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2023 Sun Belt Conference Schedule Review

by Nelly's Sports

Friday, Aug 25, 2023

The Sun Belt has been growing in stature in recent years and with big changes recently or on the horizon in several conferences, the 2023 Sun Belt Conference features 14 teams mirroring last season. The conference is 26-16 in bowl games since 2015 and could produce several quality teams in 2023-24 as well.  With 14 teams split into two divisions of seven teams by East and West divisions, the schedules in the eight-game conference path are always uneven. The divisions have featured many seasons of imbalance but look reasonably balanced in 2023-24. James Madison was the big story last season as a new FBS entrant that finished first in the East division but was not eligible to advance to the SBC Championship, which was won by Troy over Coastal Carolina.  The West is likely to feature Troy and South Alabama in the mix for the title again with both teams finishing 7-1 in conference play last season. The scheduling edge in that race sides with Troy who will host South Alabama in November after winning in Mobile 10-6 last season. South Alabama plays James Madison and Marshall from East division including playing at James Madison for a tougher draw than Troy faces.  Louisiana dominated the Sun Belt from 2019-2021 with three straight double-digit win seasons going 23-3 in conference games and the Ragin’ Cajuns are a threat to rise in the standings after going just 6-7 overall last season. Louisiana draws Old Dominion and Georgia State from the East, teams that combined to go just 5-11 in SBC play last season. Louisiana will be a long shot for the West title as they play on the road at South Alabama and at Troy in key division games however.  In the East James Madison, Coastal Carolina, and Marshall were in a tight race for the lead spot with newcomer James Madison featuring by far the best scoring numbers in the conference. James Madison has several key players to replace and may not surprise anyone this season while drawing arguably the most difficult SBC path with Troy and South Alabama on the schedule from the West.  Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall is back to add to legendary career statistics, but the Chanticleers have a new coach to leave some uncertainty towards another season of contention after going 20-5 in league games the past three seasons. The West draw is favorable facing Arkansas State and Texas State, the bottom two teams from last season in the standings.  Marshall does have to play South Alabama from the West draw for a disadvantage in the race and three of four road games in the eight-game slate will be against likely top contenders. The Thundering Herd may have a difficult time seriously challenging for its first SBC title after joining the conference last season and finishing 5-3 with wins in five of the final six games.  After a down year in 2022, many expect Appalachian State to remerge as a top threat in the Sun Belt, with the program winning league titles in 2018 and 2019 and making the tile game in 2021. A new quarterback takes over, but Appalachian State does have a favorable schedule facing UL-Monroe and Southern Miss from the West and hosting Coastal Carolina and Marshall this season.  While the East provides a crowded race, a sleeper could be Georgia Southern. Clay Helton’s hiring in Statesboro felt like a head-scratcher, but he turned in a bowl season last year that also included notable wins over Nebraska, James Madison, and Appalachian State. Georgia Southern has most of its offensive contributors from last season back and brings in Tulsa transfer Davis Brin at quarterback. The schedule is appealing playing UL-Monroe and Texas State teams that were a combined 5-11 in league play last season as well. Three of four road games are difficult contests but the Eagles could stay in the mix.  Georgia State and Arkansas State are teams with less than ideal schedules that could mean marginal campaigns will be ahead. Georgia State plays Troy and Louisiana from the West and all four home games for the Panthers will be very difficult as this may be a team to fade in SBC play, especially if the Panthers win in non-conference play with a 3-0 start possible.  Former Sun Belt power Arkansas State is just 5-19 in two seasons under Butch Jones and there isn’t a lot to like about the returning roster. The Red Wolves won just once in SBC play last season so improvement is likely, but three of four home games will be vs. contenders while having to face two of the better East teams in the crossover games.  The Sun Belt should continue to provide quality play with several experienced coaches and quarterbacks in the conference and this should be a conference to look out for in bowl opportunities again at the end of the season. 

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Ohio State Buckeyes - Over or Under 10.5 Wins?

by ASA, Inc.

