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Big Al's Daily Angle: CFL, UEFA Women's EURO 2025 and MLB Previews and Odds - 07/11/2025

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Jul 11, 2025

The Friday sports card features MLB, CFL, and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.Major League Baseball has 16 games scheduled. The Cleveland Guardians travel to Chicago to play the White Sox in the opening game of their doubleheader at 3:10 p.m. ET as a -127 money-line road favorite, with the total set at 8.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:05 p.m. ET. The New York Yankees host the Chicago Cubs as a -187 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Baltimore Orioles play at home against the Miami Marlins as a -132 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Three MLB games start at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Tampa Bay Rays play in Boston against the Red Sox, with both teams priced as a -110 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Cincinnati Reds are home against the Colorado Rockies as a -225 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Detroit Tigers host the Seattle Mariners on Apple TV+ as a -220 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. Five MLB games begin at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Guardians are on the road against the White Sox in the second game of their doubleheader as a -144 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The New York Mets visit Kansas City to take on the Royals as a -144 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Minnesota Twins play at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates as a -121 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Houston Astros are home against the Texas Rangers as a -137 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Milwaukee Brewers host the Washington Nationals as a -187 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The St. Louis Cardinals play at home against the Atlanta Braves at 8:15 p.m. ET as a -123 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Arizona Diamondbacks play in Los Angeles against the Angels on Apple TV+ at 9:38 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The Philadelphia Phillies are in San Diego to face the Padres at 9:40 p.m. ET as a -164 money-line road favorite with an over/under of  8. The Toronto Blue Jays travel on the road to challenge the Athletics at 10:05 p.m. ET as a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 10.5. The San Francisco Giants are home against the Los Angeles Dodgers at 10:15 p.m. ET as a -132 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5.Week 6 in the Canadian Football League kicks off with one game. The Saskatchewan Roughriders host the Calgary Stampeders at 9:00 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 52.5.The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 continues in Switzerland with two matches at 3:00 p.m. ET. Spain takes on Italy on Fox as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3.5. Portugal plays Belgium on FS1 as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/10/2025

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

The Thursday sports card features MLB and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.Major League Baseball has 11 games scheduled. The New York Mets travel to Baltimore to play the Orioles in the opening game of their doubleheader at 12:05 p.m. ET. Yesterday’s game between these two teams got postponed because of rain. The Mets have won five of their last six games after beating the Orioles on Tuesday by a 7-6 score. Baltimore had won three games in a row before that setback. New York sends out David Peterson to pitch against Baltimore’s Charlie Morton. The Mets are a -138 money-line road favorite with the total set at 9 (all odds from DraftKings). The Chicago Cubs play in Minnesota against the Twins at 1:10 p.m. ET. The Cubs lost for the third time in their last four games in a 4-2 loss against the Twins on Wednesday. Minnesota has won four of their last five games. Collin Rea gets the ball for Chicago to take on Chris Paddack for the Twins. The Cubs are a -126 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5.The Mets challenge the Orioles in the second game of their doubleheader at 5:05 p.m. ET. New York has yet to name their starting pitcher who will go against Baltimore’s Tomoyuki Sugano.The Cincinnati Reds host the Miami Marlins at 5:10 p.m. ET. The Reds ended a four-game losing streak with a 7-2 victory against the Marlins last night. Miami had won two games in a row before that loss. Cincinnati taps Nick Lodolo to face the Marlins’ Cal Quantrill. The Reds are a -189 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Seattle Mariners are in New York to battle the Yankees at 7:05 p.m. ET. The Mariners are on a two-game losing streak after a 9-6 loss to the Yankees on Wednesday. New York is on a three-game winning streak. Bryan Woo takes the mound for Seattle to take on Marcus Stroman for the Yankees. The Mariners are a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Tampa Bay Rays visit Boston to play the Red Sox at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Rays ended a three-game losing streak with a 7-3 victory at Detroit yesterday. The Red Sox are on a six-game winning streak after a 10-2 victory against Colorado on Wednesday. Tampa Bay turns to Taj Bradley to battle Boston’s Walker Buehler. Both teams are priced as a money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Cleveland Guardians play in Chicago against the White Sox at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Guardians have won three games in a row after a 4-2 victory at Houston on Wednesday. The White Sox ended a three-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory against Toronto yesterday. Logan Allen takes the ball for Cleveland to pitch against Jonathan Cannon for Chicago. The Guardians are a -137 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The St. Louis Cardinals play at home against the Washington Nationals at 7:45 p.m. ET. The Cardinals lost for the sixth time in their last eight games in a 7-2 loss against the Nationals last night. Washington ended a four-game losing streak with the victory. St. Louis sends out Miles Mikolas to face the Nationals’ Michael Soroka. The Cardinals are a -144 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Atlanta Braves are on the road against the Athletics at 9:05 p.m. ET. The Braves snapped a five-game losing streak with a 9-2 victory against the Athletics yesterday. The Athletics lost for the third time in their last four games. Spencer Strider takes the hill for Atlanta to challenge J.P. Sears for the Athletics. The Braves are a -157 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 10.The Texas Rangers travel to Los Angeles to face the Angels at 9:38 p.m. ET. The Rangers lost for the third time in their last four games in an 11-8 loss against the Angels last night. Los Angeles has won two of their last three games. Texas turns to Patrick Corbin to take on the Angels’ Jack Kochanowicz. The Rangers are a -121 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The Arizona Diamondbacks play in San Diego against the Padres at 9:40 p.m. ET. The Diamondbacks won for the second time in their last three games with an 8-2 victory against the Padres on Wednesday. San Diego has lost two of their last three games. Eduardo Rodriguez gets the starting pitcher assignment for Arizona to face Randy Vasquez for the Padres. The Diamondbacks are a -126 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 continues in Switzerland with two matches at 3:00 p.m. ET. Switzerland battles Finland on Fox as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Norway plays Iceland on FS1 as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. 

