There are offenses that you can depend on even with a susceptible defense in week one. That’s the case with the Memphis Tigers who should be good for a range of 50-55 points with their potent offense. In last season’s opener they won 56 to 14. Expect a similar result that would get us the cover once again. Take Memphis.

South Alabama is entering a new era as former starting quarterback Carter Bradley is now in the NFL. That gives us a bit of line value in the Jaguars season opener against North Texas. New quarterback Gio Lopez has been with the program and capable of leading an explosive Jaguars offense. This is a case where a strong second half will pull away from the number here. Take South Alabama.

South Carolina is a three touchdown favorite in their first game against Old Dominion. The Monarchs as a team and quarterback Grant Wilson had mixed results a season ago. They played competitively as big underdogs against James Madison and upset Appalachian State. Yet, facing South Carolina is too tall of a task even with the Gamecocks transitioning from Spencer Rattler. Lay the three touchdown spread with the Gamecocks.

In collegiate sports I love the angle of attacking a team making the step up to division one. Last season I used the angle for both Jacksonville State and Sam Houston as they covered in their week one matchups. I’ll do the same today with Kennesaw State against a UT San Antonio team making their transition without long time quarterback Frank Harris. Look for one down quarter of play to be enough on a large spread. Grab the points with Kennesaw State.

We have already seen the Big Ten struggle in week one matchups from an ATS stand point, this includes Wisconsin having issues against MAC opponent Western Michigan. Look for Miami Ohio to give Northwestern problems as well. The RedHawks were an excellent defensive team last season, and defeated Northwestern on the road just two seasons ago. Grab the points here with Miami Ohio. 

The Michigan State Spartans bring in a new era with Coach Jonathan Smith. He over hauled the Spartans roster with high end transfers including bringing over quarterback Aiden Chiles. Florida Atlantic also has a new quarterback in Cam Fancher that is eager for a fresh start after a woeful season with Marshall. Likely a double digit result here for Michigan State but on the low end closer to ten points. Grab the points here with Florida Atlantic. 

When one thinks of a college football revenge game, it’s typically related to conference matchups. Yet, early in the season there are several repeat matchups from a season ago. One includes Minnesota who was embarrassed last season 31 to 13 against North Carolina. On their home field look for their defense to fare better this season, and newcomer at quarterback Max Brosmer to deliver. Take the home underdog in the Gophers.

Colorado closed out last season with a steep decline by losing their final six games. Expectations are much different going into this season, and the pressure is on Coach Deion Sanders. They’ll be improved but this spread has rose far to much for an opening season game. Take the points with North Dakota State now getting a double digit spread.

Early in the season there are just matchups that are far to high on a point spread. We saw it in week zero where both lopsided spreads fared to the underdog, in Delaware State and Nevada. That is the case for Western Carolina, who will face an NC State team working in a top level transfer quarterback in Grayson McCall. McCall did not finish out last season with an injury so there will be rust in week one and likely the first few games for NC State. Grab the points with Western Carolina.

In week zero we know that there is going to be a bit of sloppy football on display. That does not bode well for the Nevada Wolf Pack who have won two games each of the last two seasons. Last season Preston Stone in his first year as starting quarterback began the season slow, but in his final six games the Mustangs scored an average of fifty points per game. Take SMU as the big road favorite.

Most of the week I was leaning towards the Rams side. But something about home field advantage typically carries over in the postseason. We saw this in both of yesterday’s postseason openers. On a small number I trust the Detroit potent offense to push the football down the field on a young Rams defense. Close game but Detroit cashes ATS.

Several times this season the Washington Huskies have side stepped the naysayers via the spread as underdogs, and on the field. Undefeated they have won their last two games outright. Today it ends as Michigan completes their task after a thrilling comeback win over Alabama. Grab the Wolverines.

With the Jaguars trailing at halftime now is where I see a bit more value on the Buffalo Bills side. Even with the Bills likely to be in with a Jags loss, they still want the momentum of closing out their season strong. Additionally, they could win the division with a win over Miami. Grab the Bills.

