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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 10/05/2025

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Oct 05, 2025

The Sunday sports card features NFL, MLB, and EPL action. Week 5 in the NFL continues with 14 games. The Minnesota Vikings are the technical road team when they play the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, on the NFL Network at 9:30 a.m. ET. The Vikings are a 3.5-point road favorite with the total set at 36.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Six NFL games kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET. The Houston Texans travel to Baltimore to take on the Ravens as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 40.5. The Miami Dolphins play in Carolina against the Panthers as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 45.5. The Dallas Cowboys are in New York against the Jets as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 47.5. The New Orleans Saints host the New York Giants as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 42.5. The Indianapolis Colts play at home against the Las Vegas Raiders as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 47.5. The Philadelphia Eagles are home against the Denver Broncos as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 43.5.Two NFL games start at 4:05 p.m. ET. The Seattle Seahawks host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 44.5. The Arizona Cardinals play at home against the Tennessee Titans as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 41.5. Two more NFL games begin at 4:25 p.m. ET. The Los Angeles Chargers are home against the Washington Commanders as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 47.5. The Detroit Lions visit Cincinnati to face the Bengals as a 10.5-point road favorite with a total of 49.5. The Buffalo Bills host the New England Patriots on NBC at 8:20 PM ET for Sunday Night Football. The Bills are an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 49.5.Major League Baseball continues its best-of-five divisional round of the playoffs with two games on FS1. The New York Yankees play in Toronto against the Blue Jays at 4:08 p.m. ET. The Blue Jays took the first game of this series by a 10-1 score on Saturday. The Yankees send out Max Fried to pitch against Toronto’s Trey Yesavage. New York is a -144 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The  Detroit Tigers are on the road against the Seattle Mariners at 8:03 p.m. ET. The Tigers won Game 1 of this series with a 3-2 victory in 11 innings yesterday. Tarik Skubal gets the ball for Detroit to face Luis Castillo for the Mariners. Detroit is a -137 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.Matchweek 7 in the English Premier League concludes with five matches. Four EPL matches begin at 9:00 a.m. ET. Aston Villa plays at home against Burnley as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Everton is at home against Crystal Palace as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Newcastle United hosts Nottingham Forest on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Brighton and Hove Albion travels to Wolverhampton as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Manchester City plays at Brentford on the USA Network at 11:30 a.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 3.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, MLB, CFL and EPL Previews and Odds - 10/04/2025

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Oct 04, 2025

The Saturday sports card features NCAAF, MLB, CFL, and EPL action.Week 6 in NCAAF college football concludes with 44 games between FBS opponents. Five NCAAF games on major national television kick off at noon ET. Navy hosts Air Force on CBS as a 13.5-point favorite with the total set at 51.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Clemson travels to North Carolina on ESPN as a 14-point road favorite with an over/under of 46.5. Cincinnati plays at home against Iowa State on ESPN2 as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 55.5. Michigan is at home against Wisconsin on Fox as a 17.5-point favorite with an over/under of 43.5. Georgia hosts Kentucky on ABC as a 20.5-point favorite with a total of 48.5. Five NCAAF games on major national television start at 3:30 p.m. ET. Louisville plays at home against Virginia on ESPN2 as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 60.5. Notre Dame hosts Boise State as a 21-point favorite with a total of 62.5. Alabama is at home against Vanderbilt on ABC as an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 56.5. Penn State plays at UCLA on CBS as a 24.5-point road favorite with a total of 48.5. Texas is at Florida on ESPN as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 42.5. Texas Tech visits Houston on ESPN at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 12.5-point road favorite with a total of 51.5. Four more NCAAF games on major national television begin at 7:30 p.m. ET. Kansas plays at Central Florida on ESPN2 as a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 54.5. TCU hosts Colorado on Fox as a 13.5-point favorite with a total of 57.5. Miami (FL) is on the road against Florida State on ABC as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 53.5. Ohio State plays at home against Minnesota on NBC as a 23.5-point favorite with a total of 42.5. Duke travels to California on ESPN at 10:30 p.m. ET as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 54.5. Major League Baseball begins its best-of-five divisional round of the playoffs with four games. The Milwaukee Brewers are home against the Chicago Cubs on TBS/HBO Max at 2:08 p.m. ET. The Brewers send out Freddy Peralta to take the mound to pitch against the Cubs’ Matthew Boyd. Milwaukee is a -164 money-line favorite with a total of 7. The Toronto Blue Jays host the New York Yankees on Fox at 4:08 p.m. ET. Kevin Gausman gets the ball for the Blue Jays to duel against Luis Gil for the Yankees. New York is a -126 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers on TBS/truTV/HBO Max at 6:38 p.m. ET. The Phillies tap Cristopher Sanchez to challenge the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani. Philadelphia is a -123 money-line favorite with a total of 7.The Seattle Mariners are home against the Detroit Tigers on FS1 at 8:38 p.m. ET. George Kirby gets the starting pitcher assignment for the Mariners to take on Trey Melton for the Tigers. Seattle is a -225 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. Week 18 in the Canadian Football League concludes with two games. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats play in Toronto against the Argonauts at 3:00 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 57.5. The British Columbia Lions host the Calgary Stampeders at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 55.5.  Matchweek 7 in the English Premier League continues with four matches. Tottenham are on the road against Leeds United on the USA Network at 7:30 a.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Two more EPL matches begin at 10:00 a.m. ET. Arsenal plays at home against West Ham United as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3.5. Manchester United is home against Sunderland on the USA Network as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Liverpool visits Chelsea on NBC at 12:30 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 3.5. 

