by Big Al Staff
Thursday, Dec 10, 2020The Thursday sports card features action in college basketball and college football along with the start of Week 14 in the NFL.
Two games kick off Week 15 in college football. At 6:30 PM ET, Florida Atlantic plays on the road at Southern Mississippi. FAU had their four-game winning streak snapped on Saturday in a 20-3 upset loss at Georgia Southern as a 2.5-point favorite. The Owls still have hopes to play in the Conference USA championship game with their 4-1 conference record (5-2 overall). They are tied with Marshall in the East Division but need the Thundering Herd to lose on Friday to Charlotte since they lost their head-to-head meeting with them earlier this season.
First-year head coach Willie Taggart has a decision to make at quarterback after he benched freshman Javion Posey making his third start of the season last week after he was responsible for three turnovers. Junior Nick Tronti came on in relief but had little success in moving the offense.
Southern Miss takes the field after the last playing on November 21st in a 23-20 loss to UTSA as a 9.5-point underdog. The Golden Eagles have lost four of their last five games to see their record dip to a 2-7 mark. The program did make the decision this week to hire Tulane offensive coordinator Will Hall as their next head coach. Scotty Walden has served as the interim head coach since Jay Hopson resigned as head coach in early September.
Walden is down to his third quarterback after Jack Abraham entered the transfer portal, and then Tate Whatley endured a shoulder injury in the game against the Roadrunners. Sophomore Trey Lowe gets the start under center.
FAU is an 8-point road favorite with the total set at 43.5 (all lines from BetOnline). The CBS Sports Network has the broadcast.
Georgia Tech hosts Pittsburgh at 7 PM ET. The Yellow Jackets have lost four of their last five games after their 23-13 loss at North Carolina State last Saturday as a 7-point underdog. Pittsburgh last played on November 28th in a 52-17 score at Clemson. The Panthers are -6.5-point road favorites with the over/under at 54.5.
A double-header on FS1 highlights the college basketball card. At 8 PM ET, UMKC visits Minnesota with the Golden Gophers a 19.5-point favorite with the total at 137. The nightcap features San Diego State visiting Arizona State in a battle of two ranked teams. The Aztecs are 24th in the Associated Press poll, one spot behind the 23rd ranked Sun Devils. Arizona State is a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 145.
The NFL Thursday night game on Fox is a rematch of Super Bowl LIII where the New England Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams by a 13-3 score back on February 3rd, 2019.
The Rams have won three of their last four games with their 38-28 win at Arizona on Sunday as a 2.5-point favorite. That victory, along with Seattle’s 17-12 upset loss to the New York Giants, placed head coach Sean McVay’s team in a tie for first place with the Seahawks with an 8-4 record.
New England has won four of their last five games since November with their 45-0 victory at Los Angeles against the Chargers. The Patriots are still two games behind Miami along with Tennessee and Indianapolis, who all have 8-4 records to set the bar for the final spots in the AFC playoff hunt.
The Rams are a 5-point favorite with the total set at 45. Kickoff is at 8:20 PM ET.
Two games kick off Week 15 in college football. At 6:30 PM ET, Florida Atlantic plays on the road at Southern Mississippi. FAU had their four-game winning streak snapped on Saturday in a 20-3 upset loss at Georgia Southern as a 2.5-point favorite. The Owls still have hopes to play in the Conference USA championship game with their 4-1 conference record (5-2 overall). They are tied with Marshall in the East Division but need the Thundering Herd to lose on Friday to Charlotte since they lost their head-to-head meeting with them earlier this season.
First-year head coach Willie Taggart has a decision to make at quarterback after he benched freshman Javion Posey making his third start of the season last week after he was responsible for three turnovers. Junior Nick Tronti came on in relief but had little success in moving the offense.
Southern Miss takes the field after the last playing on November 21st in a 23-20 loss to UTSA as a 9.5-point underdog. The Golden Eagles have lost four of their last five games to see their record dip to a 2-7 mark. The program did make the decision this week to hire Tulane offensive coordinator Will Hall as their next head coach. Scotty Walden has served as the interim head coach since Jay Hopson resigned as head coach in early September.
Walden is down to his third quarterback after Jack Abraham entered the transfer portal, and then Tate Whatley endured a shoulder injury in the game against the Roadrunners. Sophomore Trey Lowe gets the start under center.
FAU is an 8-point road favorite with the total set at 43.5 (all lines from BetOnline). The CBS Sports Network has the broadcast.
Georgia Tech hosts Pittsburgh at 7 PM ET. The Yellow Jackets have lost four of their last five games after their 23-13 loss at North Carolina State last Saturday as a 7-point underdog. Pittsburgh last played on November 28th in a 52-17 score at Clemson. The Panthers are -6.5-point road favorites with the over/under at 54.5.
A double-header on FS1 highlights the college basketball card. At 8 PM ET, UMKC visits Minnesota with the Golden Gophers a 19.5-point favorite with the total at 137. The nightcap features San Diego State visiting Arizona State in a battle of two ranked teams. The Aztecs are 24th in the Associated Press poll, one spot behind the 23rd ranked Sun Devils. Arizona State is a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 145.
The NFL Thursday night game on Fox is a rematch of Super Bowl LIII where the New England Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams by a 13-3 score back on February 3rd, 2019.
The Rams have won three of their last four games with their 38-28 win at Arizona on Sunday as a 2.5-point favorite. That victory, along with Seattle’s 17-12 upset loss to the New York Giants, placed head coach Sean McVay’s team in a tie for first place with the Seahawks with an 8-4 record.
New England has won four of their last five games since November with their 45-0 victory at Los Angeles against the Chargers. The Patriots are still two games behind Miami along with Tennessee and Indianapolis, who all have 8-4 records to set the bar for the final spots in the AFC playoff hunt.
The Rams are a 5-point favorite with the total set at 45. Kickoff is at 8:20 PM ET.
