by Big Al Staff
Thursday, Jan 08, 2026The Thursday sports card features NCAAF, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.
The college football bowl season continues with the first game in the college football playoff semifinals on ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPN News at 7:30 p.m. ET. Miami (FL) plays Mississippi in the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The Hurricanes advanced to the semifinals with their 24-14 upset victory against Ohio State as an 8-point underdog last Wednesday. Mississippi reached the semifinals with a 39-34 upset victory against Georgia as a 6-point underdog on Thursday. Miami (FL) is a 3.5-point favorite with the total set at 52.5 (all odds from DraftKings).
The National Basketball Association has four games on its docket. The Charlotte Hornets host the Indiana Pacers at 7:10 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 233.5. Two more NBA games tip off at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Timberwolves play at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 240.5. The Miami Heat travel to Chicago to play the Bulls as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 241.5. The Dallas Mavericks play in Utah against the Jazz at 9:10 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 236.5.
The National Hockey League has 12 games on its slate. Seven NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Philadelphia Flyers are home against the Toronto Maple Leafs as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Pittsburgh Penguins host the New Jersey Devils as a -112 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Boston Bruins play at home against the Calgary Flames as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Carolina Hurricanes are home against the Anaheim Ducks as a -218 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Buffalo Sabres are on the road in New York against the Rangers as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Detroit Red Wings host the Vancouver Canucks as a -170 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Florida Panthers visit Montreal to face the Canadiens as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5.
Two NHL games start at 8:07 p.m. ET. The Edmonton Oilers play in Winnipeg against the Jets as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Nashville Predators play at home against the New York Islanders as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Colorado Avalanche are home against the Ottawa Senators at 9:07 p.m. ET as a -250 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5.
Two games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 p.m. ET. The Vegas Golden Knights host the Columbus Blue Jackets as a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Minnesota Wild are on the road against the Seattle Kraken as a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5.
The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at 12:30 p.m. ET with 57 games involving Division I opponents. Four of these NCAAB games are on major national television. Liberty travels to Louisiana Tech on the CBS Sports Network at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 134.5. Middle Tennessee plays at UTEP on the CBS Sports Network at 9:00 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 134.5.
Loyola-Marymount plays at home against San Francisco on the CBS Sports Network at 11:00 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 140.5. Gonzaga is at home against Santa Clara on ESPN2 at 11:30 p.m. ET as a 15.5-point favorite with a total of 164.5.
Matchweek 21 in the English Premier League concludes with one match. Arsenal hosts Liverpool at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.
The college football bowl season continues with the first game in the college football playoff semifinals on ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPN News at 7:30 p.m. ET. Miami (FL) plays Mississippi in the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The Hurricanes advanced to the semifinals with their 24-14 upset victory against Ohio State as an 8-point underdog last Wednesday. Mississippi reached the semifinals with a 39-34 upset victory against Georgia as a 6-point underdog on Thursday. Miami (FL) is a 3.5-point favorite with the total set at 52.5 (all odds from DraftKings).
The National Basketball Association has four games on its docket. The Charlotte Hornets host the Indiana Pacers at 7:10 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 233.5. Two more NBA games tip off at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Timberwolves play at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 240.5. The Miami Heat travel to Chicago to play the Bulls as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 241.5. The Dallas Mavericks play in Utah against the Jazz at 9:10 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 236.5.
The National Hockey League has 12 games on its slate. Seven NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Philadelphia Flyers are home against the Toronto Maple Leafs as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Pittsburgh Penguins host the New Jersey Devils as a -112 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Boston Bruins play at home against the Calgary Flames as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Carolina Hurricanes are home against the Anaheim Ducks as a -218 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Buffalo Sabres are on the road in New York against the Rangers as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Detroit Red Wings host the Vancouver Canucks as a -170 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Florida Panthers visit Montreal to face the Canadiens as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5.
Two NHL games start at 8:07 p.m. ET. The Edmonton Oilers play in Winnipeg against the Jets as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Nashville Predators play at home against the New York Islanders as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Colorado Avalanche are home against the Ottawa Senators at 9:07 p.m. ET as a -250 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5.
Two games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 p.m. ET. The Vegas Golden Knights host the Columbus Blue Jackets as a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Minnesota Wild are on the road against the Seattle Kraken as a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5.
The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at 12:30 p.m. ET with 57 games involving Division I opponents. Four of these NCAAB games are on major national television. Liberty travels to Louisiana Tech on the CBS Sports Network at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 134.5. Middle Tennessee plays at UTEP on the CBS Sports Network at 9:00 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 134.5.
Loyola-Marymount plays at home against San Francisco on the CBS Sports Network at 11:00 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 140.5. Gonzaga is at home against Santa Clara on ESPN2 at 11:30 p.m. ET as a 15.5-point favorite with a total of 164.5.
Matchweek 21 in the English Premier League concludes with one match. Arsenal hosts Liverpool at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.
