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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NCAA Basketball and NCAA Football Preview

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Dec 22, 2020

The Tuesday sports card has the debut of the 2020-21 NBA season along with a full slate in college basketball and two college football bowl games.A double-header on TNT tips off the new NBA season. At 7 PM ET, Brooklyn hosts Golden State in the debut of Kevin Durant playing in a Nets uniform against his former team in the Warriors. The Nets are 7.5-point favorites with the total set at 230 (all odds from BetOnline).The nightcap on TNT is at 10 PM ET, with LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers being the technical home team at the Staples Center against Kawhi Leonard's Clippers. And what would an NBA season be without drama?  The latest soap opera concerns Leonard, who recently announced he will likely decline his player option next summer.  The new reigning NBA champion Lakers are 3-point favorites with an over/under of 220.5.The college football bowl schedule starts at 3:30 PM ET with Tulane playing Nevada in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on ESPN. Tulane raised their record to a 6-5 mark on December 5th with a 35-21 win over Memphis. The Green Wave have won four of their last five games.Nevada has lost two of their last three after they were upset in their most recent game at San Jose State by a 30-20 score as a 2.5-point favorite on December 11th. The Green Wave are 2.5-point favorites, with the total at 57.The Boca Raton Bowl features an 11th ranked BYU playing Central Florida on Tuesday night on ESPN. FAU Stadium is the site. BYU rebounded from their 22-17 loss at Coastal Carolina in that rescheduled on-the-fly “bracket buster” showdown on December 5th to defeat San Diego State at home the next Saturday, 28-14, as a 16.5-point favorite.Central Florida returns to action for the first time since November 27th when they defeated South Florida on the road, 58-46. The Knights are 6-3 this season, with their losses to Tulsa, Memphis, and Cincinnati being by a combined 12 points. UCF enjoyed a 25-game winning streak from the opening of the 2017 season, where they won all five of their games decided by one possession. Yet their three losses last year in a 10-3 campaign were by seven combined points before their tough luck in close games continued this season. The Knights have lost seven of their last eight games decided by one scoring possession.BYU is a 6-point favorite with the total set at 75.5. The ESPN broadcast starts at 7 PM ET.The college basketball card starts at noon ET with Boston College hosting Maine as a 23-point favorite with an over/under of 136.The nationally televised college basketball card starts at 7 PM ET, with Wisconsin hosting Nebraska on FS1. The ninth-ranked Badgers in the latest Associated Press poll are 17.5-point favorites with a total of 141.5. Texas Tech plays at Oklahoma on ESPN2 with the 15th ranked Red Raiders a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 136. Western Kentucky plays at home against Tennessee Tech on ESPNU as a 21.5-point favorite with the total at 141.5. The highest-profile contest is at 9 PM ET on ESPN2, with the 7th ranked West Virginia playing at the 3rd ranked Kansas. The Jayhawks are a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 140.5. Saint Mary’s plays at San Diego State on the CBS Sports Network with the Gaels a 3-point road favorite with a total of 126. TCU hosts North Dakota State on ESPNU as a 14-point favorite with an over/under of 128.5.

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NBA Basketball Futures Bet: Milwaukee Bucks to Win 2021 Championship

by Al McMordie

Monday, Dec 21, 2020

It's the eve of the 2020-21 season, so it's once again time for our NBA Futures Wager.  Faithful followers love our selections, as we've cashed an unbelievable number of futures over the years.  Here are some recent highlights:  2020 - Lightning (7-1), Dodgers (4-1); 2019 - Nationals (18-1), Virginia (22-1); 2018 - Warriors (-160); 2017 - Astros (10-1); 2016 - Warriors (5-1); 2014 - Spurs (14-1).  The NBA season tips off Tuesday, December 22 with two games:  the Los Angeles Lakers against the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Golden State Warriors against the Brooklyn Nets.  Certainly, when the league created its schedule, it must have believed that those four teams would comprise four of the top five title contenders.  But then Warriors SG Klay Thompson sustained a season-ending injury, which has knocked out Golden State from any championship discussion.  The one title contender which will not be featured on opening night is, of course, the Milwaukee Bucks.  (No, I do not consider the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks or Denver Nuggets true title contenders.)Milwaukee has rolled to the best record in the league over the last two regular seasons, but has flamed out in the playoffs.  Last season was especially humbling, as they only managed to win one game in their series vs. the Miami Heat.  That prompted GM Jon Horst to "go back to the drawing board" to try to re-shape his team.  He make one great trade by acquiring Jrue Holiday, but fell short on what would have been a second great trade when then-Sacramento Kings G Bogdan Bogdanovic refused to agree to a sign-and-trade offer.  Bogdanovic later signed with Atlanta in free agency, while the Bucks were slapped by the league for tampering, and forfeited a 2022 2nd round draft choice.  The upshot is that there's still one major hole for Horst to fill, as the Bucks could really use one more deep threat with whom to surround Giannis Antetokounmpo.  But the pieces are still present to win the Eastern Conference.  And Milwaukee is one of the very, very few teams that can match up with the very good (and very big) Los Angeles Lakers.There's no doubt in my mind that the Lakers are the league's best team, as currently constructed.  But with current championship odds at +250, I'm going to look in another direction.  And when I say "look in another direction," I mean, look only at another team which can match up with the Lakers on the interior.  It's an exceptionally short list, topped by the Bucks.  So, we will play on Milwaukee at +650 (the current odds at BetOnline).  And, of course, it goes without saying that the Bucks team which exists on opening night may not be the team which takes the court at the start of the playoffs.  The trade deadline is still 3 months away, and one can rest assured that Horst will have ample opportunity to add another shooter -- whether by trade, or by free agency (after players get bought out by their teams).Still, the addition of Holiday to this Bucks lineup will be enough to get them over the hump in the Eastern Conference.  Holiday is the best defensive guard in the league, and he has stepped up in the playoffs -- something erstwhile floor general Eric Bledsoe was unable to do.  It's true the Nets will be a threat with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, etc.  But Steve Nash will be a rookie head coach, so I'm lukewarm on how far it will go in the post-season with an inexperienced head coach and a roster which has yet to play meaningful playoff minutes together.Take Milwaukee at +650 to win the NBA Championship in 2021.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

