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Africa Cup of Nations Group Betting 2025/26

by Amedeus Mastrangelo

Sunday, Dec 07, 2025

The Africa Cup of Nations is set to start on Sunday, December 21, 2025, with the final being played on Sunday, January 18, 2026. Morocco is the host nation for the competition this year and Cote D’Ivoire are the defending champions of the competition from 2023. Cote D’Ivoire won the last tournament as the host nation, but they actually finished 3rd place in their group during the group stage and were almost eliminated, so there is plenty of value to be had with group betting. With the start of the group stage coming up soon, it is time to see where the value in these groups are.  To Win Group Group B: Group B consists of Egypt at -163, South Africa at +250, Angola at +500, and Zimbabwe at +2500. Egypt is the favorite to win this group as they are one of the favorites to win the whole tournament as well, but there are certainly some teams in this group that can challenge them. Zimbabwe is not much of a threat here and will likely finish at the bottom of the group, but South Africa is a dangerous team that has been on the rise over the last year while Angola is also a solid team that is good defensively and can hold their weight against some of the heavy hitters in Africa. Egypt did not perform well in the last tournament either, finishing in 2nd place in their group with 3 draws and finishing behind Cabo Verde. On the other hand, both Angola and South Africa performed well in the last tournament. Angola won their group over Burkina Faso and Algeria in the last installment of this competition, and South Africa was able to finish in 2nd place of their group, finishing ahead of Namibia and Tunisia. Egypt struggled to score goals in the last tournament and both Angola and South Africa have good defenses that could cause trouble. Considering how Egypt did not win their group in the last tournament and how Angola did, there is certainly the possibility for chaos in this group, but South Africa could be the team that benefits with the way they have been improving over the last 2 years. South Africa at +250 to win Group B. Group C: Group C consists of Nigeria at -120, Tunisia at +162, Tanzania at +900, and Uganda at +1000. Nigeria is the favorite to win this group and for good reason. They did not win their group in the last tournament, but they did finish in 2nd place of their group and made a deep run all the way to the Final which they lost to the host nation Cote D’Ivoire. They are one of the more talented teams in all of Africa though and they are certainly the best team in this group. This is not a strong group for them either as Uganda and Tanzania really show no threat to them. Their biggest competition in this group will be Tunisia, but Tunisia has not been in great form over the last year and they also have a very weak attack that struggles to score goals. They tend to lean on their great defense a lot and that will get them far in most matches, but not in a tournament like this where draws can hurt them in the group stage. They struggled to score goals in the last tournament as well and they paid the price as they finished in last place of their group and did not make it out of the group stage. Nigeria is a threat to win this whole tournament this year and they have been getting their act together recently, playing in much better form over the last few months, so this is a group that they should be able to dominate. Nigeria at -120 to win Group C. Group E: Group E consists of Algeria at -225, Burkina Faso at +275, Equatorial Guinea at +800, and Sudan at +2000. Algeria is the big favorite to win this group due to their quality as they have one of the better teams in all of Africa, but they have struggled to show that on the pitch over the last few years. They have a lot of quality in their attack and on defense as well, but they have struggled in these competitions over the last few years and were awful at the last AFCON as well. They failed to make it out of the group stage at the last tournament, finishing in last place of the group with 2 points, finishing behind teams like Angola, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania. Now they are in a group with Burkina Faso again, who they drew 2-2 in the last tournament, so there is certainly the potential for chaos in this group. Sudan is the weakest team in the group and should not be much of a threat here, but Equatorial Guinea is certainly no pushover. Equatorial Guinea does have a good defense that could make them a difficult team to beat, and they did win their group in the last tournament, finishing ahead of teams like Nigeria, Cote D’Ivoire, and Guinea-Bissau. Equatorial Guinea may be a bit of a stretch to win their group again in this installment of the competition, but there is some great value in Burkina Faso, considering how they did finish higher than Algeria in the same group last tournament. Burkina Faso at +275 to win Group E. Group F: Group F consists of Cote D’Ivoire at -120, Cameroon at +175, Gabon at +600, and Mozambique at +1600. Cote D’Ivoire is the favorite to win this group as they are the defending champions of the competition, but they won as the host nation last time out and they did not even win their group, finishing in 3rd place and advancing as 1 of the top 4 teams that finished in 3rd place. They are getting a lot of respect here, but they may not even be the best team in this group. Cameroon has the potential to be a big threat here as this group is wide open. Mozambique is the weakest team in the group and should not be much trouble as they did finish in last place of their group in the last tournament, but they did cause some trouble in their final match by keeping Ghana out so this is another group where there could be chaos. Gabon is a very interesting team here as they were not in the last tournament at all, but they have been gaining a lot of steam over the last 2 years as a much improved team and playing in this competition is going to be a big deal for them after missing the last one. They also performed well in World Cup qualifiers, finishing just 1 point behind Cote D’Ivoire in their group, so they have shown recently that they can compete with these teams. Cameroon is also a team that has not been dominant recently, but they still have the quality to compete with a team like Cote D’Ivoire, and Cameroon actually finished in 2nd place of their group at the last tournament. Cameroon at +175 to win Group F is the safer option here, but Gabon at +600 does have some value as well.  Group Qualification Yes/No Comoros Yes +200: Comoros has not been in great form coming into this tournament and they have struggled against some of the top teams in Africa, but they did win their group in the qualification for this tournament, a group which had Tunisia in it, and there is certainly some value in them to advance at this price as a potential 3rd place team in the group. At the last AFCON, all 4 teams that finished in 3rd place with 3 or more points advanced while the 2 3rd place finishers who had 2 points were eliminated. Based on that, 3 points could be enough to advance in 3rd place here so they would just need a win against Zambia since Morocco and Mali will be very tough to beat. This could come down to their match against Zambia and Comoros has actually beaten Zambia twice in the last 2 years. A draw between the two could end up seeing both exit the tournament, but Comoros has shown they can beat this team in recent matches so there is some good value in them to advance as a 3rd place team if they can get 3 points from that match. Comoros at +200 to qualify from the group.  Zambia No +110: Zambia at +110 to not make it out of the group stage certainly has some value here. They are not priced like the worst team in the group, but they very well could be with Comoros playing in better form. It is very unlikely that they are going to get points from their matches against Morocco and Mali so it would have to be their match against Comoros who they have lost to twice in the last 2 years. Even if these two draw and Zambia ruins the chances for Comoros to advance, there is still a very good chance that Zambia would not advance as they would not have enough points in 3rd place. Zambia would likely have to win their match against Comoros to advance and there is a better chance that does not happen. Zambia at +110 to not qualify out of the group.  Uganda Yes +110: Uganda at +110 has some value as a potential team to qualify in 3rd place. Uganda has been in very good form coming into this tournament, beating up on a lot of the weaker teams in Africa. They have not played as well against some of the stronger opponents, but they do have some closer games against top teams in Africa recently. They are in what looks like a tough group on the surface, but the group is not as strong in reality. Nigeria has been playing much better coming into this tournament and it is very unlikely that Uganda picks up points against them, but Nigeria has fumbled some opportunities over the last few years. Tunisia is the next best team in the group, according to the oddsmakers, but they have been underperforming in these competitions. They did not make it out of the group stage in the last tournament and they have a big problem with their attack as they have struggled to score goals so that could be a big factor in this group if they start dropping points due to their lack of a quality attack. Uganda is also priced as the worst team in this group, but they have not been in poor form recently so Tanzania could easily be the worst team in this group. Uganda has the potential to get a point from Tunisia and this group could end up coming down to their match against Tanzania which Uganda can certainly pull 3 points from, actually winning 4 of their last 6 meetings with Tanzania. Uganda at +110 has some value to qualify from the group as a 3rd place team.  Tanzania No -125: Tanzania is currently priced as the 3rd strongest team in this group, but they have been in awful form leading up to this tournament and could very well be the worst team in the group. They have struggled a lot against some of the weaker opponents they have faced over the last year, and they actually finished at the bottom of their group at the last tournament, finishing behind Morocco, DR Congo, and Zambia. They do not have a lot of quality on their team either and it is tough to see them getting points from either match against Nigeria or Tunisia. They would likely have to rely on a win against Uganda to advance and there is a good chance they do not get that win, and even if they find a way to finish in 3rd place of this group, there is a good chance that they will not have enough points to advance. Tanzania at -125 to not qualify from the group.  Benin Yes -163: Benin has been in good form coming into this tournament and they have been improving a lot over the last 2 years. They finished in 2nd place of their qualifying group for this tournament, finishing behind Nigeria, and they just missed out on staying alive in the World Cup Qualifiers. They are going to be a bit of a threat in this group though. Senegal is a clear favorite in this group and they won their group at the last tournament going 3-0-0 so there is not going to be a lot of margin for error at the top of this group. This group does have a clear bottom though with Botswana being the weakest team and performing like it recently. Taking down Senegal is going to be tough for any team in this group, but all of the teams will likely be able to beat up on Botswana. This leaves Benin’s match against DR Congo as very crucial to deciding the fate of this group. DR Congo has a very good defense, but their attack is very inconsistent so it would not be shocking to see Benin win and qualify in 2nd place, but even if the two come away with a draw, wins over Botswana could give both teams enough points to qualify as a 3rd place team. Benin at -163 has some value to qualify from this group.  Equatorial Guinea Yes -150: Equatorial Guinea has not been in great form leading up to this tournament and this is no easy group that they are in either, but they do have some value to advance from the group as this is a competition that they are going to get up for, and they performed very well at the last tournament as well. They actually won their group at the last AFCON, winning a group with Nigeria, host nation Cote D’Ivoire, and Guinea-Bissau. Algeria is the favorite to win this group and they do have a lot of quality in their squad, but Algeria finished at the bottom of their group in the last tournament. This group also has a clear bottom with Sudan so all of the teams will likely beat up on Sudan. This is a group where chaos is a big possibility and that is going to leave the door open for Equatorial Guinea to qualify as a 3rd place team, and maybe even a 2nd place team. Equatorial Guinea at -150 has some value to qualify from the group. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/07/2025

