Executive Sports
Ohio St at Michigan St
Play: Ohio St -21.5
Ohio St is fighting to stay as one of the top 4 in the final 4 playoff race. Also, they enter this game with revenge on their minds, as they lost to Michigan St last year at home 17-14 as a 15.5 favorite. Buckeyes have outscored their opponents 124-6 the past 2 weeks.
They held their opponents in those games to only 78 and 43 yards rushing.
They are Plus 13 in turnovers on the season.
Play Against A home team (MICHIGAN ST) after having lost 6 or 7 out of their last 8 games against opponent after having won 3 out of their last 4 games. (37-8, 82% over the last 5 seasons.)
Play On Favorites of 21.5 to 31 points (OHIO ST) after 2 consecutive covers as a favorite, in weeks 10 through 13. (31-8, 80% over the last 10 seasons.)
OHIO ST is 9-1 ATS after allowing 75 or less rushing yards last game over the last 3 seasons.
OHIO ST is 6-0 ATS after 2 consecutive games with a turnover margin of +1 or better over the last 2 seasons.
Meyer is 11-3 ATS after 2 consecutive games with a turnover margin of +1 or better as the coach of OHIO ST.
Dwayne Bryant
Middle Tennessee at Charlotte
Play: Charlotte +4.5
You can bet Charlotte has had this game circled since this season’s schedule was released. Last season, Middle Tennessee State destroyed Charlotte, 73-14. Getting whipped so embarrassingly last season ensures that we get Charlotte’s maximum effort for the full sixty minutes in this one.
As if they need any more motivation, Charlotte also knows they need to win their final two games of the season to become bowl eligible. No room for error.
Charlotte also has motivation for a very disappointing home loss to Rice last weekend. Charlotte was a double-digit home favorite, but lost 22-21. I’m guessing they were looking ahead to this huge revenge affair.
Middle Tennessee State has struggled since star QB Brent Stockstill went down with a broken collarbone. Backup John Urzua, a redshirt freshman, has struggled. As a result, MTSU has gotten blown out in each of their last two games despite being a sizable favorite in both contests. With MTSU already having collected their sixth win to become bowl eligible, there is little in the way of motivation for the visitor here.
Charlotte will be motivated for several different reasons, while MTSU figures to struggle once again due to lack of motivation and the absence of their star QB.
Buster Sports
UMass +29
The UMass Minutemen head to Provo to play the BYU Cougars on Saturday in a game that will have little meaning to BYU as they became Bowl eligible last week and have already agreed to play in the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego. That's a done deal for the Cougars. As for the Minutemen they come off their bye week just looking to be competitive against a solid BYU club. We believe they have found a nice situation to do just that. With BYU not showing much interest in this contest, we believe they will set their sites on their in-state rivals Utah ST who they play at home next week. We see no reason for any motivation from the Cougars, especially with next week being Senior Day as well. It wouldn't surprise us if BYU got out to a 21 point lead that they will start resting starters in the second half. The good thing for us is that BYU is laying 29 at the time of this writing. U Mass ranks 51st in passing offense and they will go up against BYU and their 112th ranked pass D. So U Mass will get some points themselves. There is no doubt that BYU will score and are the better team. However we will take a team off the bye playing a disinterested HUGE favorite any day of the week. Adding to our selection we see that U Mass are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games.
Vegas Synergy
Stanford at California
Play: Stanford -10.5
Stanford’s 2016 season has been an overall disappointment but the recent return of running back/receiver Christian McCaffrrey has returned the Cardinals to national relevance. Stanford travels to Memorial Stadium to take the Berkeley field to square off against league foe California on Saturday. The Cardinal have won six in a row against the Golden Bears.
McCaffrey is not in the Heisman conversation this season due to injury but since returning to the lineup he has compiled 523 yards of offense and aided his teammates in their three-game winning streak. Quarterback Keller Chryst is 3-0 since being inserted into the starters role and is off a solid performance that saw the junior complete 19-of-26 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns in last Saturday’s win. The Stanford offense is in line to have yet another big statistical day against a Bears’ defense that at the bottom of the Pac 12 in most of the important statistical categories.
