Expert Sports Picks and Analysis from Al McMordie

CBB Entering 2021: Underrated Teams

Thursday, Dec 31, 2020

Every week, I like to take a look at the AP & Coaches Polls in College Basketball and compare them to my own Top 25 power ratings. It’s always fun (and instructive!) to spot which teams the pollsters and I aren’t necessarily in agreement on. As we get ready to turn the calendar to 2021, here are three teams that I feel are underrated by the pollsters. None are ranked in the Top 25, but all of them SHOULD be. Interestingly enough, ALL three hail from the SEC. So either the pollsters aren’t watching the SEC or my power ratings are giving too much credence to these teams’ non-conference schedules.1. Arkansas - I just cashed an SEC Game of the Month on the Razorbacks Wednesday. They went to Auburn and won by 12. That win keeps the Hogs unbeaten (9-0), yet they are surprisingly unranked. If they beat #12 Missouri on Saturday, you have to figure they’ll climb into the next poll. This is a senior laden team that plays very good defense. They are #15 in my power ratings. 2. LSU - Right behind Arkansas in my power ratings is LSU (#16). The Tigers’ only loss of the season was by four points at St. Louis. Since then, four of their five wins have been by 22 points. They’ve got a huge showdown looming with Florida (more on them in a moment) this weekend. 3. Florida - Wednesday night saw the Gators play for the 1st time since Keyontae Johnson collapsed. That very scary situation occurred on December 12th against Florida State, the Gators only loss of the season. Johnson was the Preseason SEC Player of the Year, so losing him is no “small potatoes.” But the Gators showed they can be quite formidable even without their star as they destroyed Vanderbilt, 91-72, in Nashville. I’ve got the Gators as a Top 20 team.

CBB Entering 2021: Overrated Teams

by Power Sports

Thursday, Dec 31, 2020

Every week, I like to take a look at the AP & Coaches Polls in College Basketball and compare them to my own Top 25 power ratings. It’s always fun (and instructive!) to spot which teams the pollsters and I aren’t necessarily in agreement on. As we get ready to turn the calendar to 2021, here are three teams that I feel are overrated by the pollsters. All are ranked in the Top 25, but none of them SHOULD be. We’ve got one from the SEC, a conference I covered extensively in my underrated College Basketball teams column. The other two are from the Big 10. 1. Missouri - The Tigers are ranked #12 in the country, but I flat out disagree with that assessment as I’ve got a number of SEC teams rated above them. I had no issue laying a short number against the Tigers, in Columbia, when they faced Tennessee in a battle of unbeatens Wednesday. Sure enough, the Volunteers crushed the Tigers 73-53. Up next for Mizzou is a date with Arkansas, a team that made my underrated list. A loss there and the Tigers could tumble out of the Top 25.2. Michigan State - I bet a lot of you wish I would have written this column prior to Monday as that was when Sparty suffered a humiliating 81-56 defeat in Minnesota. It was their third consecutive defeat, all of those coming in Big 10 play. That’s dropped Tom Izzo’s team down to #17, but my power ratings say they shouldn’t even be ranked. Their best win is the lone time I played them (vs. Duke), but Duke is another team that has no business in the Top 25. Neither the KenPom ratings nor my own consider Michigan State a top 50 team in the country right now.3. Northwestern - Get ready to “sell high” on the Wildcats. Their current #19 ranking is the program’s highest this “late” in the season since 1969! It’s only the 7th time they’ve ever been ranked! After opening Big 10 play with three consecutive upsets (Mich St, Indiana, Ohio St), N’western lost at Iowa (by 15) on Tuesday. Look for that to start a downturn. The upcoming schedule is BRUTAL with the next four games all against legit Top 25 competition.

