Expert Sports Picks and Analysis from Al McMordie

Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NHL, and CFL Previews and Odds - 10/14/2023

Saturday, Oct 14, 2023

The Saturday sports card features NCAA, NHL, and CFL action.The seventh week in NCAAF college football concludes with 45 games on national television between FBS opponents. Nine games on national television kick off at noon ET. Ohio State travels to Purdue on Peacock as an 18-point road favorite, with the total set at 52 (all odds from DraftKings). North Texas hosts Temple on ESPNU as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 68.5. Eastern Michigan plays at home against Kent State on the CBS Sports Network as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 39.5. Alabama is at home against Arkansas on ESPN as a 19.5-point favorite with an over/under of 46.5. Georgia plays at Vanderbilt on CBS as a 32.5-point road favorite with a total of 55. Michigan hosts Indiana on Fox as a 34-point favorite with an over/under of 45.5. James Madison plays at home against Georgia Southern on ESPN2 as a 6-point favorite with a total of 59.5. Cincinnati is at home against Iowa State on FS1 as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 42.5. Florida State hosts Syracuse on ABC as an 18.5-point favorite with a total of 53.5. Seven NCAAF games on national television start at 3:30 PM ET. Washington hosts Oregon on ABC as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 67. Maryland plays at home against Illinois on NBC as a 13.5-point favorite with a total of 51. Tennessee is at home against Texas A&M on CBS as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 54.5. TCU hosts BYU on ESPN as a 5-point favorite with a total of 52.5. Troy visits Army on the CBS Sports Network as a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 42.5. South Florida plays at home against Florida Atlantic on ESPN2 as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 61. Kansas plays at Oklahoma State on FS1 as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 54. Two more NCAAF games begin at 4 PM ET. Wisconsin is at home against Iowa on Fox as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 35. Ohio travels to Northern Illinois on ESPNU as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 45. Louisville is at Pittsburgh on The CW at 6:30 PM ET as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 44.5. Four NCAAF games are on national television at 7 PM ET. Texas Tech hosts Kansas State on FS1 as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 58. Georgia State plays at home against Marshall on ESPN2 as a 1-point favorite with a total of 53. LSU is at home against Auburn on ESPN as an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 60.5. Air Force hosts Wyoming on the CBS Sports Network at 7 PM ET as an 11.5-point favorite with a total of 42. Two more nationally televised NCAAF games start at 7:30 PM ET. Notre Dame plays at home against USC on NBC as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 60.5. North Carolina is at home against Miami (FL) on ABC as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 56.5. Two more NCAAF games begin at 8 PM ET. UTSA hosts UAB on ESPNU as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 67. Oregon State plays at home against UCLA on Fox as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 54. Boise State visits Colorado State on FS1 at 9:45 PM ET as an 8.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 60.5. San Diego State plays at Hawaii on the CBS Sports Network at 11 PM ET as a 6-point road favorite with a total of 52.5. The National Hockey League has 14 games on its slate. The Ottawa Senators are at home against the Philadelphia Flyers at 1:07 PM ET as a -185 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Winnipeg Jets host the Florida Panthers at 4:07 PM ET as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. Six more NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Boston Bruins play at home against the Nashville Predators as a -192 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The New York Rangers play in Columbus against the Bluejackets as a -198 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Tampa Bay Lightning are in Detroit to play the Red Wings as a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Montreal Canadiens host the Chicago Blackhawks as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Pittsburgh Penguins play at home against the Calgary Flames as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs are at home against the Minnesota Wild as a -166 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The New York Islanders host the Buffalo Sabres at 7:37 PM ET as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Seattle Kraken visit St. Louis to play the Blues at 8:07 PM ET, with both teams priced at -110 with a total of 6.5. Three more NHL games begin at 10:07 PM ET. The Colorado Avalanche play at San Jose against the Sharks as a -265 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Vegas Golden Knights are at home against the Anaheim Ducks as a -345 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Edmonton Oilers host the Vancouver Canucks as a -205 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. The Carolina Hurricanes play in Los Angeles against the Kings at 10:37 PM ET as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.Week 10 in the Canadian Football League concludes with two games. The Montreal Alouettes are in Edmonton against the Elks at 4 PM ET as a 2-point road favorite with an over/under of 48. The Toronto Argonauts play at home against the Ottawa Redblacks at 7 PM ET.

