Frank Sawyer
Auburn vs. Texas A&M
Play: Texas A&M +16
Take Texas A&M plus the points versus Auburn. Auburn (6-2) may get caught looking ahead to their showdown with Georgia next week — and this is their third straight game on the road so this is not a great situation for the Tigers. They have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games in the month of November. Auburn is also 1-3-2 ATS in their last 6 games played on grass. Texas A&M (5-3) looks to rebound from their 35-14 loss to Mississippi State last week — and they are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a loss by at least 20 points. And in their last 5 games in SEC play, the Aggies are 3-1-1 ATS.
Advantage Sports
Auburn vs. Texas A&M
Play: Auburn -15
Auburn will make this a tough game for Texas A & M. A & M's offense is struggling this year and they're facing one of the top defenses in the nation allowing less than 16 PPG. Auburn will exploit A & M's lackluster ground defense and cover this spread easily.
OC Dooley
East Carolina / Houston Over 62
At most offshore locations this total opened up at 63-and-a-half but has since dropped in part because Houston is a staggering 7-0 "under" in their seven Saturday appearances this campaign. In addition the defense of Houston last weekend snapped South Florida's NCAA record of 24 consecutive games with the offense putting at least 30 points on the scoreboard. It is hard to imagine Houston having the same defensive intensity today against a poor opponent. The Cougars have not faced Eaast Carolina since way back in 2012 but consider 5 of the past 7 in this series have played OVER the number. These two teams have scored a combined SEVENTY PLUS POINTS 3 times in the past 5 head-on clashes and I am taking advantage of the market value with today's spot
SPORTS WAGERS
Buffalo +167 over DALLAS
OT included. Have you ever been in a relationship with someone and then you break up for quite some time before getting back together? It’s not the same the second time around but the Dallas Stars figured that bringing back old-school coach Ken Hitchcock would be the key to bringing them back to respectability. If the Stars do indeed take that next step, it won’t be because of a recycled coach. The Stars are extremely top heavy with the key to beating them being stopping their top line. Whether or not the Sabres can do that remains to be seen but no matter how you break it down, the Stars have some intangibles working against them here. First, they are going with Kari Lehtonen (.896 save percentage) in goal. He’s always a big risk. Secondly, the Stars return home from a grueling early season trip through Colorado, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver and Winnipeg.
The Sabres are playing so much better now than they were over their first half dozen games. Buffalo has been outshot just once over its last five games and that occurred against a San Jose team that is playing at a very high level. Buffalo lost to San Jose 3-2 but was only outshot by two, 33-31. Buffalo has three deserving wins in its last five. Its 5-1 loss to the Jackets over that span was another misleading score among many in the NHL. Non-conference games against new staffs that are returning home from a trip is not a bad place to look for these opportunities. We like the early direction of Buffalo’s offense and we like the form they are starting to take. Win or lose, the Sabres offer up too much value here and we certainly give them a legit shot to emerge with another win.
The Prez
Wake Forest at Notre Dame
Play: Notre Dame -15
Independent Notre Dame host ACC Wake Forest this afternoon. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.n. ET in South Bend, Indiana. The Irish (-15, 55) are coming off an impressive win over North Carolina State. The Deacons upset the Louisville Cardinals last Saturday. With its only loss coming by one point against No #2 Georgia in Week #2 the Notre Dame squad looks to remain a part of the College Football Playoff Final Four with a win today. College Football Free Pick: Deacons at Fighting Irish.
Demon Deacons' head coach Dave Clawson led his troop to a 42-32 victory last Saturday over Lamar Jackson and the Cards but lost his leading receiver Greg Dortch to an abdominal injury. Dortch will miss the rest of the season to the injury after setting a school record with four touchdown catches versus the Cardinals.
Irish coach Brian Kelly and his squad turned a disappointing 4-8 record in 2016 to a one loss season through nine weeks this year.
Without Dortch and his 1,280 all-purpose yards not many are giving Wake much of a chance today at Notre Dame Stadium. Clawson and quarterback John Wolford will ask junior wide out Tabari Hines (18 receptions for 250 yards) to step up today and carry a heavier load. Wolford is coming off a stellar performance. The quarterback completed 28-of-34 for 461 yards to become the first Wake quarterback to throw for over 400 yards in over 15 years.
Irish RB Josh Adams topped the 1,000 yard mark for the season in last week's win. Quarterback Brandon Wimbush is a dual threat for an offense that is compiling big yards during the team's five game winning streak. Notre Dame is averaging nearly 345 yards rushing per game during their winning.
Despite the injury to the Demon Deacons leading receiver the handicap in this event has held serve. The opening line saw Notre Dame offering Wake Forest 15-points and at the time of this publication the number has remained in that neighborhood. Coach Kelly not only had to prepare his team for a good Wake squad he had to distract his players from looking ahead to next week's anticipated contest against the Miami Hurricanes.
Without Dortch and the clubs big win over Heisman hopeful Jackson a week ago the Deacons will struggle to keep pace with the offense of the Irish. Notre Dame has won all seven of their games this season by at least 20 points and that trend continues as Notre Dame records another against the spread cover today in South Bend.
Key Trends
The Deacons are 8-3 against the spread in their last 11 road games.
Demon Deacons are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games against a team with an overall winning record.
Fighting Irish are on a 5-0 against the spread run.
Notre Dame is 5-1 ATS in their last six home games.
Wunderdog
Chicago @ Minnesota
Pick: Under 5.5
Chicago is making changes under outstanding coach Joel Quennville. They have star power with Patrick Kane (13 points), Jonathan Toews (nine points) and Artem Anisimov has gotten results moving to the second line. The balanced Blackhawks are sixth in the league in goals allowed, and ninth in penalty killing. They come into this one off a 3-0 win over the Flyers. Last-place Minnesota is plain inconsistent. These teams are also strong defensively, with Minnesota on a 7-3-1 run UNDER the total against the Western Conference, so take the UNDER in a defensive duel.