Cal quarterback Davis Webb and the Golden Bears offense have been the team’s strength this season. Webb has thrown for 33 touchdown passes and tops most of the conferences passing categories heading into Saturday’s home affair against the Cards. Not only are the Bears soft on the defensive front they lack an adequate running game to balance the offense.
The Cardinal are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a visitor and are 14-6 ATS in their last 20 league affairs.
The Bears are a perfect 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games and 0-4 ATS in their last 4 November events.
Tony Finn
Arkansas at Mississippi St
Play: Over 59.5
This might appear to be just another football game to most weekend college football fan, but in truth, it is a game between two of the better teams in the FBS realm. Two SEC powers meet on Saturday night with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m ET at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi. On the surface it is an event between two teams attempting to climb out of the bottom of the SEC West. However, it includes an Arkansas team that defeated a ranked Florida Gators team just two weeks ago and a Mississippi State squad that battled and came out victorious against then No. 4 Texas A&M.
The Razorbacks have already earned enough wins on the season to be invited to a holiday bowl event but are come off a Week #11 affair, last Saturday, with a loss to one of the best in all of college ball, falling 38-10 to LSU. Arkansas’s Achilles is a defense that allowed nearly 400 total yards to an LSU offense that has been pedestrian at times this season. Offensive is their game day asset behind the arm of quarterback Austin Allen. The Hogs signal-caller has thrown for over 2,500 yards and has registered 20 touchdowns on the season. All-Conference tailback Rawleigh Williams III exceeded the magical mark of 1,000-yards last week against a solid Louisiana State defense and from a distance the best way to describe this 2016 Arkansas squad is inconsistent.
The Bulldogs laid an egg last week, this following their upset victory over the A&M Aggies. While that egg came against the No #1 team in college football, Alabama, the ‘Dogs were not competitive in a 51-3 loss. Sophomore quarterback Nick Fitzgerald is one of the more efficient backers in the country. He has amassed 1,850 yards passing and thrown 16 TD passes. The dual threat signal-caller has also nearly rushed for 1000 yards and has eight touchdown via the ground. Like the Razorbacks the Mississippi State liability is a defense that allows 32 points per game.
The Over is 4-1 in Razorbacks last 5 games as a visitor and 35-16-1 in the teams last 52 games on natural grass.
The Bulldogs have gone Over the Total in their last four tilts overall and after a loss the following event for Mississippi State has cashed to the Over at an 8-2 clip.
In the last nine games between these two SEC foes the final score has exceeded the total in seven of those contests.
Cal Sports
Oklahoma at West Virginia
Play: Under 66.5
The Big 12 is simply overall a no defense league therefore evert total is high. However, in this matchup we have the conferences #1 and #3 stop units which gives us great value. Now add in pressure as these teams are also battling for the conference title. This will also be the first game for both teams with the weather being a factor as wind chill temperatures will be in the 30’s and winds gusting to over 20 MPH. Expect both teams to run to their run games and with neither team running an up-tempo offense the clock will run. In fact the Sooners have averaged just 72 plays/games their last 5 while the Mountaineers have averaged 75 plays/game their last 5.
SPORTS WAGERS
FAU +8 over Old Dominion
At first glance the Owls appear to be a 3-7 cupcake primed to be a snack for the 7-3 Monarchs of Old Dominion. FAU has the complexion of a court jester while ODU enters with a staff and crown of royalty ready to trample a perceived inferior opponent. However, when gazing further into the numbers, there is a lot of upside with the Owls. You see, the Owls don’t give a hoot about Old Dominion’s record. The Monarchs have won five of their seven victories at home this season and sport a lowly 2-3 mark when they are away from cozier confines. In addition, Florida Atlantic has won their last two after losing seven straight over the span of the 2016-17 season. A team with a poor record this late in the season that hits its stride can be a tempest to deal with, as they have nothing to lose but still have plenty of wind in their sails. The Owls will enter this contest “free-rolling”, looking to pick up a signature win to cap off an otherwise demoralizing campaign. Let it also be known that while FAU Is 3-7, they too could easily be 7-3 as they lost to FIU, Charlotte, Marshall and Ball State all by a touchdown or less. So while many may gaze at this fixture as all Old Dominion, the Owls of FAU are not going to be an easy out.
