Follow us @bigal_com

Instagram Twitter

Articles

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.

Read more

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.  

Read more

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. 

Read more

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. 

Read more

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.

Read more

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.

Read more

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. 

Read more

Western Conference Top 4 January Schedules

by Nelly's Sports

Wednesday, Dec 31, 2025

The new year is a critical turning point in the NBA schedule as we approach the halfway point of the season in January, a few weeks before the actual All-Star Break. Here is a look at the schedules in January for the current top four teams in the Western Conference standings. Oklahoma City Thunder: A record early-season pace has been stalled as the Thunder have lost four times in the past eight games since mid-December, with the Spurs providing three of those losses, though the NBA Cup Final does not count in the season record. The once insurmountable lead in the Western Conference standings has narrowed. January could provide a few more losses for the Thunder as Oklahoma City has road games with Golden State, Phoenix, Memphis, Houston, Miami, Cleveland, and Minnesota. The home schedule with the Thunder 16-1 at home on the season is mostly favorable in the next month but the Spurs will be visiting on January 13. The Thunder aren’t going anywhere as the team to beat in the West, but expect all talk of chasing 73-9 to be eliminated by the end of the month. San Antonio Spurs: Beating Oklahoma City in back-to-back late December games put the Spurs squarely in the Western Conference spotlight but losing at home to Utah and Cleveland in the next two games shows that the Spurs still have some things to figure out to be a championship contender. January is not likely to provide the Spurs with an opportunity to close the gap with the Thunder. There is a tough mid-month stretch facing Boston, Minnesota, and Oklahoma City in three road games in four days. The Spurs are also playing at Houston twice in late January and will have home games with the Lakers and Wolves this month as well. In all the Spurs have eight games in January against the top handful of teams in the NBA for a difficult upcoming month.  Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets had a great six-week run from early November to mid-December but Denver has lost four of the past six games heading towards the close of the 2025 calendar. January will continue a seven-game road trip with a few east coast games and tough tests in Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Boston early in the month. The rest of the January schedule is favorable for Denver to stay in the top three of the Western Conference standings. Eight of the final 13 games of January are at home and only two of those home games come against top six teams in either conference. After playing at Boston on January 7, the remaining five road games in January for the Nuggets are all against losing teams as Denver can establish itself as a serious Western Conference threat, having so far played a tougher schedule than Oklahoma City so far this season. Houston Rockets: Houston is 20-10 overall with only 12 of 30 games played at home. The Rockets have played a tougher schedule than most top tier NBA teams at this point in the season and still sit in serious contention. January could be a great month for the Rockets with a relatively favorable schedule. There are two games with the Spurs and a game with the Thunder in January for Houston but all three of those games are at home. Six of eight road games in January are against losing teams and only a trip to Detroit late in the month looks overly demanding. The Rockets will also host Phoenix and Minnesota in January but overall it is a favorable path as the Rockets could climb in the standings by the end of the month. 