Ness Notes: Thursday Dec 31

by Larry Ness

Thursday, Dec 31, 2020

A Quick Look At The NBA After One Week

by Will Rogers

Thursday, Dec 31, 2020

Repeat after me.It’s early.And it’s a weird season – perhaps the weirdest in NBA history.But maybe, just maybe, there is some money to be made on some early-season games before the inevitable reversion to the mean takes over, or at least until oddsmakers start adjusting their numbers.Orlando, Cleveland, and Atlanta were all figured to bottom-feeders in a beefed-up Eastern Conference this season, but as of New Year’s Eve they were a combined 10-2 against the spread and making money for bettors savvy enough to stay away from teams that had extended stays in the Florida bubble a few months ago.The Magic do have a nice early-season win over Miami (which barely had time to catch its breath after getting to the Finals last season), but its other three wins have come against slow starters Washington (twice) and Oklahoma. Still, quite a turnaround for a franchise that was reportedly considering a teardown. Orlando is being led by reclamation project Markelle Fultz, who after a slew of injuries is finally starting to figure out what the NBA is all about. He’s averaging better than 18 points a game. Bettors would be advised to make hay quickly, though, because the Magic’s schedule gets tougher in mid-January.Cleveland is 3-1 straight up and ATS, also benefitting from a soft early-season schedule. And a bucket of ice water was tossed on the entire team when it somehow managed to find a way to lose at home to the Knicks. Injuries are also starting to take a toll, as first-round pick Isaac Okoro is out with a sprained ankle and vet Kevin Love is down for close to a month with a calf injury. Caveat emptor there, too.In the West, Sacramento may be at long last ready to make money for its backers. The Kings were 3-1 ATS going into their game against Houston on New Year’s Eve, and appear to have a real keeper in Tyrese Haliburton, who fell to them at No. 12 in the draft. The Kings have young legs and a decent foundation. Hopefully, they can avoid wilting when everyone in the Western Conference starts to get serious.On the other end of the spectrum, if you know what’s going on with the Raptors, send a text to HC Nick Nurse ASAP. Toronto (playing home games in Tampa due to Covid) is winless SU, winless ATS, and looks like a very different team than the one that was one or two possessions from reaching the Eastern finals last season.

NCAA Football Liberty Bowl: West Virginia/Army Preview

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Dec 31, 2020

The final college football game of 2020 takes place at 4 PM ET on ESPN. West Virginia initially thought they were playing Tennessee in the 62nd Liberty Bowl. But the Volunteers were hit with a COVID outbreak and pulled out of this event. Army qualified for the Independence Bowl midseason but lacked an opponent amidst many programs declining to participate in bowl games. The Black Knights became a logical fit to replace Tennessee in this bowl game, with the decision becoming official on December 21st. This game is at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee.Army closed out their season with three straight wins after they upset Air Force by a 10-7 score as a 1-point underdog. That victory gave the Black Knights their third Commander-in-Chief trophy in four years. Army’s only two losses were against Tulane and Cincinnati by 38-12 and 24-10 scores. While those are both teams that qualified for bowl games, the strength of schedule for the Black Knights remains a question mark, with two of their victories coming against FCS opponents in Abilene Christian and Mercer. Army has some of the best defensive numbers in the nation. The Black Knights rank second in the nation by allowing 14.0 points-per-game, and they rank second in the country by only giving up 271.2 yards-per-game. Army led the nation by allowing only 149.9 passing yards-per-game. Critics will be quick to point out that the Black Knights played four opponents that featured run-first triple-option attacks. Yet Army picked off 13 passes this season. They also ranked 20th in the country by allowing 121.2 rushing yards-per-game despite facing four run-heavy opponents.Army is a run-first triple-option team themselves that was fourth in the nation by averaging 281.3 rushing yards-per-game. With 22 different ball-carriers this season, the Black Knights registered 33 rushing touchdowns. Army did not play in a bowl game last year, but this will be their fourth bowl game appearance in five seasons under head coach Jeff Monken.West Virginia opened their season by winning three of their first four games, but they lost three of their last five games to close their regular season. They last played on December 5th when they lost at Iowa State by a 42-6 score. Junior quarterback Jarret Doege completed 21 of 41 passes for 209 yards in the loss to the Cyclones. The former Bowling Green transfer completed 64.2% of his passes for 2428 yards, which were second best in the Big 12. Doege passed for 13 touchdown passes with only three interceptions. He is supported by running back Leddie Brown, who rushed for 945 yards with a 5.3 yards-per-carry average and nine touchdowns to earn All-Big 12 honors. He added 31 receptions for 202 yards and another two touchdowns in the passing game. The Mountaineers are 43rd in the nation by averaging 422.7 yards-per-game to accompany their 26.8 points-per-game average. Second-year head coach Neal Brown has brought a defensive mindset to the program. West Virginia ranked fifth in the nation by allowing only 297.2 yards-per-game while also ranking 21st in the country by giving up 20.4 points-per-game. The Mountaineers held opposing rushers to 3.6 yards-per-carry and 126.2 rushing yards-per-game, which was the 13th best mark in the FBS. But West Virginia has not faced a triple-option offense since 2015, and Brown has had only ten days to prepare for the Army offense.BookMaker lists West Virginia as a 6.5-point favorite with the total set at 41.

