tier team. The Steelers aren’t about to completely shut down the 49ers offense on the road this week, but I do look for them to bounce back from consecutive awful performances against the Patriots and Seahawks in what was certainly a difficult two-game slate to open the campaign. Simply put, we’re being given too many points in a game that could go either way. Take Pittsburgh (10*).

My selection is on Seattle minus the points over New Orleans at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

New Orleans stays on the west coast for a second straight week after suffering a loss against the Rams in Los Angeles last Sunday afternoon. The Saints will have to go forward without their heart and soul, QB Drew Brees, and that doesn’t bode well as their backups Teddy Bridgewater and Taysom Hill represent a major dropoff in talent (and likely production) as far as I’m concerned. Head coach Sean Payton wouldn’t even confirm that Bridgewater is his starter for this game and that’s not encouraging. Yes, the Saints still have plenty of talent, but this is a tough draw against a Seahawks squad that is off to a terrific start to the season. Seattle’s defensive strength has been against the run in the early going this season, holding the opposition to 3.75 yards per rush. If the Seahawks can keep Saints RB Alvin Kamara in check in this one that will obviously go a long way toward securing a victory. New Orleans hasn’t shown any semblance of a run defense through two games, giving up nearly six yards per rush and things aren’t going to get any easier now that LB Alex Anzalone is sidelined. The Seahawks offensive balance should give the Saints defense fits in this game and it’s hard not to like what we’ve seen from QB Russell Wilson who is off to one of the best starts of his career. He and WR Tyler Lockett are completely in sync right now and the Saints will be hard-pressed to keep them in check here. Take Seattle (10*).

NFL Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Minnesota minus the points over Oakland at 1 pm et on Sunday.

Fresh off an ugly loss against the rival Packers at Lambeau Field last Sunday this is an ideal ‘get right’ spot for the Vikings back home against the Raiders. Oakland got manhandled by the Chiefs in a game that could have been even more lopsided had Kansas City not taken its foot off the gas last week. Now the Raiders have to travel two time zones east for an early 12 noon local start on Sunday afternoon. There’s not much to get excited about when it comes to the Raiders offense and this is a brutal matchup against what will be a highly-motivated and ultra-talented Vikings defense. Minnesota employs a ‘run-first’ offense to be sure, but that’s fine as RB Dalvin Cook has arguably been the best back in football so far this season. He should have little trouble putting this game away when called upon on Sunday afternoon but before that look for QB Kirk Cousins to bounce back from last week’s no-show in Green Bay with an efficient afternoon under center. Take Minnesota (10*).

My selection is on Baylor minus the points over Rice at 7 pm et on Saturday.

While we are being asked to lay a lot of points in this game, I believe the line could be even higher. Baylor is off to a perfect 2-0 start, beating up on Stephen F. Austin and Texas-San Antonio to the tune of a combined 119-31 score. Rice might actually be worse than both of those teams. I like the way Baylor has essentially ‘run up the score’ against its first two opponents, scoring three fourth quarter touchdowns despite those two contests having already been completely out of hand. While Rice comes in off physical affairs against Wake Forest and Texas in the last two weeks, Baylor is fresh off its bye week. The Owls “only” lost by 35 points last week against Texas, largely due to the Longhorns simply running out the clock in the last 20+ minutes of the game (they did score a kick return touchdown in the game’s final minute). Save for a strong showing against Army’s option-based offense in Week 1, the Owls haven’t had any luck slowing opposing offenses. They particularly struggle against teams that can air it out and Baylor certainly falls in that category. Note that over its last two games, Rice has allowed opposing quarterbacks to go 49-of-61 passing for 650 yards, six touchdowns an no interceptions. Baylor QB Charlie Brewer is still rounding into form but has already thrown for six touchdowns an no interceptions through two games. His efficiency will only improve (he’s 33-of-47 passing for 362 yards so far) and I fully expect to see him dominate the Owls secondary in this contest. Take Baylor (10*).

My selection is on Cleveland minus the points over New York at 8:15 pm et on Monday.

This is essentially a must-win game for the Browns facing a Jets squad that will be missing its starting quarterback Sam Darnold among others. While New York does still have some upside with RB Le'Veon Bell cleared to play after undergoing an MRI on his shoulder last week, we can count on the Browns focusing their entire defensive gameplan on taking Bell away and forcing backup QB Trevor Siemian to beat them. Note that Bell played 100% of the snaps in the Jets Week 1 loss against Buffalo. It's hard to say if he'll be as explosive here given he didn't play a single snap a year ago. Cleveland's offensive line is terrible. Let's get that straight. I do believe we'll see QB Baker Mayfield turn in a strong bounce-back performance here, however, as his terrific wide receiving corps should have a field day against a weak Jets secondary. RB Nick Chubb is more than capable of putting this game away against an undermanned Jets run defense that is missing a couple of key cogs in C.J. Mosley and Quinnen Williams. Take Cleveland (10*).

AFC West Game of the Year. My selection is on Kansas City minus the points over Oakland at 4:05 pm et on Sunday.

We won with the ‘over’ in the Chiefs season-opening win in Jacksonville and I won’t hesitate to get involved in their Week 2 game as well, laying the points in this spot. Kansas City looked every bit as dominant offensively as it did a year ago last week against the Jaguars, putting up 40 points without barely breaking a sweat. With that being said, the news wasn’t all good as the Chiefs did lose WR Tyreek Hill to an injury that will cost him at least a month of action. It’s obviously not the end of the world, however, as Kansas City is by no means short on offensive depth. WR Sammy Watkins turned in one of the best performances of Week 1 and now it might just be rookie WR Mecole Hardman’s turn to bust out. Regardless how the Chiefs choose to attack the Raiders defense, I’m confident they’ll have plenty of success, noting that they scored 75 points in two meetings with Oakland last season. The Raiders are coming off a win but I certainly didn’t come away overly impressed as they were essentially handed that game by the Broncos, who simply didn’t show up. QB Derek Carr was efficient in the win but again relied on a slow-paced, conservative offensive gameplan – something that simply isn’t going to translate success against a Chiefs squad that can seemingly score at will. Oakland’s Monday night victory was probably the best thing we could have hoped for as it helps to keep this line in check. The Chiefs have blowout potential most weeks and this one is no exception. Take Kansas City (10*).

CFB Underdog Game of the Month. My selection is on Air Force plus the points over Colorado at 1 pm et on Saturday.

Air Force got a nice tune-up for this game last week as it rolled to a 48-7 win over Colgate in its season-opener. Not surprisingly, an offense that returns most of the talent from last year’s squad put together a touchdown drive just over four minutes into the game and then added four more in the second quarter. The Falcons held Colgate off the scoreboard entirely until the final 10 seconds of the third quarter. Colorado pulled a minor upset of Nebraska at home last week, rallying back from a 17-0 halftime deficit. I can’t help but feel a letdown could be in order here, however. Note that the Buffaloes didn’t find the end zone until the final two minutes of the third quarter in that game and then things essentially turned on a complete defensive breakdown by Nebraska in the first minute of the fourth quarter, as K.D. Nixon hauled in a 96-yard touchdown pass. The Falcons were awful against the pass last season but do return experience in the secondary and they’ll certainly be on guard against the Buffaloes strength, which is their passing game, in this one. Take Air Force (10*).

My selection is on Denver minus the points over Oakland at 10:15 pm et on Monday.

The Raiders are saying all the right things after releasing Antonio Brown on Saturday, suggesting they're better off without all the drama Brown had stirred up. It's all smoke and mirrors as far as I'm concerned though. This is a bad Raiders squad, and one that gets considerably worse without Brown. Oakland will have little hope of keeping QB Derek Carr upright without their two starting guards, especially considering they'll be facing the Broncos vaunted pass rush led by sophomore Bradley Chubb and all-world Von Miller. I don't have a great deal of faith in QB Joe Flacco at this stage of his career but I also don't think he'll be asked to do too much for Denver on Monday night, or this season in general. Look for the Broncos to grind away on offense while their defense takes care of the rest, earning them a key AFC West win to open the season. Take Denver (10*).

NFL Sunday Night Football Game of the Month. My selection is on Pittsburgh plus the points over New England at 8:20 pm et on Sunday.

This really is the start of a new era for the Pittsburgh Steelers with both RB Le'Veon Bell and WR Antonio Brown join new teams in the offseason. It's a fresh start for the franchise as far as I'm concerned and while they've certainly struggled here in New England over the years, I am confident they can give the Patriots all they can handle to open the 2019 season. With WR JuJu Smith-Schuster being shadowed by Pats CB Stephon Gilmore I expect the Steelers offense to center around RB James Conner in this game. He was used sparingly in the preseason but looked even stronger than he did during his breakout campaign in the absence of Bell last year. The Patriots certainly aren't immune to slow starts (remember they lost their home opener against the Chiefs following their Super Bowl win two years ago). I'm high on the Steelers defense entering this season and look for them to give Tom Brady some headaches on Sunday night. It's worth noting that New England's usually rock solid offensive line has suffered a couple of key losses and will have its work cut out for it trying to keep the Steelers vaunted pass rush at bay. Take Pittsburgh (10*).

My selection is on Dallas minus the points over New York at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

I'm confident that the Cowboys will absolutely go off offensively against what projects to be a bad Giants defense on Sunday afternoon. On the flip side, the Dallas defense will get to tee off on Giants QB Eli Manning - quite possibly for the last time as rookie Daniel Jones is ready to take over the starting job at a moment's notice. Giants fans may hold out hope that Saquon Barkley can keep them competitive in this Week 1 NFC East showdown but should the G-Men fall behind early, he'll undoubtedly be relegated to pass catching duty against the Cowboys zone. I'm generally not all that high on Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense but I'm certainly willing to make an exception here. Prescott should be given all the time he wants to operate with the Giants pass rush a non-factor (especially after losing Olivier Vernon in the offseason). Zeke may be back but you can count on rookie preseason standout Tony Pollard getting some action here as well, and I'm confident both Cowboys backs will produce and ultimately put this one away with time to spare. Take Dallas (10*).