Upon studying and scrutinizing the resume of Old Dominion, their recent slew of victories against Southern Mississippi and Marshall may be enamoring and captivating. However, the Golden Eagles and Thundering Herd have long since thrown in the white flag on their respective seasons and Old Dominion was simply feeding off the scraps. Outside of their recent three game winning streak, the Monarchs own wins over UMass, UTSA, Charlotte and Hampton and none of those teams by any means are exceptionally better than the FAU team they are about to encounter. Again, three of ODU’s wins were attained at home with the exception of Charlotte. ODU’s three losses on the road were hideous, as the margin of defeats against WKU, Appalachian State and North Carolina State were 35, 27 and 24 respectively. The record may look good on paper but any true 7-3 team doesn’t lose against any form of solid competition in such egregious fashion. This invader has made a living off of beating up on cupcakes but FAU is not in that category. These are some pretty sweet inflated points based on some misleading results and we’re not about to pass them up.
Florida +14½ over LSU
There was plenty of venom on both sides when this game was postponed, but in the end the hard feelings may be mostly one-sided. After all, LSU got what it wanted, which was a Week 12 home game. Florida, meanwhile, is a win away from a return trip to Atlanta, but must now do it on the road.
LSU just experienced the best game of the Ed Orgeron era. The Tigers were bent on proving that this year's team could bring a different mindset into the post-Alabama world than the past two editions, both of which followed losses to ‘Bama with losses to Arkansas. That point was well-proven in Fayetteville, 38-10, but now what? With mission accomplished, LSU finds itself in that familiar wasteland of success: having cleared bowl eligibility but fallen short of a conference championship. Last week, fading LSU in Arkansas as a seven-point favorite looked rather appealing but as it turned out, it was not. We’re very glad we waited because now we get a better spot with the Gators and some inflated points too.
Florida was recently seen rushing for 12 yards against a Razorbacks squad that just surrendered 390 rushing yards to the Tigers. LSU can't help but notice the seven-touchdown differential between the Tigers' and Gators' performances against Arkansas and think it's in for something less than the biggest test of the year. And if the Tigers can't summon any reason to make this more than just another game, they'll be in trouble, because it certainly isn't just another game to Florida. Jim McElwain is at his finest playing possum, just as he did heading into Alabama last year and Tennessee this year. If we understand the vibe we're getting from the coach, it is time to send it in on the Gators, because when Mac is parading for the cameras that is when his team is preparing most purposefully behind closed doors.
VANDERBILT +10 over Mississippi
After beating Texas A&M on the road, combined with winning their last three against the Commodores, the developments in this market can be chalked up to a public overreaction on the Rebels. Ole Miss stands at 5-5 after enduring a tumultuous and turbulent beginning to the regular season. Ole Miss was a dark horse favorite to win the SEC but since then some hard luck has separated the Rebels from being in a position to fulfill that prophecy. The Rebels have an opportunity to finish with a bowl-bid but one that will not be much to their liking, as it won’t be the New Year’s Day bowl game they were hoping to be a participant in.
The same cannot be said for Vanderbilt. After hiring Derek Mason to lead the charge, the Commodores have finally begun to see some success and progress after being the typical whipping boys of the SEC in previous seasons since the departure of current Penn State Head Coach James Franklin. Vanderbilt stands at 4-6 and with two wins can be back in a bowl game, which is a massive step in the right direction. The Commodores’ hallmark win this season was perhaps their road win at Georgia to wreck the Dawgs’ homecoming, emerging triumphant as a 14-point pooch. Some considerations certainly need to be made with Vanderbilt, as this is not a typical Vandy team even if their record may suggest otherwise. The Commodores lost five of their six defeats by a total of nine points or less and the location of these venues was not a factor. Some of the teams that Vanderbilt went toe-to-toe include Florida and Auburn, two teams that were sitting in the top-10 at the time the festivities were underway. Vanderbilt’s robust and strong defense was up to the task of keeping this outfit in the game against these strong conference opponents. Now, Vanderbilt gets the opportunity to take on Mississippi at home with post-season hopes on the line and with the luxury of being able to unleash their defense on a freshman quarterback.