Week 7 College Football Top 10 Poll

by Wayne Root

Friday, Oct 13, 2023

1. Michigan Michigan annihilated its toughest competition so far this season, beating Minnesota 52-10. As they were fueled in part by a pair of pick-sixes, the Wolverines went over 30 points for the ninth consecutive game, the longest streak in program history. While the Golden Gophers are the best team that the Wolverines have played so far that’ll have to do since Michigan doesn’t play a team higher than that until mid-November when it travels to Penn State. That certainly says very little about the Big 10. Week 7 Matchup: vs. Indiana Hoosiers 2. Georgia Many were doubting if Georgia was still one of the top teams in the country after struggling to beat South Carolina and Auburn, respectively. In a 51-13 victory versus Kentucky, the anticipated SEC East showdown was a one-sided affair from the beginning, as Georgia led 34-7 at halftime on the strength of quarterback Carson Beck and tight end Brock Bowers. The Bulldogs’ defense limited the Wildcats to only 183 yards. Carson Beck threw for career highs in passing yards (389) and touchdown passes (4) last Saturday as the Bulldogs won their 23rd consecutive SEC game. Week 7 Matchup: at Vanderbilt Commodores 3. Florida St Virginia Tech cut Florida State’s lead to just five in the third quarter before Trey Benson led the Seminoles to a 39-17 victory. Benson ran for 200 yards on only 11 carries, the fewest carries for any FSU running back to hit the 200-yard mark in program history. The redshirt junior had touchdown runs of 62 yards and 85 yards and finished with a career-best 200 yards on the ground on the day. Week 7 Matchup: vs. Syracuse Orange 4. Oklahoma It’s a far cry from their 6-7 record just a year ago for Oklahoma. The Red River Rivalry lived up to the hype in a back-and-forth affair with 1,013 total yards of offense. After going 0-5 in one-score games last season, the Sooners won their first such game this season thanks to QB Dillon Gabriel's 285 passing yards and 113 rushing yards. Dillon Gabriel led the Sooners on a game-winning 75-yard touchdown drive with only 1:17 left to give the Sooners the victory. Oklahoma doesn’t play a currently-ranked opponent the rest of the season, giving the Sooners every opportunity to run the table until the Big 12 championship game. Week 7 Matchup: Bye 5. Ohio St Kyle McCord finished with a career-best 81.8 passing grade in last week’s win thanks mainly to his former high school teammate Marvin Harrison Jr. Ohio State endured a scare from Maryland as the Terrapins held the lead in the third quarter. Because of QB McCord, the Buckeyes proceeded to score 27 unanswered to escape with a 37-17 victory. They had one glaring problem tho. Ohio State's 62 rushing yards were its fewest in a win since when it had 44 against NC State in 2003. Week 7 Matchup: at Purdue Boilermakers 6. Washington Hopefully Washington practiced to improve their defense during last week’s bye. Washington enjoyed its bye week before its massive showdown with Oregon this weekend. That top-10 showdown features two of the nation’s three best offenses in EPA per play that are led by two Heisman candidate quarterbacks in Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix. Michael Penix Jr. is the first FBS player in the past 20 years with at least 300 passing yards and 70% completion percentage in each of his team's first 5 games. Obviously, Penix, in particular, leads all signal-callers in the nation with a 93.7 grade. Week 7 Matchup: vs. No. 10 Oregon Ducks 7. Penn St Penn State’s defense currently leads the nation in expected points allowed per play, but the offense has been concerning outside of quarterback Drew Allar. The Nittany Lions are outside the nation’s top-50 teams in rushing, receiving, pass-blocking and run-blocking grades. But stats may be deceiving about their offense. The Nittany Lions have scored 30 or more points in 12 straight games, their longest streak since 1993-95. In two weeks, Penn State faces one of the best defenses in the nation in Ohio State. Week 7 Matchup: vs. Massachusetts Minutemen 8. Oregon Oregon has been one of the most well-rounded teams in the country this season. The Ducks lead the nation in EPA per play on offense while placing 13th defensively in that same stat. The only other school to place inside the top 15 of both is Michigan. Last week, Bo Nix became just the seventh FBS player with 80 passing touchdowns and 30 rushing scores in his career. While this ranking may seem low, Oregon has every opportunity to vault up this list with a victory over Washington on Saturday. Week 7 Matchup: at No. 7 Washington Huskies 9. Texas While Texas was on the losing end of that classic, the Longhorns dropped in the rankings. After all, their wins over Alabama and Kansas are still better than most schools. After two early interceptions, QB Quinn Ewers had a streak of 19 consecutive completions, setting a Texas record but too little too late. Texas also doesn’t play a ranked opponent for the rest of the regular season, which could set up a rematch with Oklahoma in the conference title game. Week 7 Matchup: Bye 10. Alabama It wouldn’t be college football if Bama wasn’t ranked in the top 10. After losing at home to Texas and struggling to beat USF, many were writing off Alabama as a legitimate College Football Playoff contender. Since then, the Crimson Tide have proven that they’re still a threat to crack the final four with wins over Ole Miss and Texas A&M most recently. WR Jermaine Burton had 197 receiving yards -- more than he had in the first five games combined -- and two scores, as Alabama improved to 115-1 against unranked teams since 2008. We’ll see how much of a threat they are over the next month as Alabama faces Tennessee, LSU and Kentucky following its tilt with Arkansas. Week 7 Matchup: vs. Arkansas Razorbacks

Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NHL and CFL Previews and Odds - 10/13/2023

