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2022 Houston Cougars Preview

by Matt Fargo

Tuesday, Jul 19, 2022

Houston Cougars2021-22 Season Record 12-2 (8-0 AAC) - 8-6-0 ATS - 8-6-0 O/UReturning StartersOffense - 7Defense - 6OverviewHouston dropped its opener against Texas Tech and then it ran off 11 straight wins before getting clobbered by Cincinnati in the AAC Championship. It was a very successful season at 12-2 after a couple down years to rebuild and the Cougars remain an elite force in the AAC heading into this season. Tom Herman went 22-4 in two seasons before leaving for Texas and while Major Applewhite had two winning seasons, Dana Holgorsen was hired in 2019 and he proved his worth in 2021 and looks to continue the success before heading to the Big XII next season. 13 starters return with balance on both sides of the ball and the Cougars are ranked No. 34 in the nation in returning production so they are poised once again to roll through the AAC and set up a date for another championship game with Cincinnati as they do not play in the regular season for a second straight year. OffenseThe Cougars offense was very good as they averaged 416.0 ypg and 37.3 ppg, No. 30 and No. 14 in the country respectively. The bookend losses against Texas Tech and Cincinnati saw them score just 21 and 20 points and managed a mere 17 points in its bowl game win but was explosive everywhere else. Seven starters are back including quarterback Clayton Tune who threw for 3,544 yards with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions and he is now back for his fifth season and can be even better. He has his favorite target back in Nathaniel Dell who had 1,179 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns with plenty of pieces behind him. The offensive line gets three starters back and a massive transfer from Texas but the offense did take a huge hit as running back Alton McCaskill tore his ACL in the offseason and his 883 yards and 16 touchdowns will have to be replaced. DefenseIt was a huge turnaround for the defense that had nine starters back for a second straight season and it improved by 169 total yards and 14 points over the last two seasons. They finished No. 6 in total defense and led the nation in third down defense and while only six starters are back in 2022, the cupboard is full on all levels. Leading tackler Donovan Mutin is back in his leading linebacker role and there is plenty of depth around him. The defensive line is loaded with talent and it starts with ends Derek Parish and D'Anthony Jones who combined for 11 sacks and 67 tackles and will once again be an integral part of the stout rushing defense. The passing defense finished No. 14 in efficiency and Houston is led by safety Gervarrius Owens who made the All AAC First Team and while both starting corners are gone, there is depth here just like everywhere else. 2022 Season OutlookA repeat of last season would be difficult for a lot of teams, especially losing a decent amount of starting players and a pair of massive playmakers but Houston is in good shape to be just as good in its final season in the AAC. Granted it is a weak conference so getting through that has not been an issue for most of its nine years but last season was special and with a weaker Cincinnati team, this could be the year which would make a great sendoff. The schedule does not open easy as the Cougars are on the road at a sneaky good UTSA team and then at Texas Tech. The nonconference slate closes with home games against cupcakes Kansas and Rice. The AAC schedule is what it is but four tough road games await. The O/U win total is set at 9 which is aggressive but missing Cincinnati and UCF is important and it will take a big road performance for them to surpass the nine wins. 

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2022 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Preview

