20* Giants/Pirates NL Wild Card Rout on Pittsburgh +103

The Pittsburgh Pirates have made the postseason for a second consecutive year.  They continue to get no respect from the books as a home underdog in this winner-take-all wild card game against the San Francisco Giants.  I'll take advantage and back the Pirates, who are 51-30 at home this season, and 20-13 against left-handed starters.

Edinson Volquez is in the midst of a career year.  The right-hander has gone 13-7 with a 3.04 ERA and 1.230 WHIP in 31 starts and one relief appearance.  He really stepped it up down the stretch, going 2-0 with a 0.43 ERA and 0.952 WHIP in his last three starts.  Dating back further, he is 5-0 with a 1.36 ERA in his last 10 starts, allowing 10 earned runs in 66 innings.

There's no denying that Madison Bumgarner is one of the better starters in baseball, but he's getting too much respect from the books as a road favorite here in a hostile environment.  He gave up four runs and three homers over 7 1/3 innings in his final start of the season against the Dodgers.  Bumgarner has been beat up in his last two starts against Pittsburgh, going 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA while allowing eight earned runs, two homers and 19 base runners in 12 innings with only seven strikeouts.

Volquez is 20-6 (+15.6 Units) against the money line vs. an NL team with a batting average of .255 or worse in the second half of the season over the last three seasons.  The Pirates are 21-4 (+15.9 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Wednesday over the last two seasons.  The Pirates are 9-1 in Volquez's last 10 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.  Pittsburgh is 6-0 in Volquez's last six starts after scoring two runs or less in its previous game.

The Giants are 5-12 in their last 17 road games vs. a team with a winning record.  San Francisco is 1-7 in its last eight games with a total set of 6.5 or lower.  Pittsburgh is 7-0 in its last seven during Game 1 of a series.  The Pirates are 6-1 in their last seven vs. a left-handed starter.  Pittsburgh is 39-18 in its last 57 home games.  The Pirates are 42-17 in their last 59 home games following a road trip of 7 or more days.  Pittsburgh is 6-2 in its last eight home meetings with San Francisco.  Bet the Pirates Wednesday.

20* A's/Royals AL Wild Card Rout on Kansas City +101

The Kansas City Royals (89-73) played some clutch baseball down the stretch by winning six of its final eight games to clinch a spot in the postseason for the first time since 1985.  The electricity at Kauffman Stadium Tuesday Night for this wild card game is going to be something worth seeing, and it's going to be a huge advantage for the Royals.

The Oakland A's (88-74) stumbled into the playoffs.  They were 10 games up in the wild-card race on August 10th but needed Game 162 to win the final spot.  The A's lost 30 of their final 46 games.  Their .433 winning percentage since the All-Star break is the lowest in the history of a playoff team.

'Big Game' James Shields gets the ball for the Royals in this one.  The staff ace is having another stellar 2014 campaign, going 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.181 WHIP in 34 starts.  He has owned the A's of late, going 2-1 with a 2.03 ERA and 0.613 WHIP in his last four starts against them.  He has allowed just seven earned runs and 19 base runners over 31 innings in those four starts.

Jon Lester is one of the better starters in the league, there's no denying that.  There's also no denying that he has owned Kansas City throughout his career.  However, in his two most recent starts against the Royals this season, he has been vulnerable.  He has given up six earned runs and 18 base runners over 12 2/3 innings in two starts since the beginning of August for a 4.26 ERA and 1.421 WHIP.

Plays against all teams when the money line is +125 to -125 (OAKLAND) - after 10 straight games where they failed to hit more than one HR, with a hot starting pitcher- ERA less than 2.00 over his last 3 starts are 90-47 (65.7%, +40.6 units) over the last five seasons.

Shields is 45-21 (+17.2 Units) against the money line vs. an AL team with an on base percentage .330 or worse over the last three seasons.  Oakland is 3-18 (-14.2 Units) against the money line as an underdog of +100 or higher this season.  Shields is 25-9 (+17.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less over the last three seasons. 

The A's are 3-13 in their last 16 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  The Royals are 39-18 in Shields' last 57 starts.  Kansas City is 7-1 in Shields' last eight starts vs. AL West opponents.  Kansas City is 4-1 in the last five meetings in this series.  Bet the Royals Tuesday.

20* Patriots/Chiefs ESPN Monday No-Brainer on New England -3

The New England Patriots travel to face the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football in Week 4. The Patriots have won each of the last two meetings in this series, including a 34-3 victory as a 17-point home favorite in their most recent head-to-head battle in 2011.

New England (2-1) has bounced back nicely from its 20-33 road loss to Miami in the opener. It has responded with a 30-7 road victory at Minnesota followed by a 16-9 home win against Oakland last week.

Kansas City (1-2) opened the season with an ugly 10-26 home loss to Tennessee. It played much better in a 17-24 road loss to Denver in Week 2, and then put together its best performance of the season in a 34-15 win at Miami last week.

The Patriots have shown throughout the years that they can win games one of two ways, but the fact of the matter is that they just keep winning. They can either beat you with one of the best offenses in the league and a suspect defense, which has been the case in recent years. However, this season they are proving that they can win with a not-so-dominant offense but a stellar defense.

Indeed, the Patriots are coming off two straight shutdown performances defensively. They held the Vikings to just 217 total yards and forced four turnovers in their 30-7 road victory two weeks ago. They also limited the Raiders to three field goals and just 241 yards in their 16-9 home win last week. They currently rank 3rd in the league in total defense at 272.7 yards per game.

I look for New England to shut down a weak Kansas City offense that ranks 23rd in the league at 322.3 yards per game. The Chiefs have suffered some key losses along the offensive line both due to offseason losses as well as injuries, and they haven’t been very good up front at all. Alex Smith is a limited passer with limited weapons. Jamaal Charles missed last week’s game against the Dolphins and is questionable to return this week.

The Kansas City defense is without starters Derrick Johnson and Mike DeVito, while stud safety Eric Berry is doubtful to play this week. This is a stop unit that played terrible in the second half of last year and into the playoffs when they gave up 45 points to the Colts.  I believe this is a bottom-half-of-the-league defense again in 2014, especially with all of these injuries.

You have to believe that New England's offensive struggles are eating at Tom Brady, and he and the coaching staff will do everything they can to become more explosive this week. The fact of the matter is that you cannot hold this offense down for long.

Also, last week’s narrow win over Oakland coupled with Kansas City’s blowout of Miami has provided some line value here. The Patriots should be a bigger favorite, but last week’s performances have kept this number lower than it should be.  Getting the Patriots as only a field goal favorite is an absolute gift from the oddsmakers.

Plays on road teams (NEW ENGLAND) – a good team (+3 to +7 PPG differential) against an average team (+/- 3 PPG differential), after allowing 17 points or less in two straight games are 23-4 (85.2%) ATS over the last 10 seasons.

New England is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 road games after allowing 75 or less rushing yards in two straight games. Kansas City is 15-33 ATS in its last 48 vs. AFC West opponents. The Patriots have won five of the last six meetings in this series. New England is 7-0 ATS in its last seven Week 4 games. The Chiefs are 0-6 ATS in their last six home games.  They clearly don't have as good of a home-field advantage as they are perceived to have.  Bet the Patriots Monday.

25* NBC Sunday Night Football GAME OF THE YEAR on New Orleans Saints -3

Dallas (2-1) has shown quite a bit of toughness since a 17-28 home loss to Dallas in the opener. It has gone on the road and beaten Tennessee 26-10 before erasing a 21-0 deficit to top St. Louis 34-31 last week.

New Orleans (1-2) suffered a pair of heartbreaking road losses to open the season against Atlanta (34-37) and Cleveland (24-26). It took out its frustration on Minnesota last week with a 20-9 home victory.

The Saints are actually undervalued due to their slow start to the season. That was the best thing that could have happened for Saints’ backers. I was on them last week as they barely covered the spread at home against the Vikings as a 10-point favorite with a 20-9 win.

However, a closer look shows that game was a bigger blowout than the final score would indicate. The Saints outgained the Vikings 396-247 for the game and should have won by more as they got back to their dominant ways defensively from last season.  They finished 4th in the league in total defense in 2013 and are better than they have shown on this side of the ball this year.

You can bet that Rob Ryan is going to want to stick it to his former team after the Cowboys fired him following the 2012 season, making him the scapegoat. He already did that once last year in a lopsided 49-17 home victory for the Saints, who outgained the Cowboys 625-193 for the game in a perfect performance on both sides of the ball. Drew Brees went 34-of-41 passing for 394 yards and four touchdowns in the win. The defense held Tony Romo to 10-of-24 passing for 128 yards and a touchdown.

That 32-point win for the Saints was no coincidence. In fact, to say this has been a one-sided series would be a gross understatement. New Orleans is 8-1 SU & 7-2 ATS in its last nine meetings with Dallas, which includes a perfect 4-0 road record over this span. The Saints have put up over 414-plus yards of total offense in four of the last five meetings, including 536-plus in three of those. The road team had won five straight in this series prior to last year's beat down by the Saints at home.

The Cowboys were really outplayed by the Rams last week. Their defense was shredded for 448 total yards, which is terrible when you consider the state the St. Louis offense is in right now. They were bailed out by three Rams’ turnovers. They will have their hands full against a New Orleans team that ranks 4th in the league in total offense this season at 421.7 yards per game.

Sean Payton is 20-7 ATS vs. good offensive teams that average 24 or more points per game as the coach of New Orleans. The Cowboys are 7-20 ATS vs. a team with a losing record. The Saints are 23-11 ATS in their last 34 vs. a team with a winning record. Dallas is 1-4 ATS in its last five home games. The Cowboys have actually been much better on the road than they have been at home since building their billion-dollar stadium, and that has continued to be the case in 2014.  Bet the Saints Sunday.

15* MLB Sunday PLAY OF THE DAY on Seattle Mariners -183

Seattle (86-75) stayed alive for the second wild card with Saturday's 2-1, 11-inning victory. A win Sunday and an Oakland (87-74) loss would force a one-game playoff between the teams for the right to face either Kansas City or Detroit in the wild wild card game.

Los Angeles (98-63) has been resting most of its regulars since clinching the division title and has dropped four of six. It will send Cory Rasmus to the mound for his sixth start, though the bullpen likely will get plenty of work.  Rasmus hasn't pitched more than four innings in any of his starts this year.

Ace Felix Hernandez (14-6, 2.18 ERA) takes the mound looking not only for a win, but for the AL ERA title as well.  He is just behind Chris Sale (2.17 ERA) for that distinction, only adding fuel to the fire for him to dominate the Angels.

Hernandez has been stellar against AL West-champion Los Angeles this season, going 2-0 with a 0.94 ERA in four starts. He's struck out 40 Angels in 28 2/3 innings after fanning 11 while pitching seven scoreless innings of Seattle's 3-1 victory September 18th.

The Angels are 5-13 in their last 18 games as a road underdog of +151 to +200.  The Mariners are 18-8 in Hernandez's last 26 starts.  Seattle is 8-1 in Hernandez's last nine starts after scoring two runs or less in its previous game.  The Mariners are 6-0 in Hernandez's last six Sunday starts.  Seattle is 5-0 in  Hernandez's last five starts vs. Angels.  Roll with the Mariners Sunday.

15* NFL Sunday Undervalued Underdog on Jacksonville Jaguars +14

San Diego (2-1) is just an 11-point blown lead against the Cardinals (17-18) in the opener away from being undefeated this season. It bounced back with a 30-21 home win against Seattle in Week 2, and carried that momentum over with a 22-10 road win at Buffalo last week.

Jacksonville (0-3) is one of three teams left to have not won a game this season. It blew a 17-point lead in the opener to the Eagles, getting outscored 34-0 in the second half. It has been all downhill since with a 10-41 road loss to Washington and a 17-44 home loss to Indianapolis over the past two weeks.

While it has not been a pleasant start to the season for the Jaguars, they at least have something to look forward to this week as rookie Blake Bortles will be making his first career start. He played better than Chad Henne in the preseason, and he gives this team their best chance to be competitive. I love the move by head coach Gus Bradley to try and inject some life into this team, and I look for it to work, starting this week.

Bortles came on in against the Colts last week and played pretty well. He completed 14 of 24 passes for 223 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Having an entire week of preparation to get ready to face the Chargers will certainly pay dividends and make the transition much smoother for him rather than being forced into the action like he was last week against the Colts.

San Diego enters this game overvalued because it has opened the season 3-0 against the spread. Jacksonville is undervalued right now due to going 0-3 against the spread in its first three games. The betting public has taken notice, and they want nothing to do with the Jaguars now. Oddsmakers have been forced to adjust, and they are tacking on a few too many points to this spread. This is clearly a letdown spot for the Chargers as well after their back-to-back huge wins over the Seahawks and Bills.

Also, the Chargers have a lot of key injuries they are dealing with right now.  They have lost two key starters on defense in LB Monte Te'o and LB Melvin Ingram.  Te'o is out indefinitely with a fractured foot, while Ingram, one of their best pass rushers, has been placed on the IR with a hip injury.  Offensively, they are down two starting linemen in C Nick Hardwick and G Jeromey Clary.  They are also without their top two running backs coming into the season in Ryan Matthews and Danny Woodhead.

Here is a trend that just goes to show how backing poor ATS teams in brief stretches can be very profitable. Plays on any team (JACKSONVILLE) – after being beaten by the spread by more than 7 points in three consecutive games, terrible team, winning 25% or less of their games on the season are 28-8 (77.8%) ATS over the last 10 seasons.

Also, plays on road underdogs of 10.5 or more points (JACKSONVILLE) – off 3 or more consecutive overs, poor offensive team – scoring 17 or less points/game are 23-5 (82.1%) ATS since 1983. Again, plays on road teams (JACKSONVILLE) – with a pathetic defense – allowing 6.0 or more yards/play, after allowing 400 or more total yards in three consecutive games are 23-4 (85.2%) ATS since 1983.  You may not have been able to stomach taking the Jaguars up to this point, but it's the right move this week.  Bet the Jaguars Sunday.

20* AFC South GAME OF THE MONTH on Tennessee Titans +7.5

Tennessee (1-2) looked to be an improved team with a 26-10 road win at Kansas City in the opener. However, back-to-back blowout losses to Dallas (10-26) at home and Cincinnati (7-33) on the road have many questioning it.

Indianapolis (1-2) did not look good in the first two weeks with losses at Denver (24-31) and at home against Philadelphia (27-30). It took out its frustration on lowly Jacksonville last week, coming away with a 44-17 road victory.

The sign of a good team is one that is outgaining opponents on the season. The lopsided losses the Titans suffered against the Bengals and Cowboys were nowhere near the blowouts they appeared. They were only outgained by 54 yards by the Cowboys, and they actually outgained the Bengals by 26 yards, but they shot themselves in the foot with missed field goals and four turnovers in those two contests.

After outgaining the Chiefs by 160 yards in the opener, the Titans are actually outgaining opponents 348.3 to 304.3 on the season, or by an average of 44.0 yards per game. That 304.3 mark is good for 5th in the league in total defense, so they certainly have a stop unit that is capable of shutting teams down. The same cannot be said for the Colts, who are allowing 26.0 points and 387.7 yards per game this season, good for 28th in the league in total defense.

Tennessee will be out for revenge in this game after losing all four meetings to Indianapolis over the past two seasons. All four meetings were decided by 8 points or less, including three by 6 points or fewer. In their 14-22 loss at Indianapolis last year, the Titans actually outgained the Colts 347-264 for the game. In fact, the Titans have allowed less than 270 yards of total offense to the Colts in each of the last two meetings in Indianapolis.

The Colts simply have a knack for playing in close games. They have gone 14-4 in games decided by a touchdown or less over the past three seasons combined. Their shaky defense doesn’t allow them to blow teams out very often, save for teams like the Jaguars who are horrible. There is a very good chance this game is decided by a touchdown or less as well.

Tennessee is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 after scoring 14 points or less in two straight games. Plays on any team (TENNESSEE) – a poor offensive team (14-18 PPG) against a poor defensive team (23-27 PPG), after a loss by 21 or more points are 24-4 (85.7%) ATS over the last 10 seasons.  After an Indianapolis blowout last week and a lopsided loss by Tennessee, this line has simply been inflated.  Take the Titans Sunday.

15* NFL Sunday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on New York Jets +2

Detroit (2-1) has taken care of business at home this season with blowout victories over both the Giants (35-14) and the Packers (19-7). Sandwiched between those two performances was a stinker in a 7-24 road loss to the Panthers.

New York (1-2) won its opener against Oakland by a final of 19-14. It has since suffered a pair of heartbreaking losses with a 24-31 setback on the road at Green Bay and a 19-27 home loss to Chicago.

This is a make-or-break game for the Jets. They know they cannot afford to fall to 1-3 if they want any chance of making the postseason. I look for them to put it all on the line to get a win this weekend, and to likely come away victorious. This is a huge letdown spot for the Lions, who are coming off a rare win over division rival Green Bay last week.

Despite the 1-2 start, I have been very impressed with the Jets up to this point. They had the Packers down 21-3 on the road and had every chance to win that game, but had a potential game-tying touchdown called back due to a timeout. They simply gave the game away against the Bears last week despite outplaying them, committing three turnovers. They outgained Chicago 414-257 for the game, which was the second time they have put up over 400 yards of offense this season.

There’s no question that the Jets are better than they get credit for. That’s evident by the fact that they rank 2nd in the league in total defense at 268.3 yards per game, and 8th in total offense at 376.0 yards per game. As you can see, they are outgaining opponents by an average of 107.7 yards per game on the season. That's the third-best yardage differential in the league and shows what this team is capable of provided that they quit turning the ball over on offense.

While the Lions have looked absolutely dominant at home, they were a completely different team in their lone road game this season. They lost to the Panthers by a final of 7-24 despite being just a 1.5-point underdog in that contest. The offense was limited to just 323 total yards while committing three turnovers. The Lions are now just 5-12 on the road over the past three seasons. They have gone 0-8 on the road five times since 2001 while finishing with a .500 road record or better only once in the last 13 years.

Detroit is 7-22 ATS in its last 29 games as a road favorite of 7 points or less. The Lions are 29-51 ATS in their last 80 road games following one or more consecutive ATS wins. The Jets are 18-4 ATS in their last 22 home games off a home loss. New York is 16-6 ATS in its last 22 after playing on Monday Night Football.  Take the Jets Monday.

20* NFC North GAME OF THE MONTH on Green Bay Packers -1.5

Chicago (2-1) didn’t let a 20-23 home loss in overtime to Buffalo in the opener dictate what kind of team it would be this season. It is coming off two straight impressive road wins on primetime television over the 49ers (28-20) and Jets (27-19).

Green Bay (1-2) is somewhat fortunate to have a win this season. It had to erase a 21-3 deficit to beat the Jets (31-24) at home in Week 2. That victory was sandwiched between a pair of ugly road losses at Seattle (16-36) and Detroit (7-19).

The Packers have played an extremely tough schedule in the early going, which is more than anything responsible for their 1-2 start. Road games against the Seahawks and Lions clearly have not been easy. Those two teams appear to be two of the best in the league in 2014. In hopes of avoiding a 1-3 start, the Packers will buckle down this week and be extra motivated to take down the Bears.

Playing Chicago is exactly what the Packers need to get right. After all, they have won seven of the last eight meetings in this series. They racked up 473 yards of total offense in their 33-28 road victory at Chicago last season to improve to 4-0 in the last four meetings at Soldier Field.

They did lose to the Bears at home last season, but that was the game where Aaron Rodgers got injured early in the first quarter as he attempted just two passes. So, when Rodgers plays the full game, the Packers are 7-0 in the last seven meetings.

Chicago will be working on a short week. It is coming off a 27-19 road win over the New York Jets on Monday Night Football in a game it should have lost. That can also be said for the San Francisco game the week before.

The Bears have been thoroughly outplayed in those two games, but they have taken advantage of a combined seven turnovers by the opposition to pick up the two wins. They were outgianed 216-361 by the 49ers and 257-414 by the Jets. This team will not be able to live off of turnovers forever, and I look for their biggest flaws to show against Rodgers and company.

Chicago ranks 27th in the league in total offense at 300.0 yards per game.  It also ranks just 23rd in total defense at 377.7 yards per game.  As you can see, it is getting outgained by an average of 77.7 yards per game on the season.  That's the sign of a team that should be 1-2 or 0-3 rather than one that is 2-1.  Without question, it is fortunate to have that record at this point.

The Bears have one of the worst home-field advantages in the league. They are 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 home games, including 1-7-1 ATS at home under Marc Trestman. Chicago is 2-10 ATS versus division opponents over the past three seasons. The Bears are 5-22 ATS in their last 27 after scoring 25 points or more in two straight games. The Packers are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 meetings in Chicago.  Roll with Green Bay Sunday.

20* Big 12 GAME OF THE MONTH on Baylor -21

The Baylor Bears have gotten off to another fast start this season, winning and covering each of their first three games, including their 63-21 victory at Buffalo last time out. Somehow, some way the Bears continue to not get the credit they deserve from oddsmakers. They won the Big 12 last year and are one of the favorites to win it again in 2014.

The books simply haven’t been able to set the numbers high enough in these first three games. The Bears have covered as a 31.5-point favorite against SMU (45-0), a 46.5-point favorite against Northwestern State (70-6), and as a 33-point favorite over Buffalo (63-21).  I don’t believe they have set the number high enough in this game, either.

Baylor has been the most impressive team in the Big 12 to this point, or it is at least neck-and-neck with Oklahoma. Its offense is dynamite once again despite being down some receivers due to injury for a few games. It is averaging 59.3 points and 654.3 yards per game, and after having two weeks to get healthy, starting receivers Antwan Goodley and Corey Coleman are expected to return this week. The defense has been as good if not better than the offense in allowing just 9.0 points and 221.0 yards per game.

Baylor absolutely destroyed Iowa State last year in a 71-7 victory that was as impressive as any in all of college football. It racked up 714 yards of offense while allowing just 174 to the Cyclones. Bryce Petty went 23 of 31 passing for 343 yards and two touchdowns before getting pulled early. The defense held Cyclone quarterbacks to 15 of 27 passing for 123 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. They also limited ISU to 41 yards on 33 carries on the ground, an average of 1.2 per carry.

Iowa State is coming off its Super Bowl, which is the instate rivalry against Iowa that means more to the Cyclones than any other game throughout the course of any season. They did win that game 20-17, but the Hawkeyes are clearly down this season. You can’t forget the stinker that this team put up in the opener with a 14-34 loss to North Dakota State as the Cyclones allowed 34 unanswered points after taking an early 14-0 lead. They were outgained in that game 253-503 by the Bison.

While Iowa State did hang tough against Kansas State, it needed a TD on a punt return as well as another score on a reverse pass to keep that game close. In all reality, that game was far from the 28-32 contest it turned out to be. The Cyclones were actually outgained 319-471 by the Wildcats and should have lost by a lot more. All 28 of their points came in a wild second quarter where the Wildcats simply let down their guard. Baylor doesn’t let down its guard, it just keeps pouring on the points, which allows it to cover these big spreads.

Plays on any team (BAYLOR) – excellent offensive team (>=440 YPG) against a poor offensive team (280 to 330 YPG), after gaining 575 or more total yards/game over their last two games are 28-6 (82.4%) ATS over the last 10 seasons. The Bears are 7-0 ATS off a win by 35 points or more over the past two seasons. Iowa State is 1-8 ATS vs. good rushing teams that gain 4.75 or more yards per carry over the last three seasons. Baylor is 20-6 ATS in its last 26 games overall.  Bet Baylor Saturday.

15* MLB Saturday PLAY OF THE DAY on Chicago Cubs +135

The Milwaukee Brewers (81-79) were recently eliminated from postseason contention.  They could care less about winning these final two games of the year after collapsing in the second half.  In fact, they have quit caring for over a week now as they have lost seven of their last nine games overall, including the opener of this series against the Cubs.

Chicago (72-88) has actually been a solid team over the last few months once it called up its talented prospects that are the future of the franchise.  These guys are playing for jobs next year, and they're playing inspired baseball to close out the season.  They have won three in a row, which includes a pair of wins over the Cardinals, who are in first place in the NL Central.

I'll gladly back the motivated Cubs and the underrated Tsuyoshi Wada Saturday.  The left-hander has had a very promising season in limited action, going 4-3 with a 3.22 ERA and 1.197 WHIP in 12 starts.  In his only start against the Brewers, Wada got the win on August 13th while allowing just two earned runs and six base runners over 6 2/3 innings of a 4-2 Chicago victory.

I'll gladly fade the uninspired Brewers and starter Wily Peralta in this one.  The right-hander is having a decent season at 16-10 with a 3.66 ERA and 1.320 WHIP in 31 starts, but he he has been slightly worse at home, posting a 3.97 ERA in 16 starts at Miller park.  Also, Peralta is 2-5 with a 4.10 ERA in eight career starts against Chicago.  He is 0-3 with a 5.68 ERA in three starts against Chicago in 2014, allowing 12 earned runs and four homers in 19 innings.