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Ness Notes: Monday, Dec 21

by Larry Ness

Monday, Dec 21, 2020

This column will be available Monday through Friday (posted no later than 1:00 ET), EXCLUSIVELY at BigAl.com. I like to call it my daily 'random thoughts' on the sports betting world, although I'll pass along that my therapist refers to it as "thoughtful commentary."MNF: NFL Week 15 concludes with the Steelers looking to break a two-game losing streak (after an 11-0 start) with a MNF contest in Cincinnati (8:15 ET on ESPN) against the 2-10-1 Bengals. My NFL Week 15 recap will be featured in Tuesday's Notes but with the KC Chiefs moving to 13-1 with a win at New Orleans on Sunday and the Buffalo Bills moving to 11-3 with a Saturday win at Denver, the Steelers BADLY need a win here to move to 12-2. The Bengals should play "the perfect foil" but the Steelers can make a quick call to the Rams and ask how their game with the 0-13 Jets went on Sunday? Spoiler Alert, the Jets (+17) won 23-20 at the Rams, who fell out of first-place in the NFC West. The Bengals have scored just nine, seven and seven points in the three games since rookie QB Joe Burrow was lost for the season but also note that the Steelers have averaged only 18.0 PPG over their last three games, a 19-14 win over the COVID-ravaged Ravens plus back-to-back losses to Washington and Buffalo. Pittsburgh is favored by 14 1/2-points and the over/under is 40 1/2.Before getting to college football, here's a quick check on college hoops from Friday through Sunday. There were three matchups over the weekend that featured games between ranked teams. No. 1 Gonzaga beat No. 3 Iowa 99-88 and No. 12 Wisconsin beat No. 23 Louisville 85-48 on Saturday (both higher ranked teams covered). However, No. 13 Illinois lost 91-88 at No. 19 Rutgers on Sunday as a small road favorite. Then again, was it really an upset. The victory keeps the Scarlet Knights unbeaten so far this season at 6-0 and the team is now 23-2 SU since the start of last season at the RAC (Rutgers Athletic Center). Higher ranked teams are now 12-6 SU but just 9-9 ATS on the season in ranked vs ranked contests. As for ranked teams playing unranked opponents, they went 9-3 SU but just 4-8 ATS Fri-Sun. No. 18 San Diego St lost its first game of the season on Friday (72-62 at home to BYU) and No. 15 Florida St lost its first game this season 86-74 at home to UCF on Saturday. This deserves a comment, as the Seminoles saw their 27-game home winning streak snapped, as well as a 41-game home winning streak at home against a non-conference opponent. No. 4 Michigan St was the third ranked team to lose to an unranked opponent this weekend when the Spartans lost 79-65 at Northwestern. Ranked teams are now 101-16 (.863) SU but a more modest 63-52-2 (54.8%) ATS against unranked opponents Y-T-D. There are no Monday matchups  between ranked opponents but FIVE ranked teams will host unranked foes, including No. 1 Gonzaga (4-0) at home vs Northwestern St and No. 2 Baylor (5-0) at home vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Both Northwestern St and Arkansas St come in with identical 1-7 records Should we issue an "Upset Alert?"CFB Weekend Recap: The AP released its final regular season poll about an hour before the CFP rankings came out and I'll start with that, as I've used the AP rankings all season-long in charting matchups between ranked teams and ones between ranked and unranked opponents. 11-0 Alabama remained an unanimous No. 1 for the FIFTH straight week, followed by 10-1 Clemson (AP's preseason No. 1) moving up to No. 2 (from No. 4) after impressively beating then-No.2 Notre Dame 34-10 (Fighting Irish lost for the first time this season to fall to 10-1). Ohio St remained at No. 3, after a less-than-impressive 22-10 win over Northwestern, giving the Buckeyes a 6-0 record (lost three games to COVID issues). 8-1 Texas A&M was No. 5, 9-0 Cincinnati was 6th, 6-1 Indiana 7th, 8-2 Oklahoma 8th, 11-0 Coastal at 9th (had its game with 9-1 ULL canceled due to COVID) and 8-3 Florida completed the top-10. The biggest falls were USC falling from No. 13 to No. 21 with a home loss to Oregon and Iowa State falling from No. 8 to No. 12 after losing to Oklahoma. No. 24 Buffalo dropped out of the poll by virtue of its 38-28 loss to Ball St, while Oregon (AP's preseason No. 9) got back in the poll at No. 25.Higher ranked teams entered the weekend 23-7 (.767) SU and 21-9 (70.0%) ATS in matchups of ranked opponents. However, in the five meetings between ranked opponents this weekend (all were conference championship games), the higher ranked teams went 3-2 SU (No. 2 Notre Dame lost to No. Clemson and No. Iowa St lost to No. 12 Oklahoma) but all FIVE failed to cover (0-5 ATS)! That makes the Y-T-D numbers sit at 26-9 (.743) SU and 21-14 (60.0%) ATS. Only two games between ranked and unranked foes got played (many cancelations), with No. 5 Texas A&M winning and covering at Tennessee and No. 13 USC losing at home to Oregon. The Y-T-D numbers stand at 135-33 (.804) SU and 84-82-2 (50.6%) ATS in favor of the ranked teams. That ATS number looks 'sad' but don't forget that through Oct 31 ranked teams were just 36-53-1 (40.4%) ATS against unranked opponents.CFP Rankings: Not sure how anyone could have reasonably been surprised as to how the final top-four came out. There was NO suspense regarding 11-0 Alabama being ranked No,. 1 (23rd time in CFP history, more than all other schools combined!) and Clemson coming in at No. 2 after it POUNDED Notre Dame. The committee had LONG ago made it clear that Ohio St was going to be a 'Final Four' team if the Buckeyes had played TWO games, so a 6-0 Ohio St team which had just won the Big Ten championship game was SURELY not going to fall out of the top-four. If there was ANY suspense to be had, it came over which school got the No. 4 spot, 10-1 Notre Dame or 8-1 Texas A&M? Jimbo Fisher can whine all he wants about going 8-1 in the SEC but his team was routed by Alabama (52-24) and didn't have a win over a top-notch team all season. If Fisher thinks a 31-20 win over Auburn counts, he has GOT to be kidding! The 6-4 Tigers lost 27-6 to Georgia and 42-13 Alabama plus for good measure, lost 30-22 at a South Carolina team that finished 2-8! Notre Dame did get the No. 4 spot and SHOULD have.My biggest takeaway from the rankings was that a two-loss Oklahoma team (No. 6) and a three-loss Florida team (No. 7) both came in ahead of 9-0 Cincinnati. The Bearcats finished in the top-20 in both scoring D (16.0 PPG ranked 8th) and total D (314.4 YPG ranked 13th) plus also finished 15th in scoring (15th) on 467.2 YPG (19th). The ONLY other school to accomplish that feat in 2020 is Clemson, which is headed to the CFP for a SIXTH straight year and has gone 79-6 (.929 ) SU since 2015. The CLEAR message that was sent is; "Group of Five schools need NOT apply" for a CFP 'Final Four' berth. The 2020 bowl season doesn't wait for anyone, as it kicks off today with 8-3 Appalachian St taking on 4-5 North Texas in the Myrtle Beach Bowl from Conway, SC. ESPN airs it a 2:30 ET with the Mountaineers favored by 21 points (over/under is 68).There is so much on my plate right now with the NBA tipping off Tuesday, that I'll have much more on the bowls in Wednesday's and Thursday's Notes. With NFL Week 16 not beginning until Christmas, I'll have my NFL preview on Friday. That said, my closing thought is an 'ugly' reminder of how little respect given our military. I never served but my father fought in the Battle of the Bulge, earning a Purple Heart and Bronze star. By virtue of being a direct descendant (I've ridden my dad's coattails often), I'm an associate member of his Purple Heart Chapter here in Florida. I remain close with a number of the 'real' members and often attend meetings and conventions. Riddle me this. How is it possible  the "powers that be" could not find (rather, DEMAND) a bowl berth for a 9-2 Army team?I don't want to paraphrase, so I'll quote directly from an article written by ESPN reporter Adam Rittenberg. Here's the 'SAD' tale.The Black Knights had posted a 9-2 record, capped by Saturday's victory over Air Force that secured them the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy. Army had an agreement to play in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl against a Pac-12 opponent. By mid-afternoon Sunday, Army thought it would have the matchup secured. "OK, we should know something by 2:30,' but 2:30 came and went. 'We should know something by 3 o'clock,' but 3 o'clock came and went," head coach Jeff Monken told ESPN on Sunday night. "And then we started getting word that we were getting shut out." After a surge of Pac-12 teams opted out of bowl season and other teams, according to Monken, threatened to opt out if paired against Army, the Independence Bowl canceled its game and the Black Knights were left without a postseason destination. Monken and Army administrators informed the team following dinner at a 6:15 p.m. ET meeting. "We had guys in tears," Monken said. "We pulled off the biggest wins of these seniors' career, they just won the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy back, that's going to be their legacy, and they're looking forward to playing in a bowl game one time together, before they go off in the United States Army, and we're sitting here telling them, 'Sorry, guys, you can't play.'"Thanks for your service!"Good luck...Larry