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ASA's NFL Sunday Player Props

by ASA, Inc.

Friday, Oct 03, 2025

JETS - WR Garrett Wilson Over 63.5 Receiving Yards (-115)This is a mouth watering game for Wilson as he faces a Dallas defense that is giving up a league worst (by far) 297 passing yards per game. Not only does Dallas have the worst defense in the league, but they also have the best offense in football, allowing for a potential monster game for the Jets offense. Wilson has had over 80 receiving yards in three of four games, now getting the best matchup of the season. For an uber talented player, who is currently sixth overall in receiving yards, and soaking up a 36% target share in the offense, this line seems extremely attainable. As long as Justin Fields can continue to distribute the football at an average level, expect Wilson to smash his yardage total. GIANTS - RB Cam Skattebo Over 66.5 Rush Yards (-110)Skattebo has become a fan favorite in The Big Apple since taking over for the injured Tyrone Tracy. He received 25 carries last week, playing an integral part in handing the Chargers their first loss of the season. Tracy is likely out once again while the Giants head to New Orleans to face the winless Saints. With a big workload coming his way, as well as the Saints giving up 119 yards per game on the ground, Skattebo is primed for another big week. His rush attempt total is set at 17.5 and even if he is slightly inefficient with his touches, he should still be able to headbash his way over the yardage total. The Giants offense has new life with rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart playing behind a healthy left tackle Andrew Thomas.    PATRIOTS - QB Drake Maye Over 27.5 Rush Yards (-115)In 2024, Maye averaged just over 37 rushing yards in the games that he started and played fully. He is a willing runner when the play breaks down and very athletic at 6’4 225. Negative game scripts were a big reason he was forced to use his legs last year. The Patriots only won three games with Maye under center, while getting blown out in a good amount of their losses. In week 5, expect New England to once again be in a negative script, or at the very least, need Maye to utilize his legs to keep up with the undefeated Bills. The second-year QB has surpassed 30 rushing yards in two of the first four games with a chance to showcase his talent on national television during Sunday Night Football.   

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NFL Top 10 Poll for Week 5

by Wayne Root

Friday, Oct 03, 2025

There is only one undefeated team left in the AFC. It's the best team in the AFC and the only one that can feel like September was just about perfect.September could not have gone better for the Bills. They're No. 1 in the NFL Power Rankings. It's possible they never give up that spot this season.1. Buffalo Bills (4-0)It wasn’t the cleanest game in the world for the Bills, who turned the ball over for the first time this season and were assessed 11 penalties in their 31-19 win over the New Orleans Saints, but they remain undefeated. James Cook continues to be on a tear. The Bills didn’t blow out the Dolphins or Saints, but worrying about that is a stretch. It’s tough to get up for each game in a long season. The Bills won both games by double digits. There’s no need to drum up unnecessary drama; the Bills are the best team in the NFL.2.  Detroit Lions (3-1)Every year we see a Week 1 result that looks baffling by the end of the season. Was this season’s weird result the Lions’ blowout loss at Green Bay? The Lions look like the better team since then. The Nov. 27 rematch will be very interesting. The Lions are rolling through four weeks, and look every bit as good as one could have hoped following the loss of Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson. On paper, the Browns shouldn’t have provided much of a problem, but their defense has been one of the best in the NFL through the first month of the season.3. Philadelphia Eagles (4-0)The Eagles didn’t complete a pass in the second half, but were so good in the first half that they still won. The Eagles remain undefeated following a huge 31-25 win on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but once again, it was a disjointed performance from the offense. Philadelphia is a strange team so far. The Eagles are undefeated, yet have had long stretches in each game in which they did not look good. But they have three quality wins, with room to grow.4. Los Angeles Rams (3-1)The Rams made amends for the loss to the Eagles a week ago with a 27-20 win against the Colts in Week 4. Luck was on the Rams' side in the victory, as the Colts had two touchdowns called back, but also on the Rams' side is Puka Nacua. If non-quarterbacks were still considered for MVP, Puka Nacua might build an interesting case. He does everything for the Rams. On Sunday he had 170 yards and a touchdown on 13 catches. He’ll be a frontrunner for Offensive Player of the Year.5.  Seattle Seahawks (3-1)The Seahawks’ hot start isn’t too much of a surprise; the defense was expected to be one of the top units in the NFL, and is currently a top-10 unit in EPA per play allowed. However, no one anticipated Sam Darnold to be the highest-graded quarterback in the NFL. The Seahawks are going to be good. They let down a bit in the fourth quarter and made a win against Arizona interesting, but through three quarters it was an impressive performance. It’s a tough NFC West but don’t sleep on the Seahawks as a potential division winner.6. Los Angeles Chargers (3-1)Just when we think the Chargers are ready to take the next step, they go and lose to the Giants and a rookie quarterback making his first career start. Justin Herbert was pressured on 45.5% of his dropbacks, as the Chargers were without three starting offensive linemen after losing Joe Alt early on. Chargers fans will hope that this is a one-game blip, but a tough game against the Commanders in Week 5 awaits. The Chargers losing an early start on the East Coast against a Giants team rallying around a rookie quarterback making his first start isn’t the end of the world. And seeing Tuli Tuipulotu (four sacks) and Omarion Hampton (165 total yards) have monster games is a good sign.7. Kansas City Chiefs (2-2)The Chiefs got themselves back on track on Sunday, defeating the Ravens 37-20 at Arrowhead Stadium in an established performance. This was as good as we’ve seen the Chiefs offense all season — and the return of Xavier Worthy certainly helped. With Rashee Rice’s return on the horizon, is this a sign of things to come? Worthy makes a big difference. KC's offense finally had a playmaker and it showed. Now imagine the Chiefs with Worthy and Rashee Rice for the second half of the season. Winning on Sunday, along with the Chargers’ upset loss, means the Chiefs aren’t in that bad of shape coming out of September.8. Green Bay Packers (2-1-1)The Packers have oscillated between a good team that beats good squads and a good team that can’t beat bad franchises this season, demonstrated by their thrilling 40-40 tie with the Cowboys on Sunday night. If the NFL were a game of “should’ve, would’ve, could’ve,” the Packers would be sitting at 4-0 and looking like a potential juggernaut. Through two games and 56 minutes of the third game, the Packers looked like one of the best teams in football. Then they collapsed against the Browns and barely got a tie against the Cowboys. It’s hard to know what to make of the Packers now, but a lot of the shine is definitely off.9. Indianapolis Colts (3-1)The Colts are some egregious mental mistakes away from starting the season 4-0. They were penalized 11 times against the Rams, and had two touchdowns called back — one when Adonai Mitchell fumbled the ball, celebrating heading to the end zone, and another on a long Jonathan Taylor run — while turning the ball over three times. Losing at the Rams isn’t bad, but the way the Colts lost is inexcusable. Adonai Mitchell simply dropped the ball before scoring, he took a massive holding penalty that wiped out a Jonathan Taylor touchdown, then there were only 10 men on the field for the Rams’ winning 88-yard TD. None of that should happen.10. Denver Broncos (2-2)Denver’s rushing attack looked as good as it has all season, rushing for 186 yards, and that allowed the passing game to flourish. J.K. Dobbins has been one of the better free agency additions, as his 73.9 overall PFF grade is 13th among running backs in the NFL. As predicted, the defense is still one of the best in the NFL, placing in EPA per play allowed. Nik Bonitto is on fire to start the season. Bonitto, who turned 26 years old last week, has four sacks in four games and has been one of the best edge rushers in the NFL. His four-year, $106 million extension signed before the season might be a bargain.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, EPL and CFL Previews and Odds - 10/03/2025