We have seen two scenarios so far where resting starters has led to an easy victory for the opposition. We saw Pittsburgh pull away from Baltimore, and Cincinnati blow out Cleveland. With Kansas City, I expect a different outcome. Blaine Gabbert is a long time veteran, and the Chiefs have filled their roster with complimentary players versus a couple of stars. Grab the Chiefs.

Kevin O’Connell has got a few wins simply by rotating quarterbacks. It started with Josh Dobbs, and although they did not win Nick Mullens had success with the offense. Look for Hall to have similar success but to cut out the turnovers. Green Bay is thin in their skill positions. Take the Vikings to complete the season sweep over Green Bay.

Buy the half point on the market here with the Saints. I’ve been big on the Buccaneers during their hot streak, but facing a divisional opponent is where team weaknesses can be exposed. The Bucs needed a last minute touchdown to escape in a recent win over the Falcons, and I believe they’ll be in for a true battle Sunday. Take the points on a sell high spot after Tampa Bay’s blowout over Jacksonville.

I’ve shied away from the early bowls due to so many opt outs, but see an opportunity today. Bowling Green from the MAC is getting discredited today based on facing a Power Five school. While Minnesota has had a stingy defense at times, their offense is subpar at best. A five win team that should not be in a bowl, take Bowling Green.

New England’s season of high losses is likely to to continue tonight against Denver. Yet, I think the spread is to high here. New England has been a bit better defensively, and Russ Wilson is showing a bit of an end of season slide. Take the points here with the Patriots.

Jacksonville has been dynamite on the road with a 5-1 record, but they did lose at Cleveland and are on a three game losing streak. Tampa Bay has opened up the offense a bit more and Baker Mayfield surprisingly has found a home. Jacksonville may get the early lead here but look for Tampa Bay’s strong end of season to continue. Take the Bucs.

Buffalo has taken care of business on their home field this season. Their issues have been on the road and in Europe. While Dallas projects as the better team I see this as a spot where the Bills continue their push. Look for their new way of grinding out wins to payoff as they handle the Cowboys. Grab Buffalo.

Late in the season we see teams start to over acheive for the following season. The Tennessee Titans could be in that boat with quarterback Will Levi. Houston has had issues with their own quarterback injuries, and depth issues. Take the Titans even on a short week Sunday.

Post bye week I expect the Vikings to have corrected issues with quarterback Josh Dobbs, who is still adjusting after being traded. The Vegas Raiders are going to also have success but this boils down to the Vikings being in a must win situation. Look for Coach O'Connell to utilize his tail backs more and get the play making needed to pull out the win. Grab the Vikings.

Quick write up here but the Bears strength on stopping the run should limit a Lions team offensively. Justin Fields tends to have some of his better games through the air in the division as well. Take the home underdog in the Bears.

To be down to an emergency starting quarterback in Joe Flacco is a rare site in the NFL. The veteran will step in for a team that did not do well offensively as a small road underdog last week against the Broncos. Still, this is a team that has managed to overcome a lot and has not folded multiple weeks in a row. Take the Browns plus the points. 

It is common knowledge that Arizona does not want to win as they try and keep their chances high for a top draft pick. Traveling to face a Pittsburgh team that is rejuvenated offensively is a tricky spot. Still, I expect a good effort more to the tune of what we saw a couple of weeks ago against Houston. Take the big number underdog Cardinals here.

Washington has had an unblemished season but today could be trouble against Oregon. Their prior matchup in mid-October was a game that Oregon let get away late. A late game decision to go for it on fourth down did not pan out, and a missed field goal prevented overtime. Look for Oregon to play as the team that should be undefeated and to take it out on the Huskies. Grab Oregon.

Jacksonville has had just one blemish and that was acceptable since it came at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers. For the Texans this is a chance to show that they are more than an up and coming young team. Look for the Texans to step up to the challenge and sweep the Jaguars this season.

Both Ohio State and Michigan will look to keep their undefeated seasons going Saturday. For all the controversy surrounding Michigan they have continued to not make excuses on the field. Look for a great game from both teams, but the execution to be just a little bit better on the Wolverines side. Grab Michigan as the home favorite.

