Tony Karpinski
Oklahoma State vs. Texas A&M
Play: Oklahoma State +4.5
Brandon Weeden’s maturity and experience is going to play a huge role in the Cowboys ability to settle in on the road and take it to the Aggies. Oklahoma State has been in this position for most of the last three years, peaking into the top-10 before losing a game against someone more experienced in the big game. Now the Cowboys are the ones who should walk into this game with something to prove to the rest of America. Their up-tempo offense has led to an average of over 50 points per game on the young season. Oklahoma State wins this game outright in a high scoring affair!
Ray Monohan
Atlanta Braves vs. Washington Nationals
Play: Washington Nationals
The Atlanta Braves cannot seem to catch a break. In the last 10 games, the Braves are 4-6 and just dropped another game to the lowly Florida Marlins. This looks like a carbon copy of last year when the Braves kept falling as the season progressed by were able to hang on to the NL wild card. The Washington Nationals have been steadily improving since the All-Star break. Phenom pitcher Stephen Strasburg has been slowly making a comeback after Tommy John surgery and the entire team looks like it is finally coming together. The MLB baseball betting fans in Washington are watching every personnel move the Nationals make to see what the team will look like next year. The Nationals are 8-2 in the last 10 games and are on a current five-game winning streak. The Braves send Brandon Beachy to the mound to try and stop the bleeding, but Beachy has not been effective lately. The Braves have lost Beachy’s last three starts in a row and he is not showing any signs of improving. Chien-Ming Wang is one of those bullpen pitchers that the Nationals have been looking at as a possible starter late in the season. Fans in DC are cautiously optimistic while the Atlanta Braves’ fans are downright panicked at this point. With the way the Braves have been playing lately, we see the Nats winning on Saturday.
Charlie Scott
California vs. Washington
Play: Under 59
As Conference Play begins and Coaches know their opponents, I expect lower scoring games. I expect these 2 Teams to play a slug it out competitve game. The Totals set by the oddsmaker for Cal's 2 games this season were 49 & 48, while Washington had totals of 51 & 53. When these 2 Teams matchup the last 5 yrs only 1 game has gone Over 58.
Rob Vinciletti
Army vs. Ball State
In this game we want to play on certain road favorites, Like Army that come in off a home dog win, and are taking on an opponent like Ball. St that are off a win in their last game. These road favorites have a tough time off the big upset win and hav failed to cover 17 of the last 20 times. Army in general has been mediocre as a road favorite, failing to cover the last 6 times in that role. Even worse is Army is 9-64 straight up vs teams with a winning record, including 1-9 the last 10. In their only road game, they lost pretty easily at Northern Illinois. Look for Ball. St to cover the four point spread. On Saturday its a Big Day of college football winners led by the MAC Conference Game of the Year from a 22-1 system that dates to 1981. I also have a 96% Blowout system, a 29-2 Triple Angle Pac 12 play and a live dog with bite that will win outright.
EZWINNERS
USC Trojans +2.5
Despite outgaining the Illini in total yardage 362-240 at Champaign last week Dennis Erickson’s Sun Devils found a way to lose the game 17-14 as their sloppy play continued. Penalties, turnovers and very bad offensive line play that allowed Illinois to record six sacks while keeping constant pressure on ASU's quarterback Brock Osweiler was their undoing. This week it will not get any easier against a relentless Trojans pass rush that is much better than the one they saw from Illinois last week. The USC defense has held all three of their opponents to 331 or fewer yards this year and I expect them to play well here. USC is kind of flying under the radar this year since they are not eligible for post season play, and find themselves as an underdog in this matchup for the first time in over a decade. The Trojans have won eleven straight meetings between these two teams and I expect that to continue in this game. ASU has too many issues with offensive line play and are making way to dumb mistakes. Take the points.
Don Wallace Sports
Kansas St +13
After a emotionally charged win last week vs Ohio St., Miami could be in letdown mode this week. Kansas State is often an overlooked team in the Big XII but this has been a consistently solid program and the recent record as an underdog is impressive. Miami's offense still has a tendency to be turnover prone. Laying double digits with Jacory Harris may prove to be a little much. Couple that with their 12-22 ATS record as a host and Kansas St. +13 suddenly appears to have some real value. Kansas St. beat up on a Kent St. team last week that many feel will be competive in the MAC this season. Bill Syder is 8-5 ATS when wearing the collar in the past 2 seasons has us with the Wildcats here.
