DUNKEL INDEX
Detroit at New Orleans
The Saints look to build on their 11-1 ATS record in their last 12 games as a home favorite. New Orleans is the pick (-10 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Saints favored by 15 1/2. Dunkel Pick: New Orleans (-10 1/2)
Game 101-102: Cincinnati at Houston (4:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati 131.201; Houston 132.638
Dunkel Line: Houston by 1 1/2; 34
Vegas Line: Houston by 3; 38
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (+3); Under
Game 103-104: Detroit at New Orleans (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 135.158; New Orleans 150.696
Dunkel Line: New Orleans by 15 1/2; 62
Vegas Line: New Orleans by 10 1/2; 58 1/2
Dunkel Pick: New Orleans (-10 1/2); Over
NCAAF
SMU vs. Pittsburgh
The Panthers look to build on their 10-2 ATS record in their last 12 games against teams with a winning record. Pittsburgh is the pick (-4 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Panthers favored by 15 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-4 1/2)
Game 265-266: SMU vs. Pittsburgh (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: SMU 76.927; Pittsburgh 92.300
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 15 1/2; 54
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh by 4 1/2; 48
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-4 1/2); Over
NBA
NHL
Columbus at Los Angeles
The Kings look to take advantage of a Columbus team that is 2-9 in its last 11 Saturday games. Los Angeles is the pick (-180) according to Dunkel, which has the Kings favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-180)
Game 1-2: Ottawa at Philadelphia (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ottawa 11.540; Philadelphia 12.538
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Philadelphia (-180); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-180); Over
Game 3-4: Vancouver at Boston (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Vancouver 12.502; Boston 12.141
Dunkel Line & Total: Vancouver by 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Boston (-170); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Vancouver (+150); Under
Game 5-6: Edmonton at Dallas (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 11.352; Dallas 11.019
Dunkel Line & Total: Edmonton by 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas (-170); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (+150); Under
Game 7-8: Columbus at Los Angeles (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Columbus 11.137; Los Angeles 12.868
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 1 1/2; 5 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles (-180); 5
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-180); Over
Game 9-10: Winnipeg at Buffalo (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Winnipeg 10.815; Buffalo 11.266
Dunkel Line & Total: Buffalo by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Buffalo (-130); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Buffalo (-130); Over
Game 11-12: Tampa Bay at Montreal (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay 11.506; Montreal 11.074
Dunkel Line & Total: Tampa Bay by 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Montreal (-140); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (+120); Under
Game 13-14: Detroit at Toronto (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 13.232; Toronto 12.023
Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit (-155); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-155); Under
Game 15-16: New Jersey at Pittsburgh (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Jersey 11.340; Pittsburgh 10.915
Dunkel Line & Total: New Jersey by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-175); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: New Jersey (+155); Over
Game 17-18: NY Islanders at Phoenix (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Islanders 10.890; Phoenix 11.634
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix (-160); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-160); Over
Game 19-20: Carolina at Nashville (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Carolina 11.197; Nashville 10.680
Dunkel Line & Total: Carolina by 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Nashville (-175); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Carolina (+155); Under
Game 21-22: Colorado at St. Louis (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado 11.334; St. Louis 12.606
Dunkel Line & Total: St. Louis by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: St. Louis (-185); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-185); Over
Game 23-24: Minnesota at Calgary (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 11.159; Calgary 10.488
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Calgary (-125); 5
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+105); Under
Game 25-26: Washington at San Jose (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 12.153; San Jose 11.699
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A
DUNKEL INDEX
NCAAB
Georgetown at West Virginia
The Mountaineers look to build on their 6-1 ATS record in their last 7 home games. West Virginia is the pick (-2) according to Dunkel, which has the Mountaineers favored by 4 1/2. Dunkel Pick: West Virginia (-2)
Game 541-542: Florida at Tennessee (11:00 a.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Florida 71.506; Tennessee 65.525
Dunkel Line: Florida by 6; 150
Vegas Line: Florida by 8; 146
Dunkel Pick: Tennessee (+8); Over
Game 543-544: Xavier at Fordham (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Xavier 60.720; Fordham 52.076
Dunkel Line: Xavier by 8 1/2; 130
Vegas Line: Xavier by 7; 134
Dunkel Pick Xavier (-7); Under
Game 545-546: Duke at Georgia Tech (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Duke 71.807; Georgia Tech 62.343
Dunkel Line: Duke by 9 1/2; 130
Vegas Line: Duke by 12; 138 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Georgia Tech (+12); Under
Game 547-548: Georgetown at West Virginia (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Georgetown 70.115; West Virginia 74.562
Dunkel Line: West Virginia by 4 1/2; 136
Vegas Line: West Virginia by 2; 131 1/2
Dunkel Pick: West Virginia (-2); Over