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Here's Why the Chicago Bears Might Win the NFC North with Great Value

by Wayne Root

Wednesday, Jul 09, 2025

Here's a positive case for the Chicago Bears winning the NFC North Division, despite the current odds of 9/1. It’s incredible value.1. Massive Offseason Improvements:Offensive Line Overhaul:The Bears recognized their biggest weakness and aggressively addressed it. They acquired Pro Bowl-caliber linemen Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson via trades and signed center Drew Dalman in free agency. These additions, along with 2025 draft pick Ozzy Trapilo, aim to provide significantly improved protection for quarterback Caleb Williams.Offensive Weaponry:The Bears have surrounded Caleb Williams with a strong supporting cast. This includes established receiver DJ Moore, and exciting rookies Rome Odunze and tight end Colston. They also added running back D'Andre Swift to diversify the offense. Defensive Additions:The Bears bolstered their defense by signing defensive linemen Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo. These additions should improve their pass rush and run-stopping abilities Coaching Upgrade:The hiring of Ben Johnson as head coach is a major coup for the Bears. Johnson, formerly the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, is considered one of the brightest offensive minds in the NFL. His play-calling and ability to maximize talent should greatly benefit Caleb Williams and the entire offense 2. Caleb Williams' Development:Year Two Leap:With an improved offensive line, better weapons, and an offensive-minded head coach, Caleb Williams is poised to make a significant leap in his second year Reduced Pressure:Last season, Williams faced constant pressure due to a porous offensive line, leading to a league-high 68 sacks. The upgraded line should give him more time to make reads and deliver accurate passes. Leadership Development:The coaching staff is focused on developing Williams' leadership skills and improving his on-field demeanor. 3. NFC North Vulnerabilities:Detroit Lions' Losses:The Lions, who have won the division the past two years, lost both their offensive and defensive coordinators. They also lost key players like center Frank Ragnow to retirement. These losses could disrupt their momentum.Green Bay Packers' Secondary Concerns:The Packers' secondary has question marks after parting ways with cornerback Jaire Alexander. Their cornerback depth is thin, which could be exploited by the Bears' talented receiving corps.Minnesota Vikings' Inexperience:The Vikings have a new quarterback in J.J. McCarthy, who will be facing a tough schedule. His inexperience could be a disadvantage in a competitive division.4. Bears as an Improved Team:Most Improved:Many analysts consider the Bears to be one of the most improved teams in the NFL this year.Balanced Roster:The Bears have made significant upgrades on both offense and defense, creating a more balanced and competitive roster.5. Division Competitiveness:Tight Division:The NFC North is expected to be a highly competitive division in 2025. In a tight division, even a slight improvement could be enough for the Bears to win the title.Potential for Upsets:With all four teams having legitimate strengths and weaknesses, there is a high potential for upsets within the division. The Bears, with their improved roster and coaching, could be a team that surprises many.Additionally:While the odds may be stacked against them, the Chicago Bears have made significant improvements this offseason that could propel them to the top of the NFC North. With a revamped offense, a bolstered defense, and a highly regarded new head coach, the Bears are a team on the rise. If Caleb Williams takes the expected leap in his second year and the Bears can capitalize on the vulnerabilities of their division rivals, they have a legitimate chance to win the NFC North in 2025.In Conclusion:Caleb Williams' projected improvement is realistic for several reasons:1. Experience and DevelopmentSecond-Year Leap:Many quarterbacks show significant improvement in their second year as they become more comfortable with the speed of the NFL and learn from their initial experiences.Learning Curve:Williams has had a full season to analyze his mistakes and refine his decision-making, which is crucial for a young quarterback.2. Coaching ChangesNew Head Coach:With Ben Johnson's offensive expertise, Williams can benefit from innovative play-calling and strategies tailored to his strengths.Focus on Development:A coaching staff that prioritizes player development can accelerate a quarterback's growth, providing tailored drills and mentorship.3. Revamped Offensive Line Protection:An improved offensive line will give Williams more time to make plays, reducing the number of sacks and hits he takes. This can lead to better performance and confidence.4. Enhanced Supporting CastTalented Receivers:With the addition of players like DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and Colston Loveland, Williams will have more reliable targets to help him succeed.Balanced Offense:A diversified offensive strategy with a strong run game can take pressure off Williams, allowing him to thrive.5. Physical and Mental AttributesNatural Talent:Williams has demonstrated elite arm strength, mobility, and accuracy throughout his college career. These attributes can translate well to the NFL.Work Ethic:Known for his dedication to improvement, his commitment to studying film and refining his skills bodes well for his progress.6. Historical PrecedentsSuccessful Quarterback Comparisons: Many quarterbacks have made similar jumps from their rookie to sophomore seasons, especially when provided with better support and coaching.Caleb Williams' skill set can be favorably compared to several successful second-year quarterbacks in the NFL. Here’s how he stacks up:A. Arm Talent Similarities:Like Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, Williams possesses elite arm strength and accuracy, allowing him to make deep throws and fit the ball into tight windows. Comparison:Mahomes and Herbert both showcased their powerful arms in their rookie seasons, leading to explosive plays. Williams has demonstrated this potential in college.B. Mobility and AthleticismSimilarities:Williams is highly mobile, akin to Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson, allowing him to extend plays and create opportunities outside the pocket.Comparison:Hurts and Jackson excel at using their legs both as runners and to escape pressure, which can be a game-changer for a young quarterback. Williams has shown similar capabilities.C. Football IQ and Decision-MakingSimilarities:Successful second-year quarterbacks like Joe Burrow and Herbert exhibit strong decision-making and football IQ, which is critical for identifying defenses and making quick adjustments.Comparison:Williams has impressed scouts with his ability to read defenses and make smart throws, which bodes well for his development.D. Leadership and Poise Similarities:Quarterbacks like Burrow and Hurts are noted for their leadership qualities and composure under pressure, which help galvanize their teams.Comparison:Williams has shown poise in high-pressure situations, suggesting he can handle the mental aspect of the game at the NFL level.E. Support System Similarities:Successful second-year quarterbacks often benefit from a strong supporting cast, including an effective offensive line and talented skill players.Comparison:If the Bears can provide Williams with a similar environment to what Burrow and Hurts had, it will enhance his chances for success.7. Love the 9/1 Odds because:Caleb Williams' skill set shares many attributes with successful second-year quarterbacks. His combination of arm talent, mobility, football IQ, and leadership suggests he has the potential to excel in the NFL. If he can capitalize on these attributes while receiving the right support and coaching, he could follow in the footsteps of other successful second-year quarterbacks.While projecting improvement always carries uncertainties, the factors in play for Caleb Williams—experience, coaching changes, a stronger offensive line, and a more talented roster—make his projected growth realistic. If everything aligns, he could emerge as a formidable quarterback in the league.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/09/2025