The Cubs are 6-1 in their last seven vs. NL Central opponents.  The Brewers are 8-21 in their last 29 games overall.  Milwaukee is 0-5 in its last five games vs. a left-handed starter.  The Brewers are 1-4 in Peralta's last five starts vs. NL Central opponents.  Chicago is 4-0 in the last four meetings.  Milwaukee is 1-5 in Peralta's last six starts vs. Chicago.  Roll with the Cubs Saturday.

20* CFB Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Ohio State -17

The Buckeyes (2-1) are coming off a 66-0 home win against Kent State prior to having their first bye of the season last week. The Cincinnati Bearcats (2-0) were on the only team in the country to have byes in the first two weeks of the season. They have since beaten Toledo 58-34 and Miami of Ohio 31-24 at home each of the past two weeks, respectively.

I believe the Buckeyes are undervalued right now after their slow start to the season. They won at Navy 34-17 in their opener, but needed a monster finish to pull away for that victory in a game that was closer than the final score would indicate. Then, they lost at home to Virginia Tech by a final of 21-35 as they were sloppy in committing three turnovers.

That loss to the Hokies was the first regular season defeat in the Urban Meyer era, a span of two-plus years and a 24-1 record later. He used it as a teaching lesson, and his team could not have responded better the following week. They beat Kent State 66-0 in an absolutely dominant effort, outgaining the Golden Flashes 628-126 for the game while forcing three turnovers. They had a bye week last week, which will only allow Meyer to further progress his team.

It was obviously going to take some time for freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett to get comfortable.  Meyer has done wonders with quarterbacks since becoming a head coach, and Barrett is a guy that he recruited who is a future start.  He started to show that against Kent State, completing 23 of 30 passes for 312 yards and six touchdowns with one interception.  Expect him to continue to improve by leaps and bounds as the season moves along.

Cincinnati clearly is not that good this season despite the 2-0 start. Its 58-34 win over Toledo was nowhere near the blowout it would indicate as it allowed 563 total yards to the Rockets and their backup quarterback. It only beat a terrible Miami of Ohio team by a final of 31-24 at home last week as a 30-point favorite. It only outgained the Redhawks 370-364 for the game as well. Tthe Bearcats really don’t stand much of a chance of keeping this one competitive.

Cincinnati has not been able to run the football on either Toledo or Miami Ohio, which both have soft defenses.  It is only averaging 123 yards per game on the ground and 4.1 per carry.  It relies heavily on the pass, which is good news for Ohio State backers.  The Buckeyes are only allowing 99 passing yards per game and 4.0 per attempt.

The Buckeyes have won 10 straight meetings between these instate foes.  The Bearcats are 0-9 all-time in Columbus, including a 37-7 loss to Ohio State in the most recent meeting in 2006.  They also lost 6-27 prior to that in 2004 in Columbus as well.

Ohio State is 8-0 ATS in its last eight home games after gaining 6.75 or more yards and allowing 3.75 or less yards per play last game. The Buckeyes are 25-10-2 ATS in their last 37 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game. The Buckeyes are 35-16 ATS in their last 51 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game. Take Ohio State Saturday.

15* Pac-12 GAME OF THE WEEK on Stanford -7

The No. 16 Stanford Cardinal (2-1) hit the road on Saturday, September 27th to take on the Washington Huskies (4-0) in a Pac-12 showdown. The Cardinal have won five of the last six meetings in this series, including a thrilling 31-28 home victory last year as a 9-point favorite.

The Cardinal had last week off following their 35-0 shutout of Army in Week 3 as a 30-point home favorite. The Huskies played Georgia State last week and wound up pulling away in the second half for a 45-14 victory to remain unbeaten on the season.

After losing to USC at home 10-13 in Week 2, the Cardinal know they cannot afford another loss if they want to win a third straight Pac-12 Title. That’s why they won’t be taking any teams lightly the rest of the way. There’s no way they should have lost to the Trojans in the first place as they outgained them 413-291 for the game, but committed two turnovers and simply beat themselves. They had a whopping nine drive that got inside the USC 30-yard line, so coming away with 10 points is unacceptable and highly unlikely.

Stanford got right with a 35-0 trouncing of Army in Week 3. It has since had a bye week to prepare for Washington, which did not have last week off. That extra week of preparation for the Cardinal will be a huge advantage heading into this one. It’s not like they need it as they have dominated the Huskies in recent years, winning five of the past six meetings in this series while going 4-2 ATS.

Washington is extremely fortunate to be 4-0 this season and is nowhere near as good as its record would indicate. It was outgained by 88 yards in a 17-16 win at Hawaii, outgained by 37 yards in a 59-52 home win over Eastern Washington, and it trailed Georgia State 14-0 at halftime last week.

Sure, the Huskies scored 45 points in the second half to pull away from Georgia State, but they were gift-wrapped most of those points due to four second-half turnovers by the Panthers. The Huskies only managed 336 total yards against an awful Georgia State defense.  This team is clearly overvalued right now due to the 4-0 record.

Simply put, Washington has no passing game. It couldn’t have faced an easier schedule to this point, yet it is only averaging 179 passing yards per game. It has been relying on its rushing attack, which has produced 239 yards per game.

That makes this a great match-up for Stanford, which has been one of the best teams in the country at stopping the run throughout the years.  The Cardinal are only giving up 138 rushing yards per game 3.5 per carry, which is impressive when you consider they have played both USC and and the triple-option attack of Army.

Stanford is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 road games following a win by 28 points or more. Washington is 4-14 ATS in its last 18 games following a blowout home win by 28 points or more. The Huskies are 9-24 ATS in their last 33 games following a game with a turnover margin of +3 or better. The Cardinal are 20-6-1 ATS in their last 27 road games. Stanford is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings in Washington.  Roll with Stanford Saturday.

15* FSU/NC State ACC Saturday No-Brainer on NC State +18.5

The No. 1 Florida State Seminoles (3-0) travel to face the North Carolina State Wolfpack (4-0) on Saturday, September 27th. The home team has won five straight meetings in this series, including a 49-17 victory by the Seminoles last year as a 34-point favorite.

The Seminoles are coming off a thrilling 23-17 overtime victory over the Clemson Tigers. They managed to gut out a win without Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston, who was serving a one-game suspension. The Wolfpack are coming off a 42-0 beat down of Presbyterian at home last week.

The Wolfpack have already exceeded their win total from last season. They haven’t exactly played the toughest of schedules en route to their 4-0 start, but Georgia Southern and Old Dominion are no pushovers, and this team has improved with every game. I was extremely impressed with their Week 3 road victory at South Florida by a final of 49-17 as they outgained the Bulls by 430 total yards for the game.

After having just 10 starters back in his first season on the job in 2013, head coach Dave Doeren has 14 starters back this year, and several of his recruits are getting playing time. Jacoby Brissett, the former Florida transfer, has taken his game to the next level this year with the Wolfpack. He is completing 69.7 percent of his passes for 1,005 yards with 10 touchdowns and one interception, while also rushing for 118 yards and a score.

Florida State came into this season way overvalued after winning the BCS Championship. That has proven to be the case as it has failed to cover the spread in each of its first three games. It only beat Oklahoma State 37-31 as an 18-point favorite, The Citadel 37-12 as a 58.5-point favorite, and Clemson 23-17 as a 9.5-point favorite. The Seminoles were actually outgained by 89 yards against the Tigers last week. This is a letdown spot for them because Clemson was considered their biggest threat to win the Atlantic Division.

No team plays Florida State tougher more consistently in recent years than NC State. That’s evident by the fact that the Wolfpack are 11-1-1 (92%) ATS in their last 13 meetings with the Seminoles. The home team has won each of the last five meetings in this series, including a 17-16 upset win by NC State in 2012 as a 17-point underdog. The Wolpack will be licking their chops at another opportunity to pull the upset against the defending national champs in this one.

The Seminoles are more vulnerable defensively than they were last year. They gave up 161 yards on the ground to Oklahoma State and 250 to The Citadel. They also allowed 306 passing yards to Clemson last week. NC State’s balanced offensive attack will give this FSU defense some troubles. The Wolfpack are averaging 249 yards on the ground and 253 through the air for  a whopping 502 total yards per game.

The Wolfpack are 16-4-1 ATS in their last 21 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  The underdogs is 13-3-1 ATS in the last 17 meetings in this series.  The Seminoles are 0-5-1 ATS in their last six meetings in Raleigh.  Bet NC State Saturday.

15* CFB Saturday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on UTEP +28

Kansas State has been a covering machine with Bill Snyder as its head coach throughout the years.  However, it has done most of its damage in the role of the underdog, just as it did against Auburn last week in staying within the number despite losing the game.  This team isn't nearly as efficient at covering spreads in the role of the favorite, especially a four-TD favorite like they are today against UTEP.

That loss to Auburn puts the Wildcats in a serious hangover spot here.  They essentially gave that game away by missing three field goals and arguably outplayed the Tigers.  With a Big 12 game on deck against Texas Tech, they are going to be in a tough spot here mentally.  I do not believe they are going to have the kind of focus it takes to win this game by more than four touchdowns and cover the spread.

Regardless of Kansas State's mental state, I believe UTEP would cover this number a lot more times than it wouldn't.  This is one of the more underrated teams in the country in my opinion.  It was a rebuilding season last year for head coach Sean Kugler in his first season on the job as he had just 12 returning starters.  Now, he has 15 starters back and a more talented bunch than they get credit for.

UTEP beat New Mexico in the opener 31-24 on the road despite being a 10-point underdog while racking up 446 total yards in the win.  It then only lost at home to Texas Tech 26-30 as a 21-point underdog as the Red Raiders needed a late score in the 4th quarter and a defensive stop to sneak away with a victory. 

The Miners didn't let that loss bring them down as they rebounded nicely with a 42-24 road win over New Mexico State as a 10-point favorite while gaining 470 total yards in the win.  They have since had a bye week last week, giving them two full weeks to prepare for Kansas State, which will be a huge advantage. 

This is a UTEP team that could legitimately make a bowl game this year for just the second time in the past nine seasons.  It has a relentless rushing attack that is averaging 317 yards per game and 6.2 per carry this season.  Aaron Jones is a name you should get familiar with.  His 184.0 yards per game average ranks second in the FBS, and he also has seven touchdowns this year while averaging 7.0 per carry.  Former Texas A&M transfer Jameill Showers is doing an excellent job of running the offense at the quarterback position as well.

The Miners are one of only six FBS teams with just one giveaway and they've committed 12 penalties - tied for eighth-fewest.  "Those are two things we emphasize with our players everyday with ball security, getting the football, making sure we hang onto the football and the type of accountability we hold in our program carrying over to the discipline with penalties," Kugler said.

Plays against home favorites (KANSAS ST) - off a cover where the team lost as an underdog, with a winning record on the season playing another winning team are 48-19 (71.6%) ATS since 1992.  The Wildcats are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  Take UTEP Saturday.

20* Fresno/New Mexico Mountain West GAME OF THE MONTH on Fresno State -4.5

There’s no question that three straight blowout losses by Fresno State to start the season are concerning. However, one look at the opponents they’ve lost to and I'm willing to give the Bulldogs a free pass. They have had to play road games at USC and Utah as well as a home game against Nebraska. Those three teams have combined to have just one loss so far this season, and they are clearly a class above the Bulldogs.

I like how this team responded as they easily could have been deflated. They bounced back with a resounding 56-16 win over Southern Utah last week while racking up 694 yards of total offense. That's the same Southern Utah team that only lost 19-28 at Nevada, which beat Washington State, which only lost by 7 points to Oregon.

It was clear that this offense would take time to gel with the loss of Derek Carr, but this is clearly a step in the right direction. Facing teams like Southern Utah and New Mexico will feel like a cakewalk after that brutal start to the season against tough competition.

New Mexico lost at home to UTEP 24-31 in its opener and at home to Arizona State 23-58 in Week 2. It barely escaped with a 38-35 win against a terrible New Mexico State team on the road last week. This team is getting way too much respect from the oddsmakers, but it also may be disrespect toward Fresno State because of the 0-3 start.

Remember, the Bulldogs won the Mountain West last year and still have 13 starters back from that team. I still believe they will make a run at another MWC Title this year now that the schedule is much easier and they have had time to work out their problems.

After racking up 694 yards of offense last week, the Bulldogs have to be licking their chops at the opportunity to face a New Mexico defense that is giving up 41.3 points and 518.3 total yards per game. That’s really bad when you consider the quality of competition the Lobos have faced as both UTEP and New Mexico State don’t have that great of offenses. UTEP put up 446 yards, Arizona State 621 yards, and New Mexico State 488 yards on this Lobos’ defense.

New Mexico has some key injuries heading into this one.  Starting quarterback Cole Gautsche left last week's game against New Mexico State with a hamstring injury.  He leads the team with 237 rushing yards while averaging a whopping 11.8 per carry, so that would be a huge loss if he can't go.  It would be hard to believe he's recovered from a hamstring injury on a short week even if he does go.

Starting receiver Carlos Wiggins, who had 252 kick return yards including one for a score against the Bulldogs last year and was a 4th-team All-American kick returner, is questionable with a hamstring injury as well.  Starting right tackle Johnny Vizcaino is expected to miss this game with a concussion.  Starting defensive end Nik D'Avanzo is doubtful with a knee injury.  Running back Teriyon Gipson, who has the most rushing attempts (35) on the team, is questionable with an ankle injury.

The Bulldogs beat New Mexico 69-28 last year for their 8th win in the last nine meetings in this series. They racked up 822 yards while holding the Lobos to just 316 yards, outgaining them by a ridiculous 506 total yards for the game.  I know that Fresno State is down a bit from last year, but the dominance in this series cannot be ignored.  While New Mexico catches many other teams off guard with its rushing attack, the Bulldogs will be prepared for it because they are used to seeing it.

Fresno State is 7-0 ATS in its last seven vs. good rushing teams that average 4.75 or more yards per carry. The Bulldogs are also 6-0 ATS in their last six vs. teams who rush for 230 or more yards per game.  The Lobos are 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall.  Bet Fresno State Friday.

15* MLB Friday No-Doubt Rout on Pittsburgh Pirates -136

The Pittsburgh Pirates (87-72) have been the best team in baseball over the past couple weeks.  They have gone 16-4 in their last 20 games overall to clinch a playoff spot, but there's still a lot of work to be done with just three games to play.

Pittsburgh trails St. Louis by just one game for first place in the NL Central.  If it were to win the division, it wouldn't have to play in the one-game elimination wild card game.  Even if it doesn't win the Central, it wants to at least get that wild card game at home.

Cincinnati (74-85) packed it in a long time ago and can't wait for this season to be over after crumbling in the second half.  It sends Mike Leake (11-13, 3.78 ERA) to the mound tonight.  Leake is 1-2 with a 5.82 ERA and 1.588 WHIP in his last three starts.  He has given up exactly four earned runs in two of his last three starts against Pittsburgh, and three runs or more in four of the last five.

Vance Worley has proven to be a huge addition to the Pirates' rotation this season.  The right-hander has gone 8-4 with a 2.93 ERA and 1.198 WHIP over 16 starts and three relief appearances, including 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA and 1.087 WHIP in his last three starts. Worley allowed one earned run and five base runners over 6 1/3 innings in his only start against Cincinnati this season on August 30th.

Worley is 9-1 (+9.4 Units) against the money line in road games vs. poor power teams - averaging 0.9 or less HR's/game in the second half of the season for his career.  Worley is 25-7 (+17.4 Units) against the money line vs. an NL team with an on base percentage .315 or worse for his career.  The Pirates are 8-0 in Worley's last 8 starts as a favorite of -110 to -150.  The Reds are 15-37 in their last 52 games as an underdog of +110 to +150.  Take the Pirates Friday.

20* Giants/Redskins NFC East GAME OF THE MONTH on New York +4

I realize that the Giants’ 14-35 loss to the Lions in the road opener is concerning. They were thoroughly dominated in that game. However, it is clear that the Lions are the real deal this season with the way they handled the Green Bay Packers at home last week. It was also going to take some time for the Giants to click offensively in the new West Coast sytem, and that finally happened last week.

They actually started showing signs of it against Arizona in Week 2. They really outplayed the Cardinals, outgaining them by 75 total yards for the game, but shot themselves in the foot by committing four turnovers. The defense played well in that game by allowing just 262 total yards, while the offense racked up 341. Eli Manning went 26 of 39 passing for 277 yards and two touchdowns in the loss.

New York nearly put it all together in its 30-17 home win over Houston last week. It didn’t start great as it fumbled going in for a touchdown inside the 5-yard line, and botched a snap on a field goal attempt that would have made it 10-0. Instead, those two mistakes kept the score at 0-0.

However, the Giants didn’t fold when they easily could have, and instead found themselves ahead 17-0 early in the third quarter to put the game out of reach. Manning had his most efficient game yet, completing 21 of 28 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns. Rashad Jennings proved he could be a workhorse, rushing for 176 yards and a score in the win.

The Redskins played a grueling game against the Eagles last week that took a lot out of them. They lost by a final of 34-37 and have to be mentally and physically fatigued. They come into this game with a ton of injury concerns, too. Obviously,

Robert Griffin III is out, and DeAngelo Hall just want on the season-ending IR with a torn Achilles. DE Jason Hatcher, TE Jordan Reed, CB Tracy Porter, LB Brian Orakpo, G Shawn Lauvao, LB Akeem Jordan and DE Kedric Golston are all questionable to play in this one.

The Redskins held a late-afternoon walkthrough Monday and listed 17 players, nearly one-third of the roster, on the injury report. "We're losing guys left and right," Orakpo said. "Football's a tough game. Look, if you've got kids and can't stand injuries, don't let 'em play football." Said head coach Jay Gruden, "Obviously this is a week that I would rather not have a Thursday night game."

New York won both meetings last year as the defense simply dominated in each contest. It held the Redskins to just 251 total yards in a 20-6 home victory on December 29. It also held Washington to 323 total yards in a 24-17 road victory earlier that month on December 1. The Giants improved to 3-1 against the Redskins over the past two seasons with their only loss coming by a final of 16-17 on the road in 2012. The underdog is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings in this series.

New York is 36-18 ATS in its last 54 road games vs. good passing teams with a completion percentage of 61% or better. Washington is 17-38 ATS in its last 55 home games vs. a team with a losing record. The Giants are 58-35 ATS in their last 93 road games off one or more consecutive ATS wins. New York is 34-16 ATS in its last 50 after gaining 175 or more rushing yards last game. Washington is 37-59 ATS in its last 96 games as a home favorite.  Bet the Giants Thursday.

15* MLB Thursday Total DOMINATOR on A's/Rangers OVER 8.5

The books have set the bar too low in this contest between the Oakland A's and Texas Rangers in Game 1 of this series Thursday.  I'll take advantage and back the OVER in what should be a slug fest tonight.

Colby Lewis is one of the worst starters in baseball.  The washed-up right-hander has gone 10-14 with a 5.35 ERA and 1.518 WHIP in 28 starts this season, including 3-9 with a 6.29 ERA and 1.542 WHIP in 15 home starts.  In his only start against the A's this season, Lewis gave up five runs and 13 base runners over 5 1/3 innings of a 14-8 Texas victory.

Jason Hammel hasn't been nearly as good with the A's as he was with the Cubs.  He has been at his worst on the road, going 4-9 with a 4.47 ERA in 16 starts away from home.  Hammel is 0-2 with a 7.45 ERA and 2.068 WHIP in two career starts against Texas.

Lewis is 14-2 to the OVER after walking one or fewer batters in each of his last two outings in his career.  Oakland is 22-9 to the OVER as a road favorite of -125 or more this season.  The OVER is 19-7-1 in A's last 27 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30. 

The OVER is 6-1 in Rangers last seven games as an underdog.  The OVER is 7-2 in Lewis' last nine starts with a total set of 7.0-8.5.  The OVER is 4-0 in the last four meetings.  The OVER is 8-3 in Lewis' last 11 starts vs. Oakland, including 4-0 in his last four home starts against the A's.  Roll with the OVER in this game Thursday.

15* CFB Thursday PLAY OF THE DAY on Appalachian State +19.5

This is the first season as FBS members for both Georgia Southern & Appalachian State. While Georgia Southern has had the luxury of using a scheme that nobody has been prepared for en route to their 2-2 start, they won’t have that same luxury against Appalachian State.

These are former Southern Conference rivals who are very familiar with one another. They combined to win or tie for 15 of the last 16 conference titles prior to last year.  The Mountaineers won’t be caught by surprise against the Eagles’ triple-option rushing attack like the rest of Georgia Southern’s opponents have been thus far in 2014.

Appalachian State beat Georgia Southern 38-14 at home last year for its fifth win in six meetings in this series. It outgained the Eagles 515-363 for the game. That’s significant because both of these teams return pretty much intact as they each have 15 starters back from last season. The Mountaineers have nine starters back from that offense that put up 515 yards.

Georgia Southern is simply way overvalued here because it has opened the season 4-0 against the spread with close losses to both NC State and Georgia Tech on the road. While impressive, the betting public has taken notice, and this team cannot live up to the expectations it has created for itself.

Meanwhile, Appalachian State is flying under the radar due to a 1-2 SU & 1-2 ATS start to the season, including a blowout loss at Michigan and that one-point loss at Southern Miss.  I believe that loss to Southern Miss is stuck in the minds of bettors because the Eagles are not a very good team.

However, a closer look at the box score shows that the Mountaineers really dominated that game and should have won. They  outgained the Eagles 455-329 for the game, but gave it away by committing three turnovers.  They also lost 10 points in the kicking game, including a missed PAT with six seconds left that would have forced overtime. That loss is going to work in our favor here though because the Mountaineers will be motivated, plus now they’re catching a few more points than they should be.

Freshman quarterback Taylor Lamb is running away with the starting quarterback job.  He is completing 65.6 percent of his passes for 427 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions, while also rushing for 113 yards this year.  Marcus Cox is one of the better running backs in the country that not too many folks know about.  He has rushed for 280 yards and four scores while averaging 5.3 per carry.

This is simply too many points for a rivalry game like this one.  Appalachian State and Georgia Southern are meeting on the gridiron for the 29th time.  Thanks to wins in eight of the last 11 matchups, the Mountaineers lead the all-time series 15-12-1.  They spent 21 seasons as Southern Conference foes from 1993-2013.  I'll take the points in this rivalry game between two very evenly-matched teams.  Take Appalachian State Thursday.

20* MLB Underdog GAME OF THE MONTH on Chicago Cubs +115

This will be the final home game of the season for the Chicago Cubs, and they would love nothing more than to send their fans out with a victory against their biggest rivals in the St. Louis Cardinals.  They did a nice job of playing the role of spoiler last night with a 4-3 victory, and I look for them to do it again behind their ace and an amped-up home crowd tonight.

Jake Arrieta has been one of the most underrated starters in all over baseball this season.  The right-hander has gone 9-5 with a 2.65 ERA and 1.016 WHIP in 24 starts, 5-1 with a 1.60 ERA and 0.822 WHIP in 11 home starts, and 2-0 with a 1.27 ERA and 0.797 WHIP In his last three starts overall.

Arrieta has gone 1-0 with a minuscule 1.21 ERA and 1.120 WHIP in four career starts against St. Louis.  He'll be opposed by John Lackey, who is getting way too much respect from the books here.  Lackey is 7-6 with a 4.88 ERA and 1.362 WHIP in 15 road starts this season, and 1-1 with a 5.17 ERA and 1.404 WHIP in his last three starts.

Lackey is 2-10 (-10.4 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last two seasons.  Lackey is 1-10 (-9.9 Units) against the money line in road games after giving up 1 or less earned runs last outing over the last two seasons.  The Cubs are 8-2 in Arrieta's last 10 home starts with the total set at 7.0-8.5.  Chicago is 12-5 in Arrieta's last 17 starts as an underdog.  Bet the Cubs Wednesday.

20* MLB Tuesday Non-Divisional ANNIHILATOR on Pittsburgh Pirates -108

No team in baseball is playing better than the Pittsburgh Pirates (85-71) right now.  They have gone 14-3 in their last 17 games overall to inch closer to clinching a wild card spot.  They are also just 2.5 games back of St. Louis for the NL Central crown.

No team in baseball is playing worse than the Atlanta Braves (76-80) right now.  They have gone 2-12 in their last 14 games overall to completely implode and blow their chance of making the postseason.  These players clearly aren't interested in playing for pride, either.  They have scored three runs or fewer in 10 straight and a combined four runs while losing four in a row.

Gerrit Cole is one of the bright young talents in this game.  The right-hander is 10-5 with a 3.85 ERA and 1.266 WHIP in 20 starts this season.  In his lone career start against Atlanta on August 20, he allowed just two earned runs over seven innings of a 3-2 home victory for the Pirates.

The Pirates are 37-16 in their last 53 vs. a team with a losing record.  Pittsburgh is 7-1 in its last eight road games.  The Pirates are 20-7 on Cole's last 27 starts.  The Braves are 0-6 in their last six after allowing two runs or less in their previous game.  Atlanta is 0-4 in Alex Wood's last four starts as an underdog.  Bet the Pirates Tuesday.

20* Bears/Jets ESPN Monday No-Brainer on OVER 44

I look for a shootout tonight between the Chicago Bears and New York Jets.  Both of theses offense's biggest strengths are the opposing defense's biggest weaknesses, which makes for a good possibility of a high-scoring affair when they get together Monday night.