Game 549-550: Virginia Tech at Wake Forest (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Virginia Tech 64.286; Wake Forest 59.600
Dunkel Line: Virginia Tech by 4 1/2; 140
Vegas Line: Virginia Tech by 6 1/2; 136
Dunkel Pick: Wake Forest (+6 1/2); Over
Game 551-552: Nebraska at Illinois (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Nebraska 56.479; Illinois 68.959
Dunkel Line: Illinois by 12 1/2; 108
Vegas Line: Illinois by 10; 116
Dunkel Pick: Illinois (-10); Under
Game 553-554: Missouri State at Indiana State (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Missouri State 61.365; Indiana State 65.304
Dunkel Line: Indiana State by 4; 129
Vegas Line: Indiana State by 2; 125 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Indiana State (-2); Over
Game 555-556: Auburn at Vanderbilt (1:45 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Auburn 55.351; Vanderbilt 68.269
Dunkel Line: Vanderbilt by 13; 133
Vegas Line: Vanderbilt by 16; 136 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Auburn (+16); Under
Game 557-558: Mississippi at LSU (1:45 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Mississippi 60.155 LSU 63.526
Dunkel Line: LSU by 3 1/2; 116
Vegas Line: LSU by 6; 121
Dunkel Pick: Mississippi (+6); Under
Game 559-560: Missouri at Kansas State (1:45 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Missouri 75.279; Kansas State 72.321
Dunkel Line: Missouri by 3; 151
Vegas Line: Missouri by 1; 147
Dunkel Pick: Missouri (-1); Over
Game 561-562: Baylor at Texas Tech (1:45 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Baylor 71.976; Texas Tech 55.363
Dunkel Line: Baylor by 16 1/2; 129
Vegas Line: Baylor by 14 1/2; 131
Dunkel Pick: Baylor (-14 1/2); Under
Game 563-564: Kansas at Oklahoma (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas 73.689; Oklahoma 71.738
Dunkel Line: Kansas by 2; 140
Vegas Line: Kansas by 5 1/2; 138
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma (+5 1/2); Over
Game 565-566: St. John's at Cincinnati (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. John's 55.782; Cincinnati 71.518
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 15 1/2; 134
Vegas Line: Cincinnati by 11; 131
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-12); Over
Game 567-568: Northeastern at James Madison (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Northeastern 48.804; James Madison 51.397
Dunkel Line: James Madison by 2 1/2; 123
Vegas Line: James Madison by 5; 128 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Northeastern (+5); Under
Game 569-570: Dartmouth at Harvard (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Dartmouth 44.700; Harvard 65.254
Dunkel Line: Harvard by 20 1/2; 109
Vegas Line: Harvard by 22; 114
Dunkel Pick: Dartmouth (+22); Under
Game 571-572: Evansville at Illinois State (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Evansville 53.545; Illinois State 63.332
Dunkel Line: Illinois State by 10; 142
Vegas Line: Illinois State by 7; 136 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Illinois State (-7); Over
Game 573-574: Western Michigan at Ball State (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Western Michigan 55.626; Ball State 56.977
Dunkel Line: Ball State by 1 1/2; 137
Vegas Line: Ball State by 7; 130
Dunkel Pick: Western Michigan (+7); Over
Game 575-576: Loyola-Chicago at Cleveland State (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Loyola-Chicago 47.614; Cleveland State 63.868
Dunkel Line: Cleveland State by 16 1/2; 107
Vegas Line: Cleveland State by 13 1/2; 111 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland State (-13 1/2); Under
Game 577-578: Charlotte at St. Joseph's (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Charlotte 56.565; St. Joseph's 63.125
Dunkel Line: St. Joseph's by 6 1/2; 140
Vegas Line: St. Joseph's by 9; 135
Dunkel Pick: Charlotte (+9); Over
Game 579-580: Washington at Utah (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 64.291; Utah 45.383
Dunkel Line: Washington by 19; 135
Vegas Line: Washington by 15; 140 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-15); Under
Game 581-582: Boston College at North Carolina (2:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston College 49.852; North Carolina 81.575
Dunkel Line: North Carolina by 32; 139
Vegas Line: North Carolina by 30; 146 1/2
Dunkel Pick: North Carolina (-30); Under
Game 583-584: Ohio State at Iowa (3:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ohio State 77.495; Iowa 69.207
Dunkel Line: Ohio State by 8 1/2; 144
Vegas Line: Ohio State by 11 1/2; 141 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Iowa (+11 1/2); Over
Game 585-586: Wichita State at Southern Illinois (3:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Wichita State 68.905; Southern Illinois 54.181
Dunkel Line: Wichita State by 14 1/2; 141
Vegas Line: Wichita State by 11; 136
Dunkel Pick: Wichita State (-11); Over
Game 587-588: Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Eastern Michigan 44.215; Northern Illinois 44.667
Dunkel Line: Even; 105
Vegas Line: Eastern Michigan by 1 1/2; 110 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Northern Illinois (+1 1/2); Under
Game 589-590: Marquette at Syracuse (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Marquette 68.452; Syracuse 77.575
Dunkel Line: Syracuse by 9; 154
Vegas Line: Syracuse by 11 1/2; 148
Dunkel Pick: Marquette (+11 1/2); Over
Game 591-592: South Carolina at Kentucky (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: South Carolina 58.465; Kentucky 81.438
Dunkel Line: Kentucky by 23; 125
Vegas Line: Kentucky by 21; 131
Dunkel Pick: Kentucky (-21); Under
Game 593-594: Washington State at Colorado (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington State 57.421; Colorado 65.965
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 8 1/2; 144
Vegas Line: Colorado by 4 1/2; 139
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (-4 1/2); Over
Game 595-596: Delaware at William & Mary (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Delaware 51.146; William & Mary 49.110
Dunkel Line: Delaware by 2; 128
Vegas Line: Delaware by 3; 132
Dunkel Pick: William & Mary (+3); Under
Game 597-598: Notre Dame at Louisville (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Notre Dame 63.849; Louisville 73.494
Dunkel Line: Louisville by 9 1/2; 128
Vegas Line: Louisville by 12 1/2; 131
Dunkel Pick: Notre Dame (+12 1/2); Under