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Jul 09, 2025

The Wednesday sports card features MLB, FIFA Club World Cup, and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. The Detroit Tigers host the Tampa Bay Rays at 1:10 p.m. ET as a -156 money-line favorite with the total set at 8 (all odds from DraftKings). Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 2:10 p.m. ET. The Toronto Blue Jays travel to Chicago to play the White Sox as a -151 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers play in Milwaukee against the Brewers as a -163 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Philadelphia Phillies are in San Francisco to take on the Giants at 3:45 p.m. ET as a -136 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.Two MLB games start at 7:05 p.m. ET. The New York Mets visit Baltimore to face the Orioles on ESPN. The Mets send out David Peterson to pitch against the Orioles’ Tomoyuki Sugano. New York is a -157 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The New York Yankees play at home against the Seattle Mariners as a -150 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Two more MLB games begin at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Boston Red Sox are home against the Colorado Rockies as a -308 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Cincinnati Reds host the Miami Marlins as a -144 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5.Two MLB games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Kansas City Royals play at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates as a -199 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Chicago Cubs play in Minnesota against the Twins as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The St. Louis Cardinals are home against the Washington Nationals at 7:45 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Houston Astros host the Cleveland Guardians at 8:10 p.m. ET as a -144 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5.The Texas Rangers are in Los Angeles to challenge the Angels at 9:38 p.m. ET as a -132 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The San Diego Padres play at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks at 9:40 p.m. ET as a -143 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Atlanta Braves travel on the road to take on the Athletics at 10:05 p.m. ET as a -127 money-line road favorite with a total of 10.5. The FIFA Club World Cup knockout stage concludes its semifinals with one match. Paris Saint-Germain faces Real Madrid at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on DAZN as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 continues in Switzerland with two matches. England plays Netherlands on FS1 at noon ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. France battles Wales on Fox at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -2.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3.5.

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2025 Big 12 Conference Preview