My selection is on Baltimore minus the points over Miami at 1 pm et on Sunday.

We’ve seen a considerable adjustment to the spread in this game since opening but I’m not sure the oddsmakers can set the line high enough. The Dolphins may not plan on ‘tanking’ (according to rookie head coach Brian Flores) but you wouldn’t know it by the fire sale they’ve employed in recent weeks. This is a team largely void of top-level talent at all skill positions on offense and supported by a defense that just isn’t going to be very good. Meanwhile, the Ravens ceiling is extremely high this year with a number of key players on both sides of the football set up well for breakout seasons. This is the perfect matchup for Baltimore to tee things up as QB Lamar Jackson and the offense should have little trouble controlling proceedings and ultimately putting this game away in the second half. Take Baltimore (10*).

My selection is on Philadelphia minus the points over Washington at 1 pm et on Sunday.

The Eagles defense should absolutely feast on an overmatched Redskins offense on Sunday afternoon. It’s hard to figure the logic behind starting Case Keenum under center given his recent track record, and the lack of talented offensive weapons around him. The Redskins are very much ‘hoping for the best’ until rookie Dwayne Haskins can take over the starting job. This is a nightmarish matchup for an extremely weak Washington offensive line as perhaps no team can bring the heat on opposing quarterbacks like the Eagles defensive front. Eagles QB Carson Wentz is set up to get off to a terrific start here. While the Redskins have a couple of studs in the secondary, they can’t cover everyone and I certainly anticipate Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson having big games on Sunday afternoon. It’s highly likely that the Eagles defense will be setting their offense up with short fields all day long, and I’m confident we’ll see Wentz take full advantage. Take Philadelphia (10*).

My selection is on UCF minus the points over Florida Atlantic at 7 pm et on Saturday.

This matchup was no contest a year ago as the Knights rolled to a 56-36 win over FAU. This time around, I look for a much better performance from the UCF defense as it once again disposes of the Owls without much trouble. The Knights couldn’t have looked much better than they did in last week’s 62-0 rout of FCS squad Florida A&M. They were ahead 55-0 before two minutes had expired in the third quarter. While they’ll definitely get a tougher matchup from Lane Kiffin’s Owls, I’m confident they’ll be up for the challenge and like the fact that they’re hitting the road to avoid any sort of letdown here. FAU fell behind 28-0 just over midway through the first quarter against Ohio State last week and didn’t find the end zone until the fourth quarter in an eventual 45-21 loss. While the Owls probably aren’t as bad as they looked in that mismatch, this isn’t the ‘get right’ matchup they need in Week 2. Even if their defense holds up better than it did against UCF last year, I’m not convinced their offense can score enough to stay inside this reasonable number. Take UCF (10*).

My selection is on Mississippi State minus the points over Southern Miss at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

I’ll lay the points with the Bulldogs in this one as they look for a sharper performance after escaping with a 38-28 win at Louisiana-Lafayette last week. There were certainly defensive concerns, particularly in the fourth quarter after they thought they had put the game away sporting a 35-14 lead. I see this as a more favorable matchup at home against Southern Miss. The Eagles are fresh off a 38-10 rout of FCS squad Alcorn State last Saturday. Keep in mind, they didn’t manage a single offensive touchdown until nearly seven minutes into the third quarter in that game, and that came only thanks to a defensive breakdown from Alcorn State (55-yard touchdown pass). Jaylond Adams ran back a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in that contest. I’m higher on Mississippi State than most and don’t mind laying two-plus touchdowns in its home opener against a C-USA opponent. Take Mississippi State (10*).

CFB Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Clemson minus the points over Texas A&M at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

We won with Clemson in its rout of Georgia Tech last week and I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the Tigers again in a tougher matchup (on paper) against Texas A&M this Saturday. It wasn’t a completely clean effort from the Tigers last week by any means, yet they still managed to win by a 38-point margin. I certainly expect QB Trevor Lawrence to be sharper after completing just 13-of-23 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns a week ago. The Aggies will undoubtedly have Clemson’s full attention after the Tigers narrowly escaped with a 28-26 win in last year’s meeting. Last week, Texas A&M rolled to a 41-7 win after jumping ahead 28-0 at halftime but that was against one of the worst teams in FBS in Texas State. With experienced QB Kellen Mond leading a tremendous offense I think the Aggies will get baited into a shootout here, but I don’t believe that serves them well. I ultimately expect the Tigers defense to pin back its ears and get after Mond while its offense does the rest, as it cruises to a comfortable victory. Take Clemson (10*).

CFB Game of the Month. My selection is on Auburn minus the points over Oregon at 7:30 pm et on Saturday.

It's another hyped-up Pac-12 vs. SEC matchup as Oregon looks to stage the upset against Auburn on Saturday night. I wouldn't count on that happening, however. The Ducks have the projected first quarterback to be taken in the 2020 NFL Draft in Justin Herbert. With that being said, he'll be facing a major challenge here in an Auburn defense that is once again loaded with talent. I actually think it will be the Auburn offense that really shines in this matchup, however. The Tigers offensive line boasts five seniors and that should make all the difference in the world for an offense that sputtered in 2018. QB Jarrett Stidham is now a New England Patriot, and the Tigers will go with true freshman Bo Nix as their starter. Head coach Gus Malzahn has indicated that he won't hold anything back in the playbook with Nix at the helm, and I tend to believe him. Nix walks into an ideal situation with a loaded backfield, not to mention a hungry and talented wide receiver corps. The matchup is fine as the Ducks are certainly beatable defensively. The question will be whether the Tigers defense can weather the early storm and ultimately take control of this game. I believe they can and will and just like last year, we'll open our season with a big winner on Auburn. Take Auburn (10*).

My selection is on Georgia Southern plus the points over LSU at 7:30 pm et on Saturday.

I'll take a flyer on Georgia Southern on Saturday night as it heads to the Bayou to tangle with LSU. Style points don't matter one bit in this season-opening non-conference matchup for the Tigers. With Texas on deck there's really no reason to leave it all on the field and throttle the Eagles. Keep in mind, Georgia Southern went into Death Valley and lost by 31 points against Clemson last year, and that was three weeks into the season, when the Tigers had already gotten rolling. In that game, the Eagles held Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence to just 12-of-19 passing for 194 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Georgia Southern actually gained less than two yards per rush in that contest, but still controlled the football for over 31 minutes. The Eagles return plenty of talent on both sides of the football and their option-based offense should be able to effectively shorten this game and help keep within arm's reach of the loaded Tigers. Take Georgia Southern (10*).

My selection is on Pittsburgh plus the points over Virginia at 7:30 pm et on Saturday.

Virginia is coming off a rare winning season in 2018 - its first winning campaign since 2011 and prior to that you would have to go back to 2007 to find the last time it posted more wins than losses. Meanwhile, Pitt quietly has a pretty good thing going under Pat Narduzzi with just one losing season in its last four. I really don't think there's a lot separating these two teams, just as there wasn't last year when Pitt went on the road in sloppy conditions and delivered a 23-13 win. You would have to go back to 2014 to find the last time the Cavaliers beat the Panthers and that was as a five-point home favorite. I think Pitt has just enough to prevail here, and love the line shift we've seen leading up to the game. Take Pittsburgh (10*).

My selection is on Boise State plus the points over Florida State at 7 pm et on Saturday.

I simply feel that too much respect is being given to Florida State, not to mention the benefit of the doubt following a disappointing 5-7 campaign a year ago. Maybe the Seminoles get off to a much different start than we saw from them last year, but I certainly don't expect them to cruise against a perennial powerhouse like Boise State. As is the case with any elite program, there's plenty of shuffling and re-stocking of the cupboard to be done in Boise. But I like where the Broncos are at following last year's 10-3 campaign. In fact, the Broncos are now an incredible 31-9 over the last three years. The biggest question is whether true freshman QB Hank Bachmeier can step in and fill the shoes left by now-Denver Broncos Brett Rypien. Bachmeier will have plenty of talent around him and I'm confident he'll be able to guide the offense to great heights again this year. He won't be asked to do a ton in this particular matchup. Look for the Boise State talented defense to be what keeps the Broncos in this one from start to finish. Take Boise State (10*).

My selection is on Clemson minus the points over Georgia Tech at 8 pm et on Thursday.

This may seem like a very lofty pointspread given the fact the Tigers haven't sniffed out a win of this magnitude against Georgia Tech over the years. But here's the thing; the Yellow Jackets controlled the football for over 36 minutes thanks to their option offense in this matchup last year - and still lost by 28 points! Now they're moving to a more pro-style offense (while also changing their defensive scheme) and I don't think it bodes well as they open the season in Death Valley on Thursday night. The Tigers obviously lose plenty of talent to the NFL after a season that culminated with a dominating victory over Alabama in the National Championship Game (we won with Clemson in that one). That's nothing new, however, and the cupboard is still without question well-stocked. It may take a little bit of time for the offense to really get rolling, but I'm confident we'll see the Tigers eventually run away and hide in this one. I'm not sure the oddsmakers can set the line high enough. Take Clemson (10*).

My selection is on Cincinnati minus the points over UCLA at 7 pm et on Thursday.