Friday, Aug 25, 2023

OHIO STATE BUCKEYES – Under 10.5 Wins Our projections have OSU with 10 wins this season so we’ll take a small bite on the Under.  In our estimation they have 4 “losable” games this season with 3 coming on the road @ Notre Dame, @ Wisconsin, and @ Michigan and another one at home vs Penn State.  If they even spilt those games, we win our wager.  As of this writing in mid August, QB seems to be a potential issue for the Buckeyes.  Head coach Ryan Day still hasn’t declared a starter for opening day (as of Aug 15) which is a concern considering junior McCord was supposed to step in as the starter and has yet to win the job.  McCord is fairly inexperienced with just 600 career passing yards and he’s battling a redshirt freshman, Devin Brown, with even less experience.  The WR’s are uber talented once again but QB will be the key to this offense.  The Bucks have had a run of great starting QB’s which has been key to their success.  From JT Barrett to Dwayne Haskins to Justin Fields to CJ Stroud, it’s been impressive and we don’t anticipate this year’s starter being at that level.  They led the nation in YPP and points per play last season while finishing 2nd in scoring at 44 PPG.  We look for a fairly decent drop off this season.  Still a really good offense but most likely not elite.  The defense was improved last year under first year coordinator Jim Knowles but still ranked outside the top 20 in scoring defense, YPP allowed, points per play allowed, rushing and passing defense.  The two best teams they faced in Big 10 play, Penn State & Michigan, put up 31 and 45 points on OSU respectively.  This team will still be very good, but 2 losses is not out of the question.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, MLB, CFL and EPL Previews and Odds - 08/25/2023

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Aug 25, 2023

The Friday sports card features NFLX, MLB, CFL, and EPL action.Week 3 of the NFL preseason continues with three games. The Carolina Panthers host the Detroit Lions on CBS at 8 PM ET as a 4.5-point favorite, with the total set at 37 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The New England Patriots travel to Tennessee to play the Titans on the NFL Network at 8:15 PM ET as a 2-point road favorite with an over/under of 38.5. The San Francisco 49ers play at home against the Los Angeles Chargers on the NFL Network at 10 PM ET as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 38. Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. Three games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. The Miami Marlins are at home against the Washington Nationals as a -218 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Houston Astros play in Detroit against the Tigers as a -175 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.  The Tampa Bay Rays host the New York Yankees as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Four MLB games start at 7:05 PM ET. The Baltimore Orioles play at home against the Colorado Rockies as a -185 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Chicago Cubs are in Pittsburgh to play the Pirates as a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Philadelphia Phillies are at home against the St. Louis Cardinals as a -148 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Toronto Blue Jays host the Cleveland Guardians at 7:07 PM ET as a -162 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Three MLB games begin at 7:10 PM ET. The New York Mets play at home against the Los Angeles Angels. The Chicago White Sox are at home against the Oakland A’s as a -192 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers visit Boston to play the Red Sox. Two MLB games start at 8:10 PM ET. The Minnesota Twins host the Texas Rangers as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Milwaukee Brewers play at home against the San Diego Padres as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Arizona Diamondbacks are at home against the Cincinnati Reds at 9:40 PM ET as a -162 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Seattle Mariners host the Kansas City Royals on Apple TV+ at 10:10 PM ET as a -198 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Atlanta Braves are in San Francisco to play the Giants at 10:15 PM ET as a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Week 12 in the Canadian Football League continues with one game. The Toronto Argonauts play at home against the Calgary Stampeders as a 10-point favorite with a total of 51.Matchweek 3 of the English Premier League begins with one match. Chelsea is at home against Luton at 3 PM ET as a -2 goal-line favorite at BetMGM with an over/under of 3. 

