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NFC Wildcard Round-up

by Jazz Ray

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2026

A look at NFC Wild Card Weekend:HOT TEAM – Five of the six NFC teams playing on Wild Card Weekend lost in Week 18, with only the Rams winning (over 3-win Arizona). Only Seattle, which earned the NFC bye by winning its final seven games and won two more games than anyone else in the conference, is on any heater.COLD TEAM – SOMEBODY had to win the NFC South, so why not the Panthers? Carolina did have a signature win over the Rams in late November, but has been a big barrel of blah since then, ending the year with three losses in the final four games.BEST QUARTERBACK – LA’s Matthew Stafford is poised to win the MVP award based on numbers that are slightly better than those posted by New England’s Drake Maye. Stafford led the league in passing yards (4,707) and in touchdown passes (46). Stafford is a -135 favorite to win.BEST COACH – Of the teams playing this weekend, you could do a lot worse than Philadelphia’s Nick Sirianni. What Siriani did to the Chiefs in last year’s Super Bowl is still reverberating in Kansas City. The Eagles always seem to be in the mix and look to have no challengers in the NFC East.BIGGEST SPREAD – The Rams are rightly 10-point road favorites over the just-happy-to-be-here Panthers. Carolina’s pass defense is ranked in the bottom seven in the league, and if the Panthers can’t get decent pressure on Strafford, the 10 points could be covered quickly.LARGEST O/U – Books set this number at 46.5, and LA might have to do most of the heavy lifting on this one. Carolina’s offense failed to crack 20 points nine times this season and had 24 total points in the final two games.The games:(7) Green Bay Packers at (2) Chicago BearsSaturday, Jan. 10 – 8pmLine – Packers -1.5Rubber game this season between the top two teams in the NFC North. They met twice late in the season, split the two games, and only one point separated them. Chicago’s Caleb Williams is a completely different QB from the one who struggled as a rookie last season. Then numbers aren’t significantly better, but there weren’t any QBs better late in games – he led the Bears to six fourth-quarter comeback wins.(6) San Francisco 49ers at (3) Philadelphia EaglesSunday, Jan. 11 – 4:30pmLine – Eagles -4.5The NFL has stolen load management strategy from the NBA. Many of the Eagles’ starters on both sides of the ball sat out Week 18. San Francisco, meanwhile, went belly up in the final game against Seattle, hoping to steal the No. 1 seed. That didn’t work, so the Niners (whose highly ranked offense didn’t even score a touchdown against the Seahawks), have to fly across the country to take on the rested Eagles. Not an easy task.(5) Los Angeles Rams at (4) Carolina PanthersSaturday, Jan. 10 – 4:30pmLine – Rams -10A few teams with losing records have won a playoff game, and one of them was the 2014 Panthers, who beat the Cardinals on WC Weekend. It will take a superhuman effort (and probably a significant letdown by the Rams) to duplicate that feat. Carolina simply cannot match up with LA position by position.