by Matt Fargo

Tuesday, Jul 19, 2022

Hawaii Rainbow Warriors2021-22 Season Record 6-7 (3-5 MWC West) - 5-7-1 ATS - 6-7-0 O/UReturning StartersOffense - 4Defense - 2OverviewAfter a solid three-year run with a cumulative 23-15 record from 2018-2020, last season was average as Hawaii went 6-7 and missed out on a bowl game after three in a row. However, it was more than just the record as head coach Todd Graham lasted only two seasons as he was let go following misconduct in the program that included player abuse. A slew of players left the team because of him and now former Rainbow Timmy Chang takes over in one of the biggest rebuilds in the country. The Warriors have the second lowest returning production in the nation as they return only six starters along with many others missing from a very good roster that had potential to be good going forward. The one positive is another 13-game schedule that is far from difficult including seven home games and a quick start should take place which could add confidence heading into MWC time. OffenseThis was a middle of the road offense last season and with only four returning starters, work needs to be done. The strength will be the offensive line as three starters are back in a new scheme under offensive coordinator Ian Shoemaker and the line will be asked to hold the unit together until the chemistry falls into place. The quarterback situation is unsettled heading into fall camp as the battle will come down to Brayden Schager, who had saw limited action last season and incoming transfer Cammon Cooper from Washington St. who worked in a similar high potent offense. Someone will have to emerge at wide receiver as the three top pass catchers are gone with Zion Bowens and his 257 receiving yards likely being the leading candidate. Dedrick Parson returns as the leading back after rushing for 618 yards and eight touchdowns while also securing 279 receiving yards. DefenseThe defense was awful, especially defending the pass and immediate changes are on the way. Everyone from the secondary is gone that allowed 289.7 ypg which was No. 126 in the country but they did have 14 interceptions yet none of that matters now as Hawaii is hoping some transfers can plug the holes. Linebacker Penei Pavihi saw action in 12 of 13 games and is one veteran who can take over as the leader of the defense but needs help around him, especially in pass coverage. The defensive line is the one area that Hawaii does have experience coming back as Blessman Ta'ala and John Tuitupou are both seniors and will anchor the inside. The defensive ends are a different story however as the depth chart shows no one as a starter and the roster is small and inexperienced. The hope is the offense can score enough to take pressure off the defense. 2022 Season OutlookThe passing offense was decent under Graham but we will see a different look going back to the days when Chang led the offense from 2000-2004 and is still the leading passer in program history. It might take some time for the unit to hit its stride but the Warriors will take chances and it will be at least entertaining. While there are seven home games, there is not a big edge as Hawaii is playing in a 9,000 seat facility until the new Aloha Stadium is complete. Vanderbilt, Duquesne and New Mexico St. are three of the first five foes with Michigan and Western Kentucky sandwiched in so a 3-2 start is likely. The MWC slate is doable at home with Utah St. the only big challenge but the road portion is tough. The O/U win total is 4.5 and Hawaii does have an opportunity to go over that as long as it avoids the upsets and can steal a road win at either Colorado St. or San Jose St.

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2022 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Preview

by Matt Fargo

Tuesday, Jul 19, 2022

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets2021-22 Season Record 3-9 (2-6 ACC Coastal) - 4-8-0 ATS - 6-6-0 O/UReturning StartersOffense - 5Defense - 3OverviewApparently, eight seasons of .500 or better in 11 years for Paul Johnson as the head coach of the Yellow Jackets was not good enough as he was canned after the 2018 season and the Georgia Tech brass has to be kicking themselves. Geoff Collins was hired after two successful campaigns at Temple and nothing has gone right. He has gone 9-25 in three years and after ending last season with six straight losses including getting shutout against Notre Dame and Georgia in the final two games by a combined 100-0, the fact he still has a job is a little shocking. He did what a lot of coaches do and that is clean house with his coaching staff to shift some of the blame but that is not going to cure what is going on here. This is certainly the last stand and it could end early as the first part of the schedule is vicious as a 1-4 start is the odds on favorite and an interim coach will likely take over. OffenseThe running game used to be the bread and butter of this offense but that has fallen off dramatically. While it has not been horrible, averaging 4.7 ypc over the last two seasons, a shift to a pro style offense has taken away more opportunities and the quarterback play has been underwhelming. The Yellow Jackets finished No. 95 in in passing offense behind Jeff Sims who threw for only 1,468 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The problem was the inability to convert on third down as they succeeded on only 35.4 percent of their tries which was No. 101 in the nation. He has the ability but he needs to execute better and a lot of that will come down to the offensive line as they will be replacing three starters with incoming transfers. The top two rushers are gone and the receivers are good enough to make big plays but have yet to show it so it all has to come together quick. DefenseThe defense has been consistent the last two seasons, consistently poor, averaging three fewer yards and points per game last season than in 2020 but the season averages of 456.1 ypg and 33.5 ppg were No. 117 and No. 112 respectively. Only three starters return and that could be a good thing for a defense that was so bad as a full rebuild could produce improvements. The two top players are gone via the draft and the Yellow Jackets also lost two key players to transfer and the biggest challenge will be in the secondary. They were the worst team in the country in passing efficiency defense as they allowed a whopping completion percentage of 65.3 percent, 28 touchdowns and had only three interceptions. The best returning player is linebacker Charlie Thomas and after that, it is a bunch of young players and incoming transfers that will be a work in progress from the start. 2022 Season OutlookCollins came into a decent situation and the last two seasons, he had 19 and 18 starters return but the results were no where near expectations. The pressure is on with basically a new roster and he will have to work some magic to sniff .500 if he can make it through the season. Opening the year with Clemson as a 19-point underdog is not ideal and after a home game against FCS Western Carolina, the Yellow Jackets host Mississippi before heading to UCF and Pittsburgh, hence the likely 1-4 start. Getting Duke at home will be only time they will be favored the rest of the way and the road slate in the ACC is difficult with the other home games coming against Virginia and Miami. The O/U win total is 3.5 and the under seems like the logical choice but there is not a whole lot of room to cash that as an upset or two will doom that yet that is impossible to predict at this point. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and WNBA Previews and Odds - 07/19/2022