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Harden and the Sixers

by AAA Sports

Thursday, Aug 24, 2023

Just what the (insert your favorite word here) is going on with James Harden, and for that matter Harden’s agent, his current team (Philadelphia), his current general manager, and his future team (unknown)? The NBA would love to know, and it’s looking into the whole mess.This much is known. Harden, as his wont, has asked to be traded to a team he can bamboozle into giving him one last big contract. In fact, he demanded the same. And 76ers GM Daryl Morey might have agreed to trade Harden. Or Morey might have said something like “We’ll TRY to trade you” or “Our price will be high.”Harden might have heard “Whatever you want, James. You’ll be on the team or your choice by Independence Day.”It all brings to mind Strother Martin’s character talking to Paul Newman’s in Cool Hand Luke: “What we have here is a failure to communicate.”At any rate, the 33-year-old Harden has taken to calling Morey a liar, and Morey has responded by telling Harden to sneaker up because he’ll be expected in camp lest he be ready to start forfeiting chunks of that $35.6-million contract that Harden opted into last June.Watching all of this with interest was one Kevin McHale, who got the full Harden treatment eight years ago when both were with the Rockets (McHale the HC at the time). McHale sat Harden during Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals, and Houston won that series before getting knocked out by Golden State.“The next year he came to camp, he was fat and didn’t feel like playing, and I got fired [11] games into the season,” McHale was quoted as saying. “He had a plan.”Now Morey, who has now traded twice for Harden, is getting the Full Beard Treatment. Assuming that Morey’s spine remains stiff and he keeps Harden unless some other team loses its mind and offers a swap that includes an All-Star and a few No. 1s, Harden will be in camp ready and eager to destroy any fan who has a futures ticket predicting that the Sixers will have a big season.For the record. Philly is +1600 to win the NBA title, and Harden is +11000 to win the MVP trophy. If you think that the Sixers can somehow work their way through this mess and get to 50 wins, you can make money with an over wager at 49.5.Two other big-timers are looking at the situation with both interest and chagrin.If there’s one thing the NBA likes, it’s money, and Morey cost the league a bundle last year when he Tweeted his support of Hong Kong and the Chinese went (figuratively) ballistic. Now Harden is throwing spitballs at Morey, and Silver has to sigh deeply and get involved when he hasn’t yet put out the Lillard/Miami conspiracy fire.Then there’s Joel Embiid, and you have to wonder what the reigning league MVP is thinking. Embiid needs Harden or someone whose game is similarly impactful if the 76ers are going to climb past the Miamis, Bostons, and Milwaukees which stand in their way in the East. The thinking in the association is that while Embiid was good with the initial Process, he would rather stick needles in his eyes rather than go through a Process 2.0 and another rebuild.For his part, Harden says he has checked his appointments calendar, and nothing in it says he is going to be at the 76ers training camp come early October. So there’s that, plus this Harden musing: “Every time I come here, the love is just like . . . it’s crazy. So I feel like they deserve to actually see me come play here. Love is always crazy here.”Any team interested in trading for Harden should be aware that he was talking about China.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, MLB and CFL Previews and Odds - 08/24/2023

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Aug 24, 2023

The Thursday sports card features NFLX, MLB, and CFL action.Week 3 of the NFL preseason kicks off with two games. The Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Atlanta to play the Falcons on the NFL Network at 7:30 PM ET. The Steelers have won their two preseason games after their 27-15 upset win at home as a 1-point underdog last Saturday. The Falcons remained unbeaten this preseason after settling for a 13-13 tie at home against Cincinnati as a 6.5-point favorite on Friday. Pittsburgh is a 4.5-point road favorite, with the total set at 38 (all odds from DraftKings).The Indianapolis Colts play in Philadelphia against the Eagles on Amazon Prime at 8 PM ET. The Colts evened their preseason record at 1-1 with a 24-17 victory against Chicago as a 4.5-point favorite on Saturday. The Eagles remained winless in the preseason after an 18-18 tie against Cleveland as a 4-point favorite last Friday. Indianapolis is a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 38.Major League Baseball has nine games on its schedule. The New York Yankees host the Washington Nationals at 1:05 PM ET. Michael King gets the start for the Yankees to pitch against Patrick Corbin for the Nationals. New York is a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:10 PM ET. Los Angeles is in Cleveland, with Gavin Williams taking the ball for the Guardians to face a starting pitcher yet to be confirmed for the Dodgers. The Dodgers are a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Tampa Bay plays at home against Colorado, with the Rays tapping Shawn Armstrong to battle against the Rockies Peter Lambert. The Rays are a -225 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Houston Astros are at home against the Boston Red Sox at 2:10 PM ET. J.P. France goes to the mound for the Astros to duel against Brayan Bello for the Red Sox. Houston is a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.Two MLB games start at 7:05 PM ET. Toronto visits Baltimore, with the Blue Jays turning to Jose Berrios to go against the Orioles’ Kyle Gibson. Both teams are priced at -110 with a total of 9. Chicago plays in Pittsburgh with Justin Steele taking the hill for the Cubs to face a starting pitcher yet to be determined for the Pirates. The Minnesota Twins host the Texas Rangers at 7:10 PM ET. The Twins tap Pablo Lopez to battle the Rangers’ Andrew Heaney. Minnesota is a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Chicago White Sox plays at home against the Oakland A’s at 8:10 PM ET. Jesse Scholtens gets the ball for the White Sox to face Ken Waldichuk for the A’s. Chicago is a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Arizona Diamondbacks are at home against the Cincinnati Reds on FS1 at 9:40 PM ET. The Diamondbacks send out Merrill Kelly to pitch against the Reds’ Brandon Williamson. Arizona is a -162 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.Week 12 in the Canadian Football League begins with one game. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers host the Montreal Canadiens on the CBS Sports Network at 8:30 PM ET. The Blue Bombers are on a four-game winning streak after their 19-18 victory at Calgary as a 4.5-point favorite last Friday. The Alouettes are on a four-game winning streak after their 25-24 win at Ottawa as a 2.5-point favorite on Friday. Winnipeg is a 9-point favorite, with a total of 47.5. 