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AFC Wildcard Round-up

by Jazz Ray

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2026

A look at the AFC playoffs, Wild Card weekend:HOTTEST TEAM – Left for dead on the side of the road after starting the season with back-to-back-to-back losses to the Chargers, Bucs, and Jaguars, the Texans defied overwhelming (1 in 50) odds, reeled off nine straight victories, and enter the playoffs on the mother of all heaters.COLDEST TEAM – Chargers start the tournament after falling a spot in the seedings by dropping their last two, but there’s no crime in losing to red-hot Houston and to No. 1 seed Denver. Protecting the health of QB1 Justin Herbert was more important to LA than sneaking into the 6 seed.BEST QUARTERBACK – Josh Allen, Bills. In the most important half of the Bills’ season (to that point), Allen outplayed New England’s Drake Maye. The Bills won that game, in Foxboro, kept their division hopes alive, and in the end, cost New England the top seed.BEST COACH – Mike Vrabel, Patriots. The previous two Pats coaches (Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo) won a combined total of eight games. Vrabel, basically building an offense AND defense almost from scratch, got the Pats to 14-3. He has experience both as a coach and a player.BIGGEST SPREAD – Houston is favored by 3.5/4 points over a Pittsburgh team that is still in the mix only because of a missed field goal on the last play of the final game. Can Aaron Rodgers get it done on a pair of old legs?LARGEST O/U – 51.5 is a large number for a playoff game, but all the ingredients are in place for a shootout in Jacksonville. Buffalo is good for 30 a game, and the Jags AVERAGED almost 33 in winning their last eight in a row. Seat belt time.The games:(7) Los Angeles Chargers at (2) New England PatriotsSunday, Jan. 11 – 8pmLine – Patriots -3.5New England has been hearing “Yeah but strength of schedule” ever since it  shook off a 1-2 start and starting beating everyone who stood in their way. But if you have a QB who will finish no worse than second in the MVP voting and a solid defense with particular strength in the secondary, what’s not to like? Justin Herbert is coming off a load management personal bye week and can make all the plays, but his completion percentage was a middling 66 percent this season. How will he perform in what will probably be a cold January night in Foxboro?(6) Buffalo Bills at (3) Jacksonville JaguarsSunday, Jan. 11 – 1pmLine – Bills -1.5So here’s the question the Bills need to answer: How fast can they patch up their leaky defense against the run? It’s been an unexpected problem most of this season, and Josh Allen’s playmaking ability has been able to cover things up so far. The Jags might be a different animal, though, as Travis Etienne Jr. and rookie Bhayshul Tuten are a two-headed beast. And that Trevor Lawrence guy ain’t so bad, either. This one looks like it could be the pick of the litter in the AFC end of things.(5) Houston Texans at (4) Pittsburgh SteelersMonday, Jan. 12 – 8:15pmLine – Texans -4What to make of the Texans, who enter the playoffs with the NFL’s top-ranked defense? Does Aaron Rodgers have enough left in his legs and arm to deal with Houston, which earned its spot in the playoffs by controlling the line of scrimmage and not making too many mistakes with C.J. Stroud calling signals? Not too many people are looking for a high-scoring game here, and that will make covering the 4 even more difficult.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL Previews and Odds - 01/07/26

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2026

The Wednesday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association has 12 games on its docket. Three NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Boston Celtics host the Denver Nuggets on ESPN as a 9.5-point favorite with the total set at 229.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Philadelphia 76ers play at home against the Washington Wizards as an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 234.5. The Toronto Raptors travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 229.5. The Detroit Pistons are home against the Chicago Bulls as a 10.5-point favorite with an over/under of 234.5. Three NBA games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Atlanta Hawks host the New Orleans Pelicans as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 241.5. The New York Knicks play at home against the Los Angeles Clippers as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 224.5. The Orlando Magic play in Brooklyn against the Nets as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 223.5.Two NBA games begin at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Oklahoma City Thunder are home against the Brooklyn Nets as an 18.5-point favorite with an over/under of 242.5. The Phoenix Suns are on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 227.5. The San Antonio Spurs host the Los Angeles Lakers on ESPN at 9:40 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 233.5.  Two more games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Houston Rockets visit the Portland Trail Blazers as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 224.5. The Golden State Warriors play at home against the Milwaukee Bucks as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 229.5. The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. The Washington Capitals are home against the Dallas Stars on TNT at 7:07 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Montreal Canadiens host the Calgary Flames at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two NHL  games drop the puck at 9:37 p.m. ET. The Utah Jazz play at home against the Ottawa Senators as a -122 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The St. Louis Blues play in Chicago against the Blackhawks on TNT as a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Los Angeles Kings are home against the St. Louis Blues at 10:37 p.m. ET as a -290 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at 5:00 p.m. ET with 54 games involving Division I opponents. Five NCAAB games are on major national television. Two of these games tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET. Kentucky hosts Missouri on ESPN2 as a 13.5-point favorite with an over/under of 151.5. Marquette plays at home against Xavier on FS1 as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 158.5. Two NCAAB games on major national television start at 9:00 p.m. ET. Arizona is home against Kansas State on FS1 as a 19.5-point favorite with an over/under of 169.5. Vanderbilt hosts Alabama on ESPN2 as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 178.5. Boise State plays at home against Grand Canyon on FS1 at 11:00 p.m. ET as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 136.5. Matchweek 21 in the English Premier League continues with eight matches. Six EPL matches start at 2:30 p.m. ET. Bournemouth is home against Tottenham as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Brentford hosts Sunderland as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Aston Villa is on the road against Crystal Palace as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Everton plays at home against Wolverhampton as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Chelsea travels to Fulham as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Manchester City is home against Brighton and Hove Albion as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. Two more matches conclude the EPL card at 3:15 p.m. ET. Manchester United plays at Burnley on the USA Network at 3:15 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Newcastle United hosts Leeds United 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: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 01/06/26