Pittsburgh has not won consecutive games all season, but don’t rule out a strong showing Saturday. Quarterback Nate Yarnell made the necessary plays against Boston College, and has confidence going into the Panthers regular season finale. Duke may be bowl eligible but they have faded losing four of their last five games. Grab Pittsburgh.

Tulane has the stout resume of a season record of 10-1. In fact, their lone loss occurred against a top fifteen team in Ole Miss. Yet, three of their last four wins have been decided by three points or less. With UTSA healthy with quarterback Frank Harris they present a completely different challenge for Tulane. Grab UTSA.

The surprise element to a team can provide a spark no matter how down the season has been. We have seen this with the Raiders and for one week with Arizona and Kyler Murray. Houston has been potent with their offense but they are 0-3 ATS this year against NFC opponents in the Bucs, Panthers, and Falcons. Grab the points here with Arizona.

At this point of the season Washington has showcased they are a great team. They’ve survived close calls and showed the ability to stay with it last week against USC. Tonight though Oregon State should be ready for this moment. A win and they are a top ten team and play spoiler to Washington’s season. Grab Oregon State at home.

A game of importance will be the San Francisco 49ers versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. This is the game many will be watching to see if the Jaguars are the real deal. At 6-2, this could catapult them to a serious AFC postseason threat. Yet, I like the 49ers to come out of their bye week with the mindset they’ve had in the prior years. Take the 49ers to pull out a close road win and cover the number.

The Green Bay Packers have been a hard team to watch. Even with a clear advantage at home last week against the Rams they struggled to move the football. They closed the door finally and in the NFL all it takes is one win to regain a teams confidence. On the road take the points here with the Packers. 

BYU has continued to fade in their first season in the Big 12. They’ve lost consecutive games in blowout fashion and scored a grand total of a mere thirteen points. Yet, they do return home where they are 4-0 on the season. They’re also back in their familiar time slot playing in a late game. Iowa State gets the win but BYU covers on the number.

It has been a tough year for Cincinnati as they are 0-6 in conference play. Throughout the struggles the team has stuck with multi-transfer quarterback Emory Jones. Today, he should have some opportunities against a Houston defense that gives up close to 32 points per game. I like the Bearcats in this spot to have a chance to pull off the small upset, but grab the points.

New Mexico State has ripped through Conference USA play thus far with five straight wins. Their performance on the field has been sharper than their 2-3 start to the season, but also lined up with easier opponents. Look for the Hilltoppers to have the edge today led by quarterback Austin Reed. This could also be a look ahead spot as New Mexico State faces Auburn next.

The Raiders made a long overdue switch by firing Josh McDaniels. A move of this sorts typically ignites a team which has been solid at home. They won tight games against both the Packers and Patriots. While the talent is going to need an overhaul look for the Raiders to play inspired football and beat the Giants.

Throughout the NFL we are seeing teams make a change at the quarterback position. Tampa Bay appears they may be headed in that direction as well. Baker Mayfield had several opportunities against the Falcons and could not deliver and struggled for much of the game against the Bills. Take the Texans on a buy low spot coming off a loss to Carolina.

The Miami Hurricanes will face an NC State team that has had a season of ups and downs. A problem for quarterback MJ Morris has been the ability to avoid mistakes. In his first start against Marshall he had three interceptions, and also struggled against Duke. Look for the Hurricanes to put him in disadvantage situations defensively and pull off a decisive road win. Take Miami. 

Texas State began the season with a 4-1 record. Over their last three games they have failed to cover the spread. They blew a lead against UL Lafayette and let a sloppy fourth quarter blow open a close game last week against Troy. Look for late game situation miscues to continue even in their third straight home game.

Old Dominion may be playing at their peak of their abilities. As a home underdog two weeks ago they upset Appalachian State. Then this past Saturday as near three touchdown underdogs they nearly defeated James Madison. Look for today to be a letdown spot against a Coastal Carolina team that is playing inspired football with backup quarterback Jarrett Guest. Take the road team here in Coastal Carolina.

UL Lafayette has a chance to win consecutive games for the first time in conference play. To get it done they will need to win on the road as they did last week against South Alabama. Arkansas State has a knack for hanging in games but UL Lafayette is going in a strong direction upward with freshman quarterback Zeon Chriss gaining confidence. Take UL Lafayette.