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Dublin primer: Notre Dame vs. Navy

by Sean Murphy

Wednesday, Aug 23, 2023

The 2023 college football season kicks off with a high-profile opener in Dublin, Ireland as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish take on the Navy Midshipmen on Saturday afternoon (evening local time). The temperature at kickoff is expected to be in the 50's with rain in the forecast. I wouldn't anticipate weather playing a major role apart from making fans in the stands slightly uncomfortable. Notre Dame will be ushering in a new (albeit brief) era with Sam Hartman taking over at quarterback. Hartman joins the team following five seasons at Wake Forest. All indications are that he has already more than won over his new teammates and has made a point to entrench himself in the community. The question becomes whether we see the Irish lean heavily on Hartman's arm right out of the gates and unleash an aerial assault on the Midshipmen, or elect to pound away and control proceedings on the ground in an effort to 'win and move on' in this critical season-opener. Running back Audric Estime was one of the more underrated runners in the country last year as he racked up 935 rushing yards on 156 carries, not to mention 11 touchdowns. Few offensive lines carry more upside than that of the Irish. The Midshipmen will be guided by Brian Newberry in his first year as head coach after serving as the team's defensive coordinator over the last four seasons. Navy did make positive strides on the defensive side of the football last season but defending the pass remained a sore spot. The good news is, there's plenty of returning talent in the secondary. In fact, that's arguably the most experienced group on the Middies roster. After ranking top-three in the country stopping the run a year ago, the front line will once again need to be stout with plenty of question marks on offense.Perhaps the biggest change for Navy comes on offense, where they'll shift to a more hybrid attack after running the option for what seems like an eternity. The Middies boast a pair of capable quarterbacks in Tai Lavatai and Blake Horvath but having two options under center isn't always better than one. Regardless, Navy's number one goal will be to possess the football for extended periods to effectively shorten this game against a talent-superior Irish squad. Of note, the Midshipmen are a perfect 6-0 ATS when priced as an underdog between 10.5 and 21 points over the last two seasons and have been outscored by an average margin of only 2.7 points in that situation. Notre Dame has won five straight matchups in this series with Navy last prevailing by a 28-27 score as a seven-point underdog in 2016. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 08/23/2023

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Aug 23, 2023

The Wednesday sports card features MLB action.Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The St. Louis Cardinals travel to Pittsburgh to play the Pirates at 12:35 PM ET. The Cardinals tap Zack Thompson to pitch against the Pirates’ Luis Ortiz. St. Louis is a -122 money-line road favorite, with the total set at 9.5. The Detroit Tigers host the Chicago Cubs at 1:10 PM ET. Tarik Skubal gets the ball for the Tigers to pitch against Jameson Taillon for the Cubs. Detroit is a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5.Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 2:10 PM ET. Seattle is in Chicago, with the Mariners’ turning to George Kirby to face the White Sox’s Michael Kopeck. The Mariners are a -218 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. Milwaukee plays at home against Minnesota, with Corbin Burnes getting the start for the Brewers to go against Kenta Maeda for the Twins. The Brewers are a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Kansas City Royals visit Oakland to play the A’s at 3:37 PM ET. The Royals send out Cole Ragans to face an A’s starting pitcher yet to be named. The Philadelphia Phillies are at home against the San Francisco Giants at 4:05 PM ET. Michael Lorenzen takes the mound for the Phillies to battle Alex Cobb for the Giants. Philadelphia is a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Los Angeles Angels host the Cincinnati Reds in the opening game of their doubleheader at 4:07 PM ET. The Angels turn to Shohei Ohtani to duel against the Reds’ Andrew Abbott. Los Angeles is a -170 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The San Diego Padres play at home against the Miami Marlins at 4:10 PM ET. Seth Lugo takes the ball for the Padres to face Sandy Alcantara for the Marlins. San Diego is a -122 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Tampa Bay Rays are at home against the Colorado Rockies at 6:40 PM ET. The Rays tap Aaron Civale to pitch against the Rockies’ Austin Gomber. Tampa Bay is a -278 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Two more MLB games start at 7:05 PM ET. Toronto plays in Baltimore, with Kevin Gausman taking the hill for the Blue Jays to go against the Orioles’ Jack Flaherty. The Blue Jays are a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. New York hosts Washington, with the Yankees turning to Luis Severino to face the Nationals’ MacKenzie Gore. The Yankees are a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to Cleveland to play the Guardians at 7:10 PM ET. Clayton Kershaw gets the ball for the Dodgers to battle against Xzavion Curry for the Guardians. Los Angeles is a -218 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Atlanta Braves play at home against the New York Mets at 7:20 PM ET. The Braves tap Charlie Morton to pitch against the Mets’ Jose Quintana. Atlanta is a -198 money-line favorite with an over/under of 10. The Houston Astros are at home against the Boston Red Sox at 8:10 PM ET. Jose Urquidy gets the start for the Astros against Chris Sale for the Red Sox. Houston is a -118 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Reds play on the road against the Angels in the second game of their doubleheader at 9:38 PM ET. Los Angeles turns to Reid Detmers to face a starting pitcher yet to be determined for Cincinnati. 