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Jul 19, 2022

The Tuesday sports card features the MLB and WNBA action.The Major League Baseball All-Star Game starts at 7:30 PM ET. The Midsummer Classic takes place at Dodger Stadium, the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The American League beat the National League for the eighth time in a row with their 5-2 victory last year. Dusty Baker is the manager of the American League squad. The Houston Astros manager has named Tampa Bay’s Shane McClanahan as his starting pitcher. The left-hander has a 10-3 record with a 1.71 ERA and a 0.80 WHIP. Baker will then have Toronto's Alek Manoah, New York's Nestor Cortes, Los Angeles' Shohei Ohtani, Oakland's Paul Blackburn, Texas' Martin Perez, and Houston's Framber Valdez as starting pitchers at his disposal. The AL team has New York's Clay Holmes, Cleveland's Emmanuel Clase, Baltimore's Jorge Lopez, and Detroit's Gregory Soto as potential closers. Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, Jose Altuve, and Mike Trout were all initially named to the AL squad but are unavailable and replaced by other players. Brian Snitker is the manager of the National League team. The Atlanta Braves manager has tapped Los Angeles' Clayton Kershaw as his starting pitcher. Snitker has Miami's Sandy Alcantara, San Diego's Joe Musgrove, Los Angeles' Tony Gonsolin and Tyler Anderson, Cincinnati's Luis Castillo, and St. Louis' Miles Mikolas as starting pitchers who can relieve Kershaw. The NL team has New York's Edwin Diaz, St. Louis' Ryan Helsley, Pittsburgh's David Bednar, Arizona's Joe Mantiply, and Milwaukee's Devin Williams as relievers at his disposal. Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, and Josh Hader were initially named to the NL team but are unavailable and replaced by other players. The National League is a -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Fox broadcasts the game.Four games take place in the WNBA. The Connecticut Sun hosts the New York Liberty at 11:30 AM ET. The Sun lost for the fifth time in their last six games with their 91-83 loss at home to Las Vegas as a 3.5-point underdog on Sunday. They are in second place in the Eastern Conference with a 16-9 record. The Liberty had their three-game winning streak end on Thursday in a 108-74 loss at home to Las Vegas as a 6-point underdog. They are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with a 9-15 record. Connecticut is an 8.5-point favorite with the total set at 164.5 (all odds from DraftKings).The The Las Vegas Aces play at home against the Atlanta Dream at 10 PM ET. The Aces won for the second straight time with their win at Connecticut on Sunday. They are in first place in the Western Conference with an 18-7 record. The Dream ended their three-game losing streak with an 85-75 upset win at Phoenix as a 5.5-point underdog on Sunday. They are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with an 11-14 record. Las Vegas is an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 172.The Los Angeles Sparks are at home against the Indiana Fever on the CBS Sports Network at 10:30 PM ET. The Sparks are on a three-game losing streak after their 80-68 loss to Chicago as a 5.5-point underdog on Thursday. They are in fourth place in the Western Conference with a 10-14 record. The Fever have lost two in a row after an 81-65 loss at Seattle as a 15.5-point underdog on Sunday. They are last place in the six-team Eastern Conference with a 5-22 record. Los Angeles is an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 163.5.

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MLB Home Run Derby Sleeper Pick

by Sean Murphy

Monday, Jul 18, 2022

The MLB Home Run Derby goes tonight at Dodger Stadium and if you follow my articles regularly, you probably know which slugger I'll be backing.Back in March I recommended a bet on Julio Rodriguez to win the American League Rookie of the Year Award. He's well on his way to earning that trophy thanks to a stellar first half with the Seattle Mariners. Rodriguez heads into the All-Star break hitting .275 with 16 home runs and 52 RBI, not to mention 21 stolen bases. Of course, home runs are the name of the game on Monday and I'm confident Rodriguez can put on a good show in Southern California. You should be able to find J-Rod priced around +800 to win the whole derby, however, there are a number of other betting options as well. He's priced north of +800 at most books to hit the longest home run and also matched up against Corey Seager of the Texas Rangers in the opening round. Unfortunately, his matchup price is getting a little out of hand at -170 or worse but I do expect him to outslug the former Dodger. There's also the option to bet on 'any American League player' to win the derby (currently priced around +250), which also gives you the aforementioned Seager (who knows this park well as a former Dodger) and Jose Ramirez. I do think Rodriguez has by far the best shot of those three at hoisting the trophy so I much prefer backing him at the significantly higher price. Another interesting bet is Ronald Acuna Jr. to outslug two-time champion Pete Alonso in the opening round. You can currently back Acuna at around +170 to take that matchup. Acuna has been somewhat slow to round into form this season due in part to injuries but he's precisely the type of player that thrives in the spotlight, much like Rodriguez, and I believe Alonso has settled into 'overvalued' territory this time around. Enjoy the festivities and check back as I plan to have a premium play available for the All-Star Game tomorrow night. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Home Run Derby and Euro 2022 Previews and Odds - 07/18/2022

