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Sun Belt Conference Previews/Predictions

by Kyle Hunter

Monday, Jul 27, 2026

The Sun Belt Conference is underrated by many college football fans. This conference has produced a bunch of really good teams in the past decade. There aren’t as many cellar dwellers in the Sun Belt as there are in many of the other smaller conferences either. James Madison made the playoff last year from the Sun Belt. They didn’t fare very well when they got to the playoff, but they showed that reaching the playoff from this conference is absolutely possible.Sun Belt Conference Favorites-James Madison is +300 to win the Sun Belt this season. They have a completely overhauled roster and a new coach in former Florida coach Billy Napier. Napier did a great job at Louisiana, and I expect him to have a good tenure at James Madison as well.Old Dominion is the second favorite at +500. The Monarchs have what I believe is the best defense in the Sun Belt. Ricky Rahne is a top notch head coach too. Now, can Old Dominion get an offensive line to block a little bit?Sun Belt Bottom Four TeamsThe four teams I would throw out as far as having a chance to win the league-Georgia State- They have absolutely no defense. They were looking for more players after spring ball.UL Monroe- Trying to put in a new pass heavy system, but they don’t have a good QB or wide receivers.Southern Miss- Blake Anderson is a good coach, but he is at a massive talent disadvantage in Hattiesburg.Coastal Carolina- I like this coaching staff as well, but they have big question marks at quarterback and on the offensive line. They should struggle this year.Sun Belt Two Potential Value TeamsMarshall Thundering Herd- 10/1- Marshall is led by star quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson. He had a 17/5 ratio last year, and he is now a senior leader in the second year of this offensive system. Brad Lambert is a solid defensive coordinator, and I expect the Thundering Herd defense to show a lot of improvement this season. Marshall does have to play at Old Dominion and James Madison, so the schedule here is tough. I might just look for individual games to bet this team.Troy Trojans- 5/1- Goose Crowder isn’t just a fantastic name for a quarterback, he is also a really good player. Crowder missed a bunch of time last season, but he should be ready for this season and when he is healthy he is as good as any quarterback in the Sun Belt. Troy is very good in the secondary on defense. Troy is also good on special teams. They draw Southern Miss, ULM, LA Tech, and GA Southern at home this season. They also have very winnable road games at South Alabama and Arkansas State. If Crowder stays healthy, they could be in the Sun Belt title game. 

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Mountain West College Football Preview/Predictions

by Kyle Hunter

Monday, Jul 27, 2026

The Mountain West looks a lot different this year. North Dakota State and Northern Illinois have joined the conference for football only. Who left the Mountain West? Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State left the conference.Boise State has been the top team in the league, so the Broncos leaving gives an opportunity for the other teams to battle for the top spot.North Dakota State has been a perennial power at the FCS level. How will that transfer over to the FBS level in the Mountain West? That’s a huge question as we start off this season. I personally think the oddsmakers overvalued North Dakota State some initially. I took under 9.5 wins for them, and I would even lean under 8.5 at a big plus money price.The co-favorites for the Mountain West title are UNLV and New Mexico. UNLV has all sorts of offensive talent. Jet Thomas is a superstar at running back, and Jackson Arnold transferred in to lead the team at quarterback. Can UNLV get some stop though? The Rebels allowed 5.2 yards per carry last season. They should improve, but there are enough questions here that I wouldn’t want to bet UNLV at +275 or so that is currently available. Northern Illinois will be a bottom feeder in the Mountain West, and I’ll look for spots to bet against them in the season ahead. San Jose State lost a ton on offense, and I think the Spartans will be down quite a bit as well. Where do we look for value? I see two options for futures value here. First, the New Mexico Lobos which can be found at as much as +350 to win the Mountain West. Jason Eck is an excellent coach, and the Lobos have the best defense and special teams in the league. If they get slightly better quarterback play, they are going to be really tough to beat. New Mexico also hosts UNLV and North Dakota State. The other team I’m keeping my eye on is Air Force. Troy Calhoun’s team had a very down season last year, but I think they could improve a lot this season. Air Force finally has 8 returning starters on defense, and Blake Fetcher is a star at linebacker. The Falcons were weak defensively last year, but the coaching staff is praising this crew a lot in the offseason and expects better performance. Liam Czarka is the best quarterback in the Mountain West too. Czarka was hurt part of last season, but when he was healthy he showed how dangerous he can be. Air Force at 6/1 or better is a good value play also.