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College Football: Five New Offensive Coordinators To Watch

by Kyle Hunter

Tuesday, Aug 22, 2023

Week zero of the college football season is here! The offseason is long, but we’ll have football on every Saturday from now through the end of the year. I hit 70% in college football last year. I hit 66% in college football two seasons ago. The preparation for this year has been going on a lot for the last couple months. One of the things I think bettors should pay more attention to is new coordinators on both offense and defense. Offensive coordinators can completely change the way a team plays. Knowing these changes ahead of time can keep you one step ahead. Here are five key new offensive coordinators.  Alex Golesh (USF Bulls) Alex Golesh is both the new head coach and the new offensive coordinator of the USF Bulls. Golesh has worked with Josh Heupel in recent years at UCF and at Tennessee. USF ranked 98th out of 133 teams in tempo last year, but with Golesh calling the plays and running the offense I have to think they will play faster than that this season. USF is still short on talent compared to many other teams, but their offensive scheme should help them. Scotty O’Hara (UTEP Miners) O’Hara is the new offensive coordinator at UTEP this year. UTEP is in an interesting position this year. Conference USA is clearly watered down compared to what it was previously. Many of the most talented teams are now playing in another league. UTEP has an opportunity to take a clear step up. The thing that will need to improve the most is the passing game. O’Hara aims to improve the efficiency of the passing game this season. Pat Welsh (Miami-Ohio Redhawks) Welsh has been the tight ends coach at Miami and will now take over as the offensive coordinator. Head coach Chuck Martin wanted to shake things up a bit and see if they can give the offense a much needed boost. I would expect some more passing out of the Redhawks this season, especially if star quarterback Brett Gabbert can stay healthy. Miami did lose their star receiver from last year, and I would expect them to throw a lot of quick short passes. This is a team capable of making some noise in the season ahead. Liam Coen (Kentucky Wildcats) Coen is coming back! He served as offensive coordinator at Kentucky in 2021 before moving to the NFL to be with the LA Rams last season. Kentucky tumbled to 101st in yards per play last year, and the Wildcats offense completely lost their explosiveness. With Coen returning I think this is a clear positive for the Kentucky offense in the season ahead. Devin Leary transferred in from NC State at quarterback. It’s likely that Kentucky will get better quarterback play this year than they did from a high draft choice (Will Levis) last season.  Kevin Decker (Old Dominion) Decker comes in from Fordham, where he was the offensive coordinator for the last few seasons. Fordham was well known for its extremely fast pace and innovative offensive sets. This is a hire that I want to watch very closely. Old Dominion is badly shorthanded when it comes to offensive talent. Will they look to play as fast as possible even with this talent disadvantage? Can Decker make this work right away? I would guess it will take some time, but keep a close eye on this situation.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 08/22/2023