The Rebels do not have Chad Kelly at their disposal and Vanderbilt’s defense is far better than A&M’s. Back in September of 2014, which was the last time Ole Miss played here, they came in as a -20 point favorite over a Vandy team that was the worst the SEC had to offer and that managed just 13 first downs and 54 rushing yards against Temple the week prior. The Rebels won that game 41-3. Last year, Vandy went into Ole Miss and lost by just 11 points, as an inflated 27-point dog. That brings us to this game. These are not the same Commodores as the past two seasons. The gap is narrowing between these two programs and it is reflected in the number just like it was in 2010 when the Rebels were an 11-point choice at Vandy and lost outright by 14. A similar fate may be waiting for the chalk here.
WYOMING +10 over SDSU
We’ve seen Wyoming enter in a nearly identical situation previously against incoming Boise State. The Broncos were undefeated and spotting over two touchdowns to the Cowboys, who like now, spotted a flawless home record. We called for the upset and the rest is history, as Boise State now stands at 9-1, the sole defeat coming at the hands of the Cowboys. However, the market is not buying into Wyoming’s success, as this line has moved almost three points since it opened. Much of this can be attested to San Diego State obtaining a top-25 position in the College Football Playoff poll as they, too, enter with a sparkling record of 9-1 and being undefeated overall in Mountain West play. Factoring in these circumstances with San Diego State being the defending Mountain West Champions, and there you have the inflated points we’re always looking for. San Diego State’s sole defeat on the year is an eye sore to say the least. As an 18½-point road favorite, the Aztecs were embarrassed in losing 42-24 at lowly South Alabama. While SDSU may have recovered beautifully from then, Wyoming is likely citing this incident as inspiration to acclaim their viability, successfully defend their turf and further its own cause. Aside from that, the Aztecs have some seriously skewed numbers after beating up on an entire slew of weak teams.
We cannot fault anyone for being intrigued with the Aztecs. San Diego State features a true battering ram at running back in Donnell Pumphrey, who last year rushed for 23 touchdowns and over 1,800 yards on the ground. Pumphrey is closing in on 2,000 yards on the ground while already finding pay dirt on 14 occasions this year and leading an offense responsible for over 293 rushing yards per game. However, Wyoming will not show any timidity against this intruder, as the Cowboys have reached new plateaus in their own right that includes qualifying for a bowl game, which is something that normally doesn’t happen too often in Laramie. This time of year it is important to factor in whether a team has much to play for or not and in the case of Wyoming, it could finish with 10 wins (a true milestone) so it has a heck of a lot to play for.
Appreciation for what Craig Bohl is building in Laramie cannot be overstated so pencil us in as buyers on this ascending program. The architect of the North Dakota State dynasty has fashioned a balanced and productive offense with a deep and diverse group of skill players. The wins for this outfit are becoming more frequent and more impressive too. Aside from that, SDSU may not be prepared for what the Cowboys have in store for them. The Aztecs are about to walk into the most active atmosphere Wyoming has generated in years. Neither the team nor the crowd will resemble the familiar editions that the Aztecs have seen and beaten up on for years. The question to answer this week is whether SDSU is overlooking this game (they handled Wyoming last year, 38-3) and/or mentally preparing for bigger fish to fry in the future, like their final home game of the year next week against Colorado State. Either way, the Broncos are in for a fair fight and the upset alert button is on.
UTSA +27½ over TEXAS A&M
UTSA is one of those teams that we have highlighted previously that has tremendous value when they are off the radar. The Roadrunners have not always won the games we have fancied straight up but they have covered more than enough times to get our endorsement again. Most recently, we targeted UTSA on the road at Middle Tennessee State where the Roadrunners were taking back 19 points against the Blue Raiders. Not only did UTSA cover but they won convincingly, as they ran up, around, over and through the Blue Raiders defense in route to a 45-25 victory. Earlier this year, UTSA also pulled off a dominant win against Southern Mississippi, a 10-win team that many forecasted to repeat as C-USA Champion. One more anecdote that we will provide is when we were on this same club against Arizona State as a 21½-point pooch. UTSA went on to lose that game 32-28, but they could have easily won that game had they not relinquished the lead down the backstretch. UTSA exploits teams with mediocre defenses by harnessing a methodical rushing attack. While the Roadrunners may not get the results they want initially, their approach is like an anesthesia….give it time and it eventually works.