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NCAA Football Myrtle Beach Bowl: Appalachian State/North Texas Preview

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Dec 21, 2020

The inaugural Myrtle Beach Bowl kicks off the 2020-21 college football bowl season on Monday, December 21st, with North Texas playing Appalachian State at 2:30 PM ET on ESPN. The game takes place at Brooks Stadium at the home stadium of Coastal Carolina in Conway, South Carolina. Appalachian State concluded their regular season with a 34-26 win against Georgia Southern on December 12th. The Mountaineers are 8-3 on the season, with their three losses against Marshall, Coastal Carolina, and Louisiana coming against opponents who combined for a 27-2 record. This program has won all five of their bowl appearances after defeating UAB in the New Orleans Bow last year by a 31-17 score. Senior quarterback Zac Thomas leads the team on offense with a 31-6 career record. He has completed 64.7% of his passes this season for 2075 yards with 19 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. Thomas has thrown for 6865 yards in his career with 58 touchdown passes. He has added 277 rushing yards this season with two touchdowns to add to his 19 career touchdowns on the ground with over 1200 career rushing yards. This bowl game could be Thomas’ last appearance with the Mountaineers, although he does have a final year of eligibility that could entice him to return for one more season with the team.Appalachian State is ninth in the nation by averaging 243.5 rushing yards-per-game. They are averaging 5.29 yards-per-carry as a team. Running back Daetrich Harrington has opted out for this game with Marcus Williams’ status for this game questionable after both had injury-riddled seasons. Yet it would be a mistake to assume that will leave the Mountaineers short-handed at the running back. Sophomore Camerun Peoples has stepped up to rush for 807 yards this season, while freshman Nate Noel has emerged late in the year with a 6.3 yards-per-carry average. Appalachian State holds its opponents to just 314.2 yards-per-game, which is 11th best in the nation. Only Coastal Carolina scored more than 26 points against them this season. North Texas defeated UTEP on the road by a 45-43 score to raise their record to a 4-5 mark. This contest is the Mean Green’s fourth bowl game opportunity in the last five seasons after missing out on a postseason game last year under fifth-year head coach Sean Littrell.Sophomore Jason Bean will get his sixth straight start at quarterback with fellow sophomore Austin Aune out for this game. Bean has completed only 53.2% of his passes in a time-share with Aune. Yet Bean averages 8.1 yards-per-attempt, which has resulted in 880 passing yards with 12 touchdown passes with just four interceptions. Bean is the more mobile of the two quarterbacks with 336 rushing yards this season. Aune will not have wide receiver Jaelon Darden who has opted out of this game to prepare for the NFL draft. Darden leads the nation with 19 touchdown catches. After catching eight balls for 173 yards against UTEP, Darden completed his senior season with 74 receptions for 1190 yards. Darden’s absence provides an opportunity for other Mean Green receivers to take a larger role in the offense. North Texas scores 35.1 points-per-game while averaging 515.0 yards-per-game. The Mountaineers’ defense may present the stiffest test this season for the Mean Green offense after playing only one team ranked in the top-80 in defensive efficiency. North Texas is a big underdog in this game because of their porous defense. The Mean Green allows their opponents to average 6.44 yards-per-play which is the 20th worst mark in the country. Seven of the eight FBS opponents they played this season scored at least 35 points against them. BetAnySports lists Appalachian State as a 21.5-point favorite with the total set at 67.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAA Football, EPL, NCAA Basketball and NFL Preview

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Dec 21, 2020

The Monday sports card offers a busy slate of action with NFL Monday Night Football, the English Premier League, college basketball, and the kickoff of the 2020-21 college football bowl season.The inaugural Myrtle Beach Bowl starts at 2:30 PM ET on ESPN, with North Texas playing Appalachian State. The game takes place at Brooks Stadium at the home stadium of Coastal Carolina in Conway, South Carolina. Appalachian State concluded their regular season with a 34-26 win against Georgia Southern on December 12th. The Mountaineers are 8-3 on the season, with their three losses coming against opponents who combined for a 27-2 record. This program has won all five of their bowl appearances after defeating UAB in the New Orleans Bow last year by a 31-17 score. Senior quarterback Zac Thomas makes his final career collegiate start with a 31-6 career record.North Texas defeated UTEP on the road by a 45-43 score to raise their record to a 4-5 mark. This contest is the Mean Green’s fourth bowl game opportunity in the last five seasons after missing out on a postseason game last year under fifth-year head coach Sean Littrell.Appalachian State is a 21-point favorite with the total set at 64.5 (all odds from BetOnline).The college basketball schedule tips off a noon ET with Clemson hosting Morehead State as a 23-point favorite with an over/under of 126.5. The Tigers rank 24th in the Associated Press poll.The nationally-televised schedule begins at 7:30 PM ET on FS1, with Butler playing at home against Southern Illinois. The Bulldogs are a 9-point favorite with a total of 133.Tulsa visits Memphis at 8 PM ET on ESPN2 in an American Athletic Conference clash. The Tigers are an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 137.5. Murray State plays at Austin Peay in an Ohio Valley Conference game at 8 PM ET on ESPNU. The Racers are a 4-point road favorite with the total at 145.The English Premier League concludes Matchweek 14 with two games. At 12:30 PM ET on the NBC Sports Network, Wolverhampton plays at Burnley as a -0.25 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2. Chelsea hosts West Ham United at 3 PM ET on NBC as a -1.25 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3.Monday Night Football features a rematch of the Steelers’ 36-10 victory at home over the Bengals on November 15th. Pittsburgh would go on to win two more games in a row for an 11-0 start. But the Steelers have since lost two games in a row after their 26-13 loss at Buffalo last Sunday night. Pittsburgh gained only 224 yards in that game, with the Bills outgaining them by 110 yards. The Steelers are currently the second seed in the AFC playoff race with their 11-2 record. A loss would drop them to the third seed in the AFC since they would lose the head-to-head tie-breaker with the Bills after their loss to Buffalo last week.Cincinnati lost their fifth games in a row with their 30-7 loss to Dallas last week as a 3-point favorite. The Bengals outgained the Cowboys by 37 net yards by holding them to just 272 yards. A 78-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown in the first quarter helped Dallas overcome that edge to cruise to the victory in quarterback Andy Dalton’s return to Paul Brown Stadium.Pittsburgh is a 14-point road favorite with the total set at 40.5. ESPN broadcasts the game with the kickoff at 8:15 PM ET.