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Oct 13, 2023

The Friday sports card features NCAA, NHL, and CFL action.The seventh week in NCAAF college football continues with three games on national television between FBS opponents. Tulane travels to Memphis on ESPN at 7 PM ET. The Green Wave are on a three-game winning streak after their 34-16 victory against Charlotte as a 23-point favorite on September 30th. The Tigers won for the fourth time in their five games this season with a 35-32 victory against Boise State as a 3-point favorite back on September 30th. Tulane is a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 54.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Fresno State plays at Utah State on the CBS Sports Network at 8 PM ET. The Bulldogs had won their first five games of the season before a 24-19 upset loss at Wyoming as a 6-point favorite on Saturday. The Aggies are on a two-game winning streak with their 44-24 upset win against Colorado State as a 3-point underdog on Saturday to even their record at 3-3. Fresno State is a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 57.Colorado hosts Stanford on ESPN at 10 PM ET. The Buffaloes ended their two-game losing streak with their 27-24 victory at Arizona State as a 3-point favorite on Saturday. The Cardinal are on a four-game losing streak after their 42-6 loss to Oregon as a 27-point underdog on September 30th. Colorado is a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 60. The National Hockey League has two games on its slate. The New Jersey Devils play at home against the Arizona Coyotes at 7:07 PM ET. The Devils opened their season with a 4-3 victory against Detroit on Thursday. The Coyotes play their season debut tonight. New Jersey is a -258 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5.The Pittsburgh Penguins are in Washington to play the Capitals at 7:37 PM ET. The Penguins opened their season with a 4-2 loss at home to Chicago on Tuesday. The Capitals make their season debut tonight. Pittsburgh is a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Week 10 in the Canadian Football League begins with two games. The British Columbia Lions visit Hamilton to play the Tiger-Cats at 7 PM ET. The Lions were on a four-game before a 34-26 loss in overtime to Winnipeg last Friday. They are one game behind the Jets with an 11-5 record in the East Division but locked into the playoffs. The Tiger-Cats have won four of their last five games after a 38-13 upset win at Saskatchewan as a 3-point underdog on Saturday. With their 8-8 record, they are in third place in the East Division and one game behind Montreal for second place and home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. British Columbia is a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 49.The Calgary Stampeders are at home against the Saskatchewan Roughriders at 9:30 PM ET. The Stampeders lost for the sixth time in their last seven games in a 22-15 setback at Hamilton as a 1.5-point underdog on September 30th. The Roughriders are on a five-game losing streak in a 38-13 upset loss to Hamilton on Sunday. Calgary is a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 48.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NCAAF, MLB and NHL Previews and Odds - 10/12/2023

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Oct 12, 2023

The Thursday sports card features NFL, NCAA, MLB, and NHL action.Week 6 of the NFL regular season kicks off with the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Denver Broncos on Amazon Prime at 8:15 PM ET. The Chiefs are on a four-game winning streak after their 27-20 victory at Minnesota as a 3.5-point favorite last Sunday. The Broncos lost for the fourth time in their first five games after a 31-21 upset loss against the New York Jets as a 2.5-point favorite on Sunday. Kansas City is an 11-point favorite, with the total set at 47 (all odds from DraftKings). The seventh week in NCAAF college football continues with two games on national television between FBS opponents. West Virginia visits Houston on FS1 at 7 PM ET. The Mountaineers are on a four-game winning streak after their 24-21 victory at TCU as a 13.5-point underdog back on September 30th. The Cougars lost for the third time in their last four games with their 49-28 loss at Texas Tech as a 9-point underdog on September 30th. West Virginia is a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 49.5. SMU plays at East Carolina on ESPN at 7:30 PM ET. The Mustangs won for the second time in their last three games with their 34-16 victory against Charlotte as a 23-point favorite on September 30th. The Pirates lost for the fourth time in their five games this season with a 24-17 loss at Rice as a 3.5-point underdog on September 30th. SMU is a 12.5-point road favorite with a total of 49.5.Major League Baseball continues the postseason with one game in the last remaining divisional series. The Atlanta Braves are in Philadelphia against the Phillies on TBS and truTV at 8:07 PM ET. The Phillies took a 2-1 lead in this best-of-five series with their 10-2 victory on Wednesday. Spencer Strider takes the mound for the Braves against Ranger Suarez takes the mound for Philadelphia. Atlanta is a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The National Hockey League has seven games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The New York Rangers travel to Buffalo to play the Sabres as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Columbus Bluejackets host the Philadelphia Flyers as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New Jersey Devils play at home against the Detroit Red Wings at 7:37 PM ET as a -265 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. Three NHL games start at 8:07 PM ET. The Dallas Stars are at home against the St. Louis Blues as a -205 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Minnesota Wild play at home against the Florida Panthers as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Seattle Kraken play in Nashville against the Predators, with both teams priced at -110 with an over/under of 6. The Vegas Golden Knights are in San Jose to play the Sharks at 10:37 PM ET as a -245 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, MLB and NHL Previews and Odds - 10/11/2023