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Dec 07, 2025

The Sunday sports card features NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action. Week 14 in the NFL continues with 12 games. Eight NFL games kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET. The Miami Dolphins travel to New York to play the Jets as a 2.5-point road favorite with the total set at 40.5. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the New Orleans Saints as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 41.5. The Indianapolis Colts play in Jacksonville against the Jaguars as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 46.5. The Seattle Seahawks are on the road against the Atlanta Falcons as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 44.5. The Baltimore Ravens play at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers as a 6-point favorite with a total of 42.5. The Washington Commanders visit Minnesota to take on the Vikings as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 43.5. The Buffalo Bills are home against the Cincinnati Bengals as a 6-point favorite with a total of 52.5. The Cleveland Browns host the Tennessee Titans as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 33.5. Three NFL games start in the late afternoon window. The Denver Broncos play in Las Vegas against the Raiders at 4:05 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 40.5. Two more NFL games start at 4:25 p.m. ET. The Green Bay Packers play at home against the Chicago Bears as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 43.5. The Los Angeles Rams are on the road against the Arizona Cardinals as a 10-point road favorite with a total of 47.5. The Kansas City Chiefs are home against the Houston Texans on NBC at 8:20 p.m. ET. The Chiefs are a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 41.5.The National Basketball Association has seven games on its docket. The New York Knicks host the Orlando Magic at 12:10 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 232.5. The Boston Celtics travel to Toronto to face the Raptors at 3:40 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 226.5. Two NBA games tip off at 6:10 p.m. ET. The Denver Nuggets play in Charlotte against the Hornets as a 10.5-point road favorite with a total of 233.5. The Memphis Grizzlies play at home against the Portland Trail Blazers as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 233.5. The Golden State Warriors are on the road against the Chicago Bulls at 7:10 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 227.5. The Los Angeles Lakers visit Philadelphia to battle the 76ers at 7:40 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 235.5. The Oklahoma Thunder play on the road against the Utah Jazz at 8:10 p.m. ET as a 10.5-point road favorite with a total of 236.5. The National Hockey League has eight games on its slate. The Colorado Avalanche are on the road to challenge the Philadelphia Flyers at 1:07 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two more NHL games drop the puck at 5:07 p.m. ET. The Carolina Hurricanes are home to take on the San Jose Sharks as a -325 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Florida Panthers host the New York Islanders as a -170 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Dallas Stars play at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins at 6:07 p.m. ET as a -198 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. Three NHL games start at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Montreal Canadiens are home against the St. Louis Blues as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Vegas Golden Knights travel to New York to play the Rangers as a -170 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Washington Capitals host the Columbus Blue Jackets as a -205 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Anaheim Ducks play at home against the Chicago Blackhawks at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -205 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5.The NCAAB college basketball schedule has 48 games involving Division I opponents. Four NCAAB games are on major national television. Kansas faces Missouri at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on ESPN2 at 1:00 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 148.5. Texas Tech takes on LSU at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, on ESPN2 at 3:00 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 151.5. Two NCAAB games on major national television begin at 5:00 p.m. ET. Texas A&M challenges SMU at the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, on ESPN2 as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 165.5. North Carolina is at home against Georgetown on ESPN as an 11.5-point favorite with a total of 156.5. Matchweek 14 in the English Premier League continues with two matches on the USA Network. Brighton and Hove Albion hosts West Ham United at 9:00 a.m. ET. as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Fulham plays at home against Crystal Palace at 11:30 a.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. 