Game 599-600: St. Bonaventure at Duquesne (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Bonaventure 59.758; Duquesne 66.545
Dunkel Line: Duquesne by 7; 144
Vegas Line: Duquesne by 4; 140 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Duquesne (-4); Over
Game 601-602: Dayton at Temple (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Dayton 62.702; Temple 67.748
Dunkel Line: Temple by 5; 133
Vegas Line: Temple by 7 1/2; 137 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Dayton (+7 1/2); Under
Game 603-604: Iowa State at Texas A&M (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Iowa State 59.935; Texas A&M 65.274
Dunkel Line: Texas A&M by 5 1/2; 129
Vegas Line: Texas A&M by 3 1/2; 127 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Texas A&M (-3 1/2); Over
Game 605-606: Florida State at Clemson (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Florida State 64.303; Clemson 61.025
Dunkel Line: Florida State by 3 1/2; 110
Vegas Line: Florida State by 1; 116 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Florida State (-1); Under
Game 607-608: Denver at South Alabama (4:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Denver 58.511; South Alabama 56.369
Dunkel Line: Denver by 2; 124
Vegas Line: Denver by 4; 119 1/2
Dunkel Pick: South Alabama (+4); Over
Game 609-610: Troy at Western Kentucky (5:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Troy 48.542; Western Kentucky 50.764
Dunkel Line: Western Kentucky by 2; 146
Vegas Line: Western Kentucky by 4; 142
Dunkel Pick: Troy (+4); Over
Game 611-612: Central Florida at East Carolina (5:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Central Florida 58.065; East Carolina 60.774
Dunkel Line: East Carolina by 2 1/2; 122
Vegas Line: East Carolina by 1; 127 1/2
Dunkel Pick: East Carolina (-1); Under
Game 613-614: Seton Hall at Providence (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seton Hall 61.104; Providence 60.916
Dunkel Line: Even; 139
Vegas Line: Seton Hall by 3 1/2; 135 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Providence (+3 1/2); Over
Game 615-616: Miami (FL) at Virginia (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami (FL) 62.008; Virginia 71.886
Dunkel Line: Virginia by 10; 119
Vegas Line: Virginia by 7; 121 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Virginia (-7); Under
Game 617-618: Ohio at Bowling Green (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ohio 61.262; Bowling Green 59.238
Dunkel Line: Ohio by 2; 137
Vegas Line: Ohio by 4; 134 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Bowling Green (+4); Over
Game 619-620: Fresno State at Idaho (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Fresno State 54.629; Idaho 59.911
Dunkel Line: Idaho by 5 1/2; 128
Vegas Line: Idaho by 4; 131 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Idaho (-4); Under
Game 621-622: San Francisco at BYU (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco 52.038; BYU 66.456
Dunkel Line: BYU by 14 1/2; 160
Vegas Line: BYU by 17; 157 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (+17); Over
Game 623-624: Toledo at Central Michigan (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toledo 46.886 Central Michigan 54.396
Dunkel Line: Central Michigan by 7 1/2; 129
Vegas Line: Central Michigan by 5 1/2; 135
Dunkel Pick: Central Michigan (-5 1/2); Under
Game 625-626: Akron at Miami (OH) (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Akron 60.480; Miami (OH) 59.434
Dunkel Line: Akron by 1; 123
Vegas Line: Akron by 3 1/2; 128
Dunkel Pick: Miami (OH) (+3 1/2); Under
Game 627-628: Kent State at Buffalo (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kent State 60.494; Buffalo 65.871
Dunkel Line: Buffalo by 5 1/2; 144
Vegas Line: Buffalo by 3 1/2; 138
Dunkel Pick: Buffalo (-3 1/2); Over
Game 629-630: Towson at Old Dominion (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Towson 37.125; Old Dominion 60.562
Dunkel Line: Old Dominion by 23 1/2; 108
Vegas Line: Old Dominion by 20 1/2; 113
Dunkel Pick: Old Dominion (-20 1/2); Under
Game 631-632: Hofstra at NC-Wilmington (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Hofstra 55.131; NC-Wilmington 56.830
Dunkel Line: NC-Wilmington by 1 1/2; 137
Vegas Line: NC-Wilmington by 3 1/2; 134
Dunkel Pick: Hofstra (+3 1/2); Over
Game 633-634: Illinois-Chicago at Youngstown State (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Illinois-Chicago 47.472; Youngstown State 52.774
Dunkel Line: Youngstown State by 5 1/2; 143
Vegas Line: Youngstown State by 9; 137
Dunkel Pick: Illinois-Chicago (+9); Over
Game 635-636: Alabama at Georgia (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Alabama 68.010; Georgia 60.741
Dunkel Line: Alabama by 7 1/2; 113
Vegas Line: Alabama by 6; 117
Dunkel Pick: Alabama (-6); Under
Game 637-638: Georgia State at George Mason (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Georgia State 63.470; George Mason 64.704
Dunkel Line: George Mason by 1; 121
Vegas Line: George Mason by 3 1/2; 124 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Georgia State (+3 1/2); Under
Game 639-640: Oklahoma State at Texas (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma State 61.121; Texas 74.335
Dunkel Line: Texas by 13; 145
Vegas Line: Texas by 11; 131
Dunkel Pick: Texas (-11); Over
Game 641-642: Richmond at Rhode Island (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Richmond 58.502; Rhode Island 54.111
Dunkel Line: Richmond by 4 1/2; 144
Vegas Line: Richmond by 3 1/2; 141 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Richmond (-3 1/2); Over
Game 643-644: UL-Monroe at Florida International (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UL-Monroe 43.145; Florida International 50.838
Dunkel Line: Florida International by 7 1/2; 120
Vegas Line: Florida International by 9 1/2; 124
Dunkel Pick: UL-Monroe (+9 1/2); Under
Game 645-646: UL-Lafayette at Middle Tennessee State (6:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UL-Lafayette 53.752; Middle Tennessee State 62.075
Dunkel Line: Middle Tennessee State by 8 1/2; 124
Vegas Line: Middle Tennessee State by 10; 133
Dunkel Pick: UL-Lafayette (+10); Under
Game 647-648: New Mexico State at Louisiana Tech (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Mexico State 59.109; Louisiana Tech 51.135
Dunkel Line: New Mexico State by 8; 152
Vegas Line: New Mexico State by 6; 144 1/2
Dunkel Pick: New Mexico State (-6); Over