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Oct 11, 2023

The Wednesday sports card features NCAA, MLB, and NHL action.The seventh week in NCAAF college football continues with two games on national television between FBS opponents. Florida International hosts UTEP on ESPN2 at 7:30 PM ET. The Golden Panthers are on a two-game losing streak after their 34-17 loss at New Mexico State as a 6.5-point underdog last Wednesday. Their record fell to 3-3 with the setback. The Miners are on a four-game losing streak after a 24-10 loss to Louisiana Tech as a 1.5-point underdog on September 29th. They have a 1-5 record. Florida International is a 2-point favorite, with the total set at 44 (all odds from DraftKings).New Mexico State plays at home against Sam Houston State on the CBS Sports Network at 9 PM ET. The Aggies won for the second time in their last three games with their victory against FIU last week to raise their record at 3-3. The Bearkats are winless in their five games this season after a 21-6 loss at Liberty as a 21.5-point underdog on Thursday. New Mexico State is a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 42. Major League Baseball continues the postseason with three games in Divisional Series action. The Philadelphia Phillies host the Atlanta Braves on TBS and truTV at 5:07 PM ET. The Braves evened this best-of-five series at 1-1 with a 5-4 win at home on Monday. Atlanta ended a two-game losing streak with the loss while ending the Phillies four-game winning streak. Philadelphia taps Aaron Nola to take the mound to face a Braves starting pitcher yet to be determined. The Phillies are a -122 money-line favorite with a total of 9.The Minnesota Twins play at home against the Houston Astros on FS1 at 7:07 PM ET. The Astros took a 2-1 series lead with their 9-3 win on the road against the Twins yesterday. Houston has won six of their last seven games, while Minneosta has lost two of their last three games. Joe Ryan takes the ball for the Twins to battle against Jose Urquidy for Houston. Minnesota is a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.The Los Angeles Dodgers visit Arizona to play the Diamondbacks on TBS and truTV at 9:07 PM ET. The Diamondbacks to the first two games of this series with a 4-2 win on the road against the Dodgers on Monday. Arizona is on a four-game winning streak, while Los Angeles has lost three of their last four games. The Dodgers send out Lance Lynn to face the Diamondbacks' Brandon Pfaadt. Los Angeles is a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The National Hockey League has six games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Carolina Hurricanes are at home against the Ottawa Senators as a -205 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Montreal Canadiens as a -298 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Boston Bruins play at home against the Chicago Blackhawks on TNT at 7:37 PM ET as a -305 money-line favorite with a total of 6.Three games complete the NHL card at 10:07 PM ET. The Colorado Avalanche travel to Los Angeles to play the Kings on TNT as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Edmonton Oilers play in Vancouver against the Canucks as a -162 money-line road favorite with a total of 7. The Calgary Flames are at home against the Winnipeg Jets as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5.

NHL Pacific Division Preview 2023-24

by Scott Rickenbach

Tuesday, Oct 10, 2023

Pacific Division 2023-24 Quick Hitter Season PreviewAnaheim Ducks – Along with the Sharks, the Ducks are one of the worst teams not only in this division but in the league. They have some exciting young players but Anaheim also has a first year NHL head coach in Cronin. This team was so bad defensively and they tried to add some guys to help but I don’t think they added enough and also Gudas was one of the perceived “key” signings but he is bouncing around the league these days with good reason since the Flyers let him go! The Ducks will again struggle defensively and overall but do have some young talent up front that adds some excitement in most games! Could be plenty of overs in Anaheim games this season. Calgary Flames – Look for the head coaching change to pay dividends. Might be some growing pains early this season, especially because of the Lindholm situation, but this team is solid and can battle hard for a playoff spot. Tough division they play in, especially with the Kings being improved and the Oilers and Golden Knights so tough, but this club Is just a notch below them and will be right there with the Kings the way I see it. Markstrom is a solid goalie capable of a bounce back season and I expect big seasons from him and from Huberdeau and that will key the Flames not missing out on the post-season like they did last season. Edmonton Oilers – I believe this team could win it all. The goaltending will be a key of course but the points is this team has been closer than you think in recent seasons. The last two season they have lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion each time. Two seasons ago that was the Avalanche and then last season was the Golden Knights. There were some very close games in that series with Vegas and Edmonton could have very easily seen things change had some puck luck gone their way. When you are loaded with guys like Draisaitl and McDavid as well as additional talent and depth added in recent seasons as they have gotten closer and closer. This could be the team finally. In fact, perhaps we see an All-Canadian final with the Maple Leafs and Oilers. This would not surprise me in the least. Edmonton also has guys like Nugent-Hopkins and Hyman. This is a very strong club. Los Angeles Kings – The Kings are going for it. Now of course that does not mean they will get it but the point is they really invested heavily for this season and have been investing the past couple seasons leading up to it. What has hurt them the past two seasons is they end up facing a tough team like the Oilers in the post-season. In looking closely at Los Angeles for this season, the defensive play was already there and now they have added solid goaltending options. Also, the signing of Dubois is huge for LA in terms of generating more goals at the other end of the ice. This could be the best Kings team yet but, the problem is they play in the same division as two of the best teams in the league with Edmonton and Vegas. The Kings will be strong but they are still playing 3rd fiddle in this division! San Jose Sharks – One thing I admire about the Sharks is they definitely did not sit still in the off-season. Still this team was already way down there and they are essentially undertaking a massive rebuild. San Jose has only one way to go and that is up but it will be a long climb. This team is working in a lot of new faces and it is a club that was already struggling. I admire them for not standing pat but, again, their rebuild will be a long process. Head coach David Quinn is trying to build something here but it will take time and this team could be the worst in the NHL this year with some decent offense at times but defense and goaltending likely to struggle again. Seattle Kraken – The Kraken lost some guys and I was shocked at the way last season went for them to be honest with you. A lot of things clicked for them but I expect a regression this season. I don’t trust the goaltending and now Martin Jones is out of the mix too. The netminder is now with Toronto. I know Grubauer got hot at the right time but I question how this season will go with he and Driedger and possibly even Daccord. Vancouver Canucks – A different club with Rick Tocchet behind the bench for sure. Vancouver showed improvement but was some of that due to more favorable scheduling after he took over? This is a respectable club but they play in a tough division. If Thatcher Demko can be really strong between the pipes than Vancouver could really surprise this season but I think this is a club that will fall short of the post-season yet continue to show some signs they are getting close. New D-men Cole and Soucy will be a key for the Canucks to see blue-line improvement. This will be something to watch closely. Vegas Golden Knights – Stanley Cup Champions and they will be a threat again. But of course everyone gunning for them now and a lot has to break right to make it so far like the Golden Knights did last season. They lost some guys and did not really add anyone of note heading into this season but this team will again be one of the best in the NHL. Trouble is they have a target on their backs now as the champs and that always makes things a little tougher. Lets makes sure the goaltending (which definitely surprised last season) holds up this season. I know they have two options there but could we see a sophomore slump? I would not be surprised.