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jul 18, 2022

The Monday sports card features the MLB Home Run Derby and Women’s EURO 2022 action.Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby takes place on ESPN at 8 PM ET at Dodger Stadium. Eight competitors will take part in a quarterfinals bracket to determine the champion. The top seed is Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies. His odds are +300 to win the event (Home Run Derby odds from Caesars). He battles the eighth seed Albert Pujols. The Cardinals’ future Hall of Fame has +2000 odds to win. Pete Alonso of the New York Mets is the second seed. The two-time Derby champion has +200 odds to defend his title from last year. He faces Ronald Acuna as the seventh seed in the first round. The Atlanta Braves slugger has +750 odds to win the event. Corey Seager is the third seed. The Texas Rangers’ infielder is listed at +1000 to win the Derby. He duels against Juan Rodriguez, who slots in as the sixth seed. The Seattle Mariners’ rookie phenom has +1000 odds to win the event. The fourth seed is Juan Soto. The Washington Nationals’ slugger has +600 odds to win the Derby. He goes against Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Guardians. The fifth seed in this event has +1600 odds to win. The winner of the Schwarber/Pujols quarterfinal faces the winner of the Soto/Ramirez quarterfinal. The other semifinal features the Alonso/Acuna winner against the Seager/Rodriguez survivor.The group stage of the Women’s Euro 2022 concludes with two matches in Group D at 3 PM ET. Iceland plays France at New York Stadium in Rotherham. France has already clinched first place in Group D by obtaining six points with two victories. The French women opened the competition with a 5-1 victory against Italy on July 10th. They followed that up with a 2-1 win against Belgium on July 14th. They have scored seven goals and conceded only twice. The Icelandic women need a result with two points from two draws in the group. They opened their tournament with a 1-1 draw against Belgium on July 10th before settling for a 1-1 draw with Italy on July 14th. They have scored two goals and conceded two goals. Iceland advances to the knockout stage with a victory. France is a -1.5 goal line favorite with the total set at 2.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Italy plays Belgium on ESPN at Manchester City Academy Stadium in Manchester. The Italian women only have one point in group play from their 1-1 draw with Iceland. They have scored two times and given up six goals. The Belgium women has only one point from their draw with Iceland. They have scored two goals and allowed three goals. An outright winner in this match will advance to the knockout stage unless Iceland upsets France. Belgium advances to the knockout stage with a draw by winning the goal differential tie-breaker against Italy only if Iceland loses to France. Only two teams from each group qualifies for the quarterfinals that start on Wednesday. Italy is a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 07/17/2022