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

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Dec 31, 2020

The Thursday sports card features three college football bowl games along with action in the NBA and college basketball. The Texas Bowl in college football between Arkansas and TCU planned for an 8 PM ET kickoff on ESPN was canceled due to the COVID outbreak in the Horned Frogs program.The Armed Forces Bowl kicks off the final betting day of 2020, with Tulsa playing Mississippi State. The Golden Hurricane finished with a 6-2 regular season record after they lost at Cincinnati on December 19th by a 27-24 score as a 13.5-point underdog.Mississippi State raised their record to a 3-7 mark with their 51-32 upset win against Missouri on December 19th as a 1-point underdog. That victory snapped a three-game losing streak for head coach Mike Leach in his first season in Starkville.Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, is the site for this bowl game. Tulsa is a 1.5-point favorite with the total set at 44.5. Ball State plays San Jose State in a battle of conference champions in the Arizona Bowl at 2 PM ET. The Cardinals won the Mid-American Conference Championship Game on December 18th with their 38-28 upset win against Buffalo as a 12.5-point underdog. Ball State began their season with a 38-31 loss at Miami (OH) but then won six straight games going into this game. San Jose State is one of the four remaining undefeated teams in the FCS after winning the Mountain West Conference Championship Game with their 34-20 upset win against Boise State as a 6.5-point underdog. The Spartans won all seven of their games this season against conference foes.Arizona Stadium in Tuscon is the site of this game broadcast on CBS. San Jose State is a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 64.The final college football game of 2020 takes place at 4 PM ET on ESPN. West Virginia initially thought they were playing Tennessee in the 62nd Liberty Bowl. But the Volunteers were hit with a COVID outbreak and pulled out of this event. Army qualified for the Independence Bowl midseason but lacked an opponent amidst many programs declining to participate in bowl games. The Black Knights became a logical fit to replace Tennessee in this bowl game, with the decision becoming official on December 21st. This game is at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee.Army closed out their season with three straight wins after they upset Air Force by a 10-7 score as a 1-point underdog. That victory gave the Black Knights their third Commander-in-Chief trophy in four years. Army’s only two losses were against Tulane and Cincinnati by 38-12 and 24-10 scores. While those are both teams that qualified for bowl games, the strength of schedule for the Black Knights remains a question mark, with two of their victories coming against FCS opponents in Abilene Christian and Mercer. West Virginia opened their season by winning three of their first four games, but they lost three of their last five games to close their regular season. They last played on December 5th when they lost at Iowa State by a 42-6 score. The Mountaineers are a 6.5-point favorite with the total set at 41.The college basketball card tips off at noon ET with Gardner Webb playing at Hampton.The nationally-televised schedule begins at 4 PM ET with Utah State visiting Air Force on the CBS Sports Network in a Mountain West Conference clash. The Aggies are 11.5-point road favorites with a total of 129.5.At 7 PM ET, UCLA hosts Utah on FS1 in a Pac-12 showdown.The Bruins are 7.5-point favorites with an over/under of 136.5. Michigan travels to Maryland for a Big Ten battle on ESPN. The Wolverines are ranked 16th in the nation in the Associated Press poll and are laying 2 points with the total at 142. USC hosts Colorado at 10 PM ET on ESPN. The Trojans are 1.5-point favorites with an over/under of 140.Seven games are on the NBA docket starting at 3:05 PM ET. None of the games are on national television.