Texas A&M was a football team that at one point boasted a #4 ranking in the College Football Playoff poll. Since losing to Alabama handily, it has been all downhill for the Aggies. The A&M defense has certainly taken a step back and their offense has not been able to keep up. The state of Mississippi in particular has been an affliction for the Men of Kyle as they have lost their last two against both the Bulldogs and Rebels, teams with losing records on the season. The state of mind of this football team is weak after they hit some black ice at the tail end of their regular season. Want to fade a reeling Texas A&M team that has gone from playoff committee darling to three-loss also-ran in a blink, but not sure if a 5-5 UTSA squad is a worthy hammer? One edge that could tip the scales in the favor of Texas San Antonio is head coach Frank Wilson's familiarity with Aggies defensive coordinator John Chavis. The two served together for five years on Les Miles' LSU staff. Wilson's team has been lighting up the scoreboard the past month, and a good read on what to expect from the opposing defense should help the Roadrunners land enough punches to bring this one in well inside this big number.
MICHIGAN ST +13 1st Half over Ohio St
The full game spread here is +21½ but the first half line has even more value, as it sits at more than half of the full game price so that is how we’re proceeding here. This wager here is Michigan State in the first half +13.
The Buckeyes are coming off back-to-back identical 62-3 victories over both Nebraska and Maryland. While Nebraska’s record was good, we had warned you several times that it was all smoke and mirrors because the numbers inside the record said so. Numbers rarely lie. Prior to those two resounding victories that has sent this line to the moon, the Buckeyes played three games in succession against Penn State, Wisconsin and Northwestern and all three games were decided by four points or less after 60 minutes with the Wisky game going into OT. The Spartans are now priced like they’re Maryland or Northwestern when nothing could be further from the truth. Not only is this line massive, but it’s insulting in a big way to MSU, who figure to respond to that insult in a bigger way.
It was against Rutgers, but the emphatic 49-0 win that ended Sparty's seven-game losing streak came with some promising signs for the final two weeks of the season. Mark Dantonio is playing more freshmen than at any other time in his tenure. This is still a talented roster, and the youth movement helps ensure that this bunch hasn't checked out on the season. Michigan State was competitive throughout the losing streak and is still playing hard, albeit less skillfully than in years past. Both the Spartans' covers prior to this week have been when taking points, and they'll be getting a bundle here. Michigan State has delivered outright wins its last three underdog turns against Ohio State and dominated recent games with Penn State. We’re now getting a long price with a team that is improving, hasn't quit, finally has some good vibes, has a good track record with scheme and game plan against Ohio State and that is in its own backyard. Sign us up for that. Oh, the Spartans have some serious takent too.
RUTGERS +27 over Penn State
This one is a classic setup to take the points, as there is nothing but numerous factors working against the favorite here. Prior to the start of the season and a month into it when the Nittany Lions were 2-2, they were a complete afterthought in regards to winning the Big Ten but that is the unlikely position they find themselves in coming into this one. If the Nittany Lions merely have the best record among the three division co-leaders in the six combined remaining games, then Urban Meyer and Jim Harbaugh will watch from home as Franklin leads Penn State onto the field in Indianapolis as improbable Big Ten East champs. After defeating Ohio State, Iowa and Indiana in three of the past four weeks, Penn State very likely sees this game as a walk in the park and if there was ever a time to exhale and just show up in body, this would be it.