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NFL Monday Night Football: Bengals/Steelers Preview

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Dec 21, 2020

Monday Night Football features a rematch of the Steelers’ 36-10 victory at home over the Bengals on November 15th. Pittsburgh was a  6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 45 in that game. That victory was the Steelers’ ninth victory in a row at the time. Ben Roethlisberger completed 27 of 46 passes for a season-high 333 yards with four touchdown passes and no interceptions to lead his team to the win. Rookie quarterback Joe Burrow completed 21 of 40 passes for 213 yards with a touchdown pass in the losing effort. Pittsburgh would go on to win two more games in a row for an 11-0 start. But the Steelers have since lost two games in a row after their 26-13 loss at Buffalo last Sunday night. Pittsburgh gained only 224 yards in that game, with the Bills outgaining them by 110 yards. The Steelers are currently the second seed in the AFC playoff race with their 11-2 record. A loss would drop them to the third seed in the AFC since they would lose the head-to-head tie-breaker with the Bills after their loss to Buffalo last week.Roethlisberger completed 21 of 37 passes for 187 yards with two touchdown passes and two interceptions in the loss. The veteran is completing 66.2% of his passes this season for 3292 yards with 29 touchdown passes and nine interceptions.  Pittsburgh needed the eight-day break between games after playing three games in twelve days impacted by COVID-related rescheduling. The Steelers did not score more than 19 points in those three contests. Cincinnati lost their fifth games in a row with their 30-7 loss to Dallas last week as a 3-point favorite. The Bengals outgained the Cowboys by 37 net yards by holding them to just 272 yards. A 78-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown in the first quarter helped Dallas overcome that edge to cruise to the victory in quarterback Andy Dalton’s return to Paul Brown Stadium.The Bengals’ Brandon Allen completed 27 of 36 passes for 217 yards with a touchdown pass in the losing effort. Allen got knocked out of the game with a knee injury that will keep him from starting tonight. Ryan Finley gets the start in his absence with Cincinnati down to their third-string quarterback with Burrow out the year with his leg injury. The former Boise State quarterback has completed 10 of 19 passes for a 52.6% completion percentage this season. He has thrown for 75 yards with no touchdown passes and two interceptions. In his two years in the NFL, Finley has completed 51 of 106 passes for a 48.1% completion percentage. He has 549 yards but just a 5.2 yards-per-attempt average. Finley has two touchdown passes and four interceptions. Cincinnati is 2-10-1 on the season, which is the third-worst record in the league. With the New York Jets and the Jacksonville Jaguars sharing 1-13 marks, the Bengals look destined to own the third pick in next spring’s NFL draft. Linebacker Logan Wilson joins Brandon Allen in being the two players out for this game for Cincinnati due to injury. Safety and kick returner Brandon Wilson is questionable but did practice on Saturday. Defensive lineman Geno Atkins became the tenth player earlier in the week to either go on Injured Reserve with his shoulder injury.Pittsburgh has one player out with guard Kevin Dotson dealing with a shoulder. James Conner is questionable with his quad. The Steelers have another six players either out the season or on Injured Reserve, including linebackers Bud Dupree and Devin Bush.Pittsburgh is a 14.5-point road favorite with the total set at 40 at BookMaker. ESPN broadcasts the game with the kickoff at 8:15 PM ET.

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NFL Sunday Night Football: Browns/Giants Preview

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Dec 20, 2020

Sunday Night Football on NBC features a game with playoff implications for both teams.Cleveland had their four-game winning streak snapped on Monday with their 47-42 loss at home to Baltimore as a 3-point underdog in one of the most exciting football games of the season. The Browns outgained the Ravens by a 493 to 385 yardage margin, but Lamar Jackson was able to outduel Baker Mayfield at quarterback.The loss left Cleveland two games behind Pittsburgh for first place in the AFC North. With a 9-4 record, they join Tennessee and Indianapolis for the top wildcard spot in the AFC. The Browns own the tie-breaker with both those AFC South teams after beating both of them earlier in the season. New York also had their four-game winning streak end last week with their 26-7 loss at home to Arizona as a 3-point underdog. The Giants managed only 159 yards in that game while allowing the Cardinals to rack up 390 total yards. Daniel Jones was back under center after missing the previous week with a hamstring injury. After getting sacked six times, Jones left the game with two separate injuries, which will keep him from starting tonight. Colt McCoy will be the starting quarterback for New York after leading them to victory two weeks ago against Seattle. The Giants are one game behind Washington for first place in the NFC East with their 5-9 record. Despite their recent winning streak, New York has scored only 24 combined points in their last two games and 43 combined points in their previous three games.Cleveland has scored over 40 points in two straight games. But the Browns defense has given up 82 combined points in their last two games and 107 combined points in their previous three contests. The Giants have a COVID outbreak that will keep offensive coordinator Jason Garrett from calling plays in this game. Tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens will be the play-caller tonight against the team he was the head coach for last season. Cornerback James Bradberry is also out for this game with COVID leaving New York without their best defensive back. The Giants have four players listed as questionable, including Jones with his hamstring and ankle injuries. Tight ends Evan Engram and Kaden Smith and offensive lineman Kevin Zeitler all participated in limited practice this week. Cornerback Darnay Holmes is out with a knee. New York has five other players either out the season or on Injured Reserve, including running back Saquon Barkley. Cleveland has two players out in offensive lineman Wyatt Teller and safety Andrew Sendejo. Tight end Austin Hooper is questionable with a neck injury, but he did participate in full practice to end the week. Tight end David Njoku is questionable with a knee and did not take part in practice this week. Cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Kevin Johnson are questionable but did take part in limited practice. The Browns have five players out the season or on their Injured Reserve, including wide receiver Odell Beckham, cornerback Greedy Williams, and safety Ronnie Harrison.BookMaker lists Cleveland as a 6.5-point road favorite with the total set at 44. Kickoff is at 8:20 PM ET.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: EPL, NCAA Basketball and NFL Preview