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Oct 03, 2025

The Friday sports card features NCAAF, CFL, and MLB action. Week 6 in NCAAF college football continues with five games between FBS opponents. Two NCAAF games kick off at 7:00 p.m. ET. Delaware hosts Western Kentucky on the CBS Sports Network. The Blue Hens had won two games in a row after their 38-16 upset victory at Florida International as a 4.5-point underdog on September 20th. The victory raised their record to 3-1 on the season. The Hilltoppers have won two games in a row after their 27-22 victory at Missouri State as a 4-point favorite last Saturday. They have a 4-1 record this season. Delaware is a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 61.5. South Florida plays at home against Charlotte on ESPN2 at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Bulls have won three of their first four games this season after a 63-14 victory against South Carolina State as a 36-point favorite back on September 20th. The 49ers have lost three of their first four games this year after a 28-17 loss against Rice as a 2.5-point underdog on September 18th. South Florida is a 28.5-point favorite with an over/under of 54.5. San Jose State is home against New Mexico on FS1 at 10:00 p.m. ET. The Spartans have lost three of their first four games this season after a 30-29 loss at Stanford as a 3-point underdog last Saturday. The Hobos are on a three-game winning streak after a 38-20 victory against New Mexico State as a 15.5-point favorite on Saturday. New Mexico has a 3-1 record after opening its season with a loss at Michigan. San Jose State is a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 58.5. Two NCAAF games between FBS opponents on national television close out the card at 10:30 p.m. ET. BYU hosts West Virginia on ESPN. The Cougars are undefeated after four games with their 24-21 victory at Colorado as a 6.5-point favorite on Saturday. The Mountaineers have lost three of their last four games after a 48-14 loss at home against Utah as a 13.5-point underdog last Saturday. West Virginia has a 3-4 record this season. BYU is a 19.5-point favorite with an over/under of 46.5. San Diego State plays at home against Colorado State on the CBS Sports Network. The Aztecs have won two games in a row after a 6-3  victory on the road at Northern Illinois as a 2.5-point favorite on Saturday. They have a 3-1 record this year. The Rams have lost three of their first four games this season after a 20-3 upset loss at home against Washington State as a 5.5-point favorite last Saturday. San Diego State is a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 40.5. Week 18 in the Canadian Football League kicks off with one game. The Saskatchewan Roughriders travel to Ottawa to play the Redblacks at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Roughriders have lost two straight games as the favorite after their 27-25 upset loss at Edmonton as a 3.5-point favorite on Saturday. They remain in first place in the West Division with a 10-4 record, ahead of the Calgary Stampeders by two games. The Redblacks have lost four of their last five games after their 26-18 upset loss at home against Winnipeg as a 2.5-point favorite back on September 20th. Saskatchewan is a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 52.5. Matchweek 7 in the English Premier League begins with one match. Bournemouth is home against Fulham on the USA Network at 3:00 p.m. ET. The Cherries are unbeaten in their last matches in the EPL with three victories over that stretch after a 2-2 draw on the road against Leeds United last Saturday. They are in a tie for fourth place in the EPL table with 11 points. The Cottagers had won two EPL matches in a row before their 3-1 loss at Aston Villa last Sunday. Fulham is in a tie for eighth place in the EPL with eight points. Bournemouth is a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5.