Bob Balfe
Texas A&M -4.5 over Oklahoma State
There is no question that Oklahoma State has an explosive offense. My concern with them is their young defense. The Aggies are one of the most balanced teams in the nation on both sides of the ball and play in the most intimidating stadium in all of College Football. Both teams have gotten together for some instant classics the last few seasons, but I do not think this game will be close. The Aggies in my opinion are among the nations best teams and will crack into the top 5 after this game. This team is very underrated on defense and today should prove how good they really are. Take Texas A&M
SPORTS WAGERS
Arkansas +11 over ALABAMA
There are a lot of smart football people who insist that the Crimson Tide cannot be beat. Year five is the peak of the Nick Saban/Kirby Smart defensive player development machine. Elite coaching, elite talent and a full recruiting cycle worth of teaching and development in a program that spares no resource plus 10 starters back from what was still a top-five defense in a rebuilding year adds up not only to one of the nation's best defenses this year but to one of the best in recent memory. That said, Bobby Petrino is an elite coach. He went 41-9 at Louisville, just the 88th-winningest FBS program, and will win at least one SEC championship at Arkansas. The Razorbacks have beaten LSU three times out of four and are on the verge of overtaking the Tigers as the biggest obstacle for Alabama in the SEC West. This year's bunch features what might be the nation's best receiving corps, along with a capable quarterback and a constantly improving upperclassman-laden defense that is no longer -- by any means -- out of place in the SEC. Outside of beating a couple of cupcakes, the Tide beat Penn State by 16 but the Nittany Lions are nothing this season and things get a whole lot tougher here. The Razorbacks haven’t beaten anyone either. They even had a scare last week versus Troy but that scare has this line inflated. Arkansas had Alabama on their minds last week so pay no attention to the 38-28 win. The Razorbacks are an offensive juggernaut. They can play with the Tide and while they will be hard-pressed to win at this venue, they do have a shot and they have a huge shot of keeping it well within this range Play: #337 Arkansas +11 (Risking 2.08 units to win 2).
Notre Dame –7 over PITTSBURGH
The Irish are 1-2 while Pitt is 2-1. That’s pretty funny unless you’re a member of the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame lost to South Florida in the first game of the year and followed that up with one of the more bizarre losses in years. Not only were the Irish the better team in both losses, they moved up and down the field at will in both losses. Turnovers did them in. In a desperation game last week against a very talented Spartans club, Notre Dame dominated play again and won 31-13. This is by far its easiest assignment and is a huge mismatch. Pittsburgh is 2-1 after beating Buffalo and Maine and losing in Iowa last week. Against Maine, Pitt won by six points, 35-29 and outgained Maine by 10 yards, 381-371. That’s right, Maine. A team that 90% of us didn’t even know existed. A weak Iowa team also beat the Panthers last Saturday. The only way Notre Dame doesn’t win this game by four TD’s is if they turn the ball over six times. It’s not like they’re 3-0 and are in a letdown spot. The Irish have to keep their foot on the pedal and put this marshmallow away early and not let them back in it. On their worst day the Irish should easily handle this feeble group from Pittsburgh. Play: #349 Notre Dame –7 (Risking 2.12 units to win 2).
ARIZONA ST –2½ over Southern Cal
What we have here is the classic unranked v. ranked with the unranked being favored. That alone should tell you something. The Trojans come in with a 3-0 record and a #23 ranking to go along with it. As a 20-point favorite to open the year against Minnesota, the Trojans won by two. They have yet to play a road game and they’ll start seven freshmen here at key positions. In the three games that the Trojans have played this season against weak competition, Minnesota, Utah and Syracuse, USC has looked good in two quarters out of 12. Meanwhile, the Sun Devils beat Missouri in OT and lost at Illinois last week by just three against a tough Illini squad. ASU is sick of losing to the Trojans. They’ve been losing to this team for years and that’s because USC was a juggernaut for years. This is the Sun Devils “bowl” game. They want this one more than any other on their schedule. Arizona State’s defense is one of the top two in the conference and they should really make life miserable for a fragile USC offensive line. The Trojans are not the 23rd best team in the country. They’re not better than the Sun Devils and there are at least 40 teams better than them in Division 1. The Sun Devils take out years of frustration here. Play: #384 Arizona State –2½ (Risking 2.2 units to win 2).
Jack Clayton
Southern Miss at Virginia
Pick: Southern Miss
Southern Miss (2-1 SU, 0-2 ATS) Coach Larry Fedora runs a wide-open spread offense he helped run at Oklahoma State. The Golden Eagles average 26 points and 267 yards passing behind senior QB Austin Davis (4 TDs, 4 INTs) plus speedy senior WR Kelvin Bolden and sophomore RB Kendrick Hardy. The Golden Eagles are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. Virginia (2-1 SU, 1-1 ATS) is rebuilding under Coach Mike London. They have a new signal caller in sophomore QB Michael Rocco (2 TDs, 4 INTs) and the offense doesn’t have many playmakers. Play Southern Miss.