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2026 CFB: Week 0 First Look

by Sean Murphy

Monday, Jul 27, 2026

College football is almost back and while Week 0 doesn't have the massive slate we will see once September gets rolling, there are still some interesting spots for bettors who are willing to look deeper than just the team names. The biggest challenge with early season college football is that there is always a lot of uncertainty - perhaps more than any other league or sport with the exception of college basketball. Rosters have changed, transfers have reshaped teams, new coaches are bringing in new systems and we really don't know which teams are ready to hit the ground running until the ball is finally kicked off. But that's also where the early season betting edge usually comes from. The public tends to focus on returning stars, recruiting rankings, and what teams did last season - everything you would read in the annual preview magazines. The sharper approach is looking at quarterback situations, returning production, coaching continuity and which teams have the biggest question marks heading into season openers. The headline game of Week 0 takes place in Ireland as North Carolina faces TCU. Both teams have plenty of talent, but both also have questions heading into the season - Bill Bellichick's Tar Heels in particular. Bellichick claims that his team is 'way ahead' of where it was a year ago and while you would have to assume that would be the case, it remains to be seen how it translates to the field. The international travel angle is something bettors need to consider as well. Teams have to deal with a different schedule, a different environment, and a lot of distractions leading up to kickoff. The Dublin game is without question a unique handicap each year. USC will also draw plenty of attention when it takes on San Jose State. Everyone knows the Trojans can score points, but the question that has followed this program for years is whether the defense can hold up against better competition. San Jose State has become a very respectable program and is not the type of opponent that can simply be overlooked. Of course, the pointspread indicates otherwise in this particular matchup with the Trojans currently laying 30+ points. Of course a big mistake casual bettors can make in Week 0 is assuming the bigger program automatically equals a good bet. These early season games are where inflated spreads can create value on the underdog side, especially when a team is getting points despite having experience and continuity. Motivation is another major factor. A Power Four team might be focused on a conference championship or playoff run, while a smaller program sees this as their biggest opportunity of the season. That doesn't mean blindly betting underdogs, but it does mean doing the extra work before laying big numbers. The other thing I will be watching closely is quarterback play. In college football, more than any other sport, the quarterback position can completely change the outlook of a team. A new starter can turn a contender into a question mark, while an experienced quarterback can make a team much more dangerous than the market expects. Week 0 is not about trying to prove you know which teams are going to make the playoff. It's about finding the teams that are ready to play right now and uncovering edges in pointspreads that have plenty of uncertainty baked in but perhaps not sufficiently so. Teams with returning production, coaching continuity and stability at quarterback are usually the ones that have the biggest advantage early in the season but the oddsmakers know that as well. Doing your homework ahead of the season kickoff is critical if you're interested in tackling Week 0 and a little bit of luck never hurts either.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 07/27/25

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jul 27, 2026

The Monday sports card features MLB action.Major League Baseball has 12 games scheduled. The Seattle Mariners travel to Texas to play the Rangers at 2:35 p.m. ET. The Mariners send out George Kirby to pitch against the Rangers’ Kumar Rocker. Seattle is a -145 money-line road favorite with the total set at 8 (all odds from DraftKings). Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET. Pittsburgh hosts Arizona with Mitch Keller getting the ball for the Pirates to face Merrill Kelly for the Diamondbacks. The Pirates are a -123 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Philadelphia plays on the road in Miami with the Phillies tapping Zack Wheeler to duel against the Marlins’ Tyler Phillips. The Phillies are a -181 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. Detroit plays at home against Baltimore with Keider Montero taking the mound for the Tigers to face Kyle Bradish for the Orioles. The Tigers are a -118 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Washington Nationals are at home to challenge the Toronto Blue Jays at 6:45 p.m. ET. The Nationals turn to Andrew Alvarez to take on Max Scherzer for the Blue Jays. Washington is a -131 money-line favorite with a total of 10. Two MLB games begin at 7:10 p.m. ET. Atlanta is on the road in New York with Martin Perez taking the mound for the Braves to battle against the Mets’ Zac Thornton. The Braves are a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Cincinnati hosts Cleveland on ESPN with the Reds tapping Chase Burns to pitch against the Guardians’ Slade Cecconi. The Reds are a -175 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The New York Yankees visit Chicago to face the White Sox at 7:40 p.m. ET. Max Fried gets the starting assignment for the Yankees to duel against Noah Schultz for the White Sox. New York is a -142 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Chicago Cubs play in St. Louis against the Cardinals at 7:45 p.m. ET. The Cubs send out David Peterson to face a starting pitcher yet to be named for the Cardinals. Chicago is a -121 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The Houston Astros are on the road in Los Angeles to take on the Angels at 9:38 p.m. ET. Tatsuya Imai gets the ball for the Astros to challenge Walbert Urena for the Angels. Houston is a -118 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Boston Red Sox travel on the road to play the Athletics at 9:40 p.m. ET. The Red Sox turn to Payton Tolle to battle against Jack Perkins. Boston is a -182 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Milwaukee Brewers play in San Francisco against the Giants at 9:45 p.m. ET. Brandon Sprout takes the mound for the Brewers to face Tyler Mahle for the Giants. Milwaukee is a -142 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and CFL Previews and Odds - 07/26/26