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Jan 06, 2026

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association has six games on its docket. Two NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Orlando Magic travel to Washington to play the Wizards as a 6.5-point road favorite with the total set at 233.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Cleveland Cavaliers play in Indiana against the Pacers as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 234.5. Three NBA games start at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Timberwolves host the Miami Heat on NBC as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 237.5. The Los Angeles Lakers are on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 240.5. The San Antonio Spurs visit the Memphis Grizzlies as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 237.5. The Dallas Mavericks play at Sacramento against the Kings on NBC at 11:10 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 231.5. The National Hockey League has ten games on its slate. Four NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Carolina Hurricanes play at home against the Dallas Stars as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Buffalo Sabres are home against the Vancouver Canucks as a -185 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Colorado Avalanche are on the road against the Tampa Bay Lightning as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Philadelphia Flyers host the Anaheim Ducks as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two NHL games begin at 7:37 p.m. ET. The New Jersey Devils travel to New York to face the Islanders as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Florida Panthers play in Toronto against the Maple Leafs on TNT as a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Vegas Golden Knights are on the road to take on the Winnipeg Jets at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The  Edmonton Oilers play at home against the Nashville Predators at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -175 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two more games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 p.m. ET. The Columbus Blue Jackets visit San Jose to challenge the Sharks as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Boston Bruins play in Seattle against the Kraken as a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at 6:00 p.m. ET with 29 games involving Division I opponents. Ten NCAAB games are on major national television. Ohio is home against UMass on the CBS Sports Network at 6:00 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 157.5. Two NCAAB games on major national television tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET. West Virginia hosts Cincinnati on ESPN2 as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 132.5. Duke is on the road against Louisville on ESPN as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 162.5. Michigan travels to Penn State on FS1 as a 22.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 164.5. Dayton plays at home against George Washington on the CBS Sports Network as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 152.5. Three more NCAAB games on major national television begin at 9:00 p.m. ET. Houston is home against Texas Tech on FS1 as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 139.5. Tennessee hosts Texas on ESPN2 as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 153.5. Kansas plays at home against TCU on ESPN2 as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 139.5. Wyoming is home against UNLV on the CBS Sports Network at 10:00 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 157.5. Nevada hosts San Diego State on FS1 at 11:00 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 141.5. Matchweek 21 in the English Premier League begins with one match. Nottingham Forest plays on the road against West Ham United on the USA Network at 2:30 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 01/05/26

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jan 05, 2026

The Monday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has eight games on its docket. The New York Knicks travel to Detroit to play the Pistons on Peacock at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Knicks have lost three games in a row after their 130-119 upset loss at home against Philadelphia as a 4-point favorite on Saturday. The Pistons have won two of their previous three games with their 114-110 upset victory as a 3.5-point underdog on Sunday. New York is a 2.5-point road favorite with the total set at 234.5. Two more NBA games tip off at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Toronto Raptors host the Atlanta Hawks as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 235.5. The Boston Celtics play at home against the Chicago Bulls as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 235.5. Two more NBA games tip off at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Oklahoma City Thunder are home against the Charlotte Hornets as a 15.5-point favorite with an over/under of 232.5. The Houston Rockets host the Phoenix Suns as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 223.5. The Philadelphia 76ers play at home against the Denver Nuggets on Peacock at 8:40 p.m. ET. The 76ers are on a three-game winning streak after their upset win against the Knicks on Saturday. The Nuggets lost for the fourth time in their last five contests with a 127-115 upset loss at Brooklyn as a 2.5-point favorite on Saturday. Philadelphia is an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 229.5. Two more games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Portland Trail Blazers host the Utah Jazz as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 245.5. The Los Angeles Clippers are home against the Golden State Warriors on Peacock. The Clippers won for the fourth time in their previous five games in a 115-110 upset victory at San Antonio as a 6-point underdog on Saturday. The Warriors had won six games in a row before their 146-115 upset loss at home against Boston as a 1-point favorite on Saturday. The Warriors have won three of their previous four games after their 123-114 victory against Utah as a 12.5-point favorite on Saturday. Los Angeles is a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 223.5. The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The New York Rangers play at home against the Utah Mammoth as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Washington Capitals are home against the Anaheim Ducks as a -148 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Ottawa Senators host the Detroit Red Wings at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -155  money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Calgary Flames play at home against the Seattle Kraken at 9:37 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Los Angeles Kings are home against the Minnesota Wild at 10:37 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at 5:00 p.m. ET with 19 games involving Division I opponents. Four NCAAB games are on major national television. Ohio State hosts Nebraska on FS1 at 6:30 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 155.5. Two more NCAAB games tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET. Charlotte plays at home against William & Mary on the CBS Sports Network as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 162.5. Oregon plays at Rutgers on Peacock as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 142.5. Michigan State is home against USC on FS1 at 8:30 p.m. ET as an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 151.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NHL, NBA, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 01/04/26