Chicago is a primary passing team behind Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall & Alshon Jefferey.  They threw for 341 yards in the opener against a good Buffalo defense, and then Cutler threw four touchdown passes last week against the 49ers to bring his team back for the win.

New York relies heavily on the running game.  It has averaged 35 rushes for 179 yards per game and 5.0 per carry thus far, compared to just 30 passing attempts per contest.  Meanwhile, the Bears have thrown it 41 times per game while running it just 17 times per contest.

Chicago's weakness is its run defense, which gives up 161 rushing yards per game and 5.4 per carry so far this year.  They allowed 193 yards on the ground to the Bills in the opener, who are another solid rushing team like the Jets.

New York's weakness defensively its against the pass.  It gave up 310 passing yards to Aaron Rodgers and the Packers last week in a 24-31 loss.  This is seriously one of the worst secondaries in the league, and that will show as the season progresses, especially tonight.

The Bears are 6-0 to the OVER in road games after one or more consecutive wins over the last two seasons.  The OVER is 13-3 in Bears last 16 road games.  The OVER is 15-2 in Jets last 17 Week 3 games.  The OVER is 35-16 in Jets last 51 after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.  The OVER is 5-1 in Bears last six games overall.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

15* MLB Monday No-Doubt Rout on Pittsburgh Pirates -140

The Pittsburgh Pirates (84-71) are inching closer to earning one of the two wild card spots in the National League.  They have saved their best baseball for last, playing themselves into the postseason due to winning 13 of their last 16 games overall.

The Atlanta Braves (76-79), meanwhile, have played their way out of the postseason over the last few weeks.  They have lost 11 of their last 13 games overall.  They have now clearly packed it in and have no interest in winning the rest of the way.

Francisco Liriano has been at his best on the road this season, going 4-5 with a 2.36 ERA and 1.092 WHIP in 12 starts.  He has also been at his best when it has mattered most here of late, going 3-0 with a 0.45 ERA and 0.950 WHIP in his last three starts.

I'll gladly fade Aaron Harang, who is 11-11 with a 3.68 ERA and 1.416 WHIP in 31 starts this season.  The right-hander is 1-2 with a 4.07 ERA and 1.358 WHIP in his last three outings.  Harang has posted a 4.15 ERA in 27 career starts against Pittsburgh as well.

The Pirates are 9-0 in their last nine games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.  Pittsburgh is 5-0 in its last five during Game 1 of a series.  The Braves are 0-6 in their last six during Game 1 of a series.  Atlanta is 0-7 in Harang's last seven starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.  The Braves are 0-6 in Harang's last six home starts.  These five trends combine for a perfect 33-0 system backing Pittsburgh.  Take the Pirates Monday.

20* Broncos/Seahawks Super Bowl Rematch on Denver +5.5

Denver (2-0) has opened the season with a couple of wins by a touchdown over both Indianapolis (31-24) and Kansas City (24-17). Seattle (1-1) got off to a great start with a 36-16 home victory over Green Bay, but it looked human in a 21-30 road loss to San Diego last week.

You have to imagine that the Broncos desperately want revenge on the Seahawks after getting embarrassed by them in the Super Bowl 43-8 last year. They will be the more motivated team in this one, while the Seahawks may feel like they just have to show up to win. I look for a big game from Peyton Manning, who has been spot-on again in 2014 after last year’s record-setting campaign.

Manning is completing 69.4 percent of his passes with six touchdowns against zero interceptions. He set league records with 5,477 passing yards and 55 touchdowns last year to go along with only 10 interceptions. This guy continues to get it done at a high level.  Now, he'll have one of his favorite targets back this week in Wes Welker, who has had his suspension lifted.

The Broncos were up 24-0 on the Colts as that game was a bigger blowout than the final score would indicate. They did let the Chiefs hang around last week as well, but they were obviously looking ahead to this contest.  You'll see what they are fully capable of in this one.  Their defense has come up big with stops at the end of each of their first two games to preserve the wins, showing that the offseason additions they made on this side of the ball are really paying off.

Seattle was thoroughly dominated by San Diego last week. There were no excuses for the Seahawks, either, because they had three extra days to prepare after playing the previous Thursday against the Packers. They were outgained 288-377 for the game as their defense looked extremely vulnerable.

Philip Rivers went 28 of 37 passing for 284 yards and three touchdowns without a pick against Seattle. He found tight end Antonio Gates three times for scores. Julius Thomas already has four TD receptions for Denver, so look for him to have a field day against the Seahawks.

Plays on road teams (DENVER) – after 2 consecutive game where they committed no turnovers are 68-33 (67.3%) ATS over the last 10 seasons. The Broncos are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game. The Seahawks are getting too much respect for their home-field advantage in this one.  Bet the Broncos Sunday.

15* MLB Sunday PLAY OF THE DAY on New York Mets +106

The New York Mets (75-80) have been playing solid baseball to close out the season.  While they want to catch the Atlanta Braves (76-78) in the NL East standings, the Braves clearly have no interest in playing for pride the rest of the way because they have blown a chance to make the postseason down the stretch.

The Mets have gone 11-6 over their past 17 games overall to try and finish the season strong and perhaps get back to .500 on the season.  The Braves, meanwhile, have lost 10 of their last 12 games and have no interest in winning this game today, or any of their final eight games for that matter.

Jacob DeGrom is the front-runner to win the National League Rookie of the Year award.  The flame-throwing right-hander has gone 8-6 with a 2.68 ERA and 1.139 WHIP in 21 starts this season, including 1-0 with a 1.71 ERA and 0.857 WHIP in his last three.  DeGrom is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA in two starts against Atlanta this season.

Ervin Santana is having a decent season overall for Atlanta at 14-9 with a 3.74 ERA and 1.290 WHIP in 29 starts.  He has packed it in himself, going 1-2 with a 5.82 ERA and 1.471 WHIP in his last three starts.  Santana gave up four earned runs over seven innings in his last start against the Mets on July 9th.

Atlanta is 9-22 (-15.3 Units) against the money line vs. an NL starting pitcher whose ERA is 3.00 or better this season.  The Mets are 6-1 in their last seven road games and 6-1 in their last seven games as a road underdog.  New York is 8-3 in DeGrom's last 11 starts.  The Braves are 0-6 in their last six vs. a team with a losing record.  Roll with the Mets Sunday.

15* NFL Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Buffalo Bills -1

Buffalo (2-0) went on the road and beat Chicago 23-20 (OT) in its opener before thumping Miami by a final of 29-10 at home last week. San Diego (1-1) let a late lead slip away in a 17-18 road loss to Arizona in Week 1, but bounced back with an impressive 30-21 home win over Seattle in Week 2.

I have backed the Bills with success each of the first two weeks as I had this team being one of the most improved in the league. I look for them to win and cover for a third straight week with a win over the Chargers by at least a field goal. This team has all kinds of good vibes going right now with the new ownership, Jim Kelly beating cancer, and Ralph Wilson being honored last week.

The Buffalo fan base is going nuts with this early success, and it’s going to be a raucous atmosphere inside of Ralph Wilson Stadium again Sunday.  It has one of the most underrated home-field advantages in the league.  Indeed, the Bills are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 home games.  The home team is also a perfect 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings in this series dating back to 2002.

This is a huge letdown spot for the Chargers, who just beat the defending champion Seattle Seahawks last week. It’s also extremely tough for West Coast teams to travel out East and play a 1:00 game, because that’s 10:00 a.m. in San Diego.  Those two factors are as big as any as to why I'm fading the Chargers in this one.

While that 18-17 loss to Arizona appeared close, when you look at the box score, the Chargers really got outplayed. They were outgained by the Cardinals 290-403 for the game and only were able to keep it close thanks to a blocked punt and two turnovers by the Cardinals.

Buffalo has one of the most underrated defenses in the league. It led the league in sacks last year with 57, and it already has six sacks through two games this year. It is also third in the league with 18 passes defended and tied for second with three interceptions. This defense is built to stop the pass, and San Diego is built around Philip Rivers and the passing game, so this is a good match-up for the Bills.

The Bills finished second in the league in rushing last year. They have picked up right where they left off this season, averaging 153 rushing yards per game and 4.6 per carry. The Chargers have allowed over 100 yards rushing in each of their first two games. They are giving up 108 rushing yards per game and a whopping 5.6 per carry thus far. That makes this a great match-up for the Buffalo offense as well.  Roll with the Bills Sunday.

15* NFC GAME OF THE WEEK on New Orleans Saints -10

New Orleans (0-2) is just two plays away from being 2-0 this season, but it hasn’t made those plays. It has fallen on the road to both Atlanta (34-37) and Cleveland (24-26) in excruciating fashion. Minnesota (1-1) has been a part of a pair of blowouts. It was on the right side of one in a 34-6 win at St. Louis in the opener, and then the wrong side in a 7-30 home loss to New England last week.

The Saints are going to be highly motivated for a victory Sunday to take out their frustration from a pair of losses by a combined five points in the first two weeks. They were beaten by a last-second field goal in both games and needed to make one more play in each to win.

The Vikings are about where they should be at 1-1, but they have all kinds of off-the-field distractions right now with the Adrian Peterson situation and the loss of sponsorships.  Peterson was originally supposed to play in this game, and the line was -9.5 at that point.  The line is now -10, and I believe he's worth a lot more than a half a point.  This guy is simply irreplaceable on the Vikings, who have one of the worst quarterbacks in the league in Matt Cassel.

The Saints would give the Seahawks a run for their money for the best home-field advantage in the league. Indeed, they went a perfect 8-0 SU & 7-0-1 ATS at home last season while outscoring opponents 34.0 to 15.6, or by an average of 18.4 points per game. You can bet their home fans will be rocking as they try to inspire their team to turn the season around. A game against the Vikings should help them do just that in blowout fashion.

New Orleans finished 4th in the league in total offense and 4th in total defense last year. If anything, it should be just as good on both sides of the football in 2014. The offense has done its part, but the defense hasn’t been as good as last year despite the addition of Jairus Byrd this offseason. These players on D as well as coordinator Rob Ryan have been hearing about their shortcomings in the media, and they will be looking to make a statement in this one.

Minnesota did beat St. Louis 34-6 on the road, but that game was much closer than the final score would indicate. The Vikings only outgained the Rams by 37 total yards, but they took advantage of a +2 turnover differential, including a late interception that was returned 80 yards for a touchdown.

Cassel is limited as a passer. He went 0-for-8 on throws of more than 10 yards against the Patriots with three interceptions. The Vikings just do not have the firepower offensively to keep up with the Saints in this one.  That's especially the case now that Peterson is out indefinitely as he tries to shore up his legal problems.

The Vikings trailed by 17 at half to the Patriots last week.  They went on to net 89 yards, 53 of which came on penalties, after halftime and didn't get past their own 34-yard line until their final possession.  Wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson's response was troubling, given the direction the team has chosen to move with its star since the loss.  "We all felt off," Patterson said. "I think it was because 28 wasn't there."

The Saints are a sensational 35-16 ATS in their last 51 home games. Sean Payton is 17-6 ATS off a road loss as the coach of New Orleans. Payton is 13-4 ATS off a loss by 6 points or less as the coach of the Saints.  Plays on home favorites of 3.5 to 10 points (NEW ORLEANS) - good team from last season - outscored opponents by 4 or more points/game, after a playing a game where 50 total points or more were scored are 32-9 (78%) ATS since 1983.  Take the Saints Sunday.

20* NFL Line Mistake GAME OF THE MONTH on Tennessee Titans +7

Few teams have looked as dominant as the Cincinnati Bengals (2-0) thus far. They went on the road and beat Baltimore 23-16 in their opener, and then followed that up with a 24-10 home victory over Atlanta last week. The Tennessee Titans (1-1) thumped Kansas City 26-10 in Week 1 before laying an egg in Week 2 in a 10-26 loss to Dallas.

I believe the Bengals are overvalued due to their fast start to the season that has seen them beat both the Ravens and Falcons while covering the spread in each. The betting public has taken notice and will be all over them again this week, which is why I believe the oddsmakers have set the number too high here. I look for this one to go right down to the wire with the Titans having a chance to win it outright.

I was very impressed with this Tennessee team in the opener as it outgained Kansas City 405-245 for the game while forcing three turnovers in a 26-10 win. It did not play its best game last week against the Cowboys, but it hardly had the ball and lost the time of possession 41:11 to 18:49. I look for the Titans to come back with a much better effort this week. Meanwhile, the Bengals could be looking ahead to their next game at New England.

The Titans have had no problem moving the ball this season as they are averaging 359.5 yards per game, which would be more had they had the ball for more than 18 minutes against the Cowboys. Tennessee has been superb defensively, giving up just 18.0 points and 306.5 yards per game. Cincinnati has had some holes defensively, giving up 364.5 yards per game thus far.

While the Bengals have had no problem moving the ball so far this season, they face the best defense they have yet in the Titans in this one. Now, Cincinnati could be without wide receiver A.J. Green, who went out with a toe injury last week against the Falcons. He is questionable to return this week. The Bengals are nowhere near as dynamic without him at 100% health. He won’t be 100%, and if he doesn’t play that will just be an added bonus.

Tennessee is 15-5 ATS in its last 20 games after allowing 175 or more rushing yards last game. The Titans are 6-2-1 ATS in their last nine road games. The road team is 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings in this series. The Titans are 5-2 ATS in their last seven meetings in Cincinnati. The Bengals are +5 in turnover differential through two games, so they won’t be able to keep up that pace.  Take the Titans Sunday.

15* NFL Sunday Bounce-Back BLOWOUT on New York Giants PK

The Houston Texans (2-0) have beat up on a couple of overmatched opponents with a 17-6 home win over Washington and a 30-14 road victory at Oakland. The New York Giants (0-2) have suffered back-to-back blowout losses at Detroit (14-35) and at home against Arizona (14-25).

The Giants will be giving it all they have this week to try to avoid falling to 0-3 on the season. They opened 0-6 last year and do not want to go down that same path again. I did see some promising things out of the offense last week that shows the new West Coast system may be starting to finally come around. I think they will have easily their best game yet in this one.

What has killed New York so far is that it is already -6 in turnover differential. Tom Coughlin is not going to stand for it any longer. He’ll make sure his team does not beat themselves this week to give them the best chance to win.

Eli Manning played well against the Cardinals, who have one of the best pass defenses in the league. He completed 26 of 39 passes for 277 yards and two touchdowns, but he also threw two picks. If they clean up the mistakes, they will win this game.

Houston has played two awful teams, while New York has played two potential playoff contenders in Detroit and Arizona. Houston’s two opponents in Washington and Oakland combined to go 7-25 last season, and those two teams are off to a 1-3 start this year. I also think this is a pretty decent match-up for the Giants because the Texans like to run the ball, and the Giants have been good against the run.

The Texans are averaging 151 rushing yards per game, but just 170 passing yards per game. The Giants are giving up just 100 rushing yards per game on 29 carries per game thus far, which equates to a sensational 3.4 yards per carry. They made a lot of moves this offseason to shore up their defensive front seven, and that is clearly paying off against the run thus far.

Houston is 0-7 ATS in its last seven games after playing its last game on the road. The Texans are 1-8 ATS in their last nine games following a ATS win. The Giants are 9-3-2 ATS in their last 14 games following a double-digit loss at home.  Simply put, the Texans are overvalued due to their 2-0 start, while the Giants are undervalued at 0-2 and a pick 'em at home in this one.  Bet the Giants Sunday.

15* Oklahoma/WVU Big 12 GAME OF THE WEEK on West Virginia +8

Oklahoma (3-0) has lived up to the hype so far this season. It beat Louisiana Tech 48-16 at home in its opener, went on the road and topped Tulsa 52-7, and then thumped Tennessee 34-10 last week as Bob Stoops had his way with another SEC opponent.

West Virginia (2-1) has played a very tough schedule in the early going and has done well for itself. It gave Alabama a run for its money in a 23-33 loss in the opener. It then shut out Towson 54-0 at home before earning a last-second road victory at Maryland (40-37) last weekend.

Without question, the Mountaineers are a completely different team than they were a year ago. They were atrocious to say the least last year, but they did beat then-No. 11 Oklahoma State at home 30-21 as a 19-point underdog. They also gave Oklahoma a run for their money in a 7-16 road loss as a 21-point underdog. After having just eight starters back last year, the Mountaineers have 13 back this season and are vastly improved.

The loss to Alabama was very impressive. They were a 22-point underdog and gave the Crimson Tide all they wanted in a 23-33 road loss. The 54-0 win over Towson was nice, but last week’s 40-37 win at Maryland was even better. This was a bigger blowout than the final score would indicate as the Mountaineers outgained the Terrapins 694-447 for the game, but they committed four turnovers to keep it close. Clint Trickett threw for 511 yards and four touchdowns in the win.

I believe Oklahoma is a bit overvalued here as more than a touchdown road favorite against WVU. The Sooners have been better than I expected to this point, but they also have played an extremely soft schedule. Their win over Tennessee last week wasn’t the 34-10 blowout it appeared to be as they took advantage of three Tennessee turnovers, including an interception that was returned 100 yards for a score as the Vols were going in to score in the fourth quarter.

Last year, as stated before, the Sooners only beat the Mountaineers 16-7 at home. The Sooners went on to win a BCS bowl game over Alabama, while the Mountaineers went 4-8 last year. Oklahoma only outgained WVU 435-387 for the game. Trevor Knight was awful in the win, completing just 10 of 20 passes for 119 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.  Sure, Oklahoma is 2-0 against WVU as Big 12 opponents, but both have been by single-digits with their 50-49 road win in 2012 being the other.

Trickett did not play in that game for WVU last year, either. Trickett is a new QB this year, completing 75.4 percent of his passes for 1,224 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception through three games.  The Mountaineers rank 13th in the country in total offense at 564.3 yards per game, which is even more impressive when you consider that they have played two great defenses thus far in Alabama and Maryland.

Oklahoma is 19-42 ATS in its last 61 games after allowing 17 points or less in two straight games.  Plays against road favorites of 3.5 to 10 points (OKLAHOMA) - in the first month of the season, after closing out last season strong with 3 or more straight wins are 31-8 (79.5%) ATS over the last 10 seasons.  It's revenge time in 2014 after back-to-back narrow losses in this series.  Bet West Virginia Saturday.

15* MLB Saturday PLAY OF THE DAY on Seattle Mariners -102

The Seattle Mariners (83-70) trail the Kansas City Royals (83-69) by just a half-game for the final wild card spot in the American League.  They are also just one game back of the Oakland A's (84-69) for the first wild card spot.  This team obviously had plenty of motivation tonight to beat the Houston Astros (67-87).

Chris Young has proven that he still has plenty left in the tank this season.  The veteran right-hander has gone 12-8 with a 3.33 ERA and 1.198 WHIP over 28 starts and one relief appearance in 2014.

Young is 4-0 with a 3.13 ERA and 0.979 WHIP in five career starts against Houston.  His teams are a perfect 5-0 in those games as he has never lost.  In two starts against the Astros this season, Young is 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA while allowing just five earned runs and 12 base runners over 14 innings with 14 strikeouts.

The Mariners are 6-0 in their last 6 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.  The Mariners are 8-0 in Young's last 8 starts after allowing 5 or more runs in their previous games.  Seattle is 6-0 in Young's last 6 Saturday starts.  The Astros are 0-4 in their last four games overall  These four trends combine for a 24-0 system backing Seattle.  Also, the Astros are 4-18 in Dallas Keuchel's last 22 starts when working on 5 days of rest.  Bet the Mariners Saturday.

15* CFB Saturday Big Dog Special on Georgia State +35

The Washington Huskies (3-0) have survived a couple of scares up to this point.  They beat Hawaii (17-16) on the road as a 17.5-point favorite, Eastern Washington (59-52) at home as a 17-point favorite, and Illinois (44-19) at home as a 13-point favorite.

Georgia State (1-2) could easily be 3-0 right now.  It beat Abilene Christian 38-37 as a 4-point home favorite, lost to New Mexico State (31-34) as a 3-point home favorite, and lost to Air Force (38-48) as a 12-point home dog.

I simply believe that Washington is overvalued right now.  This is a team that lost a ton of talent from last year's squad and is in rebuilding mode despite the 3-0 start.  Only beating Hawaii by a single point and Eastern Washington by a touchdown just goes to show how much work this team has to do to get better in Chris Petersen's first year on the job.

In fact, Washington was actually outgained by 88 total yards in that 17-16 win at Hawaii.  It was also outgained by 37 yards in its 59-52 win over Eastern Washington.  It only outgained Illinois by 113 total yards despite winning by 25 last week.  So, despite being 3-0, this team is actually being outgained 445-449 on average through three games, which isn't the sign of a good team.

Georgia State, meanwhile, has outgained all three of its opponents.  That's why it easily could be 3-0 right now.  It outgained Abiline Christian by 67 yards, NMSU by 21 yards, and Air Force by 10 yards.  That effort against a quality Air Force team really shows that this squad is capable of.  The Panthers are outgaining teams 524-491 on average for the season. Clearly, they have a potent offensive attack that is capable of putting up points on Washington and easily staying within this 35-point spread. 

Quarterback Nick Arbuckle has passed for 1,121 yards and seven touchdowns in three games.  He has three solid targets in tight end Joel Ruiz (15 receptions, 223 yards, two touchdowns) and wideouts Robert Davis (16-202) and LynQuez Blair (15-212-3).   Inside linebacker Joseph Peterson (39 tackles) and outside linebacker Jarrell Robinson (five tackles for loss, two sacks) are Georgia State’s most productive defenders.

This is a massive letdown spot for Washington, which has its Pac-12 opener on deck.  Not only is it their opener, but the Huskies will be playing Stanford, which is a game they will be looking ahead to.  They won't be motivated enough against Georgia State to win this game by more than five touchdowns.  In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see Georgia State give Washington a scare here.

The Panthers have turned the ball over eight times already, while the Huskies have turned it over only once.  The Panthers at least have an excuse for not opening 3-0 like they easily could have due to those turnovers.  The Huskies have no excuse for their close wins over Hawaii & Eastern Washington because they have committed just one turnover.  Meanwhile, a whopping 56 of their 120 points have come off of opponent's turnovers.

Georgia State is 8-1 ATS after allowing 31 points or more in two straight games over the past two seasons.  Washington is 3-14 ATS against teams with a turnover margin of -1 per game or worse since 1992.  The Panthers are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games following a loss.  The Huskies are 5-12 ATS in their last 17 following a win of more than 20 points.  Roll with Georgia State Saturday.

15* CFB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Indiana +14

Missouri (3-0) has picked up right where it left off last year as SEC East champs. It beat South Dakota State 38-18 at home before playing a couple of tougher opponents. It thumped Toledo 49-24 on the road in Week 2 and then beat UCF 38-10 at home last week.

Indiana (1-1) beat Indiana State 28-10 at home in its opener. It then had a bye week before falling on the road to Bowling Green 42-45 last weekend.

This line opened at Missouri -16 and has been bet down to -13.5 as of this writing for good reason. I look for the Hoosiers to give the Tigers a run for their money Saturday afternoon and to stay within the number, possibly pulling off the upset. Indiana is a team that should be improved this year with 17 returning starters, while Missouri should be in rebuilding mode with only eight starters back.

I realize that doesn’t appear to be the case so far, but Missouri’s wins have been much closer than the final scores would indicate. It has yet to outgain a team by more than 100 yards, yet it has three victories of 20 or more points. It only outgained South Dakota State by 28 yards in the opener, which is absolutely terrible. It also only outgained Toledo by 94 yards in its 25-point win, and then UCF by 23 yards in its 28-point win. This team is living off of turnovers, which is a dangerous way to live.

Indiana's 18-point win over Indiana State was a bigger blowout than the final score would indicate. It actually outgained the Sycamores by 396 total yards for the game. It also outgained Bowling Green by 11 yards last week in a losing effort. That’s the same Bowling Green team that won the MAC last season. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Hoosiers were looking ahead to this game against Missouri as well knowing that they want payback after losing by 17 at home last year.

Indiana boasts one of the most explosive offenses in the country. Indeed, it ranks 9th in the FBS in total offense at 574.0 yards per game. Nate Sudfeld is completing 71.2 percent of his passes, and Tevin Coleman is a sleeper to win the Heisman Trophy. He has already rushed for 437 yards and five touchdowns while averaging an eye-opening 9.3 yards per carry through two games.

This is a huge letdown spot for Missouri, which has a game at South Carolina on deck, which will be its SEC opener. The Tigers cannot wait for a shot at revenge on the Gamecocks after losing to them in double-overtime at home last year. That lost nearly cost them the SEC East Title.  It's only human nature for them to let down here, and that's a big reason why the Hoosiers will cover.  Roll with Indiana Saturday.

20* CFB Saturday Afternoon Line Mistake on Virginia +15

BYU (3-0) has taken care of business so far. It went on the road in its opener and beat UConn 35-10 before traveling to Austin and coming away with a 41-7 win over Texas. It also beat Houston by a final of 33-25 last week.

Virginia (2-1) gave UCLA a run for its money at home, but fell short by a final of 20-28. It then topped Richmond 45-13 at home before knocking off previously ranked Louisville 23-21 at home last week.