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jul 26, 2026

The Sunday sports card features MLB and CFL action.Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. The Tampa Bay Rays host the Cleveland Guardians on Peacock at 12:15 p.m. ET. The Rays send out Drew Rasmussen to pitch against the Guardians' Parker Messick. Tampa Bay is a -143 money-line favorite with the total set at 7 (all odds from DraftKings). Four MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:35 p.m. ET. Pittsburgh plays at home against Chicago with Braxton Ashcraft getting the ball for the Pirates to take on Jameson Taillon for the Cubs. The Pirates are a -126 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Boston is at home against Toronto with the Red Sox tapping Ranger Suarez to duel against the Blue Jays’ Kevin Gausman. The Red Sox are a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 8. Arizona travels to Washington with Kohl Drake getting the ball for the Diamondbacks to challenge Miles Mikolas for the Nationals. The Diamondbacks are a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 10. Baltimore hosts Atlanta with the Orioles turning to Shane Baz to face the Braves’ Reynaldo Lopez. The Orioles are a -114 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Three MLB games start at 1:40 p.m. ET. Los Angeles plays in New York with Emmett Sheehan taking the mound for the Dodgers to battle Freddy Peralta for the Mets. The Dodgers are a -163 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Detroit plays at home against Kansas City with the Tigers tapping Framber Valdez to pitch against the Royals’ Luinder Avila. The Tigers are a -192 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Miami is at home to play against San Diego with Janson Junk getting the ball for the Marlins to face Walker Buehler for the Padres. The Marlins are a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Three MLB games begin at 2:10 p.m. ET. Chicago hosts Houston with the White Sox sending out Erick Fedde to face the Astros’ Ronel Blanco. The White Sox are a -111 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. Minnesota plays at home against the Athletics with Connor Prielipp taking the hill for the Twins to duel against Jeffrey Springs. The Twins are a -143 money-line favorite with an over/under of 10. Milwaukee is at home to take on Colorado with the Brewers turning to Jacob Misiorowski to challenge the Rockies' Kyle Freeland. The Brewers are a -325 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The St. Louis Cardinals host the Cincinnati Reds at 2:15 p.m. ET. Kyle Leahy gets the starting assignment for the Cardinals to battle Andrew Abbott for the Reds. St. Louis is a -136 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Texas Rangers play at home against the Seattle Mariners on Peacock at 2:35 p.m. ET. The Rangers tap Jacob deGrom to pitch against the Mariners’ Logan Gilbert. Texas is a -113 money-line favorite with a total of 7.The San Francisco Giants are at home to take on the Los Angeles Angels at 4:05 p.m. ET. Carson Whisenhunt gets the ball for the Giants to face Jose Soriano for the Angels. San Francisco is a -118 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Sunday Night Baseball on NBC/Peacock has the Philadelphia Phillies hosting the New York Yankees at 7:20 p.m. ET. The Phillies send out Cristopher Sanchez to duel against the Yankees’ Will Warren. Philadelphia is a -171 money-line favorite with a total of 8.Week 8 in the Canadian Football League concludes with one game. The Montreal Alouettes play at home against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on the CBS Sports Network at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 57.5.

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AFC Win Totals Six Pack

by Matt Fargo

Saturday, Jul 25, 2026

All win totals courtesy of DraftKings SportsbookLos Angeles Chargers Under 9.5 +115There is a lot of hype on this team and justifiably so. The Chargers won 11 games last season, have an elite quarterback in Justin Herbert, brought in Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator, have a healthy offensive line and possess a top ten defense. This number does seem low based on that outline and while expectations are sky high, it is no cakewalk. Los Angeles faces the seventh toughest schedule and it is even more demanding based on the setup. They have a brutal travel schedule with close to 24,000 miles and according to PFF, they have the NFL worst rest differential with 24 fewer days of rest that their opponent and that adds up especially with a tough end to the season. Additionally, the Chargers face four teams coming off a bye.New England Patriots Under 10.5 -140This is the juiciest total we are playing and it is not that big of a number in reality to catch a number this big. The Patriots are coming off an unexpected run to the Super Bowl after going 14-3 and dethroning the Bills in the AFC East and coming even close to that is unlikely. They played one of the easiest schedules last season and now they will be playing a first place schedule that is much more challenging. One big reason for their success was the fact they went 9-0 on the road which is the best in NFL history so they will regress when leaving home. Eight of those 14 regular season wins were by one possession so they were lucky in that regard while also being fortunate with injuries, finishing with the sixth fewest adjusted games to injury. New York Jets Over 5.5 -120The Jets finished with three wins last season and have not had a winning record since 2015. They have gone under their win total in seven of the last eight seasons as well as 11 of the last 15. This is the contrarian side as this win total has not been this low since 2022, the one recent season that they went over. New York has rebuilt both sides of the ball, bringing in veterans and adding significant first round draft picks. Additionally, head coach Aaron Glenn will be taking over the play calling on defense, a role he thrived in while in Detroit, after the defense finished with no interceptions last season. They have the fifth easiest schedule that includes home games against the Browns, Dolphins and Raiders in a span of four games.Cincinnati Bengals Over 10.5 +115The Bengals have underachieved with their wins totals in the last decade as they have gone under in eight of the last 10 including each of the last three seasons. They finished with just six victories last season as Joe Burrow missed nine games and the defense was atrocious. Cincinnati needs a healthy Burrow and while it lost Trey Hendrickson, the defense should improve after finishing No. 29 in Defensive EPA. A big reason for this is the opposition as this season, the Bengals project to go against the leagues easiest group of offenses. Overall, they face the easiest schedule in the league and while they have just eight home games, the toughest non-divisional road game is at Houston and they will be favored in seven of nine road games.Tennessee Titans Over 6.5 -115This will be a popular under play as the Titans have surpassed this win total only once in the last four seasons while finishing with three wins in each of the last two seasons. It is no surprise they stayed under the win total those four seasons after going over the previous four years. There will be more stability in this franchise with Robert Saleh taking over as head coach and Brian Daboll running the offense which should significantly give Cam Ward room for improvement. He faced the hardest group of opposing defenses in his rookie season and it was the hardest group any quarterback has faced the last six seasons so he had no chance. An easy schedule and regressing division gives Tennessee more opportunities. Denver Broncos Under 9.5 -105Denver is the billboard for regression after finishing No. 1 in the Luck Rankings last season which aided them to a 14-3 record. The Broncos have gone over the last two seasons after going 0-7-1 to the under the previous eight seasons. They did catch a break with the schedule as it is middle of the pack and while they do face the NFC West, they get the Rams and Seahawks at home. That being said, Denver caught lightning in a bottle last season as its finished with the third fewest adjusted games to injury. Additionally, the Broncos played 13 one possession games and won 11 of those so while coaching can be attributed to that, there is luck involved. They were just No. 15 and No. 8 in Offensive and Defensive EPA respectively. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL and WNBA Previews and Odds - 07/25/26