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jan 04, 2026

The Sunday sports card features NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.Week 18 in the National Football League concludes with 14 games. Six NFL games kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET. The Atlanta Falcons host the New Orleans Saints as a 3.5-point favorite with the total set at 43.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Houston Texans play at home against the Indianapolis Colts as a 10.5-point favorite with an over/under of 38.5. The Dallas Cowboys travel to New York to play the Giants as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 49.5. The Cincinnati Bengals are home against the Cleveland Browns as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 45.5. The Jacksonville Jaguars host the Tennessee Titans as a 13.5-point favorite with a total of 47.5. The Minnesota Vikings play at home against the Green Bay Packers as a 10.5-point favorite with an over/under of 37.5. Seven NFL games start at 4:25 p.m. ET. The Denver Broncos are home against the Los Angeles Chargers as a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 37.5. The Kansas City Chiefs play in Las Vegas against the Raiders as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 36.5. The Buffalo Bills host the New York Jets as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 37.5. The New England Patriots play at home against the Miami Dolphins as an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 45.5. The Los Angeles Rams are home to play the Arizona Cardinals as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 46.5. The Chicago Bears host the Detroit Lions as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 50.5. The Philadelphia Eagles play at home against the Washington Commanders as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 38.5. Sunday Night Football on NBC has the Baltimore Ravens on the road in Pittsburgh to play the Steelers at 8:20 p.m. ET. The Ravens are a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 40.5.The National Basketball Association has eight games on its docket. The Cleveland Cavaliers are home against the Detroit Pistons at 2:10 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 239.5. The Orlando Magic host the Indiana Pacers at 3:10 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 226.5. The Denver Nuggets visit Brooklyn to take on the Nets at 3:40 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 219.5. Two NBA games tip off at 6:10 p.m. ET. The Miami Heat play at home against the New Orleans Pelicans as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 240.5. The Minnesota Timberwolves play in Washington against the Wizards as a 10.5-point road favorite with a total of 234.5. The Oklahoma City Thunder are on the road in Phoenix against the Suns at 8:10 p.m. ET as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 227.5. The Milwaukee Bucks travel to Sacramento to face the Kings at 9:10 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 228.5. The Los Angeles Lakers are home against the Memphis Grizzlies as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 240.5.The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. The Dallas Stars host the Montreal Canadiens at 2:07 p.m. ET as a -218 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Columbus Blue Jackets play at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins at 3:07 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Colorado Avalanche play in Florida against the Panthers at 5:07 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Two games conclude the NHL card at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Carolina Hurricanes are on the road against the New Jersey Devils as a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Vegas Golden Knights visit Chicago to challenge the Blackhawks as a -265 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at noon p.m. ET with 40 games involving Division I opponents. Three NCAAB games are on major national television. Florida Atlantic plays at Tulane on ESPN2 at 1:00 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 154.5. UConn is at home against Marquette on NBC at 2:00 p.m. ET as a 20.5-point favorite with a total of 144.5. Murray State hosts Bradley on ESPN2 at 5:00 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 160.5. Matchweek 20 in the English Premier League concludes with six matches. Leeds United plays at home against Manchester United on the USA Network at 7:30 a.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Four more EPL matches begin at 10:00 a.m. ET. Everton is home against Brentford as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Liverpool travels to Fulham on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Newcastle United hosts Crystal Palace as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Tottenham plays at home against Sunderland as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Manchester City is home against Chelsea at 12:30 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 01/03/26