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Dec 20, 2020

The Sunday sports card continues Week 15 in the National Football League while featuring a full slate in college basketball and four matches in the English Premier League.Twelve games are on the docket in the NFL. Eight games begin the card at 1 PM ET. The national broadcast on Fox has Seattle traveling east to play Washington. The Seahawks are a 6.5-point road favorite with the total set at 43 (all odds from BetOnline). The primary game on CBS has San Francisco visiting Dallas with the 49ers a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 45Three more games take place in the 4:05 PM ET to 4:20 PM ET window of afternoon games. The national game on CBS has Kansas City playing at New Orleans as a 3-point road favorite with the total at 52.5.The Sunday night game on NBC has Cleveland playing in the Meadowlands against the New York Giants at 8:20 PM ET. The Browns are a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 44. The college basketball card begins at noon ET in the Big East, with Creighton visiting UConn on FS1 as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 150. The Bluejays rank 9th in the Associated Press poll. At 1 PM ET, Illinois plays at Rutgers on ESPN2 with the Fighting Illini a 2-point road favorite with an over/under of 143.5. In this Big Ten showdown of two teams ranked in the top-20, Illinois is 13th in the AP, while the Scarlet Knights rank 19th.Xavier hosts Marquette at 3 PM ET on FS1 as a 2.5-point favorite with the total at 142.5 in this Big East matchup. Northern Kentucky plays at home against Youngstown State at 3 PM ET on ESPN2 in a Horizon League contest. Seton Hall plays at home against Big East rival Providence at 4:30 PM ET on FS1 as a 3.5-point favorite with the over/under at 140. St. John’s hosts Georgetown in another Big East battle at 6:30 PM ET on FS1 as a 4.5-point favorite with the total at 156. The televised card concludes at 8:30 PM ET with Saint Louis visiting Minnesota on FS1 as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 146.The English Premier League continues Matchweek 14 with four matches. At 7 AM ET on the NBC Peacock app, Brighton and Hove Albion plays at home versus Sheffield United as a -0.75 goal line favorite with the total set at 2.25. Tottenham hosts Leicester City at 9:15 AM ET on the NBC Sports Network as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.75. Manchester United plays at home against Leeds United at 11:30 AM ET on the NBC Sports Network as a -0.75 goal line favorite with the total at 3.5. The final match is at 2:15 PM ET on the NBC Sports Network with Aston Villa playing at West Bromwich Albion as a -0.5 goal line road favorite an over/under of 2.75.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAA Basketball, NCAA Football and NFL Preview

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Dec 19, 2020

The Saturday sports card features a full day of college football and college basketball action along with the start of Matchweek 13 of the English Premier League and two games in the NFL. The NFL Network’s double-header kicks off at 4:30 PM ET with Buffalo traveling to Denver to face the Broncos. The Bills have won six of their last seven games after they defeated Pittsburgh at home for Sunday Night Football last week by a 26-13 score as a 2-point favorite. Denver comes off an upset victory at Carolina last week as a 4-point underdog. Buffalo is a 5.5-point road favorite with the total set at 49 (all odds from BetOnline). The nightcap at 8:15 PM ET has Carolina visiting Lambeau Field to play Green Bay. The Packers have won three straight games after they beat Detroit on the road last week by a 31-24 score as a 9.5-point favorite. The Panthers have lost seven of their last eight games after getting upset at home to the Broncos. Green Bay is laying 9 points as the favorite with the over/under at 51.5.Fifteen games between FBS opponents are on the college football schedule. There were seven games canceled due to COVID issues with Sun Belt Conference Championship Game between Louisiana-Lafayette and Coastal Carolina after the Chanticleers experienced a COVID outbreak that left an entire position group unable to take the field. The Frisco Bowl between SMU and UTSA was also canceled. The remaining five canceled games include Vanderbilt/Georgia; Georgia Tech/Miami (FL); Arizona/California; Michigan State/Maryland; Michigan/Iowa; Florida State/Wake Forest.The Big Ten Championship Game kicks off the card at noon with Northwestern playing Ohio State at a neutral field at Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis. The Buckeyes are 18.5-point favorites with a total of 55.5. The game is on Fox.The Big 12 Championship Game also starts at noon with a rematch between Oklahoma and Iowa State played on a neutral field at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Sooners are 5.5-point favorites with the over/under at 58.5. ABC has the broadcast.Texas A&M plays at Tennessee at noon on ESPN as a 14-point road favorite with a total of 51. At 1:30 PM ET, Utah hosts Washington State as a 10.5-point favorite on FS1. Air Force visits Army at 3 PM ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with the over/under at 38.5.The ACC Championship Game is at 4 PM ET with the rematch between Clemson and Notre Dame on ABC at a neutral field at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. The Tigers are a 10-point favorite with a total of 59.5. The Mountain West Conference Championship Game starts at 4:15 PM ET between Boise State and San Jose State. This game will be played at the Spartans' temporary home field in Las Vegas at Sam Boyd Stadium. The Broncos are a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 56.5. Fox has the broadcast.At 5:30 PM ET, Penn State hosts Illinois on FS1 as a 15.5-point favorite with the total set at 53. UCLA plays at home against Stanford on ESPN as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 59.5.The American Athletic Conference Championship Game is at 8 PM ET on ABC, with Tulsa playing at Cincinnati. The Bearcats are a 14-point favorite with the total at 45.The SEC Championship is also at 8 PM ET, with Alabama playing Florida on CBS at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Crimson Tide are 10-point favorites with an over/under of 74.5.The college football card concludes at 10:30 PM ET on ESPN with Arizona State playing at Oregon State. The Sun Devils are 7-point road favorites with the total set at 54.5.The college basketball card tips off at 11:30 AM on FS1, with Butler hosting Indiana in the first game in Crossroads Classic. The Hoosiers are 8-point favorites, and the total is 132.5. At noon ET, Gonzaga plays Iowa on CBS in a battle between the number one and number three ranked teams in the Associated Press poll. The Bulldogs are 4.5-point favorites with the over/under at 170. This game is being played on a neutral court at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Wisconsin hosts Louisville on ESPN2 at noon ET in a clash between the 23rd and 12th ranked teams in the AP poll. The Badgers are 5.5-point favorites, with the total at 131.5. At 2 PM ET, the first game of the CBS Sports Classic tips off between North Carolina and Kentucky on CBS. The 22nd ranked Tar Heels are 3.5-point favorites with an over/under of 141. Alabama hosts Western Kentucky at 2 PM ET on ESPNU as a 5.5-point favorite with the total at 153.5. Ole Miss travels to Dayton at 2:30 PM ET on the NBC Sports Network as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 132. The second game in the CBS Sports Classic takes place at 4:15 PM ET, with UCLA playing Ohio State. The Bruins are 3-point favorites against the 20th ranked Buckeyes, with the total set at 135. At 4:30 PM ET, LaSalle plays at home against Delaware on the NBC Sports Network as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 133.5. The final nationally-televised game on the Saturday card takes place at 9 PM ET with Villanova hosting Saint Joseph’s on FS1. The 7th ranked Wildcats are 22-point favorites with the total set at 145.5.Matchweek 14 of the English Premier League has four matches on Saturday. Liverpool visits Crystal Palace at 7:30 AM ET on the NBC Sports Network as a -1 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 3. At 10 AM ET, Manchester City plays at Southampton on the NBC Sports Network as a -1 goal line road favorite with the total at 3. Everton hosts Arsenal at 12:30 PM ET on NBC as a -0.25 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. At 3 PM ET on the NBC Peacock app, Fulham plays at Newcastle United in a pick ‘em match with the total at 2.25.