Bettors seem to be looking to back UCLA in this matchup, perhaps as Cincinnati doesn't appear to be a truly intimidating early season foe for a Pac-12 opponent - even after the Bearcats went on the road and won this matchup a year ago. The fact is, the Bearcats went an impressive 11-2 in their second season under head coach Luke Fickell and I believe they have a lot to build from here in 2019. The offense returns a lot of talent from last year's squad and should have little trouble exposing a weak UCLA defense. While the Bearcats do lose a lot from last year's impressive defensive unit, the jury is still out as to whether the Bruins offense can take full advantage. UCLA starting QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson has received a lot of praise but last year completed just 57% of his passes for seven touchdowns and four interceptions while gaining only 1.4 yards per rush. I'm not convinced that Chip Kelly is the answer for the Bruins. The line indicates a virtual toss-up and while it may very well turn out to be that, I like my chances laying the small number with a Bearcats squad that has to feel a little disrespected right out of the gates. Take Cincinnati (10*).

My selection is on New England minus the points over Los Angeles at 6:30 pm et on Sunday.

I have a lot of respect for the Rams. I don't believe the missed pass interference call in that win over the Saints tarnishes their appearance in the Super Bowl one bit. But here's the thing - motivation has probably never been higher for the Patriots and Brady and Belichick in particular. I simply don't see this New England squad losing back-to-back Super Bowls, plain and simple. I will say that if the Rams had a healthy Cooper Kupp I may actually be leaning their way here. His absence means that much. RB C.J. Anderson has stolen some of Todd Gurley's thunder for the Rams but I don't expect Belichick's approach to waver one bit - he'll key on Gurley in this one and force Anderson and ultimately QB Jared Goff to beat them. I do expect Goff to play well in this game and the fast track in Atlanta does favor the Rams and their incredible team speed. With that being said, the Patriots come in with a big chip on their shoulder, whether self-manufactured or not, and I look for them to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy once again. Take New England (10*).

My selection is on Kansas City minus the points over New England at 6:40 pm et on Sunday.

We won with the Chiefs last weekend and I won't hesitate to go back to the well with the same play this week as they host the Patriots in the AFC Championship. Home field means a lot in this matchup. We saw the Chiefs fall just short in a Sunday nighter in Foxborough earlier this season. I give Kansas City credit for sticking around in a hostile environment on that night. Not a lot went right for the Chiefs at times in that game, but they ultimately came just a hair short of pulling off the upset. Now the shoe is on the other foot as Kansas City gets New England at Arrowhead Stadium where it owns one of the strongest home field advantages in football. The Chiefs have been a completely different team here at home, particularly on the defensive side of the football. After manhandling the Colts surging offense last week, I believe they're in excellent position to contain Tom Brady and company this Sunday. On the flip side, the Chiefs can score on anyone and while the Patriots defense is playing well and has certainly been an opportunistic bunch, I'm confident in Kansas City's ability to mix things up through the air and on the ground and ultimately hang a crooked number on the scoreboard on Sunday. The Patriots absolutely annihilated the Chargers last week but won't be spotted a big early lead again here. The Chiefs get their revenge and advance to the Super Bowl. Take Kansas City (10*).

NFL Game of the Year. My selection is on New Orleans minus the points over Los Angeles at 3:05 pm et on Sunday.

We cashed a ticket fading the Saints last week as they escaped with a narrow win over the Eagles. I won't hesitate to switch gears and back New Orleans this time around as they try to defeat the Rams for the second time this season, and advance to the Super Bowl for the first time in nearly a decade. Give the Rams credit as they made the red hot Cowboys look rather punchless in last week's dominant victory at home. But now they face a much tougher challenge as they travel to New Orleans, where the Saints own an incredible home field advantage. We didn't see the Saints bring their 'A' game offensively last week, but their defense more than made up for it with a particularly strong finish, keyed by a critical interception in the game's final minute. While the Saints run defense has been terrific this season, I do think the Rams will make some gains on the ground in this one. With that being said, I believe this game comes down to whether Rams QB Jared Goff can get it done against the Saints secondary, or at least keep pace with the legend on the other side in Drew Brees. I don't see it happening. The Saints offense has another gear that I expect to see it reach this Sunday. Unlike last week when their performance was a little disjointed, I look for New Orleans to come out strong and ultimately pull away for a win and cover to advance to the Super Bowl in Atlanta. Take New Orleans (10*).

My selection is on Philadelphia plus the points over New Orleans at 4:40 pm et on Sunday.

The Eagles got blown out of the water the last time they faced the Saints right here in New Orleans back on November 18th. However, much like last year, these Eagles are looking a lot different in January. QB Nick Foles has stepped in and relished the underdog role once again this year and I really do feel he’s a guy the entire team rallies around and they believe they can win with him under center. I liked some of the wrinkles the Eagles added to the offensive playbook against the Bears and it’s not as if they’re taking a step up in class, at least as far as the defense they’re facing goes, here in New Orleans. Playing against that vaunted Bears defense on the road was no easy task and the Eagles found a way to do just enough to secure a victory. The Saints are certainly tough to beat here at the Superdome but we don’t actually need the Eagles to win outright to cash this ticket. Keep in mind, during the regular season we saw the Buccaneers win outright and the Browns, Rams and Steelers all give the Saints serious scares here in New Orleans. If we know one thing about the Eagles, they’re not going to back down from a challenge and I’m confident they’ll find a way to hang around in this ball game. There are key matchups the Philadelphia offense can exploit against a good but not great Saints defense, enough so that they can stick around should this turn into a shootout. Take Philadelphia (10*).

My selection is on Dallas plus the points over Los Angeles at 8:15 pm et on Saturday.

I’ve been a bit slower than most to come around on the Cowboys and did cash a ticket with the Seahawks (barely) in Dallas last Saturday night. With that being said, I see this as a fine matchup for Dallas and actually believe it is capable of pulling off the outright upset. The Rams look like the classic case of a team peaking too early. They closed out the regular season with just two wins in their last four games, and those victories came against the Cardinals and 49ers. As far as I’m concerned, this is a team that peaked in that classic Monday night shootout victory over the Chiefs back in mid-November. Playing last week might have actually been best for the Rams as it would have given them an opportunity to keep building. Instead they go from a standing start against a surging Cowboys squad that believes it can beat anyone right now. Dallas’ offense runs through RB Ezekiel Elliott and I’m confident he’s in for a big game against this beatable Rams defense. I really like what the Cowboys have going for them with Elliott consistently moving the chains and a tremendous defense that doesn’t give up many easy yards. The Rams have had time to add plenty of wrinkles to their offense and we’ll undoubtedly see that on Saturday night but I’m confident in Dallas’ ability to take some punches but remain on its feet. Take Dallas (10*).

My selection is on Kansas City minus the points over Indianapolis at 4:35 pm et on Saturday.

We won with the Colts in last week’s blowout win in Houston but I won’t hesitate to go the other way and back the Chiefs as they kick off what they hope will be a Super Bowl run on Saturday afternoon. First of all, we know that Kansas City owns one of the strongest home field advantages in football playing at Arrowhead Stadium. For the Colts this will be their third consecutive road game in as many weeks while the Chiefs enjoyed a much-needed off week to open the playoffs. I’ve been high on Indianapolis for much of the season but there’s no question it benefited from a favorable schedule and here takes a big step up in class against a hungry, talented and highly-motivated Chiefs squad. Note that the Chiefs have been a far better defensive team at home, where they hold the opposition to around 18 points per game compared to north of 30 ppg on the road. The Colts offense is good but not great. That unit has certainly been buoyed by the schedule they’ve faced. The same goes for the Colts defense, which runs into a true juggernaut here. I’m confident we’ll see the Chiefs march up and down the field all afternoon long on Saturday. There were concerns after the Kareem Hunt suspension and subsequent release but as we’ve seen across the league in recent years, running back has become somewhat of a ‘plug-and-play’ position and I like what I’ve seen from a rejuvenated Damien Williams in the backfield. Maybe the Colts keep up in a track meet but I’m more confident in the Chiefs getting enough stops on defense as the game progresses to secure a comfortable victory. Take Kansas City (10*).

NCAAF Game of the Month. My selection is on Clemson plus the points over Alabama at 8 pm et on Monday.

This is the fourth straight year that the Tigers and Crimson Tide will meet in the College Football Playoff and after getting blown out in the semi-final last year, I fully expect Dabo Swinney's Tigers to respond with a strong performance here. I'll grab the points in what should be a far more competitive affair than we saw a year ago. Alabama has actually just covered one spread over its last four games, that coming in a 52-21 rout of Auburn back on November 24th. Meanwhile, Clemson rolls into this contest after blowing out Pitt in the ACC Championship Game and Notre Dame in the CFP semi-final. There's really not a lot more to say about this matchup than has already been said. I simply feel that taking the points is the right move in a game where there's little to separate two elite squads. Take Clemson (10*).

NFL Wild Card Game of the Year. My selection is on Baltimore minus the points over Los Angeles at 1:05 pm et on Sunday.

I’ll lay the points with the Ravens in this matchup as they catch the Chargers in a favorable matchup, playing an early afternoon game on the east coast on Sunday. The Ravens have already proven they can beat the Chargers, and they did so on the road no less, back before Christmas. Baltimore simply isn’t the same team it was earlier in the season. Since installing QB Lamar Jackson as the starting quarterback, the Ravens have gone run-heavy, in fact they’ve been the most run-heavy team in the league, playing keep-away against every opponent they’ve faced. I expect nothing different here, and I like the fact that they’re facing a Chargers squad that seemingly peaked too early this season, perhaps doing so on that Thursday night win in Kansas City in early December. I have a lot of confidence in the Ravens ability on both sides of the football, with their defense putting together an incredible body of work over the course of the entire season. Their ability to step up and finish off a surging Browns offense on the final season-saving drive last Sunday afternoon was tremendous. Look for them to build off of that performance here. Maybe I would have more confidence in Los Angeles were it not for all of the injuries do-it-all RB Melvin Gordon has dealt with. This is quite simply a beaten up Chargers offense right now, and one I can’t see walking into Baltimore and stealing a win on Sunday. Take Baltimore (10*).