It’s rare to see a team that played in last year’s BCS be on the cusp of falling below .500. TCU has been a completely different team since their starting quarterback Chandler Morris went down. They’ve dropped three of their last four games including a 41-3 loss to Kansas State. Take Texas Tech as the small favorite.

Bowling Green comes into today’s matchup against Ball State with consecutive victories and wins in three of their last four matchups. Yet, in the first set of early Mac-tion games look for a bit of sloppy play tonight. Ball State’s ground attack should offset any issues with the passing game. Look for a battle here with Ball State covering the number. 

The Packers have not had a home game since late September. As a result they have lost some close calls to the Raiders and Broncos. Facing a resurgent Vikings team look for the Packers to get off to a better start. Protecting their first year starter should be a bit easier at home, and look for the Vikings miscues to occur. Take the Packers. 

One of the top matchups outside of the power five conferences comes between Troy and Texas State. Both teams are 5-2 and rested as they have not played since October 14th. Yet, prior to their bye weeks both teams trajectory was changing. The Bobcats had struggled in close matchups in consecutive weeks, while the Trojans had elevated their play. Take Troy as the big road favorite.

Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall is doubtful today after a scary hit late in last week’s victory over Arkansas State. This is an opportunity for Marshall to over ride poor play over the last three week’s that’s resulted in all losses. I expect the Thundering Herd to come out with much more aggression after an embarrassing nationally televised loss against James Madison. Take Marshall

South Alabama had two straight complete blowout victories before their bye week. The margin of victories were not expected by oddsmakers to that degree, but the competition had a combined conference record of 0-8. Look for the Jaguars to still play solid football but to face a different level of a team in UL Lafayette. Take the underdog here.

Duke is coming off an ineffective game offensively as they lost by eighteen points against Florida State. They’ll face a Louisville team that is off extra rest after having a bye week. That combined with Duke’s Riley Leonard’s uncertainty has inflated this line slightly. Grab Duke plus the six.

The UConn Huskies have played better over the last three weeks. They lost by just a point against Utah State, defeated Rice, and lost by three points against South Florida. Saturday’s opponent in Boston College has won three straight games but also has had issues of playing up or down to the competition. Five of their seven games have been decided by three points or less. Grab the points here with the Huskies.

Sam Houston has had a tough start to their debut of division one football. They are winless at 0-7, but have come close to breaking through. They gave conference leader Liberty their toughest battle of the season, and have had two overtime losses. Today, look for the Bearkats to break through against a UTEP team that scores just sixteen points per game. Lay it with the Bearkats.

The LA Rams are going through a plethora of injuries at the tailback position. It’ll certainly be a challenge against a Pittsburgh Steelers fanbase that travels well and has a hard nosed defense. Yet, Matthew Stafford is playing elite level football and has some big time weapons to throw to. With the Steelers struggles offensively, the Rams will pull out a victory as a small home favorite. Take the Rams.

Often times we have seen a backup quarterback be successful in spots when his name is called. Yet, when the job becomes his the issues come to the fore front. Gardner Minshew has starter experience but will be in a very tough spot against the top defense in football. Look for Cleveland to survive an ugly offensive game to deliver on the road.

Young teams are going to have issues with consistency. That has been the case for the Falcons but there has also been promise. Even with last week’s issues with Desmond Ridder’s turnovers they were still in the game. They have a knack for keeping it close and Tampa Bay appears to be in an offensive rut with a lack of a ground game. Take the Falcons

Coastal Carolina should be in an advantageous spot today against Arkansas State. At just .500 they are playing in their third straight road game. That’s giving us a bit of value on the spread led by experienced quarterback Grayson McCall. McCall is coming off a season high 373 passing yards and should limit his turnovers in this spot. Take Coastal Carolina over Arkansas State.

Appalachian State has been a team on the cusp of making a run. First year starter Joey Aguilar is coming off his first turnover free game over his last four outings. Additionally, the Mountaineers are well rested after last playing on Tuesday October 10th. After three straight games decided by three points or less this will be a much cleaner showcase. Take Appalachian State.