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Africa Cup of Nations Futures 2025/26

by Amedeus Mastrangelo

Saturday, Dec 06, 2025

The Africa Cup of Nations is set to start on Sunday, December 21, 2025, with the final being played on Sunday, January 18, 2026. Morocco is the host nation for the competition this year and Cote D’Ivoire are the defending champions of the competition from 2023. Cote D’Ivoire was the 1st host nation to win the tournament since Egypt did it in 2006, and Morocco will be looking to do the same. With the group stage set to start soon, it is time to see who has the best chance at taking home the trophy this year.  To Win Outright Morocco +275: Morocco is coming into this tournament as the team with the best chance at taking home the trophy, according to the oddsmakers. Morocco has a big advantage in this tournament as they are the host nation so they are going to have a lot of fan support throughout the competition no matter what venue they play at, but they are also the highest ranked team in Africa according to FIFA. Morocco has a lot of quality in their squad and they have shown this over the years, not only dominating many of the other teams in Africa, but also dominating on the world stage with some impressive runs in the World Cup recently. They dominated their group in the qualifiers as they went 6-0-0, scoring 26 goals in those 6 matches while only allowing 2 goals. They have a very balanced team as they have a potent attack that can create scoring chances, but they also have a very good defense that has been tough to penetrate. They have also been in great form over the last few months leading up to this tournament, and they are the favorite for good reason as they are clearly the best team in Africa. Morocco was also a big disappointment at the last AFCON, and they have not won this tournament since 1976 so they are going to be focused on winning as the host nation now that they dominate the continent. Considering the quality they have as well as being the host nation here, there is certainly some value in Morocco at +275 to win this tournament.  Egypt +550: Egypt is coming into this tournament as the team with the next best chance at taking home the trophy, according to the oddsmakers. Egypt has not won this tournament since 2010 which was the end of a dominant stretch where they won 3 straight AFCON Titles from 2006-2010. They have fallen off as a dominant force in Africa over the years, but recently they have been building a very good team that can compete at a very high level. They dominated their group in the qualifiers, going 4-2-0 and scoring 12 goals in their 6 matches while only allowing 2 goals. Their defense is very good and they have a lot of quality in their attack as well, but scoring has certainly been a problem for them against top level opponents. They underperformed in the last AFCON as well, struggling to score goals. They do not have an easy path in this tournament either as they are in one of the more tough groups. Zimbabwe should not be much of an issue for them as they are still the best team in the group, but both Angola and South Africa are no pushovers. Even if Egypt gets out of the group which is very likely, they will eventually run into better defenses in the knockouts and this will lead to them drawing more matches which will leave their fate up to chance in the hands of penalties. Egypt has been on the rise recently and does have a very good team, but there are better options in this tournament. Egypt at +550 is not the best option to go with here. Algeria +600: Algeria is coming into this tournament as the team with the next best chance at taking home the trophy, according to the oddsmakers. Algeria has won this tournament recently as they last won it in 2019 when Egypt was the host nation, but that is their only title in the last 17 tournaments, and they have not even been back to the runners up match since winning in 2019. They dominated their group in the qualifiers, going 5-1-0 and scoring 16 goals in their 6 matches while only allowing 2 goals in those. They have a lot of quality in their defense and in their attack, but they have struggled to create scoring chances against stronger defenses. They had a very weak group in the qualifiers and still managed to pick up a draw against a much weaker nation, and they are going to benefit from a weaker group in this tournament as well. They are the strongest team in their group with teams like Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, and Sudan, but all of those teams are also more defensive in nature which could cause some problems for Algeria. Algeria has a lot of quality, but not like some of the other teams in this competition. They will likely get through their group, but they will eventually run into a much better defensive team in the knockouts which will give them trouble. They have also been underperforming in these big tournaments over the last few years. Algeria is good, but this is not their year to win this tournament so Algeria at +600 is not the best option here.  Senegal +600: Senegal is coming into this tournament as the team with the next best chance at taking home the trophy, according to the oddsmakers. Senegal won this tournament recently, back in 2021 when Cameroon was the host nation, and that is their only AFCON Title in their history. They have been a dominant team in Africa in recent years though and are highly ranked on the world stage as well. They were awful in the last tournament as they wildly underperformed for their quality, but they have made the Final of this tournament twice in the last 3 competitions. They have been in great form leading up to the tournament and they were dominant in their group of the qualifiers, going 5-1-0 and scoring 10 goals in their 6 matches while only allowing 1 goal. They have a lot of quality on defense and a very potent attack that can make them a very dangerous team. Scoring has been a bit of a problem for them in these competitions though. Their attack has been on fire recently as they were finishing up the World Cup Qualifiers, but they are going to face much stronger teams as they get deeper into this tournament. They are the strongest team in their group, but they have some tricky matches with DR Congo being no pushover and Benin playing in much better form recently as well. Senegal is certainly one of the more talented teams in all of Africa and they have the potential to be a very dangerous team in this tournament, but they have been underperforming in these tournaments over the last few years and their attack cannot be trusted as they get deeper into their run, playing against better defenses. Senegal at +600 is not the best option here.  Nigeria +900: Nigeria is coming into this tournament as the team with the next best chance at taking home the trophy, according to the oddsmakers. Nigeria last won this tournament in 2013 when South Africa was the host nation and that is their only AFCON Title in the last 15 competitions. They did finish as the 2nd place team in the last tournament, losing to host nation Cote D’Ivoire 2-1 in the Final, and they have finished in the top 3 of this tournament twice in the last 3 competitions. They were not great in their group for the qualifiers, still winning the group at 3-2-1, but only scoring 9 goals in their 6 matches while allowing 3 goals. They made a very deep run in the last tournament though and they have been in much better form leading up to this tournament as they needed to get their act together to qualify for the World Cup. They have not been in the best form over the last few years, but they tend to show up in these tournaments and they do have a lot of quality that makes them a very dangerous team. They have a very good defense that can compete with any of the top teams in Africa, and they have a lot of quality in their attack that can make them very potent if things start to click. This is a great opportunity for them to use this tournament as a warm up for the World Cup this summer, and they will be pushing for the title hard after finishing in 2nd place at the last one. They do not have a strong group in this tournament either, Tunisia being the only real threat to them, but they have the potential to make another deep run in this tournament and win it all. There is a lot of value in Nigeria at +900 to win this tournament as they are one of the better teams in all of Africa.  Cote D’Ivoire +1200: Cote D’Ivoire is coming into this tournament as the team with the next best chance at taking home the trophy, according to the oddsmakers. They are the defending champions of the tournament and they are the most successful team in recent years, winning twice in the last 5 competitions. They won as the host nation in 2023, but they did not play very well throughout their run despite winning the whole thing. They were very fortunate to even make it out of the group stage in that tournament as they finished in 3rd in their own group and had to advance based on being one of the higher 3rd place teams. They were not dominant throughout the knockouts either as they struggled in every match, going to extra time in a few of those. They do not have an easy group in this tournament with Cameroon in their group as well. Mozambique is the weakest of the bunch, but Gabon has been gaining steam recently and could be a threat to do some damage in this group. Cote D’Ivoire was not very dominant in their group for the qualifiers either, finishing in 2nd place behind Zambia at 4-0-2. They are a very good team defensively, but they lack the quality in their attack needed to make a deep run here. They were very fortunate to win the last AFCON Title and were helped by the home advantage in every match as the host nation, but they will not have that here and this current team does not have a shot at winning the title this time. There is no real value in Cote D’Ivoire at +1200. Tunisia +1200: Tunisia is coming into this tournament as the team with the next best chance at taking home the trophy, according to the oddsmakers. Tunisia last won this tournament in 2004 as the host nation and that is the only AFCON Title they have in their history. They finished 4th in the tournament after losing the runners up match against Nigeria back in 2019, but that is their only top 4 finish in this tournament since winning it in 2004. They were not very dominant in their group for the qualifiers either, finishing in 2nd place behind Comoros at 3-1-2 and only scoring 7 goals in their 6 matches while allowing 6 goals in those. Their defense is normally better than the way they performed in that group as they have a lot of quality on defense, but they also lack a lot of quality in their attack and have had a big problem with scoring goals. It was a big problem for them at the last AFCOn as well as at the last World Cup. They are not in an easy group either as they are in a group with Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda, so they are not even the best team in their own group. They are likely going to lean more on their defense in this tournament like they usually do and that will only get them so far, but eventually they will run into a stronger team and their inability to score goals will be their downfall. Tunisia does not have a good chance at making a deep run in this tournament so there is no real value in Tunisia at +1200. South Africa +4000: South Africa is not the next team on the list, but they do have some value at this price. South Africa last won this competition back in 1996 as the host nation and that is their only AFCON Title in their history. They did finish in 3rd place at the last AFCON and they have been building a very good team over the last few years as they are on the rise. They do not have an easy group in this competition as they are in a group with Egypt, Angola, and Zimbabwe, but South Africa did just top their group in the World Cup qualifiers which had Nigeria in it, and they were dominant in their group for the qualifiers of this competition as well. South Africa is by no means a dominant team in Africa, but they have been on the rise recently, playing in much better form, and they could make a run as a surprise team in this tournament. There is certainly some value in South Africa at +4000 as a long shot.  RecommendationCote D’Ivoire won the last AFCON as the host nation, but they do not have a strong team coming into this tournament and there will likely be a new champion this year. Morocco at +275 is the best option to go with in this tournament. Morocco is the favorite, but they are also the highest ranked team in Africa and they are the host nation so there is plenty of reason to back them here. Nigeria at +900 is also a good option with some value considering how Nigeria went to the Final at the last AFCON and they have a lot of quality that makes them one of the more dangerous teams in Africa. Finally, South Africa at +4000 certainly has some value as a long shot winner with the way they have been on the rise recently, and they have the potential to make a surprise run here. Morocco at +275, Nigeria at +900, and South Africa at +4000 are the best options for a team to win the 2025/26 AFCON Title.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/06/2025