by Matt Fargo

Tuesday, Jul 08, 2025

2025 Big 12 Conference PreviewRegular Season Win Totals and Big 12 Championship Odds (via DraftKings)Kansas State: 8.5 Over -115 Under -105 ~ Big 12 Winner +550Arizona State: 8.5 Over -105 Under -115 ~ Big 12 Winner +550Texas Tech: 8.5 Over -115 Under -105 ~ Big 12 Winner +650Utah: 7.5 Over -135 Under +115 ~ Big 12 Winner +650Baylor: 7.5 Over -105 Under -115 ~ Big 12 Winner +750BYU: 7.5 Over -170 Under +140 ~ Big 12 Winner +800TCU: 6.5 Over -150 Under +125 ~ Big 12 Winner +900Iowa State: 7.5 Over +105 Under -105 ~ Big 12 Winner +1,300Kansas: 6.5 Over -155 Under +130 ~ Big 12 Winner +1,800Colorado: 6.5 Over +135 Under -160 ~ Big 12 Winner +2,200Cincinnati: 6.5 Over +110 Under -130 ~ Big 12 Winner +3,500Houston: 6.5 Over +120 Under -140 ~ Big 12 Winner +4,000UCF: 5.5 Over -120 Under -140 ~ Big 12 Winner +5,000Oklahoma State: 4.5 Over -170 Under +140 ~ Big 12 Winner +6,000West Virginia: 5.5 Over +140 Under -170 ~ Big 12 Winner +7,000Arizona: 4.5 Over -170 Under +140 ~ Big 12 Winner +7,000Coaching ChangesCentral Florida: Gus Malzahn Out ~ Scott Frost InWest Virginia: Neal Brown Out ~ Rich Rodriguez InKansas State Wildcats 9-4 ~ 5-4 Big 12 ~ 4-8-0 ATS ~ 5-7-0 O/UReturning Starters ~ Offense 5/Defense 5Kansas St. concluded its third straight four-loss season, going a combined 28-12, its best three-season stretch since 2012-2014. The Wildcats opened last season 7-1 but lost three of their last four yet salvaged the season with a Rate Bowl win over Rutgers after erasing a 17-point deficit. Despite just 10 returning starters, they are the fifth most experienced team in the Big 12 Conference and come in as one of the favorites. The offense regressed last season but they bring back quarterback Avery Johnson who needs to be more accurate and his leading receiver Jayce Brown also returns. Despite losing running back DJ Giddens, Kansas St. has the No. 1 ranked running back unit in the conference. The defense remained steady and will be solid again as they bring back their top two tacklers and have the top ranked defensive line. Kansas St. closed the last two seasons with regular season losses against Iowa St. and it opens the season against the Cyclones in Dublin. Three nonconference games follow including Army and Arizona, the latter is being recorded as a nonconference game and in the Big 12, the Wildcats do have four road games, in addition to the neutral game, including at Baylor and Utah while missing Arizona St. altogether.Arizona State Sun Devils 11-3 ~ 7-2 Big 12 ~ 10-2-0 ATS ~ 7-4-1 O/UReturning Starters ~ Offense 8/Defense 9The Sun Devils were the surprise of the conference last season and one of the biggest in the country as after consecutive 3-9 seasons, they finished 10-2 including 7-2 in the Big 12, rolled over Iowa St. in the championship game and took Texas to double overtime before losing in the Peach Bowl in the first round of the CFP. It was their first double-digit win season since 2014 and they finished inside the AP Top Ten for the first time since 1996. Despite the loss of running back Cam Skattebo, there is not expected to be a drop off as Arizona St. returns 17 starters. The offense improved by over 15 ppg and 107 ypg behind Skattebo and quarterback Sam Leavitt who was second in the conference in passing efficiency. They brought in two big transfers at running back and receiver to join potential All American receiver Jordyn Tyson behind a strong offensive line. The defense also improved considerably and they are loaded once again with nine starters back and there is no weakness at any level. A game at Mississippi St. is the only nonconference speedbump and the Sun Devils benefit from five conference home games. The issue is that of the four road games, three are at Baylor, Utah and Iowa St. with the fourth being a tricky one at Colorado.Texas Tech Red Raiders 8-5 ~ 6-3 Big 12 ~ 7-4-1 ATS ~ 8-4-0 O/UReturning Starters ~ Offense 10/Defense 11Make it four consecutive winning seasons for the Red Raiders, the longest streak since putting together 16 straight winning seasons that ended in 2010. They were taken to overtime in their opener last year against Abilene Christian and survived by a point but then lost to Washington St. so things were not looking good but won four straight before suffering back-to-back losses against Baylor and TCU before closing 3-1 prior to their 39-26 Liberty Bowl loss against Arkansas. Texas Tech comes in as the second most experienced team in the Big 12 Conference as they have 21 returning starters (11 of which are incoming transfers) and can contend if a couple upsets happen. The offense got back to the potent unit last season as it improved by over 10 ppg and 60 ypg behind quarterback Behren Morton who threw for 3,335 yards with 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions and while he loses receiver Josh Kelly, the next two return along with transfer help. The defense took a big step back but this will be an improved unit with the return of five of the top six tacklers and transfers everywhere. The Red Raiders will easily go 3-0 in the nonconference but the Big 12 schedule is a beast with five road games, three at Utah, Arizona St. and Kansas St.Utah Utes 5-7 ~ 2-7 Pac 12 ~ 5-7-0 ATS ~ 4-7-1 O/UReturning Starters ~ Offense 10/Defense 7Last season was a disaster for Utah as it opened 4-0 but then injuries piled up and the Utes lost their next seven games, four by 13 points combined, before closing the season with a win over Central Florida. It was the first losing season for Utah since 2013 and that final win avoided a 4-8 record which would have been their worst record since 1989. The Utes are expected to rise back to the top as they are healthy, experienced and have one of the most favorable schedules in the country. The offense has 10 returning starters, four being transfer starters including quarterback, running back and wide receiver coming in from New Mexico, following new offensive coordinator Jason Beck arriving from the Lobos. The Cam Rising experiment is done as Devon Daniels takes over from his First Team All MWC season at New Mexico where he combined for nearly 4,000 passing and rushing yards. A huge turnaround is expected. The defense was as good as it was from the previous three seasons and should be even better with tons of experience. Utah opens at UCLA and then has Cal Poly and Wyoming and the Utes have only four conference road games and while they face Texas Tech, Arizona St. and Kansas St., all of those are at home with the toughest road game at Baylor.Baylor Bears 8-5 ~ 6-3 Big 12 ~ 9-3-0 ATS ~ 7-4-1 O/UReturning Starters ~ Offense 10/Defense 8It was a tough start for Baylor last season as it opened 2-4 before winning its final six regular season games before falling 44-31 to LSU in the Texas Bowl. This comes after a brutal 2023 season for the Bears that went 3-9 with their two FBS wins by a combined four points so going back to the end of the 2022 season, that late season winning streak last year put an end to a 5-17 run and ultimately saved the job of head coach Dave Aranda who in 31-30 through his first five seasons and he might need a big campaign to stay around past 2025. Baylor is the third most experienced team in the conference and it starts with the offense that has 10 starters back led by quarterback Sawyer Robertson who threw for over 3,000 yards with 28 touchdowns and eight interceptions and he has each of his two top receivers and rushers back to go along with the second ranked offensive line in the Big 12. The defense was awful in 2023 but the Bears improved a good amount last season and will be even better as they are stacked at all three levels. Baylor opens with a pair of tough nonconference games, hosting Auburn and then travelling to SMU. The toughest road game in the Big 12 is at TCU as the Bears get Arizona St., Kansas St. and Utah all at home.BYU Cougars 11-2 ~ 7-2 Big 12 ~ 7-4-1 ATS ~ 9-3-0 O/UReturning Starters ~ Offense 4/Defense 4BYU came into the Big 12 Conference in 2023 and went through expected growing pains as it went 2-7 including losses in its final five games but it did not take long for a rebound as the Cougars opened last season 9-0, including 6-0 in the conference, and moved into the AP Top Ten but suffered consecutive losses against Kansas and Arizona St. by a combined nine points but then rolled Houston in the season finale to finish 7-2 took out Colorado in the Alamo Bowl 36-14. They are not as experienced this season and have only eight total starters back but are still good enough to make some noise behind a favorable schedule. The offense got back to the offense of 2022 but took a hit in the offseason with quarterback Jake Retzlaff deciding to transfer following breaking the BYU Honor Code and now the job is up for grabs. There are not many pieces in place at the other skill positions with the offensive line also doing some rebuilding. The defense had it best year since 2020 and will be good again but expect some regression with only four returning starters. A 6-0 start is very possible with a game at Colorado being the tough one but then comes the onslaught with Utah, Iowa St., Texas Tech and TCU right after, the middle two on the road.TCU Horned Frogs 9-4 ~ 6-3 Big 12 ~ 5-7-0 ATS ~ 7-5-0 O/UReturning Starters ~ Offense 6/Defense 8After its CFP run in 2022, TCU regressed as expected with a 5-7 record in 2023 but the Horned Frogs bounced back last year by going 9-4 including wins in six of its last seven games, a three-point loss at Baylor being the lone setback. It has been a roller coaster over the last decade in Fort Worth but head coach Sonny Dykes has the program going in the right direction after a slide at the end of the Gary Patterson era. It will likely take something special for TCU to make a huge run as the schedule is the biggest obstacle with it being ranked as the toughest in the conference. The offense is led by quarterback Josh Hoover who threw for a school record 3,949 yards last season to go along with 27 touchdowns and he should be just as electric as long as they can fill the void from losing Jack Bech. The run game was abysmal last season as they averaged only 3.7 ypc and lost their top two rushers so someone has to step up behind an offensive line returning three starters. The defense has improved each of the last four years as it allowed the fewest points and yards since 2020 and get eight starters back. North Carolina and SMU highlight the nonconference and they face five of the top six teams ahead of them in the Big 12, three on the road.Iowa State Cyclones 11-3 ~ 7-2 Big 12 ~ 7-5-0 ATS ~ 6-6-0 O/UReturning Starters ~ Offense 7/Defense 6Iowa St. is a team that is lost in the shuffle as far as odds go and a big reason could be it has never won a Big 12 Championship. Or a Big 8. Or a Big 7. Or a Big 6. The Cyclones are coming off an 11-3 season, the first double-digit winning season in program history and the pieces are in place to make another deep run like last season where they lost in the championship game to Arizona St. 45-19. They have had only one losing conference record since 2017 but getting over the hump has been impossible, literally, since it has never happened. There is no reason to count them out despite the odds. The offense has seven starters back with quarterback Rocco Becht now in his third season as