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jul 25, 2026

The Saturday sports card features MLB, CFL, and WNBA action.Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. The Detroit Tigers host the Kansas City Royals at 1:10 p.m. ET. The Tigers send out Casey Mize to pitch against the Royals’ Michael Wacha. Detroit is a -186 money-line favorite with the total set at 8.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:05 p.m. ET. San Francisco plays at home against Los Angeles with Robbie Ray taking the ball for the Giants to face Ryan Johnson for the Angels. The Giants are a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Washington is at home against Arizona with the Nationals tapping Foster Griffin to duel against the Diamondbacks’ Mitch Bratt. The Nationals are a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Two MLB games start at 4:10 p.m. ET. Boston hosts Toronto with Sonny Gray getting the ball for the Red Sox to take on Dylan Cease for the Blue Jays. The Red Sox are a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Miami plays at home against San Diego on FS1 with the Marlins tapping Eury Perez to battle the Padres’ J.P. Sears. The Marlins are a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The New York Yankees travel to Philadelphia to challenge the Phillies at 6:05 p.m. ET. Ryan Weathers takes the mound for the Yankees to pitch against a starting pitcher yet to be determined for the Phillies. New York is a -118 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Tampa Bay Rays are at home to take on the Cleveland Guardians at 6:10 p.m. ET. The Rays tap Nick Martinez to pitch against Tanner Bibee for the Guardians. Tampa Bay is a -134 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Pittsburgh Pirates host the Chicago Cubs at 6:40 p.m. ET. Paul Skenes gets the ball for the Pirates to duel against Shota Imanaga for the Cubs. Pittsburgh is a -136 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Baltimore Orioles play at home against the Atlanta Braves at 7:05 p.m. ET. The Orioles send out Brandon Young to take the hill to challenge the Braves’ Bryce Elder. Baltimore is a -112 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Three MLB games begin at 7:10 p.m. ET. Chicago is at home against Houston with Sean Burke taking the mound for the White Sox to battle Hunter Brown for the Astros. The White Sox are a -126 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Minnesota hosts the Athletics with the Twins turning to a starting pitcher yet to be named to face Mason Burnett. The Twins are a -171 money-line favorite with a total of 10.5. Milwaukee plays at home against Colorado with Robert Gasser getting the ball for the Brewers to pitch against Ryan Feltner for the Rockies. The Brewers are a -224 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Three MLB games start at 7:15 p.m. ET. St. Louis is at home against Cincinnati with the Cardinals tapping Andre Pallante to take on the Reds’ Hunter Greene. The Cardinals are a -123 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Two more MLB games are featured on Fox’s regional television coverage. Los Angeles plays in New York with Yoshinobu Yamamoto taking the mound for the Dodgers to duel against Nolan McLean for the Mets. The Dodgers are a -163 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Seattle is on the road against Texas with the Mariners turning to Bryan Woo to face the Rangers’ Nathan Eovaldi. The Mariners are a -111 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. Week 8 in the Canadian Football League continues with one game. The Toronto Argonauts are on the road to battle the British Columbia Lions on the CBS Sports Network at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 56.5. The WNBA All-Star game takes place at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET. Team Weatherspoon is a 3.5-point favorite against Team Cooper with a total of 277.5.