Each season there are teams that hit a wall in SEC play. At the mid point of the season that appears to be the case for South Carolina. They have lost three of their last four games, and road spots have caused problems. They lost to Tennessee by twenty one points and Georgia by ten. Take Missouri with their octane offense that will give the Gamecocks problems.

Marshall has lost consecutive road after beginning the season 4-0. For the Thundering Herd they have to correct a defense that has surrendered forty one points per game over their last three outings. On a short week and with James Madison coming off their best effort and win of the season, buy stock in Marshall in what should be a competitive game. 

The Eagles at 5-0 continue to be a bit of a conundrum. They have not won in easy fashion like last year, and are coming off a road game in LA. Still, this is the right matchup for them against a Jets team that has over achieved ATS in multiple weeks against the Chiefs and Broncos. Grab Philadelphia in what will be more of a fluid game than what we have seen. 

The Patriots poor loss last week to the Saints was one of the all time lows during the Belichick era. Poor quarterback play and a lack of talent offensively is assuredly going to make it one of the worst seasons in quite awhile for the Patriots. Yet, I’m not buying the Raiders just yet. Jimmy G’s arm strength is not there which should let the Patriots play safe defensively. Take New England to bounce back on the road.

Duke may be on upset alert this week against NC State. The Wolf Pack made a change at quarterback last week by starting MJ Morris. After issues early on with turnovers he got dialed in and led the Wolf Pack to a seven point victory. Duke may also be a little sloppy early after a bye week and the taste of letting their last game slip away against the Irish. Take NC State.

Sometimes a catastrophic loss becomes a rallying cry for a team. No loss could be as severe as what happened to the Miami Hurricanes last week against Georgia Tech. Expect the coaches and players to sense the moment this week on the road against North Carolina. Additionally, with last year’s poor Hurricanes team they held tough to just a three point loss against the Tar Heels. Take Miami.

UL Monroe was an absolute no show in last week’s home loss against South Alabama. Now they must travel on the road against a Texas State team that may be a little shell shocked. They let a sizable lead slip away as they lost late last week against UL Lafayette. This is just a case where you want to play the number and grab a huge amount of points. Take UL Monroe.

James Madison has begun the year with a 5-0 record.  After a bye week they will now enter the heart of Sun Belt conference play with a gauntlet of tough matchups. Expect the Dukes to be better prepared for Georgia Southern’s pass attack after being lit up for a conference high forty five points last season. The loss also knocked out James Madison from the top twenty five. In a revenge spot take James Madison. 

Sam Houston State may be winless but they’ve also been in the majority of their games. The Bearkats last two conference games they played conference leader Liberty tough and had a heart break loss against Jacksonville State.  New Mexico State has not played sound football all year and has followed up a win with a loss each instance. Off their home win against FIU, this is a letdown spot tonight. Take Sam Houston State.

Florida International has stumbled considerably over the past two weeks. They were blown out by Liberty and had a poor second half last week against New Mexico State. Now at .500 they will face a UTEP team that has had extra preparation following a bye week. We want Gavin Hardison to start but if he is unable to I still expect a close game. Take UTEp plus the points.

Kansas City may very well be the team that gets back to the Super Bowl, but they are in a tough spot. They’re on the road against a Minnesota team that tasted a victory that shouldn’t have happened against Carolina. Their simplified offense with Cam Akers and Allie Mattison should help propel Kirk Cousins out of his rut. Take the home dog in the Vikings.

The Eagles are an attraction undefeated and should be as a road favorite week five against the Rams. Los Angeles has been over valued with early season ATS cashes against the 49ers, Seahawks, and last week against the Colts. Matthew Stafford took some hits and seemed to be grimacing late against the Colts, and this is where we see the shift of their season take place. Grab the Eagles to run away and go 5-0 on the season.

The Giants have dug themselves a hole at 1-3 with poor play and an offense that has shown no life. As the NFL has shown you have to ignore the past and look for a value play. Miami’s last home game they poured 70 on Denver, but are coming off a loss. Look for the Giants to show a better effort here and cover a huge number. Take the Giants.