NHL Central Division Preview 2023-24

by Scott Rickenbach

Tuesday, Oct 10, 2023

Central Division 2023-24 Quick Hitter Season PreviewArizona Coyotes – There is a lot to like here. This team is on its way up. They have a lot of young players continuing to show improvement and they added some veteran guys this off-season too. Last season Arizona was great at home but struggled mightily on the road. They are building things the right way and have the right mix of guys and should start to get more bounces to go their way on the road. All factors considered, they could even challenge for a playoff berth this season. I do expect them to be in the mix at least as this club continues to build an improved roster. Team chemistry will be a key early on as they work in new guys. Chicago Blackhawks – This is now a very young team and gone are the veteran Blackhawks like Kane and Toews. The Blackhawks have a bright future because not only is Bedard likely going to be a star, they have some other young players that appear ready to make some noise sooner rather than later as well. The problem here is with a lot of new players and with young players you have mistakes and lose games you should not. Also, I do not trust their defense or goaltending. The Blackhawks are building something positive for the future. In the meantime I will likely mostly be looking at overs for this club but that is only if the offensive cohesion jells quickly enough. The Hawks could be an exciting team to watch. Colorado Avalanche – Very strong club again and going for another trip to the Stanley Cup finals. With some personnel turnover heading into this season, there could be a bit of a choppy start for this club. But the Avalanche are known for being a streaky team. They are strong and when they get going and are healthy you want to make sure you are riding right along with them for maximum betting value during streaks. Dallas Stars – This is the team that will challenge Colorado for supremacy in the division and arguably is a top challenger for the Stanley Cup. Of course that also comes down to being healthy but this Dallas team has the right pieces and is strong defensively plus gets solid goaltending from Oettinger. They are also well-coached and remember last spring if they had gotten past Vegas the Stars would likely have been Cup winners instead of the Golden Knights. The fact is this is a team I will frequently look to play on. Minnesota Wild – I think the Wild will be down a little last season from where they were last season. Keep in mind last season they were done in by inconsistent offense. Then you look at the off-season they just had and you realize Minnesota lost more than they gained so you have a tricky spot here for the Wild. If Gustavsson can play extremely well in goal, the Wild could surprise, but I just do not have enough faith in this offense and feel they should have done more maneuvering in the off-season also. Nashville Predators – Juuse Saros is a strong goalie but this Nashville club needs to generate more offense and I am not sure where that is coming from with these guys. The Predators missed the playoffs last season and with the off-season they just had I expect them to fall just short once again. The Preds just are not quite there yet and continue to put too much of a burden on Saros to steal games for them. Unless they shock me and some guys really step up, this Nashville team appears headed for a mediocre season. Losing Duchene and Johansen did not help this team either. St. Louis Blues – They added former Flyer Kevin Hayes and he will help boost the play at both ends of the ice but particularly the offensive zone. Therein lies a key problem with St Louis. They are still stuck with the same personnel on defense that have struggled. I know they have a new assistant coach hired specifically to help fix the defensive play but that requires a couple things too. It requires time and the right personnel. So look for the Blues to possibly get better as the season goes along but if that also requires some different players than team chemistry could be thrown off too and I am taking a bit of a “wait and see” approach with St Louis other than possibly riding their for early season overs. The one caveat to that however is that Binnington can be solid! Winnipeg Jets – I feel this team is going to challenge for a strong season this year and possibly advance in the playoffs this time around. The Jets made some off-season changes that I feel will help the locker room chemistry. This team is well-coached and has a rock solid goalie in Connor Hellebuyck. This Jets team is going to be even stronger this season without Wheeler and DuBois. There were some positive changes made for Winnipeg and there is a commitment to what is now being built here. Of course they made the play-offs last season so this is not some full rebuild but instead it is some tweaks being made and I expect them to pay off.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, MLB and NHL Previews and Odds - 10/10/2023