Game 649-650: North Texas at Arkansas State (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: North Texas 52.002; Arkansas State 51.899
Dunkel Line: Even; 116
Vegas Line: Arkansas State by 3 1/2; 125 1/2
Dunkel Pick: North Texas (+3 1/2); Under
Game 651-652: Northern Iowa at Drake (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Northern Iowa 61.557; Drake 56.962
Dunkel Line: Northern Iowa by 4 1/2; 134
Vegas Line: Northern Iowa by 2; 128 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Northern Iowa (-2); Over
Game 653-654: WI-Green Bay at WI-Milwaukee (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: WI-Green Bay 54.531; WI-Milwaukee 60.818
Dunkel Line: WI-Milwaukee by 6 1/2; 117
Vegas Line: WI-Milwaukee by 8 1/2; 119
Dunkel Pick: WI-Green Bay (+8 1/2); Under
Game 655-656: Southern Mississippi at Tulane (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Southern Mississippi 61.442; Tulane 58.225
Dunkel Line: Southern Mississippi by 3; 131
Vegas Line: Southern Mississippi by 1; 125
Dunkel Pick: Southern Mississippi (-1); Over
Game 657-658: Marshall at Rice (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Marshall 64.540; Rice 59.613
Dunkel Line: Marshall by 5; 137
Vegas Line: Marshall by 2 1/2; 140
Dunkel Pick: Marshall (-2 1/2); Under
Game 659-660: Creighton at Bradley (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Creighton 64.119; Bradley 54.163
Dunkel Line: Creighton by 10; 155
Vegas Line: Creighton by 12; 149
Dunkel Pick: Bradley (+12); Over
Game 661-662: George Washington at St. Louis (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: George Washington 51.754; St. Louis 72.719
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 21; 111
Vegas Line: St. Louis by 17 1/2; 118
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-17 1/2); Under
Game 663-664: Florida Atlantic at Arkansas-Little Rock (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Florida Atlantic 52.641; Arkansas-Little Rock 53.733
Dunkel Line: Arkansas-Little Rock by 1; 129
Vegas Line: Florida Atlantic by 2; 127
Dunkel Pick: Arkansas-Little Rock (+2); Over
Game 665-666: Connecticut at Rutgers (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Connecticut 70.027; Rutgers 61.136
Dunkel Line: Connecticut by 9; 131
Vegas Line: Connecticut by 6; 135
Dunkel Pick: Connecticut (-6); Under
Game 667-668: Santa Clara at Gonzaga (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Santa Clara 54.354; Gonzaga 70.336
Dunkel Line: Gonzaga by 16; 151
Vegas Line: Gonzaga by 19; 145
Dunkel Pick: Santa Clara (+19); Over
Game 669-670: SMU at Tulsa (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: SMU 51.763; Tulsa 62.633
Dunkel Line: Tulsa by 11; 108
Vegas Line: Tulsa by 8 1/2; 117
Dunkel Pick: Tulsa (-8 1/2); Under
Game 671-672: Loyola Marymount at San Diego (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Loyola Marymount 49.782; San Diego 50.783
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1; 142
Vegas Line: Loyola Marymount by 3; 137
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (+3); Over
Game 673-674: Memphis at UAB (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Memphis 65.084; UAB 61.416
Dunkel Line: Memphis by 3 1/2; 122
Vegas Line: Memphis by 5; 127 1/2
Dunkel Pick: UAB (+5); Under
Game 675-676: Houston at UTEP (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston 56.127; UTEP 63.098
Dunkel Line: UTEP by 7; 138
Vegas Line: UTEP by 4 1/2; 136
Dunkel Pick: UTEP (-4 1/2); Over
Game 677-678: Mississippi State at Arkansas (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Mississippi State 67.605; Arkansas 64.738
Dunkel Line: Mississippi State by 3; 147
Vegas Line: Mississippi State by 1; 145 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Mississippi State (-1); Over
Game 679-680: Nevada at Utah State (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Nevada 62.402; Utah State 65.326
Dunkel Line: Utah State by 3; 122
Vegas Line: Utah State by 4 1/2; 126
Dunkel Pick: Nevada (+4 1/2); Under
Game 681-682: Pepperdine at Portland (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pepperdine 47.989; Portland 50.945
Dunkel Line: Portland by 3; 122
Vegas Line: Portland by 4 1/2; 128
Dunkel Pick: Pepperdine (+4 1/2); Under
Game 683-684: Stanford at Oregon State (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Stanford 63.398; Oregon State 64.945
Dunkel Line: Oregon State by 1 1/2; 152
Vegas Line: Oregon State by 3; 143 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Stanford (+3); Over
Game 685-686: CS-Fullerton at Cal Poly (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: CS-Fullerton 57.611; Cal Poly 60.789
Dunkel Line: Cal Poly by 3; 129
Vegas Line: Cal Poly by 7 1/2; 125
Dunkel Pick: CS-Fullerton (+7 1/2); Over
Game 687-688: Long Beach State at CS-Northridge (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Long Beach State 65.000; CS-Northridge 48.150
Dunkel Line: Long Beach State by 17; 137
Vegas Line: Long Beach State by 13 1/2; 141
Dunkel Pick: Long Beach State (-13 1/2); Under
Game 689-690: UC-Riverside at Pacific (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UC-Riverside 44.215; Pacific 44.942
Dunkel Line: Pacific by 1; 111
Vegas Line: Pacific by 3; 116 1/2
Dunkel Pick: UC-Riverside (+3); Under
Game 691-692: UC-Irvine at UC-Davis (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UC-Irvine 48.668; UC-Davis 42.158
Dunkel Line: UC-Irvine by 6 1/2; 144
Vegas Line: UC-Irvine by 2 1/2; 139
Dunkel Pick: UC-Irvine (-2 1/2); Over
Game 693-694: Arizona State at UCLA (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona State 54.796; UCLA 68.066
Dunkel Line: UCLA by 13 1/2; 122
Vegas Line: UCLA by 11 1/2; 126
Dunkel Pick: UCLA (-11 1/2); Under
Game 695-696: San Jose State at Hawaii (12:00 a.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Jose State 51.529; Hawaii 57.201
Dunkel Line: Hawaii by 5 1/2; 144
Vegas Line: Hawaii by 8; 139 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Jose State (+8); Over
Game 697-698: Georgia Southern at Davidson (3:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Georgia Southern 46.966; Davidson 66.813
Dunkel Line: Davidson by 20; 150
Vegas Line: Davidson by 1761/2; 147
Dunkel Pick: Davidson (-16 1/2); Over
Game 699-700: Canisius at Loyola-MD (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Canisius 44.193; Loyola-MD 55.885
Dunkel Line: Loyola-MD by 11 1/2; 33