Virginia is clearly one of the most improved teams in the country this year. You don’t nearly upset UCLA and then upset Louisville without being a quality team. The signs were there for a turnaround this year as Mike London has been one of the most underrated recruiters in his time at Virginia, but it just hasn’t led to results yet. It is clearly leading to results in 2014 as this is his best team yet with 17 returning starters from last year.

Without question, the Cavaliers have one of the elite defenses in the country, which is going to allow them to keep this game close against BYU. They held a high-powered UCLA offense to just 358 total yards and nearly won that game despite the Bruins getting three defensive touchdowns. They also held a Bobby Petrino-coached Louisville offense to 282 total yards while forcing four turnovers last week.

The area of the Virginia defense that is going to pay off in this game is its front seven. The Cavaliers are only giving up 85 rushing yards per game and 2.6 per carry. That’s huge because BYU is primarily a running team that averages 259 rushing yards per game and 4.9 per carry. They have a great running QB in Taysom Hill, but he’ll be forced to try and use his arm more in this one, which is his biggest weakness.

Virginia beat BYU 19-16 at home last year behind a great defensive effort. It allowed just 362 total yards in the game, forced three fumbles that were all recovered by BYU, and intercepted Hill once. Hill finished that game 13 of 40 passing for 175 yards with one touchdown and one pick, while rushing for just 42 yards on 11 carries. The Cavaliers are simply built to stop teams like BYU who rely heavily on the run just as they did last year. The scary thing is that their defense is five times better in 2014.

While the Cavaliers had plenty to celebrate with their win over Louisville, they quickly turned their attention to BYU with a players-only meeting.  "We just gotta stay hungry," receiver Canaan Severin told the school's official website. "Henry (Coley) just wanted to get that point across: You can't be satisfied just by getting that big win. We want more wins than that. We can talk about the win for a whole week, or we can prepare for BYU, and that's what we did."

Plays against home favorites of 10.5 to 21 points (BYU) – with a good rushing D – allowing 3.25 or less rushing yards/carry, after allowing 1 or less rushing yards/attempt last game are 22-3 (88%) ATS over the last 10 seasons. BYU is 1-9 ATS off a home win over the last three seasons. The Cavaliers are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall. I simply believe the Cougars are being overvalued here because they are in the national spotlight due to their 3-0 start, which has earned them the No. 21 ranking in the country.  Take Virginia Saturday.

20* CFB Saturday No-Doubt Rout on North Carolina +3

The East Carolina Pirates (2-1) have certainly been impressive to this point.  They beat NC Central at home before giving South Carolina a run for its money on the road in a 23-33 loss.  They bounced back with one of the biggest upsets last week, topping Virginia Tech on the road 28-21.

North Carolina (2-0) has only played two games thus far, beating Liberty 56-29 and San Diego State 31-27 at home.  It has had a bye week to prepare for East Carolina heading into this one, which is a huge advantage.

I simply believe that the Pirates are overvalued here as the favorites because of their win over Virginia Tech last week.  However, VA Tech was in a huge letdown spot off its win over Ohio State the previous week.  Now, ECU is in a letdown spot off its win over the Hokies.  That's just the nature of college football folks.  ECU will not bring the same effort it had against VA Tech.

UNC, meanwhile, will be highly motivated for a win here after getting embarrassed by ECU at home by a final of 55-31 last year.  However, QB Marquise Williams did not play in that game against ECU.  All Williams did after being named the starter for the second half of the season was lead the Tar Heels to wins in six of their final seven games with the only loss coming by two points to Duke.

Williams is now 8-1 in his last nine starts for UNC.  He passed for 1,698 yards and 15 touchdowns against six interceptions last year, while also leading the team in rushing (536 yards, 6 TD).  Williams is among 15 returning starters for a Tar Heels team that is expected to compete for an ACC Title.  He is completing 67.2 percent of his passes for 424 yards and four touchdowns, while also rushing for 115 yards and two scores thus far in 2014.

UNC is 12-3-1 all-time against ECU having NEVER lost two straight in this series.  East Carolina is 3-13 ATS in its last 16 home games after playing two straight non-conference games.  The Pirates are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.  ECU is 3-13 ATS in its last 16 vs. a team with a winning record.  Take North Carolina Saturday.

15* Florida/Alabama SEC Saturday No-Brainer on UNDER 51

The books have set the bar too high in this rivalry between Florida (2-0) and Alabama (3-0) Saturday.  I look for a low-scoring, defensive battle similar to the games these teams have played in recent years.  The books are giving us an absolute gift here, so let's take advantage.

I believe the reason this number is inflated is because these teams have combined to go 4-1 to the over so far this season.  Last week, both played in high-scoring games.  Florida beat Kentucky 36-30, and Alabama beat Southern Miss 52-12.  However, that Florida game was tied 20-20 at the end of regulation, and it went to three overtimes to reach that 66-point total.  They only had 40 combined points at the end of regulation.

Without question, these are two of the best defenses in the country.  I believe the perception of Alabama's defense is that it is not as good as in year's past because it gave up 23 points to West Virginia.  Well, after seeing the Mountaineers put up nearly 700 yards of offense and 40 points on a very good Maryland defense last week, it's clearly that the WVU offense is better than it gets credit for.  So holding them to 23 points is not bad.

Florida has been nothing short of dominant defensively each of the last six years.  It has held teams to an average of 314 or fewer yards per game in all six seasons.  This is an elite stop unit once again with seven starters back from last year.  Alabama has allowed 287 or fewer total yards per game in each of the past six seasons.  It has also allowed 14.3 or fewer points per game in all six years.

While these are all important facts as to why I like the UNDER, none is as important as how these teams have fared against one another in recent years.  Alabama & Florida have combined for 48, 37, 45, 51, 41, 38 & 41 points in their last seven meetings, respectively.  That makes for a perfect 6-0-1 system backing the UNDER dating back to 1999 pertaining to today's total set of 51 points, which is way too high.  They have combined to average 43 points per game in their last seven meetings.

Alabama is 9-1 to the UNDER in its last 10 games after scoring 50 points or more in its last game.  The Crimson Tide are 30-10 to the UNDER in their last 40 home games off three or more consecutive wins.  The UNDER is 4-1 in Gators last five road games.  The UNDER is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Alabama.  Bet the UNDER in this game Saturday.

20* CFB Saturday UPSET SHOCKER on Iowa Hawkeyes +7

Pittsburgh (3-0) has taken care of business thus far with a perfect start to the season. It beat Delaware 62-0 at home before going on the road to take down Boston College (30-20) and Florida International (42-25) each of the past two weeks.

Iowa (2-1) has gotten off to a shaky start to say the least. It escaped with a 28-20 home win over Northern Iowa before a 17-13 triumph at home against Ball State. Its luck ran out last week with a 17-20 home loss to Iowa State.

This line opened right around a pick ‘em before the season. I understand that everyone should adjust their power rankings based on what they see on the field, but I believe the oddsmakers have over-adjusted here. They have swung the line a full seven points in Pittsburgh’s favor based on what’s happened so far. I still believe the Hawkeyes are the better team, and that will show on the field Saturday.

The betting public is way down on Iowa right now because it has survived a couple scares from Northern Iowa and Ball State, while losing to Iowa State. The thing is that this team has almost always played up and down to its competition ever since Kirk Ferentz has been there. The Hawkeyes will be hungry for a win after blowing a 14-3 lead to the Cyclones last week. They tend to respond well following a loss to Iowa State, going 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games in this situation.

Pittsburgh is getting way too much respect following its 3-0 start against very weak competition. Indeed, Delaware, Boston College and Florida International are all terrible teams. Sure, BC beat USC last week, but that was a massive letdown spot for the Trojans, who were coming off a win over Stanford the previous week and should have lost that game. The Panthers only beat FIU, which went 1-11 last season, by 17 as a 24.5-point favorite.

Both Iowa and Pittsburgh play very similar styles, which is why I believe this game will go right down to the wire, thus the value is with the 7-point underdog.  That has been the case the past two times that these teams have played each other, both of which have come since 2008.  The two meetings were decided by a combined five points with a 31-27 home win by Iowa (2011) and a 21-20 home win by Pitt (2008).

Iowa leans heavily on the run, averaging 36 carries per game. Pittsburgh relies even more heavily on it, averaging 53 per game. The Panthers only throw the ball 18 times per game thus far. Iowa’s biggest strength is its run defense, which is giving up just 66 rushing yards per game and 2.3 per carry.

Iowa is 22-4 ATS in its last 26 games vs. excellent rushing teams that average 5.25 or more yards per carry. The Hawkeyes are 15-3 ATS in their last 18 games vs. great offensive teams that average 37 or more points per game. Iowa is 22-8 ATS in its last 30 after allowing 125 or fewer rushing yards in three straight games. The Hawkeyes are 6-0 ATS in their last six road games. Iowa is 38-18-1 ATS in its last 57 games following a loss. Pittsburgh is 1-5 ATS in its last six games following a win.  Bet Iowa Saturday.

15* MLB Friday Undervalued Underdog on Cleveland Indians +122

The Cleveland Indians (79-73) trail the reeling Oakland A's (83-69) by just four games for that final wild card spot in the American League with 10 games to play.  They still have an outside shot because they have won their last three games to put themselves into position.

Terry Francona still has this team believing, and they are responding right now, including last night's 13-inning win.  Minnesota (65-87) is in a huge letdown spot here after taking two of three from the AL Central-leading Tigers last series, including an 8-4 win in Game 3 to take the series.

Trevor Bauer has held his own this season, posting a 4.16 ERA over 24 starts.  He is coming off a very solid start at Detroit in which he allowed just one earned run over five innings of work.  Phil Hughes has the better numbers this season, but he has struggled at home to the tune of a 4.45 ERA over 15 starts.

The Indians are 87-42 in their last 129 vs. a team with a losing record.  Cleveland is 4-1 in Bauer's last five starts vs. a team with a losing record.  The Twins are 33-72 in their last 105 home games vs. a team with a winning record.  Minnesota is 1-6 in its last seven games following a win.  Cleveland is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings in Minnesota.  Take the Indians Friday.

20* UConn/South Florida AAC Friday No-Brainer on UNDER 46

I am taking the UNDER in this game between UConn and South Florida featuring two of the worst offenses in the country.  I look for a defensive battle in this game Friday night, which seems to be the case every time these AAC foes get together.

South Florida ranks 116th in the country out of 128 teams in total offense.  It is averaging just 300.3 total yards per game this season.  UConn has actually been worse on that side of the ball, ranking 118th in total offense at 289.3 yards per game.  If you like ugly football, then you'll love this game.

Both defenses have shown me enough to know that they are good enough to stop each other's offenses.  UConn only gave up 292 total yards last week against Boise State, which is saying a lot because the Broncos have a very good offense.  South Florida only gave up 24 points and 317 total yards to Maryland two weeks ago.  That's the same Terrapins offense that put up 37 points on West Virginia last week.

Now, back to the part where these teams always play in low-scoring games.  The winner of the last four meetings has scored 19 points or fewer.  They have combined for 23, 19, 26 and 35 points in their last four meetings, respectively.  In fact, six of their last seven meetings have seen 37 or fewer combined points.  I see no reason for that to change in 2014 with how putrid these offenses are again.

The UNDER is 8-0 in South Florida's last eight games following an over in its previous game.  The UNDER is 7-0 in South Florida's last seven games after allowing 42 points or more in its previous game.  The UNDER is 4-0 in Huskies last four games following a double-digit loss at home.  The UNDER is 7-0 in Bulls last seven vs. a team with a losing record.  The UNDER is 4-0 in the last four meetings.  These five trends combine for a perfect 30-0 system backing the UNDER.  Bet the UNDER in this game Friday.

15* Bucs/Falcons NFC South Total DOMINATOR on OVER 44.5

Both the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are coming off low-scoring games, which I believe had kept this total lower than it should be.  The Falcons are coming off a 10-24 loss at Cincinnati, while the Bucs are coming off a 17-19 home loss to St. Louis.

In fact, the Bucs have faced back-to-back elite defenses in the Panthers and Rams.  That's why I don't think we've seen what this offense behind Josh McCown, stud receivers Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans, as well as the up-and-coming Bobby Rainey can do.  Though Rainey did rush for 144 yards last week against a very solid Rams' front seven.

I look for the Bucs to finally break through with a bunch of points this week against an Atlanta defense that is soft.  The Falcons are giving up a ridiculous 29.0 points and 472.0 yards per game this season.  They haven't been able to stop the run or the pass.  They are allowing 154 yards on the ground and 317 through the air.  They don't even have a sack yet, and they clearly have not improved on this side of the ball over last year.

The Bucs have put up decent numbers defensively, allowing 19.5 points and 336.5 yards per game thus far.  However, when you consider that they've played two terrible offenses with backup quarterbacks, you cannot give them much credit.  Derek Anderson started for Carolina in Week 1, while Austin Davis started for St. Louis in Week 2.  This defense isn't as good as advertised because of it.  Plus, the Bucs are expected to be without Gerald McCoy (hand, doubtful), DE Adrian Clayborn is out for the season, while LB Mason Foster and DE Michael Johnson are both questionable.

Atlanta is clearly improved offensively with the healthy returns of both Julio Jones and Roddy White, as well as the addition of Devin Hester this season.  Steven Jackson is also healthy and running well.  The Falcons put up 37 points on the Saints in their home opener.  They are averaging a whopping 438.5 yards of total offense per game.  It appears that this team is going to have to try and win a lot of shootouts again this season.

When you look at how these teams have fared against one another recently, it's also easy to like the over.  Atlanta and Tampa Bay have combined for 47 or more points in five of their last seven meetings.  Last year, they combined for 54 points in a 31-23 home victory by Atlanta, and 69 points in a 41-28 home win by Tampa Bay.

The OVER is 8-3 in Falcons last 11 home games.  The OVER is 4-0 in Falcons last four home games vs. a team with a losing record.  The OVER is 4-0 in Buccaneers last four Thursday games.  Atlanta is 28-13 to the OVER in its last 41 games off a road blowout loss by 14 points or more.  The Falcons are 43-18 to the OVER in their last 61 after scoring 3 points or less in the first half of their last game.  Take the OVER on this game Thursday.

15* MLB Thursday No-Doubt Rout on Cleveland Indians -126

The Cleveland Indians (78-73) know they need a big finish to make the postseason.  They are five games back of both the A's and Royals for the two wild card spots in the American League.  The clearly have not quit, winning each of the past two days to give themselves a fighting chance.

Danny Salazar is one of the best young starters in the game today.  He has gone 6-7 with a 4.22 ERA over 18 starts with 103 strikeouts in 98 innings.  In his lone career start against Houston, Salazar allowed one earned run over six innings in a 3-2 Cleveland win on August 23rd.

Scott Feldman is having a decent season for Houston (67-85), going 8-11 with a 3.95 ERA and 1.335 WHIP over 27 starts.  He is coming off three straight starts against AL West opponents in the Angels, A's & Rangers, and I believe this is a letdown spot for him.

Cleveland is 36-9 (+24.0 Units) against the money line vs. teams outscored by opponents by 0.5 or more runs/game in the second half of the season over the last two seasons.  Feldman is 7-22 (-13.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last two seasons.

Houston is 2-18 (-15.7 Units) against the money line after a game where they stranded three or less runners on base this season.  The Indians are 86-42 in their last 128 vs. a team with a losing record.  The Astros are 60-148 in their last 208 vs. a team with a winning record.  Roll with the Indians Thursday.

20* Auburn/Kansas State ESPN Thursday No-Brainer on UNDER 65.5

I look for this contest between No. 5 Auburn and No. 20 Kansas State to be a defensive battle tonight.  Having two weeks to prepare for one another will certainly favor the defenses in this one.

Also, even though they never play each other, both teams will be very familiar with each other.  That's because Auburn and Kansas State both run similar systems.  They both love the read-option with quarterbacks who are great runners but not the best throwers, especially Nick Marshall of the Tigers.

Kansas State's defense has practiced against its first-team offense all offseason and into the regular season as well.  That will help its D get ready for what it will face Thursday.  The same can be said for the Tigers D as they are used to seeing their first-team offense.  That familiarity will make points hard to come by as both teams will be ready for what they see.

Kansas State has played some high-powered offenses through the years with low-scoring games being the result.  They played Oregon in the 2012 Fiesta Bowl in a 17-35 loss.  They played Arkansas in the 2011 Cotton Bowl and lost 16-29.  They also played Baylor last year and lost 25-35.  As you can see, all of those final scores would up finishing under 65.5 points.

Auburn is known for having an explosive offense, but when you look at its results from last year, it's clear to see that there is some value with the UNDER.  Indeed, Auburn and its opponents finished with 65 or fewer combined points in 10 of its 14 games last year.

Stopping the run is going to be the key to this game obviously.  Well, both teams are well-equipped to do so.  The Tigers held Arkansas to just 153 rushing yards in their opener, which is a huge accomplishment because the Razorbacks are one of the best running teams in the country.  For the season, the Tigers are giving up 109 rushing yards per game and 2.9 per carry.

Kansas State is only giving up 87 rushing yards per game and 3.0 per carry in 2014.  This is a team that has been dominant against the run over the past five years.  Indeed, it has allowed 139 or fewer rushing yards per game in four of the five years.  It has also allowed 4.0 or fewer yards per carry in four of those five seasons.

The UNDER is 5-1-1 in Auburn's last seven games following a bye week.  I see no way the final combined score of this game exceeds 65 points tonight.  Bet the UNDER 65.5 points Thursday.

20* AL West GAME OF THE MONTH on Seattle Mariners +107

The Seattle Mariners (81-69) are right in the thick of the AL wild card race.  They are just one game back of Kansas City for the second wild card spot and two games back of Oakland for the first.  They beat the Angels 13-2 last night and really should keep the hits coming tonight.

That's because they are up against C.J. Wilson, who has completely lost it this season.  The left-hander has posted a 4.61 ERA and 1.463 WHIP over 28 starts.  He has gone 2-1 with a 6.14 ERA and 1.842 WHIP in his last three starts.  Wilson is 0-3 with a 4.98 ERA in his last three starts against Seattle.

James Paxton is the real deal.  The left-hander has gone 6-2 with a 1.83 ERA and 1.085 WHIP in 10 starts this season.  He will be a real force if the Mariners make the playoffs teaming with Felix Hernandez & Hisashi Iwakuma.  Paxton is also 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 0.667 WHIP In two career starts against Los Angeles.

Seattle is 9-1 against the money line after scoring nine runs or more this season.  Paxton is 10-1 against the money line in night games over the last two seasons.  The Mariners are 5-0 in Paxtons last five starts vs. a team with a winning record.  The Angels are 1-4 in Wilson's last five starts as a favorite of -110 to -150.  Bet the Mariners Wednesday.

20* NL East GAME OF THE MONTH on Washington Nationals -119

The Washington Nationals (86-63) will clinch the NL East with a victory over the Atlanta Braves (75-75) tonight.  They would love nothing more than to do it against their division rivals, who won the NL East last year.  I look for them to get it done Tuesday.

Tanner Roark has been one of the most underrated starters in the big leagues this season.  He has gone 13-10 with a 2.96 ERA and 1.117 WHIP in 29 starts.  The right-hander is 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA and 1.083 WHIP in four career starts against Atlanta.

Aaron Harang is having a mediocre year for Atlanta.  He has gone 11-10 with a 3.72 ERA and 1.432 WHIP in 30 starts, including 1-2 with a 4.96 ERA and 1.652 WHIP in his last three starts.  Harang is 3-4 with a 3.10 ERA and 1.435 WHIP in 12 career starts against Washington.

The Nationals are 52-25 in their last 77 games as a road favorite of -110 to -150.  The Braves are 2-9 in Harang's last 11 starts.  Atlanta is 0-5 in Harang's last five home starts.  The Braves are 0-6 in their last six vs. a start with a WHIP less than 1.15.  Atlanta is 0-6 in Harang's last six starts following a quality start in his last appearance.  These last three trends combine for a perfect 17-0 system backing Washington.  Bet the Nationals Tuesday.

20* Eagles/Colts ESPN Monday No-Brainer on Philadelphia +3

I’ve harped on it a lot before the season, and I’m going to continue to do so. The Colts were nowhere near as good as their 11-5 records over the past two seasons would indicate. Andrew Luck simply willed this team to those records, but he can’t continue to do it.

They were outgained on the season in both 2012 and 2013, and they have gone 14-2 in games decided by a touchdown or less during this time. There will be some regression in this department, and that started last week with their 7-point loss to the Broncos in a game where Denver never really felt threatened after leading 24-0.

The fact of the matter is that Luck just doesn’t have much talent around him. The defense is atrocious as it gave up 44 points to the Chiefs in the playoffs last year, and if the Broncos wouldn’t have taken their foot off the gas after a 24-0 lead, they could have scored 50.

Now, the Colts lost Robert Mathis (19.5 sacks last year) to a season-ending Achilles injury. He had 14 more sacks than second place on the team. Indianapolis also has one of the worst offensive lines in the league, both at protecting Luck and paving the way for a putrid rushing attack.

Certainly the start by the Eagles last week was concerning, but their ability to overcome a 17-0 deficit without a problem was equally if not more impressive. They rallied in a hurry and wound up winning 34-17. They dominated the box score against an improved Jaguars team.

They outgained Jacksonville 420-306 for the game, or by 114 total yards. The only reason this game was close for a while was because the Eagles turned the ball over three times in the first half. They didn’t give it away once after intermission and showed what they are capable of.

Plays against home teams where the line is +3 to -3 (INDIANAPOLIS) – off a road loss, in September games are 91-51 (64.1%) ATS since 1983. The Eagles are 4-1 ATS in their last five games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.

I have no doubt that Philadelphia is the better team and that should show up on the field with an outright victory Monday. Getting the three points is just an added bonus and an insurance plan.  Bet the Eagles Monday.

15* MLB Monday No-Doubt Rout on Detroit Tigers -1.5 (-108)

While the Detroit Tigers (83-66) haven't completely lived up to expectations thus far in 2014, they are still in first place in the AL Central by 1.5 games.  They have also turned it on here of late when these games have mattered the most.  I look for them to win by 2-plus runs against the lowly Minnesota Twins (63-86) in Game 1 of this series tonight.

Max Scherzer is having another dominant season to really prove his worth.  The right-hander is 16-5 with a 3.19 ERA and 1.168 WHIP over 30 starts this year.  Scherzer is 8-2 with a 4.48 ERA and 1.228 WHIP in 14 career starts against Minnesota.  He has won each of his last five starts against the Twins with three of those coming by 2-plus runs.

Anthony Swarzak makes just his second start of the season for Minnesota.  He has gone 3-1 with a 3.95 ERA and 1.342 WHIP over 73 innings pitched this year with almost all of those coming as a reliever.  Swarzak has been owned by Detroit, going 0-2 with a monstrous 12.65 ERA and 2.249 WHIP in three career starts against the Tigers.

Minnesota is 6-25 (-17.7 Units) against the money line vs. an AL starting pitcher whose ERA is 3.20 or better this season, losing by 2.4 runs/game.  The Twins are 4-28 (-23.8 Units) against the money line vs. an AL starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.200 or better this season, losing by 2.9 runs/game. 

The Tigers are 42-13 in Scherzer's last 55 starts as a favorite.  Scherzer is 6-0 against the run line (+7.4 Units) vs. poor power teams - averaging 0.9 or less HR's/game in the second half of the season this season.  Take the Tigers Monday.

15* Bears/49ers NBC Sunday Night BAILOUT on Chicago +7

The San Francisco 49ers (1-0) get a visit from the Chicago Bears (0-1) on Sunday, September 14th in an NFC showdown. The 49ers made pretty easy work of the Dallas Cowboys in their opener. They jumped out to a 28-3 lead by halftime and held on for a 28-17 victory. The Bears erased a double-digit halftime deficit to the Bills to force overtime, but ultimately lost at home by a final of 20-23.

I believe this line is a bit of an overreaction from what happened last week between these teams. The 49ers’ win over the Cowboys was nowhere near as big of a blowout as the score would indicate. Conversely, the Bears probably should have beaten the Bills because they arguably outplayed them. A closer look at the box scores from those two games tell the story.

San Francisco was actually outgained by Dallas by 66 total yards (319-382). The Cowboys simply gave this game away by committing four turnovers, including a fumble that was returned for a touchdown by the 49ers on their opening series. Tony Romo threw three interceptions in the loss as well. The 49ers’ offense didn’t have to do anything special in this one, and they certainly didn't as 319 yards against that defense is not very good.

The Bears, on the other hand, actually outgained the Bills by 67 total yards (427-360). The offense was explosive, while the defense looked improved over last year. However, like the Cowboys, the Bears simply self-destructed with turnovers. They committed three turnovers in the game, including a pair of interceptions from Jay Cutler, who still had a solid game overall with 349 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Asking the 49ers to win by more than a touchdown to beat us is asking too much. Their biggest weakness on defense is at the cornerback positions, where they are really banged up right now. They also lost a pair of corners in the offseason in Tarrell Brown and Carlos Rodgers, so they were already going to take a step back at the position. Now, both starting corners in Chris Culliver and Tramaine Brock are banged up and questionable to play Sunday night.

San Francisco already had a ton of problems defensively between Aldon Smith, NaVorro Bowman and Ray McDonald all likely missing significant time this year.  Look for Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and Jay Cutler to have big games in this one against a suspect San Francisco defense, especially with the questions at cornerback now.  Take the Bears Sunday.