My selection is on Seattle plus the points over Dallas at 8:15 pm et on Saturday.

I’ll grab the points with the Seahawks as they have an excellent shot at ‘upsetting’ the Cowboys in Dallas. The Cowboys inexplicably showed up and played their starters most of the way on the road against the Giants last week (save for RB Ezekiel Elliott) and ultimately pulled out a victory on a miraculous Cole Beasley touchdown pass in the game’s final minute. Now they face a much tougher challenge and do so with a lot of pressure on them to win. Seattle is essentially playing with house money at this point. The Seahawks have exceeded all expectations after cleaning house and getting off to a sluggish start to the season. I love the evolution we’ve seen from the Seahawks offense over the course of the season with RB Chris Carson taking on a feature role. That should serve them well as they go against a Cowboys run defense that is good but not great, and showed signs of wearing down during the stretch run. Unlike the other west coast team on Wild Card Weekend (Chargers), the Seahawks benefit from getting a primetime game, and only have to travel two time zones east at that. Take Seattle (10*).

My selection is on Indianapolis plus the points over Houston at 4:35 pm et on Saturday.

The Colts are arguably the league’s hottest team entering the playoffs and after winning with them last Sunday night in Tennessee, I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the same play as they travel to face the Texans on Wild Card Saturday. The argument can certainly be made that the Colts are the healthier team entering this matchup and I really like the advantage they have with their passing game against a Texans pass defense that looks a lot better on paper than it does on the field. Houston really benefited from a favorable schedule as far as facing elite passing offenses goes. Here, it will face an uphill climb against a red hot Andrew Luck, who has done a tremendous job spreading the football around in this Colts offense. Defensively, the Colts quietly had one of the better units in the league over the course of the regular season, and this is a group that really came together down the stretch. The Texans are capable of putting some points on the board this game, but I believe they will be playing from behind much of the way, and I’m not convinced that they can make enough clutch plays down the stretch to secure a win. Take Indianapolis (10*).

NCAAF Bowl Game of the Year. My selection is on Ohio State minus the points over Washington at 5 pm et on Tuesday.

I simply feel there is a considerable class difference in this matchup that isn't being properly reflected in the pointspread. If you're looking for impressive victories on Washington's schedule, they're pretty tough to find. I felt that it was a down year for the Pac-12 as a whole and when the Huskies did step up in class, they lost against Auburn (we won with the Tigers in that game) and also suffered a loss at Oregon. Ohio State closed out the season with five straight wins, including a rout of a game Northwestern squad in the Big Ten Championship Game. The Buckeyes scored at will for much of the season but also proved they could win in a defensive slugfest, posting wins (and covers) at Penn State and Michigan State. There are those that feel the Huskies can hang around with their defense in this matchup - I'm not so easily convinced. Take Ohio State (10*).

My selection is on Iowa plus the points over Mississippi State at 12 noon et on Tuesday.

I really don't feel there's a lot to choose between these two teams and see considerable value backing the Hawkeyes in an underdog role on New Year's Day. Mississippi State is being given the edge by the oddsmakers largely due to the fact that it plays in the SEC. But what did the Bulldogs do to really impress over the course of the season? There was a road win at Kansas State and a couple of blowout home wins over Auburn and Texas A&M but that's really it. Meanwhile, Iowa battled it out in the Big Ten all season long and did manage to stay competitive in tight road losses at Penn State and Purdue. In fact, all four losses the Hawkeyes suffered came by 11 points or less, with the largest margin coming in a home loss to Wisconsin way back on September 22nd. I'm anticipating a competitive affair here and will grab all the points I can get with Iowa. Take Iowa (10*).

My selection is on Pittsburgh plus the points over Stanford at 2 pm et on Monday.

The Panthers have been a pretty tough team to figure out this season, at least up until they had their doors blown off against Clemson in a true mismatch in the ACC Championship Game. Here, I do like Pitt's chances of sticking around against a Stanford squad that finished strong, but still ultimately disappointed in the Pac-12 this season. The Cardinal really had only one notable victory over the final two months of the season, that coming on the road against Cal in their regular season finale. Stanford is really only here thanks to taking care of business against the teams it should beat. I don't believe this is a gimme for the Cardinal by any means. Take Pittsburgh (10*).

My selection is on Indianapolis minus the points over Tennessee at 8:20 pm et on Sunday.

A classic 'win and you're in' scenario sets up here as the Colts and Titans play to decide who marches on to the postseason. I have no problem backing the Colts as a road favorite here as they catch a banged-up Titans squad that has gone about as far as RB Derrick Henry has carried them down the stretch. Keep in mind, the Colts have been stout against the run lately, giving up just north of 3.2 yards per rush over their last seven contests. This game should fall in the hands of Andrew Luck and the Colts offense and with a balanced approach, I believe they can thrive against a Titans defense that is certainly stout, but will be missing one of its key cogs in DT Jurrell Casey. Save for an egg laid in Jacksonville earlier this month, the Colts have been the hottest team in football for the last two-plus months. I believe they're a playoff team and look for them to put a stamp on it in Tennessee on Sunday night. Take Indianapolis (10*).

NFL Blowout Game of the Week. My selection is on Kansas City minus the points over Oakland at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

We won with the 'under' in the Raiders Christmas Eve win over the Broncos, and came close to backing Oakland in that game as well. I won't hesitate to switch gears and go against the Raiders as they close out the regular season on the road at Arrowhead on Sunday afternoon, however. The Chiefs have fallen on some tough times down the stretch, dropping three of their last five games heading into this one. Keep in mind, their losses came on the road against the Rams and Seahawks and at home against the Chargers so there was really no shame in any of those defeats. In that mix was also a narrow road win over the Raiders. The relatively close nature of that contest should help keep their guard up on Sunday afternoon. Not as if they need any extra motivation as they're playing for the number one seed in the AFC and could incredibly fall as many as four spots if things don't go their way this week. With the Raiders in a clear letdown spot, and heading into one of the most hostile environments in the NFL, I believe the oddsmakers have this one right. Take Kansas City (10*).

My selection is on New York minus the points over Dallas at 1 pm et on Sunday.

At the tail-end of a long, frustrating season, we should see the Giants go all out to end their campaign on a high note and perhaps give their faithful something to smile about heading into 2019. The gameplan should feature a ton of Saquon Barkley and he should have a field day against a Cowboys squad that has absolutely nothing to play for here. Jerry Jones has said that his 'Boys will be putting their best foot forward here, but I don't see it happening. Expect Dak, Zeke and others to see a series or two of action at most. Take New York (10*).

My selection is on Green Bay minus the points over Detroit at 1 pm et on Sunday.

Not that we needed any further evidence that the Packers are intent on ending this season on a positive note, but we got it last Sunday in New Jersey as they rallied back late and defeated the Jets in overtime. Now they get another prime opportunity to build on those positive vibes as they return home to face the division-rival Lions. Detroit has won just twice over its last nine games and hasn't scored more than 17 points in a game since mid-November. Even against a very beatable Packers defense, I don't expect the Lions offense to get much done this week either. Having lost three straight meetings in this series, look for the Packers to go all out for the 'W' on Sunday afternoon. Take Green Bay (10*).

My selection is on Buffalo minus the points over Miami at 1 pm et on Sunday.

We missed the mark with the Bills a couple of weeks ago as they won but failed to cover at home against the Lions. I expect a stronger offensive performance this time around as QB Josh Allen should have a field day against this Miami defense. The Bills defense has quietly been one of the most consistent units in the NFL this season. While we're dealing with a slightly higher number than I would like, I do think we'll see Buffalo control proceedings in this one as Miami peaked in that wild win over the Patriots three weeks ago but has gone in the tank since, going 0-2 ATS, losing those games by a combined 58-24 score. Take Buffalo (10*).

My selection is on Oklahoma plus the points over Alabama at 8 pm et on Saturday.

Most are anticipating a blowout in this 1 vs. 4 matchup but I believe Oklahoma can hang around and make life difficult for the Crimson Tide. Of course, when it comes to the Sooners it's all about their offense. Oklahoma is going to need a monumental effort from Heisman Trophy winner QB Kyler Murray but I do think he has it in him on the big stage on Saturday night. The Sooners have suffered just one loss this season, that coming way back in October against rival Texas, and it came by only three points. Oklahoma had little trouble avenging that defeat, scoring a 39-27 win over the Longhorns in the Big 12 Championship Game earlier this month. This is becoming old hat for Alabama and there's no denying the Tide are once again the nation's best team. However, I do feel the Sooners have an excellent shot at keeping this close, much like Georgia did in the SEC Championship Game. Take Oklahoma (10*).

My selection is on Virginia plus the points over South Carolina at 12 noon et on Saturday.

Virginia ended the regular season on a real sour note with three losses in its final four games to fall into this Bowl game. Meanwhile, South Carolina won four of its last six contests and has been installed as the favorite in this SEC-ACC showdown. I'm not at all impressed by South Carolina's resume and to be completely honest, I don't believe the Gamecocks should be favored in this game. Virginia had its wheels come off late in the season but that could be forgotten with a victory over an SEC opponent here. The Cavaliers did defeat Miami and go on the road and beat Duke during their ACC campaign. Take Virginia (10*).

My selection is on Syracuse minus the points over West Virginia at 5:15 pm et on Friday.