Read more

Eastern Conference Top 4 January Schedules

by Nelly's Sports

Wednesday, Dec 31, 2025

The new year is a critical turning point in the NBA schedule as we approach the halfway point of the season in January, a few weeks before the actual All-Star Break. Here is a look at the schedules in January for the current top four teams in the Eastern Conference standings. Detroit Pistons: The Pistons closed December with a west coast trip and will be at home for seven of the first eight games of January. That might lead one to think that the Pistons will have a great opportunity to extend their Eastern Conference lead but the schedule is about to get more difficult in terms of the level of competition. The Pistons have had the weakest schedule in the NBA at this point thanks to Milwaukee and Indiana struggling greatly, while Cleveland hasn’t matched last season’s pace in a Central division that was much more competitive in most recent seasons. Detroit is in Cleveland for a big game for the first weekend of the month while the mid-January home stand includes tough games with the Knicks, Suns, and Celtics. Detroit closes the month with another set of west coast games while also having a home date with Houston late in January as the Pistons could have a difficult month, even with only five January road games. New York Knicks: The Knicks are 23-9 overall but a NBA-best 15-2 home record sits next to a .500 road mark. The Knicks have five road games in the first 15 days of January after closing out 2025 with a trip to San Antonio. New York has road games in Detroit, Phoenix, and Golden State early in the month before a more favorable second half of January schedule. February looks more difficult for the Knicks as January looks likely to be a positive month for the Knicks to maintain their pace as one of the top Eastern Conference contenders.  Only two of six home games in January for New York are against winning teams and those games with Philadelphia and Phoenix aren’t overly threatening. Boston Celtics: The Celtics remain an Eastern Conference contender even while not necessarily being all-in for this season. Boston will have a road-heavy January that could bump the Celtics further down the standings however. Boston is on the road for eight of 16 games in January, finishing up a road trip out west to start 2026 and then facing a stretch of six of seven games on the road in the middle of the month. The early January home stand is a difficult one with Denver, Toronto, and San Antonio all visiting Boston in the span of four days. Boston doesn’t have the toughest January schedule in terms of the opposition but there are two back-to-back sets plus several taxing weeks as the Celtics aren’t likely to make a big move upward in January. Toronto Raptors: A surprise team to still be in the top four of the Eastern Conference standings, Toronto has been a streaky team that won nine in a row in November to reach 14-5 but has gone 6-9 since. January could derail the season for the Raptors even further with nine road games in the month including road games with the Celtics, Lakers, Warriors, Thunder, and Magic. Six of the final seven January games are on the road in a brutal stretch of the schedule as the lone home game in that run will be against the Knicks. Toronto plays Atlanta and Philadelphia at home four times early in the month in key games vs. similar teams in the Eastern Conference picture. Making the playoffs in the Eastern Conference this season may not be a high bar to reach but the Raptors are likely to continue to slide closer to the cut line. 

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, NBA, NCAAF, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 12/31/2025

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Dec 31, 2025

The Wednesday sports card features NCAAF, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action. The college football bowl season continues with five games. Vanderbilt plays Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on ESPN at noon ET. The Commodores won for the fifth time in their last six games after their 45-24 upset victory at Tennessee as a 1.5-point underdog on November 29th. The Hawkeyes are on a two-game winning streak after a 40-16 win at Nebraska as a 5.5-point favorite on November 28th. Vanderbilt is a 5.5-point favorite with the total set at 45.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Duke takes on Arizona State in the Sun Bowl at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, on CBS at 2:00 p.m. ET. The Blue Devils are on a three-game winning streak after their 27-20 upset victory in overtime against Virginia in the ACC championship game on December 6th. The Sun Devils had won three games in a row before their 23-7 loss against Arizona as a 2-point underdog on November 28th. Duke is a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 47.5. Texas faces Michigan in the Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, on ABC at 3:00 p.m. ET. The Longhorns won for the sixth time in their previous seven games in a 27-17 upset victory at home against Texas A&M as a 2.5-point underdog on November 28th. The Wolverines had won five games in a row before a 27-9 loss at home against Ohio State as a 9-point underdog on November 29th. Texas is a 7-point favorite with a total of 48.5. Utah battles Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on ESPN at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Utes are on a five-game winning streak after a 31-21 victory at Kansas as a 10.5-point favorite on November 28th. The Cornhuskers lost for the third time in their previous four games in a 40-16 loss at home against Iowa as a 5.5-point underdog on November 28th. Utah is a 14.5-point favorite with an over/under of 50.5. The quarterfinals of the college football playoffs kick off with one game. Ohio State challenges Miami (FL) in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPN News at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Buckeyes’ 12-game winning streak ended in a 13-10 upset loss against Indiana as a 3-point favorite in the Big Ten championship game. The Hurricanes advanced to the quarterfinals with their 10-3 upset victory at Texas A&M as a 3-point underdog in the first round of the playoffs on December 20th. Ohio State is a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 40.5.The National Basketball Association has nine games on its docket. The Golden State Warriors travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets at 1:10 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 233.5. Two NBA games tip off at 3:10 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Timberwolves play in Atlanta against the Hawks as a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 242.5. The Orlando Magic are on the road against Indiana as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 225.5. The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Phoenix Suns at 3:40 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 235.5. Two NBA games begin at 7:10 p.m. ET. The San Antonio Spurs play at home against the New York Knicks as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 237.5. The New Orleans Pelicans visit the Chicago Bulls as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 245.5. The Toronto Raptors play at home against the Denver Nuggets as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 224.5. Two games conclude the NBA card at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Milwaukee Bucks are home against the Washington Wizards as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 231.5. The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Portland Trail Blazers as a 15.5-point favorite with an over/under of 233.5. The National Hockey League has 10 games on its slate. The Washington Capitals play at home against the New York Rangers at 12:37 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Vegas Golden Knights are home against the Nashville Predators at 3:07 p.m. ET as a -198 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Two more NHL games drop the puck at 4:07 p.m. ET. The Tampa Bay Lightning travel to Anaheim to battle the  Ducks as a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Minnesota Wild play in San Jose against the Sharks as a -175 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Detroit Red Wings host the Winnipeg Jets at 6:37 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Columbus Blue Jackets play at home against the New Jersey Devils at 7:07 p.m. ET as a -112 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Dallas Stars are home against the Buffalo Sabres at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5.  The Colorado Avalanche host the St. Louis Blues at 9:07 p.m. ET as a -355 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two more games conclude the NHL card at 9:37 pm. ET. The Edmonton Oilers play at home against the Boston Bruins as a -205 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Calgary Flames are home against the Philadelphia Flyers as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule tips off at noon ET with 49 games involving Division I opponents. Five NCAAB games are on major national television. North Carolina State hosts Wake Forest on ESPN at noon ET as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 158.5. Clemson is on the road to play at Syracuse on ESPN2 at 2:00 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 141.5. Marshall plays at home against Georgia State on ESPN2 at 4:00 p.m. ET as a 13.5-point favorite with a total of 151.5. Villanova is home to play DePaul on FS1 at 6:00 p.m. ET as a 13.5-point favorite with an over/under of 138.5. St. John’s travels to Georgetown on FS1 at 8:00 p.m. ET as an 8.5-point road favorite with a total of 152.5. 