the starter and while he loses a pair of 1,100-yard receivers, he does have the No. 1 ranked running back and No. 2 ranked offensive line units in the conference. The defense has been consistent as it has allowed between 20.3 and 25.9 ppg every year since 2017. Six starters are back and while the top two tacklers are gone, we should see the consistency continue. Iowa St. hosts Iowa in the Cy-Hawk with that being the toughest nonconference game and in the Big 12, Kansas St., BYU, Arizona St. and TCU are the only tough games, with just TCU being on the road.Kansas Jayhawks 5-7 ~ 4-5 Big 12 ~ 5-7-0 ATS ~ 5-6-1 O/UReturning Starters ~ Offense 5/Defense 5The Jayhawks put together that improbable 2023 season where they went 9-4, its first winning season since 2008 and the nine wins are only the fourth time in school history they have hit that mark. At 5-4, it was just their second winning conference record and last year was supposed to be an encore but Kansas lost it first five FBS games, four by 17 points combined, and was unable to get back to a bowl game for a third consecutive season. There is not a ton of experience (No. 77 in the country) and only five starters are back on each side of the ball but the Jayhawks are in position to get back to a bowl game. It all starts with quarterback Jalon Daniels who missed 10 games during that 2023 season and played all 12 games last year but was not efficient and every receiver that caught a pass is gone so there needs to be instant chemistry. Leading rusher Devin Neal is also gone as are three of the five offensive linemen. The defense has not been great the last two seasons but still a major improvement as they allowed under 400 ypg both seasons, the first time since 2009, but they lose their top six tacklers. A roadtrip to Missouri highlights the nonconference and in the Big 12, they only have to face four of the top eight, two at home and two on the road.Colorado Buffaloes 9-4 ~ 7-2 Big 12 ~ 9-3-0 ATS ~ 6-5-1 O/UReturning Starters ~ Offense 3/Defense 8It was a rough first year for head coach Deion Sanders as Colorado closed 1-8 and then got blown out by Nebraska in its first FBS game last season but the Buffaloes closed 8-2 over their final 10 regular season games and while the 36-14 loss in the Alamo Bowl was not an ideal ending to the season, it was still promising. 2025 can be considered a rebuild or a reload or a mix of both as there is not a lot of experience with only 11 starters back and replacing Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter is impossible. The offense had been consistent under Sanders in the two years with his kid at quarterback yet had one of the worst rushing offenses but that will change this year as they want more balance. They need it. They brought in quarterback Kaidon Salter from Liberty who threw for 5,850 yards while running for over 2,000 yards. The top four receivers are gone and the horrible offensive line is being overhauled by the transfer portal. The defense improved by 11.7 ppg and 101 ypg from 2023 and there is a lot more experience on that side to let the offense catch up. All three nonconference games are at home with Georgia Tech being the tough one and they have to face six of the top eight in the Big 12, missing Texas Tech and Baylor.Cincinnati Bearcats 5-7 ~ 3-6 Big 12 ~ 4-7-1 ATS ~ 4-7-1 O/UReturning Starters ~ Offense 7/Defense 8The hottest coaching seat in the Big 12 Conference belongs to Scott Satterfield but in his defense, the Bearcats have not been very experienced and moving from the AAC to the Big 12 is a tall order, ask Houston and Central Florida, so he could very well be safe for another season. But improvements have to come following an 8-16 record the last two seasons and this could be the season they get back to a bowl game. They have the most experienced team since the shift and the offense has a chance to be really good. Quarterback Brendan Sorsby returns after completing 64 percent of his passes, fourth best in the conference, while throwing for 2,813 touchdowns and 18 touchdowns with seven interceptions. Of his top five receivers, only tight end Joe Royer returns so there could be some chemistry issues early. Leading rusher Corey Kiner is gone but Wisconsin leading rusher Tawee Walker transferred in to run behind an above average offensive line. The defense improved from 2023 and should be even better with eight starters back with the strength being the front seven. They open in Kansas City against Nebraska so a 3-0 start is possible. They get five conference home games and three of those are against the top eight teams.Houston Cougars 4-8 ~ 3-6 Big 12 ~ 5-6-1 ATS ~ 2-10-0 O/UReturning Starters ~ Offense 9/Defense 7Houston opened 1-4 in year one with head coach Willie Fritz including back-to-back shutout losses to Cincinnato and Iowa St. but the Cougars rallied to win three of four only to get blown out in their final three games to complete a second consecutive 4-8 season. This followed a 20-7 two-season run but that was in the AAC so the transition has not been an easy one. Houston was very inexperienced last season but is much more veteran now to go along with greater depth. Houston used Donovan Smith and Zeon Chriss at quarterback and both were identically bad as each threw for just over 800 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions. Texas A&M transfer Conner Weigman will take over and will welcome the new surroundings after being benched last season. They also used a running back by committee with all three leading rushers back but still averaged only 3.8 ypc so the offensive line has to show up with four likely new starters. The defense was pretty solid, finishing No. 25 overall and No. 40 in scoring and bring in a slew of transfers along with a new coordinator. Two nonconference games are on the road but they are at Rice and Oregon St. The Big 12 schedule is not bad as they miss Kansas St., Iowa St. and Utah and BYU.UCF Knights 4-8 ~ 2-7 Big 12 ~ 5-7-0 ATS ~ 8-4-0 O/UReturning Starters ~ Offense 4/Defense 6The third of the three AAC transplants are the lone one to have made a bowl game in the first two years in the Big 12 as Central Florida made it to the Gasparilla Bowl in 2023 where it lost to Georgia Tech 30-17. The Knights fell to 4-8 last season as they started 3-0 but could not overcome a five-game losing streak right after that and they closed 1-7. It could be another rough season in the first under new head coach Scott Frost who is in his second stint in Orlando after coaching here in 2016 and 2017. Central Florida is the least experienced team in the conference and has only 10 total starters back including four on offense and only one that has started here. That comes from the offensive line which will be a work in progress that will hurt the normally potent running game to go along with the loss of RJ Harvey who rushed for 1,577 yards. Quarterback transfers Tayven Jackson and Cam Fancher will battle it out and will not have a single receiver that caught a pass last season. The top five tacklers are gone but they did a solid job in the transfer portal. Three home games make up the nonconference including North Carolina and the Knights have to play five Big 12 road games with four of those against teams in the top six.Oklahoma State Cowboys 3-9 ~ 0-9 Big 12 ~ 3-9-0 ATS ~ 7-5-0 O/UReturning Starters ~ Offense 4/Defense 6Losing at Oklahoma St. rarely happens. Actually, almost never as the 3-9 record last season was the first since 2005 and what made it more surprising was the fact Oklahoma St. came into the season as the most experienced team in the country and was a Big 12 favorite but bottomed out with nine straight losses following a 3-0 start. Head coach Mike Gundy gets a pass as he has 18 winning seasons sandwiched inside those two losing campaigns and while it could be another tough season, it should not be as bad. The offense is basically starting over at the skill positions. The leading quarterback contender is Zane Flores who has not taken a snap in two years because of a redshirt and an injury and there is basically zero experience behind him. The top three receivers who accounted for over 2,000 yards are gone as it running back Ollie Gordon who was an All American candidate but disappointed with just 880 yards. The defense was atrocious as the Cowboys allowed 500.6 ypg which was ahead of only Kent St. and help in on the way from the transfer portal but it is not enough. A trip to Oregon is a sure loss in the nonconference and it is too bad they cannot take advantage of an easy Big 12 schedule with Texas Tech being the only tough road game.West Virginia Mountaineers 6-7 ~ 5-4 Big 12 ~ 5-7-0 ATS ~ 8-4-0 O/UReturning Starters ~ Offense 4/Defense 6It was not an awful six years under head coach Neal Brown, it just was not good enough. He finished with a 37-35 record and in comparison, prior to him, Dana Holgorsen was 44-32 in his final six seasons so it was not that much worse. However, four losing seasons under Brown were the same amount from 1995-2018, a span of 24 seasons so it was probably time. West Virginia hired Rich Rodriguez who coached here from 2001-2007 and only had one losing season which was his first while stringing together three straight 11-win campaigns. It is definitely rebuilding time. Nicco Marchiol is the likely starter at quarterback and he was decent in a pair of starts but the top three receivers are gone and he will be behind an offensive line that made zero starts at West Virginia last season. The star of the offense could be running back Jahiem White who rushed for 845 yards on 5.7 ypc. The defense is in worse shape as while six returning starters are listed, only one was in Morgantown who accounted for just two starts so this is going to be interesting. The Backyard Brawl is at home this season to go along with a tricky road game at Ohio and in the Big 12, they have to face five of the top seven teams, avoiding only Kansas St. and Baylor.Arizona Wildcats 4-8 ~ 2-7 Pac 12 ~ 2-10-0 ATS ~ 6-6-0 O/UReturning Starters ~ Offense 7/Defense 9It was five straight losing seasons for Arizona from 2018 to 2022, the longest streak since six straight from 2000-2005, but the Wildcats broke through with a 10-3 record in 2023 and head coach Jedd Fisch used that to move onto Washington which left Arizona scrambling and it settled on Brent Brennan who was put in a tough spot with not a ton to work with and playing in a new conference. It caught up late as the Wildcats closed 1-7 to complete a 4-8 season and things are not looking much better this season. The offense was inconsistent as quarterback Noah Fifita regressed after a sensational freshman year and that was with Tetairoa McMillan and his 1,319 yards and 84 catches still in the mix but he is off to the NFL so he needs another new favorite target. Their top rusher is also gone and only one offensive lineman is back that started here last season. The defense fell off as it allowed 10.7 ppg more than in 2023 but the top four tacklers are back including both safeties. The front seven is getting solid help from the transfer portal. Arizona opens with Hawaii and Weber St. at home before hosting Kansas St., which is being counted as a nonconference game and they have to face only four of the other top eight in the Big 12.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/08/2025