Ness Notes: Wednesday, Dec 30

by Larry Ness

Wednesday, Dec 30, 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."The college bowl season resumed on Tuesday after a two-day break with favorites having gone 7-3 SU and 6-4 ATS, while there had been four overs and six unders. The 7-3 Oklahoma State Cowboys took on the 8-2 Miami Hurricanes in the Cheez-It Bowl in Orlando. OSU was ranked 21st in the CFP rankings but unranked in the AP, while Miami entered ranked 18th in both the AP and CFP. The Alamo Bowl featured 6-3 Texas (20th in both the AP and CFP rankings) vs 4-1 Colorado (Buffs had fallen out of both polls when it lost 38-31 at home to Utah on Dec 12). Tuesday was a good day (night) for the Big 12, as Oklahoma St beat Miami 37-34 and Texas, in its 57th all-time bowl, routed Colorado 55-23!Oklahoma State scored on its first three possessions, taking a 21-0 lead by the end of the first quarter on drives of 75, 82 and 49 yards. Miami suffered a major injury with 4:06 left in the second quarter as QB D'Eriq King left the game with an injured right knee. He watched the second half on crutches but his replacement, N'Kosi Perry completed 19 of 34 passes for 228 yards and two TDs and no INTs. Miami did close to 37-34 with 5:39 left in the fourth punted but then failed on a fourth down in its final two possessions. OSU's Spencer Sanders passed for 305 yards and four TDs.Texas' big win was marred by a shoulder injury that forced QB Sam Ehlinger out of the game for the second half. Ehlinger passed for 160 yards and a touchdown in what is likely his final appearance for Texas. Casey Thompson, Texas' backup QB, threw four TD passes tying an Alamo Bowl record. Not bad for a guy who had four completions all season before Tuesday. RB Bijan Robinson ran for 183 yards and a score plus caught two TD passes, as the Longhorns outgained Colorado 638 yards to 378. Texas has now won bowl games in all FOUR of head coach Tom Herman's seasons in Austin. Miami lost as a ranked AP team, while Texas won and easily covered. That makes ranked teams playing unranked opponents 3-2 SU but 2-3 ATS in the bowls to-date. Both favorites won (OSU closed as a one-point choice) and both games went over. Favorites are now 9-3 SU and 7-5 ATS, while it's six overs and six unders.Two bowls are set for Wednesday, with 3-3 Wisconsin taking on 4-4 Wake Forest in the Duke's Mayo Bowl from Charlotte, NC (12 noon ET on ESPN). Wisconsin is in a bowl for the 19th consecutive season, the third-longest active streak in the nation. As for Wake, the Demon Deacons are playing in a school-record FIFTH consecutive bowl. The Badgers have been much busier than Wake Forest recently, playing five games in the last six weeks, while the Demon Deacons have played only once since Nov 14. (note: Wake has played the fewest games of any ACC team this season). However, this will be the Demon Deacons' SEVENTH game in their home state this year. Will that help? Wisconsin is favored by 10 points (over/under is 51 1/2). The first of the New Year's Six bowls will be tonight's Cotton Bowl (8:00 ET from Dallas, Tx on ESPN), as 8-2 Oklahoma takes on 8-3 Florida. The Sooners are ranked 8th in the AP and Gators 10th, giving us our first ranked vs ranked bowl game. The only other time Florida and Oklahoma have played was in the BCS Championship following the 2008 season, when the Tim Tebow-led Gators won the national championship with a 24-14 win. This game had all the makings of a classic offensive shootout, until Florida lost ALL of its main receiving corps. The Gators were a 2 1/2-point choice but there has been a major swing in the odds since, as the Sooners are currently favored by seven points (over/under is 65). What a shame. Pity the poor bettors who had Florida minus-2 1/2 but how about the Oklahoma bettors who got 2 1/2-points. VERY happy I never 'got involved!' CBB: The AP's new poll was released Monday and 7-0 Gonzaga, the AP's preseason No. 1, got 62 of 64 first-place votes as it held its No. 1 ranking for the 5th consecutive week (preseason and for regular season polls. Why wouldn't the Bulldogs be No. 1, as they own FOUR wins over ranked opponents (all on neutral sites) through just their first seven games, a poll record! 6-0 Baylor is No. 2 and got the remaining two first-place votes. Gonzaga and Baylor were supposed to meet on Dec 5 but the game was postponed for COVID reasons. Here's hoping the two schools DON'T reschedule. Why give us a preview of what seems likely to be our national championship matchup? 8-1 Kansas is up to No.3, having won EIGHT in a row since losing its season-opener 102-90 to Gonzaga. 8-1 Villanova is No. 4, losing only an OT game to now-No. 24 Va Tech. Rounding out the top-5 is Houston, which is 7-0 (note: all records through Sunday). The Big Ten has a record NINE teams in the top-25, including Northwestern, the school's highest ranking this late in a season since 1969 (spoiler alert: Wildcats lost Tuesday at Iowa). Minnesota entered the poll for the first time on Monday with an 8-1 record (T-21) but unlike Northwestern, 'celebrated' by beating No. 17 Michigan St 81-56. It was Minnesota's largest margin of victory ever over Michigan State, which now owns its first 0-3 start in conference play in 19 years! Falling out of the poll were No. 17 North Carolina and No. 22 Xavier, which lost its first game of the season (66-61 at No. 11 Creighton), after an 8-0 start.Wednesday's card features a 'Battle' of Unbeatens' in the SEC, as No. 7 Tennessee is at No. 12 Missouri. It's the SEC opener for both 6-0 teams, with the Vols favored by four points. No. 2 Baylor (-42.5) will host Alcorn St plus two more ranked teams are in action. No. 23 Virginia (-6.5) at Notre Dame and No. 25 Ohio St (-13) hosting Nebraska. I'll catch up with Y-T-D numbers of games between ranked teams and games between ranked and unranked teams in Thursday's Notes. I'll pick up with daily NBA coverage after this weekend, when the ONLY college football contest remaining will be the national championship game.Good luck...Larry