Read more

MLB Offseason ~ What's Happening

by AAA Sports

Tuesday, Dec 30, 2025

Munetaka Murakami chooses Chicago. The White Sox ~ We're not sure that anyone saw this move coming. Munetaka Murakami, the Japanese power hitter sensation, was maybe the biggest international name in free agency this offseason. With just 24 hours left before he had to make his final decision, the news broke out that Murakami was joining the White Sox. Quite shocking. CWS is a young team with lots of up and coming talent and even though that is the case, it hasn't really made any noise quite yet with these players. We'll see if the big home run hitter can help them over these next two seasons and get the White Sox back into playoff contention. Luckily if things don't pan out, he's only on a two year contract.   Pete Alonso to Baltimore. Edwin Diaz to LAD . NYM in shambles ~ The New York Mets really have changed their mentality from just one season ago when World Series was on their mind and they didn't even make the playoffs. After adding Juan Soto, that was definitely not a good season. So far in the offseason of this year, the Mets lost Pete Alonso to the Baltimore Orioles. They've lost Edwin Diaz to their biggest competitor in the National League -- Los Angeles Dodgers. Not only that, but the Mets also got rid of Brandon Nimmo who's now with the Texas Rangers. Crazy stuff.   Los Angeles Dodgers the favorites again going into 2026 ~ The best team in the MLB over the L2 seasons are loading up again for the new season. Like we said in the latest paragraph, the Dodgers signed Edwin Diaz to become their new closer for the upcoming season. In the playoffs last year Roki Sasaki took the closer role with the circumstances just working out that way. He's going to be a main point in the five man rotation this season and that opened up the spot for Diaz. The Dodgers also acquired Michael Siani from the Braves and re-signed Miguel Rojas back to the roster. We think that they are going to be as hard as ever to beat this season and the three-peat is definitely on.  Still Big Names Left on The Market ~Kyle TuckerBo BichetteAlex BregmanRanger Suarez Lot's of top players in the MLB market, so many teams could make moves to shake up the league. If the Mets want to be competitive at all, they need to grab one of these named and definitely a hitter to hit behind Soto with the exit of the Polar Bear. Tucker would be huge. If the Blue Jays lose Bo, they need someone to replace him.  Where Will Kazuma Okamoto and Tatsuya Imai end up?  ~ With just a couple of days left for both of these guys to be added to MLB rosters, there's definitely talk going on about where these guys will end up. Tatsuya Imai negotiating window closes on Friday while Okamoto's closes on Sunday. The Cubs seem to be making a real push for Okamoto with many teams still interested. We'll see where these guys end up in just a couple of days. 