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Jul 08, 2025

The Tuesday sports card features MLB, FIFA Club World Cup, and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. The New York Mets travel to Baltimore to play the Orioles at 6:35 p.m. ET as a -132 money-line road favorite with the total set at 10 (all odds from DraftKings). The Detroit Tigers host the Tampa Bay Rays at 6:40 p.m. ET as a -126 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Yankees play at home against the Seattle Mariners at 7:05 p.m. ET as a -123 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Boston Red Sox are home against the Colorado Rockies as a -246 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Cincinnati Reds host the Miami Marlins as a -126 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Four more MLB games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Toronto Blue Jays play in Chicago against the White Sox as a -183 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Kansas City Royals play at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates as a -144 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Chicago Cubs are in Minnesota to take on the Minnesota Twins as a -144 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Los Angeles Dodgers visit Milwaukee to face the Brewers on TBS at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Dodgers are on a four-game losing streak after their 9-1 loss in the opening game of this series on Monday. The Brewers have won three of their last four games. Los Angeles sends out Clayton Kershaw to pitch against Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski. The Dodgers are a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The St. Louis Cardinals are home against the Washington Nationals at 7:45 p.m. ET as a -199 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Houston Astros host the Cleveland Guardians at 8:10 p.m. ET as a -206 money-line favorite with a total of 7. The Texas Rangers play in Los Angeles against the Angels at 9:38 p.m. ET as a -117 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The San Diego Padres play at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks at 9:40 p.m. ET as a -132 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The San Francisco Giants are home against the Philadelphia Phillies at 9:45 p.m. ET as a -157 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Atlanta Braves are on the road against the Athletics at 10:05 p.m. ET as a -112 money-line favorite with a total of 10.The FIFA Club World Cup knockout stage begins its semifinals with one match. Chelsea faces Fluminense at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on TNT/truTV/DAZN as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 continues in Switzerland with two matches. Germany challenges Denmark on FS1 at noon ET as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. Sweden takes on Poland on Fox at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/07/2025