NCAA Football Cotton Bowl: Oklahoma/Florida Preview

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Dec 30, 2020

The first of the New Year’s Six bowl games is Wednesday night in a battle between the Big 12 champion and the SEC runner-up. The Cotton Bowl has Florida facing off against Oklahoma at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.Oklahoma opened their season with a 38-35 upset loss at home to Kansas State, which they followed up with a 37-30 upset loss at Iowa State the next week. The Sooners won their next five games to put themselves in the Big 12 championship game. As a 5-point favorite, Oklahoma raced out to a 24-7 halftime lead against Iowa State and held on to avenge their October loss to the Cyclones by a 27-21 score. Redshirt freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler completed 22 of 3 passes of 272 yards with a touchdown pass along with a rushing touchdown. Rattler completed 68.0% of his passes this season for 2784 yards with 25 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. He added another five touchdowns on the ground. The Sooners returned 16 starters from the team that finished 12-2 last year after losing to LSU in the college football semifinals by a 63-28 score. The team not only improved as the season progressed, but they also got two impact players back midseason after they served five-game suspensions. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 479 yards in his five games with a 5.8 yards-per-carry average with six touchdowns. Defensive end Ronnie Perkins registered 5.5 sacks in his five games with the team while helping the Oklahoma defense hold their opponents to 16.0 points-per-game and 323.0 yards-per-game, with those numbers being -5.9 points-per-game and 12.6 yards-per-game lower than their season averages.The Sooners’ defense ranked 19th in the nation by allowing 334.6 yards-per-game. Oklahoma averaged 41.8 points-per-game along with 475.8 yards-per-game, which was ninth and 18th in the country. Led by Rattler under center, the Sooners averaged 321.6 passing yards-per-game, 11th in the nation.Florida returned 12 starters from last year’s group that finished 11-2 with a 36-28 win over Virginia in the Orange Bowl. The Gators opened 2-0 before losing by a 41-38 score at Texas A&M. Florida would win their next six games before being upset in their final regular-season game at home to LSU by a 37-34 score. The Gators had already clinched a spot in the SEC championship game before that setback. They played Alabama in Atlanta on December 19th, where they kept things close but could never catch up to the Crimson Tide in a 52-46 loss.Senior quarterback Kyle Trask completed 26 of 40 passes for 408 yards with three touchdown passes along with a rushing touchdown. Trask completed 69.7% of his passes for 4125 yards with 43 touchdown passes and only five interceptions. He led an offense that was ninth in the nation by averaging 508.8 yards-per-game and 41.6 points-per-game, 11th in the country. Yet the Gators' defense was 63rd by allowing 28.6 points-per-game and by giving up 404.7 yards-per-game. Trask will be without his top-four targets in this game. Tight-end Kyle Pitts, along with wide receivers Trevon Grimes and Kadarius Toney, are opting-out of this game to prepare for the NFL. Jacob Copeland is unavailable given COVID protocols. These four players combined for 174 receptions for 2778 yards with 34 touchdowns this season.For Oklahoma, only cornerback Tre Jones is opting out of this bowl game. The senior had 31 tackles with three interceptions, and six passed defended.BookMaker lists the Sooners as a 4.5-point favorite with the total set at 67.5. ESPN has the broadcast starting at 8 PM ET.

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

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Dec 30, 2020

The Wednesday sports card features another two college football bowl games, along with action in the NBA and college basketball, and the conclusion of Matchweek 16 in the English Premier League.The Mayo Bowl kicks off the action at 12 PM ET in a game between Wake Forest and Wisconsin. The Demon Deacons will be playing in just their second game since November 14th after getting upset at Louisville on December 12th as a 1-point favorite. Wake Forest goes into this game with a 4-4 record.Wisconsin lost three straight games in a row midseason in setbacks to Northwestern, Indiana, and Iowa before evening their regular season record at 3-3 with a 20-17 win in overtime against Minnesota. Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte is the site of this game. The Badgers are 10.5-point favorites with the total set at 51.5 (all odds from BetOnline).The Music City Bowl was scheduled for 4 PM ET on Wednesday with Iowa playing Missouri. This game was canceled after a COVID outbreak in the Tigers’ program. The college basketball card tips off at 12 PM ET with VCU playing at Saint Joseph’s as an 8-point road favorite with an over/under of 154.5.At 7 PM ET, Xavier hosts Seton Hall on FS1. The Pirates are 3-point favorites with a total of 145 in this Big East battle. The CBS Sports Network has a Atlantic 10 showdown with Davidson playing at home against Richmond in a pick ‘em game with an over/under of 140.5. Arkansas plays at Auburn on ESPN2 with the Razorbacks a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 145.5 in this SEC clash. ESPNU has an Ohio Valley Conference game with Belmont at home against Murray State laying 3 points with an over/under of 146.At 9 PM ET, UConn hosts DePaul on the CBS Sports Network as an 8.5-point favorite with the total set at 142.5 in this Big East contest. Florida visits Vanderbilt in a SEC showdown on ESPN as a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 141.Six games take place in the NBA on Wednesday starting at 7:35 PM ET. None of these games are on national television. Two matches conclude Matchweek 16 in the English Premier League. At 1 PM ET, Tottenham plays at home against Fulham. The Spurs begin the day tied in fifth place in the EPL table with 26 points after a 1-1 draw at Wolverhampton on Sunday. Fulham is in 18th place with 11 points after a 0-0 draw with Southampton. Tottenham is a -1.25 goal line favorite with the total at 2.5. The NBC Sports Network has the broadcast. The NBC Sports Network has the second game at 3 PM ET with Liverpool visiting Newcastle United. The Reds remain in first place with 32 points after settling for a 1-1 draw against West Brom on Sunday. Newcastle is in 15th place with 18 points after a 2-0 loss at Manchester City on Saturday. Liverpool is a -1.5 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 3.