Read more

Anatomy of Resisting the Fear of the Over Trap

by Hollywood Sports

Tuesday, Dec 30, 2025

Last Sunday night’s contest between the Chicago Bears and the San Francisco 49ers presented a conundrum regarding how to evaluate an over/under set in the low 50s. It was the highest number for Week 17.I am a bit wary of falling into an “over trap” when one of the teams involved (San Francisco) comes off an impressive offensive display. The 49ers’ offense looked unstoppable against the Colts in a game particularly frustrating to me since I was on Indianapolis and the Under. I don’t want to be overreacting to recency bias. The case supporting the Over for this Sunday night showdown was bolstered that in NFL games with the Total set at 49.5 or higher, when the road team has a winning percentage in the 60-75% range, comes off a win, and is now facing a winning team, that game finished Over the Total in 26 of those last 34 (77%) circumstances. That empirical angle suggests that in expected high-scoring games, if the road is good and playing with momentum against another quality team, the scoring should go back and forth. I got the 49ers’ game script all wrong last week, as I presumed Indianapolis would try to slow the game down with Jonathan Taylor running the ball. Instead, Philip Rivers defied time by passing for 277 yards. I wanted to see how Rivers would perform today against Jacksonville — and he only threw for 147 yards this afternoon. Perhaps Rivers' turning back time had more to do with the banged-up 49ers defense that is missing several key players, including Nick Bosa and Fred Warner. I definitely need to raise the threshold of evidence of when I endorse Unders in Niners’ games under head coach Kyle Shanahan — especially against good teams. San Francisco has played 15 of their last 22 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage in the 60-75% range. Additionally, the 49ers have played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after winning three or more games in a row. They have played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total in December. In the 49ers' last 18 games at home when favored by -3 to -7 points, they have played 16 of those games Over the Total. With team trends like that demonstrating the personality of the Niners under Shanahan, it was tough for me to get off the Over in this spot. Chicago’s improving rushing attack has helped their defense and contributed to their playing two straight Unders. After holding Cleveland scoreless in the first half two weeks ago, they went into halftime last week trailing by a 6-0 score to the Packers. But those strong defensive efforts trigger an empirical angle supporting the Over that has been 81% effective since 2016. The 49ers are scoring 37.0 Points-Per-Game in their last three games while putting up at least 26 points in each of those games — and in the last 31 games involving one team that has scored at least 25 points three straight games facing a team that has not allowed more than seven points in the first half in their last two games, 25 of those contests finished Over the Total. The Chicago defense was surrendering 370.8 total Yards-Per-Game on the road, which was resulting in 29.0 PPG. In their 8 games on the road this season under head coach Ben Johnson, they have played 5 of those games Over the Total. And while the 49ers are allowing their opponents to generate 5.7 Yards-Per-Play, the Bears have played 11 of their last 17 games Over the Total against teams who give up 5.65 or more YPP.It ended up being one of those games where the decision to the over seemed obvious almost immediately. The Bears scored on a 34-yard interception returned for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage (and it becomes very hard for  Unders to cash when a defensive touchdown is scored — it is even more difficult for Unders when a special teams touchdown is also scored, as with what happened in the Los Angeles Rams-Atlanta game for Monday Night Football that spoiled that Under).But even without tight end George Kittle (a game-time decision kept him out because of a nagging ankle injury), an early in-game injury to left tackle Trent Williams could not slow down the 49ers, who then scored four touchdowns in the first half. With the halftime score giving San Francisco a 28-21 lead, the over was almost in already. It’s nice to get an easy one. The 49ers generated 496 yards and scored six touchdowns in their 42-38 victory. The Bears gained 440 yards themselves. And we won our 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Month.Best of luck — Frank. 

Read more
« ‹ 1 2 3 5 366 › »

Follow us @bigal_com

Instagram Twitter

Links

Big Al's Sports Picks Info

All photographic images used for editorial content have been licensed from the Associated Press.

© 2026 Al McMordie's BigAl.com. All Rights Reserved.