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jul 17, 2022

The Sunday sports card features MLB action.Major League Baseball has 14 games on its schedule. The Toronto Blue Jays host the Kansas City Royals on Peacock at 12:05 PM ET. The Blue Jas won the third game of this four-game series on Saturday with their 6-5 victory in 10 innings. Toronto improved to49-43 with the win. The Royals fell to 36-55 with the setback. Jose Berrios takes the mound for the Blue Jays to pitch against Kris Bubic of the Royals. Toronto is a -315 money line favorite, with the total set at 9.5. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:35 PM ET. Atlanta plays at Washington with the Braves giving the ball to Spencer Strider against a starting pitcher yet to be named for the Nationals. New York hosts Boston with Gerrit Cole pitching for the Yankees against Chris Sale for the Red Sox. The Yankees are a -195 money line favorite with an over/under of 8. Three MLB games start at 1:40 PM ET. Detroit plays at Cleveland with the Tigers pitching Tyler Alexander against the Guardians’ Shane Bieber. Philadelphia travels to Miami with Aaron Nola pitching for the Phillies against Trevor Rogers of the Marlins. The Phillies are a -155 money line road favorite with a total of 7. Tampa Bay hosts Baltimore, with the Rays pitching Corey Kluber against the Orioles’ Jordan Lyles. The Rays are a -155 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Two MLB games begin at 2:10 PM ET. Chicago plays at Minnesota with Dylan Cease pitching for the White Sox against a starting pitcher yet to be determined for the Twins. Oakland visits Houston with the A’s turning to Adam Oller dueling against the Astros’ Jake Odorizzi. The Cincinnati Reds travel to St. Louis to play the Cardinals at 2:15 PM ET. Graham Ashcraft pitches for the Reds against Stephen Matz of the Cardinals. The New York Mets are at Chicago to play the Cubs at 2:20 PM ET. The Mets turn to David Peterson in their starting rotation to pitch against the Cubs’ Adrian Sampson. New York is a -150 money line road favorite. The Seattle Mariners visits Texas to play the Rangers at 2:35 PM ET. Chris Flexen pitches for the Mariners against Glenn Otto of the Rangers. Seattle is a -135 money line road favorite with a total of 9. Colorado is at home against Pittsburgh at 3:10 PM ET. The Rockies pitch Austin Gomber to face a starting pitcher yet to be named for the Pirates. The San Francisco Giants host the Milwaukee Brewers at 4:05 PM ET. Logan Webb takes the ball for the Giants against Aaron Ashby for the Brewers. San Francisco is a -125 money line favorite with an over/under of 8. The San Diego Padres are at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks at 4:10 PM ET. The Padres pitch Mike Clevinger against the Diamondbacks’ Merrill Kelly. San Diego is a -155 money line favorite with a total of 7.5.

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2022 Georgia Southern Eagles Preview

by Matt Fargo

Saturday, Jul 16, 2022

Georgia Southern Eagles2021-22 Season Record 3-9 (2-6 SBC East) - 6-6-0 ATS - 5-7-0 O/UReturning StartersOffense - 8Defense - 6OverviewGeorgia Southern made noise in its first season as an FBS team as it went 9-3 including an 8-0 record in the Sun Belt under head coach Willie Fritz and he followed that up with a 9-4 record in 2015 and then he bolted to Tulane. Tyson Summers did not last two seasons before getting the hook and Chad Lunsford then put together three winning seasons before getting the early pink slip last season. This shows the coaching carousel for the Eagles as they have not had a chance to gain any continuity so now it is up to Clay Helton to make his mark. Despite 17 starters back in 2021, Georgia Southern fell flat with a 3-9 record and had just its second losing season in the conference but it looks to be in prime shape for another winning run with a very experienced team that is ranked No. 6 in returning production. It will be back to basics to get its powerful rushing attack running downhill again. OffenseGeorgia Southern averaged at least 222 yards rushing in its first seven seasons of existence but put up only 194.9 ypg and we will see a more balanced attack that will actually help the running game. Eight starters are back and they get a boost at quarterback with Kyle Vantrease transferring in from Buffalo after throwing for 1,861 yards in split time. He can have immediate success in this spread attack as he has been around the block for five seasons and will have a plethora of receivers to throw to that are experienced and fast. Their leading rusher is gone but backups Gerald Green and Jalen White ran for a combined 806 yards and nine touchdowns so there is not a significant drop off plus Vantrease can run. Georgia Southern has always relied on a powerful offensive line and while that fell off last season, it is in good shape with four returning starters that will get more of a push. DefenseDefense has been a strength throughout the years but last season was a disaster as the Eagles allowed 441.7 ypg which was No. 109 in the country as teams were able to throw all over the place. The one strength was they limited opponents to 152.4 ypg on the ground which is not great but it is a starting point and the defensive line brings back a ton of experience to get a greater push. Georgia Southern finished with 26 sacks which was No. 69 in the nation and coupled with a linebacking corps that gained a lot of playing time, the front seven can cause some havoc. The Eagles lost a pair of linebackers to the transfer portal but there is plenty in place to make that up. The secondary will be tested after last season but they will be a lot better with three starters back, led by safety Anthony Wilson who was the team leader in tackles, and corner Derrick Canteen who is back to full health. 2022 Season OutlookHelton inherits a good situation so there should be a quick turnaround and while getting a big name coach at a small school is ideal, the longer the success, the quicker a bigger job comes along. But it is about the present and the staff and roster are in place for the Eagles to make a run at the SBC Championship and getting back to a bowl game after missing out on the postseason for the first time since 2017. The Eagles open with Morgan St. before a couple testers at Nebraska and UAB before closing the nonconference season at home against Ball St. The conference slate is a bear with six of eight games against teams that had winning records last season although two of those are newcomers James Madison and Marshall. The O/U win total is 4.5 and we can see this one going over with five winnable home games and a couple really good chances on the road.  