The Orange haven't appeared in a Bowl game since 2013, when they defeated Minnesota as 3.5-point underdogs. We've seen a big line shift here since the news came out that West Virginia QB Will Grier would sit out this game, and that means an awful lot. Grier carried the Mountaineers for much of the season and regardless what head coach Dana Holgorsen says, his absence will certainly be felt here. Credit Syracuse for finishing the regular season on a strong note. The Orange have been terrible at closing out the regular season with any sort of success in recent years, a big reason they've been shut out of Bowl action for the last five years. I fully expect to see Syracuse make the most of its opportunity here, even without some key cogs on the defensive side of the football. Take Syracuse (10*).

My selection is on Wisconsin plus the points over Miami at 5:15 pm et on Thursday.

Miami may be favored in this game but there's really nothing all that impressive on the Hurricanes resume this year and I believe they'll be in tough against a Wisconsin squad that was a disappointment in its own right. The Badgers went a miserable 3-9 ATS during the regular season but I do feel they'll be motivated to end the year on a high note in this matchup. I really liked what I saw from Wisconsin in its late season road win at Purdue, not to mention a road victory against Iowa earlier in the campaign. The venue suits the Badgers well with this game being played in New York. It may not be pretty, but I look for Wisky to pull off the minor upset. Take Wisconsin (10*).

CFB Bowl Game of the Week. My selection is on Marshall minus the points over South Florida at 8 pm et on Thursday.

Outside of an early season win over Georgia Tech I have a tough time finding many quality wins on South Florida's resume and I believe the Bulls will be in tough against the Thundering Herd on Thursday night. These teams are mirror images of one another as far as ATS success goes, with both struggling against the number down the stretch. Marshall is without question the healthier squad heading into this game and I like the advantages the Thundering Herd have in the trenches, where they allowed less than three yards per rush this season in contrast to the Bulls 5.0 yards per rush allowed. Take Marshall (10*).

My selection is on Northern Illinois plus the points over UAB at 7 pm et on Tuesday.

I'll back the underdog Huskies on Tuesday night as they take on upstart UAB in the Boca Raton Bowl. We won with Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship Game against Buffalo and I see this as another fine spot to support the Huskies in an underdog role. The Blazers seemed to peak early this season as they come into this one having lost three of their last four games ATS with their lone victory coming in a two-point win over Middle Tennessee in the C-USA Championship Game. Note that UAB has been outgained in three straight games. Northern Illinois has been stout against the run this season, allowing just 2.7 yards per rush. Take Northern Illinois (10*).

My selection is on Carolina plus the points over New Orleans at 8:15 pm et on Monday.

After getting off to a sluggish start, we saw the Saints ultimately pull away for a two touchdown victory over the Bucs on the road last week. Meanwhile, the Panthers have lost five games in a row and look like they've all but quit on the season. I do think we'll see Carolina show up in this game, however. Keep in mind, five of the last seven meetings in this series have been decided by five points or less. I'm not entirely convinced that the Saints didn't peak too early this season. This will be the first of two meetings between these two NFC South rivals in the final three weeks of the season and I'm confident we'll see the Panthers hang tough. Take Carolina (10*).

My selection is on Pittsburgh plus the points over New England at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

I'll back the Steelers to avoid a fourth straight loss as they host the Patriots on Sunday afternoon at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh fell just short in Oakland last Sunday and now finds itself in danger of coughing up the AFC North division lead. New England is in bounce-back mode off an insane last-second loss in Miami last week. The Pats are limping along right now, having gone just 2-2 SU and ATS over their last four games. The Steelers are generally at their best in these Sunday late afternoon home games and I'm confident their offense will come up big in this matchup. Take Pittsburgh (10*).

My selection is on Minnesota minus the points over Miami at 1 pm et on Sunday.

This is a big bounce-back spot for the Vikings who quite simply haven't looked good in recent weeks but still remain in playoff position in the NFC. The Dolphins are in a big-time letdown spot here after that thrilling wing and a prayer win over the Patriots last Sunday. Miami hasn't traveled particularly well and will run into a highly-motivated opponent here. I still feel the Dolphins are pretenders, even after hanging with, and ultimately beating a true Super Bowl contender last week. If the Vikes don't show up this week they might as well fold up the tent. I'm confident they do come to play. Take Minnesota (10*).

NFL Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Buffalo minus the points over Detroit at 1 pm et on Sunday.

The Lions travel across the country after beating the Cardinals in Arizona last Sunday. Detroit is still a bottom-feeder as far as I'm concerned, and while the Bills haven't been any better, they do have some upside here at home in December, coming off a narrow loss to the Jets last week. Look for the Buffalo defense to come up big in this one against a punchless Lions offense. We're being asked to lay a short number with the team in the much better spot. Take Buffalo (10*).

My selection is on Middle Tennessee State plus the points over Appalachian State at 9 pm et on Saturday.

This is a game the Blue Raiders have to feel confident they can not only keep competitive, but win outright. Middle Tennessee State closed out the season on a 5-1 ATS run, with its lone setback coming in a quick revenge match against UAB after defeating the Blazers by a 27-3 score the first time around. It was really a tale of two halves as far as the regular season went for the Blue Raiders. Perhaps the same could be said of Appalachian State, which ran out of gas a little bit down the stretch, going 3-4 over its final six games after opening the season with five straight ATS victories. There's not a lot separating these two teams. I like the Blue Raiders experience at quarterback and believe they can at the very least take this one down to the wire. Take Middle Tennessee State (10*).

My selection is on North Texas plus the points over Utah State at 2 pm et on Saturday.

Utah State got off to a 9-1 ATS start this season but has dropped its last two games ATS entering this Bowl matchup with North Texas. It really seemed as if the Aggies offense ran out of gas near the end of the season and I can't imagine losing their entire coaching staff will help matters entering this contest. North Texas quietly went 9-3 SU this season but just 4-8 ATS. I believe the latter mark is leaving the Mean Green Eagles undervalued in this matchup. Note that they outgained each and every opponent this season in terms of total yardage and have one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the country in Mason Fine. Take North Texas (10*).

AFC West Game of the Year. My selection is on Kansas City minus the points over Los Angeles at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

I'll lay the points with the Chiefs on Thursday night as they host the surging Chargers with an AFC West division title potentially hanging in the balance. Kansas City is dealing with some key injuries, including one to star WR Tyreek Hill. It sounds like Hill will play on Thursday night although it remains to be seen how effective he can be on a short week. Regardless, I still expect to see the Chiefs offense roll against a banged up Chargers defense. This is actually a fine spot for the Chiefs ground game, even if they are undermanned in that department. Los Angeles has won three games in a row but didn't make things easy on itself in last week's home game against the lowly Bengals. The fact that the Chargers have allowed 51 points in their last two contests is alarming to be sure as they prepare to face one of the league's best offenses in a hostile environment at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs have won nine straight games in this series straight-up and four in a row ATS. Despite sputtering a little bit lately, Kansas City has still outgained each of its last five opponents in terms of total yardage and comes in battle-tested off last week's overtime win over Baltimore. Take Kansas City (10*).

My selection is on Los Angeles minus the points over Cincinnati at 4:05 pm et on Sunday.

I’ll lay the points with the Chargers on Sunday afternoon as they host the lowly Bengals. Los Angeles is coming off a thrilling, come-from-behind win in Pittsburgh last Sunday night but I don’t anticipate any sort of letdown here. The Chargers need to keep it rolling here as they close the season with tough matchups against the Chiefs and Broncos on the road, sandwiched around a home date with the Ravens. The Chiefs are in sight atop the AFC West, but Los Angeles needs to take care of business here. The big key in this one should be the Chargers defense. They didn’t perform well in the first half against the Steelers but I liked the way they adjusted at halftime and essentially shut down an explosive Pittsburgh offense in the second half. This is a group that has been bolstered by the return of Joey Bosa and they catch a favorable matchup here against a Bengals offense that is missing QB Andy Dalton and likely WR A.J. Green as well. While Bengals RB Joe Mixon does draw a fine matchup here, if Cincinnati falls behind early, as I expect it will, he simply won’t get enough opportunities. We’re being asked to lay a steep number here, but it’s warranted in my opinion. Take Los Angeles (10*).

NFL AFC East Game of the Year. My selection is on Buffalo minus the points over New York at 1 pm et on Sunday.

It’s hard to believe we’re laying points with the Bills at this stage of the season but this is a fine matchup for Buffalo, at home against a listless Jets squad that has a lame duck head coach in Todd Bowles and a makeshift roster due to a number of key injuries. The Jets have lost six games in a row, scoring more than 17 points only once over that stretch, and that came against the Titans last week. It’s worth noting that New York didn’t score an offensive touchdown in that game and was outscored 20-6 in the second half. Expect to see some carry-over from that performance here. The Bills suffered a 21-17 loss at Miami but easily could have won were it not for a Charles Clay drop in the end zone late in the fourth quarter. There were definitely some positives to take away from that game as QB Josh Allen threw for over 200 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for an incredible 135 yards. There are no concerns at all around the Bills defense as they’ve given up just 52 points over their last three games, going 2-1 in the process. We’re being asked to lay a reasonable number here given Buffalo has already defeated New York 41-10, on the road no less, back on November 11th. Take Buffalo (10*).

NFL NFC Game of the Month. My selection is on Green Bay minus the points over Atlanta at 1 pm et on Sunday.

The Packers mercifully ended the Mike McCarthy era after last week’s demoralizing home loss to the lowly Cardinals. Now I look for them to play with an edge with QB Aaron Rodgers essentially the play-caller on offense. This is Rodgers’ team for the rest of the season anyway and I expect him to perform well against a very beatable Falcons defense. Atlanta is in free-fall mode right now, having dropped four straight games, scoring fewer than 20 points in all four contests. The Falcons haven’t traveled well this season, going 1-4 SU and ATS on the road, with a number of blowout losses in the mix. Their lone road win came against the Redskins. The Packers may no longer have much to play for, but I’m confident we’ll see them show up for their home faithful at Lambeau on Sunday afternoon. Perhaps last week’s no-show had something to do with suffering back-to-back tight, emotional losses to the Seahawks and Vikings, both on the road, over the previous two weeks. Expect a bounce-back here. Take Green Bay (10*).