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College Football Week 6 Top 10 Poll

by Wayne Root

Thursday, Oct 02, 2025

We had a lot of movement in the power rankings following a huge Saturday of games. Oregon grabs the No. 2 spot with its impressive win at Penn State, while Alabama and Georgia are headed in opposite directions after the Crimson Tide's 24-21 road victory. The biggest fallers after Week 5 are Penn State, LSU, Florida State and Oklahoma. The Sooners dropped because of the injury to quarterback John Mateer, who was the Heisman Trophy favorite before being sidelined with a hand injury 1. Ohio State Buckeyes (4-0)Week 6 Matchup: vs. Minnesota Golden GophersOhio State is back in the top spot after holding the most efficient offense in college football, Washington, to just 4.6 yards per play in a 24-6 victory. Facing an intriguing matchup at Washington last time out, Ohio State found itself in a close game through the first half. However, the Buckeyes took firm control in the second half thanks to two touchdowns from CJ Donaldson out of the break to get the 24-6 victory. The Buckeyes have only given up 5.5 points per game so far and allowed just 13 points combined to Texas and Washington. 2. Oregon Ducks (5-0)Week 6 Matchup: ByeThe Oregon Ducks held on at Penn St. to get a victory in a classic white out game. Dante Moore dazzled on the big stage, completing 29 of 39 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns to skyrocket up the Heisman Trophy Poll. The Ducks made quite a statement with the win and held strong as the No. 2 team in Week 6. Oregon vaults up following a 30-24 double overtime victory over third-ranked Penn State. Moore became the new Heisman favorite following the victory, posting an 80.1 passing grade with three big-time throws on the road under a hostile environment. 3. Miami (FL) Hurricanes (4-0)Week 6 Matchup: at No. 20 Florida State SeminolesMiami was off this past weekend and resumes play in Week 6 against No. 18 Florida State; another in-state showdown. Miami is heading to Tallahassee to take on a Florida State team looking to shake off last week’s upset loss at Virginia. There may be extra motivation for FSU asESPN’s College GameDay will be in attendance for the matchup,4. Ole Miss Rebels (5-0)Week 6 Matchup: ByeOle Miss goes from No. 8 to No. 4 following a 24-19 win over the previous fourth-ranked team in LSU. Trinidad Chambliss had a big day as he got the start once again at quarterback, throwing for 314 yards and a touchdown while running for 71 yards, as well. The former D-II player’s 90.2 grade on the season is third among all quarterbacks in the country. RB Lacy led the rushing attack with 78 yards and the Ole Miss defense held LSU to just 256 total yards on the day.5. Texas A&M Aggies (4-0)Week 6 Matchup: vs. Mississippi State BulldogsTexas A&M moves into the top five following a 16-10 victory over Auburn. Putting up a ton or points at Notre Dame has to count for something, as does statistically dominating Auburn Saturday—although that Auburn offense has a ton of issues. The Aggies held the Tigers to just 3.6 yards per play in the win, with star linebacker Taurean York securing an 83.8 grade. Texas A&M takes on Mississippi State this week, a team that just took Tennessee to overtime.6. Oklahoma Sooners (4-0)Week 6 Matchup: vs. Kent State Golden FlashesOklahoma had a bye this past weekend and battles Kent State in Week 6. The Sooners are preparing to take on a new look at quarterback this time around. It’s the Sooners’ first game without star quarterback John Mateer as he recovers from hand surgery. Michael Hawkins is in line to get the start as Mateer works his way back from surgery. Hawkins got some run last year in relief of Jackson Arnold and will now get ready to run Ben Arbuckle’s scheme in Mateer’s absence.7. Penn St (3-1) Week 6 Matchup: vs IndianaYet another game which furthered the same narrative for Penn State. The Nittany Lions dropped another one against a top 10 team and Drew Allar confirmed that he is what he’s shown he is. A solid, but not special college quarterback. The offense did nothing for 50 minutes, and credit the defense for keeping them in the game. Suddenly, a home game vs. Indiana, who I strongly considered putting here, looks far from a sure thing. That game comes a week after a trip to Ohio State, and what belief is there now that Penn State can go there and win against that defense? It's not impossible to think Penn State could be on the outside looking in on the playoff.8. Alabama Crimson Tide (3-1) Week 6 Matchup: vs. Vanderbilt CommodoresAlabama is back in the top 10 after a 24-21 victory over ninth-ranked Georgia. The team that I think is the best squad in terms of power rankings and has that as its claim to No. 8 is Alabama. Yes, the Tide got tripped up in the opener at Florida State, but that might prove to be a one-off in what was Ty Simpson’s first start, along with a bunch of injuries, especially at running back. What we’ve seen the last couple weeks, including the win at Georgia, is completely different from what we saw week one. Bama has five ranked opponents left on its schedule, but four are at home. The Crimson Tide had an elite 93.5 pass-blocking grade in the game ,and quarterback Ty Simpson took advantage of his clean pockets, posting an 84.8 passing grade in such situations. 9. Georgia Bulldogs (3-1) Week 6 Matchup: vs. Kentucky WildcatsGeorgia moved down a handful of spots after its loss to Alabama.  Georgia fell to No. 9 in the Poll. The Bulldogs mounted a charge against the Crimson Tide, but came up just short in a 24-21 loss in Athens. The offensive line of Georgia played exceptionally well. The Bulldogs gave Gunner Stockton clean pockets, earning a 91.3 pass-blocking grade in the loss. But, the difference in the game was that Stockton couldn’t capitalize on them, posting just a 68.4 PFF passing grade when kept clean.10. Notre Dame (2-2) Week 6 Matchup: vs Boise StateAfter making quite a statement in Week 5, Notre Dame jumped up and now sit at No. 10 after a dominant performance on the roadat Arkansas. CJ Carr and Jeremiyah Love both had huge days for Marcus Freeman’s group to spearhead the offense. Love totaled 127 yards – 57 rushing and 70 receiving – and four touchdowns, including two of Carr’s four passing scores as he threw for 354 yards in the air.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NCAAF and MLB Previews and Odds - 10/02/2025