15* NFC GAME OF THE WEEK on St. Louis Rams +6

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1) welcome the St. Louis Rams (0-1) to Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, September 14th. These teams have played each of the past two seasons with the Rams taking both meetings, including a 23-13 home victory last year.

Both teams will be looking to bounce back from ugly losses. The Rams were destroyed at home by the Vikings by a final of 6-34 in an absolute laugher. The Buccaneers made it interesting after tailing 17-0 at home to the Panthers, but eventually fell 14-20.

I believe this line is a complete overreaction from the Rams’ ugly 28-point loss to the Vikings last week. A closer look into the box score shows that this game was much more competitive than the final score would indicate. The Vikings only outgained the Rams by 28 total yards in the game, but they took advantage of two St. Louis interceptions, returning one 80 yards for a touchdown late in the game. Nothing more could have gone wrong for the Rams.

I still have a good feeling that this St. Louis team is better than it gets credit for. Sure, the season-ending injury to Sam Bradford is concerning, but he was never that great anyway. The rest of the talent around him on both sides of the ball is very good, and I look for that to show going forward.

Austin Davis played pretty well in place of an injured Shaun Hill, completing 16 of 23 passes for 192 yards with an interception against the Vikings. He is one of the better backup quarterbacks in the league that not too many know about, though Hill will start if healthy according to Jeff Fisher.

The Buccaneers have no business being this heavily favored after the performance they put on against the Panthers, who were playing without starting QB Cam Newton. They actually trailed 17-0 in that contest and only made it interesting in the fourth quarter when it was too late.

They were outgained by 70 total yards in the loss as the offense amassed just 264 yards. Josh McCown looked lost for most of the game, completing 22 of 35 passes for 183 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Doug Martin rushed nine times for nine yards as well.

The Rams were dominant defensively in their 23-13 home win over the Buccaneers last season. They outgained the Bucs 277-170 for the game. Tampa Bay could do absolutely nothing on offense. I look for that to be the case again in the rematch as the Rams still have one of the best defenses in the game even after last week’s off performance. Zac Stacy rushed for 104 yards and a score against the Bucs last season, and Kellen Clemens completed 16 of 20 passes in the win.

St. Louis is 4-1 ATS in its last five games following an ATS loss. The Rams are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a double-digit loss at home. The Buccaneers are 13-30-1 ATS in their last 44 home games. Tampa Bay is 5-17 ATS in its last 22 home games vs. a team with a losing record. The Bucs are 0-5 ATS in their last five vs. NFC opponents. Tampa Bay is 2-7 ATS in its last nine vs. a team with a losing record. The underdog is 6-2-1 ATS in the last nine meetings.  Bet the Rams Sunday.

15* MLB Sunday PLAY OF THE DAY on Atlanta Braves -130

The Atlanta Braves (75-73) are three games back of Pittsburgh for the final wild card spot in the National League.  They are in must-win situations from here on out.  I look for them to respond with a win Sunday over the MLB-worst Texas Rangers (56-92).

Mike Minor has really turned it on of late.  The left-hander has posted a 2.66 ERA and 1.082 WHIP in his last three starts.  He has never faced the Rangers, which is an advantage for him Sunday as they have never seen him.

Colby Lewis is 9-13 with a 5.29 ERA and 1.533 WHIP in 26 starts this season.  The right-hander is 2-9 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.605 WHIP in 14 home starts as well.  He is easily one of the worst starters in the big leagues.

The Braves are 5-0 in Minor's last five Sunday starts.  The Rangers are 18-43 in their last 61 home games.  Texas is 21-57 in its last 78 games overall.  The Rangers are 1-6 in Lewis' last seven home starts vs. a team with a winning record.  Bet the Braves Sunday.

20* NFL Sunday Non-Conference ANNIHILATOR New England Patriots -5

The New England Patriots (0-1) travel to face the Minnesota Vikings (1-0) on Sunday, September 14th in a non-conference showdown in Week 2. The Patriots have won three in a row in this series, including a 28-18 home win in their most recent meeting in 2010.

The Patriots could not hold on to a 20-10 halftime lead over the Dolphins last week. They wound up giving up 23 unanswered points in the second half to lose by a final of 20-33. The Vikings, meanwhile, dominated from start to finish in an impressive 34-6 road win over the St. Louis Rams.

It’s usually a wise move to back the Patriots when they are coming off a loss under head coach Bill Belichick. He is the best head coach in the league at making adjustments and getting his team to respond. You can bet that they will come back with a much better effort after getting dominated in the second half against the Dolphins.

After all, Belichick is 11-2 ATS in road games off a road loss as the coach of New England. Belichick is also 11-3 ATS off an upset loss to a division foe as the coach of the Patriots.

Minnesota’s 34-6 win over St. Louis seemed to be a real blowout, but a closer look at the box score shows us that it wasn’t the blowout that it appeared to be. The Vikings only outgained the Rams 346-318 for the game, or by 28 total yards.

St. Louis simply gave this game away with its two interceptions, one that was returned 80 yards for a touchdown by Harrison Smith. I am not willing to give the Vikings too much credit for this win against a St. Louis team that was playing without starting QB Sam Bradford.

I loved the Patriots at -3 when this line came out, and I still love them at -5 now that it has been determined that Adrian Peterson will not play.  He is one of the few players who is worth a full two points to a team, and probably more to Minnesota.  Without him, it will be much easier for the Patriots to stop Matt Cassel and company.

The Patriots are 3-0 in their last three meetings with the Vikings with an average margin of victory of 13.7 points per game. New England is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 games following a division game. The Patriots are 32-13-1 ATS in their last 46 games following a loss. The Vikings are 1-4 ATS in their last five games after a win by 14 points or more.  Take the Patriots Sunday.

25* NFL DOG OF THE YEAR on Atlanta Falcons +6

The Cincinnati Bengals are getting a little too much respect here due to their dominance at home last season. They have never had one of the best home-field advantages in the league, and they still do not despite last year’s aberration where they went 8-0 straight up and 8-0 ATS.

Even though they won in Baltimore last week, I still don’t believe this team is as good as they were a year ago. They lost offensive coordinator Jay Gruden and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, and those changes will have a negative impact on this team as the season goes on.

I really wasn’t all that impressed with the Bengals last week as they beat up on a Ravens team that just isn’t that good anymore. They really didn’t outplay them either as their defense was torched for 420 total yards by a Ravens offense that ranked 29th in the league last year. The Bengals had to settle for five field goals offensively, and their only touchdown was on a fluky 77-yard bomb to A.J. Green that won the game for them.  Joe Flacco threw for 345 yards for the Ravens.

Atlanta, on the other hand, was mighty impressive against New Orleans in its 37-34 (OT) victory. It torched a Saints’ defense that finished 4th in the league last year in total defense. Matt Ryan threw for a career-high 448 yards and three touchdowns as the Falcons racked up a whopping 568 yards of total offense in the win.  There's no question that the Saints have one of the best secondaries in the league.  Ryan will torch an aging Bengals secondary this week.

Steven Jackson even looked good running the ball as they amassed 123 yards on the ground. It’s amazing what this offense can do with a healthy Julio Jones and Roddy White, but Devin Hester and Harry Douglas are underrated playmakers as well.  All four of these receivers finished with at least five catches and 69 yards apiece in the win.

The Falcons are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 road games after allowing 450 or more total yards in their previous game. Plays on underdogs or pick (ATLANTA) – bad team from last season who won only 25% to 40% of their games are 46-13 (78%) ATS over the last five seasons. This team is way undervalued off last year’s 4-12 disaster, while the Bengals are overvalued after winning 11 games a year ago and going 8-0 at home.  Bet the Falcons Sunday.

15* AFC East GAME OF THE WEEK on Buffalo Bills PK

The Miami Dolphins (1-0) travel to face the Buffalo Bills (1-0) in Week 2 NFL action on Sunday, September 14th. The Bills actually won both meetings last year with a 23-21 road win on October 20th and a 19-0 home victory on December 22nd.

Both of these teams came up with impressive wins as underdogs last week. The Bills topped Chicago on the road 23-20 (OT) while the Dolphins took care of the Patriots 33-20 at home. This is a very rare occasion where both teams are tied for first place in the AFC East.

The Bills made a statement with their 23-20 road win over Chicago last week. They forced two Jay Cutler interceptions in the win, and stayed true to form offensively, rushing for 193 yards as a team. E.J. Manuel went 16 of 22 passing for 173 yards with a touchdown and an interception to manage the game very well. Holding the Bears to just 20 points on the road is no small feat.

I believe this is a great match-up for the Bills, who ranked 2nd in the league in rushing last year and 4th in pass defense. Miami’s biggest weakness right now is its run defense, and it is a pass-oriented offense behind Ryan Tannehill. The Dolphins were without three starting linebackers against the Patriots by the time the game ended, but New England could not take advantage. Instead, it threw the ball 56 times in its 20-33 loss as it was playing from behind.

The Dolphins will be without at least two of their three starting linebackers this week. Dannell Ellerbe (hip) has landed on injured reserve, while Koa Misi (ankle) is doubtful. Phillip Wheeler (thumb) is listed as questionable, as is Jordan Tripp (chest). Having solid linebacker play is essential to stopping the run, and the Dolphins won’t have that this week, or perhaps for the rest of the season.

Buffalo beat Miami both times last year. It limited the Dolphins to 293 yards of offense in a 23-21 road win, but I was more impressed with the 103 yards of offense it allowed in a 19-0 home win. I was also impressed with how the Bills ran it down the Dolphins’ throats in that victory. They ammassed 203 rushing yards and 390 total yards overall, outgaining them 390-103 for the game. Fred Jackson rushed for 105 yards on 18 carries, and C.J. Spiller had 83 on 21 attempts.

Miami is 6-17 ATS off an upset win as an underdog over a division rival since 1992. The Dolphins are 22-38 ATS off an upset win as an underdog since 1992. Buffalo is 30-14 ATS off a win by 3 points or less since 1992. Plays on underdogs or pick (BUFFALO) – bad team from last season who won only 25% to 40% of their games are 46-13 (78%) ATS over the last five seasons. The Bills are 7-2 ATS in their last nine home games. 

I also believe this is a bit of a letdown spot for the Dolphins off such a big win over the Patriots.  They have been getting patted on the back all week by the media, while the Bills just aren't getting the respect they deserve for their road win.  I look for Buffalo to make a statement at home in this one.  Roll with the Bills Sunday.

25* CFB Non-Conference GAME OF THE YEAR on Tennessee +21

Oklahoma (2-0) has opened with a few cupcakes in non-conference play to start the season. It beat Louisiana Tech 48-16 in its opener as a 34-point favorite, then came back with a resounding 52-7 road victory over Tulsa as a 24-point favorite last week.

Tennessee (2-0) looked real good in dismantling Utah State by a final of 38-7 as only a 3-point home favorite in its opener. It came back last week and topped Arkansas State 34-19 as a 16-point favorite. Now, it steps out of Knoxville for its first road game of the season.

I was real big on Tennessee coming into the season, and I have seen nothing to change my opinion that this is one of the most improved teams in the country in 2014. Butch Jones has put together back-to-back tremendous recruiting classes that rank right up there with some of the elite recruiting teams in the SEC. That appears to already be paying off in the early going in 2014.

The Volunteers are getting solid production from their offense, averaging 36.0 points and 399.0 yards per game thus far. Justin Worley is completing 64.5 percent of his passes for 520 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. He has some real playmakers outside in Marquez North and Von Pearson, who have combined for 15 receptions, 204 yards and three touchdowns. Jalen Hurd and Marlin Lane Jr. form a nice 1-2 punch in the backfield.

Utah State and Arkansas State are no pushovers. The Aggies won 10 games and played in the MWC Title Game last year, while the Red Wolves won at least a share of the Sun Belt Title for a third straight season in 2013. I have been really impressed with this improved, athletic Tennessee defense in these two games. It has held those two teams to averages of 13.0 points and 287.5 total yards per game.

I had Oklahoma pegged as overvalued coming into the season after it beat Alabama in the BCS Sugar Bowl last year. The Crimson Tide were not up for that game at all. Oklahoma should not be this big of a favorite against an SEC team that is a sleeper to win the SEC East this season.

The Sooners have looked solid in wins over Louisiana Tech and Tulsa, but those two teams are inferior to the two that Tennessee has faced.  Louisiana Tech went just 4-8 last season and lost four times to teams that finished with losing records, while its four wins were against terrible competition.  Tulsa went just 3-9 last year as well.

Asking the Sooners to win by more than three touchdowns to beat us is simply asking too much. Oklahoma is 1-8 ATS as a favorite of 10.5 to 21 points over the last three seasons. The Sooners are 18-42 ATS in their last 60 games after allowing 17 points or less in two straight games. Tennessee is 40-22 ATS in its last 62 road games after one or more consecutive ATS losses. The Sooners are 1-5 ATS in their last six vs. SEC opponents.  Bet Tennessee Saturday.

15* Penn State/Rutgers Big Ten GAME OF THE WEEK on Penn State -3

Penn State (2-0) has been impressive in the early going. It beat UCF over in Ireland as a 2.5-point underdog by a final of 26-24 in its opener. Then, it topped Akron 21-3 at home as a 14-point favorite last week.

Rutgers (2-0) pulled off one of the bigger upsets of the season with a 41-38 win as a 7.5-point underdog in its opener at Washington State. It had a bit of a letdown last week against Howard at home, only winning by a final of 38-25.

I cannot give Rutgers that much credit for its 41-38 win at Washington State in its opener. That’s because the Cougars came back the next week and lost at Nevada to drop to 0-2 on the season, so they clearly aren’t very good this year.

That 13-point home win over Howard is pretty telling about Rutgers this year as they were a 38-point favorite in that contest. In fact, the Scarlet Knights were actually outgained 397-427 by Howard, or by 30 total yards. They arguably should have lost the game.

Penn State should have beaten UCF by more when you look at the box score. Indeed, it outgained UCF 511-246 for the game, but only won 26-24 because it committed three turnovers to try and give the game away. That +265 yardage differential couldn’t have been more impressive. This is a UCF team that played in the BCS Fiesta Bowl last year and beat Baylor 52-42. The Knights had nine starters back defensively this year as well, so to put up 511 yards against them is getting it done.

The Nittany Lions were nearly as dominant against Akron last week, and the final score was indicative of how dominant they were this time around. They won 21-3 while outgaining the Zips 425-277 for the game. The Zips are a team that I have playing in the MAC Title Game this year, so they are no pushovers. They even nearly upset Michigan on the road last year.

This would have been an even bigger blowout had the Nittany Lions not lost the turnover battle 3-0 to Akron. So, they have six turnovers already and something to work on for head coach James Franklin. If they quit turning it over, it’s scary how good this team could be.  The Nittany Lions have outgained their first two opponents 468-261.5 on average, while Rutgers had been outgained by its first two opponents 446.5-487.5.  I would argue Penn State has played the tougher schedule as well.

Plays on favorites of 3.5 to 10 points (PENN ST) – after allowing 9 points or less last game against opponent after scoring 24 points or more in the first half last game are 78-35 (69%) ATS since 1992. The Scarlet Knights are 1-4 ATS in their last five home games. The Nittany Lions are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games in September. Rutgers is 6-16 ATS in its last 22 home games after scoring 37 points or more last game. 

The Nittany Lions have been informed earlier this week that they will be bowl eligible this season.  That fact should ignite a fire under this team as they enter Big Ten play.  Penn State is 22-2 in its 24 previous meetings with Rutgers, including 9-0 in nine all-time road meetings.  Bet Penn State Saturday.

20* CFB Rivalry GAME OF THE WEEK on Purdue +28

Notre Dame (2-0) couldn’t have looked more impressive in the early going. It beat Rice 48-17 at home as a 19.5-point favorite to open the season. Then, it shut out Michigan 31-0 as a 4-point favorite last week. That was the first time the Wolverines had been shut out since 1984.

Purdue (1-1) has opened the season with a pair of MAC teams. It beat Western Michigan 43-34 as a 7-point home favorite in its opener. Then, it fell to a better Central Michigan squad by a final of 17-38 as a 3-point home favorite.

The Fighting Irish are in a massive letdown spot here. They are coming off that huge win over Michigan last week, and it’s simply going to be tough to come back and give the kind of effort they gave last week en route to a 31-0 triumph. Meanwhile, the betting public has seen how impressive this team has looked, while they are not big on Purdue after the loss to Central Michigan last week. That has created some additional line value here on the Boilermakers.

Each of the last two years Notre Dame was expected to blow out Purdue and it did not. It won 20-17 as a 14-point home favorite in 2012, and then 31-24 as an 18-point road favorite in 2013. Four of the last five meetings in this series were decided by 11 points or less with Purdue going 4-1 ATS in those five contests. The Boilermakers just always seem to play the Irish tough, and I look for that to be the case again in 2014.

Purdue’s 17-38 loss to Central Michigan last week was nowhere near as big of a blowout as the final score would indicate. The Boilermakers were only outgained 326-333 for the game, but they gave it away by committing three turnovers.

Conversely, Notre Dame’s 31-0 win over Michigan was nowhere near the blowout it appeared. The Fighting Irish were actually outgained 280-289 for the game, but they were gifted four turnovers by the Wolverines.  The final score of that game should not have been 31-0 with only 280 yards of total offense for the Irish.

Notre Dame is 0-7 ATS off two consecutive home wins by 14 points or more since 1992. The Fighting Irish are 7-19 ATS in their last 26 games as a favorite of 21.5 to 31 points. The Boilermakers are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games following a double-digit loss at home.  Take Purdue Saturday.

15* MLB Saturday PLAY OF THE DAY on Cleveland Indians +116

The Cleveland Indians (76-70) are in a must-win situation from here on out.  They are four games back of both Kansas City and Seattle for the final wild card spot in the American League.  Every game is a must-win for them.

I like Cleveland's chances of winning tonight behind Danny Salazar.  This guy has really turned it on of late, going 2-1 with a 2.89 ERA and 1.285 WHIP in his last three starts.

One of those starts came against Detroit on September 3, where Salazar pitched a complete game shutout in a 7-0 Cleveland win.  Salazar is 1-1 with a 2.96 ERA and 1.134 WHIP in four career starts against the Tigers.

The Indians are 6-0 in Salazar's last six starts vs. AL Central opponents.  The Tigers are 6-13 in their last 19 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.  Cleveland is 6-1 in Salazar's last seven starts following a team loss in their previous game.  Take the Indians Saturday.

15* CFB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Miami (Ohio) +33.5

The Michigan Wolverines will suffer a hangover from their embarrassing 31-0 loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish last week.  They were shut out for the first time since 1984.  A win over Miami (Ohio) is not going to mean anything to people judging them.  They know their next chance to make an impression comes next week against Utah and then in Big Ten play.  That's why they won't be motivated to face the Redhawks.

Meanwhile, this is like the Super Bowl for Miami (Ohio).  They would like to take a page out of Akron's book, which went into Michigan as a 37-point underdog and arguably should have pulled off the upset last year.  The Zips lost by a final of 24-28.  Just like Akron last year, this is a Miami (Ohio) team coming off a disastrous season, but one that is vastly improved over 2013.

Indeed, the Redhawks went 0-12 last year and were rarely competitive.  However, they now have 15 starters back in 2014 and are in Chuck Martin's first year on the job.  I have actually been very impressed with what I have seen from this team despite the fact that they are 0-2 thus far.  They have shown me enough to know that they can stay within five touchdowns of Michigan on the road Saturday.

Marshall is a team that many expect to go 12-0 this season.  Well, Miami (Ohio) only lost to Marshall 27-42 at home as a 24-point underdog in its opener.  This was even a 27-35 game with just over two minutes remaining in the 4th quarter before Marshall iced it with a touchdown.  In fact, the Redhawks were only outgained 418-432 for the game.  Putting up 418 yards against this solid Marshall defense is no joking matter.

Obviously, a 10-17 home loss to Eastern Kentucky as a 6-point favorite last week is concerning.  However, a closer look into the box score shows that the Redhawks should have won that game, and won it running away.  They outgained Eastern Kentucky 419-280 for the game, but they let the Colonels in it by committing six turnovers.  This Miami offense is averaging 418.5 yards per game through two games to really show its improvement.

Teams with 5-plus turnovers the previous week who are on the road the next week have covered the spread 64.3% of the time since 1989.  Michigan is 22-43 ATS after a game where it committed 3 or more turnovers since 1992.  The Redhawks are 4-1 ATS in their last five games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.  The Wolverines are 1-4 ATS in their last five non-conference games.  Roll with Miami (Ohio) Saturday.

15* Arkansas/Texas Tech SEC vs. Big 12 No-Brainer on Arkansas +1

Texas Tech (2-0) has survived a couple of scares already in the early going. It beat Central Arkansas 42-35 as a 34-point home favorite in its opener. Then, it went into UTEP and came away with a 30-26 road victory as a 21-point favorite last week.

Arkansas (1-1) fought tough against Auburn in its opener before being blown out in the second half and losing 21-45 as a 17-point road underdog. The Razorbacks would take out their frustration last week, winning 73-7 at home over Nicholls State as a 41.5-point favorite.

I’m just not real big on the Red Raiders this year. They haven’t done anything in the first two games to change my opinion.  In fact, they have validated it despite their 2-0 start. They do have 13 starters back this season, including nine on offense, but their four starters back on defense are what really concern me. They haven’t been able to slow down Central Arkansas and UTEP in the first two games, and I look for Arkansas to run wild on them Saturday.

The Red Raiders gave up 178 rushing yards and 406 total yards to Central Arkansas in their 7-point opening victory as a 34-point favorite. Then, they gave up 277 rushing yards to UTEP and were fortunate to come away with a 4-point victory as they needed a late score to take the lead. So, Texas Tech has allowed an average of 227 rushing yards per game through its first two contests.

Arkansas thrives behind a rushing attack that will be one of the best in the country this season. This is a team that returns 14 starters after only having 10 back last year and enter Year Two in Bret Bielema's system. That includes the top two returning rushers in Alex Collins (1,026 yards, 4 TD) and Jonathan Williams (900 yards, 4 TD). The Razorbacks have averaged 324 rushing yards per game and 9.4 per carry through their first two games this season.

The Razorbacks are 33-17 ATS in their last 50 games after scoring 42 points or more last game. Arkansas is 4-0 ATS in its last four vs. Big 12 opponents. The Red Raiders are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games overall. Texas Tech is 1-5 ATS in its last six home games. I simply love the match-up with the Razorbacks’ rushing attack against the Red Raiders’ porous run defense.  Roll with Arkansas Saturday.

15* Louisville/Virginia ACC GAME OF THE WEEK on Virginia +7

Virginia is a team I have pegged as one of the most improved in the country this season.  I have seen nothing to change my opinion on the Cavaliers yet.  Head coach Mike London is fighting for his job this year.  He continues to put together tremendous recruiting classes, but has gotten few results.  With 17 starters back this year, this is clearly his best team yet.

That was on display in the season opener as Virginia lost at home to UCLA 20-28 as a 19-point underdog.  However, the Cavaliers should have never lost that game because they gave up three defensive touchdowns.  They limited a high-powered UCLA offense to just 358 total yards, while racking up 386 yards of offense themselves.  The Bruins were one of the favorites to make the four-team playoff this year, so that performance shows you what this Virginia team is capable of.

Yes, Virginia was fortunate to beat Richmond in blowout fashion as that game was a lost closer than the final of 45-13 would indicate.  They won the turnover battle 7-2 to aid their cause.  Still, the Cavaliers were only 14.5-point favorites int hat game, and they won by 32 points.  That is an in-state rivalry game that can sometimes be closer than it should be, and Virginia really took it to them.

Louisville is overvalued right now due to back-to-back blowout home wins.  It is getting too much respect for its 31-13 home victory over Miami.  Sure, the defense looked solid in that contest, but I honestly believe that Miami is nowhere near as good as they get credit for.  Brad Kaaya is a terrible quarterback, and he could do nothing against Louisville's defense.  Keep in mind that Kaaya is a freshman who was playing in his first game as well.  Look for the Cardinals to struggle in their first road game of the season against the improved Cavaliers.

Plays against road favorites of 3.5 to 10 points (LOUISVILLE) - in the first month of the season, after closing out last season strong with 3 or more straight wins are 30-7 (81.1%) ATS over the last 10 seasons.  The Cardinals are 1-5 ATS in their last six games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.  The Cavaliers are 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.  Bet Virginia Saturday.

20* CFB Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Maryland -3

The Maryland Terrapins should be a much heavier favorite Saturday against the West Virginia Mountaineers.  I believe WVU's close loss to Alabama has it overvalued right now, while Maryland's close win at South Florida last week has it undervalued.  It's the perfect storm, and thus oddsmakers are giving us a gift with the Terrapins as only 3-point home favorites here.

Maryland has been arguably the most unlucky team in the country when it has come to injuries over the last three seasons under Randy Edsall.  Finally, in his 4th year, he has everyone healthy.  This team made a bowl game last year with only 11 starters back and all the injuries, and now they have 17 starters back and are a sleeper in the Big Ten.