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Aug 22, 2023

The Tuesday sports card features MLB action.Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. Chicago plays at Detroit, with Drew Smyly taking the ball for the Cubs to pitch against Reese Olson for the Tigers. The Cubs are a -120 money-line road favorite, with the total set at 9 (all odds from DraftKings). Philadelphia hosts San Francisco, with the Phillies tapping Taijuan Walker to face the Giants’ Kyle Harrison. The Phillies are a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Tampa Bay plays at home against Colorado, with Zack Littell taking the hill for the Rays to battle against Ty Blach for the Rockies. The Rays are a -270 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Three MLB games start at 7:05 PM ET. Baltimore is at home against Toronto is at home against Baltimore with the Orioles tapping Grayson Rodriguez to duel against the Blue Jays’ Yusei Kikuchi. The Orioles are a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. New York hosts Washington with Carlos Rodon on the hill for the Yankees against Josiah Gray for the Nationals. The Yankees are a -185 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Pittsburgh plays at home against St. Louis, with the Pirates turning to Johan Oviedo to pitch against the Cardinals Adam Wainwright. The Pirates are a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 10. The Los Angeles Dodgers visit Cleveland to play the Dodgers at 7:10 PM ET. Noah Syndergaard takes the ball for the Dodgers to face Bobby Miller for the Dodgers. Los Angeles is a -218 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The Atlanta Braves are at home against the New York Mets at 7:20 PM ET. The Braves turn to Bryce Elder to take the mound to pitch against the Mets’ Tylor Megill. Atlanta is a -230 money-line favorite with an over/under of 10.5. Three MLB games begin at 8:10 PM ET. Houston hosts Boston, with the Astros turning to Justin Verlander to battle against the Red Sox’s Tanner Houck. The Astros are a -148 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Seattle plays at Chicago with Bryan Woo taking the ball for the Mariners to go against Mike Clevinger for the White Sox. The Mariners are a -148 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Minnesota plays in Milwaukee, with the Twins sending out Bailey Ober to face the Brewers’ Wade Miley. Both teams are priced as a -110 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Los Angeles Angels are at home against the Cincinnati Reds at 9:38 PM ET. Lucas Giolito takes the hill for the Angeles to pitch against Graham Ashcraft for the Reds. Los Angeles is a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Three more games conclude the MLB card at 9:40 PM ET. Kansas City travels to Oakland with the Royals tapping Angel Zerpa taking the ball to pitch against a starting pitcher yet to be named for the A’s. Arizona hosts Texas, with Zac Gallen taking the mound for the Diamondbacks to face Jon Gray for the Rangers. The Diamondbacks are a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. San Diego plays at home against Miami, with the Padres turning to Blake Snell to face the Marlins' Jesus Luzardo. The Padres are a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. 

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College Football: Five New Defensive Coordinators To Watch

by Kyle Hunter

Monday, Aug 21, 2023

College football is about to kickoff this coming weekend. Week 0 doesn’t necessarily feature the biggest matchups ever, but for college football to be back is a reason to celebrate! I hit 70% in college football last year. I hit 66% in college football two seasons ago. The preparation for this year has been going on a lot in the last couple months. One of the things I think bettors should pay more attention to is new coordinators on both offense and defense. These guys can completely change the way a team plays. Let’s take a look at five new defensive coordinator hires that I think you should pay close attention to as the new season gets underway. Lance Guidry (Miami Hurricanes) Guidry was at Marshall last year and the Thundering Herd were dominant all season long. Marshall finished top ten in the nation in 12 different defensive categories. Guidry’s defenses are known for their aggressiveness. Miami was continually picked on last year on defense despite having loads of highly talented players at each level. The Hurricanes were 103rd in yards per play allowed. Guidry will help them improve. The question is how much will they improve in year one.  Jay Hill (BYU) Jay Hill was the head coach at Weber State the last few years. He now takes the defensive coordinator position at BYU. The BYU Cougars moved to the Big 12 this year, and this is a massive step up in class for both Hill and the entire BYU program. The BYU secondary was particularly bad last year. BYU finished 112th in Total QBR allowed last year. They were 115th in passing play success rate allowed. I’m skeptical that BYU will be able to slow down the Big 12 passing attacks. Charles Kelly (Colorado) Coach Prime is in at Colorado and it will be a lot of fun to see how the season goes in Boulder. He did a great job getting top notch offensive and defensive coordinators. Charles Kelly left Alabama to lead the defense in Colorado. I don’t think it will be easy for this team to just flip the switch immediately, but there should be significant improvements. The secondary has some high end talent in McClain and Hunter. Can Kelly help the run defense? Colorado allowed 6.06 yards per carry last season. Troy Reffett (New Mexico) Why would I put New Mexico on here? There are two major reasons. First, I love under the radar college football, because I believe there is more value there. Second, Reffett has big shoes to fill in this spot. I know the Lobos have been really bad the last couple years, but it wasn’t because of the defense. Rocky Long has been the defensive coordinator here, but he very surprisingly left to become DC at Syracuse. Long is one the best defensive minds in the country. New Mexico’s defense was consistently put in terrible positions by turnovers and poor special teams play. Until I see otherwise, I will assume Reffett is a downgrade. Greg Gasparato (Troy) Troy is coming off a magical season where they went 12-2 and 11-3 ATS. The Trojans lost DC Shiel Wood to Tulane. They hired Greg Gasparato. He was with Louisville and helped the linebackers a year ago. Louisville had a whopping 50 sacks, and the Trojans are hoping Gasparato’s work with the front seven could help them stay ultra aggressive on defense. Troy is talking about playing faster this year, so that could hurt the overall defensive numbers. I would look closely at the efficiency based numbers rather than the raw numbers. 