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Big 10 Championship Game Preview

by ASA, Inc.

Friday, Dec 18, 2020

BIG 10 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME Ohio State vs Northwestern – Saturday @ Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis CURRENT ODDS – Ohio State -20.5 / TOTAL 57  OHIO STATE (5-0 SU / 3-2 ATS) - The Buckeyes picked up another unplanned bye week when their rivalry game vs Michigan was cancelled.  It’s their 3rd week off this season.  The Big 10 originally decided that in order for a team to be eligible for the Championship game, they must play at least 6 games.  The schools revisited that plan last week and tweaked it so Ohio State, who is 5-0, can play on Saturday.  In their most recent game the Bucks were hit hard by the conference covid protocol as they had 20+ players out @ Michigan State, including 3 starting offensive linemen.  It didn’t matter as they crushed the Spartans 52-12.  Despite starting 3 freshmen back ups on the offensive line, OSU was able to rush for 322 yards on 6.7 YPC.  The only time OSU was really threatened this year was their home game vs Indiana.  They won that game 42-35 but led 28-7 at half and let the Hoosiers back in it.  Their other relatively close game was a 12 point win over Rutgers.  Same scenario in that game with the Bucks leading 35-3 at half, pulling their foot off the gas, and letting Rutgers cut into the lead.  The Buckeyes were 3-2 ATS this year and those were the 2 games they did not cover even though it looked like they may at halftime.  How dominant were the Buckeyes this year?  Their total minutes played this year was 300 (5 games) and they trailed for a grand total of 5 minutes this season.  That was the first game of the season vs Nebraska when the Huskers scored on their opening drive to take a 7-0 lead.  The offense is arguably the best in the nation.  They rank 1st in the Big 10 in total offense (6th nationally) and 1st in the conference in scoring (4th nationally).  Their defensive weakness is vs the pass.  They rank dead last in the Big 10 in pass defense and 111th nationally.  The Buckeyes caught a nice break on their week off when Florida lost to LSU.  That loss most likely puts OSU in College Football’s Final 4 with a win here.  It sounds like the Bucks will have most if not all of the players back who missed the MSU game because of their covid situation.  Something we’ll have to keep an eye on as the week progresses.    NORTHWESTERN (6-1 SU / 5-1-1 ATS) – While Ohio State had last week off, Northwestern was playing their year end rivalry game vs Illinois.  The Cats closed out the regular season with one of their best offensive performances of the season rolling up 493 total yards in their 28-10 win and cover.  The excitement of a big offensive day may need to be tempered a bit as Illinois now ranks dead last in the Big 10 in total defense.  QB Ramsey completed only 7 passes the entire game but the Wildcats ran for 411 yards on 58 carries.  It was the first time in 17 years they rushed for more than 400 yards in a single game.  That’s been Northwestern’s game plan for much of the season.  Run the ball, eat clock, and let their defense and special teams win games for them.  They’ve done that well this season as the 6-1 Wildcats have scored 21 point or less in half of their wins this season (3).  The defense has allowed 20 points or less in 5 of their 6 games this year.  They rank 12th in the Big 10 in total offense and 3rd in total defense (#1 in scoring defense).  They’ve run the ball more often than any other team in the conference averaging 44 carries per game.  The problem is, they aren’t great at running the ball.  They average just 3.9 YPC and that’s with their huge effort on Saturday vs the Illini.  Prior to that game they were averaging only 3.1 YPC on the season.  The Wildcats will more than likely have to change their offensive game plan entering Saturday’s game vs OSU.  The Bucks allow just 95 YPG on the ground but can be taken advantage of through the air as we mentioned above.  It they are able to pull the upset here, much of it will probably fall on QB Ramsey’s shoulders.  He’s rarely been asked to light it up through the air as the Cats average just 180 YPG passing which is 13th in the conference and 106th nationally.  While NW hasn’t asked him to be the main cog in the offense, Ramsey has proven he can carry the load in the past as he threw for 6,500 yards and 42 TD’s in his 3 years @ Indiana prior to coming to Northwestern.   OHIO STATE BIG 10 STATS (conference ranking in parentheses) Scoring Offense 46.6 (1st) / Defense 23.3 (5th)Total Offense 532.4 (1st) / Defense 363.8 (6th)Yards Per Play Offense 7.3 (1st) / Defense 5.6 (10th)Rush Offense 251 (1st) / Defense 95 (2nd)Rushing YP Carry Offense 5.5 (1st) / Defense 3.4 (3rd)Pass Offense 281.4 (2nd) / Defense 268.8 (14th)Pass YP Attempt Offense 10.3 (1st) / Defense 7.2 (8th)  NORTHWESTERN BIG 10 STATS (conference ranking in parentheses) Scoring Offense 25.3 (9th) / Defense 14.6 (1st)Total Offense 351.4 (12th) / Defense 313.9 (3rd)Yards Per Play Offense 4.7 (13th) / Defense 4.5 (2nd)Rush Offense 170.6 (7th) / Defense 121.9 (4th)Rushing YP Carry 3.9 (9th) / Defense 3.8 (6th)Pass Offense 180.9 (13th) / 192 Defense (2nd)Pass YP Attempt Offense 6.0 (13th) / Defense 5.0 (1st)  STATS vs COMMON OPPONENTS – 2 common opponents this season Ohio State (-21.5) vs Michigan State – 52-12 Win / +260 total yard advantage / +241 rushing advantage / +19 passing advantage / -1 turnover margin Northwestern (-13.5) vs Michigan State – 20-29 Loss / -77 total yard disadvantage / -132 rushing disadvantage / +55 passing advantage / +0 turnover margin Ohio State (-28) vs Nebraska – 52-17 Win / +121 total yard advantage / +5 rushing advantage / +116 passing advantage / -1 turnover margin Northwestern (-4) vs Nebraska – 21-13 Win / -125 total yard disadvantage / -76 rushing disadvantage / -49 passing disadvantage / -2 turnover margin  THE 5 MOST RECENT MEETINGS 2019 - Ohio State 52, Northwestern 3 (OSU +281 total yard advantage)2018 – BT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME - Ohio State 45, Northwestern 24 (OSU +189 total yard advantage)2016 – Ohio State 24, Northwestern 20 (OSU +25 total yard advantage)2013 – Ohio State 40, Northwestern 30 (OSU +14 total yard advantage)2008 – Ohio State 45, Northwestern 10 (OSU +147 total yard advantage)  POINTSPREAD NUGGET – These 2 Big Ten foes have faced off 27 times since 1980.  The Buckeyes are 26-1 SU & 17-9 ATS in those games including covering 7 of the last 8 meetings.  OSU has scored at least 40 points in 16 of those 27 meetings including 7 of the last 8.  These two have met 7 times since 2006 and the OVER has cashed in 6 of those games with an average of 60.2 total points scored.    