CJ Brown is one of the most underrated dual-threat quarterbacks in the country, and he has one of the best WR duos in the land in Stefon Diggs and Deon Long.  This team committed six turnovers last week, yet still found a way to beat South Florida 24-17 on the road.  Obviously, it should have been a bigger blowout, but the fact that they won with six turnovers is impressive in and of itself.

West Virginia went just 4-8 last season and lost two the two worst teams in the Big 12 in Kansas and Iowa State.  Sure, this team is expected to be improved this year, but not enough to justify this 3-point spread.  They played an Alabama team that had questions at quarterback in their opener, and the Crimson Tide still racked up 538 yards in their 33-23 win over WVU that was a bigger blowout than the final score would indicate.

Maryland had lost seven straight to West Virginia prior to last year's 37-0 victory on a neutral field.  This game was over at halftime as the Terrapins took a 30-0 lead into the break before calling off the dogs in the second half.  The Terrapins held the Mountaineers to just 175 total yards of offense while forcing six turnovers.  They will be just as good if not better on D in 2014 with nine starters and 13 of their top 15 tacklers back.

Edsall is 31-16 ATS after a game where they committed 3 or more turnovers in all games he has coached.  The Mountaineers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.  West Virginia is 7-18-1 ATS in its last 26 games following a SU win of more than 20 points.  Take Maryland Saturday.

15* MLB Friday Late-Night BAILOUT on Houston Astros +1.5 (-120)

The Houston Astros have been playing great every since manager Bo Porter was fired.  They have won eight of their last 10 games overall despite being an underdog in eight of those contests.  I expect them to win tonight, but I'm taking them on the run line for some added insurance.

This is a tough spot for the Angels.  They will be returning from a 10-game road trip that saw them go 8-2.  That first home game back from a long road trip is tough on players because they have household obligations, which can be a distraction.  Also, the Angels have all but wrapped up the best record in the AL, so it could be tough to stay motivated.

I'll gladly fade C.J. Wilson, who is 11-9 with a 4.64 ERA and 1.446 WHIP in 27 starts this season.  Houston is batting .447 against Wilson in his last three starts in the series, during which he's gone 0-2 with a 13.94 ERA.  He has allowed 16 earned runs, 4 homers and 28 base runners over 10 1/3 innings during this stretch.

Houston is 45-23 against the run line (+17.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.  The Astros are 30-14 against the run line (+13.2 Units) vs. left-handed starters this season.  Houston is 70-45 against the run line (+15.5 Units) after a win over the last 2 seasons.  Oberholtzer is 13-4 against the run line (+8.7 Units) as an underdog when the run line price is +165 to -135 over the last 2 seasons.  Roll with the Astros on the Run Line.

20* Baylor/Buffalo ESPN Friday No-Brainer on Baylor -34.5

Baylor (2-0) has gotten off to another dominant start in 2014. It has managed to go 2-0 against the spread with back-to-back home wins over SMU (45-0) as a 31.5-point favorite and Northwestern State (70-6) as a 47-point favorite.

Buffalo (1-1) has played in a couple of nail biters to open the season. It only beat Duquesne (38-28) as a 28.5-point home favorite in its opener. It then went on the road and lost to Army (39-47) as a 3-point underdog.

Oddsmakers simply cannot set the spreads high enough for the Bears. They are the new Oregon of college football. They somehow still do not get the respect they deserve despite being a clear contender to make the four-team playoff. Art Briles led them to a Big 12 Title last year with an 11-2 season. He has been burning up the recruiting trails, and this year’s team is every bit as good as the one he fielded last year.

This team beat Northwestern State 70-6 last week without starting QB Bryce Petty and top receiver Antwan Goodley. They racked up 720 yards of offense in the win. Backup Seth Russell went 16 of 25 passing for 438 yards and five touchdowns. Freshman KD Cannon caught six balls for 223 yards and three scores. Baylor has so much depth that it’s simply “next man up”.  However, Petty is expected to return this week, while Goodley is doubtful.

Buffalo is a team that I am really down on this year. It has shown me nothing thus far to change my mind. The Bulls actually made a bowl game last year with an 8-5 record, but after having 16 returning starters, they now only have 11 back this year. They lose two key players to the NFL in Khalil Mack (100 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 3 INT) and Branden Oliver (1,535  rushing yards, 15 TD). They are going to take a major step back this season.

That effort against Duquesne in their opener just showed how much trouble the Bulls are in this season. They actually trailed Duquesne 24-28 early in the fourth quarter. They allowed 322 passing yards and three touchdowns to quarterback Dillon Buechel. They only outgained Duquesne 472-373 for the game as well. They were a 28.5-point favorite and won by just 10.

Last year, Baylor beat Buffalo 70-13. It outgained the Bulls 781-363 for the game. Petty and Russell combined for 452 passing yards and three touchdowns, while Baylor rushed for 329 yards as a team.  I expect a very similar result in the rematch considering the Bears are just as strong as they were last year, while the Bulls clearly are not.

Plays on road favorites of 14.5 or more points (BAYLOR) – after 2 straight wins by 28 or more points against opponent after trailing in their previous game by 17 or more points at the half are 22-3 (88%) ATS since 1992. The Bears are 24-8 ATS in their last 32 games overall. The Bulls are 5-16 ATS in their last 21 vs. a team with a winning record. Buffalo is 1-5 ATS in its last six non-conference games.  Bet Baylor Friday.

15* MLB Run Line PLAY OF THE DAY on Chicago Cubs +1.5 (-121)

I really do believe the Cubs will probably win outright today, but I'm going to take them on the run line for a little more insurance in a game that could easily be decided by one run either way.  The Cubs will be motivated following six straight losses, and they have no problem playing the role of spoiler with all of their talented prospects seeing significant time down the stretch.

Tsuyoshi Wada makes this a very solid play.  There's no question he should be getting overlooked like he is here.  Wada has gone 4-2 with a 2.95 ERA and 1.091 WHIP in 10 starts this season for the Cubs.

At the same time, Gerrit Cole is getting too much respect.  He has gone 8-5 with a 3.89 ERA and 1.306 WHIP in 18 starts.  Cole has gone 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA in his last three starts as well.

The Pirates are in a tough spot here.  It's almost always tough to return from a long road trip for that first home game because there are too many distractions around the household for these players.  They return home from a 10-game trip here.

Chicago is 45-25 against the run line (+16.4 Units) after two or more consecutive overs over the last two seasons.  Plays on all underdogs against a 1.5 run line. (Money Line =+165 to -135) (CHICAGO CUBS) - with a team batting average of .250 or worse on the season (NL), after scoring 4 runs or less 6 straight games are 51-24 (68%, +23.8 units) over the last five seasons.  Take the Cubs on the Run Line Friday.

20* Houston/BYU ESPN Thursday No-Brainer on Houston +19

I was big on BYU coming into the season and a little low on Houston.  I predicted BYU to win 10 games this year and still think they will.  I had Houston winning 9 games but regressing a little overall because of finishing +25 in turnover differential last year.

Well, BYU was certainly undervalued coming into the year as it has gone 2-0 SU & 2-0 ATS through its first two games with blowout wins over UConn (35-10) and Texas (41-7).  Houston, meanwhile, was overvalued.  It has gone 1-1 SU & 0-2 ATS with a loss to UTSA (7-27) and a win over Grambling (47-0) as a 49.5-point favorite.

Now, there is a ton of value to be had with backing Houston because the betting public is drooling over BYU after two straight blowout wins and covers.  The betting public is off of Houston after an 0-2 ATS start.  This has forced the oddsmakers to set the number tonight much higher than it should be.

Keep in mind that BYU has beaten two teams that had terrible quarterback play to aid their cause.  UConn is clearly an awful team this year, and Texas is down again, especially without QB David Ash, who missed the BYU game with a concussion.  That also makes this a bit of a letdown spot for BYU off such a big road win over the Longhorns.

Houston gave away the game to UTSA by committing six turnovers. It actually held the roadrunners to 263 total yards in the loss. You have to remember that this Houston team came very close to winning the American Athletic last season. It went 8-4 during the regular season with all four losses coming by 7 points or less. Those losses came to some very good teams in BYU (46-47), UCF (14-19), Louisville (13-20) and Cincinnati (17-24).

With 17 starters back, this Houston team is a real contender to win the AAC. All of these players will be out for revenge from that 1-point loss to the Cougars last season. John O’Korn, who completed 29 of 45 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns in the loss, is back as the starting quarterback this year. Also back is Daniel Spencer and Deonte Greenberry at receiver. These two combined for 18 receptions, 254 yards and three touchdowns in that loss to BYU.

BYU is 7-26 ATS in its last 33 games following a two-game road trip. BYU is 2-11 ATS in their last 13 games off two or more consecutive road wins. Plays against home favorites (BYU) – after allowing 17 points or less in 2 straight games against opponent after leading in their previous game by 24 or more points at the half are 32-9 (78%) ATS over the last 10 seasons. Houston is 7-0 ATS in its last seven road games.  Take Houston Thursday.

25* AFC North TOTAL OF THE YEAR on Steelers/Ravens UNDER 44.5

If you play fantasy football, you don't want to start any offensive players when the Steelers and Ravens get together.  You certainly want to start both defenses, but you would be foolish to start any skill player on offense.  That's because these games are always low scoring.

Indeed, each of the last six meetings in this series have seen 43 or fewer combined points.  Dating back further, 13 of the last 14 meetings have seen 43 or fewer combined points.  That makes for a 13-1 (93%) system backing the under pertaining to tonight's total set of 44.5 points.

I just really believe this number has been inflated because both offenses actually played pretty well last week.  However, these teams know each other inside and out, so it's no surprise that when they get together the defenses dictate the game.  That will be the case again here in this first meeting in 2014.

This 44.5 number is the highest total set for a Baltimore/Pittsburgh game since 1997.  There has been a total of 43 set for this rivalry once since 1997, which was the highest over this time.  That tells you alone that there is some value in backing the under 44.5 points tonight.

The UNDER is 9-0 in Steelers last nine games during Week 2.  The UNDER is 11-5 in Steelers last 16 games vs. AFC North opponents.  The UNDER is 4-0 in Ravens last four September games.  The UNDER is 9-1 in Ravens last 10 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.  Bet the UNDER in this game Thursday.

15* MLB Thursday Total DOMINATOR on Marlins/Brewers UNDER 8

The Miami Marlins (71-73) and Milwaukee Brewers (75-71) are both fighting to stay alive for one of the final two wild card spots in the National League.  They each send one of their best starters to the mound tonight, and I like for a pitcher's duel because of it.

Mike Fiers is the only starter in Milwaukee's rotation right now stepping up to the plate when the team needs him most.  The right-hander has gone 5-1 with a 1.94 ERA and 0.744 WHIP in six starts this season.  He has allowed just 9 earned runs and 31 base runners in 41 2/3 innings while striking out 46.

Nathan Eovaldi has been better than his 6-10 record with a 4.29 ERA would suggest.  He has posted a respectable 1.295 WHIP in his 29 starts this season.  Eovaldi has been at his best on the road, going 3-5 with a 3.71 ERA and 1.263 WHIP in 13 starts.

Eovaldi is 9-0 UNDER (+9.0 Units) in road games vs. an NL team with an on base percentage .325 or worse in the second half of the season over the last two seasons.   Eovaldi is 9-1 UNDER (+7.9 Units) in road games vs. teams whose hitters strike out 7 or more times/game in the second half of the season over the last two seasons.

The UNDER is 8-1-1 in Marlins last 10 games as an underdog of +110 to +150.  The UNDER is 6-1 in Fiers' last seven starts as a home favorite of -110 to -150.  Bet the UNDER in this game Thursday.

15* LA Tech/North Texas Conference USA ANNIHILATOR on Louisiana Tech +4

While both teams blew out the opposition last week, I clearly come away more impressed with Louisiana Tech’s performance than that of North Texas. The Bulldogs were a 15.5-point road underdog to a very good Louisiana team that is expected to win the Sun Belt this year. They won 48-20 in dominant fashion, outgaining the Rajin’ Cajuns 533-415 in the process.

The Bulldogs finally have a solid team under second-year head coach Skip Holtz. He only had seven starters back last year during a 4-8 campaign, and now he has 13 back in 2013. He also adds in Iowa transfer Cody Sokol at quarterback. He threw for 295 yards and two touchdowns against Louisiana. Also, Kenneth Dixon is one of the most underrated running backs in the country. He rushed for 184 yards and two touchdowns on only 12 carries against the Rajin’ Cajuns.

I am way down on North Texas this year as this is a rebuilding year for Dan McCarney. He got the Mean Green to a bowl game last year for the first time since 2004, but after having 17 starters back in 2013, they only have nine starters back this year. They only gained 94 total yards in the 7-38 loss to Texas. Their 43-6 win over SMU was also closer than the final score would indicate. They only gained 353 yards of total offense in the win, but won the turnover battle 5-0, which was the difference.

Last year, North Texas did beat an inexperienced Louisiana Tech team 28-13. However, it scored 28 unanswered points in a game that was much closer than the final score showed. In fact, the Bulldogs outgained the Mean Green 404-386 for the game, which is saying something considering how down they were last year, while the Mean Green were extremely experienced. They lost the turnover battle 3-1, which proved to be the difference. The Mean Green were also aided by a defensive touchdown.  It's revenge time this year for the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs are 16-6 ATS in their last 22 road games. Louisiana Tech is 14-5-1 ATS its last 20 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in its previous game. North Texas is 6-22 ATS in its last 28 games after a game where it committed no turnovers.  Roll with Louisiana Tech Thursday.

20* MLB Run Line GAME OF THE WEEK on Houston Astros +1.5 (-101)

The Houston Astros are showing tremendous value on the run line tonight.  They have won seven of their last nine games overall, which pretty much coincided with the firing of manager Bo Porter.  They have done so behind a team ERA of 2.04 during this stretch.

Houston calls up rookie Nick Tropeano from Triple-A Oklahoma City to make his big league debut tonight.  The right-hander went 9-5 with a 3.03 ERA over 23 minor league games.  20 of those were starts, and he struck out 120 over 124 2/3 innings.  He'll have an advantage as the Mariners won't know what to expect.

Seattle gives the ball to Hisashi Iwakuma, who is one of the better starters in the big leagues, but he appears to be wearing down over the stretch run.  Indeed, Iwakuma has posted a 7.25 ERA and 1.464 WHIP in his last three starts, allowing 11 runs and 20 base runners over 13 2/3 innings.  He has given up exactly four earned runs in two of his last three starts against Houston.

Houston is 44-23 against the run line (+16.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.  The Astros are 33-17 against the run line (+13.8 Units) off an upset win over a division rival as an underdog over the last two seasons.  Houston is 66-39 against the run line (+21.7 Units) after three or more consecutive road games over the last two seasons.  Bet the Astros on the Run Line Wednesday.

20* NL Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on St. Louis Cardinals -121

The St. Louis Cardinals are one of the hottest teams in baseball, having one nine of their last 10 games overall.  Not surprisingly, this run coincided with a healthy return of Yadier Molina behind the plate.  The Cardinals are hitting .292 over their last 10 games and the pitching staff has compiled a 1.89 ERA in the victories.

Michael Wacha recently returned from the disabled list and was held to 50 pitches in his last outing.  He'll have a lot more leeway tonight.  Wacha is 5-5 with a 2.80 ERA and 1.125 WHIP in 15 starts this season.  The right-hander has gone 1-0 with a 0.48 ERA and 0.911 WHIP in three career starts against the Reds, giving up one earned run in 18 2/3 innings.

Cincinnati (67-77) is hitting .219 while losing 19 of its last 26 games.  Mike Leake is coming off his worst start of the season, surrendering seven runs and three homers in four innings of a 9-7 loss to Baltimore.  Leake is 2-5 with a 5.40 ERA in eight career home starts against St. Louis, losing three straight behind a 6.75 ERA.

Cincinnati is 0-9 (-10.0 Units) against the money line vs. terrible power teams - averaging 0.75 or less HR's/game in the second half of the season this season.  The Reds are 0-7 (-8.7 Units) against the money line in home games vs. terrible power teams - averaging 0.75 or less HR's/game over the last three seasons.  The Cardinals are 8-0 in their last eight games as a favorite.  St. Louis is 6-0 in the last six meetings.  These four trends combine for a 30-0 system backing St. Louis.  Bet the Cardinals Tuesday.

15* NL Non-Divisional ANNIHILATOR on Pittsburgh Pirates -132

The Pittsburgh Pirates (75-68) have won four in a row to move into the final wild card spot in the National League.  They hold a 1.5-game lead over both the reeling Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers.  I look for them to take down the Philadelphia Phillies (66-77) for a 5th straight victory tonight.

Edinson Volquez, like many others, has revived his career in Pittsburgh.  He has gone 11-7 with a 3.31 ERA and 1.261 WHIP over 27 starts this season, including 4-2 with a 3.18 ERA in 12 road starts.  Volquez is 1-0 with a 1.37 ERA and 1.220 WHIP in his last three starts as well.  The right-hander is 4-2 with a 2.73 ERA in six career starts against Philadelphia.  In his last two starts against the Phillies, he is 2-0 while allowing two earned runs in 13 innings.

David Buchanan has gotten a shot to be a part of Philadelphia's rotation this year with mixed results.  The right-hander is 6-7 with a 3.95 ERA and 1.307 WHIP in 16 starts, but 4-3 with a 4.30 ERA and 1.477 WHIP in eight home starts.  Buchanan is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in one career start against Pittsburgh, yielding three earned runs over six innings of a 2-3 loss on July 5th.

Volquez is 15-3 (+13.5 Units) against the money line vs. an NL team with an on base percentage .315 or worse in the second half of the season over the last two seasons.  Volquez is 11-2 (+9.8 Units) against the money line vs. an NL team with a batting average of .250 or worse in the second half of the season over the last two seasons.  The Pirates are 27-11 in their last 38 vs. a team with a losing record. 

Pittsburgh is 7-0 in Volquez's last seven starts vs. a team with a winning record.  The Pirates are 6-0 in Volquez's last six starts with 5 days of rest.  The Phillies are 0-5 in Buchanan's last five starts.  Philadelphia is 0-5 in Buchanan's last five starts as an underdog.  The Pirates are 4-0 in the last four meetings.  These five trends combine for a 27-0 system backing Pittsburgh.  Take the Pirates Tuesday.

20* Chargers/Cardinals ESPN Monday Night BAILOUT on Arizona -3

Arizona won seven of its final nine games last year to finish 10-6 and in the running for a playoff spot. Unfortunately, those 10 wins were only good enough for third place within their own division. The Cardinals would have probably competed for a division title in any other division than the NFC West, which is stacked once again in 2014. Either way, it was a step in the right direction for this franchise in Bruce Arians’ first season on the job.

San Diego has had a knack for starting slow and finishing strong to make a run at the playoffs since Philip Rivers has been its starting quarterback. The 2013 season was no different as the Chargers won each of their final four games of the regular season to get to 9-7, which was good enough for the final wild card spot in the AFC. They would go into Cincinnati and win before giving Peyton Manning and the Broncos a run for their money on the road in the Divisional Round, ultimately losing 17-24.

As stated before, the Cardinals would have competed for a division title in any other division last year. I really liked what I saw from this team in the second half of the season. They were the only team to go into Seattle and come away with a victory over the last two years, which says a lot about what they are capable of. The defense shouldered the load, ranking 6th in the league in total defense (317.4 ypg) and 7th in scoring defense (20.2 ppg). This unit may take a small step back this year due to some personnel losses, but it’s still a better stop unit that San Diego’s.

Indeed, the Chargers ranked just 23rd in the league in total defense (366.5 ypg) last year. This unit has holes in a lot of places, but mostly up front along the defensive line as they lack pass rushers. I also think this is one of the worst linebacker corps in the league. The secondary gets a boost with some additions this offseason after being one of the worst units in the league last year.

Rivers had a big season last year, but that had a lot to do with offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt. With Whisenhunt gone to Tennessee, I look for Rivers and the offense to take a step back this year.  Calling the shots now will be first-time coordinator Frank Reich.  The strength of the Arizona defense is its secondary led by Patrick Peterson, and that makes this a good match-up for the Cardinals because the Chargers are without question a passing team.

Carson Palmer did make some mistakes last year, but he took care of the ball in the second half a lot better, and he is capable of doing that for a full season. He quietly threw for 4,274 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. The emergence of Michael Floyd (65 receptions, 1,041 yards, 5 TD) gives the Cardinals a solid 1-2 punch at receiver with Larry Fitzgerald (82, 954, 10 TD).

Andre Ellington, who didn’t have more than 12 touches in any game prior to Week 8, averaged 13.6 touches the rest of the way during their surge. He averaged 5.5 yards per carry, and now Arians wants him to be the focal point of the offense in 2014. The O-line will be vastly improved with the additions they made this offseason and a return to health of a couple key guys from injury.

The Cardinals are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall. Arizona is 4-0 ATS in its last four Week 1 games. The Cardinals are 5-1 ATS in their last six games on grass. Arians is 7-0 ATS in a home games where the total is between 42.5 and 49 in all games he has coached. Arians is 13-4 ATS in dome games in all games he has coached.  Bet the Cardinals Monday.

15* NL Monday No-Doubt Rout on Pittsburgh Pirates -120

The Pittsburgh Pirates (74-68) have won three in a row to move ahead of Atlanta (74-69) and Milwaukee (74-69) for the final wild card spot in the National League.  They are only a half-game ahead of both, so they won't be lacking any motivation in Philadelphia (66-76) for Game 1 of this series.

Jeff Locke is having a solid season for the Pirates.  The left-hander has gone 6-4 with a 3.75 ERA and 1.269 WHIP in 17 starts this season.  What stands out most is that Locke is 3-0 with a 1.37 ERA and 0.915 WHIP in three career starts against Philadelphia.

Kyle Kendrick, on the other hand, has not been very good for the Phillies.  The right-hander is 8-11 with a 4.77 ERA and 1.347 WHIP through 28 starts this year.  In his last two starts against Pittsburgh, Kendrick has gone 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA, giving up nine earned runs in 12 innings.

Pittsburgh is 10-2 (+10.6 Units) against the money line after a game they hit four or more home runs over the last three seasons.  The Pirates are 6-0 in Locke's last six starts when their opponent scores two runs or less in their previous game.  Pittsburgh is 5-1 in its last six meetings in Philadelphia.  Take the Pirates Monday.

15* Colts/Broncos NBC Late-Night BAILOUT on Denver -7.5

Denver came oh so close to winning the Super Bowl last year. It went 13-3 during the regular season and earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC behind a record-setting season from Peyton Manning. It would beat both San Diego and New England at home in the playoffs before getting destroyed by Seattle 43-8 in the Super Bowl. That left a lot of folks in Denver scratching their heads, and management felt they had to do something about it by upgrading the roster again this offseason.

There’s no question that Manning will want some revenge on his former team this year. He had to have a mix of emotions going into that game last year, and he did not play his best in a 33-39 loss. I look for him to put his best foot forward at home this time around without all the distractions. After all, he threw for an NFL-record 5,477 passing yards and 55 touchdowns last year. The offense will be just fine with the loss of Eric Decker, because he has been replaced by Emmanuel Sanders and rookie Cody Latimer. Also, the offensive line gets back All-Pro left tackle Ryan Clady after he missed last year due to injury.

Somehow, the Broncos could actually be better this season. That’s because they upgraded the defense after a sub-par campaign on that side of the ball last year. They brought in pass rusher DeMarcus Ware, shutdown corner Aqib Talib, and underrated safety T.J. Ward. The Broncos should be able to take big leads with their explosive offense and preserve them with their improved defense this year, starting in Week 1 against the Colts.

Indianapolis has been extremely lucky to go 11-5 over the past two seasons. It has gone a ridiculous 14-2 in games decided by a touchdown or less the last two years, and that trend cannot keep up as they will regress. The Colts were also outgained (by 15.3 yards per game) on the season for a second consecutive year. They have one of the worst offensive lines in football, and they don’t have a running game to speak of. Too much is on Luck’s shoulders, and he cannot carry this team again.

Their defense is just too awful to compete with the elite teams in this league, which has shown in blowout losses to the Patriots in the playoffs each of the last two years. They also gave up 44 points to the Chiefs in the first round, who have one of the worst offenses in the league.  It's also worth noting that Robert Mathis (19.5 sacks last year) will miss the first four games of the season due to suspension.  He had 14 more seconds than second place on his team.

Plays against road underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points (INDIANAPOLIS) – team that had a winning record last season are 33-11 (75%) ATS over the last 10 seasons. Denver is 16-5 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points over the last three seasons. The Colts are 0-6 ATS in their last six Week 1 games.  Take the Broncos Sunday night.

15* NFL Sunday Divisional ANNIHILATOR on Tampa Bay Buccaneers -2.5

Tampa Bay just hasn’t been able to get anything going over the last few years. It has been through three head coaches since Jon Gruden’s 2007 team last made the playoffs. The Buccaneers started 0-8 last year and the season appeared lost. They showed some pride down the stretch, going 4-4 the rest of the way. One of those losses even came in overtime at Seattle, which was perhaps their most impressive performance of the season. Now, it’s up to Lovie Smith to try and turn things around in Tampa Bay.