Vegas Line: Loyola-MD by 13; 136 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Canisius (+13); Under
Game 701-702: College of Charleston at Furman (2:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: College of Charleston 55.635; Furman 55.495
Dunkel Line: Even; 143
Vegas Line: College of Charleston by 2 1/2; 140 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Furman (+2 1/2); Over
Game 703-704: Wofford at Western Carolina (4:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Wofford 56.796; Western Carolina 54.000
Dunkel Line: Wofford by 3; 120
Vegas Line: Pick; 125 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Wofford; Under
Game 705-706: Tennessee State at Jacksonville State (5:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tennessee State 48.712; Jacksonville State 47.729
Dunkel Line: Tennessee State by 1; 123
Vegas Line: Tennessee State by 3 1/2; 128
Dunkel Pick: Jacksonville State (+3 1/2); Under
Game 707-708: SE Missouri State at Eastern Kentucky (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: SE Missouri 47.418; Eastern Kentucky 55.402
Dunkel Line: Eastern Kentucky by 8; 138
Vegas Line: Eastern Kentucky by 5 1/2; 134 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Eastern Kentucky (-5 1/2); Over
Game 709-710: Appalachian State at Chattanooga (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Appalachian State 47.118; Chattanooga 52.634
Dunkel Line: Chattanooga by 5 1/2; 132
Vegas Line: Chattanooga by 7 1/2; 137 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Appalachian State (+7 1/2); Under
Game 711-712: Samford at The Citadel (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Samford 42.522; The Citadel 40.413
Dunkel Line: Samford by 2; 139
Vegas Line: Pick; 135 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Samford; Over
Game 713-714: SIU-Edwardsville at Tennessee-Martin (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: SIU-Edwardsville 39.246; Tennessee-Martin 45.182
Dunkel Line: Tennessee-Martin by 6; 134
Vegas Line: Tennessee-Martin by 5; 137
Dunkel Pick: Tennessee-Martin (-5); Under
Game 715-716: Murray State at Austin Peay (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Murray State 60.009; Austin Peay 56.147
Dunkel Line: Murray State by 4; 141
Vegas Line: Murray State by 6 1/2; 138
Dunkel Pick: Austin Peay (+6 1/2); Over
Game 717-718: Morehead State at Tennessee Tech (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Morehead State 48.119; Tennessee Tech 56.169
Dunkel Line: Tennessee Tech by 8; 128
Vegas Line: Tennessee Tech by 6 1/2; 134
Dunkel Pick: Tennessee Tech (-6 1/2); Under
Game 719-720: Northern Arizona at Eastern Washington (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Northern Arizona 42.491; Eastern Washington 54.095
Dunkel Line: Eastern Washington by 11 1/2; 138
Vegas Line: Eastern Washington by 13; 135
Dunkel Pick: Northern Arizona (+13); Over
Game 721-722: Montana at Idaho State (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Montana 55.635; Idaho State 46.726
Dunkel Line: Montana by 9; 120
Vegas Line: Montana by 7; 126 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Montana (-7); Under
Game 723-724: Weber State at Portland State (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Weber State 54.126; Portland State 54.297
Dunkel Line: Even; 160
Vegas Line: Weber State by 3 1/2; 155 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Portland State (+3 1/2); Over
Game 725-726: Northern Colorado at Sacramento State (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Northern Colorado 48.607; Sacramento State 48.542
Dunkel Line: Even; 149
Vegas Line: Northern Colorado by 1; 143 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Sacramento State (+1); Over
Game 731-732: Western Illinois at IPFW (2:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Western Illinois 53.999; IPFW 50.670
Dunkel Line: Western Illinois by 3 1/2; 121
Vegas Line: Pick; 126
Dunkel Pick: Western Illinois; Under
Game 733-734: IUPUI at Oakland (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: IUPUI 53.915; Oakland 54.442
Dunkel Line: Oakland by 1; 170
Vegas Line: Oakland by 5; 166 1/2
Dunkel Pick: IUPUI (+5); Over
Game 735-736: South Dakota at UMKC (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: South Dakota 43.920; UMKC 50.687
Dunkel Line: UMKC by 7; 138
Vegas Line: UMKC by 5; 143
Dunkel Pick: UMKC (-5); Under
Game 7037-738: South Dakota State at Oral Roberts (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: South Dakota State 61.996; Oral Roberts 66.157
Dunkel Line: Oral Roberts by 4; 148
Vegas Line: Oral Roberts by 6 1/2; 145
Dunkel Pick: South Dakota State (+6 1/2); Over
Game 739-740: North Dakota State at Southern Utah (9:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: North Dakota State 60.208; Southern Utah 50.721
Dunkel Line: North Dakota State by 9 1/2; 138
Vegas Line: North Dakota State by 7 1/2; 142
Dunkel Pick: North Dakota State (-7 1/2); Under
SPORTS WAGERS
HOUSTON -3½ over Cincinnati
Had Pete Rose bet on this Cincinnati team to make the playoffs this year, he would have made a bundle. The Bengals were supposed to have a down year but somehow found their way to the post-season. Rookie QB Andy Dalton was a big help. While his numbers were moderate, perhaps good for a rookie, he offered some stability where it is needed most. His poise and leadership disseminated to other young teammates and it has changed the landscape in Cincy. However, there is still a ways to go. Cincinnati’s only win against an above .500 team, was against the dicey Titans. When losing twice to both the Steelers and Ravens, the Bengals failed when it counted most. Granted, the current version of the Texans isn’t at the level of some of the winning teams that the Bengals lost to. Injuries to key personnel have this team on a three-game slide heading into the playoffs. While that’s never a good thing, Houston can take some comfort in that its last win occurred against these Bengals, a month ago in Cincinnati. That was Tyler Yates’ second start as a pro. He will now be at home with Andre Johnson back in the line-up and a top-notch running game behind him. We saw Baltimore’s Ray Rice slice through these Bengals on two occasions this year. Arian Foster can do the same and with Houston’s staunch defense behind him, Yates and Co. should be able to get Houston its first-ever playoff win. Play: Houston -3½ (Risking 2.1 units to win 2).