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Dec 06, 2025

The Saturday sports card features NCAAF, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The college football postseason continues with five conference championship games. Two NCAAF conference championship games kick off at noon ET. Texas Tech takes on BYU in the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on ABC. The Red Raiders are a 12.5-point favorite with the total set at 49.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Western Michigan faces Miami (OH) in the Mid-American Conference championship game at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, on ESPN. The Broncos are a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 43.5. Georgia challenges Alabama in the SEC championship game at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on ABC and ESPN at 4:00 p.m. ET. The Bulldogs are a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 48.5. Two games conclude the NCAAF card at 8:00 p.m. ET. Virginia battles Duke in the ACC championship game at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on ABC. The Cavaliers are a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 57.5. Ohio State plays Indiana in the Big Ten championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Fox. The Buckeyes are a 4-point favorite with a total of 47.5.The National Basketball Association has seven games on its docket. The Brooklyn Nets host the New Orleans Pelicans at 5:10 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 227.5. The Atlanta Hawks travel to Washington to take on the Wizards at 7:10 p.m. ET as a 9.5-point road favorite with a total of 236.5. Two more NBA games tip off at 7:40 p.m. ET.  The Cleveland Cavaliers play at home against the Golden State Warriors as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 227.5. The Detroit Pistons are home to face the Milwaukee Bucks as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 223.5. Two NBA games start at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Miami Heat host the Sacramento Kings as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 239.5. The Minnesota Timberwolves play at home against the Los Angeles Clippers as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 225.5. The Houston Rockets play in Dallas against the Mavericks at 8:40 p.m. ET as a 10.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 221.5. The National Hockey League has 12 games on its slate. The Colorado Avalanche are on the road against the New York Rangers at 12:37 p.m. ET as a -170 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Florida Panthers are at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets at 3:37 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Six NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Ottawa Senators host the St. Louis Blues as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Tampa Bay Lightning plays at home against the New York Islanders as a -185 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs are home against the Montreal Canadiens as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Calgary Flames host the Utah Mammoth as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New Jersey Devils are on the road against the Boston Bruins as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Carolina Hurricanes play at home against the Nashville Predators as a -238 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Los Angeles Kings are home against the Chicago Blackhawks at 9:07 p.m. ET as a -218 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. Three more games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 p.m. ET. The Detroit Red Wings visit Seattle to battle the Kraken as a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Minnesota Wild play in Vancouver against the Canucks as a -135 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Edmonton Oilers host the Winnipeg Jets as a -205 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at noon ET with 115 games involving Division I opponents. Five NCAAB games are on major national television. Two NCAAB games tip off at noon ET. Duke is on the road against Michigan State on Fox as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 142.5. Purdue plays at home against Iowa State on CBS as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 152.5. Louisville challenges Indiana at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on CBS at 2:15 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 161.5. Baylor travels to Memphis on CBS at 4:30 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 157.5. Tennessee faces Illinois at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, on ESPN at 8:00 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 156.5. Matchweek 15 in the English Premier League begins with seven matches. Arsenal plays at Aston Villa on the USA Network at 7:30 a.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Five more EPL matches start at 10:00 a.m. ET. Chelsea is on the road against Bournemouth on NBC as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Everton is at home against Nottingham Forest as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Manchester City hosts Sunderland as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. Newcastle United plays at home against Burnley as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Tottenham is at home against Brentford on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Liverpool visits Leeds United on NBC at 12:30 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 12/05/2025