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Oct 02, 2025

The Thursday sports card features NFL, NCAAF, and MLB action. Week 5 in the National Football League kicks off with one game. The Los Angeles Rams host the San Francisco 49ers on Prime Video at 8:15 p.m. ET. The Rams rebounded from their loss at Philadelphia with a 27-20 victory at home against Indianapolis as a 3.5-point favorite last Sunday. They have a 3-1 record. The 49ers lost their first game of the season in a 26-24 upset loss at home against Jacksonville as a 3.5-point favorite on Sunday. They are tied with the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles for first place in the NFC West. The Rams are an 8.5-point favorite with the total set at 45.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Week 6 in NCAAF college football starts with one game between FBS opponents. San Houston travels to play New Mexico State on the CBS Sports Network at 9:00 p.m. ET. The Bearkats lost their fourth game in a row to start the season in a 55-0 loss at Texas as a 39.5-point underdog on September 20th. The Aggies have lost two games in a row after their 38-20 loss at New Mexico as a 15.5-point underdog on Saturday. They have a 2-2 record. Sam Houston is a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 53.5. Major League Baseball continues its best-of-three Wild Card round of the playoffs with three games on ESPN. The Cleveland Guardians play at home against the Detroit Tigers at 3:08 p.m. ET. The Guardians forced a decisive third game in this best-of-three series with their 6-1 victory at home against the Tigers on Wednesday. They have won 14 of their last 18 games. Detroit has lost 11 of its last 14 games. Cleveland sends out Slade Cecconi to pitch against the Tigers’ Jack Flaherty. The victor of this game travels to Toronto to play the Blue Jays in the first game of the American League Divisional Series on Saturday. The Guardians are a -113 money-line favorite with a total of 7.The Chicago Cubs are home against the San Diego Padres at 5:08 p.m. ET. The Padres kept this series going with a 3-0 victory on the road against the Cubs yesterday. They have won eight of their last 10 games. Chicago had won four games in a row before the loss on Wednesday. Jameson Taillon takes the mound for the Cubs to pitch against Yu Darvish for San Diego. The winner of this game visits Milwaukee on Saturday in the opening game of the National League Division Series. Chicago is a -116 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The New York Yankees host the Boston Red Sox at 8:08 p.m. ET. The Yankees forced a final third game in this series with their 4-3 victory at home against the Red Sox on Wednesday. They have won nine of their last 10 games. The Red Sox had won two games in a row before that loss yesterday. New York taps Cam Schlittler to take the ball to duel against Boston’s Connelly Early. The winner of this game plays in Toronto in Game 1 of the ALDS on Saturday. The Yankees are a -153 money-line favorite with a total of 8. 

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The Canary in the Coal Mine: Green Bay's Fourth Quarter Collapse Against Cleveland