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2022 Georgia St. Panthers Preview

by Matt Fargo

Saturday, Jul 16, 2022

Georgia St. Panthers2021-22 Season Record 8-5 (6-2 SBC East) - 9-4-0 ATS - 7-6-0 O/UReturning StartersOffense - 8Defense - 7OverviewIt was a rough start into the FBS ranks for Georgia St. as it went 1-23 in its first two seasons but then put together a .500 season and its first bowl game but the wheels fell off again as a 2-8 start in 2016 cost head coach Trent Miles his job. Shawn Elliott took over and promptly put the Panthers back into the postseason and after a hiccup in 2018, it has been three straight winning seasons, finishing 21-15 overall. Another big season is expected and that could gobble up Elliott for a bigger job but first things first, Georgia St. will be looking for its first ever trip to the SBC Championship game. The Panthers have done a great job in getting a lot of players on the field as this is the fourth straight season they have at least 15 returning starters at their disposal and that is the exact number in 2022. The schedule is not in their favor but a veteran group can get past that. OffenseDespite a very unbalanced offense, the Panthers did just enough and relied on the other side for a lot of their victories. They finished No. 9 in rushing offense with 224.2 ypg but the passing game left a lot to be desired, averaging 158 ypg, good for just No. 119 in the nation. Darren Grainger took every regular season snap and threw for 16 touchdowns and only four interceptions but he completed just 58 percent of his passes for 1,512 yards and Georgia St. will look for more production out of him this season. He is a duel threat that has plenty of downfield options, he just has to be more accurate. Four of five starters are back on the offensive line that did a solid job in protection while creating running lanes and the unit should be even better. Running backs Tucker Gregg and Jamyest Williams both return after combining for 1,709 yards and 19 touchdowns. DefenseWhen the offense was not in top form, the defense led the way especially down the stretch. The overall numbers were not great as the Panthers finished No. 86 in total defense and No. 81 in scoring defense. They allowed 38 ppg in their first five games, which actually included a nine-point effort against Charlotte, but they improvement immensely by giving up only 20.3 ppg over the final eight games. Seven starters are back and the goal is more consistency from the start and Georgia St. will rely on a strong linebacking corps led by Blake Carroll and Jordan Veneziale who combined for 169 tackles and 9.5 sacks. The rushing defense was decent as they allowed 147.4 ypg which was No. 56 in the country and they need a bigger push from the defensive line. The secondary was lit up numerous times but a lot of that was due to teams needing to pass because of being down. 2022 Season OutlookThe Sun Belt has produced many coaches that had great success and moved on to much bigger jobs and Elliott could be the next in line although he is under contract until 2024 after signing an extension. But bigger jobs do not always pan out and he does seem content at the goal at hand. The Panthers opened 1-4 last season and getting off to a strong start this year will be difficult as they open with a game at South Carolina and then host North Carolina to start a stretch of three straight home games that also includes Charlotte and Coastal Carolina. A trip to Army concludes the nonconference schedule and the final seven Sun Belt games are not overly tough but a trip to Appalachian St. is a brutal one. The Panthers O/U win total is 7.5 which is attainable but it will likely take an early upset or two and with this much experience and an improved offense, it is very doable. 

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2022 Georgia Bulldogs Preview