Joe Gavazzi
Southern Cal +2.5
USC at Arizona State (-2-) 10:15 PM EST ESPN It has been Death in the Desert for PAC10 foes in their last 8 visits to Sun Devil Stadium. That's right AZ State has covered 8 consecutive Conference home games. That trend clashes directly with the fact that USC has won 11 consecutive meetings vs. Arizona State. On the field, look for USC history to repeat itself. QB Barkley is at last getting the needed confidence to run the USC offense, and the defense is beginning to absorb the concepts of Kiffin, the older. As a result, USC is allowing just 88/3.3 overland, just 16 PPG and 5.0 YPPL. The Sun Devil numbers don't match that on the defensive side of the ball and they may have lost just enough confidence at Illinois last week to again fall to the mystique that is USC.
SPORTS WAGERS
Los Angeles –103 over SAN DIEGO
What the hell happened to Chad Billingsley this season? Here’s a guy whose skills were compared to that of teammate Clayton Kershaw. Billingsley was primed for a breakout season but instead he comes into this start with a pedestrian 4.23 ERA and 1.45 WHIP. The big problem for Billingsley is control. He’s walked 81 batters in 183 innings and that’s too many. However, he’s also whiffed 149, he’s been downright dominating the first time through line-ups and he has something to prove. Billingsley is having a bad year but his stuff is something that Aaron Harang only dreams about possessing. The Padres have lost four of Harang’s last five starts. He has a BAA of .276 on the year pitching mostly at extreme pitchers parks. Harang is an “old” 33 years of age with 134 days on the DL over the past three years. Over the past month his strand rate of 85% is what has kept him afloat. He’s been in more jams the past five weeks than most and he’s barely escaped. The line here is essentially a pick-em but in no way are Harang and Billingsley equal and in no way are the Padres equal to the Dodgers. Play: Los Angeles –103 (Risking 2.06 units to win 2).
Kansas City +124 over CHICAGO
The finish line can’t get here soon enough for the White Sox. After a couple of unlikely wins in Cleveland, the South Side has now gotten back to its losing ways. They’ve been outscored the past two games by a combined 22-3. The Royals took the opener last night 11-1 and what we have here is two teams with a complete different frame of mind. The Royals are having fun and they’re enjoying coming to the park. They wish the season was just starting. The White Sox have been this season’s most disappointing team. The players are miserable and frustrated, the fans are frustrated and everyone just wants to call it a year already. Everett Teaford is a guy to keep on your radar for next year. He’s had two excellent starts in two tries since being inserted into the rotation. Teaford has a good strikeout rate, a strong groundball bias profile and a 2.54 ERA over 25 appearances. John Danks is like the rest of the White Sox. He just wants to go home. Play: Kansas City +124 (Risking 2 units).
SPORTS WAGERS
B.C. Lions +111 over SASKATCHEWAN
As a 7½-point at home against the Argos last week, the football god were smiling on the Riders as they had no business winning, let alone covering. The Roughies are hot with three wins in a row but all three came against the East and they’re just 2-4 at home. Perhaps last week was a letdown after beating the Bombers in back-to-back weeks but it’s not going to deter us from backing the Lions. B.C. is hot with four wins in a row and five wins in six weeks. And how about Travis Lulay? Lulay is without doubt the most talented QB in the CFL. He’s poised, he’s smart, he has a great arm and his confidence level is soaring. The Lions are not only winning but they’re ruining the opposition with latest scores being 32-19 over Calgary in Calgary, a 28-6 pounding over the Argos, a 29-16 win over Toronto again, this time in Toronto and a 36-1 whipping against the Eskies. This is a Lions team that is playing tremendous defense, unstoppable offense and it’s simply a club you don’t want to bet against right now. Play: B.C. Lions +111 (Risking 2 units).