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jan 03, 2026

The Saturday sports card features NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.Week 18 in the National Football League kicks off with two games. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Carolina Panthers on ABC/ESPN at 4:30 p.m. ET. The Buccaneers have lost four games in a row after their 20-17 upset loss as a 5.5-point favorite last Sunday. The Panthers lost for the second time in their last three games after a 27-20 loss at home against Seattle as a 6.5-point underdog on Sunday. Tampa Bay is a 3-point favorite with the total set at 43.5 (all odds from DraftKings).The Seattle Seahawks travel to San Francisco to play the 49ers on ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Seahawks are on a six-game winning streak after their victory on the road against the Panthers. The 49ers have won six games in a row after a 42-38 win at home against Chicago as a 4.5-point favorite last Sunday night. Seattle is a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 47.5.  The National Basketball Association has eight games on its docket. The Minnesota Timberwolves play in Miami against the Heat at 5:10 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 238.5. Two more NBA games tip off at 7:40 p.m. ET. The New York Knicks play at home against the Philadelphia 76ers as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 232.5. The Toronto Raptors are home against the Atlanta  Hawks as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 232.5. Two NBA games start at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Chicago Bulls host the Charlotte Hornets as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 237.5. The San Antonio Spurs play at home against the Portland Trail Blazers as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 239.5. The Houston Rockets are on the road to play the Dallas Mavericks at 8:40 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 226.5. The Golden State Warriors are at home against the Utah Jazz at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 238.5. The Los Angeles Clippers host the Boston Celtics at 10:40 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 222.5. The National Hockey League has 13 games on its slate. The Detroit Red Wings play at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins on ABC at 12:07 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. Two more NHL games drop the puck at 3:07 p.m. ET. The New Jersey Devils are home against the Utah Mammoth as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Buffalo Sabres visit Columbus to play the Blue Jackets, with both teams priced at -110 with a total of 6.5. The Edmonton Oilers host the Philadelphia Flyers at 3:37 p.m. ET as a -185 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two more NHL games start at 4:07 p.m. ET. The Tampa Bay Lightning play in San Jose against the Sharks as a -192 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Montreal Canadiens are on the road to face the St. Louis Blues as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Five NHL games begin at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Colorado Avalanche travel to Carolina to take on the Hurricanes as a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Calgary Flames play at home against the Nashville Predators as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The New York Islanders are home against the Toronto Maple Leafs as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Washington Capitals host the Chicago Blackhawks as a -298 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Ottawa Senators play at home against the Winnipeg Jets as a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Los Angeles Kings are home against the Minnesota Wild at 9:07 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Boston Bruins play in Vancouver against the Canucks at 10:07 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at 11:00 a.m. ET with 120 games involving Division I opponents. Six games are on major national television. Two of these games tip off at noon ET. Alabama hosts Kentucky on ESPN as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 174.5. St. John’s plays at home against Providence on Fox as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 170.5. BYU is on the road against Kansas State on CBS as a 7.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 172.5. Houston visits Cincinnati on Fox at 2:00 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 134.5.5. Duke plays at Florida State on CBS at 3:45 p.m. ET as a 15.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 163.5. Purdue is on the road against Wisconsin on Fox at 8:00 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 151.5. Matchweek 20 in the English Premier League begins with four matches. Aston Villa is at home against Nottingham Forest on the USA Network at 7:30 a.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Two more EPL matches start at 10:00 a.m. ET. Brighton and Hove Albion hosts Burnley on the USA Network as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Wolverhampton plays at home against West Ham United as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Arsenal travels to Bournemouth on NBC at 12:30 p.m. ET as a -1.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5.  

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NCAAF, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 01/02/26

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Jan 02, 2026

The Friday sports card features NCAAF, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action. The college football bowl season continues with four games. Texas State plays Rice in the Armed Forces Bowl at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, on ESPN at 1:00 p.m. ET. The Bobcats are a 16.5-point favorite with the total set at 55.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Navy battles Cincinnati in the Liberty Bowl at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee, on ESPN at 4:30 p.m. ET. The Midshipmen are a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 54.5. Two more college football bowl games kick off at 8:00 p.m. ET. Mississippi State takes on Wake Forest in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on ESPN. The Bulldogs are a 3-point favorite with a total of 52.5. SMU faces Arizona in the Holiday Bowl in Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California, on Fox. The Mustangs are a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 51.5. The National Basketball Association has ten games on its docket. Two NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The San Antonio Spurs travel to Indiana to play the Pacers as a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 236.5. The Brooklyn Nets play in Washington against the Wizards as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 225.5. Two more NBA games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The New York Knicks host the Atlanta Hawks as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 245.5. The Cleveland Cavaliers play at home against the Denver Nuggets on Amazon Prime Video as a 13.5-point favorite with an over/under of 236.5. Three NBA games begin at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Orlando Magic are on the road against the Chicago Bulls as a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 235.5. The Portland Trail Blazers visit New Orleans to challenge the Pelicans as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 243.5. The Milwaukee Bucks are home against the Charlotte Hornets as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 233.5. The Phoenix Suns host the Sacramento Kings at 9:10 p.m. ET as a 12.5-point favorite with an over/under of 227.5. The Oklahoma City Thunder play in Golden State against the Warriors on Amazon Prime Video at 10:10 p.m. ET as an 8.5-point road favorite with a total of 228.5. The Los Angeles Lakers play at home against the Memphis Grizzlies at 10:40 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 238.5. The National Hockey League has four games on its slate. The Vegas Golden Knights are on the road against the St. Louis Blues at 3:07 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Florida Panthers are the designated home team against the New York Rangers in the NHL Winter Classic at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, on TNT as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Two games conclude the NHL card at 10:37 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Wild travel to Anaheim to take on the Ducks as a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Vancouver Canucks are home against the Seattle Kraken as a -192 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at noon ET with 33 games involving Division I opponents. Two NCAAB games are on ESPN2. Iowa State hosts West Virginia at 9:00 p.m. ET as a 16.5-point favorite with a total of 140.5. California plays at home against Notre Dame at 11:00 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 140.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NBA, NHL, EPL and NCAAB Previews and Odds 01/01/26