NFL AFC South Game of the Year. My selection is on Tennessee minus the points over Jacksonville at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

Both of these teams are coming off wins last Sunday, albeit in much different fashions. The Jaguars completely stymied the Colts in a 6-0 victory while the Titans rallied from a big deficit to get past the Jets 26-22. The Titans have now suffered three straight ATS losses. They haven't lost more than three games in a row ATS since back in 2015-16. Note that they went 3-13 straight-up that season. While this Tennessee squad has had its issues, it's not nearly as bad as that 2015 edition. Prior to last week's win over the Colts, the Jags had gone 0-7 SU and 0-5-2 ATS over their last seven games. QB Cody Kessler made his first start of the season against Indianapolis and completed 18-of-24 passes but for only 150 yards and not a single touchdown. He benefited from playing from ahead in that game. I'm not sure he'll be so fortunate this time around and should the Jags fall behind, I expect to see some mistakes from Kessler against a strong Titans defense. That really should be the difference in this game - the Titans defense. They've been getting torched by the run in recent weeks and the Jags will get RB Leonard Fournette back on Thursday. With that being said, I believe the Titans will benefit from facing a one-dimensional Jags offense. Tennessee's offense has sputtered for much of the campaign and while I'm not sure it will get much going on the ground against an elite Jags run defense, I do believe QB Marcus Mariota can find some success through the air against what I consider to be an overrated Jags pass defense. The Titans have taken three straight meetings ATS in this series. They have the better SU and ATS record this season and they certainly have more to play for on Thursday night. I'll lay the points. Take Tennessee (10*).

NFL NFC East Game of the Year. My selection is on Philadelphia minus the points over Washington at 8:15 pm et on Monday.

It wasn't pretty, but the Eagles got just what they needed last week, rallying to defeat the Giants at home to stay alive in the NFC East race. Now they get another slam dunk divisional matchup at home against the undermanned Redskins and I look for them to take full advantage. I really liked what I saw from Philadephia in the second half of last week's game as RB Josh Adams took over and showed everyone that the Eagles can still run the football. That means a lot as QB Carson Wentz simply hasn't lived up to expectations after a tremendous, albeit injury-shortened 2017 season. Wentz has all sorts of weapons at his disposal, and here on Monday night, I believe those weapons will be on display against a middle of the road Redskins defense. Washington's pass defense has gotten worse as the season has gone on and I don't see a big resurgence here. Offensively, the 'Skins are in tough with QB Colt McCoy at the helm. He made a couple of big plays but also made some big mistakes against the Cowboys last week. Even an extended week of practice isn't going to make much of a difference for McCoy, playing behind a shaky, beat up offensive line. This would be a matchup for the 'Skins passing game to take full advantage of with the Eagles secondary missing a number of key cogs, but I'm not sure McCoy will have any time or room to make those big plays. Take Philadelphia (10*).

NFL Blowout Game of the Week. My selection is on Seattle minus the points over San Francisco at 8:20 pm et on Sunday.

Seattle has worked its way back into playoff contention but needs to take full advantage of this slam dunk matchup on Sunday at home against San Francisco. The 49ers are coming off arguably their worst performance of the season, dropping a 27-9 decision at Tampa Bay. Things certainly won't get any easier here as they travel back across the country to face a highly-motivated Seahawks squad. Seattle's offense has really turned things around after looking punchless earlier in the season. RB Chris Carson has given them a lot of versatility while QB Russell Wilson appears to be healthy again, showing a lot more mobility than we saw in the early stages of the season. WR Tyler Lockett is playing some of the best football of his young career while Doug Baldwin continues to work his way back to full health as well. As long as the Seahawks don't completely overlook the Niners they should roll by two touchdowns plus in this one. Take Seattle (10*).

My selection is on Atlanta over Baltimore at 1 pm et on Sunday.

The Ravens have seemingly turned things around with Lamar Jackson at the helm, delivering back-to-back victories, but both of those came at home against the reeling Bengals and Raiders. Last week marked Baltimore's first ATS win in its last five games and that only came thanks to a late fourth quarter defensive score. The Falcons have lost three games in a row following three consecutive victories. They're not in contention but continue to battle, coming off a hard-fought but ultimately fruitless 31-17 loss at New Orleans on Thanksgiving Night. They've had extra time to prepare for this game and should be comfortable facing a mobile quarterback like Lamar Jackson given they face Cam Newton twice a season. Take Atlanta (10*).

My selection is on Clemson minus the points over Pittsburgh at 8 pm et on Saturday.

This is every bit the mismatch that the oddsmakers are making it out to be. Pittsburgh ended the regular season with a thud last week, falling by a 24-3 score on the road against Miami. Prior to that, the Panthers were on a roll, having won four games in a row, scoring a ton of points in the process. However, they’re taking a big step up in class here. Clemson has gone largely untested since a tight game against Syracuse on September 29th. Since then, the Tigers winning margins have been 60, 34, 49, 61, 20, 29 and 21 points. The fact that they allowed 35 points against South Carolina last week should certainly add to their motivation level here, particularly on defense. Clemson uncharacteristically allowed two touchdowns of 60+ yards in that victory over the Gamecocks. Look for the Tigers to do a better job of limiting Pitt’s big play opportunities on Saturday. The strength of the Panthers offense lies in their ground attack but they actually haven’t made much headway in that regard over the last couple of games. Note that Pitt QB Kenny Pickett has thrown touchdown passes in only three of his last six games. He’s done a nice job taking care of the football, having not tossed an interception since October 6th against Syracuse, but that has more to do with the fact that he hasn’t been attempting many passes than anything else. Pickett has thrown for 200+ yards only once this season, and that came against a terrible Wake Forest defense. Take Clemson (10*).

My selection is on Memphis plus the points over Central Florida at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

While UCF enters this game with a flawless 11-0 record the Knights have to feel that the rug was pulled out from under them last week when they lost QB McKenzie Milton for the season with a knee injury. While the Knights are still a good team without Milton, I believe they’ll be hard-pressed to get past what will be a hungry Memphis squad on Saturday. Note that Milton’s replacement is redshirt freshman Darriel Mack Jr. who represents more of a running threat. When these two teams met earlier this season it was Milton that engineered a 16-point come-from-behind victory for the Knights. That was clearly the ‘one that got away’ for the Tigers and no doubt they’ll be highly motivated to make amends here. The effects of that loss to UCF lingered for Memphis as it went on the road and gave up 65 points in a blowout loss to Missouri the next week. Since then, the Tigers have gone a perfect 4-0, scoring 59, 47, 28 and 52 points in the process. Take Memphis (10*).

My selection is on Texas plus the points over Oklahoma at 12 noon et on Saturday.

The Longhorns have already upset the Sooners once this season, why not do it again in the Big 12 Championship Game on Saturday afternoon? While I’m not going to call for the outright upset here, I do believe the Longhorns can stay competitive for four quarters and fully expect this game to go right down to the wire. Texas has suffered just two losses since opening the season with a stunning loss against Maryland (we won with the Terps in that game), those two losses came by a combined four points. It almost felt like last week’s game against West Virginia was the peak of the Sooners season as they pulled out a wild 59-56 victory in Morgantown. Could a bit of a letdown be in store here? The Sooners defensive ineptitude is alarming to say the least. They gave up at least 40 points in all four of their November games, winning by more than five points in just one of those four contests. Yes, Oklahoma’s offense is electric but it will face some resistance in this matchup. Note that Texas held Oklahoma to just three touchdowns through the first three quarters in the previous meeting back in early October. Take Texas (10*).

My selection is on Northern Illinois plus the points over Buffalo at 8 pm et on Friday.

Northern Illinois is certainly used to being in this game, as a program at least. However, not so much in recent years. The Huskies won't just be 'happy to be here' though - far from it, in fact. Last year, Northern Illinois played in a Boxing Day Bowl game and got throttled by Duke. They'll be looking to make a splash here in Detroit and head into this year's Bowl opportunity on a positive note. Of course, the same goes for upstart Buffalo, which enjoyed a tremendous regular season. I will point to the fact that Bulls QB Tyree Jackson threw for multiple touchdown passes in just two of his last eight games. He's known for his mobility but ran for less than 200 yards this season. I don't believe there is any sort of intimidation factor at play here. In fact, both teams come in feeling like underdogs. Take Northern Illinois (10*).

My selection is on New Orleans minus the points over Dallas at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

It was just a few weeks ago that most had completely written off the Cowboys and were calling for head coach Jason Garrett to be fired. Since then, Dallas has reeled off three straight wins to get back above the .500 mark and into the thick of the NFC East race. With that being said, the Cowboys are by no means in the same class as the Saints, and I'm confident we'll see New Orleans impose its will on Thursday night. Last week, Dallas benefited from a leaky Redskins pass defense, with Amari Cooper scoring touchdowns from 40 and 90 yards out. Don't count on a repeat performance here as the Saints defense has been seriously underrated this season. Of course, New Orleans' defensive strength is against the run, which should serve it well as it faces Ezekiel Elliott on Thursday night. Dallas' defense is no pushover either but I do think Drew Brees can pick the Cowboys apart over the middle with Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas. Keep in mind, Dallas is still missing LB Sean Lee who is a big-time difference maker on this defense. Just two weeks back, the Cowboys weren't able to find the end zone until the fourth quarter in an eventual 22-19 win in Atlanta. I simply feel their offense has been too inconsistent to keep up with Drew Brees and the Saints on Thursday. Take New Orleans (10*).