by Matt Fargo

Saturday, Jul 16, 2022

Georgia Bulldogs2021-22 Season Record 14-1 (8-0 SEC East) - 9-6-0 ATS - 8-7-0 O/UReturning StartersOffense - 7Defense - 3OverviewFor 41 years after winning the 1980 National Championship, there have been some dominant seasons for Georgia but it was never able to get over the top, finishing in the top 4 five times until last season when the Bulldogs brought home its second National Championship. They took out conference nemesis Alabama despite getting outgained and it was well deserved after being dominant until the SEC Championship so they extracted their revenge at the best time. Georgia lost a lot in the offseason with numerous players going to the NFL and a handful transferring out but it is still loaded with talent and has every opportunity to repeat but it will not be easy as it never is for any team trying to go back-to-back. Another double-digit win season is expected and another date with Alabama in the SEC Championship is in the cards but the Bulldogs have to avoid any sort of complacency. OffenseThe Georgia offense finished No. 13 overall and No. 7 in scoring but were just No. 53 in passing and No. 29 in rushing as the defense made things a lot easier. Seven starters are back so there is plenty of experience to build on and it starts with quarterback Stetson Bennett who is unbelievably back for his sixth season in the program. He was great in the regular season as he threw for 2,325 yards with 24 touchdowns and just seven interceptions and proved his worth with a spectacular playoff run. His leading receiver was tight end Brock Bowers and he returns with a solid group of returning wide receivers sans Jermaine Burton who transferred to Alabama of all places. The two top rushers are gone but the next two in line are expected to not miss a beat. The offensive line brings back three starters and a fourth that saw plenty of time so pass protection and open holes will be there again. DefenseMassive hits affect the defense as eight starters are gone from the No. 2 overall defense and No. 1 scoring defense but like last year when only five starters returned and Georgia simply reloaded, it will repeat the scenario. The defensive line arguably took the biggest hit but Georgia has Jalen Carter back who is a projected first round draft pick to lead the unit. The Bulldogs could have been even more depleted but linebackers Nolan Smith and Robert Beal Jr. decided to come back although talent was certainly lost as three linebackers were drafted. There is plenty waiting in the wings to pick up the slack as there was a lot of rotation with underclassmen getting substantial time. The secondary has to replace two starters but safety Chris Smith is back for his fifth season while cornerback Kelee Ringo also returns. There will be a defensive drop off overall, but it should not be much. 2022 Season OutlookHead coach Kirby Smart did something in six seasons that the great Mark Richt could not accomplish in 15 years and while the pressure is off, the quest for a legacy is starting. The bulls-eye is on every jersey so Georgia will get the best out of every team but most will not be able to compete. The schedule sets up for another big run as the Bulldogs have only four true road games while missing four of the top five teams out of the SEC West including Alabama. They open with a neutral game against Oregon and then get Samford and Kent St. at home sandwiched around a road game against South Carolina. The rest of the SEC slate is pretty tame until road games at Mississippi St. and Kentucky close the schedule and both will not be easy. The O/U win total is 10.5 and this is an unbettable number as the Bulldogs could surely run the table but also have a couple slipups if the new group cannot gel. 

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2022 Fresno St. Bulldogs Preview

by Matt Fargo

Saturday, Jul 16, 2022

Fresno St. Bulldogs2021-22 Season Record 10-3 (6-2 MWC West) - 9-4-0 ATS - 6-7-0 O/UReturning StartersOffense - 8Defense - 7OverviewIt has been a roller coaster for Fresno St. since entering the MWC in 2012 as it has had five winning seasons, including four double-digit win campaigns, four losing seasons and a .500 finish during the shortened COVID year. The Bulldogs finished a game out of first place behind San Diego St. in the MWC West Division and advanced to the New Mexico Bowl where they defeated UTEP. Head coach Kalen DeBoer left the program prior to the bowl game as he went to Washington and Fresno St. rehired Jeff Tedford who took two years off from coaching and he was responsible for two of those double-digit victory seasons. He inherits a roster loaded with talent with 15 returning starters that will give San Diego St. another run in the division. The Bulldogs are No. 21 in returning production and have a favorable conference schedule that could get them to a conference championship. OffenseThe offense was fun to watch last season as the Bulldogs finished No. 14 in the country in total yards and No. 28 in scoring offense. Led by quarterback Jake Haener, who has been very efficient the last two seasons, the passing game has taken off and now going into his third season as the starter, the Bulldogs should keep rolling. He threw for 3,810 yards on a 67.5 percent completion rate while tossing 32 touchdowns with nine interceptions, seven coming in two games, and has most everything back around him. His top two receivers in Jalen Cooper and Josh Kelly are back after combining for 1,595 yards and 14 touchdowns so the passing offense that finished No. 9 in the nation will be just as potent. The offensive line is experienced with three starters back along with a key transfer coming in and will look to open holes for Jordan Mims who takes over as the starter after 545 yards last season. DefenseThe defense did its job last season as Fresno St. finished No. 31 overall and No. 21 in points allowed and should be even better this year. The top three tacklers are back as Evan Williams, Malachi Langley and Levelle Bailey combined for 192 tackles during the regular season and will be a force once again. The defensive line is formidable but does have some work to do after losing Arron Mosby, who was second on the team with five sacks, and the run defense has to sustain its presence after finishing No. 24 in the nation in yards allowed with 127.3 ypg, nearly a 90-yard improvement per game from 2020. Langley and Bailey anchor the linebacking corps and the unit gets stronger thanks to the transfer portal. The secondary was the weakness but still finished No. 45 in passing yards allowed and with three starters back, they look to surpass their 11 interceptions from last year. 2022 Season OutlookTedford brought a winning culture into the program following a 4-20 combined record in two seasons prior to his arrival and being in better shape in his second stint should keep that going. The No. 18 final AP Poll ranking in 2018 was the highest in program history and they can be better than that team. The Bulldogs open with Cal Poly before squaring off against a pair of Pac 12 opponents, at home against Oregon St. and then at USC with the latter being a game that could make it a special season with a win. They open the MWC season with a tough game at Boise St. but after that, there is only one real roadblock and that is a home game against San Deigo St. that could decide the division in late October. The O/U win total is 8.5 which is big but the over is very attainable as long as Fresno St. can avoid an upset like the one they suffered last season at Hawaii. They are right in the mix again. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and CFL Previews and Odds - 07/16/2022