I believe the Lovie Smith hiring was the best head coaching move this offseason. He was a solid head coach at Chicago, but the problem was that the Bears play in the same division as the Packers, so coming up in second place every year and narrowly missing the playoffs a lot of times just wasn’t cutting it apparently. The fact of the matter is that this guy is still one heck of a head coach. Players love playing for him, and the Buccaneers will welcome his style rather than Greg Schiano’s, which clearly did not work.

I really like the addition of Josh McCown at quarterback. He was every bit as good as Jay Cutler in Chicago last year, throwing 13 touchdowns and one interception in his place. He’ll have two big wide outs to work with in Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans, which is similar to what he had in Chicago. Also, Doug Martin missed most of last season due to injury, and he’s back healthy. The defense will be improved under Smith’s guidance as they are a much better fit for his cover 2 scheme.

Carolina is certainly going to be down this year. Management was handcuffed due to the salary cap, so it could not spend big money on free agents. It had to led go of its top three receivers from last year, and replacing them will be rookie Kelvin Benjamin, Jerricho Cotchery and Jason Avant. The offensive line saw four different players retire this offseason, leaving Ryan Kalil as the only effective returning starter.
The Panthers' secondary lost three of four starters as well. They do have Cam Newton and a solid front seven defensively, but they aren’t going to be able to carry the load this season with all the losses.  It's also worth noting that Newton (Ribs) is a game-time decision for this contest against the Buccaneers, though we full expect him to play.

The Panthers are 0-5 ATS in their last five Week 1 games. Carolina is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 September games. This team is notorious for being slow starters, and I like that to be the case again in this one against an improved Bucs squad ready to make a statement.  Bet Tampa Bay Sunday.

15* MLB Sunday PLAY OF THE DAY on San Diego Padres -118

The San Diego Padres (66-75) are motivated to put an end to a four-game losing streak.  They are also hungry to avoid a sweep at the hands of the lowly Colorado Rockies (58-84) after dropping the first two games of this series.

I like the Padres' chances of bouncing back today behind ace Tyson Ross.  The right-hander is quietly having a brilliant season, going 13-12 with a 2.60 ERA and 1.171 WHIP in 29 starts, including 2-1 with a 1.77 ERA and 0.984 WHIP in his last three.  Ross has posted a 2.82 ERA and 1.164 WHIP in four career starts against Colorado.

Franklin Morales is one of the worst starters in all of baseball.  The left-hander has gone 5-7 with a 5.46 ERA and 1.639 WHIP over 20 starts and 11 relief appearances in 2014.  Morales has been at his worst at home, going 2-3 with a 5.91 ERA and 1.781 WHIP in 10 starts.  He is also 0-1 with an 8.79 ERA and 2.163 WHIP in his last three starts.

The Padres are 12-3 in their last 15 games as a favorite.  San Diego is 6-0 in Ross' last six starts as a favorite.  The Rockies are 20-52 in their last 72 games vs. a right-handed starter.  Colorado is 3-8 in Morales' last 11 starts overall.  The Rockies are 32-67 in their last 99 Sunday games.  Roll with the Padres Sunday.

20* NFL Sunday Upset Shocker on Oakland Raiders +5.5

The Oakland Raiders have been handcuffed by the salary cap over the last two seasons in back-to-back 4-12 campaigns under head coach Dennis Allen.  They finally had some money freed up this offseason, and they spent a lot of it on several veteran players to try and turn things around.

The Raiders will give the reigns to rookie quarterback Derek Carr, who got better with each game in the preseason and I expect him to succeed right away.  He has more weapons to work with this year with the additions of James Jones and Maurice Jones-Drew.

The defense got much better this offseason with the additions of DE Justin Tuck, DE Lamar Woodley, CB Carlos Rogers, CB Tarell Brown and rookie Khalil Mack.  Also, underrated safety and defensive leader Tyvon Branch returns from injury this year, and this will be one of the most improved stop units in the league with all of these moves.

The Jets should not be this heavily-favored against almost any team in the league.  They were extremely fortunate to go 8-8 last year.  They went 5-1 in games decided by a touchdown or less.  They were outscored by 97 points on the season, which was the most for a non-losing team since the AFL/NFL merger.

New York made minor upgrades offensively this offseason, but this is still going to be one of the worst units in the league.  That's because Geno Smith is the starting QB, and he threw just 12 touchdowns and 21 interceptions as a rookie last year.  The defense has all kinds of concerns in the secondary as well.

Plays on underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points (OAKLAND) – bad team from last season who won only 25% to 40% of their games are 24-5 (82.8%) ATS over the last five seasons. The Jets are 53-86 ATS in their last 139 games as a home favorite.  The Raiders actually outgained the Jets 383-352 despite losing 27-37 last year.  It's revenge time.  Bet the Raiders Sunday.

20* NFL Sunday No-Doubt Rout on New England Patriots -3.5

No team has dominated one division over the past decade quite like the New England Patriots. They have won five straight AFC East titles and 10 of the last 11 overall. In what was considered a down year last season, they went 12-4 and made it to the AFC Championship Game. That just goes to show the kind of job Bill Belichick did and continues to do with this team year in and year out. He gets the most out of his players.

Despite what was considered a down year for the Patriots’ offense last year, they still wound up finishing seventh in the league in total offense. Tom Brady was working with rookie receivers, and he did not have Rob Gronkowski for the majority of the season. Now, those rookies are more experienced with a year in the system, while Gronkowski is expected to start in Week 1. I look for this Patriots offense to get back to being the dominant unit it was before 2013.

The defense made some strides last year by allowing a respectable 21.1 points per game. That was even with Jerod Mayo and Vince Wilfork missing significant time. Now, those two return healthy, and the Patriots have added in Will Smith, James Anderson and Darrelle Revis to help out the stop unit. This defense should be even better in 2014, and the Patriots are always at their best when they are solid on this side of the football.

The Dolphins are a team I’m down on this year. They have all kinds of issues along the offensive line after giving up the most sacks (58) in the entire league last season. Ryan Tannehill is a decent quarterback, but he cannot live up to his potential with the current offensive line, as well as the lack of weapons around him. Despite going 8-8 last year, the Dolphins were actually outgained by 46.5 yards per game. That’s the sign of a losing team rather than one that went .500.

New England is 45-27 ATS in its last 72 road games vs. division opponents. Belichick is 62-41 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points as the coach of New England. Belichick is 68-45 ATS in road games as the coach of the Patriots.

Finally, and most importantly, New England has won seven of its last eight meetings with Miami with six of those victories coming by a touchdown or more.  Take the Patriots Sunday.

15* NFL Sunday Undervalued Underdog on Buffalo Bills +7

The Bills own the longest active streak without a playoff berth at 14 seasons. They are coming off a 6-10 season that saw them finish in last place in the AFC East. Doug Marrone has a lot of pressure on him to turn things around this year. This team has been stockpiling talent, and they swung for the fences when they moved up five spots to take Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins. They are banking on EJ Manuel being their franchise quarterback, and he must stay healthy after using three different starting quarterbacks a year ago.

The Bills were much better last season than their 6-10 record would indicate. They actually outgained opponents 338.1 to 333.4 on the season, or by an average of 4.7 yards per game. That is the sign of a .500 team or better rather than one that went 6-10. It’s also impressive considering they had to use three different starting quarterbacks and never really got into the rhythm they needed to offensively because of it. Manuel won’t have to do too much because the Bills have one of the best running games in the league, ranking 2nd at 144.2 yards per game last year.

The Bears were atrocious defensively last year, ranking 30th in total defense (394.6 ypg) and 30th in scoring defense (29.9 ppg). Their biggest weakness was a run defense that ranked dead last in the league at 161.4 yards per game allowed. Look for the Bills, behind Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller, to run wild on this Bears’ defense. This could not be a better match-up for the Bills even though the Bears did add a few reinforcements along the D-Line. I still expect them to be one of the worst run defenses in the league.

Sure, the explosive Chicago offense is a concern, but the Bills have one of the most underrated defenses in the game. Indeed, they ranked 10th in total defense last year, including just 4th against the pass (204.4 ypg). Chicago wants to throw it a lot, and Buffalo is built to stop the pass. It ranked second in the entire league in sacks (57) a year ago. You could make the argument that the Bills have the best defensive line in the entire league as they have a plethora of guys who can get after the quarterback, led by Mario Williams (13 sacks) and Kyle Williams (10.5 sacks).

Plays on underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points (BUFFALO) – bad team from last season who won only 25% to 40% of their games are 24-5 (82.8%) ATS over the last five seasons. The Bills are 7-2 ATS in their last nine Week 1 games. The Bears are 7-19-1 ATS in their last 27 games overall. Chicago has had no home-field advantage recently, going 1-8-1 ATS in its last 10 home games.  Also, Jay Cutler is 11-26 ATS as a home favorite in his career.  Roll with the Bills Sunday.

15* MLB Saturday PLAY OF THE DAY on Milwaukee Brewers -107

The Milwaukee Brewers (74-67) finally put an end to their 9-game losing streak yesterday with a 6-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.  They are now just three games back of St. Louis for first place in the NL Central, and they are clinging on to the final wild card spot in the NL by one game.  Look for them to start a winning streak today with a home victory in Game 3.

Kyle Lohse continues to pitch at a high level in the big leagues.  The right-hander has gone 12-8 with a 3.68 ERA and 1.214 WHIP in 27 starts this season.  Lohse has been dominant at home, going 4-2 with a 2.25 ERA and 0.917 WHIP in 10 starts.

Lance Lynn is having his best season for the Cardinals.  He is 14-8 with a 2.85 ERA, but he's fortunate to have that low of an ERA with a 1.301 WHIP on the year.  Also, he has been at his worst on the road, going 5-5 with a 3.41 ERA and 1.413 WHIP over 12 starts.

Lohse is 60-30 (+22.7 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents for his career.  The Cardinals are 1-4 in Lynn's last five starts as a road underdog.  The Brewers are 7-1 in Lohse's last eight starts on 5 days of rest.  Roll with the Brewers Saturday.

20* CFB Saturday Bounce-Back BLOWOUT on South Carolina -15

This line is a complete overreaction from South Carolina getting destroyed by Texas A&M at home by a final of 28-52.  The Aggies were clearly better than people believed they would be, but obviously the Gamecocks weren't ready for what they say.  That was a tough game to prepare for because the Aggies have one of the best offensive minds in all of college football in Kevin Sumlin.  They will be much more prepared for East Carolina, and they'll be hungry to bounce back with a blowout victory.

I still look for South Carolina to compete for an SEC East Title this year.  It has the talent to do so with 14 returning starters from a team that went 11-2 last year, which was the third straight season that Steve Spurrier has led this team to an 11-2 campaign.  This team has been on the brink of winning the SEC each of the last three years, and that doesn't change in 2014 after just one poor performance.

East Carolina is the team that is in rebuilding mode this year.  It has just nine returning starters in all.  It loses leading rusher Vintavious Cooper (1,193 yards, 13 TD) as well as three starters along the offensive line.  The Pirates only have 38 career starts returning along the O-line, so I look for South Carolina's athletes up front to dominate the line of scrimmage.  They only have four starters returning on defense and lose eight of their top 12 tacklers from a year ago.

The last time these teams played in 2012, South Carolina rolled to a 48-10 home victory as a 21-point favorite.  Dylan Thompson, who is now the starting quarterback for the Gamecocks, actually started in that game as a sophomore.  He threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Gamecocks to a dominant victory.  They racked up 528 yards of total offense in the win and led 35-0 late into the 3rd quarter.

Plays on favorites of 10.5 to 21 points (S CAROLINA) - solid team from last season - outgaining their opponents by 75 or more yards/game, after gaining 6.75 or more yards/play in their previous game are 24-4 (85.7%) ATS over the last 10 seasons.  Plays on favorites of 10.5 to 21 points (S CAROLINA) - good offensive team from last season - scored 31 or more points/game, in a non-conference game between two teams from major division 1-A conferences are 28-7 (80%) ATS over the last 10 seasons.  Take South Carolina Saturday.

25* Michigan State/Oregon Top-10 GAME OF THE YEAR on Michigan State +13.5

Michigan State had the top defense in the entire country last year.  It is the type of defense that will give Oregon fits, just like Stanford has the last two years.  Indeed, the Cardinal held the Ducks to 17 points in 2012 and 20 points in 2013.  The Spartans are fully capable of keeping this high-powered Ducks' offense in check, and that's precisely what I expect to happen Saturday.

I also like the match-up of Michigan State's offense against Oregon's defense.  The Spartans brought back seven starters on offense, including QB Connor Cook and RB Jeremy Langford, who rushed for 1,422 yards and 18 touchdowns last year.  Cook saved his best two performances for last, throwing for a combined 636 yards and five touchdowns in the wins over Ohio State and Stanford in the Big Ten Championship and Rose Bowl, respectively.

Oregon's defense is its biggest weakness.  It only brings back five starters on defense and loses three of its top five tacklers.  I look for the Spartans to control this game with their ground attack, and for Cook to continue to play his best on the biggest of stages.  He completed 12 of 13 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-7 win over Jacksonville State in the opener.

I just think this Spartans team is not getting the credit they deserve, which has simply carried over from last season.  They were a 13-17 loss to Notre Dame away from going a perfect 14-0 and possibly playing in the BCS Championship.  They even had several calls not go their way in that loss to the Fighting Irish.  They have only lost two road games over the last two years, and those came by a combined six points to Notre Dame & Michigan.

I also believe that Oregon is on the decline.  It lost to Stanford last year and then proceeded to lose to Arizona by a final of 16-42.  It was fortunate to win the season finale against Oregon State, winning that game by a single point after a late two-point conversion.  Mark Helfrich really appeared to have lost his team in the second half of the season.  He is not even half the head coach that Chip Kelly was, and that is already starting to be felt.

Michigan State is 7-0 ATS in road games after one or more consecutive straight up wins over the last three seasons. The Spartans are 6-0 ATS as an underdog over the last three seasons. Michigan State is 10-1 ATS in Saturday road games over the last three seasons.  These three trends combine for a 23-1 system backing the Spartans.  This will be their coming out party Saturday as it wouldn't surprise me if they won outright.  Bet Michigan State Saturday.

15* CFB Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Kentucky -13

Kentucky is a team on the rise in the world of college football.  Sure, this team went 2-10 last year in Mark Stoops' first year on the job in 2013, but that's not telling of what this team is going to do in the coming years.  That's because Stoops has put together back-to-back tremendous recruiting classes, and the talent he's bringing to Lexington is going to start paying off in a big way sooner rather than later.

Stoops has a whopping 15 returning starters to work with, and these guys will be much more accustomed to his systems in Year Two.  That already started to show in the opener as the Wildcats rolled to a 59-14 win over Tennessee-Martin as a 21.5-point favorite.  The Wildcats outgained the Skyhawks 656-398 for the game.

This was a 52-0 game before the Wildcats really called off the dogs and allowed the Skyhawks to pile up some stats in garbage time.  Indeed, 175 of UTM's 398 yards came in the 4th quarter, meaning that they only had 223 yards through the first three quarters.  QB Patrick Towles completed 20 of 29 passes for 377 yards and a touchdown in the win.  Baylon Heard rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns on only two carries as well.

Ohio did make a bowl game with a 7-6 record last year, but it looked terrible in some of its losses.  It suffered blowout losses to Louisville (7-49), BUffalo (3-30), Bowling Green (0-49) and Kent State (13-44).  It only has 12 starters back this season, including just four on offense.  It loses all-time leading passer Tyler Tettleton, leading rusher Beau Blankenship, and four of its top five receivers.  I was not impressed with its 17-14 road win at Kent State in the opener thanks to a last-second field goal.

Ohio is 0-8 ATS off a win against a conference rival over the last three seasons.  The Bobcats are 14-32 ATS in their last 46 games after scoring less than 20 points in their previous game.  The Wildcats are 6-0 ATS in their last six vs. MAC opponents.  This will be Kentucky's 5th straight year hosting a MAC foe, and it has won each of the last four by an average of 30 points per game.  Bet Kentucky Saturday.

15* Fresno State/Utah No-Brainer on Utah -12

The Utah Utes are coming off back-to-back 5-7 seasons.  They did go 8-5 in their first year in the Pac-12 in 2011, but it has been downhill since.  I look for this team to contend for a bowl game this year as they should be improved with 12 starters and a lot of talent back under head coach Kyle Whittingham.

This team just finds a way to compete when playing in Salt Lake City.  Last year, the Utes did go just 4-3 at home, but their three losses came to Oregon State (48-51, OT), UCLA (27-34) and Arizona State (19-20) by a combined 11 points.  Those were three of the better teams in the Pac-12.  They also beat then-No. 5 Stanford (27-21), which went on to win the Pac-12.

Under new offensive coordinator Dave Christensen, the Utes had three touchdown drives that lasted under 42 seconds in their 56-14 win over Idaho State last week.  The new up-tempo scheme led to 589 total yards of offense for Utah, while the defense held Idaho State to 337 yards.  Travis Wilson completed 13 of 18 passes for 265 yards and a score.  The rushing attack produced 238 yards and 5.2 per carry.

Fresno State will struggle with Utah's up-tempo attack.  It did last week against USC, losing by a final of 13-52.  The Bulldogs' defense allowed an incredible 37 first downs and 701 total yards to the Trojan's new high-tempo offensive.  In fact, the Trojans ran a whopping 105 plays in the game.  The Utes should use the same blueprint to come away with a blowout victory of their own against the hapless Bulldogs. 

Fresno State clearly misses all-time leading passer Derek Carr as its new quarterbacks in Brian Burrell and Brandon Connette were picked off four times and threw for just 160 yards.  The offense managed just 317 total yards and 17 first downs against the Trojans.  Look for them to struggle against what will be a very solid Utah defense in this one.

Whittingham is 41-14 at home as the coach of Utah.  Fresno State is 4-14 ATS in its last 18 games after allowing 50 points or more.  Utah is 51-31 ATS in its last 82 non-conference games, including 5-0 ATS in its last five non-conference games.  The Bulldogs are 14-37-2 ATS in their last 53 games following a S.U. loss.  Fresno State is 2-7 ATS in its last nine vs. Pac-12 foes.  The Bulldogs are 1-5 ATS in their last six non-conference games.    The Utes are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 vs. MWC opponents.  Take Utah Saturday.

20* CFB Saturday Upset Shocker on Toledo +4

There is a reason that this line has dropped from Toledo +6 to Toledo +4 and even +3.5 in some places as of this writing.  The sharp money is on Toledo, and it should be because this team is going to win outright Saturday.  I'll simply take the points for a little extra insurance.

I am very big on Toledo this season as I have it winning the MAC.  The reason is because it is one of the most experienced teams in the conference with 16 returning starters.  I have no doubt that this is the most talented team in the conference as well, and they are capable of beating an SEC program, even Missouri, a team that won the SEC East last year.

The Rockets return seven starters from an offense that put up 33.0 points and 447 yards per game last year.  Philip Ely is an Alabama transfer at quarterback who is underrated coming into the season.  Ely completed 24 of 34 passes for 337 yards and four touchdowns in a 54-20 home victory over New Hampshire in the opener.  Kareem Hunt is the top returning rusher, and he ran for 136 yards and two scores in the win.

The defense has a whopping nine starters back and will be one of the most improved in the country.  This unit only had three starters back last year and allowed 28.6 points per game.  That average should fall way down in 2014 with those nine starters back, including five of the top six tacklers.  The top two tacklers in Junior Sylvestre (118 tackles, 5 sacks) and Chase Murdock (109 tackles, 4 sacks) return.  The Rockets have the best O-Line and best D-line in the MAC.

I am way down on Missouri this year, and for good reason.  The Tigers lose almost everyone from last season's miraculous run to the SEC Title.  They are one of the least-experienced teams in the SEC with only eight starters returning.  They lose leading rusher Henry Josey, their top three receivers, and five of their top seven tacklers defensively.  This team could go from first to worst in the SEC East this season.

I was not at all impressed with Missouri's 38-18 home win over South Dakota State as a 25-point favorite in its opener.  It only outgained the Jackrabbits 393-365 for the game, or by a total of just 28 yards.  That will be a sign of things to come for this team because they were expected to crush SDSU, but the final score was not indicative of how close this game really was.  Maty Mauk only threw for 178 yards in the win, while the defense allowed 23 of 32 passing for 246 yards to the Jackrabbits.

Toledo play Missouri just about as tough as anyone last year.  It did lose 23-38 on the road as a 15-point underdog, but that final score was not indicative of how close the game actually was.  Indeed, the Rockets actually outgained the Tigers 387-384 for the game.  As you know, the Tigers went on to play in the SEC Championship.  With Toledo much-improved this season, and Missouri way down, I look for Toledo to pull off the upset at home in the rematch.

Plays on home underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points (TOLEDO) - team that had a winning record last season, in non-conference games are 31-6 (83.8%) ATS over the last 10 seasons.  Toledo is 54-34 ATS in its last 88 home games.  Roll with Toledo Saturday.

20* Washington State/Nevada ESPN Late-Night BAILOUT on Washington State -3.5

Washington State made its first bowl game since 2003 last year in just the second season under head coach Mike Leach.  He guided the Cougars to a 6-7 finish after a fluke loss to Colorado State in the New Mexico Bowl where they simply gave the game away in the closing minutes.  Still, it was a step in the right direction for this team, which brings back 14 starters this year.

Obviously, the Cougars did not get off to the start they wanted this season with a 38-41 home loss to Rutgers.  They again fell apart late in that game, but I think Rutgers is a better team than it is getting credit for heading into this season.  The Scarlet Knights brought back 16 starters this year, making them one of the more experienced teams in the country.

Still, when you look at the box score, the Cougars really should have won that game.  They racked up 538 yards of total offense, outgaining the Scarlet Knights by 42 yards for the game.  Returning starter Connor Halliday had a monster game offensively, completing 40 of 56 passes for 532 yards and five touchdowns with one interceptions in the loss.  Four different receivers had 83-plus yards receiving, so he will certainly have the luxury of spreading the ball around this season.

Nevada is getting too much respect here.  It went just 4-8 last year and won't be much better in 2014.  Its performance against Southern Utah was worse than Washington State's against Rutgers.  The Wolf Pack only won by a final of 28-19 at home against this FCS opponent despite being a 24.5-point favorite. 

The Wolf Pack had one of the worst defenses in the country last year, giving up 34.4 points and 505 total yards per game.  Sure, they have 10 starters back on defense, but that's not necessarily a good thing after last season's disaster and lack of talent.  I look for Halliday and company to score at will on this putrid defense.

Washington State is 13-2-1 ATS in its last 16 games following an ATS loss. The Cougars are 6-1 ATS in their last seven road games. Washington State is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games vs. a team with a winning record. The Wolf Pack are 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 games following a S.U. win. Nevada is 6-14-1 ATS in its last 21 non-conference games.

Plays on any team (WASHINGTON ST) - first 2 weeks of the year, bowl team from prior season who lost their last 2 games, team that had a losing record last season are 30-9 (76.9%) ATS over the last 10 seasons.  Bet Washington State Friday.

15* NL Central ANNIHILATOR on Milwaukee Brewers -117

Yes, the Milwaukee Brewers have lost nine in a row.  Yes, the St. Louis Cardinals have won six in a row.  However, the Brewers will be more motivated for a victory tonight than they have been all season.  They are still tied for the final wild card spot in the National League with plenty to play for and should have no problem bouncing back as a result.

Mike Fiers has been a godsend since he's returned to the rotation for the Brewers.  Indeed, the right-hander has gone 4-1 with a 1.80 ERA and 0.657 WHIP with 41 strikeouts over 35 innings.  Fiers is 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA in two career starts against St. Louis, allowing just one earned run over 12 innings.

John Lackey has been a solid addition to the Cardinals' rotation prior to the trade deadline as well.  He is 13-8 with a 3.74 ERA and 1.264 WHIP in 27 starts this season.  However, Lackey has been at his worst on the road, going 7-5 with a 4.48 ERA and 1.299 WHIP in 13 starts this season.

St. Louis is 18-36 (-19.2 Units) against the money line in road games vs. a starting pitcher who strikes out 5 or more batters per start over the last two seasons.  The Brewers are 4-1 in Fiers' last five starts.  Milwaukee is 8-3 in Fiers' last 11 starts vs. NL Central opponents.  Take the Brewers Friday.

15* Interleague PLAY OF THE DAY on Detroit Tigers -130

The Detroit Tigers have really turned it on over the last couple weeks now that we are getting down to crunch time.  They have won nine of their last 13 games overall and currently own the final wild card spot in the American League.  They are also just one game behind Kansas City for first place in the AL Central.

Rick Porcello has been one of the most underrated starters in the game this season.  He has gone 15-9 with a 3.10 ERA and 1.144 WHIP over 26 starts this season, including 2-1 with a 1.90 ERA and 1.014 WHIP in his last three starts.  Porcello is also 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in one career start against San Francisco.

Jake Peavy is way past his prime.  The right-hander has gone 4-13 with a 4.15 ERA and 1.337 WHIP in 27 starts this season.  He has been at his worst on the road, going 2-8 with a 5.45 ERA and 1.408 WHIP in 13 starts.  Peavy is also 4-7 with a 5.59 ERA and 1.301 WHIP in 14 career starts against Detroit.  In his last two starts against the Tigers, he has allowed 12 earned runs over nine innings, both losses.