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Time for NFL "Prisoner of the Moment" Win Total Takes

by Vegas Writer

Monday, Aug 21, 2023

With the NFL preseason two weeks in, and the regular season only two weeks away, time for some "Prisoner of the Moment" insight on win totals.You know what I'm talking about, with teams you may have been on the fence about, but now after only two games, you've jumped from the top rope and are ready to make an investment.Happens to the best of us, as we get excited over players who may or may not make the final 53-man cut.Here are my "Prisoner of the Moment" takes through Week 2 (lines courtesy DraftKings):RAIDERS (Over 6 1/2 wins, +110) - Of course I'm going to start in my own backyard, where the Silver and Black is 2-0 after impressive preseason wins over last year's NFC semifinalist San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams, two years removed from their Super Bowl title. Before we talk about a fluid offense that leads the league with 34.0 points per game, how good has projected QB3 Aidan O'Connell looked? O'Connell ranks No. 1 in the preseason with his 125.2 passer rating, having completed 26 of 36 attempts for 304 passing yards and three TDs. Brian Hoyer was brought in to backup Jimmy Grapppolo, but O'Connell continues to make his case as a poised rookie. Both Hoyer and Grappolo made their preseason debuts in Saturday's 34-17 win over the Rams. The Raiders have shown defensive tenacity in both wins, putting the ball back in the offensive unit's hands with efficient play.PRISONER OF THE MOMENT TAKE: Drink the Las Vegas Kool-Aid, as we're seeing improvement with preparation and execution, and should see at least 7 wins.JAGUARS (Over 9 1/2 wins, -140) - Jacksonville hasn't been favored to win the AFC South in quite some time, but it's looking more and more like their division to win with how well they've played this preseason. After winning their first two games, with Trevor Lawrence playing a couple of series (5 of 6 for 36 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT), it's been the rushing game that has shown some life. And while we don't know who will be in the running backs room come Week 1, what we do know is the offensive line has been exceptional. The Jags are averaging a league fifth-best 145.0 yards rushing per game, contributing to the league's No. 2 offense, which averages 406.5 yards per game overall. But this goes beyond the Jaguars, as one has to take in consideration the divisional opponents - Indianapolis, Tennessee and Houston. I can see Jacksonville going 5-1 or 4-2 against those three this season. Other wins should come at home Atlanta, San Francisco and Carolina, and on the road at Pittsburgh and Cleveland. We we would need a couple of wins from the other six games to get to 10.PRISONER OF THE MOMENT TAKE: The Jaguars went from three wins in 2021 to nine wins and a playoff berth under then-first-year coach Doug Pederson in 2022. This year a division title is at their finger tips, along with 10+ wins.VIKINGS (Under 8', -110) - There is a reason the Over/Under win total for Minnesota is a pick'em. Everyone became enamored by the Vikings last season, with nobody taking in consideration the rather weak schedule they played. Per Sharp Football Analysis dot com, the Vikings have the eighth-toughest schedule. Their projected tally for SKOL lands on 8.6 - basically right on the posted total. And keep in mind, of the 11 teams that actually had the hardest 2022 schedules, only three went over their 2022 win total (Bengals, Steelers and Jets). Even further, the Vikings have one of the five worst edges with prep and rest, gauging rest days vs. their opponents. For instance, the Vikings open the season at home against the Buccaneers, then has a game four days later at defending NFC champion Philadelphia. They have a short week in October, too, after playing at home vs. Frisco on a Monday, and then visiting rival-Green Bay the following Sunday. The second leg of short weeks on the road are never easy when you consider teams needing a mandatory off day, and a travel day.PRISONER OF THE MOMENT TAKE: The Vikings are going to take their lumps more than most think, and will find themselves struggling a lot more than they did last season, and will win no more than 8 games.PANTHERS (Under 7', -115) - I'm not convinced by any means that Carolina will be an improved team this season, and could be in the basement of the NFC South when it's all said and done. We've seen them shut out by the Jets in Week 1 of the preseason, and then fall short of a comeback in a 21-19 loss to the Giants in Week 2. Is Bryce Young the answer? Not this year, in my eyes. We haven't seen much of him in the preseason, but it's the rest of the roster that has me concerned for the rookie. Pass protection will be an ongoing issue. The Panthers have to figure out a way to become a solid wall across the frontline, even though Young showed poise against the Giants' random blitzing schemes. If there are any leaks, both Young and the rushing game will struggle for efficiency. On defense, the question is how this team has improved in the Red Zone. Last season it allowed league-tying ninth-highest 32 RZ TDs. The Panthers' stop unit also needs to improve on third down, having allowed a league 10th-highest 41.1% conversion rate.PRISONER OF THE MOMENT TAKE: The Panthers will have a frustrating season, especially in a division where I think every team has improved - except them. I don't think Carolina gets more than 7 wins.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 08/21/2023