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Jan 01, 2026

The Thursday sports card features NCAAF, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action. The college football bowl season continues with the final three games in the college football playoff quarterfinals on ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPN News. Oregon plays Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, at noon ET. The Ducks are on a seven-game winning streak after their 51-34 win against James Madison as a 20.5-point favorite in the first round of the playoffs on December 20th.  The Red Raiders are on a six-game winning streak after their 34-7 victory against BYU as a 13.5-point favorite in the Big 12 championship game on December 6th. Oregon is a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 50.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Indiana battles Alabama in the Rose Bowl at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, at 4:00 p.m. ET. The Hoosiers extended their unbeaten season to 13 games with their 13-10 upset victory against Ohio State as a 3-point underdog in the Big Ten championship game on December 6th. The Crimson Tide won for the third time in their last four games in a 34-24 upset victory at Oklahoma as a 2.5-point underdog in the first round of the playoffs on December 19th. Indiana is a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 48.5.Georgia takes on Mississippi in the Sugar Bowl at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Bulldogs have won nine games in a row after their 28-7 victory against Alabama as a 1-point favorite in the SEC championship game on December 6th. The Rebels advanced to the quarterfinals of the college football playoff with their 41-0 victory against Tulane as a 16.5-point favorite on December 20th. Georgia is a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 55.5. The National Basketball Association has five games on its docket. The Houston Rockets travel to Brooklyn to face the Nets at 6:10 p.m. ET as a 10.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 222.5. The Detroit Pistons host the Miami Heat at 7:10 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 239.5. The Philadelphia 76ers play in Dallas against the Mavericks at 8:40 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 231.5. The Boston Celtics are on the road against the Sacramento Kings at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 9.5-point road favorite with a total of 227.5. The Los Angeles Clippers play at home against the Utah Jazz at 10:40 p.m. ET as an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 235.5. The National Hockey League has eight games on its slate. The Ottawa Senators are home against the Washington Capitals at 1:07 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line with a total of 5.5. The New York Islanders host the Utah Mammoth as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Four NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Los Angeles Kings play at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Carolina Hurricanes are home against the Montreal Canadiens as a -198 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Winnipeg Jets as a -148 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Pittsburgh Penguins play at home against the Detroit Red Wings as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Dallas Stars visit the Chicago Blackhawks at 8:37 p.m. ET as a -192 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Seattle Kraken are home against the Nashville Predators as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at noon ET with 39 games involving Division I opponents. None of these NCAAB games are on major national television. Matchweek 19 in the English Premier League concludes with four matches. Two EPL matches start at 12:30 p.m. ET. Crystal Palace hosts Fulham as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Liverpool plays at home against Leeds United on the USA Network as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Two more matches conclude the EPL card at 3:00 p.m. ET. Brentford is home against Tottenham as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Manchester City plays at Sunderland on the USA Network as a -1.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. 