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WNBA All-Star Weekend: Who Will Win The 3-Point Shootout?

by Vegas Writer

Friday, Jul 24, 2026

WNBA All-Star Weekend is upon us, and Saturday will be a game fans should thrive upon, considering one of the league's greatest eras combined with the future greats who will not only represent this league but at some point our country for Team USA.Before Team Spoon faces Team Coop, however, it's skills night, and everybody loves seeing the 3-Point Shootout.Veteran sharpshooters will square off against a couple of young guns this year, and there's one person who stands out for me.THE ODDS (courtesy DraftKings): Marina Mabrey +275 Azzi Fudd +320 Janelle Salaun +450 Bridget Carleton +450 Rhyne Howard +500 Natisha Hiedeman +800 THE PLAYERS:Marina Mabrey, Toronto TempoMabrey is the favorite, and like Howard, might have a chip on her shoulder. It's her first trip to All-Star Weekend as an All-Star. The veteran guard leads the league in 3-pointers made per game (3.3), ranks second in attempts per game (8.4), and is shooting 39.2% from long range. Mabrey's versatility is what makes her dangerous, as she can stick off-balance shots with defenders in her face. Friday it's a matter of grabbing the ball off the rack as if she were practicing in a gym.Azzi Fudd, Dallas WingsFudd was at the party with the Stud Buds, and she too engaged in some drinking, per the livestream everyone tuned into. Nevertheless, Fudd's efficiency is her strong suit. She's made 47 3-pointers and brings a 38.2% shooting percentage into the contest. With one of the prettiest shots in the game, Fudd is a clear threat to win the title.Natisha Hiedeman, Seattle StormConsidering how her Thursday night in a hotel room with fellow Stud-Bud Courtney Williams and other players in Chicago was accompanied by a slew of shots - and not the ones with a basketball - there's no telling where Hiedeman's head might be Friday. But, she is enjoying a career-high 15.6 points and 2.0 treys per game with the Seattle Storm. Hiedeman is a 37% career shooter from long range, and if she isn't feeling the effects of Thursday's party, she could get hot.Rhyne Howard, Atlanta DreamThere may not be an All-Star in Chicago with a bigger chip on her shoulder, as Howard is shooting a career-best 35.4% from behind the 3-point line. She, along with Atlanta teammate Angel Reese, felt it was a slap in the face that nobody from the Dream was named a starter. Howard might be out to teach everyone a lesson. She leads the WNBA in 3-point attempts per game and is averaging a career-high 3.2 made 3-pointers per game.Bridget Carleton, Portland FireLike several others in Portland, Carleton is finally evolving in a much-better role. The 29-year-old is averaging career highs in points (13.7), 3-point attempts per game (6.9) and 3-pointers made per contest (2.6). She is shooting 37.4% from long range and her experience in big moments will help her under the lights in Chicago on Friday night.Janelle Salaün, Golden State ValkyriesGolden State's Sixth Player of the Year candidate ranks eighth in the league with 6.3 3-point attempts per game. The second-year sharpshooter hasn't been afraid to fire from long range, and shouldn't be intimidated by her surroundings Friday night. Salaün is shooting 40.2% from beyond the arc and could catch fire. Her money balls will become essential.THE PICKMarina Mabrey

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and CFL Previews and Odds - 07/24/26