Out of nowhere, there is suddenly a lot of noise surrounding the Lions, and they'll be tasked with laying heavy weight on the road while concentrating mainly on mere survival. The opportunities to buy Penn State at favorable prices are long gone and now you’ll pay a massive premium to back them because of the aforementioned noise that surrounds them. The final factor is decaying team health. The Lions are not that deep just yet and a long season with high intensity is gradually wearing this team down. The offensive line, already a weakness, is of particular concern and the last time the Lions played with such poor health was in Week 4, when they lost 49-10 to the Wolverines. The danger signs of laying heavy weight on the road with an outfit who’s stock hasn’t been this high since the glory days just keep piling up. We can almost guarantee that Penn State will not cover both times in the final two weeks of the season because its stock is through the roof and so is the premium to pay to back them. If Penn State covers here, we'll be fading them next week too.
SPORTS WAGERS
Western Carolina +15½ over MARSHALL
The Western Carolina Catamounts should have been named the Transformers because no team typifies the personality of deception more than this club. Western Carolina finished the 2015-16 season with a mark of 16-18 overall and with a 10-8 record inside the Southern Conference. From first glance, this visitor looks like a perennial cupcake that was an appetizer for many of the game’s bigger predators to prey upon. However, this is certainly not the case. The Catamounts put together a storied run on the back end of the 2015-16 campaign as they made it all the way to the Southern Conference semifinals before falling to the conference’s thoroughbred, Chattanooga, by just four points. WCU came in as a .500 basketball team while Chattanooga had already eclipsed 28 wins on the season. On their way to the semifinals, the Catamounts won seven of their last eight overall, beating the conference’s best teams along the way, including Wofford, Mercer and Furman. The Cats even notched a win over the aforementioned conference champion Chattanooga over that span, showcasing their ability to hang with and beat premium competition on a conference level. WCU would qualify for the CBI tournament as a result of their efforts and they would be sent off in a Battle of the Catamounts when they lost to Vermont by just five points.
To many, it may appear as if WCU just went on a run and peaked at the right time and since then have regressed back to the typical Western Carolina team that loses games more than they win. However, with four of their starting five returning from last season along with two key bench players back in the fold, there is plenty of opportunity to argue otherwise. The Cats opened up with an eyesore loss at Miami only to follow it up with a dominant win at home. Most recently, WCU fell against fellow conference cohort North Carolina Central by eight points in an early-season rivalry fixture.
Meanwhile, Marshall at 2-0 owns a win over the aforementioned common opponent in North Carolina Central by 12 points, which is perhaps the driving force of this market. The Herd finished 17-16 in 2015-16, squeaking by UTEP in the first round of the C-USA Tournament as a #3 seed before being sent off with authority by Middle Tennessee State in the follow-up. The Herd failed to qualify for a post-season tournament and more or less took advantage of teams they were supposed to be better than to win the games they did along the way. It is a far contrasting narrative compared to Western Carolina, who ended up being much better than its record suggested. Nevertheless, the amount of points here could be superfluous as the Catamounts are 7-1 ATS in their last eight road affairs, signifying the markets' propensity for undervaling them.
Chase Diamond
San Diego State vs. Wyoming
Play: Wyoming +10
Big game in the MWC as the 9-1 San Diego State Aztecs face off with the 8-3 Wyoming Cowboys. Last week we back UNLV who covered for us again't these Cowboys but I think that had more to do to . Wyoming looking ahead to this big game was probably a factor in what did them in. The Cowboys if they win this week and next still have a shot to be the champion from this conference and I think you will see how hungry this team really is. This line is inflated by Vegas for numerous reason one being the loss by Wyoming last week and the Aztecs utter domination and winning of 6 games straight.
Ray Monohan
Penn State / Rutgers Under 57
The Nittany Lions take on the Scarlet Knights on Saturday night and the Under here has value.
Both offenses are very slower moving and will chew up a lot of clock.
Rutgers in particular is guilty of this. Not only do the Scarlet Knights not have any explosive playmakers, this team is averaging just 17.5 points per game.
They will use small running plays and short passes to eat clock and keep the opposing offense off the field.
Some trends to note. Under is 15-7 in Scarlet Knights last 22 games in November. Under is 19-9 in Scarlet Knights last 28 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
Expect Rutgers to really kill the clock on their side. From a Penn State standpoint, they're going to really try to work the run game and wear down this Rutgers front.