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Dec 05, 2025

The Friday sports card features NCAAF, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The college football postseason kicks off with four conference championship games. Two NCAAF conference championship games start at 7:00 p.m. ET. Kennesaw State travels to Jacksonville State in the Conference USA championship game on the CBS Sports Network. The Owls are a 2.5-point road favorite with the total set at 60.5 (all odds from DraftKings). James Madison hosts Troy in the Sun Belt Conference championship game on ESPN. The Dukes are a 23.5-point favorite with an over/under of 46.5. Two NCAAF conference championship games begin at 8:00 p.m. ET. North Texas plays at Tulane in the American Athletic Conference championship game on ABC. The Mean Green are a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 66.5. Boise State plays at home against UNLV in the Mountain West Conference championship game on Fox. The Broncos are a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 58.5. The National Basketball Association has 12 games on its docket. Two NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Boston Celtics are home against the Los Angeles Lakers on Amazon Prime Video as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 224.5. The Orlando Magic host the Miami Heat as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 242.5. Five more NBA games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Cleveland Cavaliers play at home against the San Antonio Spurs as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 238.5. The New York Knicks are home against the Utah Jazz as a 15.5-point favorite with an over/under of 240.5. The Toronto Raptors host the Charlotte Hornets as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 231.5. The Detroit Pistons play at home against the Portland Trail Blazers as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 236.5. The Denver Nuggets are on the road against the Atlanta Hawks as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 237.5.  Four NBA games begin at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Houston Rockets are home against the Phoenix Suns as an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 223.5. The Chicago Bulls host the Indiana Pacers as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 238.5. The Philadelphia 76ers visit the Milwaukee Bucks as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 223.5. The Los Angeles Clippers play in Memphis against the Grizzlies as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 223.5. The Oklahoma City Thunder play at home against the Dallas Mavericks on Amazon Prime Video at 9:40 p.m. ET as a 14.5-point favorite with an over/under of 228.5.The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Winnipeg Jets are home against the Buffalo Sabres as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Vegas Golden Knights are on the road against the New Jersey Devils as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Dallas Stars host the San Jose Sharks at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -228 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Utah Mammoth travel to Vancouver to face the Canucks at 9:07 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Washington Capitals play in Anaheim against the Ducks as a -142 road favorite with a total of 6.5.The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at 5:00 p.m. ET with 22 games involving Division I opponents. Gonzaga battles Kentucky on a neutral court at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, on ESPN2 at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 159.5. Xavier plays at home against Cincinnati on TNT as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 145.5. 

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College Basketball Betting Strategies and Insights

by Wayne Root

Thursday, Dec 04, 2025

How to Bet on College BasketballPlacing bets on college basketball may seem straightforward, but achieving consistent success involves several crucial steps. The first task is determining the best bet to make. At Wayne Root Sports, I conduct extensive research on teams and players, analyze statistics, preview games, and make predictions, so you can focus on your money management—your most vital tool for success.Focus on Select ConferencesConcentrating on a few conferences you know well can enhance your understanding of individual teams and their performance from game to game.Consider UnderdogsBetting on underdogs can be a strategic choice, as a single victory can be as rewarding as multiple wins on favorites. This approach is essential for effective bankroll management.College Basketball Futures BettingSimilar to other sports, college basketball futures allow bettors to wager on a variety of outcomes. You can bet on things like which team will win the national championship, individual award recipients, or if a specific team will qualify for the March tournament.Popular college basketball futures include:**National Champion:** Predict which team will win the national championship for the season.**Conference Winners:** Bet on the team you believe will win their conference.**Player of the Year:** Wager on who will be named Naismith Men's Player of the Year at season's end.**Win Totals:** Bet on whether a certain team will win more than a specific number of games in a season (e.g., over 25.5 wins for Wisconsin).**Tournament Qualification:** Bet on a team expected to secure a spot in March's college basketball tournament.Here are the top teams with the shortest odds to win the 2026 national title: As of mid-November - Purdue (+950)- Houston (+1000)- Kentucky (+1800)- Connecticut (+1300)- Duke (+1400)- Michigan (+1400)- St. John's (+1600)- BYU (+1700)- Florida (+1900)College Basketball Live BettingWhile most bettors place their wagers before games, many sports betting apps offer live betting options. This allows you to bet on a game while it is in progress. For instance, if the Michigan Wolverines start slow against the Indiana Hoosiers, a bettor might use an app to place a wager believing the Wolverines can still pull off a win, despite trailing.Live betting odds—like spread, money line, total points, "next team to score," and halftime markets—are continually updated throughout the game, giving bettors the chance to capitalize on changing circumstances.ConclusionLastly, the importance of effective money management cannot be overstated. Aim to maintain your money management strategy for at least two weeks to navigate both winning and losing streaks effectively.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/04/2025

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Dec 04, 2025

The Thursday sports card features NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.Week 14 in the National Football League kicks off with one game. The Detroit Lions host the Dallas Cowboys on Amazon Prime Video at 8:15 p.m. ET. The Lions lost for the second time in their last three games after a 31-24 upset loss at home against Green Bay as a 3-point favorite last Thursday on Thanksgiving. The Cowboys are on a three-game winning streak after a 31-28 upset victory at home against Kansas City last Thursday as a 3.5-point underdog. Detroit is a 3-point favorite with the total set at 54.5 (all odds from DraftKings).The National Basketball Association has five games on its docket. Two NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Boston Celtics travel to Washington to play the Wizards as a 7.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 230.5. The Philadelphia 76ers play at home against the Golden State Warriors as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 222.5. Two NBA games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Utah Jazz play in Brooklyn against the Nets as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 231.5. The Toronto Raptors are home against the Los Angeles Lakers as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 230.5. The Minnesota Timberwolves are on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans at 8:10 p.m. ET as a 10.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 235.5. The National Hockey League has 10 games on its slate. Six NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Carolina Hurricanes host the Toronto Maple Leafs as a -205 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The St. Louis Blues visit Boston to take on the Bruins as a -142 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Colorado Avalanche play in New York against the Islanders as a -192 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Ottawa Senators play at home against the New York Rangers as a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Tampa Bay Lightning are home against the Pittsburgh Penguins as a -205 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Florida Panthers host the Nashville Predators as a -205 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Columbus Blue Jackets play at home against the Detroit Red Wings at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -126 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. Two more NHL games begin at 9:07 p.m. ET. The Edmonton Oilers are home against the Seattle Kraken as a -238 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Minnesota Wild are on the road against the Calgary Flames as a -122 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Los Angeles Kings host the Chicago Blackhawks at 10:07 p.m. ET as a -238 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at 4:00 p.m. ET with 11 games involving Division I opponents. There are no games on major national television.Matchweek 14 in the English Premier League concludes with one match. Manchester United plays at home against West Ham United on the USA Network at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds 12/03/2025

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Dec 03, 2025

The Wednesday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association has nine games on its docket. Three NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Orlando Magic host the San Antonio Spurs as a 7.5-point favorite with the total set at 233.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Cleveland Cavaliers play at home against the Portland Trail Blazers as a 10.5-point favorite with an over/under of 238.5. The Denver Nuggets travel to Indiana to play the Pacers as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 236.5. Two NBA games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The New York Knicks are home against the Charlotte Hornets as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 236.5. The Atlanta Hawks host the Los Angeles Clippers as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 228.5. Three NBA games begin at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Detroit Pistons play in Milwaukee against the Bucks as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 232.5. The Chicago Bulls play at home against the Brooklyn Nets as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 237.5. The Houston Rockets are home against the Sacramento Kings as a 15.5-point favorite with an over/under of 230.5. The Miami Heat are on the road against the Dallas Mavericks as a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 240.5. The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. The New Jersey Devils host the Dallas Stars at 7:07 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Two more NHL games drop the puck at 7:37 p.m. ET. The Winnipeg Jets visit Montreal with both teams priced as -110 money-line favorites with a total of 6.5. The Philadelphia Flyers play at home against the Buffalo Sabres on TNT as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 p.m. ET. The Washington Capitals play in San Jose against the Sharks as a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Anaheim Ducks are home against the Utah Mammoth on TNT as a -112 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at 12:00 p.m. ET with 78 games involving Division I opponents. There are four games on major national television in the ACC-SEC Challenge. Louisville is on the road against Arkansas on ESPN at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 165.5. Alabama hosts Clemson on ESPNU at 7:15 p.m. ET as an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 166.5.  Two NCAA-B games on major national television start at 9:15 p.m. ET. Texas plays at home against Virginia on ESPNU as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 150.5. Auburn is at home against North Carolina State on ESPN as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 165.5. Matchweek 14 in the English Premier League continues with six matches. Four EPL matches begin at 2:30 p.m. ET. Arsenal hosts Brentford on the USA Network as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Brighton and Hove Albion plays at home against Aston Villa as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Crystal Place travels to Burnley as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Nottingham Forest plays at Wolverhampton as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Two more matches conclude the EPL card at 3:15 p.m. ET. Chelsea is on the road at Leeds United as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Liverpool is home to take on Sunderland as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/02/2025