by Hollywood Sports

Wednesday, Oct 01, 2025

Dallas (1-2) has lost two of their first three games after their 31-14 upset loss at Chicago as a 1-point favorite last Sunday. Green Bay (2-1) lost their first game of the season in a 13-10 upset loss at Cleveland as a 7.5-point favorite on Sunday.I usually do not include the empirical situational angles in my ever-evolving database in my (already long) Reports that help inform my decisions, but I am making this Report an exception.Despite blowing a 10-0 lead in the fourth quarter last week in a 13-10 loss at Cleveland to lose their first game of the season, both the betting public and many self-proclaimed “sharps” considered it a given that the Green Bay Packers would take out their frustrations against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. I admit that was my initial take for that game with the Packers coming off an upset loss — especially with Dallas being without their injured wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. But after assessing the historical situational data, I realized that the situation was screaming to back the Cowboys. Last week, I was not going to be surprised if the Miami Dolphins quit on head coach Mike McDaniel in their Thursday night game at Buffalo — but while the final score finished right around the point spread (the Dolphins covering the spread in most spots) despite the Bills dominating in the yardage battle, there is no question that the team played hard for their embattled head coach. Big underdogs early in the season usually play very hard — especially at home. I rarely include the empirical situational angles in my ever-evolving database in my (already long) Reports that help inform my decisions, but I made an exception to defend my choice to invest in Dallas last Sunday night. In the first nine weeks of the season, home underdogs of seven or more points are 38-10-2 ATS since 2020 — and they are 19-1-2 ATS in those last 22 games in the last three seasons. If Miami overachieved for Thursday Night Football last week, it was not difficult to see the Cowboys rallying around each other in the return of Micah Parsons, and all the drama that entails. In fact, this may be the Super Bowl for Dallas — and they know this game is very important for both them and their owner, Jerry Jones. Expect an inspired effort from the Cowboys, who have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games played in prime time. Remember, Dallas played well in their Week One loss at home against Philadelphia. They like first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer — and he has done a fine job. Their loss the previous week at Chicago was due to a -4 net turnover margin. They outgained the Bears by +11 net yards, with the offense generating 396 yards. Quarterback Dak Prescott looks more like the one from two years ago, when he finished second in the MVP voting, than last year, when he struggled to play through injuries. The loss of Lamb hurts — but wide receiver George Pickens might be the best second option for this team since Amari Cooper was playing here in his prime. Running back Javonte Williams looks rejuvenated. They have weapons to design a good game plan, even with Lamb. Green Bay was the toast of the league after the first two weeks — and they enjoyed a 10-0 lead going into the fourth quarter last week on the road at Cleveland before an interception from Jordan Love and a few other mistakes led to the collapse. Blowing leads like that is often a canary in the coal mine. Previously undefeated NFL teams coming off a blown double-digit lead in their first loss of the season have then lost 16 of their next 23 games — and they are just 8-14-1 ATS in those contests. And when those wobbly one-loss teams are playing on the road, they have lost 12 of those 17 games while going just 6-10-1 ATS. After being anointed as the Super Bowl favorite from the NFC early in the season, it is not difficult to think that Green Bay will remain overconfident now playing against a Cowboys team that they have beaten five times in a row in Dallas, including their last meeting in their 48-32 beatdown in the playoffs two seasons ago. With Matt LaFleur as their head coach, the Packers had covered the point spread in 19 of their 32 games after a straight-up loss — but while Aaron Rodgers and Malik Willis are 14-5 for LaFleur coming off a loss, quarterback Jordan Love had failed to cover the point spread in 8 of those 13 games when he is under center. Love is still making too many erratic decisions — and the 14 penalties this team committed last week have to be a concern. To compound matters, Green Bay was without two starting offensive linemen for this game as left guard Aaron Banks is doubtful with a foot injury and right tackle Zach Tom is out with an oblique injury. Admittedly, the Packers’ depth is good on the offensive line — but this offense was generating only 300.0. Yards-Per-Game. Green Bay has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games when laying 3.5 to 9.5 points. Granted, the Dallas pass defense has not been good — they are giving up 288.0 passing YPG. But the Packers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games on the road against opponents who are surrendering 235 or more passing YPG. And while the Cowboys are getting outscored by -6.0 PPG, Green Bay had failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against opponents who are getting outscored by -6.0 or more PPG.But what about this outstanding defense since the Packers acquired Parsons? They are only giving up 14.7 PPG! In the last 44 games played on Sunday Night Football involving a team that is not giving up more than 19 PPG, those teams with great defenses failed to cover the point spread in 25 of those 44 games. It did not look good early for Cowboys’ backers with Green Bay taking an early 13-0 lead. Chris Collinsworth was at his obnoxious worst by barely commenting on the game in front of him and instead narrating the funeral he thought he was observing from an inevitable Packers’ blowout victory. But Dallas blocked the attempted extra point after Green Bay’s second touchdown and returned it for a rare defensive two-point conversion. Prescott then oversaw a long 95-yard drive late in the second quarter to make the score 13-9. With under 30 seconds left in the first half, Love was sacked and turned the ball over from a fumble at their 15-yard line. One play later, and the Cowboys had a 16-14 lead, to Collingsworth’s disbelief. The second half was back and forth, with the Packers consistently shooting themselves in the foot. Their supposed elite defense surrendered 436 yards of offense. Prescott completed 31 of 40 passes for 319 yards with three touchdown passes. The game went into overtime, where both teams exchanged field goals. The game management by LaFleur and Love was amateurish. Green Bay should have won (but not covered the point spread) many times. Instead, they settled for a 40-40 tie. Maybe the Packers will reach the Super Bowl. But the list of things they need to clean is very long. Best of luck for us — Frank.