NEW ORLEANS -10½ over Detroit
New Orleans was a 10½-pt. choice at this time last year before being shockingly bounced by the inferior Seahawks. If we’re Lions’ fans, that can’t be good. New Orleans does not need any extra motivation. The Saints are in some sort of crazed zone right now. They haven’t lost since October. They have not lost at home this season, outscoring their visitors by a whopping 329-143 count. Detroit was one of the teams that stopped by this season and were neatly disposed of in a 31-17 loss. Of course, this dynamic offense is orchestrated by the record-setting arm of Drew Brees. Brees is a precision passer, complimented by an array of superb offensive stars. The emergence of TE Jimmy Graham and the addition of RB Darren Sproles, has made this unit more potent than ever. The Lions are not equipped to slow it down. Detroit allowed the 22nd most points in the league. Just last week, in a game they needed to win in order to avoid flying here, the Leos allowed Packers’ backup QB Matt Flynn to carve them up for 480 yards, six TD’s and 45 points in his second lifetime start. While Detroit has some offensive weaponry of its own, the Saints defense is an unheralded group that has enough talent and experience to hold the Lions at bay. Detroit is thrilled to participate in its first playoff since 1999. It is definitely something to build on but this stop is where the ride comes to abrupt stop for now. Play: New Orleans -10½ (Risking 2.04 units to win 2).
Andrew Ryan
Boston Bruins
The Vancouver Canucks and the Boston Bruins haven’t renewed ties since the Stanley Cup Finals. However, they will do so on Saturday in Beantown, and it should be a war considering the fact that they are, without a shadow of a doubt, the two hottest teams in NHL betting action in their respective conferences.
The Canucks really turned it on around November 6th, when they were able to beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2 in a rematch from last year’s first round of the playoffs. Since that point, the offense has been remarkable, and both Cory Schneider and Roberto Luongo have been on point. The team has stormed to the front of the Northwest Division, in part because of its own success and in part because of the failures of the Minnesota Wild. As you would expect, the Sedin brothers are really making some noise once again this year. Henrik Sedin has 10 goals and 38 assists on the campaign, while Daniel Sedin has 18 goals and 28 assists. Ryan Kesler is finally starting to get back in the fold as well with his 10 goals and 19 helpers, and he is one of the seven other members of the team that have at least 22 points on the season. When you look at Vancouver’s core stats, you have to be impressed. The team ranks No. 4 in scoring (3.2 GPG) and No. 8 in goals allowed (2.3 GPG), and on special teams, the Canucks rank No. 1 in power play (23.6%) and No. 7 in penalty killing (86.3%).
And then there are the Bruins, who are the epitome of hot at the moment. They have only been beaten four times since November 1st, and in the process, they have posted some of the most impressive victories of the year… They beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-0 on 11/5, the New York Islanders 6-0 on 11/9, the Philadelphia Flyers 6-0 on 12/17, the Florida Panthers 8-0 on 12/23, the New Jersey Devils 6-1 on Wednesday, and the very next night, they beat the Calgary Flames 9-0. Tim Thomas has 17 wins, while Tuukka Rask has nine victories and a league best 1.49 GAA. The offense is averaging 3.6 goals per game, No. 1 in the league, and it is holding teams to 1.8 goals per game, also No. 1 in the league. The power play is converting on 19.7 percent of its chances (#7) and the penalty kill is good for 87.7 percent of a kill rate (#4).
Vancouver Canucks @ Boston Bruins Pick: It truly is remarkable how well the Bruins have played of late, and it seems as though every big time challenge that they face, they pass and pass more impressively than the last big time challenge. This is probably the biggest challenge of the year, and again, we have no real reason to think that the B’s are going to slow down. We might have to lay around -200 to do so, but we just don’t have a reason to back anyone but Boston right now.