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How Important is Home Field Advantage in the College Football Playoffs?

by Team Del Genio

Wednesday, Dec 31, 2025

The inaugural 12-team college football playoff system last year resulted in some questions given its unique circumstances. Perhaps the biggest is this: Is home-field advantage a significant advantage in the first round? With the results of eight games in the first round of the playoffs, we can begin to come up with some answers. Last year, all four teams playing on their home campus in the first round of the playoffs won their games by ten or more points. The average score in those games was 36-17. Two of the games were blowouts by 25 and 28 points. Were these one-sided games a result of the edge of playing in their own stadium in front of their home fans? Or were these blowouts a product of a flawed seeding system that rewarded the top four seeds to conference championship game winners rather than a pure ranking system? Those top four seed requirements meant that Notre Dame was ineligible to get a bye into the quarterfinals, despite their 11-1 record. It also meant that conference championship game winners Boise State and Arizona State got byes in the quarterfinals, yet would be double-digit underdogs on a neutral field in the quarterfinals against Penn State and Texas. An undefeated Oregon team would have been the number one seed in any ranking system, yet they were done no favors with Ohio State inserted as an eight seed. The oddsmakers installed the two-loss Buckeyes’ team as a small favorite. So the first-round blowouts last year may have been because the better teams in the playoffs were relegated to playing in the opening round because of a flawed seeding system.That problem was addressed in the offseason. The top-four ranked teams now got the byes into the quarterfinals, with Notre Dame being eligible. Conference championships were not an official requirement. The initial results from earlier this month suggest home field was less important than the flawed seeding system that placed the better teams in those first-round games. Only two home teams won their game to advance to the quarterfinals. Mississippi got to play one of the Group of Five entries, Tulane, as a favorite of around 17 points. They won by a 41-10 score. Oregon also beat its Group of Five opponent, James Madison, yet did not cover the three-touchdown point spread that the oddsmakers installed them as a favorite. The Ducks were up 48-13 in that game before the Dukes scored 21 of the final 24 points for that back-door cover. Both Power Four conference teams that played at home against another Power Four conference team lost their games. Alabama upset Oklahoma by a 34-24 score as a 1.5-point favorite despite that game being played in Stillwater. Miami (FL) upset Texas A&M by a 10-3 score as a three-point underdog despite that game being played in College Station. In all, two of the home teams won, and only one of them covered the point spread. The sample size is small, yet the initial results suggest last year's first-round blowouts may have had more to do with the flawed seeding system than with an overwhelming home-field edge.Good luck - TDG.

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More Questions and Answers Regarding the College Football Playoffs

by Team Del Genio

Wednesday, Dec 31, 2025

We previously looked into answering the question regarding how important home-field advantage was in the first round of the college football playoffs. Let’s look at some of those queries and evaluate if the results in the first round of the college football playoffs this year offered any answers to help out with handicapping moving forward. (1) How much of a factor is same-season revenge?Last year, Ohio State’s quarterfinal game against Oregon gave them the opportunity to avenge a 32-21 loss against the Ducks in the regular season. The Buckeyes beat them in the playoffs by a 41-21 score.There were two revenge opportunities in the first round of the playoffs this year, and the results were mixed. After losing to the Sooners, 23-21, in the regular season, the Crimson Tide avenged that defeat with a 34-24 victory to advance to the quarterfinals. Yet the Green Wave were unable to avenge their September loss to Ole Miss in their 41-10 loss in the rematch. The sample size is too small, yet we take note that both Power Four conference teams that had the opportunity to avenge a same-season loss in the two years of the college football playoffs won their rematch game. (2) Can the Group of Five football teams stay competitive against Power Four conference opponents?Last year, only a one-loss Boise State team made the playoffs. They played Penn State in the college football quarterfinals and got beaten by a 31-14 score as an 11.5-point underdog. The Nittany Lions had played ten days prior in the first round of the playoffs, knocking off any rust from not playing since the end of the regular season. The Broncos had not played in 25 days since beating UNLV in the Mountain West Conference championship game. In the first round of the playoffs this year, both Group of Five representatives lost. Tulane got dominated on the road at Ole Miss. James Madison lost at Oregon by 17 points, so they technically covered the point spread, yet they trailed by 35 points before scoring 21 of the final 24 points. So far, there is not much evidence that these Group of Five programs can keep up with the Power Four conference teams that make the playoffs. (3) Are coaches bound for new jobs negatively impacted by that distraction?Tulane’s Jon Sumrall and James Madison’s Bob Chesney accepted Power Four conference head coaching jobs after getting their Group of Five teams into the playoffs. As opposed Mississippi who did not want Lane Kiffin distracted with his new and immediate responsibilities in recruiting and retaining the roster at LSU (while using his influence on Ole Miss players), both the Green Wave and the Dukes let their head coaches stay on despite the inevitable double-duty they would have to manage given their new responsibilities that could not wait until the playoffs were over. Both those teams got beaten by 17 and 31 points.The results for offensive and defensive coordinators were better. For Oregon, both their offensive and defensive coordinators were hired as head coaches, yet stayed on to fulfill their coaching duties with the Ducks. Oregon dominated James Madison but did not cover the point spread, given the Dukes’ back-door cover. (4) How would teams respond to losing their head coach? The Mississippi players were left at the proverbial altar by Kiffin when he decided the pastures would be greener at LSU. Defensive coordinator Pete Golding was promoted to be their new permanent head coach. The Rebels could have come out flat from feelings of being rejected by Kiffin. On the other hand, the feeling of being abandoned by Kiffin could be a motivating factor for Ole Miss. In hindsight of their 31-point victory, it was the latter. The question now becomes, will it be sustainable? In 1989, the Michigan basketball team responded to their head coach Bill Frieder leaving the program for Arizona State by winning six straight games and seizing the national championship. (5) Does extra time off for teams help or hurt them in the playoffs?Last year, all four first-round playoff games matched teams playing with exactly the same amount of rest. This year, there were two first-round matchups that involved teams with different rest schedules. Alabama had played in the SEC championship game, so they had one week less of rest in their game against Oklahoma. The Crimson Tide won 34-24. That result supports the idea that concerns about rust may be more significant than the need for additional rest. James Madison had one less week of rest against Oregon after winning their Sun Belt Conference championship game. The eye test suggests they got blown out. However, their back door cover gave them a positive result from a point spread perspective while indicating they did not run out of gas. This question will be even more interesting for the quarterfinals this year. All four games involve teams playing with 11-12 days of rest against opponents who have not played their conference championship games on December 6th. Will those extra two weeks of rest only add rust? Last year, all four teams playing with the additional two weeks of rest lost their games. Do those results expose the negative impact of rust, or did the flawed seeding system play a role in those results? More questions that we may get answers to as the expanded college football playoffs continue in their second year. Good luck - TDG.