Ness Notes: Tuesday, Dec 29

by Larry Ness

Tuesday, Dec 29, 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."NFL Week 16 opened on Christmas Day with RB Alvin Kamara scoring SIX rushing TDs, as the Saints routed the Vikings 52-33. His effort tied him with Ernie Nevers of the Chicago Cardinals in 1929 for the most in NFL history. He is only the FOURTH player to score six TDs of any kind in a game, joining Nevers, Dub Jones (1951) and Gale Sayers (1965). The week concluded last night as the Bills CRUSHED the Pats 38-9 in New England. Buffalo QB Josh Allen threw three of his four TD passes to Stefon Diggs, completing 27 of 36 passes for 320 yards. His 34 TD passes on the season set a franchise record, surpassing the mark set by Hall-of-Famer Jim Kelly in 1991. The 12-3 Bills now hold the No. 2 seed in the AFC by virtue of their 26-15 victory over the 12-3 Pittsburgh Steelers (12-3) back on Dec 13. Buffalo can clinch the No. 2 seed with a win over visiting Miami on Sunday or a Pittsburgh loss at Cleveland. The defending champion KC Chiefs (14-1) own the No. 1 seed, which gives them the ONLY bye in the AFC in this season's revamped postseason. There are SO many playoff-positioning implications in Week 17 (all games will be played on Sunday, Jan 3), that I will once again offer a "special" Saturday Ness Notes to preview the 'state of the NFL.' I will note that the Jaguars "kept up their end" in losing for a 14th straight time, 41-17 at home to the playoff-bound (?) Chicago Bears. Checking in on the 'race' for the NFC's No. 1 seed (and ONLY bye). 12-3 Green Bay (NFC North champs) currently own the No. 1 seed, one game ahead of 11-4 New Orleans (NFC South champs) and 11-4 Seattle (NFC West champs). The Packers will clinch the top-seed with a win at Chicago but the Saints can wrest the No. 1 seed back from the Packers with a win and if Green Bay loses in Week 17 and Seattle wins, as New Orleans would have the best conference record among the trio (note: If Green Bay and New Orleans are tied at 12-4 alone, the Packers own the head-to-head tiebreaker). To add more intrigue to the mix, if the Seahawks and Packers both finish 12-4 (meaning the Saints would have lost), Seattle wins the tiebreaker by virtue of a superior record in common games with Green Bay, Got it? Home teams finished Week 16 9-7 SU & ATS, with home dogs going 3-5 SU and 4-4 ATS. Games averaged 47.6 points, with seven overs, eight unders and one push. Don't forget to check out Saturday's NFL-only edition of Ness Notes.The college bowl season resumes after a two-day break. Favorites were 5-2 SU & ATS to open the bowl season. The first three bowl games averaged 73.7 PPG but the UCF/BYU total closed at 79 1/2, so the overs were 2-1, not an expected 3-0. However, the next four bowl games averaged just 36.3 PPG, with all going under. That made it two overs and FIVE unders heading into Saturday's tripleheader. The only ranked team (I use the AP poll, not the CFP rankings) to have played through the first seven bowls was No. 13 BYU, which routed UCF 49-23 in the Boca Raton Bowl. However, two ranked teams took the field (both from the Sun Belt) on Saturday, as No. 16 ULL (9-1) met 7-4 UTSA in the First Responder Bowl and No. 9 Coastal Carolina (11-0) met 9-1 Liberty in the Cure Bowl. Saturday's third bowl was 5-6 Western Kentucky playing 5-4 Georgia St in the LendingTree Bowl.The Ragin' Cajuns led 24-7 but saw the Roadrunners score 17 straight points to tie the score at 24al,a one-yard TD midway through the fourth quarter gave ULL the win (10-1) but NOT the cover. The Cure Bowl was a mano-a-mano showdown between QBs Willis (of Liberty) and Grayson McCall (of Coastal Carolina). Willis did not throw a TD pass and had two INTs but threw for 220 yards and ran for 137, while scoring four TDs. McCall threw for 318 yards and three TDs plus ran for 96 yards and a score. The game went into OT and Liberty won 37-34, ending Coastal's perfect 11-0 season (had a 12-game winning streak). Liberty won the game by blocking Coastal's FG attempt in OT to finish 10-1. It must have been 'sweet,' as Liberty's lone loss came at NC St, when the Wolfpack blocked a potential game-winning FG attempt by the Flames, VERY late in the game! The third Saturday bowl saw Georgia St easily beat Western Kentucky 39-21. Heading into Tuesday's two bowl games, favorites are 7-3 SU and 6-4 ATS. The three Saturday bowls averaged 62.0 PPG with two games going over and one under. That makes it four overs and six unders. ULL won but failed to cover and Coastal Carolina lost SU, making the three ranked teams playing unranked opponents 2-1 SU but 1-2 ATS in the bowls to-date.Tuesday's bowls: The 7-3 Oklahoma State Cowboys take on the 8-2 Miami Hurricanes in the Cheez-It Bowl in Orlando, Fl at 5:30 ET on ESPN. OSU is ranked 21st in the CFP rankings but is unranked in the AP, after opening the season 15th in the preseason poll. Miami was NOT ranked in the AP's preseason poll (coming off a 6-7 season, including an 'ugly' 14-0 bowl loss to La Tech) but enters the game ranked 18th in both the AP and CFP. Some may be surprised that ESPN also carries the Alamo Bowl (you'll NEVER guess which city it's being played in!) at 8:00 ET. It features 6-3 Texas and 4-1 Colorado. The Longhorns are ranked 20th in both the AP and CFP rankings, while the Buffs fell out of both polls when it lost 38-31 at home to Utah on Dec 12. It was a disappointing season for the Longhorns but the Alamo Bowl marks the 57th all-time bowl appearance for Texas, the second-most in the country behind only Alabama. The Buffaloes were the surprise team of the Pac-12 this season, despite head coach Karl Dorrell not being hired until February. They made the most out of their limited opportunities, finishing the regular season with a 4-1 mark, and 3-1 in league play for a second-place finish in the South Division. Oklahoma St is favored by 1 1/2-points over Miami-Fl (over/under is 62) and Texas is favored by 7 1/2-points over Colorado (over/under is 64 1/2).I'll catch up on CBB and the NBA in Wednesday's Notes.Good luck...Larry