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Dec 02, 2025

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association has six games on its docket. The Philadelphia 76ers host the Washington Wizards at 7:10 p.m. ET as a 13.5-point favorite with the total set at 234.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Toronto Raptors play at home against the Portland Trail Blazers at 7:40 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 235.5. Three NBA games tip off at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Timberwolves travel to New Orleans to face the Pelicans as a 9.5-point road favorite with a total of 235.5. The San Antonio Spurs are home against the Memphis Grizzlies as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 231.5. The Boston Celtics host the New York Knicks on NBC as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 230.5. The Oklahoma City Thunder play at Golden State against the Warriors on NBC at 11:10 p.m. ET as an 11.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 221.5. The National Hockey League has 10 games on its slate. Four NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Tampa Bay Lightning are on the road against the New York Islanders as a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Detroit Red Wings play at home against the Boston Bruins as a -198 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Ottawa Senators visit the Montreal Canadiens as a -112 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Dallas Stars play in New York against the Rangers as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Florida Panthers are home against the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -166 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Nashville Predators host the Calgary Flames at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Two more NHL games start at 9:07 p.m. ET. The Colorado Avalanche play at home against the Vancouver Canucks as a -325 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Edmonton Oilers are home to take on the Minnesota Wild as a -162 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Vegas Golden Knights host the Chicago Blackhawks at 10:07 p.m. ET as a -290 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Los Angeles Kings play at home against the Washington Capitals at 10:37 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at 11:00 a.m. ET with 58 games involving Division I opponents. There are four games on major national television. Tennessee is on the road against Syracuse in the ACC/SEC Challenge on ESPN2 at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 146.5. Duke is home against Florida in the ACC/SEC Challenge on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 157.5. Connecticut travels to Kansas on ESPN2 at 9:00 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 141.5. Kentucky hosts North Carolina in the ACC/SEC Challenge on ESPN at 9:30 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 161.5. Matchweek 14 in the English Premier League begins with three matches. Two EPL matches begin at 2:30 p.m. ET. Bournemouth plays at home against Everton as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Manchester City plays at Fulham on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Newcastle United is at home against Tottenham at 3:15 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 12/01/2025

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Dec 01, 2025

The Monday sports card features NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action. Week 13 in the NFL concludes with one game. The New England Patriots host the New York Giants on ESPN and the Manningcast on ESPN2 at 8:15 p.m. ET. The Patriots have won nine games in a row after their 26-20 victory at Cincinnati as a 7.5-point favorite last Sunday. The Giants have lost six games in a row after a 34-27 loss in overtime at Detroit as a 14-point underdog on Sunday. New England is a 7.5-point favorite with the total set at 46.5. The National Basketball Association has nine games on its docket. Three NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Cleveland Cavaliers travel to Indiana to play the Pacers as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 233.5. The Milwaukee Bucks play at Washington against the Wizards as a 10.5-point road favorite with a total of 234.5. The Detroit Pistons play at home against the Atlanta Hawks as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 232.5. Three NBA games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Orlando Magic are home against the Chicago Bulls on Peacock as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 240.5. The Charlotte Hornets are on the road against the Brooklyn Nets as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 225.5. The Miami Heat host the Los Angeles Clippers as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 235.5. Two NBA games begin at 9:10 p.m. ET. The Denver Nuggets play at home against the Dallas Mavericks as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 233.5. The Houston Rockets visit the Utah Jazz as a 12.5-point favorite with an over/under of 233.5. The Los Angeles Lakers are home against the Phoenix Suns on Peacock at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 234.5. The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Philadelphia Flyers host the Pittsburgh Penguins as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The New Jersey Devils play at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Buffalo Sabres are home against the Winnipeg Jets at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The St. Louis Blues host the Anaheim Ducks at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Utah Mammoth play at San Jose against the Sharks at 10:07 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at 12:00 p.m. ET with 19 games involving Division I opponents. There are two games on major national television. Villanova plays at home against Temple on FS1 at 6:30 p.m. ET as a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 149.5. Xavier is at home against Saint Francis on truTV at 7:00 p.m. ET. as a 27.5-point favorite with an over/under of 151.5. 

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Trolling Quarterbacks: The Laziest Form of Sports Commentary