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Oct 10, 2023

The Tuesday sports card features NCAA, MLB, and NHL action.The seventh week in NCAAF college football begins with three games on national television between FBS opponents. Middle Tennessee hosts Louisiana Tech on the CBS Sports Network at 7 PM ET. The Blue Raiders lost their third game in a row after their 45-30 upset loss to Jacksonville State as a 2.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Their record dropped to 1-5 with the loss. The Bulldogs lost for the third time in their last four games in a 35-28 loss to Western Kentucky as a 6-point underdog on Thursday. They have a 3-4 record this season. Middle Tennessee is a 3-point favorite, with the total set at 54.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Two NCAAF games kick off at 7:30 PM ET. Appalachia State plays at home against Coastal Carolina on ESPN2. The Mountaineers won for the second time in their last three games with their 41-40 victory against Lousiana-Monroe as a 14-point favorite on September 30th. They raised their record to 3-2 with the win. The Chanticleers are on a two-game losing streak after their 38-28 loss at Georgia Southern as a 6.5-point underdog on September 30th. Their record has dropped to 2-3. Appalachian State is a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 61. Liberty travels to Jacksonville State on ESPNU. The Flames continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 21-16 victory against Sam Houston State as a 21.5-point favorite on Thursday. They have a 5-0 record. The Gamecocks have won three games in a row with their 45-30 upset win at Middle Tennessee as a 2.5-point underdog on Wednesday. They have a 5-1 record on the year. Liberty is a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 56.5. Major League Baseball continues the postseason with two games in the American League Divisional Series on Fox. The Minnesota Twins are at home against the Houston Astros at 4:07 PM ET. The Twins evened this best-of-five series with a 6-2 victory on the road against the Astros on Sunday. Minnesota turns to Sonny Gray to pitch against Houston’s Cristian Javier. The Twins are a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.The Texas Rangers host the Baltimore Orioles at 8:38 PM ET. The Rangers took a 2-0 series lead with their 11-8 victory on the road against the Astros on Sunday. Nathan Eovaldi gets the ball for Texas to battle against Dean Kremer for the Orioles. The Rangers are a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The National Hockey League drops the puck on the new season with three games on ESPN. The Tampa Bay Lightning play at home against the Nashville Predators at 5:37 PM ET as a -166 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Pittsburgh Penguins are at home against the Chicago Blackhawks as a -238 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Vegas Golden Knights host the Seattle Kraken at 10:37 PM ET as a -170 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5.

NHL Metropolitan Division Preview 2023-24

by Scott Rickenbach

Monday, Oct 09, 2023

Metropolitan Division 2023-24 Quick Hitter Season PreviewCarolina Hurricanes – Strong defense and maybe not the most exciting team around on offense but this team gets the job done also cycles the puck so well so they are very dangerous. Well-coached hard-nosed and solid goaltending further supports the defensive style. Bunting and Orlov are solid additions and remember that Carolina lost Svechnikov in March last season but he is back and healthy for the new season. Hurricanes challenge for the cup if the goaltending of Andersen and Raanta can hold up and if they stay healthy enough overall come post-season time! The Svechnikov injury really hurt last spring. Columbus Blue Jackets – The Blue Jackets blue line is much better with off-season additions of Provorov and Severson plus the fact Werenski is healthy again and back for the season as well. However, the whole coaching distraction from Mike Babcock to now Pascal Vincent right before a new season is starting is not ideal. I think this team is destined to again stumble some even though they also have some highly skilled players on offense too. Just too many continued problems for this organization and they must stay healthier too. New Jersey Devils – This is a very talented team that improved greatly last season as expected. This could be a good team for overs this season, at least early on, because they lost some blue line key talent. With a susceptible defense, there is likely to be too much pressure on the goalies. But again, at the other end of the ice the Devils do a great job of pressuring the opposing goaltender. New Jersey tends to get beat in transition too so an inability to trust the goals-conceded aspect of this Devils club has me expecting a bit of a step back for this club this season. Unlike much of last season, they will not be sneaking up on teams this time around. New Jersey now commands respect and will get their opponents best effort on most nights as a result. New York Islanders – If Barzal can stay healthy and he and Horvat really get a chance to click together, this Isles team will be more dangerous on offense which is what they need. I actually like the fact they mostly stayed pat in the off-season. The key here is solid goalie work from Sorokin and for the D to hold up. The Isles can still be a tough team to play and if the Islanders really buy into coach Lambert’s systems, this Islanders team can make a push for another post-season berth though I do not think they are a top team. But the Isles can make the post-season and be dangerous if guys like Barzal and Horvart are healthy plus if Sorokin is playing very well in the crease. New York Rangers – I look for a big positive push from the Rangers this season. Head coach Laviolette brings extra energy for the club with the coaching change. Also, they have Shesterkin in goal and he is one of the best in the league even if last season was a bit of a step back. He still dominated with frequency between the pipes. That was a strong Devils team that eliminated the Rangers from post-season last spring and the season before New York went deep into the post-season. New York has been on the cusp and they have the talent and depth and hunger and positive momentum of a new coach to go very far this season. I will be looking to bet on this team quite often this season if Shesterkin is clicking in goal! Philadelphia Flyers – Getting Sean Courterier back is key for this hockey club. He is healthy again and is a great player that Philly really missed. I like the front office changes this team made with Daniel Briere and Keith Jones as well. Danny and Jonesy can do some good things in conjunction with John Tortorella in terms of a continued growth process in this rebuild. The Flyers are not playoff-ready yet but they are getting close and I expect this club to surprise some folks, especially if Carter Hart can return to top form in goal. Cam York and Travis Konecny make this team dangerous in terms of goal-scoring capabilities too. This team is heading the right direction but it’s just that they had a long way to go when this process first started under Torts. Pittsburgh Penguins – The addition of Erik Karlsson is huge for the Penguins. There is renewed enthusiasm in Pittsburgh with some solid off-season additions that added depth plus the addition of a key difference-maker like Karlsson. Pittsburgh has many veterans including guys like Crosby and Malkin and if they can dig deep for one more run and if Jarry plays well between the pipes with consistency, the addition of Karlsson could give this club the edge they need to push back up to higher levels after missing the playoffs last season. The Penguins appear to absolutely be a threat again but could have some early season growing pains with new faces on the team plus the Guentzel injury as the Pens begin the season without him. Washington Capitals – This is a veteran group trying to make a push but health is such an important factor and the odds are against you in the health department when you are talking about older players and guys more prone to injury. That is what the Caps have and also what they added. Edmundson is hurt already and Pacioretty has torn his achilles twice already and those just Capitals additions. Again, their existing roster has a lot of veteran players and they battled the injury bug last season. Also, how quickly can new manager Carbery be on the same page with this team and have them flowing? This is still a solid team but a lot has to break the right way for this team to make a run this season.