TORONTO +3½ over Winnipeg
This one is all about playing against the Bombers in a tough spot. Winnipeg went into Montreal last week and came out of there with a hugely emotional win. It was intense from start to finish and now the Bombers will travel in back-to-back weeks to play a team they’ve already beaten twice and have nothing to prove against. They could definitely be caught napping here. The Argos are a mess but they showed some heart last week with a near win in Saskatchewan. Steven Jyles now has a couple of games under his belt and he’s looking better with each passing quarter. Jyles now gets to face the team that didn’t want him anymore and if that’s not motivating, nothing will be. The Argos really have a great opportunity to get a rare win. The Bombers offense is rather weak and when you take a weak offense in an unfavorable spot, it creates a definite upset possibility. The Argos two losses to the Bombers this year have been by just six and nine points. Play: Toronto +3½ (Risking 2.2 units to win 2).
Tom Stryker
California vs. Washington
Play: California +1
In 2009 and 2010, Washington knocked off California by margins of 42-10 and 16-13. With the Huskies breaking in a mistake-prone quarterback in Keith Price, this will be the Golden Bears year to finally grab a little payback in this series.
With three consecutive wins over Fresno State, Colorado and Presbyterian, Cal has gotten off to a great start. That success can be attributed to the solid play of quarterback Zach Maynard. So far this season, Maynard has completed 49-of-95 passes for 724 yards with nine touchdowns and only three picks. The Buffalo transfer is directing an explosive California offense that is averaging 45.0 points and 456.0 yards per game!
According to my high-octane college database, this is an ideal spot for head coach Jeff Tedford’s troops. Since 1980, undefeated game four conference favorites or underdogs of +2 or less are a profitable 50-26 ATS for 65.7 percent provided they’re matched up against an opponent that owns a won/loss percentage of .500 or better. If our guest enters without rest, this situation tightens up to a tremendous 43-20 ATS for 68.2 percent. The Golden Bears fit this system and the tightener perfectly.
If you plan on fading the University of Washington, the time to do it is when the Huskies are off a straight up loss. UDub has dropped 51 of its last 81 in this role (2 ties) and stands a woeful 15-34 ATS at home. If the Huskies are favored as well, this team trend crashes to a shocking 5-20 ATS!
With a trip to Oregon and home wars against USC and Utah on deck, Coach Tedford understands the importance of this game. Matched up against a Washington defense that gives up a ton of yards (452.0 per game), Cal will move the chains, put points on the board and pick up its sweet revenge! Take California!
Michael Alexander
Vanderbilt vs. South Carolina
Play: South Carolina -15.5
VANDERBILT is 5-15 ATS in their last 20 games after allowing less than 275 total yards in their previous game.
VANDERBILT is 2-10 ATS in their last 12 games following a ATS win
SOUTH CAROLINA is 11-5-1 ATS in their last 17 games after allowing more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
Fairway Jay
Colorado State at Utah State
Play: Utah State
Utah State was on my radar for a release to clients this week, but due to its popularity in the betting markets, the line has gotten somewhat out of hand after opening -6. I had to make the prudent play and hold off an making them part of my college card, despite seeing another potential big win following our 6-0 mark on betting favorites last Saturday. This line has been adjusted considerably from a power rating standpoint but see what you think of this pointspread prognosis and determine if Utah State can ram Colorado State and win by double-digits.
Heading into CSU head coach Steve Fairchild’s fourth season, the Rams looked primed to improve after back-to-back three-win seasons. With talented sophomore quarterback Pete Thomas and a host of returning starters, CSU was expected to be productive on the offensive side of the ball. Unfortunately, it hasn’t happened. The Rams scored only 14 points and put up 329 yards against a pathetic New Mexico squad in their opener. The Lobos had allowed 43 ppg dating back to the start of last season and only two opponents in their last 29 games had failed to score at least 20 points. Last week, Colorado State was beaten handily by in-state rival Colorado, 28-14. Once again CSU managed just 243 yards offense and 4.4 yards per play. Each of the past three seasons, the Rams have suffered a letdown following their game against the Buffaloes. Now they will be forced to score plenty in order to keep pace with Utah State, which doesn’t appear likely. Colorado State has scored 20 or less points in 15 of its last 21 games and allowed 20 or more points in 20 of its last 24 games.
Utah State is rested and ready following a bye last week and the offense has been explosive through two games, including a big effort in the 42-38 loss at Auburn. Dual threat freshman quarterback Chuckie Keeton has passed for nearly 400 yards and rushed for three touchdowns. Couple Keeton with the team’s nine returning offensive starters and they should have no trouble moving the football against a depleted CSU defense that is missing its two best players; LB Mychal Sisson and DE Broderick Sargent. Utah State is averaging 334 rushing ypg through two games and their run defense is vastly improved from a season ago. This team is making their move following just four wins a season ago, and with Colorado State’s poor play on the road under Fairchild (4-13 ATS), look for the Aggies to roll over the Rams.