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Ness Notes: Friday, Dec 18

by Larry Ness

Friday, Dec 18, 2020

This column will be available Monday through Friday (posted no later than 1:00 ET), EXCLUSIVELY at BigAl.com. I like to call it my daily 'random thoughts' on the sports betting world, although I'll pass along that my therapist refers to it as "thoughtful commentary."Thursday Night NFL: Las Vegas lost starting QB Derek Carr to a left groin injury suffered on a scramble late in the first quarter but Marcus Mariota, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans, was outstanding in his Raiders' debut. He completed 17 of 28 passes for 226 yards (one TD / one INT) plus ran for a game-high 88 yards and a TD on nine carries. However, the Raiders' offense was NOT the problem last night. In the end, the Las Vegas D could not stop LA rookie QB Justin Herbert. Herbert barely stretched the ball into the end zone on a third-and-goal dive off left tackle with 1:29 remaining in overtime as the visiting Chargers won 30-27. Las Vegas lost for the FOURTH time in its last five games and its postseason hopes have all but 'expired.' The LA win snapped a NINE-game division losing streak with their second consecutive victory. Just as notable, Herbert (22 of 32 for 314 yards with 2 TDs and 0 INTs) tied the NFL rookie record for TD passes in a season. With two games remaining in 2020 he has 27, tying him with the Cleveland Browns' Baker Mayfield, who set the mark in 2018. That's not all. His 314-yard effort was his SEVENTH 300-yard game (or more), setting a rookie record. Philip Rivers is having a good year with the 9-4 Colts but it would be hard to argue against the premise that the Chargers have found a 'franchise' QB!CBB: We finally got a ranked vs ranked matchup on Thursday, as No. 5 Kansas visited Lubbock to take on No. 14 Texas Tech. It was the Big 12 opener for both schools, the earliest Big 12 opener for either team since the conference formed 24 years ago. Kansas led 29-26 at halftime but Texas Tech seemed to have control midway through the second half when it extended the lead to 46-39. However, the Jayhawks responded with a 10-0 surge and regained the lead with 7:18 remaining. The rest of the game went back-and-forth, until Kansas went up by a point with 13 seconds left. Jalen Wilson blocked a shot on the other end of the floor right before time expired to lift the Jayhawks to a 58-57 victory. There are no top-25 matchups on Friday, with the higher ranked team checking in at 10-5 SU but just 7-8 ATS on the season. There was just one Thursday game featuring ranked vs unranked opponents, as No. 9 Creighton won 94-76 at St John's. The Bluejays led throughout but the Red Storm pulled to within 52-50 with 14:25 left. However, Creighton then went on a 22-4 run! Ranked teams are 92-13 (.876) SU but a more modest 59-44-2 (57.3%) ATS against unranked opponents Y-T-D.There are three games between ranked and unranked ones on Friday with two top-10 teams in action. No. 8 West Va (6-1) is a top-10 team for the first time since January of 2018 and is home to 1-3 Iowa St plus No. 10 Tennessee (3-0) hosts 0-7 Tenn Tech. West Va is favored by 15 1/2-points and Tennessee by 28 1/2-points. Two undefeated top-25 teams were set to host games as well. Missouri, which entered the rankings for the first time this past Monday at No. 16, was scheduled to host Prairie View A&M but it's been canceled. No. 18 San Diego St (5-0) hosts a dangerous 6-2 BYU team. Remember, the Aztecs opened last season 26-0. The Aztecs have won the teams' last four meetings, including a road win last November. San Diego St is favored by 7 1/2-points.CFB's Championship Game weekend: COVID  strikes again! Coastal Carolina was coming off a 5-7 season but the Chanticleers are the lone FBS team to win 11 games so far in 2020 (11-0) and became the first SBC school to crack the AP top-10 this past Sunday at No. 9. Coastal was ranked No. 12 in the CFP rankings and with a win in the SBC title, had a reasonable chance to become the Group of 5's highest ranked IF, Tulsa could win at No. 9 Cincinnati (8-0) in the AAC title game. However, Saturday’s title game between Coastal Carolina and No. 19 Louisiana (9-1) has been canceled because an entire position group at Coastal Carolina had been exposed to a teammate who tested positive for COVID-19 and would be unable to play the game. I guess it's still possible a Cincy home loss to Tulsa would allow Coastal to leapfrog the Bearcats but that's less likely than if the Chanticleers had beaten ULL. It's also a blow to ULL, which beat now-No. 6 Iowa State to begin the season with its only loss coming in a 30-27 defeat to Coastal back on Oct 14. It becomes the first (and hopefully the ONLY) title game to be canceled. "Fingers crossed."There are THREE conference title games scheduled for Friday, the MAC, C-USA and the Pac-12. 5-0 Buffalo is No. 23 in the AP poll but unranked in the CFP standings and will take on 5-1 Ball State at Ford Field for the MAC title (7:30 ET). Buffalo is in the title game for the second time in three years after losing to Northern Illinois in 2018. Buffalo last won it in 2008 and Ball State’s last championship was in 1996. The Bulls are favored by 13 1/2-points. When the pandemic-delayed Pac-12 Conference football season started, Oregon (AP preseason No. 9) and USC (AP preseason No. 17) were the favorites to reach the title game. Both schools were only able to play five games but while USC went 5-0, Oregon finished 3-2, second in the Pac-12's North Division behind Washington (3-1). The Ducks were scheduled to play Washington at home on Dec 12 but a COVID-19 spike in the Huskies' program caused Washington to cancel that game. That left Oregon 'out in the cold,' with the Huskies set to play the Trojans on Friday night. However, the COVID situation in Seattle did NOT improve, so lo and behold, the Ducks will replace the Huskies in the championship game at LA's Memorial Coliseum (8:00 ET). USC is favored by three points. UAB is back in the C-USA championship game for the THIRD straight year, becoming the first C-USA program to accomplish such a feat. The Blazers won 27-25 at MTSU in 2018 and then lost last year at FAU, 49-6. UAB will again be the road team in 2020, as it travels to Huntington, West Va to take on Marshall's Thundering Herd at 7:00 ET. The Blazers are 5-3 on the season, with their 3-1 conference record being good enough to win the West. UAB lost 37-34 (2 OTs) at La Tech on Oct 31 but didn't play again until its 21-16 win at Rice on Dec 12, clinching the school's third straight division title. Marshall knows MORE than a little about Rice, as the Thundering Herd (which also saw games canceled due to COVID issues) was 7-0 when it hosted Rice on Dec 5 and shockingly lost 20-0 as a 24 1/2-point favorite. Marshall won the East with a 4-1 conference mark. Marshall has played in two previous C-USA title games, losing to Rice (there's that team again!) in 2013 but winning the following season against La Tech. Marshall is favored by points 4 1/2-points.With the cancelation of the ULL/Coastal Carolina game, that leaves SIX conference championship games on tap for Saturday, including FOUR of the Power-5 conferences. In order of start times, it's 6-1 Northwestern vs 5-0 Ohio St in the Big Ten at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and 7-2 Oklahoma vs 8-2 Iowa State in the Big 12 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, both kicking at 12 noon ET. In the ACC it's 9-1 Clemson and 10-0 Notre Dame set for 4:00 ET at Bank of America stadium in Charlotte and the SEC title game will feature 10-0 Alabama vs 8-2 Florida at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta (8:00 ET). Wrapping up, 5-1 Boise State (-6.5) and 6-0 San Jose St meet at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas for the MWC title (4:15 ET) and note that Boise St has won all 14 lifetime meetings with San Jose St.  6-1 Tulsa will play 8-0 Cincinnati (-14.5) on its home field (Nippert Stadium, where the Bearcats have won 19 straight) at 8:00 ET for the ACC title.Power 5 championship games: The Buckeyes have had THREE of their last five games postponed due to COVID-19 issues but got a waiver to play in the championship game since it did not meet the original minimum six-game requirement to be eligible. Ohio State (No. 3 AP and No. 4 CFP) is playing for its FOURTH straight Big Ten title win and a "W" on Saturday would surely 'lock them into' a 'Final Four' spot. Ohio St is favored by 20 points. Speaking of streaks, Oklahoma has won FIVE consecutive Big 12 championships and will be eager for some revenge from its 37-30 loss at Iowa St back on Oct 3. The Cyclones are in their first-ever Big 12 title game and haven't won a football conference title since 1912, playing in the MVC. Iowa St has never won a conference title outright, having tied Nebraska back in 1912. The Sooners are favored by six points. In the ACC, No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 3 Clemson (CFP rankings) square off in a much-anticipated rematch of Notre Dame's 47-40 double overtime win which was played back on Nov 7 in South Bend. It's hard to imagine BOTH schools won't make the 'Final Four' if Clemson wins but if Notre Dame wins, will Clemson be left out? Clemson is bidding for not only its SIXTH consecutive ACC title but also its SIXTH straight trip to the CFP as well. The Tigers are favored by 10 1/2-points. No. 1 Alabama (AP and CFP) is trying to secure a return to the College Football Playoff after missing out last season for the first time since the four-team postseason format began in 2014. The Crimson Tide may qualify even with a loss, since no other team in the SEC has fewer than two defeats. Florida likely squandered its chance to get into the playoff with a stunning setback to LSU last weekend, but the Gators are still in position to claim their first SEC title since 2008. This will be the 10th time the teams have met in the SEC championship game, with Alabama holding a 5-4 edge. However, the Crimson Tide have won the last SIX meetings against the Gators and Florida coach Dan Mullen is 0-9 in his career against Alabama's Nick Saban. Alabama is favored by 17 points.The final CFP rankings will be released Sunday at 12 noon ET and I will cover the 'fallout' in Monday's Notes.Good luck...Larry