NHL Atlantic Division Preview 2023-24

by Scott Rickenbach

Monday, Oct 09, 2023

Atlantic Division 2023-24 Quick Hitter Season PreviewBoston Bruins – Boston will battle with Florida but both those teams likely to be a notch below the Leafs and Lightning in this division this season. The Bruins lost too much heading into this season. Bergeron plus Krejci retired and Bertuzzi is now with the Maple Leafs plus Connor Clifton is another key loss. The Bruins still have key players like Marchand and McAvoy and of course Pastrnak and Ullmark but the losses are steep and Bruins will be in a battle to make the post-season most likely. Well-coached they could surprise but I feel the personnel losses are too steep and their regular season will be much different than last year’s incredible run. Buffalo Sabres – This team should finally make the playoffs and end their drought. I like the fact that they did not change much with this club during the off-season. They have been building an identity and are counting on the foundation they have patiently allowed to develop. I understand there are some concerns about the goaltending but even though Levi is young, Luukkonen is a solid option as well. This team has solid young talent plus some more experienced players that help round this club out and give it a good mix. The additions of Connor Clifton and Erik Johnson also should boost this club to finally break the 12-year post-season drought. Detroit Red Wings – The difficult thing in gauging the Atlantic Division this season is some of the teams that have missed out on the playoffs recently truly look like contenders. The Red Wings and Sabres for example are definitely in that group. The Red Wings have so much solid young talent plus they shored up the defense with some offseason moves and their goaltending looks improved with added depth of Reimer to work in tandem with Husso. This team challenges for a playoff spot as their rebuild is reaching its success point just like that of Buffalo. Florida Panthers – The Panthers focused on adding D-men in the offseason and this team almost won it all last season. Can goalie Sergei Bobrovsky stay consistent? That will be a key this season plus Florida now has a little more of a target on their backs after their run to the Stanley Cup Finals last season. They also have to worry a lot about the Bruins and Lightning and Maple Leafs in this division. It is a lot of pressure but the Panthers are a dangerous scoring club again this season. But can the defense and netminding hold up? They are already dealing with a couple of key D-men being out to open up the season. Ultimately I expect Florida to slide a little this season. Montreal Canadiens – Quite a bit of youth. Trouble on defense continues to be a problem. Stuck with same goalies and not sure that is a good thing. This organization still has issues to say the least. The Habs have really fallen off a lot from where they were just a few years ago when they made some strong post-season runs. Another year without playoffs is likely here given the lack of off-season improvement. Ottawa Senators – Maybe Korpisalo is the answer in goal but I am not convinced. This is such a tough division and the Senators are counting on Korpisalo and Forsberg but I am afraid even with slightly better defense this Sens team will have to battle Montreal to avoid the cellar in this division. I know the Senators are close but unless they get surprisingly strong goaltending they are likely to still fall just short of a much-desired playoff berth.Tampa Bay Lightning – Even though he is not missing the entire season, Andrei Vasilevskiy is so important to this Lightning team. He is one of the best goalies in the world so his absence for a period after recovering from surgery is a big one. I do like the fact that the Bolts did not make a lot of changes compared to last season’s team and this is still a rock solid team. I feel the big key this season will be Vasilevskiy and how he recovers. This team is still so strong with guys like Point and Hedman and Kucherov plus they are so well-coached. It is hard to count them out and I think they will still be tough come playoff time but the early season period could be a bit rocky. Toronto Maple Leafs – The Leafs got great goalie work from Ilya Samsonov last season and that changed everything for them. This is a talented and dangerous team again this season and they might have gone deeper into the playoffs last season were it not for Samsonov getting hurt. They made some solid off-season additions covering offense and some added physicality and defense plus goalie depth. This team could challenge for a run at the Stanley Cup.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, NFL and CFL Previews and Odds - 10/09/2023