by Hollywood Sports

Sunday, Nov 30, 2025

November was a booming month for the cottage industry in the Sports Hot Take Industrial Complex to write the career obituaries for Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy. It was fascinating to watch these folks, amidst the central storyline this season of the resurrection of the retread quarterback (Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, and, heck, even Jacoby Brissett), that some were so quick to close the book on a 22-year-old first-year starter after five games. As they did with Baker and Darnold and Jones … and Troy Aikman and Josh Allen and a slew of others who do not meet their precious standards. Some folks wrapped themselves into a pretzel to conclude that the wide receiver drops that have reared its ugly head with the Vikings this year were exclusively the fault of McCarthy. I appreciate the argument that when a quarterback’s timing is off, it throws off the rhythm of the receivers. But no one is making the argument that Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson is better than both Vikings’ wide receivers, Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. An unintentional byproduct of the Hate J.J. Brigade has been unearthed since he entered the NFL draft: just how little college football the supposed NFL experts actually watch. It is clear the JJ Haters never watched a Michigan game … or have no recollection of McCarthy playing in games against Ohio State and Alabama. No time for that, because the Hot Takes have to be served up with the four jokes to one point of substance ratio. Long before JJ McCarthy, I had found the Shit on Bad Quarterbacks genre the laziest of endeavors. It is so easy to make fun of bad quarterback play. Psychologically, it takes on the same form as bullying, not because it impacts the target in question, but because it is simply a manifestation of mob rule. It is taking the safest position in the world (because no one wants to defend Mark Sanchez after the butt fumble) while feigning some sort of superiority over this professional athlete. It’s pathetic. And there is no accountability. The guy who wrote the Buffalo Bills preview for the Football Outsiders declared Josh Allen an official flop going into his third season. Like, that dude should be banished for being so effing wrong. But he will keep Steven A. Smithing because the Hot Take Industry must be fed.Thankfully, successful sports handicapping does not require Hot Take artistry. I can give JJ McCarthy five years — as Sam Darnold got. Maybe he can get as many second chances as Steve Sarkisian. As if these Hot Takers never had a bad day at the office ….I was high on McCarthy entering the season — and I will be just fine if he turns out to be a lemon. I get stuff wrong all the time. And he has to play better to avoid getting pushed into the Josh Rosen career death knell. But I am not making it up that he completed 240 of his 331 passes (72.3%) in his senior year. And the Hate JJ Brigade can’t have it both ways that the Wolverine players on that team were overrated (Colin Cowherd) AND McCarthy is so wild that his receivers are too befuddled to catch his balls.  Something else is going on in Minnesota. The vibes are all wrong. I have really liked Kevin O’Connell in the past. I am puzzled by the play-calling. He is coaching McCarthy as if he expects monster performances. That tells me either he has not lost any faith or that he is failing to adapt to put his QB in a position to succeed. McCarthy had zero rushing attempts in one of his November starts before suffering his concussion. He needs a designed run in his first ten snaps. I don’t know why they are throwing fade routes to 5’11 Jordan Addison when he is being covered by a 6’4 cornerback (that was the second interception in the game against Chicago). I will plant my flag on this: the best measurement of the potential of a young talent is from their highs rather than their lows. O’Connell’s job is to discover what was different for McCarthy in his game-winning drive against Chicago (and his final drive against them in the rematch) and begin replicating that. The dude didn’t win a National Championship by handing the ball off, despite what you may have heard Kirk Herbstreit utter between his swooning over the latest Megyn Kelly interview. He engineered the last-minute game-tying drive in the semis against Alabama (Nick Saban’s Alabama). Gil Brandt preached that young quarterbacks cannot be accurately assessed before 20 starts. That may be a naive expectation in the modern game. But take a look at what they were saying about Drake May at this time last year. Or take a look at Bryce Young's development this month — I thought he was officially buried in October of 2024? Yet he just led Carolina to an upset win at home against the supposed best team in the league, the Los Angeles Rams (BTW Bryce, where was anything of that last week in the pathetic loss at San Francisco? OK, baby steps …), and implicitly projecting superiority. There is plenty of blame to spread around. But after Max Brosmer completed 19 of 30 passes for 126 yards with four interceptions, including a pick-six, it is clear the problem is not exclusively McCarthy’s. It is ironic that some critics are pointing fingers at Minnesota for having two first-year starting quarterbacks throw pick-sixes in their first career start this season. In other news today, Matthew Stafford threw a pick-six in what was a game-deciding play given the score in their upset loss to the Panthers. I’m so old, I remember the fact that Stafford threw four pick-sixes in the 2021-22 season when he led the Los Angeles Rams to winning the Super Bowl. That little nugget failed to get mentioned in the finger-pointing Hot Takes this evening after Brosmer’s game.Earlier this month, I listened to Kevin O’Connell discuss his process on McCarthy. He’s asking for a change in his mechanics. I find that a bit fascinating, because while they are both ex-quarterbacks, Jim Harbaugh, McCarthy’s head coach at Michigan when they won a national championship, was more accomplished as a player and as a coach. And I like O’Connell. Maybe he’s right! Maybe he is asking him to make changes at 22 that you don’t ask of a 20-year-old, when Harbaugh was his mentor? But if McCarthy is spending 3/4ths of the game trying to mediate a change in fundamentals as he learns defenses, that explains both his loss of accuracy and his sudden improvement in the fourth quarter when he is put in two-minute mode, and there is less “thinking.” McCarthy was good under center at Michigan — a skill that many have already concluded he is simply lacking at the next level. I don’t know why he is not more under center as he did with the Wolverines to set up play-action passes. O’Connell deserves more scrutiny for how he has handled this. I concede that injuries on the offensive line have not helped the situation at all — and because there are not enough skilled offensive linemen in the world to stock 32 NFL teams, the margins are thin. But that is a better excuse for McCarthy than it is for O’Connell. From my vantage point, O’Connell adapted his play-calling when Carson Wentz briefly took over when McCarthy got injured after taking too many sacks in his first two starts. I have not seen much of that with McCarthy. Earlier this month, I did not see many O’Connell taking any shortcuts with his play-calling. I appreciate the zeal to coach talent up — and if the expectation is that they are smart enough to make the breakthrough, then why can’t they make the jump this season? Jayden Daniels did it last year by reaching the NFC championship game. But for O’Connell, it would have probably been to devolve to the B+ offense in early November to make it look better. Where are the short passing routes? He’s either stupid, stubborn, or he thinks force-feeding the Calculus curriculum now may trigger the breakthrough just in time for the playoffs this year. Because he thinks they can win now? But then suddenly, his offense took a 180-degree turn where it was run the ball, run the ball, and then rely on McCarthy on third-and-long. Well, if McCarthy’s “fundamentals” and comfort operating in the pocket were so lacking, then why did O’Connell opt to pull him after one successful drive in his preseason games? Those answers don’t’ jive.  Admittedly, McCarthy has looked completely out of place at times. He seemed nervous in his first two starts, which were both in front of nationally-televised audiences in primetime. At this point, giving him more snaps in preseason games seems an undeniable mistake by his head coach. Once we accept that, then the mistakes in his stewardship are part of the problem.I will not be surprised if we later hear the ole Aaron Rodgers “I was playing through injury” excuse when it comes to McCarthy. The Vikings need to upgrade their offensive line. The culture may be rattled in O’Connell’s locker room. But what we know is this: Harbaugh stewarded McCarthy to lead Michigan to a national championship. Plan A in both showdown games against Ohio State was to win the game with McCarthy’s arm — and both those games can be watched on YouTube for those who had been relying on Colin Cowherd’s boozy recollection of those games as the gospel. We have seen McCarthy operate at a high level in clutch time this season. At a certain point, it is the job of the coaches to identify why a player is having success and replicate those conditions. O’Connell is failing in this regard. After losing one game at Michigan and allegedly just three times in his entire football career before getting drafted by the Vikings, McCarthy is facing true adversity for the first time in his career. Yes, he has thrown pick-sixes before (twice, in fact, in the college football semifinals against TCU) and handled that short-term adversity. But this is the first time he has endured the day-to-day, steady criticism that he is a failure. And it is no guarantee that he can recover from that beatdown — despite the plethora of examples suggesting otherwise before they reach their 20-game threshold for Brandt’s measuring stick. In the meantime, the Hot Take Sports Industry continues operating like the frat boy dude hitting on everything while wearing the “Big Johnson” t-shirt: keep throwing out the vibe, because one of these Hot Takes is due to finally turn out to be right. Best of luck — Frank.