Oregon State could be in for a let down road spot against the California Bears. They’ve had extra rest due to their home victory last Friday against the Utah Utes. Pressure is also on them as they continue to ascend in the polls. California will do enough to hang around the spread here with the possibility for an upset.

Utah State narrowly avoided losing to a winless UConn team last week. They will face a Colorado State team that has won consecutive games since their overtime thriller against Colorado. Yet, it was against lower level competition of Middle Tennessee State and Utah Tech. Take the Aggies to get the home underdog cover.

South Alabama has been one of the more disappointing non power five schools in college football. At 2-3, they continue to draw spreads of last year’s high performance team. This is the week where they should out perform the number against a UL Monroe team they put forty one points on last season. Take South Alabama

Last week Boston College could of folded after a slow start against Virginia. Instead in the second half they scored twenty points for the come back victory. Slow starts have plagued the Eagles but they can take advantage of Army coming off a bye week. Look for a sluggish Knights start to assist Boston College. Take BC.

Minnesota has went from being one of the best regular season teams a year ago to 0-3. Now on the road the pressure is on after squandering a golden opportunity late against the Chargers. Facing a rookie quarterback Minnesota will likely get the best of Carolina. Yet, I look for the Panthers to keep this close and cover as a home dog.

The Bengals adjusted for Monday Night football’s win over the Rams. As sloppy as the offense still looks the defense showed an ability to rise to the occasion. That should be in play against a Tennessee offense that looks bottom tier even with Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill. Take Cincinnati to get to .500 as they win another close game.

Syracuse begins ACC play Saturday with a home game against Clemson. Last year the Tigers limited Garrett Shrader to just 167 passing yards, as Syracuse could not generate offense in the second half. Similar to last season look for Clemson to give Syracuse their first loss, and put the Orange in a tough spot with three straight road games upcoming. Take Clemson

Even on a short week look for the Cleveland Browns to bounce back Sunday against the Titans. They were an offensive miscue away from being 2-0 on the season. The loss of Nick Chubb is going to force the offense to find new avenues for success. Additionally, the Titans have a knack for keeping opponents in games, as we saw in two close contests to begin the season. Take the Browns ATS.

An ugly start for UTEP has featured an offense that is averaging just under fifteen points per game. Yet, three of their games were on the road including back to back games against power five schools. Returning home look for the Miners to have a leg up on a UNLV team that is coming off an over achieving win against Vanderbilt. 

To start the season Buffalo is 0-3, and is coming off consecutive home losses to Fordham and Liberty. Traveling on the road they will face a UL Lafayette team that has shown a potent offense under experienced quarterback Ben Wooldridge. This is a case where even having a senior quarterback with experience in Cole Snyder does not produce a proper impact. Lay it with UL Lafayette.

Thus far TCU has been tough for oddsmakers to get an accurate number on. They were defeated by Colorado as steep favorites, and last week blew out Houston on the road as touchdown favorites. That’s created ATS value in a home rivalry game against SMU. Expect the Mustangs to put forth a solid effort to keep within the touchdown spread. Take SMU

Washington quickly discovered they are going to need to do a better job protecting the football. Sam Howell struggled with ill advised throws against the Arizona Cardinals. On the road expect Ron Rivera and Washington to run the ball much more, to open up the passing game. This will be a close tight game with the half point being crucial. Take Washington.

Divisional games in consecutive weeks to start the season is very tough. Cincinnati has to answer for a bad performance against the Browns. More often than not good teams respond but outlier plays become a factor ATS. Look for turnovers and a crucial miscue late to benefit the Ravens ATS. Take the underdog. 

A team that has had a slow start on the season has been New Mexico State. The Aggies lost to Massachusetts to begin the season, and lost by sixteen points last week to Liberty. In an in-state rivalry game against New Mexico look for Aggies quarterback Diego Pavia to finally get going on the season. Take the Aggies plus the points.

Florida International has surprised from an ATS stand point in their first two division one games this season. They covered against Louisiana Tech and pulled off an outright upset last week against North Texas. Although UConn is 0-2 they had a decisive 33 -12 victory over FIU last season. They will lean on that game plan and dictate the line of scrimmage. Back UConn.