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Oct 09, 2023

The Monday sports card features NFL, MLB, and CFL action.Week 4 in the NFL concludes with the Las Vegas Raiders hosting the Green Bay Packers on ABC, ESPN, and the ESPN2 Manningcast at 8:15 PM ET. The Raiders lost their third game in a row after their 24-17 loss in Los Angeles against the Chargers as a 7-point underdog on Sunday. Aidan O'Connell completed 24 of 39 passes for 238 yards in that losing effort. Veteran quarterback Jimmy Garopplo is expected to start in this game after passing the concussion protocol. Las Vegas opened their season with a 17-16 victory on the road against Denver before losing three straight games to Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and then the Chargers last week. Their 1-3 record has teeteing in last place with the Denver Broncos in the AFC West ;The Packers have lost two of their last three games after a 34-20 loss to Detroit back on September 28th as a 2.5-point underdog. Jordan Love completed 23 of 36 passes for 246 yards with a touchdown pass but two interceptions. Green Bay began thee season by beating Chicago on the road, 38-20, before losing at Atlanta by a 25-24 score. They rebounded by beating New Orleans, 18-17, before their loss to Detroit on Thursday night on September 28th. Wiith their 2-2 record, they are 1 /2 games behind the Detroit Lions in teh NFC North. Las Vegas is a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 45.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Major League Baseball continues the postseason with two games on TBS. The Atlanta Braves play at home against the Philadelphia Phillies at 6:07 PM ET. The Phillies took a 1-0 lead in this best-of-five series with their 3-0 victory in Atlanta on Saturday. Philadelphia has won four games in a row while the Braves have lost two of three. Max Fried takes the ball for the Braves to pitch against Zack Wheeler for the Phillies. Atlanta is a -162 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers are at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks at 9:07 PM ET. The Diamondbacks took a 1-0 lead in this series with their 11-2 win in the opening game of this series on Saturday. Arizona has won three games in a row while the Dodgers have lost two of their last three games. Los Angeles turns to Bobby Miller to take the mound to face Zac Gallen for the Diamondbacks. Los Angeles is a -166 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Week 18 in the Canadian Football League concludes with one game. The Montreal Alouettes host the Ottawa Redblacks on the CBS Sports Network at 1 PM ET. The Alouettes have won two games in a row after their 32-15 victory against the Redblacks on Saturday. With their 8-7 record, they have clinched a spot against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the playoffs next month, with home field yet to be decided. The Redblacks are out of the playoff race with a 4-11 record. Montreal is a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 47.5.

NHL Futures Wager: Edmonton Oilers to Win the 2024 Stanley Cup

by Al McMordie

Sunday, Oct 08, 2023

For the 2023-2024 NHL season, our pre-season futures selection to win the Stanley Cup is the Edmonton Oilers, currently at 11-1 odds at FanDuel. Everyone knows that the Oilers sported one of the greatest offenses in NHL history last season. And chances are, that historic, high-scoring group -- Edmonton set an NHL record by converting on 32.4 % of its power plays in the regular season -- will be back and scoring at the same rate this season. Having the best offensive player on the planet -- Connor McDavid with an incredible 153 points last season -- can mean that other players can almost go unnoticed, even if they would lead almost every other team in the league. Such was the case with linemate Leon Draisaitl and his 128 points and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and his 104. But the offensive firepower couldn't offset issues the Oilers had in the post-season as they fell to the eventual champion Golden Knights in the second round of the playoffs. Part of the good news for the upcoming season -- and the reason we're betting on Edmonton to go much farther next spring -- is because young goaltender Stuart Skinner, who performed so brilliantly in the regular season while splitting time with veteran Jack Campbell (but faltered in the playoffs), should open this season as the #1 net-minder. The 24-year-old simply wasn't ready for the post-season but last season's experience should serve him well as he gets ready to assume the #1 job in goal behind the most prolific offense in the league. It will be up to Head Coach Jay Woodcroft -- beginning his third season in Edmonton -- to manage the two goalies effectively to insure that Skinner doesn't get over-worked before the playoffs, in which the Oilers are almost certain to appear. The final piece of the puzzle for the Oilers will be for them to get full seasons out of the key injured players they had on the roster in 2022-2023. If Evander Kane (28 points in 41 games), Ryan McLeod (just 57 games), and Warren Foegele (67 games) can avoid those injuries that befell them last season, then Edmonton should be able to take that next step and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. Take the Edmonton Oilers to win the 2023-2024 Stanley Cup at 11-1 odds. As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

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NHL Futures Wager: Edmonton Oilers to Win the 2024 Stanley Cup

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