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College Football 2025-26 Preview, Part 6 -- 136 Questions and Thoughts for 136 FBS Teams

by Hollywood Sports

Sunday, Nov 30, 2025

For the 15th straight summer, I invested time researching each FBS college football team to serve as the foundation for my college football handicapping in the fall and winter. What initially began as basic note-taking on some fundamental details for each team has become an arduous and detailed process for each team that derives from reading and studying multiple sources. Each FBS team now takes about 45 minutes to an hour of preparation time. To help document this work while crystallizing my thoughts for each team, I am providing a summary of each team highlighted by a critical question that will go a long way in their success or failure.BOWLING GREEN: After a three-year run where the Falcons went only 7-22, head coach Scot Loeffler followed a 7-6 campaign two years ago with another 7-6 season that culminated in a 38-31 loss against Arkansas State in the 68 Ventures Bowl. They also played both Penn State and Texas A&M tough in seven and six-point losses early in the season. Loeffler clearly got himself off the hot seat he had been on for a few seasons — but he threw the program for a loop when he bolted in February to take the quarterback coaching job for the Philadelphia Eagles. The Bowling Green administration responded by hiring Ohio State (and Tennessee Titans) legend Eddie George as their next head coach after four years as the head coach at Tennessee State. The former Heisman Trophy winner could get a headway into recruiting in-state. Last year’s team lost 32 seniors, but Loeffler had already brought in 15 transfer players before George added another 10 to fortify the roster. GEORGIA SOUTHERN: The Eagles enjoyed their best season in three years under head coach Clay Helton, finishing 8-5 after a 31-26 loss to Sam Houston in the New Orleans Bowl. They finished 6-2 in the Sun Belt Conference, although they did get outgained by -21 Yards-Per-Game against conference foes. Five starters return on each side of the ball. For the first time in his tenure at Georgia Southern, Helton sees his starting quarterback return. Junior J.C.French passed for 2831 yards with 17 touchdown passes, but he needs to cut down on his turnovers after throwing four interceptions in the bowl game. Helton brought in eight players in the transfer portal to help the defense. The Eagles surrendered 428.6 total YPG, ranking 115th in the nation — but their SP+ ranking of 91st in the FBS using the metrics by ESPN’s Bill Connelly was their best mark since 2020. On paper, this is Helton’s best roster since taking over this program. KENT STATE: It is simply the most difficult situation in the entire FBS. The Golden Flashes went 0-12 last year, getting outscored by -30 Points-Per-Game and getting outgained by -283 Yards-Per-Game. They only generated 233.3 YPG, which resulted in 13.9 PPG. They surrendered 516.0 YPG, which resulted in 44.1 PPG. All four of those marks were the second-worst in the FBS. They averaged -145 fewer YPG than their opponents’ season defensive average. They gave up +156 more YPG than their opponents’ season offensive average. Both those numbers were the worst in the nation. It is hard to recruit here — and any players that develop are likely to enter the transfer portal. The program lacks funding, with the primary purpose seeming to be to take paychecks to fund the other elements of the athletic department. And then to compound matters, third-year head coach Kenni Burns was fired in mid-April due to a loan scandal involving his taking money from a booster. On the bright side, it probably could not have gotten worse than a coaching change in the early days of spring practice. Offensive coordinator Mark Carney was elevated to be the interim head coach. It would seem that only masochists would want to touch this team at betting windows. But playing in the Mid-American Conference, the margins are not overwhelming to begin outperforming point spread expectations. After junior quarterback Devin Kargman entered the transfer portal after spring practice, former Fordham quarterback C.J. Montes changed his mind to leave the program in the portal. The former New Mexico recruit was a finalist for the Walter Payton award in 2023 when he threw for 3000 yards and 26 touchdowns before being slowed by injuries last year. He could give the offense a spark it has not had in years. MASSACHUSETTS: The Minutemen have not won more than four games since joining the FBS in 2012. After a 2-10 campaign last year, the administration cut ties with head coach Don Brown after three years running the program. Massachusetts continued their defensive focus by hiring Joe Harasymiak as their next head coach after serving as the defensive coordinator at Rutgers for the last three years. He also had a successful run as the head coach at the University of Maine. He leads the Minutemen back to the Mid-American Conference where they went 7-25 from 2012 through 2015 before they went independent. Harasymiak brought in 34 transfers including 12 from Power Four conferences. OREGON: The Ducks went undefeated in Big Ten play last season and were one of the four teams to earn a bye in the College Football Playoff. But they got trounced by Ohio State by a 41-21 score in the quarterfinals. On the one hand, it is a testament to fourth-year head coach Dan Lanning that his football team’s only losses in the last two seasons were either to the eventual national champion or a team that reached the championship game (two losses to Washington two seasons ago). But on the other hand, his game management in big moments has been questionable in my mind — and, yo, is this dude wound up tight. He has done a great job of assembling an uber-talented roster. He is recruiting as well as anyone in the country — and he has made Oregon a premier landing spot for high-level transfers without losing players of his own. Yet my concern with him is similar to the one I have about Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell. When there are so many good players, the head coach’s job becomes putting the players in the best position to succeed. It’s not the time to start splitting face cards just because the dealer shows a six. Another concern is that maintaining a culture is not automatic. Only six starters are back from last year’s team. Many of the new starters this season are new to the program after transferring in. Chemistry and team cohesion will have to be nurtured because many of these players have not been in this environment. However, that is not the case for redshirt sophomore quarterback Dante Moore, who transferred in from UCLA two years ago and redshirted last year while watching Dillon Gabriel operate. He is a former five-star recruit who had five starts for the Bruins in 2023. But his production was not always steady that year — and there is a reason why he left. TROY: Expectations were not high for the Trojans after head coach Jon Sumrall bolted for Tulane, and the program got gutted in the transfer portal. After losing seven of their first eight games, first-year head coach Gerad Parker led his team to winning three of their final four games. Unfortunately, quarterback Matthew Caldwell, running back Damien Taylor, and wide receiver Devonte Ross all entered the transfer portal and got poached by Texas, Ole Miss, and Penn State, respectively. Parker is using the transfer portal to help restock the roster, although the focus remains on a patient rebuild of this program that relies on player development. He brought in the top-ranked recruiting class in the Sun Belt Conference. Will “Goose” Crowder was the starting quarterback to begin the season before suffering an elbow season-ending upper body injury in the fourth game. He was completing 69.4% of his passes with five touchdown passes and no interceptions at the time. If he can regain that form this season, the Trojans may return to a bowl game. UL-LAFAYETTE: After two straight 6-7 campaigns in the first two seasons with Louisiana-Lafayette, head coach Michael Desmormeax led the Ragin’ Cajuns to a 10-1 start before injuries to senior quarterbacks Ben Woolridge and then Chander Fields forced him to turn to his third-string QB in their final two games. They lost those games by a combined 65-6 score after their 35-3 loss to TCU in the New Mexico Bowl. Only seven starters are back from that 10-3 squad, but Desmormeaux did not lean heavily on the transfer portal as he only brought in seven new players from other teams. He is counting on his recruiting and the coaching staff’s player development to fill most of the gaps. That is probably the most sustainable long-term strategy — but Desmormeaux should not count on a +10 net turnover margin once again this season. Best of luck — Frank.

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