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NHL Futures Wager: Carolina Hurricanes to Win the 2026 Stanley Cup

by Al McMordie

Wednesday, Oct 01, 2025

The puck drops on the NHL season in six days.  So it's time for me to pull out my crystal ball to forecast which team will hoist the Stanley Cup next June.  My selection for the 2025-2026 season is the Carolina Hurricanes, who are currently +850 at BetMGM.  The last season for the Hurricanes went according to their recent script. That is to say the team had one of the best regular seasons in the league, dominated in the early playoff rounds, but bombed spectacularly in the Conference Finals. Will this be the season they finally break through to their first Stanley Cup Finals since 2006 (and first in the Rob Brind’Amour era which began in 2018)?  Time will tell, but it seems that this club is as well positioned as it's ever been.   The ‘Canes made a huge in-season trade last January to obtain superstar Mikko Rantanen from the Avalanche but he never fit in with the team or the city, so they turned around and unloaded him in a deal with Dallas at the trade deadline.  This offseason, Carolina’s front office remained aggressive, securing a big-time forward in Nikolaj Ehlers from the Jets and acquiring two-way blueliner K’Andre Miller from the Rangers.  The top three centers -- Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Jordan Staal -- return and that's certainly a good thing.  The defense may actually be better this season than in the past, if that's possible.  The team shed aging and declining Brent Burns (signed with Colorado) and Dmitry Orlov (Sharks) but picked up Miller and Mike Reilly so that stingy blue line should be one of the best in the league once again.    The biggest question mark heading into this season is the goaltending tandem of Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov.  This is a club with enough offensive and defensive talent, though, that even average play in goal is enough to produce a dominant record.  But it sure would be nice if the duo could step up when the Canes really needed them - like the Conference championships. Neither goalie could manage a .900 save pct last season and if that trend continues and given Carolina’s aggressive deadline history, don’t be surprised if a new backstop is brought in down the road.With several prospects breaking through last season, and so much of the team’s core locked up long term, Carolina is built for success again.    Take the Hurricanes to win the 2025-2026 Stanley Cup at +850 odds.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 10/01/2025

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Oct 01, 2025

The Wednesday sports card features MLB and UEFA Champions League action. Major League Baseball continues its best-of-three Wild Card round of the playoffs with four games. The Detroit Tigers travel to Cleveland to play the Guardians on ESPN at 1:08 p.m. ET. The Tigers took Game 1 of this series in a 2-1 victory on Tuesday. They have won two of their previous three games, yet still lost 10 of their last 13 contests. The Guardians have lost three of their previous five games, yet have won 13 of their last 17 contests. Cleveland sends out Tanner Bibee to pitch against Detroit’s Casey Mize. The Guardians are a -126 money-line favorite with the total set at 6.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Chicago Cubs play at home against the San Diego Padres at 3:08 p.m. ET on ABC at 3:08 p.m. ET. The Cubs have won four games in a row after winning the first game of this series, 3-1, yesterday. The Padres had won three games in a row before the loss. Andrew Kittredge gets the ball for Chicago to take on Dylan Cease for the Padres. The Cubs are a -111 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5.The New York Yankees are home against the Boston Red Sox at 6:08 p.m. ET. The Red Sox rallied from a 1-0 deficit to win Game 1 of this series by a 3-1 score on Tuesday. They have won three of their previous four games. The Yankees had been on an eight-game winning streak before that loss. New York turns to Carlos Rodon to take on the Red Sox’s Bryan Bello. The Yankees are a -169 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Cincinnati Reds on ESPN at 9:08 p.m. ET. The Dodgers have won six games in a row after a 10-5 victory in the first game of this series on Tuesday. The Reds have lost two games in a row. Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the mound for Los Angeles to duel against Cincinnati’s Zack Littell. The Dodgers are a -257 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.Matchday 2 in the UEFA Champions League continues with nine league phase matches. Two matches start at 12:45 PM ET. Newcastle United travels to Union Saint Gilloise as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. FC Copenhagen plays at FK Qarabag as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5.  Seven matches conclude the UCL card at 3 PM ET. Bayer Leverkusen plays at home against PSV Eindhoven as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Villarreal is home against Juventus as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Napoli hosts Sporting Lisbon as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Manchester City is at Monaco as a -1.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 3.5. Borussia Dortmund plays at home against Athletic Bilbao on the CBS Sports Network as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Barcelona is home against Paris Saint-Germain as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. All nine Champions League matches are available on Paramount+.

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Hosting the Tennessee Titans: Just What the Doctor Ordered for the Houston Texans