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jul 07, 2025

The Monday sports card features MLB and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.Major League Baseball has 10 games scheduled. The Detroit Tigers host the Tampa Bay Rays on FS1 at 6:40 p.m. ET. The Tigers won their third game in a row on Sunday in a 7-2 victory in 10 innings at Cleveland. The Rays ended a two-game losing streak with a 7-5 win at Minnesota yesterday. Detroit has not named their starting pitcher who will duel against Tampa Bay’s Shane Baz. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Boston Red Sox play at home against the Colorado Rockies. The Red Sox won for the fifth time in their last six games after a 6-4 victory at Washington yesterday. The Rockies ended a two-game losing streak with a 6-4 victory against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday. Richard Fitts gets the ball for Boston to take on Austin Gomber for Colorado. The Red Sox are a -241 money-line favorite with the total set at 9.5 all odds from DraftKings).Cincinnati is home against Miami. The Reds have lost two games in a row after a 2-1 loss at Philadelphia on Sunday. The Marlins lost for the second time in the last three games in a 3-1 loss at home against Milwaukee yesterday. Cincinnati turns to Brady Singer to challenge Miami’s Janson Junk. The Reds are a -137 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.Three MLB games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Toronto Blue Jays travel to Chicago to face the White Sox. The Blue Jays are on an eight-game winning streak after a 3-2 victory against the Los Angeles Angels yesterday. The White Sox lost for the fourth time in their last six games in their loss on the road against the Rockies on Sunday. Jose Berrios takes the mound for Toronto to take on Sean Burke for the White Sox. The Blue Jays are a -187 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers play in Milwaukee against the Brewers. The Dodgers have lost three games in a row after a 5-1 loss against Houston on Sunday. The Brewers won for the second time in their last three games in their win on the road against the Marlins yesterday. Los Angeles sends out Yoshinobu Yamamoto to pitch against Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta. The Dodgers are a -144 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Kansas City Royals are home against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Royals won for the third time in their last four games in a 4-0 win at Arizona yesterday. The Pirates are on a three-game losing streak after a 1-0 loss at St. Louis on Sunday. Noah Cameron gets the ball for Kansas City to face Andrew Heaney for Pittsburgh. The Royals are a -157 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Houston Astros host the Cleveland Guardians at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Astros won for the sixth time in their last seven games with their victory on the road against the Angels yesterday. The Guardians have lost ten games in a row after their loss at home against the Tigers on Sunday. Houston sends out Colton Gordon to battle Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee. The Astros are a -164 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Texas Rangers are in Los Angeles to face the Angels at 9:38 p.m. ET. The Rangers lost for the second time in their last three games in a 4-1 loss at San Diego yesterday. The Angels are on a three-game losing streak after their loss on the road against the Blue Jays. Yusei Kikuchi takes the mound for Los Angeles to pitch against Jacob deGrom for Texas. The Rangers are a -157 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The San Diego Padres play at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks at 9:40 p.m. ET. The Padres won for the second time in the last three games with their victory at home against the Rangers. The Diamondbacks lost for the fourth time in their last five games in their loss at home against the Royals. San Diego taps Yu Darvish to come off the injured list and pitch against Arizona’s Zac Gallen. The Padres are a -132 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Philadelphia Phillies visit the San Francisco Giants at 9:45 p.m. ET. The Phillies won for the third time in their last four games with their victory against the Reds on Sunday. The Giants won for the fourth time in their previous five games in a 6-2 victory on the road against the Athletics. Cristian Sanchez gets the start for Philadelphia to take on a starting pitcher yet to be determined for San Francisco. The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 continues in Switzerland with two matches. Spain faces Belgium on FS1 at noon ET as a -3.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 4.5. Italy challenges Portugal on Fox at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.   

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL, CONCACAF Gold Cup and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/06/25

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jul 06, 2025

The Sunday sports card features MLB, CFL, CONCACAF Gold Cup, and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. The Atlanta Braves host the Baltimore Orioles on Roku at 11:35 a.m. ET as a -157 money-line favorite, with the total set at 9 (all odds from DraftKings). Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:35 p.m. ET. The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Cincinnati Reds as a -232 money-line favorite with an over/under of  9. The Boston Red Sox travel to Washington to take on the Nationals as a -273 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Toronto Blue Jays are home against the Los Angeles Angels at 1:37 p.m. ET as a -189 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Three more MLB games start at 1:40 p.m. ET. The Detroit Tigers play in Cleveland against the Guardians as a -225 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The New York Yankees are across town facing the New York Mets as a -227 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Milwaukee Brewers visit Miami to challenge the Marlins as a -126 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Minnesota Twins host the Tampa Bay Rays at 2:10 p.m. ET as a -116 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Chicago White Sox play in Colorado against the Rockies at 3:10 p.m. ET as a -121 money-line road favorite with a total of 11.Three MLB games begin at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Arizona Diamondbacks play at home against the Kansas City Royals as a -137 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers are home against the Houston Astros as a -187 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Pittsburgh Pirates are in Seattle to battle the Mariners as a -113 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. A broadcast doubleheader on ESPN for Sunday Night Baseball starts at 6:10 p.m. ET. The Chicago Cubs host the St. Louis Cardinals at 6:10 p.m. ET as a -219 money-line favorite. Texas Rangers travel to San Diego to play the Padres at 9:10 p.m. ET.The MLB card concludes at 10:05 p.m. ET, with the Athletics playing at home against the San Francisco Giants at 10:05 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 10.5. Week 5 in the Canadian Football League concludes with one game. The Ottawa Senators play in Edmonton against the Elks on the CBS Sports Network at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 53.5. The CONCACAF Gold Cup concludes with its championship match on Fox at 7:00 p.m. ET. Mexico takes on the USMNT at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 continues in Switzerland with two matches on FS1. Norway plays Finland at noon ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Switzerland takes on Iceland at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL, FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/05/2025

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

The Saturday sports card features MLB, CFL, FIFA Club World Cup, and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. The Tampa Bay Rays travel to Minnesota to play the Twins at 2:10 p.m. ET as a -132 money-line road favorite with the total set at 9.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Chicago Cubs host the St. Louis Cardinals at 2:20 p.m. ET as a -126 money-line favorite with an over/under of 10.5. The Toronto Blue Jays play at home against the Los Angeles Angels at 3:07 p.m. ET as a -171 money-line favorite with a total of 9.Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:05 p.m. ET. The Philadelphia Phillies are home against the Cincinnati Reds as a -181 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Washington Nationals host the Boston Red Sox as a -112 money-line favorite with a total of 10. Four MLB games start at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Arizona Diamondbacks play at home against the Kansas City Royals as a -144 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Yankees play across town against the New York Mets on FS1 as a -156 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The Milwaukee Brewers are in Miami to take on the Marlins as a -149 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Atlanta Braves are home against the Baltimore Orioles. Two MLB games are featured on Fox’s regional coverage at 7:15 p.m. ET. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Houston Astros as a -150 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Detroit Tigers visit Cleveland to face the Guardians as a -143 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Colorado Rockies play at home against the Chicago White Sox at 9:10 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 11.5. The San Diego Padres are home against the Texas Rangers at 9:40 p.m. ET as a -144 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The San Francisco Giants play on the road against the Athletics at 10:05 p.m. ET as a -198 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Seattle Mariners host the Pittsburgh Pirates on FS1 at 10:10 p.m. ET as a -187 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Week 5 in the Canadian Football League continues with one game. The Montreal Alouettes play at home against the British Columbia Lions on the CBS Sports Network at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 49.5. The FIFA Club World Cup knockout stage concludes its quarterfinals with two matches. Paris Saint-Germain challenges Bayern Munich at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on TNT and DAZN at noon ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3.5. Real Madrid faces Borussia Dortmund at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on TNT/truTV and DAZN at 4:00 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5.The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 in Switzerland continues with two matches on Fox. The Netherlands takes on Wales at noon ET as a -1.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. England plays France at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL, FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/04/2025