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Who's the NFL 2025 MVP ??

by Harry Gagnon

Wednesday, Dec 31, 2025

As we enter the final week of the season the MVP may have shifted hands after the Rams loss on Monday night to the Atlanta Falcons, but I'll get to that in a minute. Let me start with guys that were close but just won't get there. I'll start with 2 QB's , one from each conference. Trevor Lawrence is 200/1 and has led his red hot Jaguars to 7 wins in a row. Over the past 5 weeksLawrence has 12 TD's and just one pick but up until the start of the second half of the season Lawrence wasn't playing to his potential and it's a season long award. However, to start the 2026 season I'll bet he will be in the top 5 for MVP after this surge. Caleb Williams (250/1) and the Chicago Bears have had a magical season with 11 wins. I'd recommend to bet hin more on 250+ yards than winning MVP after losing to the Niners. Williams is 270 yards away from being the first Bears QB to have 4000 yards in a season and against a beat up Lions squad why not give it a shot. Now, San Francisco RB Christian McCaffrey (300/1) is very interesting considering the numbers he has and after the injuries the team has had for them to still win in the final week of the season and they get the 1 seed is simply amazing. He really makes a case for a non-QB to win this award knowing he has over 2100 yards from scrimmage, has 17 TDS, and  is 4 receptions away from 100. I'd have no problem giving this to him but at 300 to 1 a running back isn't getting this award yet again. Alright lets get to the 2 QB's that can win the MVP. Like I mentioned earlier soon to be 38 year old Matthew Stafford has had a tremendous season with 42 TD's and at least 2TD's in 10 straight games , but his 3 picks in a loss on Monday night to Atlanta he went from a -250 favorite to a +225 underdog after that performance. Knowing that the Rams have had a couple losses lately and Stafford going for 6 picks in his last 5 games has opened the door for 2nd year QB Drake Maye (-295). Maye has led his Patriots to the 1 seed and finally taking down the Buffalo Bills in the East. Aside from his 30 TD passes and 400 yards rushing, plus 8-0 record on the road, Maye did something no QB has even done last week against the Jets. Maye lit the Jets up by completing 90% of his passes, had over 250 yards and had 5 TD passes. I feel he locked up the MVP with that performance that again had never been done in NFL history. I'm not sure what Stafford can do against a terrible Cardinals team to take back the award. Even at -295 seems like a steal if you still want in for the MVP. 

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