NCAA Football Alamo Bowl: Texas/Colorado Preview

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Dec 29, 2020

This year’s Alamo Bowl brings together two old rivals from the Big 8 days. Texas and Colorado last played each other in 2009. Two years later, the Buffaloes joined Utah in the expanded Pac-12 conference. These foes reunite at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.Texas entered the year with high expectations with 16 starters back from the group that finished a disappointing 8-5. The Longhorns concluded their season on a high note with a 38-10 upset victory over a Utah team that just missed making the college football play in last year’s Alamo Bowl. After a 2-0 start, Texas was upset at home against TCU the week before their annual showdown with Oklahoma. The Longhorns lost a heartbreaker in a four-overtime classic against the Sooners by a 53-45 score. Texas won their next three games before losing at home to Iowa State by a 23-20 score. The Longhorns responded in closing out their regular season with a 69-31 victory at Kansas State. Sam Ehlinger completed 20 of 27 passes for 274 yards with two touchdown passes against the Wildcats. He has completed 60.1% of his passes for 2406 yards with 25 touchdown passes and just five interceptions. Ehlinger has added 382 rushing yards with another eight touchdowns. While he has one more year of eligibility, the senior has yet to announce if he plans to return to Austin for a final year or make himself available for the NFL draft. Texas looks to win their seventh game of the season with a fourth straight victory in a bowl game under head coach Tom Herman. Their three losses were by 13 combined points. But after Ehlinger led the Longhorns to an upset win over Georgia in the 2019 Sugar Bowl, expectations got higher for this program. Herman is managing several opt-outs in the latter part of the season. Senior left tackle Sameer Cosmi has left the team to prepare for the NFL draft. With senior center Derek Kirkstetter out with an ankle injury, Texas will likely have two freshmen starting on their offensive line. Wide receiver Brennan Eagles has also opted-out for this game along with a handful of players and defense. Colorado was reeling in February when Mel Tucker left the program to become the Michigan State head coach after just one season with the Buffaloes. Karl Dorrell got hired to return to the program as the new head coach, where he once served as an offensive assistant for both Bill McCartney and Rick Neuheisel just weeks before COVID would wipe out their planned spring practices. He inherited 14 returning starters from a team that finished 5-7 for the third straight season.Dorrell conducted one of the best coaching jobs of the season by leading a team that won four of five games, despite the logistical challenges and an inexperienced quarterback room. Sophomore running back Jarek Broussard emerged from nowhere to become the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 813 yards with a 6.3 yards-per-carry average. Senior Sam Noyer was steady under center despite having 41 career passing attempts going into the fall. He completed 58% of his passes for 1000 yards with five touchdowns and six interceptions. The dual-threat quarterback added 191 rushing yards with five touchdowns while averaging 4.2 yards-per-carry. The Buffaloes are 16th in the nation by averaging 218.4 rushing yards-per-game. Colorado won their first four games of the season with upsets against UCLA and Stanford to start their season. The Buffaloes got bypassed to represent the Pac-12 North in the Pac-12 championship game due to playing one less conference game than USC due to straight weeks of canceled games against Arizona State and the Trojans in late November. Colorado then lost their final game of the season on December 12th by a 38-21 score at home to Utah.Senior linebacker Nate Landman will miss this game with an Achilles’ injury. It will be just the second bowl game appearance for this program in the last thirteen seasons. BetAnySports lists Texas as an 8-point favorite with the total set at 63.5. ESPN broadcasts the game at 9 PM ET.