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Jul 04, 2025

The Friday, July 4th sports card features MLB, CFL, FIFA Club World Cup, and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. The Boston Red Sox travel to Washington to play the Nationals at 11:05 a.m. ET as a -114 money-line road favorite with the total set at 8.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Philadelphia Phillies host the Cincinnati Reds at 1:05 p.m. ET as a -163 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Chicago Cubs play at home against the St. Louis Cardinals at 2:20 p.m. ET as a -158 money-line favorite with a total of 10. The New York Yankees play across town against the New York Mets at 3:10 p.m. ET. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Twins are home against the Tampa Bay Rays as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Seattle Mariners host the Pittsburgh Pirates. The San Diego Padres play at home against the Texas Rangers at 6:40 p.m. ET as a -123 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Los Angeles Angels play in Toronto against the Blue Jays at 7:07 p.m. ET. Two more MLB games start at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Detroit Tigers are in Cleveland to take on the Guardians as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Milwaukee Brewers visit Miami to face the Marlins as a -119 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Atlanta Braves are home against the Baltimore Orioles at 7:15 p.m. ET as a -181 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Chicago White Sox play in Colorado against the Rockies at 8:10 p.m. ET as a -126 money-line road favorite with a total of 11. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Houston Astros at 9:10 p.m. ET as a -181 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Arizona Diamondbacks play at home against the Kansas City Royals at 9:40 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The San Francisco Giants are on the road against the Athletics at 10:05 p.m. ET as a -112 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 10. Week 5 in the Canadian Football League continues off with one game. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats travel to Toronto to challenge the Argonauts at 7:30 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 53.5. The FIFA Club World Cup returns to its knockout stage with the first two matches in the quarterfinals. Al Hilal faces Fluminense at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, on TNT/truTV/DAZN as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Chelsea takes on Palmeiras at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on DAZN as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5.  The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 in Switzerland continues with two matches. Sweden battles Denmark on FS1 at noon E.T. as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Germany plays Poland on Fox at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -2.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. 

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Betting on Bad Teams in the CFL

by Al McMordie

Thursday, Jul 03, 2025

The Canadian Football League season enters its 2nd month, and all but one team has won a game this season.  The lone winless team?  Edmonton, which is 0-3 SU and 0-3 ATS.  A lot of punters stay away from betting on bad teams.  But in certain instances, it can be profitable.  Let's take a look at how winless teams have fared in the CFL.Since 2006, there have been 134 games involving a winless team, with an 0-1 (or worse) record, against an opponent which had won at least one game.  And our winless teams have been profitable, going 73-59-2 ATS.That record is good for 55.3%.  But we always look to tighten our systems with the addition of other variables.  And there are two important tighteners for this particular system. The first one we will add is to take teams that are off a point spread loss, and eliminate teams off point spread wins or ties.  With that additional factor applied, we improve our 73-59-2 record to 59-43-2 ATS (57.8%).  Edmonton has started 0-3 SU/ATS so it falls into our 59-43-2 ATS angle.  However, our 2nd tightener would not include the Elks as a play this week.  Let's take a look at this 2nd tightener.  We can improve our 59-43-2 ATS system to 22-4-1 ATS (84.6%) by only playing on underdogs of +6.5 (or more) points.  Keep an eye on Edmonton, as it might fall into this 22-4-1 angle on July 25 at Saskatchewan, if it continues to lose.Good luck, as always,Al McMordie

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/03/2025

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Jul 03, 2025

The Thursday sports card features MLB, CFL, and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.Major League Baseball has 10 games scheduled. The Minnesota Twins travel to Miami to play the Marlins at 12:10 p.m. ET. The Twins send out David Festa to pitch against the Marlins Eury Perez. Minnesota is a -119 money-line road favorite with the total set at 8 (all odds from DraftKings). The Houston Astros play in Colorado to face the Rockies at 3:10 p.m. ET. Brandon Walter takes the mound for the Astros to take on Kyle Freeland for the Rockies. Houston is a -182 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 11.The Detroit Tigers are in Washington against the Nationals at 6:45 p.m. ET. The Tigers tap Dietrich Enns to battle against the Nationals’ Jake Irvin. Detroit is a -164 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The New York Yankees visit Toronto to face the Blue Jays at 7:07 p.m. ET. Clarke Schmidt gets the ball for the Yankees to go against Chris Bassitt for the Blue Jays. New York is a -127 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Mets host the Milwaukee Brewers at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Mets tap David Peterson to challenge the Brewers’ Jose Quintana. New York is a -157 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Atlanta Braves play at home against the Los Angeles Angels at 7:15 p.m. ET. Bryce Elder takes the hill for the Braves to pitch against Jose Soriano for the Angels. Atlanta is a -138 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Chicago Cubs are home against the Cleveland Guardians at 8:05 p.m. ET. The Cubs send out Cade Horton to take on the Guardians’ Luis L. Ortiz. Chicago is a -157 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The San Francisco Giants play in Arizona against the Diamondbacks at 9:40 p.m. ET. Robbie Rays takes the mound for the Giants to battle Brandon Pfaadt for the Diamondbacks. San Francisco is a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Two games close out the MLB card at 10:10 p.m. ET. Seattle hosts Kansas City with the Mariners turning to Bryan Woo to go against the Royals’ Seth Lugo. The Mariners are a -163 money-line favorite with a total of 7. Los Angeles plays against Chicago with Dustin May getting the ball for the Dodgers to challenge Aaron Civil for the Brewers. The Dodgers are a -292 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.Week 5 in the Canadian Football League kicks off with one game. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are in Calgary to play the Stampeders on the CBS Sports Network at 9:00 p.m. ET as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 51.5.The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 in Switzerland continues with two matches. Italy takes on Belgium at Stockhorn Arena in Thun on FS1 at noon ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Spain faces Portugal at St. Jakob-Park in Basel on Fox at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -2.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5.

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