The Giants are 24-51 in their last 75 interleague road games, including 2-15 in interleague road games over the last two seasons.  San Francisco is 7-22 in its last 29 games as an underdog.  The Tigers are 6-0 in their last 6 games as a favorite of -110 to -150.  Detroit is 64-19 in its last 83 interleague home games.  The Tigers are 27-13 in Porcello's last 40 starts.  Roll with Detroit Friday.

20* Packers/Seahawks 2014 NFL Season Opener on Green Bay +6

The Seattle Seahawks are way overvalued in the opener as a 6-point favorite against the Green Bay Packers.  They are getting too much respect from oddsmakers because they are the defending Super Bowl champions.  I look for the Packers to give them a run for their money in the opener, possibly pulling off the upset.

Green Bay has waited two years for a chance at revenge on Seattle.  It lost by a final of 12-14 in Seattle back in 2012 on the infamous "Fail Mary" play. The Packers intercepted the Seahawks on the final play of the game, but the referees ruled that it was a Seattle reception for a touchdown.  They failed to swallow their pride and overturn the call even though it was clear that it was an interception by the Packers.

Rarely ever will you get the opportunity to back the Packers as this big of an underdog with a healthy Aaron Rodgers.  He is primed for a big season this year as he is loaded with healthy weapons on the outside with Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb leading the way.  The offensive line will be better with the healthy return of Brian Bulaga at right tackle as well.  Eddy Lacy gives them a real threat of a rushing attack after running for over 1,178 yards and 11 touchdowns as a rookie.

What held Green Bay back last year, aside from Rodgers missing seven games to injury, was a defense that ranked 25th in the league at 372.2 yards per game allowed.  This unit should be much-improved in 2014.  They added rookie Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in the first round, and they signed elite pass rusher Julius Peppers in free agency.  The secondary was really banged up last year, but everyone returns healthy this year.  In fact, the Packers have had as bad of luck in the injury department as any team in the league over the last couple seasons.

Seattle is going to suffer a bit of a Super Bowl hangover this year.  Just ask the Baltimore Ravens last season.  They were destroyed by the Denver Broncos in the opener last year.  I also think the Seahawks have lost some key players that will have them taking a step back.  They part ways with their most reliable receiver in Golden Tate, while also losing two key defensive linemen in Red Bryant and Chris Clemons.  Their offensive line is a weak link as well, and both Peppers and Clay Matthews should be in the Seattle backfield quite frequently in this one.

The Seahawks have been dominant at home, but they did get beaten by the Cardinals at home last year, and they needed overtime to beat the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  They are beatable here, just as the Packers proved two years ago when they should have won if not for a blown call.  The Packers have won six of the last eight meetings in this series.  Green Bay is 79-55 ATS in all games under Mike McCarthy, including 40-27 ATS in road games.  Bet the Packers Thursday.

20* AL Thursday No-Doubt Rout on Los Angeles Angels -118

The Los Angeles Angels (83-55) have lost back-to-back games to the lowly Houston Astros heading into this one.  That's why they won't have a problem being motivated for Game 1 of this series with the Minnesota Twins (61-78) tonight.  Look for them to get back on track with a blowout victory here.

Hector Santiago has been one of the most underrated starters in the league this year.  He has posted a 3.28 ERA and 1.224 WHIP over 19 starts and five relief appearances.  Santiago has been on his game of late, going 1-0 with a 1.62 ERA and 1.140 WHIP in his last three starts.  He is 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA in three career starts against Minnesota as well.

Kyle Gibson is having just a mediocre season in Minnesota.  The right-hander has gone 11-10 with a 4.23 ERA over 26 starts.  However, he is 0-1 with a 6.60 WHIP in his last three starts.  Also, Gibson is 0-1 with a 10.13 ERA in two career starts against the Angels.  In his lone start against Los Angeles this season, he gave up seven earned runs over two innings in a 6-8 loss.

The Angels are 56-21 in their last 77 vs. a team with a losing record.  Los Angeles is 36-16 in its last 52 games following a loss.  The Angels are 45-22 in their last 67 games overall.  The Twins are 11-25 in their last 36 vs. AL West opponents.  Minnesota is 0-4 in Gibson's last four home starts.  The Twins are 10-36 (-22.8 Units) against the money line vs. an AL starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.300 or better this season.  Bet the Angels Thursday.

20* Arizona/UTSA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Arizona -7

The Arizona Wildcats are on the rise under head coach Rich Rodriquez.  He has guided them to back-to-back 8-5 seasons that both ended in bowl victories the past two years.  Now, he should have his best team yet in 2014 as this team is a sleeper to compete for a Pac-12 South Title.  They have 13 returning starters and only 19 lettermen lost.

I was very impressed with Arizona's 58-13 victory over UNLV in the opener.  The Rebels are no juggernaut, but they did make a bowl game last year and are better than they get credit for.  The Wildcats simply dominated them, gaining 787 yards of total offense while giving up just 371, outgaining them by a whopping 416 total yards.

The Wildcats did have to replace their starting quarterback this year, but that's clearly a bonus as BJ Denker wasn't very good as a passer.  Freshman QB Anu Solomon is a name that you need to keep an eye on.  He threw for 425 yards and four touchdowns, while also rushing for 50 yards against UNLV.  Terris Jones-Grigsby and Nick Wilson combined for 228 rushing yards and two touchdowns on only 20 carries.  The Wildcats rushed for 353 yards as a team.  They have one of the best sets of WR's in the country for Solomon as well.

UTSA is getting too much respect here due to its 27-7 win at Houston last week.  I was on UTSA in that game, but I'm willing to admit that the Cougars simply gave that game away by committing six turnovers.  UTSA lost its best player in QB Eric Soza from last year.  He completed 62.6 percent of his passes for 2,719 yards and 12 touchdowns, while also rushing for 369 yards and a team-high seven scores in 2013. 

The new quarterback is Tucker Carter, who I was not impressed with against Houston.  Carter only threw for 121 yards on 24 attempts in the win.  UTSA's offense is limited with Carter at the helm, and it will not create enough explosive plays in the passing game to keep up with this high-powered Arizona offense.

Last year, Arizona beat UTSA by a final of 38-13 at home as a 24-point favorite.  Now, Arizona is only a 7-point road favorite this time around, which is a 17-point swing based on home/away.  That alone tells you that there is some value on the Wildcats in the rematch, especially considering they are a better team than they were last year, while UTSA is probably about on par with how they were last year now that they lost Soza.

Larry Coker is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) in home games after a win by 17 or more points as the coach of UTSA.  The Wildcats are 4-1 ATS in their last five non-conference games.  Expect another blowout in their favor in this one.  Bet Arizona Thursday.

25* NL Central GAME OF THE YEAR on Milwaukee Brewers -113

The Milwaukee Brewers (73-65) have lost seven straight to fall two games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the NL Central lead.  They now hold on to the final wild card spot in the NL, only 1.5 games ahead of the Atlanta Braves.  They'll be highly motivated for a victory tonight against the Chicago Cubs (63-76) to not only put an end to the skid, but to avoid the sweep in this series.

Matt Garza is the ultimate competitor.  He relishes getting to start when games mean the most.  I look for him to shut down the Cubs tonight.  Garza is 7-7 with a 3.58 ERA and 1.133 WHIP in 23 starts this season, including 1-0 with a 0.86 ERA and 0.524 WHIP in his last three.  In two starts against Chicago this season, Garza has gone 1-1 with a 3.21 ERA and 0.714 WHIP while allowing five runs and 10 base runners over 14 innings while striking out 14.  His is also 12-8 with a 2.74 ERA in 29 career starts at Wrigley Field dating back to his time with the Cubs.

Chicago's Kyle Hendricks is getting way too much respect from oddsmakers with what he has been able to do in limited action this season.  He has posted a 2.06 ERA over nine starts, but I'm not buying into this guy.  He doesn't have overpowering stuff, as evidenced by his 34 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings.  The Cubs are without their best player in Anthony Rizzo (back), and they could be without Starlin Castro (ankle) as well tonight.

The Brewers are 9-2 in their last 11 games after losing the first two games of a series.  Milwaukee is 17-8 in its last 25 when its opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.  The Cubs are 28-59 in their last 87 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.  Chicago is 38-80 in its last 118 when its opponent allows 5 or more runs in their previous game.  The Cubs are 18-40 in their last 58 during game 3 of a series.  Bet the Brewers Wednesday.

20* NL West GAME OF THE MONTH on San Francisco Giants -147

The San Francisco Giants (75-63) are just two games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the NL West.  They are also three games ahead of Atlanta from not even making the wild card in the National League.  They will be highly motivated the rest of the way.

The Colorado Rockies (55-83) have the worst record in the National League.  They have lost six of their last eight and are simply trying out their prospects and playing for pride the rest of the way.  Their hitting has been atrocious of late as they have scored two or fewer runs in seven of their last eight games overall.

Yusmeiro Petit has been very effective in limited action this season for San Francisco.  The right-hander has gone 4-3 with a 3.44 ERA and 0.997 WHIP with 96 strikeouts over 86 1/3 innings.  In his last start against Colorado on August 28, Petit allowed one earned run and four base runners over six innings while striking out nine in a 4-1 San Francisco victory.

Jordan Lyles has not been real effective this season for Colorado.  He has posted a 4.08 ERA and 1.340 WHIP in 17 starts this year, a 4.53 ERA and 1.445 WHIP in eight home starts, and a 5.94 ERA and 1.560 WHIP in his last three starts.  In Lyles' last two starts against the Giants, he has allowed six earned runs in 11 innings for a 4.91 ERA.  Meanwhile, Petit has allowed six earned runs over 17 2/3 innings in his last three starts against the Rockies for a 3.06 ERA.

San Francisco is 20-3 (+14.5 Units) against the money line vs. NL teams allowing 4.8 or more runs/game in the second half of the season over the last three seasons.  The Giants are 6-1 in Petit's last seven road starts.  The Rockies are 21-47 in their last 68 overall.  Colorado is 13-38 in its last 51 games as an underdog.  The Rockies are 0-5 in Lyles' last five starts vs. NL West foes.  Bet the Giants Tuesday.

20* NL Monday No-Doubt Rout on Washington Nationals -114

The Washington Nationals (77-58) have the best record in the National League.  They are only one game ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers (77-60) for that designation, so this is obviously a big series for both teams.  I believe the Nationals have the edge on the mound in Game 1 Monday.

Gio Gonzalez is having another solid season for the Nationals, posting a 3.86 ERA and 1.302 WHIP over 22 starts.  The left-hander has gone 3-6 with a 3.63 ERA and 1.269 WHIP in 11 road starts, and 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA and 1.278 WHIP in his last three starts.  Gonzalez sports a 1.50 ERA and 1.167 WHIP in two career starts against Los Angeles.

Roberto Hernandez has had a nice bounce-back season this year, and as a result he was traded to the Dodgers.  He has gone 8-9 with a 3.81 ERA and 1.326 WHIP over 24 starts and three relief appearances.  I just believe he is being overvalued right now because, while he is having a decent season, it is more of an aberration than anything based off of how he has pitched the past couple seasons.  He had posted a 4.89 ERA or worse in each of the previous three seasons, and five of the last six.

Hernandez is 1-8 (-7.5 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season.  Gonzalez is 73-33 (+28.1 Units) against the money line as a favorite of -110 or higher in his career.  The Nationals are 9-1 in Gonzalez's last 10 starts vs. NL West opponents.  Washington is 35-16 in its last 51 vs. NL West foes overall.  Take the Nationals Monday.

15* Miami/Louisville ACC Opener on OVER 54

The Louisville Cardinals and Miami Hurricanes play in a rematch from the Russell Athletic Bowl.  The Cardinals won 36-9 in an absolutely dominant performance last season.  They outgained the Hurricanes 554-174 for the game.

Louisville will be a completely different team this year under new head coach Bobby Petrino.  It will be an up-tempo offense that will produce more points than last year, but that will cause the defense to be on the field more, and there's no question that the stop unit won't be as good as it was in 2013.

The Cardinals only return four starters on defense and lose six of their top eight tacklers.  That includes both Preston Brown (94 tackles, 12.5 for loss) and Calvin Pryor (75 tackles, 3 INT), who each moved on to the NFL.  There's no question they will take a big step back defensively this year.

The offense is in good hands with seven starters back.  The Cardinals have one of the best WR corps in the entire country with four of their top five guys back from last year.  Will Gardner is the new starting QB, and he has been getting rave reviews after throwing for over 500 yards in the spring game.

Miami will be breaking in a new starting quarterback, but freshman Brad Kaaya has won over his teammates.  Duke Johnson, who rushed for 920 yards and six touchdowns last year in only seven games, was on pace for nearly 2,000 rushing yards.

Johnson said Kaaya has done a good job taking command of the huddle. “If you didn’t know Brad, you wouldn’t know that he’s a freshman,” Johnson said. “He comes in, he demands … he lets everybody know what’s the play, what he needs done."

Miami's defense was not very good last year, giving up a whopping 426 yards per game.  This stop unit won't be much better in 2014, either.  I think both defenses are at a disadvantage because they will be facing offenses that they have never seen before.  After all, this is their first year together as ACC foes.

The Hurricanes' defensive coordinator even had praise for Kaaya.  “His poise and his mechanics [are what stand out],” Mark D’Onofrio said. “He's very polished — just being able to handle it all and how he looks and he moves in the pocket. It doesn’t look like a young guy doing that. He’s very mechanically sound, like he’s been doing this for a long time.”

The OVER is 7-1 in Hurricanes last 8 games in September.  The OVER is 4-0 in Hurricanes last four conference games.  Expect plenty of offensive fireworks tonight to push the final combined score of this game over the 54-point total.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

15* SMU/Baylor Sunday No-Brainer on Baylor -33

The Baylor Bears are coming off a Big 12 Title after going 11-2 in 2013. They needed a win over Texas in the finale, and got it by a final of 30-10 to secure the conference championship. They went on to play UCF in the Fiesta Bowl, but lost 42-52 despite being a 16-point favorite. It was a very successful season for head coach Art Briles and company. He has done a tremendous job in recruiting as the Bears now figure to be a Big 12 contender for years to come with him leading the way.

June Jones always seems to get the most out of his teams. He has only had four losing seasons in his 15 years as a head coach, but one of those came last year as the Mustangs went just 5-7 overall. Their only wins came against Memphis, Montana State, Tempe, UConn and South Florida as all four of those FBS teams finished with losing records. They did only lose 13-17 to UCF in the finale to show what they were capable of against one of the best teams in the country.

The Bears have been one of the best home teams in the country over the last three years. They have gone 19-1 at home over that time. Last year, they outscored opponents by an average of 61-13 at home while going a perfect 7-0. They are moving up in the world as well because they just got a new stadium that will be introduced Sunday night for the SMU game, so the place should be rocking.

This team led the country in both scoring offense (52.4 ppg) and total offense (619 ypg) last year. What I love about them is that they don’t take their foot off the gas, which allows them to cover big spreads like this one with relative ease. Bryce Petty is a clear Heisman Trophy contender after throwing for 4,200 yards and 32 touchdowns against three interceptions last year. He has the best wide receiver corps in the country as well. The defense is a bit of a concern with only four starters back, but the D-line is loaded with talent and this unit will be better than expected, just as they were last year when they gave up 23.5 points per game.

This is a clear rebuilding year for SMU and head coach Jones. They only have 12 starters back and lose a lot. They part ways with QB Garrett Gilbert, who threw for 3,528 yards and 21 touchdowns against seven interceptions last year. They also lose their top two receivers in Jeremy Johnson (112 receptions, 1,112 yards, 6 TD) and Keenan Holman (67, 1,037, 9 TD). The defense only has six starters back after giving up 33.3 points and 413 yards per game. SMU was blown out by both Texas A&M (13-42) and TCU (17-48) last year. I look for Baylor to easily win this game by 35-plus points.

Plays on home favorites (BAYLOR) – incredible offense from last season – averaged 450 or more total yards/game, with an experienced QB vs. opponent with inexperienced QB, in the first two weeks of the season are 25-5 (83.3%) ATS over the last five seasons. The Bears are 20-6 ATS in their last 26 home games, including 7-0 ATS in their last seven games as a home favorite. The Mustangs are 0-4 ATS in their last four non-conference games.  Take Baylor Sunday.

20* Utah State/Tennessee Sunday Night ANNIHILATOR on Tennessee -4.5

Tennessee is coming off three straight losing seasons and desperately wants to get back to a bowl game in 2014. It went just 5-7 last year with three of its wins coming against Austin Peay, Western Kentucky and South Alabama. It only went 2-6 in SEC play, though it did pull off one of the bigger upsets of the season within the conference by beating South Carolina at home. This is a big year for head coach Butch Jones in his second season with the Volunteers.

Utah State has been one of the more underrated teams in college football over the last two seasons. After going 11-2 in 2012 under Gary Andersen, Matt Wells inherited a talented team that finished 9-5 and played in the Mountain West Title Game. There, the Aggies gave Fresno State all they could handle, but ultimately fell 17-24. They went on to beat Northern Illinois in the Poinsettia Bowl for a nice 6-1 finish over their final seven games.

Jones has been stockpiling talent at Tennessee in his two years on the job. Fans have to be excited about the fact that he has been able to recruit with some of the best programs in the country. Indeed, the Volunteers came away with the fifth-best recruiting class in the land for 2014. This team is very close to making some noise within the SEC, and that could happen as soon as this season.

It is concerning that they only return 10 starters this year, but there are several very highly touted players ready to step in and start. I believe this team is going a bit under the radar because they have stunk up the joint the last three years, but that win over South Carolina last season shows what they are capable of. Jones will have his team ready to go in Week 1.

The Vols are showing excellent value as a small home favorite in this one. After all, Tennessee has won 19 straight home openers.  The defense returns five of its top six tacklers and will be one of the most improved units in the country.  The offense should be much better as well because QB Justin Worley is back and he has every one of his top receivers from last year back.

Utah State’s run as a sleeper is over. It was a team to be reckoned with over the last two seasons, able to play with almost anyone in the country. Now, the Aggies are in clear rebuilding mode as they return just eight starters this season. They do have Chuckie Keeton back at quarterback, but one player does not make a team. I look for the offense to take a big step back with only three starters returning.  They break in four new starters along the offensive line, lose leading rusher Joe DeMartino (1,221 yards, 13 TD), and each of their top two receivers in Travis Reynolds (51, 832, 4 TD) and Travis Van Leeuwen (52, 661, 3 TD).

The Aggies' defense figures to take a step back as well with the losses of seven of their top 11 tacklers. They only return five starters on this side of the ball and lose many of their top players, including leading tackler Jake Doughty (148 tackles, 12 for loss), Maurice Alexander (80 tackles, 9 for loss) and Nevin Lawson (57 tackles, 17 passes defended, 4 INT).  Wells benefited from the players that Andersen was able to recruit, but he won’t reap the rewards in his second season nearly as much as he did in his first.  The fact of the matter is that this is a very inexperienced team that won't be able to compete with a team from the SEC in the opener.  Bet Tennessee Sunday.

15* MLB Sunday No-Doubt Rout on New York Yankees -105

The New York Yankees (70-64) have won seven of their last 10 games overall.  They are really making a charge to close out the season.  I like them to take Game 3 against the Toronto Blue Jays (68-67) to inch closer to the final wild card spot in the American League.

Brandon McCarthy is 8-13 with a 4.12 ERA and 1.310 WHIP on the season over 27 starts.  He has been much better since getting traded to the Yankees, especially of late, posting a 2.91 ERA and 1.062 WHIP in his last three starts.  McCarthy is 3-3 with a 4.06 ERA and 1.150 WHIP in seven career starts against Toronto.

J.A. Happ has had a decent season for the Blue Jays by his standards, which isn't saying much because he was awful before this season.  Happ is still just 8-8 with a 4.40 ERA and 1.407 WHIP in 20 starts and four relief appearances this year.  He is 0-2 with a 6.46 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in his last three starts as well. Happ is 2-2 with a 5.20 ERA and 1.311 WHIP in eight career starts against New York.

Happ is 4-16 (-14.1 Units) against the money line vs. teams whose hitters draw 3 walks or less/game in the second half of the season for his career.  The Yankees are 42-17 in their last 59 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.  New York is 4-0 in McCarthy's last four starts as a favorite.  The Blue Jays are 0-5 in their last 5 games following a win.  Toronto is 0-5 in Happ's last five starts.  Roll with the Yankees Sunday.

15* LSU/Wisconsin ESPN Saturday Night BAILOUT on LSU -5

I have a lot of respect for Gary Andersen and the job he has done at both Utah State and in his first year at Wisconsin last season.  The Badgers went 9-4 last season with all three of their regular season losses coming by a touchdown or less.  Then, they fell to SEC foe South Carolina 24-34 in the Capital One Bowl, and I believe that will be a sign of things to come when they face LSU to kick off their 2014 season.

Wisconsin isn't even as strong of a team as it was a year ago.  It only returns 10 starters in all this year, including three on defense.  Their stop unit takes a tremendous hit with the loss of leading tackler Chris Borland, whose 112 tackles were 49 more than second place.  He was the heart and soul of this defense and will be missed badly.  In fact, the Badgers break in seven new starters among the front seven, so look for LSU to run it down their throats all game long.

The Tigers have averaged the fourth-best recruiting class in the country over the last three years.  They are stocked with talent at the running back position, so the loss of Jeremy Hill won't be felt.  They averaged 202 yards per game and 5.0 per carry on the ground last season, and those numbers should be even better in 2014.  That's especially the case with four starters and 75 career starts returning on the offensive line, which is arguably Les Miles' best unit in his 10 years here.

I would be lying if I said that Melvin Gordon and Wisconsin's offensive line don't scare me, but if anything, that is a wash against LSU's defense.  The Tigers return seven starters on D after having just four back on that side of the ball last year.  They have allowed 3.9 or fewer yards per carry in each of the last seven seasons, which is all of the data I currently have in front of me.  Most likely, that streak extends back further.

How I see this game playing out is LSU taking a nice-sized lead in the first half and forcing Wisconsin to abandon its game plan of running the football.  The Badgers not proven they can throw the football consistently, and now they'll be without arguably their most important player on offense last year in Jared Abbrederis.  He caught 78 balls for 1,081 yards and seven touchdowns last season and constantly bailed out the offense when they needed a big play in the passing game.  In fact, the Badgers lose each of their top three receivers from last year.  Their only strength is their running game, and that's not enough to beat this stacked LSU team, or to even keep the game relatively close.

This will be the fourth time in the last five years that LSU opens with a tough neutral site game.  They are 3-0 in their last three with an average margin of victory of 10 points per game.  They beat then-No. 18 UNC (30-24) in 2010, then-No. 3 Oregon (40-27) in 2011, and then-No. 20 TCU (37-27) in 2013.  Chalk up four straight victories by 6 points or more to open the season on neutral sites for the Tigers.  Take LSU Saturday.

**Due to an error in one of the odds feeds this game switched in our system to another, so we are re-releasing it just so it grades correctly***

15* CFB Saturday Night Line Mistake on Louisiana Tech +38

Oklahoma is way overvalued heading into the 2014 season because of its win over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl last year.  I believe the Sooners caught the Crimson Tide in a letdown spot because they had played in the BCS Championship the two previous years, and they clearly were not up for that game.  While I do believe that Oklahoma should be one of the favorites to win the Big 12 this year, it isn't as clear-cut as most folks in the media are making it out to be.

Trevor Knight played great down the stretch for the Sooners, but he's still just a sophomore and won't be as good as everyone is anticipating.  That's especially the case when you consider that the offense only have five starters back on this side of the ball and will be breaking in several new skill players.  I just don't believe that the Sooners have the offensive firepower to cover this 38-point spread against what will be an improved Louisiana Tech team.

Indeed, the Bulldogs will be much better in Skip Holtz's second season.  They should be one of the most improved teams in the country statistically.  They had gone 17-8 over two seasons before Holtz took over.  He was left with nothing as the Bulldogs had just seven starters back last year.  Now they have 13 starters back in 2014 and many of Holtz's own recruits in place to get significant playing time.  There will be value in backing this team in the early going because the public perception on them is down after last season's disaster.

I like the addition of former Iowa transfer Cody Sokol at quarterback.  He'll have the luxury of handing the ball off to both Kenneth Dixon (917 yards, 6.1/carry) and Tevin King (539 yards, 5.8/carry), who were bright spots on an otherwise down season last year.  The defense held its own last season in allowing a respectable 26.3 points per game despite having just four starters back.  This unit should be even better in 2014 with seven starters and five of the top six tacklers back.

Oklahoma will be without its leader defensively.  Middle linebacker Frank Shannon has been suspended for the opener, and possibly the entire season. He not only led the team in tackles (92) last year, but he's also the vocal leader of this stop unit, and the man calling the shots in the middle.  I simply believe this is a case of the betting public giving Oklahoma too much respect coming into the season, and Louisiana Tech not enough.

Plays against a home team (OKLAHOMA) – in non-conference games, with 5 offensive starters returning, in the first two weeks of the season are 63-25 (71.6%) ATS over the last 10 seasons. The Bulldogs are 14-6 ATS in their last 20 road games.  Roll with Louisiana Tech Saturday.