The Seahawks were a team that surprised many last season under Geno Smith. Now many expect Seattle to take that next step forward with more weapons at their disposal. They will get the job done Sunday as the LA Rams fit the bill of a Super Bowl winner that declines quickly.

Over the last five years the Tennessee Titans are just 1-4 ATS to begin the season. Sunday is a favorable matchup against a Saints team with a new quarterback under center in Derek Carr. Look for Carr’s turnover issues to be a deciding factor with the Titans executing a tad bit better. Take the points with Tennessee.

The AFC North figures to be one of the tightest division races in the NFL. Out the gate week one the Browns should have an edge early on. Yet, expect Joe Burrow to shake off rust and continue to be one of the best finishers at the quarterback position. The small spread here pays off on the road team here.

Traveling to play on the road at Alabama is always a tough task. For Texas though they come in with the mindset they should have pulled out the victory last season. Expect Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns to play another close competitive game. There may be a double digit lead for Alabama at one point, but look for Texas to stay within range of the number. Take the Longhorns plus the full touchdown.

Jalon Daniels as the starting quarterback for Kansas certainly gives them better chances to win. Yet, to begin the season there will be expected rust. Illinois shook off a potential upset to get by Toledo by two points. They will be sharper tonight and rise to the occasion in their first road game. Grab the points with Illinois.

Over the years the Sun Belt conference has been able to surprise with consistent covers in week one. Last year South Alabama nearly upset UCLA in a narrow 32 to 31 contest. Yet, their twenty one point bowl loss to Western Kentucky was an eye opener for an offense that underachieved at the tail end of the season. Look for Tulane to have a big edge and cover the number.

Today Vanderbilt will be five touchdown favorites against Alabama A&M. Look for the experience of having one game under their belt to be a big boost tonight. A seven point victory over Hawaii last week should serve as a wake up call. Take Vanderbilt to cruise over FCS Alabama A&M.

Minus Coach Jim Harbaugh winning will not be a problem for Michigan against East Carolina. Yet, from a spread stand point the number is to big. Michigan will virtually have to play mistake free football and not settle for any field goals. To high of a spread here take the big underdog in East Carolina.

FCS teams have been valuable to back in their early season matchups against division one schools. This was the case yesterday with Southern Utah nearly upsetting Arizona State. As explosive as Kansas offense is with quarterback Jalon Daniels, Missouri State has confidence from losing to Arkansas by just eleven points last season. Take the underdog here in Missouri State.

College football week one features several blowouts. Expect one here today as Central Florida aims to make a statement now that they are in the Big 12. With a strong experience and talent disparity led by quarterback John Rhys Plumlee the Knights should be close to this number in the first half. Grab the Knights.

In week zero we get a rare conference matchup as Louisiana Tech hosts Florida International. Last season, the Panthers last win of the season came in a double overtime thriller against Louisiana Tech. From that point on Florida International lost their final four games by an average of thirty points. Take the revenge angle here on Louisiana Tech.

Early in the season big numbers ATS can be very tricky to evaluate. USC should no doubt be able to pour it on early and often against San Jose State. The worry is defensively giving up two to three touchdowns. To high of a number here even with last year’s Heisman winner Caleb Williams under center.

Over the past two seasons UMASS has went a combined 2-22 in college football. In fact, their only win last season was against a non division one school in Stony Brook. Yet, the Minutemen are just a touchdown underdog today against New Mexico State. The Aggies come in a bit over valued after winning six of their final seven games, including a bowl win over Bowling Green. Grab the points here with UMASS.

Any big line move in most sports I’ll tail against it. As great as the Bills are a 4.5 point line move to two full touchdowns is too much in the post-season. Miami finished the year as a stout covering team in the division, with covers against New England, Buffalo, and the Jets. Skylar Thompson will play better than he did last week against the Jets, and the Bills since week five are 0-4 on spreads higher than 9.5.

Typically I’m one that will bypass the final week of the NFL season. We know there are plenty of teams that have nothing to play for and primary focus is the off-season or post-season. Yet, I love the turn around I’ve seen from the Panthers under Steve Wilks. The building blocks are in place and I believe they finish off the season on a positive note. Take the underdog Panthers against a Saints team that’s value is a bit skewed off of three straight wins.