NFL AFC South Game of the Month. My selection is on Tennessee plus the points over Houston at 8:15 pm et on Thursday.

I'll grab the generous helping of points with the Titans here in a division game that I believe will be tightly-contested all the way. Tennessee was in a really tough hangover spot last week, going on the road to face a red hot Colts squad fresh off a stunning blowout victory over the Patriots at home the previous week. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Titans came out flat and ultimately got blown out. Now they face a critical matchup with the Texans, sitting two games back of Houston in the AFC South standings. I'm confident we'll see Mike Vrabel's squad come to play in this one. The Texans are red hot, fresh off seven straight victories. However, they've certainly shown a tendency to get involved in close games, with four of those seven wins coming by a field goal or less. The only two truly lopsided victories over that stretch came against two weak opponents in the Jaguars and Dolphins. In those seven wins, the Texans outgained only one opponent by more than 57 total yards (the Cowboys back on October 7th - a game they won by a field goal in overtime). Keep in mind, the Titans were just a one-point underdog in Indianapolis last week. I'm not convinced they should be catching more than a field goal here. Take Tennessee (10*).

My selection is on New England minus the points over New York at 1 pm et on Sunday.

The Patriots have been sitting back during their bye week, listening to everyone sign the praises of the seemingly unquestioned three best teams in the league, the Saints, Rams and Chiefs. Coming off an ugly road loss to the Titans, the Pats have all but fallen out of that conversation and that should be motivation enough to get them on track with a big performance in New Jersey on Sunday. The Jets are mired in another lost season and now likely going without QB Sam Darnold for the second straight game. They have a lame duck head coach in Todd Bowles, who surprisingly wasn’t let go during the bye week but more than likely will be at the end of the season. I’m not convinced the players are ready to ‘leave it all on the field’ in an effort to save his job either. New York is simply undermanned and overmatched by a rested and motivated Patriots squad that should face little resistance in laying the hammer down in this one. Take New England (10*).

NFL AFC Game of the Month. My selection is on Baltimore minus the points over Oakland at 1 pm et on Sunday.

We missed the mark going against the Raiders last Sunday in Arizona but I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the same play here, this time backing the Ravens in Baltimore. Oakland is not a good football team. This is not a good matchup. The Raiders defense is slow, plain and simple. Now they have to travel for an early start on the east coast, and face arguably the fastest starting quarterback in the NFL in Lamar Jackson. We saw clear evidence of what the Ravens want to do with Jackson under center, and that’s run the football. At this point of the season, it’s pretty clear that the offense isn’t really that well-suited to the injured Joe Flacco. I do feel that Jackson can continue to give them a bit of a boost. Defensively, the Ravens should be fine against a Raiders offense that showed some signs of life last Sunday but still isn’t very good. Note that in that victory over Arizona, QB Derek Carr threw for less than 200 yards and the Raiders top rusher was Jalen Richard with only 61 yards on the ground. Their top receiver had 50 yards. I could go on but the fact is, the Raiders are a bottom-feeder, and they’re a big underdog for a reason on Sunday in Baltimore. Take Baltimore (10*).

My selection is on Louisiana Tech minus the points over Western Kentucky at 12 noon et on Saturday.

As far as I’m concerned, Western Kentucky has been one of the nation’s weakest FBS teams this season and I really think this is a smash spot for Louisiana Tech at home. The Hilltoppers have just two wins to their credit, with one of those coming in blowout fashion at home against a lifeless foe in UTEP. That lopsided result actually helps to keep this number in check. Louisiana Tech is coming off a tough one-point loss on the road against Southern Miss last Saturday but should bounce back nicely here, noting that the Bulldogs have gone 3-1 at home this season with their lone loss coming against upstart UAB. The last time we saw Louisiana Tech here in Ruston, it cruised to a 28-13 victory over Rice, allowing just one touchdown on a long passing play in that contest. Note that prior to scoring 40 points last week, the Hilltoppers had produced only 42 points in their previous three games combined. Take Louisiana Tech (10*).

My selection is on Texas minus the points over Kansas at 12 noon et on Friday.

While Kansas has certainly been more competitive than we’ve seen in recent years, I don’t expect the Jayhawks to be able to hang with the Longhorns for four quarters on Friday afternoon. Texas has passed most of its road tests lately, notching wins in Kansas State, Oklahoma and Texas Tech while dropping a tough three-point game at Oklahoma State. Despite losing QB Sam Ehlinger to a shoulder injury (he is expected to play on Friday), the Longhorns still delivered a two-touchdown victory over Iowa State on the strength of their defense last Saturday. I certainly don’t expect them to overlook the 3-8 Jayhawks on Friday – not with a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game hanging in the balance. Kansas left it all on the field in a 55-40 road loss against Oklahoma last week. Keep in mind, prior to that contest, the Jayhawks had scored just 20 points combined in their previous two games. There is blowout potential here, noting that Kansas has dropped 20-point and 24-point decisions at home against Oklahoma State and Iowa State, respectively this season. Take Texas (10*).

NFL NFC South Game of the Month. My selection is on Atlanta plus the points over New Orleans at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

Much was made of the Saints 'running up the score' against the defending champion Eagles last Sunday afternoon. I don't believe they'll have the opportunity to do so against the division-rival Falcons on Thursday night, however. Atlanta isn't a player in the NFC South race but is still focused on a possible run to the playoffs. Coming off two of its worst efforts of the season, it won't be hard to get up for this matchup on Thursday night. Keep in mind, going back to the start of the 2014 season, the largest margin of victory in this series was 16 points. That came in a Falcons win as a six-point underdog here in New Orleans four years ago. The next biggest margin of victory was 13 points - another Falcons win here in New Orleans back in September of 2016. Atlanta has actually gone 5-4 SU in the last nine meetings in the series. The underdog has gone 8-2 ATS in the last 10 matchups between the Falcons and Saints. Atlanta has at the very least gotten healthier on defense in recent weeks. I'm confident we'll see the Falcons do a better job of keeping the seemingly unstoppable Saints offense in check than the Eagles did last Sunday. Take Atlanta (10*).

NFL Blowout Game of the Month. My selection is on Arizona minus the points over Oakland at 4:05 pm et on Sunday.

This matchup isn't going to draw much attention on Sunday afternoon but that's just fine with us. The lack of attention has helped to keep the line in check in a game the Cardinals should win going away. To say that the Raiders are struggling would be a massive understatement. Were it not for a late penalty call against Cleveland back in Week 4 we might be talking about a team on a collision course with an 0-16 season. The case can certainly be made that the Raiders are 'tanking' at this point. They've scored a grand total of nine points in their last two games and have been held to 10 points or less in four of their last five contests. Things don't figure to get any better for the Oakland offense this week as it hits the road to face a highly-motivated Cardinals defense that is coming off a tough matchup in Kansas City. Even more than the Cards defense, I'm encouraged by the Arizona offense, which has shown some signs of life under new offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich. Leftwich has made a point to get RB David Johnson more involved in the offense. Last Sunday in Kansas City Johnson ran for 98 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries and also caught seven passes for 85 yards and a score. QB Josh Rosen didn't have a banner day but did throw for over 200 yards, marking the first time he has done so in consecutive games this season. While the Raiders defense has been on the field an awful lot over the last couple of weeks, the Cardinals will be playing for just the second time in three weeks thanks to a bye week prior to last week's game. A return home should serve them well as they've had this matchup circled as a rare winnable game in an otherwise lost season. Take Arizona (10*).

My selection is on Washington State minus the points over Arizona at 10:30 pm et on Saturday.

We won with Washington State in its blowout win at Colorado last week and I'll go right back to the well with the same play as the Cougars return home to host Arizona on Saturday night. Washington State hasn't lost a game since falling by a field goal at USC in a Friday night game way back on September 21st. Since then, we've seen the Cougars win in all sorts of different ways including last week's complete domination of the Buffaloes. I don't believe Arizona will have any answers for the Washington State offense in this one. The Wildcats have seemingly salvaged their season with back-to-back wins over Oregon and Colorado, scoring a whopping 86 points in the process. Keep in mind, prior to that, the Wildcats had won just once in three road games, with that victory coming over lowly Oregon State, a team Washington State railroaded by a 56-37 score in Corvallis earlier this season. Look for the Cougars to be playing from ahead for most of this game on Saturday night, and for them to force Arizona QB Khalil Tate to beat them through the air, something I just don't see happening as Washington State ultimately pulls away. Take Washington State (10*).

NCAAF Big Ten Game of the Year. My selection is on Purdue minus the points over Wisconsin at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

I'll lay the points with the Boilermakers as they aim to gain Bowl eligibility on Saturday afternoon against Wisconsin. The Boilers are coming off a beatdown at Minnesota last Saturday, which came on the heels of an emotional home win over Iowa the week previous. Note that since starting the season with back-to-back home losses, Purdue has posted three straight home wins, scoring a whopping 117 points in the process. Wisconsin has been wildly inconsistent this season and enters this game having dropped two of its last three contests, with its lone win over that stretch coming against lowly Rutgers. The Badgers haven't won a game on the road since outlasting Iowa 28-17 back on September 22nd. They've already gained Bowl eligibility and will have a good shot at improving their standing with a home game against Minnesota to wrap up the regular season next Saturday. Here, I expect the Boilers offense to be too much as the Badgers are no longer the immovable object defensively that they once were. Take Purdue (10*).

My selection is on Nevada minus the points over San Jose State at 5 pm et on Saturday.