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

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Dec 29, 2020

The Tuesday sports card features two college football bowl games, along with action in the NBA and college basketball, and the continuation of Matchweek 16 in the English Premier League.The Cheez-It Bowl kicks off at 5:30 PM ET in a game between Oklahoma State and Miami (FL) at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. The Cowboys ended their regular season with a 7-3 record after their 42-3 victory at Baylor as a 6-point favorite on December 12th. The Hurricanes are 8-2 after they lost at home to North Carolina by a 62-26 score as a 3-point favorite on December 12th. Oklahoma State is a 1-point favorite with a total of 61 (all odds from BetOnline). ESPN has the broadcast.The ESPN doubleheader continues at 9 PM ET with the Alamo Bowl between Texas and Colorado at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The Longhorns are 6-3 on the season after their 69-31 win at Kansas State as a 7-point favorite on December 5th. The Buffaloes lost their first game in five days on December 12th, with their 38-21 loss to Utah as a 3-point favorite. Texas is a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 63.5.Nine games are in the docket in the NBA. The TNT doubleheader starts at 7:35 PM ET with Milwaukee visiting Miami in their first meeting since the Heat defeated them in five games in Eastern Conference Semifinals last season. The Bucks have lost two of their first three games after their 130-110 upset loss at New York as a 13-point favorite on Sunday. The Heat are 1-1 so far this season after they defeated New Orleans last Friday by a 111-98 score as a 3-point favorite. Milwaukee is a 5.5-point favorite with the total at 223.Phoenix hosts New Orleans in the TNT nightcap at 10:05 PM ET. The Suns improved their record to a 2-1 mark with their 116-100 win at Sacramento as a 3.5-point favorite on Sunday. The Pelicans have won two of their first three games after defeating San Antonio by a 98-95 score as a 4.5-point favorite on Sunday. Phoenix is a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 223.5.The nationally-televised college basketball card tips off at 7 PM ET. Rutgers hosts Purdue on FS1. The Scarlet Knights are ranked 14th in the nation in the latest Associated Press poll. They are 3.5-point favorites with a total of 139.5. Memphis plays at home against South Florida on ESPN2 as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 136. Mercer is at home against Wofford on ESPNU as a 2.5-point favorite with the total at 144.5.Houston travels to Tulsa for a game on ESPN2 at 9 PM ET. The fifth-ranked Cougars are 7.5-point road favorites with an over/under of 127. A battle of ranked Big Ten teams features on FS1 as well at 9 PM ET. Iowa is ranked 10th in the nation as they host the 19th ranked Northwestern. The Hawkeyes are 10.5-point favorites with a total of 152.5.The festive fixture schedule continues with five matches to continue Matchweek 16 in the English Premier League. Four games start at 1 PM ET, headlined by Arsenal playing at Brighton and Hove Albion on the NBC Sports Network. Arsenal comes off a triumphant 3-1 win at home against Arsenal on Saturday to elevate them to 15th place with 17 points. The Seagulls come off a 2-2- draw at West Ham United on Sunday, which leaves them in 16th place with 13 points. Arsenal is a -0.25 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.25.At 3 PM ET, Manchester United hosts Wolverhampton on the NBC Sports Network. The Red Devils come a 2-2 draw at Leicester City on Saturday, which has them in fourth place with 27 points. The Wolves settled for a 1-1 draw at home against Tottenham on Sunday to give them 21 points, which puts them in 11th place in the EPL table. Man United is a -1 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5.

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