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Jul 24, 2026

The Friday sports card features MLB and CFL action.Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. The Milwaukee Brewers host the Colorado Rockies at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Brewers send out Shane Drohan to pitch against the Rockies’ Tomoyuki Nagano. Milwaukee is a -258 money-line favorite with the total set at 8.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET. Pittsburgh plays at home against Chicago with Jared Jones getting the ball for the Pirates to face Matthew Boyd for the Cubs. The Pirates are a -126 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Detroit is at home against Kansas City with the Tigers turning to Tarik Skubal to duel against the Royals’ Beck Way. The Tigers are a -303 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. Two MLB games start at 6:45 p.m. ET. Philadelphia hosts New York on Apple TV+ with Jesus Luzardo taking the hill for the Phillies to challenge Cam Schlittler for the Yankees. The Phillies are a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Arizona travels to Washington with the Diamondbacks tapping Eduardo Rodriguez to battle the Nationals’ Carson Palmquist. The Diamondbacks are a -122 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The Baltimore Orioles play at home against the Atlanta Braves on Peacock at 7:05 p.m. ET. Trevor Rogers gets the ball for the Orioles to take on Grant Holmes for the Braves. The Orioles are a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Three MLB games begin at 7:10 p.m. ET. Los Angeles plays in New York with the Dodgers turning to Roki Sasaki to pitch against the Mets’ Sean Manaea. The Dodgers are a -156 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. Tampa Bay is at home to face Cleveland with Shane McClanahan taking the mound for the Rays to challenge Joey Cantillo for the Guardians. The Rays are a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Miami hosts San Diego with the Marlins sending out a starting pitcher yet to be named to duel against the Padres’ German Marquez. The Marlins are a -136 money-line favorite with a total of 9.The Boston Red Sox play at home against the Toronto Blue Jays on Apple TV+ at 7:15 p.m. ET. Patrick Sandoval gets the starting pitcher assignment for the Red Sox to battle Trey Yesavage for the Blue Jays. Boston is a -126 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Chicago White Sox are at home to challenge the Houston Astros at 7:40 p.m. ET. The White Sox send out Davis Martin to face the Astros’ Spencer Arrighetti. Chicago is a -136 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Seattle Mariners are on the road in Texas to battle the Rangers at 8:05 p.m. ET. Bryce Miller gets the ball for the Mariners to pitch against Mackenzie Gore for the Rangers. Seattle is a -122 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Minnesota Twins host the Athletics at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Twins turn to Zebby Matthews to duel against the Athletics’ Jacob Lopez. Minnesota is a -144 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The St. Louis Cardinals play at home against the Cincinnati Reds at 8:15 p.m. ET. Dustin May takes the mound for the Cardinals to take on Rhett Lowder for the Reds. St. Louis is a -168 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The San Francisco Giants are at home to face the Los Angeles Angels at 10:15 p.m. ET. The Giants send out Logan Webb to pitch against the Angels’ Grayson Rodriguez. San Francisco is a -172 money-line favorite with a total of 8. Week 8 in the Canadian Football League continues with one game. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers host the Calgary Stampeders at 8:30 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 60.5.The WNBA All-Star break continues through Monday, July 27th.

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Way-Too-Early NCAAF Predictions & Future Bets to Make:

by William Burns

Thursday, Jul 23, 2026

Football is right around the corner and it's never too early to start thinking about the upcoming campaign. After consecutive winning NCAAF seasons, I'm expecting even more greatness to take place this year  Here are my "Way-Too-Early NCAAF Predictions & Future Bets to Make:" for the 2026-27 season. What I Expect From Certain Teams This Season:  Alabama Crimson Tide (11-4 in 2025-26) After falling short of the playoff in 2024-25, Alabama responded by not only making it, but beating Oklahoma on the road in 2025-26 in it's first 12-team playoff game. This season, the Crimson Tide look to make even more headways with an elite secondary and an underrated offense. Keelon Russell, is likely to be the QB this season. He's a former 5-star recruit out of High School & considering what Ty Simpson was able to accomplish a year ago, I think that he could turn some heads this season. While I do believe that the Tide are slightly overlooked this season, don't be shocked if they have a similar record to last year here in '26/'27Projected Record in 2026-27 // 10-4.  Texas Longhorns (10-3 in 2025-26) The Longhorns didn't begin last season as they hoped for with a 3-2 record over there opening five games, one of those losses being against a 4-8 Florida team. Texas barely missed out on a playoff spot because of that, but finished the season with a 7-1 record over its final eight games for lots of confidence. This season, I do expect the Longhorns to get into the 12-team playoff. Playing in the SEC, it's obviously going to be a difficult path to get there. But, avoiding both Alabama & Georgia while getting Oklahoma/Ole Miss at home should most definitely help. Projected Record in 2026-27 // 11-3.  North Texas (12-2 in 2025-26) Last season, North Texas was among the top group-of-5 teams in College Football. With a 12-2 record on the season, the Mean Green were very close at reaching the CFP for the first time. That being said, they should see a drop off this season given that a lot of the top players from last year's team have either moved on or transferred to Oklahoma State with head coach Eric Morris (who made the move in the offseason.) I don't expect the Mean Green to reach rock bottom or anything. But, I do expect a rather average season from them this campaign. Projected Record in 2026-27 // 5-7.  South Carolina Gamecocks (4-8 in 2025-26) Last season, South Carolina had a heartbreak when LaNorris Sellers went down against Vanderbilt. Not having him for the end of that game didn't help SC whatsoever for the remainder of the year. While Sellers did play, he wasn't the same. He returns for another season in 2026-27 & I expect much better from the Gamecocks. However, like I said with the Texas Longhorns, playing an SEC schedule is never going to be easy. So, expect them to finish around the 5-to-7 win mark here this time around. Projected Record in 2026-27 // 6-6.  Virginia Tech Hokies (3-9 in 2025-26) With James Franklin taking over at Head Coach for this upcoming season, Virginia Tech should feel much more comfortable. I don't think it was fair for him to be let go by the Nittany Lions at all, considering his record for the program. But, with a fresh start here in the ACC that's much weaker than it has been, expect Virginia Tech to make some noise. It was a busy offseason for the Hokies who added Ethan Grunkemeyer/Luke Reynolds, both transfers from Penn State's team last year. Que'Sean Brown gives Grunkmeyer a big-time receiving threat as well. Considering the opening seven games for VT, expect at least a bowl game for the Hokies in Franklin's first year coaching, with a definite chance of making even more noise. Projected Record in 2026-27 // 8-4 . Burns' Top 10 Heisman Trophy Candidates Dante Moore (+1000)CJ Carr (+700)Arch Manning (+750)Gunnar Stockton (+1900)Julian Sayin (+1200)Marcell Reed (+2500)Jeremiah Smith (+1400)John Mateer (+2500)Sam Leavitt (+2000)Keelon Russell (+2800)Even though last season was a bit of a disappointment for Arch Manning, who was the pre-season favorite to win this award, he did finish the year very strong giving him a strong case to be in the conversation again. ND's CJ Carr is this year's favorite at the moment. While that could be a bit of a surprise to some, he's going to have elite players at every position around him making him as comfortable as any QB will be in the country this season. But, I'm going to go a different route. Dante Moore had a great year in 2025-26 & expects even better numbers this season. Oregon's got the 3rd best odds to win the National Championship at the moment & with Moore at the helm, there's no question that it could be a possibility. If you're looking for a guy with plenty of value down the line a bit, Marcell Reed/John Mateer both showed flashes of greatness, if you will, last season and should be poised for even bigger campaigns this time around.  Heisman Prediction: Dante Moore (+1000)Five Futures Bets to Make:  1. ) Oregon Ducks (+750 // To Win The National Championship)2. ) Dante Moore (+1000 // To Win The Heisman Trophy)  While I have some explaining to do here, picking two Oregon Futures. Firstly I picked Moore to win the Heisman in the previous section of this article & I believe that there's an amazing amount of value here with this one. He is one of the favorites to win this trophy this season and for good reasoning. Moore was expected to be a first round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, but decided to come back to school for another year. Coming off a season with 3,565 passing yards + 30 TD's through the air, he's only going to get better this season. With an elite receiving core, Oregon should be among the best teams in College Football this season. The Ducks also have one of the best DLine's & Secondary's in the country coming into the year. Each of those things should help solidify Moore as one of the best players, making him a perfect candidate for the Heisman Trophy in 2026 (as long as he doesn't get hurt.) 3. ) Arkansas Razorbacks (-156 // UNDER 2.5 SEC CONFERENCE WINS)  After going 0-8 inside the conference last season, I'm not expecting much once again from the Arkansas Razorbacks in 2026-27. Here's Arkansas' SEC schedule: UGA, @TAMU, TEN, @VAN, MIS, @AUB, SC, @TEX & LSU. Considering that schedule, I'd be shocked if the Razorbacks win more than two conference games this season. Missouri/South Carolina at home are the two most likely sources of wins. But, I don't expect both of those to happen, if any.  4.) Georgia Bulldogs (-180 // OVER 9.5 REGULAR SEASON WINS) Last season, Georgia finished with 11 regular season wins, losing just once to Alabama. With the difficult SEC schedule, it's always going to be tough to go undefeated. However, Kirby Smart has proven time and time again that his Bulldogs are always going to be among the best teams in College Football. Last year was the 5th consecutive year with 10+ regular season wins with the 2020 season being cut short due to Covid-19. I expect another season of greatness from Georgia, in the regular season & in the CFP.  5.) Notre Dame (+160 // OVER 11.5 REGULAR SEASON WINS) As my only wins o/u (totals) at plus money, I believe that this is one that YOU MUST BET before the odds move. Winning more than 11.5 games during the regular season means that a team must finish a perfect 12-0 in the regular season. Considering the roster, I believe that the Fighting Irish should be among the very best in the entire country. The schedule isn't exactly challenging either with it's toughest games against Wisconsin (4-8 in '25-'26,) @BYU (12-2 in '25-'26,) Miami (13-3 in '25-'26) & SMU (9-4 in '25-'26.) Those final two should be the hardest. But, at home in those games, give me Notre Dame to finish the regular season undefeated at this price.  Burns' Very Early National Title Game Prediction:  Oregon vs. Ohio State.30-23 Oregon. 

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Way-Too-Early NFL Predictions & Future Bets to Make:

by William Burns

Thursday, Jul 23, 2026

Preseason begins in two weeks (HOF Game on August 6th) and I'm expecting a monstrous NFL season here in 2026-27. Over the past few seasons, I've made a similar article to this one. Here's what to look for in this upcoming campaign:  Teams I Expect to Improve: Cincinnati Bengals (6-11 in 2025-26) -  The NFL is not always kind to the brightest stars in the league. Joe Burrow suffered a Grade 3 "turf toe" injury that had him sidelined for the majority of last season. That didn't help the Bengals cause whatsoever as he's a massive piece to what this team wants to accomplish. As he should definitely be back healthy and ready to go for Week 1 in this upcoming season, I believe that Cincinnati is going to make a massive leap in the AFC North standings and get back into the playoffs. Yes, there's still the question marks on the defensive side of the ball. However, with a strong offense, the Bengals are able to outscore their opponents when fully healthy.  Kansas City Chiefs (6-11 in 2025-26) -  Just like Cincinnati, Kansas City was forced to play a lot of 2025-26 without its starting Quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs rely quite a bit on his ability to create things behind the line of scrimmage from his legs to his throwing abilities. This season, he's expected to be ready to go for week 1 and that should prove a massive boost to the "once" dynasty in the AFC of the NFL. Travis Kelce returns and the team's looking as dangerous as ever at the moment. I see the Chiefs making it right back into the postseason this season with a real chance of winning the Super Bowl with a 3-time champ leading the charge.  Detroit Lions (9-8 in 2025-26) -  9-8 isn't a horrible season. But, missing out on the playoffs with the roster that the Lions possess is going to be in the back of their heads for this entire season. Detroit's good enough to be one of the best teams in the NFC when on its game. Don't get me wrong, losing Ben Johnson (former OC) last year wasn't ideal. But, the coaching staff will be much more comfortable with HC Dan Campbell's systems this time around and the talent should show itself once again. Jahmyr Gibbs & Amon Ra St Brown should most definitely shine in this offense with Aidan Hutchinson, Jack Campbell & Brian Branch leading the way on defense.  Teams I Expect to Fall-Off:  Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7 in 2025-26) -  Winning the division in his final season in charge of the team capped off a legendary coaching career for Mike Tomlin. To never have a losing season in a 19-year tenure with the Steelers is simply remarkable. Will he ever return to coaching? Most likely yes. However, Mike McCarthy takes control of the Steelers for the upcoming season and I believe that Pittsburgh will drop off at least a bit. Aaron Rodgers does return for another season. However, the team is going to have to compete with much healthier Bengals/Ravens teams compared to a year ago & I expect the Browns to be a bit more competitive this time around. While the Steelers might have a similar season in terms of record, I don't expect them to be much of a threat if they are to make the postseason. I would say "no" to them making the playoffs right now though.  New England Patriots (14-3 in 2025-26) -  After making the Super Bowl last season, I am expecting a bit of a lesser season from the Patriots in 2026-27. New England took advantage of all of the injury problems that the rest of the AFC was having. That almost resulted in glory. However, the Pats ended up falling short in the big game against the Seahawks. Beginning the new year against the Seahawks on the road is not doing NE any favors either. This is a team that went out and added a big name receiver in AJ Brown for this upcoming season. However, I believe that the rest of the AFC will be coming for the Patriots all season long. I wouldn't be shocked if they still made the playoffs. But, don't expect New England to win 14+ games this time around.  Indianapolis Colts (8-9 in 2025-26) -  A couple of seasons ago, I was very high on the Colts in this division with Jacksonville, Houston & Tennessee. Instead, Jacksonville was the team to take the step forward, leaving Indianapolis in the dust a bit. Anthony Richardson hasn't performed up to expectations and Daniel Jones is still recovering from his torn achilles suffered towards the end of last year. While Jones is hoping to be ready to go for the opening game of the season, there's still doubt that the Colts can compete with two young & hungry defensive minded teams. The Titans will be looking to accomplish bigger and better things as well this season. I don't see Indi having a winning year in 2026-27 and therefore, the most likely outcome for this organization is a drop-off from last year.  Five Future Bets to Make:  Bijan Robinson // OVER 1174.5 Rushing Yards (-110) //. Brock Bowers // OVER 924.5 Receiving Yards (-110) //. Patrick Mahomes // To Win Comeback Player Of The Year (+185) //. Miami Dolphins // UNDER 4.5 Total Wins (-146) //. Los Angeles Rams // To Win The Super Bowl (+550) //.  Burns' Super Bowl Prediction:  It's definitely hard to predict things way in advance. Especially who's going to be in the Super Bowl. However, he's my VERY-EARLY SUPER BOWL PREDICTION: Los Angeles Rams def. Kansas City Chiefs (27-20). 

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CFL System of the Week!

by Al McMordie

Thursday, Jul 23, 2026

The CFL season is wrapping up its second month, and the Montreal Alouettes and Edmonton Elks are atop their respective divisions with 5-1 records.  Ottawa remains the lone winless team, at 0-6, while British Columbia is at the bottom of the West Division, with a 1-4 record.  The best team, though, may be Saskatchewan, as it has a league-best 37-point differential to go alongside its 4-1 record.  The Roughriders are at home tonight, and are favored by 4.5 points over the Elks, with first place in the West on the line.The knee-jerk reaction might be to take the underdog Elks + the points.  After all, they're 5-1, and the point spread is north of 4 points.  But be careful, as our CFL System of the Week identifies certain Class A teams that fall flat on their face as underdogs.  Consider that CFL Underdogs of more than 3 points have gone 0-8 SU/ATS since 2006 if they owned a win percentage of .820 (or better) at Game 7 forward!  And those underdogs failed to cover the spread by an average of 9.31 points per game.  Don't be surprised if the defending champion Roughriders annihilate the Elks tonight.Good luck, as always...Al McMordie

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