Wunderdog
Bengals vs. Texans
Play: Under 38.5
The Houston Texans will be playing their first playoff game in franchise history as they host the Wildcard round vs. the Cincinnati Bengals. This will be a rematch of a game that took place less than a month ago when Houston scored on the last play of the game for a 1-point, 20-19 win. That total in that game was set at 37.5, so the oddsmakers have bumped it a point, moving to Houston for this one. The Houston offense has struggled since the loss of Matt Schaub at QB. Although TJ Yates has managed the games fairly well, there is no question that the Houston offense has been reduced. The 10 games started by Schaub saw the Texans score 27.3 points per game. With Yates under center that has dropped to 17.0 ppg. The Bengals have some concerns of their own as Andy Dalton spent Wednesday in the hospital with an illness. He should be ready to go on Saturday, but there are other concerns. Dalton threw for 200+ yards in six of his first eleven games, but just once in his last five. And his yards per attempt over the last two games has been down to 5.3 and 5.0 - a pair of the lowest of the season. Defenses now have a lot of tape on Dalton and he isn't suprising defenses as much as he did to start the season. Since the loss of Shaub, Houston's real strength now is their defense. This team is ranked #4 in points allowed and #2 in yards allowed. They gave up 12 or less points in half of their home games. I look for the defense to play with a lot of passion here as they know it is one and done and the offense needs them to come through. With the Bengals defense giving up 221 yards on the ground last week, expect a lot of Arian Foster and Ben Tate here with the clock ticking. The Texans are 8-2 to the UNDER in their last 10 at home and 9-1 UNDER this season as a favorite. Under Marvin Lewis, the Bengals are 31-18 UNDER vs. teams that complete 61%+ of their passes. Take the UNDER.
Matt Fargo
Georgia State @ George Mason
Play: George Mason
You have to give credit to head coach Ron Hunter and the job he has done at Georgia St. The Panthers went 12-19 a season ago which led to the firing of Rod Barnes and things did not start good this season with three straight losses to start the campaign. It has been all roses since then however as Georgia St. has won its last 11 games, going 7-0 ATS in the games that had lines, including going 3-0 in the CAA. The Panthers are coming off a huge upset road win at VCU on Wednesday but two in row like that may be too much.
George Mason is coming off its own upset as it won at Old Dominion on Thursday, its first win there in eight years. The Patriots are also 3-0 in the CAA and unlike the Panthers, they were expected to contend for the conference championship. New head coach Paul Hewitt knows how to win as he did it at Georgia Tech before getting let go so despite coming off a huge road win just two days ago, he will have his team more than ready to not show any sort of a letdown.
The rise of Georgia St. has been a shocker but George Mason is arguably a better team this year as well but the line adjustment made from last season to this season is just too much. The Patriots were favored by 13.5-points in this same matchup a year ago and now the line has fallen 10 points. Obviously the Panthers are playing better as they came into that game a year ago 8-7 but they haven't improved enough to make this line plummet the way that it has.
The Panthers win at VCU was a big one but take a look at the schedule and you will see no other win that really stands out. Drexel is a very good team but that game was in Atlanta. Besides VCU, the other three road wins came at Samford, South Carolina St. and Utah Valley, which are a combined 14-30. The Panthers are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 road games against teams with a winning home record while the Patriots are 7-1 ATS in their last eight home games against teams with a road winning percentage of .600 or better.
Jim Feist
Nevada vs. Utah State
Play: Utah State -4½
A good WAC battle and home court has meant a great deal in a series like this. The Utah State Aggies are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 home games. This is the second road game in three nights for Nevada and the Wolf Pack are 1-10 ATS in the last 11 meetings, as well as 0-5 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Utah St. Look for a huge effort by the home team. Play Utah State!
Rob Vinciletti
Loyola Marymount vs. San Diego
Play: Loyola Marymount -2
Loyola has some big wins here on the road already this season as they are improved this season. They have big road wins at UCLA and more recently at San Francisco. LMU Has covered 3 of 4 lined games and 4 of 5 on Saturdays. They take on a San Diego team that is 5-38 straight up vs winning teams, including 0-8 this season. San Diego has dropped 19 of 24 off a loss is 4-22 straight up in lined home games and 3-15 straight up and ats as a home dog of 3 or less since 1997. Look for Loyola Marymount to get the win here on the road vs a poor San Diego team.
Marc Lawrence
Central Florida @ East Carolina
PICK: Central Florida
A pair of teams currently in the thick of the on-the-rise CUSA chase get it on in Greenville, NC. The Knights march into Minges Coliseum sporting a 5-1 ATS mark off a SU win when battling the Bucs. Second-year head coach Dennis Jones has directed UCF to a 32-15 SU record since taking his seat at the head of the round table in 2010 and he’ll be primed for some big-time revenge after his Knights took it on the chops three times in this series last year – including a TKO in the CUSA tourney. Speaking of revenge, the Pirates are coming off a quintuple-revenger against Southern Miss and have sunk to a 0-4 ATS log after facing the Eagles when their opponent is playing off a SU win. In the meantime, ECU has sailed into uncharted waters: three of its top four scorers are missing from last season and of the three returning starters, only forward Darius Morrow scored more than 7 PPG. Several key transfers should aid head coach Jeff Lebo (once a star at the guard position for UNC) in finding some way to balance the scoring load but until that happens, we’ll have no problem fading the Pirates. Marcus Jordan (son of Michael) continues to build on his UCF Holiday Tournament all-tourney team performance as he teams with F Keith Clanton to take down ECU. Not even Captain Jack Sparrow can save the Pirates today! We recommend a 1-unit play on UCF.
EZWINNERS
New Orleans Saints -10.5
The Saints offense is hitting on all cylinders right now and even though this looks like a lot of points to cover against an offense as good as Detroit's I like New Orleans to get it done. Every since their stunning loss to the St. Louis Rams, New Orleans has been rolling. The Saints have reeled of eight straight wins and are a perfect 8-0 against the spread in those games and I expect them to keep rolling. The Lions defense is horrible. Detroit gave up thirty or more points in half of their road games this season and are coming off a 45-41 loss to Green Bay last week in a game that saw Packer's backup quarterback Matt Flynn complete thirty one out of forty four passes for 480 yards and six touchdowns! I expect Drew Brees and company to pick up where Flynn and the Packers left off. On the other side of the ball there is no doubt that Detroit can score. Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for over 5000 yards himself this season, and even though the Saints defense will give up yardage and some points, they usually come up with some big takeaways to seal the deal for New Orleans. Detroit is just 2-5-2 against the spread as a double digit road underdog and the Lions finished the season on a 1-4-1 run against the Vegas number. New Orleans to go along with their eight game winning straight straight up and against the spread are a red hot 11-1 against the spread in their last twelve games as a home favorite. Lay the points.