by Team Del Genio

Tuesday, Sep 30, 2025

The Houston Texans have been one of the biggest disappointments so far this NFL season. After going 10-7 in the regular season last year and beating the Los Angeles Chargers in the first round of the playoffs before losing to Kansas City, they are winless in their first three games this year. The problem can be pointed directly at an offense that has scored 30 or more points only once in its last sixteen games. This year, they have not scored more than 19 points after their 17-point loss at Jacksonville last week. The offensive line is a liability that has given up 55 sacks in its last sixteen games. The season-ending injury to wide receiver Tank Dell and the trade of Stefon Diggs in the offseason have left quarterback C.J. Stroud without as many weapons as in the past. So despite all this, why have the oddsmakers installed them as a favorite of up to seven points? Consider this. Since 2015, there have been only seven teams that the oddsmakers installed their season-long win total at nine or higher that then began the year going 0-3. All seven of those teams won their fourth game to end their losing streak, and six of those seven teams covered the point spread. The Houston defense remains elite and has only given up 51 combined points. The Texans are the first team in 30 years to start the season 0-3 despite holding their three opponents to less than 55 points. Led by defensive ends Willie Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, they are giving up only 17.0 points per game and 316 yards per game. They have sacked the quarterback nine times and hit the quarterback 17 times. Playing the Titans is an ideal get-right opportunity for them since they lack a pass rush. Tennessee has only two sacks in its three games, and its quarterback has been sacked 15 times. The Titans are allowing 31.3 points per game and 374 yards per game. The Texans had covered the point spread in seven of their previous ten games against opponents who were allowing 350 or more yards per game. Tennessee is allowing opposing rushers to average 5.3 yards per carry, and Houston had covered the point spread in seven of their previous nine games against opponents who are giving up 4.5 or more yards per carry on defense. The Texans should be able to run the ball, and that should open up their passing game. Head coach DeMeco Ryans' team seems to play at its best in expected lower-scoring games. They had covered the point spread in five of their previous six games when the oddsmakers installed the over/under from 35.5 to 42. They had played all three of their games under the number, and they had covered the point spread in four games in a row after playing three or more unders in a row. They had yet to cover the point spread this year, but they had covered the point spread in six of their previous eight games after not covering the point spread in two or more games in a row. They had covered the point spread in six of their previous seven home games after playing a division opponent in their previous game. The point spread is so high because Tennessee has been so miserable in meeting point spread expectations. They had covered the point spread in three of their last twenty games, and they are 7-25-1 against the spread in their previous thirty-three games. Rookie Cam Ward has yet to throw for 200 or more passing yards. He was getting sacked once in every 7.6 drop backs. It is difficult to be optimistic about this team in the second season under head coach Brian Callahan. They had covered the point spread in five of their previous eighteen games on the road. They had covered the point spread in three of their previous seventeen games when the oddsmakers installed them as an underdog from 3.5 to 9.5 points. They had covered the point spread in two of their previous thirteen games against division opponents. Callahan is not succeeding in getting his team to respond to adversity. Tennessee had covered the point spread in eight of their previous twenty-five games, losing their previous game, and they had covered the point spread in five of their previous fifteen games after losing two or more games in a row. They had covered the point spread in two of their previous fifteen games after not covering the point spread in their last game. The Titans had covered the point spread in three of their previous nine games after playing a game where they gave up 30 or more points. Fortunately, this game played out almost exactly as we projected. The Texans went into halftime with a 6-0 lead and slowly pulled away in the second half for a 26-0 victory. Their running game got going by running the ball 35 times for 129 yards. Stroud completed 22 of his 28 passes for 233 yards with two touchdown passes and no interceptions. Yet he was sacked twice despite the Titans' poor pass rush. The Houston defense held Tennessee to only 175 yards of offense. Good luck - Team Del Genio.

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After Upsetting Clemson, Syracuse Looked In Trouble Hosting Duke

by Team Del Genio

Tuesday, Sep 30, 2025

Syracuse was on a three-game winning streak after their 34-21 upset victory at Clemson as an 18-point underdog last week. After an opening week 19-point loss at Tennessee, the Orange beat Connecticut and Colgate before upsetting a now three-loss Tigers team last week (September 20th). Yet Syracuse had not covered the point spread in five straight games after pulling off an upset victory, and they had not covered the point spread in seven straight games after beating a conference opponent.The Orange got outgained by 68 net yards against Clemson, yet benefited from a +2 net turnover margin in that game. The Orange did not leave that game undamaged either, since quarterback Steve Angeli suffered a season-ending Achilles injury late in that game. The transfer from Notre Dame completed 18 of 31 passes for 244 yards and two touchdown passes in that game. Head coach Fran Brown’s plan was to turn to sophomore Rickie Collins as his quarterback. He named the transfer from LSU his starter in the spring, but he got outplayed in the fall by Angeli. He only completed 3 of 8 passes for 34 yards last week. He is still inexperienced after playing in only four games last year. Syracuse finished 10-3 last year in Brown’s first year with the program, yet only five starters are back from that team. Their assignment this week was to host the Duke Blue Devils. Duke ended a two-game losing streak with a 45-33 victory against North Carolina State as a field goal favorite last week. The Blue Devils had covered the point spread in eight of their previous eleven games after winning at home in their previous game. They had covered the point spread in six of their last eight games on the road after winning their previous game. Second-year head coach Manny Diaz brought in a good quarterback in the transfer portal with Darian Mensah. The former Tulane QB completed 19 of 28 passes for 269 yards with three touchdown passes and no turnovers in the win against the Wolfpack. He is supported by a rushing attack that is averaging 145 rushing yards per game and 6.3 yards per carry. Overall, Duke was averaging 467 yards per game, heading into this game. The Orange were allowing their opponents to average 5.2 yards per carry on the ground, ranking 119th in the nation. The Blue Devils had covered the point spread once in their previous eight games against opponents who average 425 or more yards per game. Duke was playing on the road for the third time this season, where they had covered the point spread in six of their last seven games on the road against opponents from the ACC. Diaz’s teams had covered the point spread in five of their last six games on the road in the first half of the season. The Blue Devils dominated this game on both sides of the ball in a 38-3 victory. They raced out to a 24-3 lead heading into halftime. They gained 503 yards of offense in that game. Mensah completed 22 of 28 passes for 268 yards with two touchdown passes and no interceptions. Collins was not bad, but did not engineer a touchdown drive while completing 24 of his 37 passes for 229 yards. The Orange only gained 314 yards in the game. Good luck — Team Del Genio.

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