Brad Wilton
Not necessarily convinced the Wolf Pack are out of their funk just because they were able to beat Syracuse last weekend on the road. Prior to that victory, NC State had dropped 4 in a row, and they had plenty of trouble putting points on the scoreboard.
Miami has rebounded from their own 4 game swoon with wins and covers in each of their last pair of games. The Hurricanes romped Pittsburgh 51-28 on November 5th, and last week they took care of Virginia, 34-14.
These teams haven't met since back in 2012, so we will throw past history out the window. Right now it is the 'Canes that are playing the better balanced football, and they have sewn up an opportunity to go bowling this holiday season. That is something Dave Doeren's team has not been able to do just yet with their choppy efforts.
Prefer to lay a few on the road with the grooving Hurricanes.
2* MIAMI-FLORDIA
Brad Wilton
Not necessarily convinced the Wolf Pack are out of their funk just because they were able to beat Syracuse last weekend on the road. Prior to that victory, NC State had dropped 4 in a row, and they had plenty of trouble putting points on the scoreboard.
Miami has rebounded from their own 4 game swoon with wins and covers in each of their last pair of games. The Hurricanes romped Pittsburgh 51-28 on November 5th, and last week they took care of Virginia, 34-14.
These teams haven't met since back in 2012, so we will throw past history out the window. Right now it is the 'Canes that are playing the better balanced football, and they have sewn up an opportunity to go bowling this holiday season. That is something Dave Doeren's team has not been able to do just yet with their choppy efforts.
Prefer to lay a few on the road with the grooving Hurricanes.
2* MIAMI-FLORDIA
Brad Wilton
This is a lot of points to ask the Badgers to cover, especially on the road, and also because they are just not known as an offensive juggernaut. Then again, the Badgers can play defense with the best of them. Wisconsin did hold Michigan to just 14 points, and they allowing just under 13 points per game for the season.
That tells me that the Boilermakers won't be doing a lot of "Boiler Upping" in West Lafayette this afternoon.
Purdue has not covered this season in the home underdog role at 0-4, and they are on a 4-18 slide in that role their last 22! Not convincing to say the least. When you consider that Wisconsin controls their destiny for the conference championship game, and they are 5-0 against the spread on the road this season, and own a 10 game series winning streak (9-1 ATS), well the points don't look so larger after all.
The Badgers pounded the Illini, 48-3 last week as the big favorite, a reprise today in Boiler Land will not be a surprise.
Go Bucky Badger!
3* WISCONSIN
Bob Valentino
Wyoming beat Boise State a few weeks back. It was a season high.
Last week the Cowboys reached new depths, losing to lowly UNLV in triple overtime.
This week the Pokes will want nothing more than to avenge last week's setback, and with Boise State's victory over UNLV last night, they really have no choice but to pull off the upset against Mountain West West Division champ San Diego State.
The Aztecs are in the championship game. It's locked in. There is nothing more to play for. Not that they're going to lay down, but in the cold Laramie weather, and that altitude that comes with it, coach Rocky Long will not subject his stars to too much risk, believe that.
Wyoming has no choice but to leave it all on the field today, with its best effort of the season. The Cowboys keep this one close, and stay inside single digits.
5* WYOMING
Eric Schroeder
With the Louisville Cardinals losing the other night, and Michigan still having the traditional annual season-finale against the Ohio State Buckeyes still to come, the Wolverines need to focus on big impressive wins. If they want to get into that playoff foursome, games like this must be won. Big.
At 9-1, the third-ranked Wolverines have a great shot at making it into the playoff, with that explosive offense that is putting up 44.5 points per game, and a stingy D that allows a bleak 11 points per contest.
At home, the margin is wider, as Michigan is scoring 46 points per game in the Big House, and giving up just 10.4 points per contest. Those are damn impressive numbers, and the season is almost complete.
Over the Wolverines' last three games, they've outscored foes 34.7-13.3, and today I think they're going to put up 50 on a Indiana's somewhat inconsistent defense. The Hoosiers are in off a 45-31 loss to in-state rival Purdue, and I don't know if they'll be recovered with the right mindset for this one.
Let's play the home team here, as Michigan rolls.
4* MICHIGAN