Kyle Hunter
Cincinnati Bengals +3
The 2012 NFL playoffs kick off this Saturday afternoon in Houston. The Texans have fallen just short of the playoffs several times, but they were finally able to seal the deal this year. Cincinnati fell short against the Ravens last week, but the Bengals snuck into the playoffs thanks to some help from other playoff hopefuls. Which of these young teams will step up and get through to the second weekend of the playoffs?
Andy Dalton had a terrific rookie campaign for Cincinnati. He stepped into a difficult situation and was very good from day one. Dalton finished the regular season with 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. A.J. Green established himself as Dalton’s top target right from the beginning of the season. Green topped 1,000 yards receiving in his rookie season. Jermaine Gresham and Jerome Simpson also had breakout seasons for the Bengals. Cincinnati really needs a strong game out of Cedric Benson in this one. When Benson is running it well this offense is tough to stop. The Bengals only managed 285 total yards of offense a few weeks ago against Houston, so they must improve offensively in this one.
Cincinnati’s defense was the reason the Bengals made it to the postseason this year. The Bengals finished seventh in the NFL in total defense. This defense has only allowed more than 24 points once this year. The unit has suffered some key injuries and they aren’t quite as good as they were at the start of the year, but this group fights very hard. The defensive front is strong in the middle, and they’ll need to be at their best to stop the Texans running game this weekend.
Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart are both out with injuries, so it will be rookie T.J. Yates at quarterback for the Texans. Yates has done a surprisingly good job for an unheralded rookie quarterback. Yates is completing 61% of his passes, and he has a quarterback rating of 80.7. Andre Johnson has been suffering from a hamstring injury all year, but he is expected to play this Saturday. Johnson seems to be doing much better, and I expect him to make a big impact in his first playoff game as a professional. Arian Foster and Ben Tate are a great tailback tandem for Houston. The running game is the Texans bread and butter. Houston averaged 23.8 points per game during the regular season.
Houston had the worst pass defense in the NFL last year, but this year was a major strength. Johnathan Joseph, previously a star for the Bengals, transformed this secondary with his terrific skills at the cornerback spot. Joseph has 15 pass deflections and four interceptions this year. Houston allowed just 189.7 yards per game through the air this year. It would be tough to find a pair of better middle linebackers than Brian Cushing and DeMeco Ryans. Cushing leads the team with 76 tackles. Overall, this unit gave up just 17.4 points per contest this year.
The Texans won on a last second score when these two teams met in December. I think the Bengals can stay with the Texans in this one. Expect a strong effort from the Bengals defense. I like the underdog here with the three points.
Steve Janus
Cincinnati Bengals +4
The Bengals went into the fourth quarter with a 19-10 lead over the Texans, but ended up losing the game on a last second touchdown pass. While the game will be played in Houston this time around, I like the Bengals to cover the 4-point spread. With two rookie quarterbacks I expect a close low scoring game that it won in the final minutes.
Both of these teams come into this game with pretty solid defenses, and I expect these defenses to be even better the second time around. The first time around the Texans turned the ball over four times, and I expect them to make a few more mistakes with T.J. Yates at quarterback.
In my opinion, the difference in this game is going to come down to quarterback play. My money is on Andy Dalton to out-perform Yates and lead the Bengals to a straight up win. I know the Texans have Arian Foster and Ben Tate in the running game, but winning in the playoffs is about who you have to make the big throw when you need it the most.
Cincinnati is 6-1-2 ATS in their last 9 road games and 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a road underdog of 3.5-10.0.
Jimmy Boyd
1 Unit Iowa Hawkeyes +11.5
Iowa, which enters this contest on a 5-0 ATS run, is playing with a ton of confidence. After taking Purdue down to the wire (79-76 loss), it went on the road and upset Wisconsin and Minnesota. It won't be lacking any confidence today against an Ohio State team it played to a 5-point game at home last season. While teams have a tendency to endure a letdown following big wins, Iowa has been just the opposite. In fact, it is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 home games following an upset win over a conference rival. It has actually won by an average score of 68.0 to 62.7 in this spot. Ohio State has been consistently overvalued by odds makers in recent seasons, especially on Saturday's when the books are looking to take advantage of the public's love affair with highly rated team. As a result, the Buckeyes are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 Saturday games and 1-9 ATS in their last 10 Saturday road games. The Hawkeyes, meanwhile, are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Saturday games. The Buckeyes, who are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 road games overall, are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 meetings at Iowa. The Hawkeyes are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 home games and 5-0 ATS in their last 5 vs. the Big Ten. We'll take the points.
Dave Price
1 Unit Missouri/Kansas State Over 147
We saw 150 total points scored in last season's matchup at K-State, and I'm expecting another high-scoring affair this afternoon. The Over is 4-0 in the Tigers' last 4 road games, 9-3 in the Wildcats' last 12 home games, 9-3 in the last 12 meetings between these two teams and 5-1 in the last 6 between them at K-State. Bet the Over.
Jeff Alexander
1 Unit Texas -11
Oklahoma State has been a poor investment on the road, where it is just 6-16 ATS in its last 22 lined contests. It is just 4-14 ATS in its last 18 as a road underdog or pickem. Texas is 9-0 at home this season where it has been dominant. Plus, the Longhorns have owned the Cowboys, winning the last 4 by an average of 13.8 points. The Cowboys failed to cover the spread in those 4 meetings. It is also worth noting that the home team is 12-5-1 ATS in the last 18 meetings and the favorite is 6-0-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings. We'll bet Texas.