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Aug 21, 2023

The Monday sports card features NFLX, MLB, and EPL action.Week 2 of the NFL preseason concludes with one game. The Baltimore Ravens travel to Washington to play the Commanders on ESPN at 8 PM ET. The Ravens beat Philadelphia, 20-19, as a 5.5-point favorite in their opening preseason game last Saturday. The Commanders pulled off a 17-15 upset victory at Cleveland as a 3-point underdog in the first preseason game on Friday of last week. Baltimore is a 1.5-point road favorite, with the total set at 8 PM ET (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise).Major League Baseball has ten games on its schedule. Two games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. Chicago plays at Detroit, with the Cubs tapping Javier Assad to pitch against the Tigers’ Alex Faedo. The Cubs are a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Philadelphia hosts San Francisco, with Aaron Nola taking the mound for the Phillies to face Scott Alexander, who is opening the game for the Giants. The Phillies are a -162 money-line favored with a total of 8.5. The St. Louis Cardinals are in Pittsburgh to play the Pirates at 7:05 PM ET. The Cardinals called up Drew Rom from Triple-A to make his Major League debut against a Pirates starting pitcher that has yet to be named. The Atlanta Braves play at home against the New York Mets at 7:20 PM ET. Allan Winans takes the mound for the Braves to battle against David Peterson for the Mets. Atlanta is a -198 money-line favorite with an over/under of 10. Two MLB games start at 8:10 PM ET. Houston is at home against Boston, with the Astros tapping Cristian Javier to duel against the Red Sox’s James Paxton. The Astros are a -122 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Seattle travels to Chicago on FS1, with Luis Castillo taking the hill for the Mariners to face the White Sox’s Touki Toussaint. The Mariners are a -175 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Los Angeles Angels host the Cincinnati Reds at 9:38 PM ET. Lucas Giolito takes the mound for the Angels to battle against Graham Ashcraft for the Reds. Los Angeles is a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Three games begin at 9:40 PM ET to conclude the MLB card. Oakland plays at home against Kansas City, with the A’s turning to Paul Blackburn to pitch against the Royals’ Tucker Davidson. The A’s are a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Texas plays at Arizona with the Rangers’ Jordan Montgomery pitching against the Diamondbacks’ Slade Cecconi. The Rangers are a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. San Diego is at home against Miami, with Michael Wacha getting the ball for the Padres to face a starting pitcher yet to be determined for the Marlins. Matchweek 2 in the English Premier League with one match. Arsenal visits Crystal Palace at 3 PM ET. The Gunners opened their season with a 2-1 victory at home against Nottingham Forest last Saturday. The Eagles won their first game of the new season in a 1-0 win at Sheffield United on Saturday. Arsenal is a -1 goal-line road favorite at BetMGM with an over/under of 2.5.

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