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NCAA Friday Night Football: USC/Oregon Preview

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Dec 18, 2020

Oregon plays at USC in the Pac-12 Championship Game on Fox at 8 PM ET in a game put together on Monday of this week after Washington had to pull out of the game due to their continued COVID outbreak.Oregon had planned to play the Huskies last weekend in what would have been the de-facto play-in game to represent the Pac-12 North Division in this contest. When that game got canceled because of Washington's COVID issues, the Ducks thought they had missed their chance to play for the conference championship. Oregon opened their season with three straight victories against Stanford, Washington State, and UCLA. But the Ducks have stumbled with two straight upset losses at Oregon State and then at California on December 5th by a 21-17 score. Turnovers have made the difference in both games as Oregon turned the ball over five times in those two games without a takeaway. After ranking fifth in the nation last year with a +16 net turnover margin, the Ducks are tied for 123rd in the country this season with a -1.40 net turnover margin per game. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Tyler Shough leads an Oregon offense that scores 34.2 points-per-game while averaging 467.0 yards-per-game. Those numbers rank 27th and 21st in the FBS. Shough is completing 63.6% of his passes for 1389 yards with 11 touchdown passes and four interceptions. USC won the Pac-12 South Division by winning all five of their regular-season games. The Trojans rallied from a 28-10 deficit in the third quarter by outscoring UCLA by a 20-3 margin in the fourth quarter to eke out a 43-38 dramatic victory. Quarterback Kedon Slovis completed 30 of 47 passes for 344 yards with five touchdown passes and two interceptions in the win. The sophomore is completing 70.3% of his passes for 1601 yards with 15 touchdown passes and four interceptions. USC is scoring 35.2 points-per-game while averaging 428.4 yards-per-game, which ranks 23rd and 28th in the nation. After enduring a -10 net turnover margin last year, the Trojans have turned that around this season by averaging a +1.4 net turnover margin per game, tied for fourth-best in the nation. USC will be without their top running back tonight with Vavae Malepeai doubtful with a sprained knee. Malepeai rushed for 110 yards against UCLA last week.Both of these teams have been vulnerable on defense. The Trojans allow 25.0 points-per-game along with 396.6 yards-per-game, which rank 41st and 56th in the nation. The Ducks give up 28.0 points-per-game and 419.8 yards-per-game, which is 59th and 75th in the FBS.The Pac-12 Championship Game's initial site at a neutral field in Las Vegas changed because of COVID concerns. The Trojans host this game at their Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. USC ranks a distant 13th in the latest college football playoff rankings. Yet a victory against Oregon tonight to continue their unbeaten season might put the Trojans in play in the minds of the committee if chaos reigns in the Saturday games. BetAnySports lists USC as a 3-point favorite with the total set at 64.5.

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