This one has blowout written all over it as a rolling Nevada squad travels to San Jose to face one of the nation's weakest teams. The Wolfpack have quietly gone on a run to gain Bowl eligibility, winning three straight games, scoring 117 points in the process. They have an excellent opportunity in front of them to run the table as they wrap things up at UNLV next Saturday. San Jose State actually managed to score 24 points against Utah State last week, which was an accomplishment by its standards this season. However, it's worth noting that seven of those points came on a punt return touchdown and it wasn't until the Spartans had fallen behind by 35 points that their offense finally came to life against a disinterested Aggies defense. Keep in mind, Nevada rolled to a 59-14 rout over San Jose State in last year's meeting. There's little reason to expect anything to change here. We're being asked to lay a very reasonable number with the Wolfpack in my opinion. Take Nevada (10*).

NCAAF C-USA Game of the Month. My selection is on Florida International minus the points over Charlotte at 2 pm et on Saturday.

I'll lay the points with the Panthers on Saturday afternoon as they look for their sixth win in their last seven games. Florida International has been one of the most underrated teams in the country this season as far as I'm concerned. I really liked the way the Panthers responded following a blowout loss at home against Florida Atlantic, rolling to a 45-7 victory at Texas-San Antonio last Saturday. After a low-key start to the season, QB James Morgan has really settled in, throwing for over 200 yards and at least two touchdowns in five of FIU's last six games. He has posted an incredible 16:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio over his last six games. Even when Morgan hasn't been moving the ball through the air, the Panthers ground attack has been dynamic, with a number of options at its disposal. Charlotte has four wins to its credit this season, but none here in November. The 49ers have scored a grand total of just 49 points over their last four games. The Panthers could potentially reach that point total in this game alone. Take Florida International (10*).

My selection is on Baylor minus the points over TCU at 12 noon et on Saturday.

The motivation is certainly there for TCU as it tries to salvage what has been a truly disappointing season with victories in its final two games to gain Bowl eligibility. However, the same motivation is there for Baylor, which needs just one win over its final two games to reach Bowl eligibility. Note that the Bears will travel to face Texas Tech next week so it's imperative they pick up the 'W' here to ensure they're playing in December. We cashed a ticket fading TCU last week at West Virginia and I won't hesitate to go back to the well in this spot. The Horned Frogs offense continues to struggle while their defense hasn't come close to living up to expectations. Losing QB Shawn Robinson certainly hurt but there's no real excuse for scoring only 124 points over a seven-game stretch, especially playing in the high-scoring Big 12. Baylor got crushed at Iowa State which makes it three losses in its last four games. The lone win was an impressive on, however, as the Bears defeated Oklahoma State at home on November 3rd. Their lone home loss this season came against an underrated Duke squad back on September 15th. Take Baylor (10*).

NFL NFC Game of the Month. My selection is on Philadelphia minus the points over Dallas at 8:20 pm et on Sunday.

I really like the way this spot sets up for the Eagles. Note that the straight-up winner has gone 7-1 ATS in the Eagles eight games to date this season. That means the SU winner is now an incredible 84-8 ATS in their last 92 contests by my count. Once again here, I don’t believe the spread will come into play. The Eagles motivational level should be high coming off their bye week as a win would put them a full two games ahead of the Cowboys in the NFC East standings while a loss would pull the two teams even. Dallas is a mess right now, playing on a short week and fresh off a two-touchdown loss at home against the Titans on Monday night, with a lame duck head coach in Jason Garrett to boot. This is a spot where we should see the Eagles offense take flight (no pun intended) with the Cowboys once again forced to go without LB Sean Lee. We’ve seen glimpses of brilliance from the Philadelphia offense this season but nothing sustained. However, here they’ll have another weapon at their disposal in WR Golden Tate and a fully healthy QB Carson Wentz off the bye week. Even without any semblance of a running game, the Eagles aerial attack should be able to do plenty of damage against a downtrodden Cowboys defense that has quite simply been asked to do too much on a regular basis this season. On the flip side, the Eagles defense has been terrific against the run which leaves Dallas in an awfully tough spot. Even with the addition of WR Amari Cooper, the Cowboys offense is still very one-dimensional and I’m confident we’ll see the Eagles force QB Dak Prescott into at least a couple of key mistakes on Sunday night. Take Philadelphia (10*).

NFL Non-Conference Game of the Year. My selection is on Green Bay minus the points over Miami at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

Credit the Packers for hanging around for a while against the Patriots in Foxborough last Sunday night but in the end they simply didn’t have the horses to keep up with Tom Brady and company. We should see a completely different story unfold this week, however, as the Pack welcome the Dolphins to Lambeau Field. While the Packers did suffer a number of key injuries on the defensive side of the football last Sunday night, there’s little reason to expect those losses to have much of an impact here as the Dolphins offense is bottom of the barrel. Miami QB Brock Osweiler seems to be getting worse with each passing week which should surprise no one.  I prefer to focus on the Packers offense in this one, as they should enjoy a tremendous bounce-back performance. Miami doesn’t generate any sort of pass rush and given a clean pocket, I’m confident we’ll see QB Aaron Rodgers pick apart the Dolphins secondary all afternoon long. While Green Bay has dealt with some key injuries at the wide receiver position this season, it has also seen its young players step up in a big way. WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling has been the biggest benefactor of increased playing time and should benefit from WR DaVante Adams drawing away ‘Fins CB Xavien Howard’s coverage on Sunday afternoon. Tight ends have been blazing the ‘Fins defense and the Packers have one of the best in the business in Jimmy Graham. While his production has certainly dropped off in recent years, he is still capable of coming up with a big game and I believe we’ll see that here. We’re being asked to lay a fairly steep price with the Packers, but it’s warranted in my opinion. The Dolphins winning record is a mirage as far as I’m concerned. Take Green Bay (10*).

NCAAF Pac-12 Game of the Month. My selection is on Washington State minus the points over Colorado at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

Washington State just keeps rolling along, winning in a number of different ways in recent weeks. I like the Cougars minus the points in this spot as they travel to face a struggling Colorado squad. Washington State escaped with a tougher-than-expected 19-13 home win over California last Saturday night but should find the going a little easier this week. Colorado is injury-riddled right now and hasn't won a game since back on October 6th, when it posted a 28-21 home win over Arizona State. The Buffaloes defense has now allowed 40+ points in back-to-back games and now faces a Cougars offense that is in excellent bounce-back position after getting slowed down by a strong Cal defense last Saturday. While Washington State is known for its offense, and that offense has been dominant at times, it is its defense that has come up with the big plays down the stretch in a number of victories. Note that the Cougars held the Buffaloes completely off the scoreboard in last year's meeting, cruising to a 28-0 victory. Take Washington State (10*).

My selection is on West Virginia minus the points over TCU at 12 noon et on Saturday.

TCU hasn't come close to living up to expectations this season. It's not a stretch to call it a 'lost season' even though the Horned Frogs still have a shot at Bowl eligibility with four wins so far and three games remaining on the schedule. Last week we saw them snap a three-game losing streak with a 14-13 win over Kansas State. TCU was actually outgained in terms of total yardage in that contest. Just two weeks ago the Horned Frogs got north of 350 passing yards from backup quarterback Michael Collins (starter Shawn Robinson is done for the season) but still lost against a bad Kansas squad by a 27-26 score. Here, TCU takes a big step up in class against a surging West Virginia team that is coming off a thrilling come-from-behind 42-41 win at Texas. The Mountaineers got caught flat-footed in a 30-14 loss at Iowa State back on October 13th but since then they've gone 2-0, scoring a whopping 100 points in the process. I simply don't believe the Horned Frogs will be able to keep within arm's reach for four quarters on Saturday. Take West Virginia (10*).

NCAAF MWC Game of the Year. My selection is on Boise State plus the points over Fresno State at 10:20 pm et on Friday.

I'll grab the points on a rare occasion where the Broncos are the underdog on the blue turf in Boise. Fresno State comes in as the ranked team but I'm not sure it will leave the game in the same position (not literally of course). The Bulldogs are off to an impressive 8-1 start but who have they really beaten? Their victories have come against Idaho, UCLA, Toledo, Nevada, Wyoming, New Mexico, Hawaii and UNLV. While I fully understand that you can only play the teams in front of you, I believe Fresno will be in for its toughest test of the season on Friday night. Boise State has suffered a pair of losses but those came against two quality opponents in Oklahoma State and San Diego State. I like the fact that the Broncos are battle-tested having been involved in back-to-back relatively close games entering this one, outlasting Air Force and BYU by a combined 15-point margin in its last two contests. Much has been and will be made of the quarterback matchup in this one. I give the Broncos the edge with experienced starter Brett Rypien. While his supporting cast isn't quite as strong as previous years, it's still solid. This is a game where I look for the Boise State defense to step up against a Fresno offense that has taken advantage of some super-soft defensive opponents. Take Boise State (10*).

My selection is on Georgia minus the points over Kentucky at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

Both of these teams check in with identical 7-1 records and little separates them in the national rankings. With that being said, I believe Georgia is the clearly superior squad and will be able to put some distance between itself and Kentucky on Saturday afternoon in Lexington. The Bulldogs bounced back nicely from an ugly loss at LSU, delivering a 36-17 rout of Florida last week in Jacksonville. Remember, prior to that loss at LSU, the Dawgs had taken care of business on the road, winning by 24 points at South Carolina and 14 points at Missouri. Kentucky has been getting by on the strength of its defense, especially over the last couple of weeks as it has posted 14-7 and 15-14 wins over Vandy and Missouri, respectively. Save for a 27-16 win at Florida back on September 8th, I haven’t been all that impressed by the Wildcats body of work this season. They check in undefeated at home, but consider the level of competition they’ve faced, having hosted Central Michigan, Murray State, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Vanderbilt. Even if they lose this game, they still have the potential to run the table from here with games against Tennessee, Middle Tennessee State and Louisville. Take Georgia (10*).