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jul 16, 2022

The Saturday sports card features MLB action and CFL.Major League Baseball has 16 games on its schedule. The Minnesota Twins host the Chicago White Sox at 2:10 PM ET. Dylan Bundy takes the ball for the Twins to start against Lance Lynn of the White Sox. Minnesota is a -115 money line favorite, with the total set at 9. The St. Louis Cardinals play at home against the Cincinnati Reds at 2:15 PM ET. The Cardinals turn to Miles Mikolas in their starting rotation to face the Reds’ Nick Lodolo. St. Louis is a -165 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Mets visit Chicago to play the Cubs in the first game of their doubleheader at 2:20 PM ET. Taijuan Walker pitches for the Mets against Marcus Stroman of the Cubs in the matchup set for Friday before the game got postponed because of rain. New York is a -140 money line road favorite. The Kansas City Royals play at Toronto against the Blue Jays at 3:07 PM ET. The Royals tap Daniel Lynch to pitch against the Blue Jays starting pitcher yet to be determined. The Colorado Rockies are at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates at 3:10 PM ET. Jose Urena takes the mound for the Rockies against Mitch Keller of the Pirates. Colorado is a -125 money line favorite with a total of 12. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:05 PM ET. Atlanta travels to Washington with the Braves pitching Max Fried against the Nationals Paulo Espino. The Braves are a -245 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Seattle plays at Texas with Logan Gilbert pitching for the Mariners against Spencer Howard of the Rangers. The Mariners are a -145 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Four MLB games start at 4:10 PM ET. Oakland visits Houston with the A’s tapping Jared Koenig to pitch against the Astros’ Justin Verlander. Baltimore plays at Tampa Bay with Dean Kremer pitching for the Orioles against Ryan Yarbrough of the Rays. Philadelphia is at Miami, with the Marlins calling up Max Meyer to make his MLB debut on the mound against a starting pitcher for the Phillies yet to be determined. Cleveland hosts Detroit on FS1 with Cal Quantrill pitching for the Guardians against Michael Pineda for the Tigers. Cleveland is a -165 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two MLB games begin at 7:15 PM ET in regional coverage on Fox. New York is at home against Boston, with the Yankees turning to Jameson Taillon to pitch against the Red Sox’s Nick Pivetta. The Yankees are a -165 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. San Francisco hosts Milwaukee with Alex Cobb pitching for the Giants against Eric Lauer for the Brewers. The Giants are a -130 money line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Mets’ Max Scherzer pitching against the Cubs’ Drew Smyly in the nightcap of their doubleheader at 8:05 PM ET. New York is a -215 money line road favorite. The San Diego Padres are at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks at 8:40 PM ET. Sean Manaea pitches for the Padres against Tyler Gilbert for the Diamondbacks. San Diego is a -190 money line favorite with a total of 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers travels across town to play the Angels at 10:07 PM ET. The Dodgers send Julio Urias to the mound to face the Angels’ Jose Suarez. The Dodgers are a -195 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Week 6 in the Canadian Football League concludes with two games. The Saskatchewan Roughriders play at Toronto against the Argonauts at 2 PM ET. The Roughriders improved to 4-1 this season with their 28-13 victory against Ottawa as a 4-point favorite last Thursday. The Argonauts fell to 1-2 after their 23-22 loss to Winnipeg as a 4-point underdog on July 4th. Saskatchewan is a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 46. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats host the Ottawa Redblacks at 5 PM ET. The Tiger-Cats are winless in their first four games after their 29-25 upset loss at home to Edmonton as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 46.5. The Redblacks are also 0-4 this season after their 28-13 loss at Saskatchewan as a 4-point underdog on Thursday. Hamilton is a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 44.5.

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