South Florida Bulls vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane Preview and Pick

No. 23 South Florida Bulls vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane College Football Preview

The No. 23 South Florida Bulls try to stay unbeaten when they visit the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on Friday night.

Friday, October 12 at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN


Chapman Stadium

Odds: South Florida is a 7-point favorite and the total is at 61.5.


 

South Florida Bulls

Jordan Cronkrite had 302 rushing yards and three touchdowns to help South Florida beat UMass 58-42 last Saturday. They improved to 5-0 for the second straight season.

Blake Barnett completed 17 of 24 passes for 209 yards, nine touchdowns and one interception. Tyre McCants had four receptions for 81 yards and one touchdown.

The Bulls are averaging 274.0 passing yards (31st in the nation) and 213.4 rushing yards (32nd). South Florida ranks 32nd with 37.2 points per game and 60th with 25.2 points against.

Blake Barnett has passed for 1308 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions. Jordan Cronkrite has 606 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 69 carries. Randall St. Felix has 21 receptions for 351 yards and one touchdown.

Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Tulsa had a 26-17 lead over Houston early in the fourth quarter but the Cougars scored 17 points in 91 seconds. That capped off a 24-0 run and won the game 41-26 last Thursday.

Seth Boomer completed 13 of 31 passes for 227 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Corey Taylor II rushed for 152 yards and one touchdown on 33 carries. Keenen Johnson caught five passes for 91 yards and one touchdown but Tulsa let Houston ran for 312 yards.  

The Golden Hurricane are averaging 190.8 passing yards (103rd in the nation) and 206.8 rushing yards (37th). Tulsa ranks 104th with 24.4 points per game and 92nd with 31.2 points against.

Luke Skipper has passed for 716 yards, four touchdowns and six interceptions. Corey Taylor II has 411 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 92 carries. Keenen Johnson has 18 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns. 

College Football Trends:

The South Florida Bulls are:

8-2 ATS in their last 10 games against a team with a losing record

8-2 ATS in their last 10 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game

7-3 ATS in their last 10 road games against a team with a losing home record

The Tulsa Golden Hurricane are:

0-4 ATS in their last four home games

0-5 ATS in their last five games following an ATS win

0-4 ATS in their last four games after allowing more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game

Tulsa played a perfect game against Houston for three quarters. Can they generate a similar effort against another high-powered offense like South Florida? Will Tulsa have an answer for Jordan Cronkrite, since they allow 209.2 rushing yards per game?

There's also too much uncertainty at quarterback. Tulsa after freshman Seth Boomer sent sophomore Luke Skipper to the bench. That leaves the defense as their only chance of pulling off the upset. They give up 31.2 points per game so may be unlikely.

College Football Pick: South Florida -7 (-110) at Jazz Sports

Check odds here: https://goo.gl/dVwAAb

Odds as seen on ESPN Chalk: https://goo.gl/ji6GJZ

Capitals Host Golden Knights in Stanley Cup Rematch

Capitals Catch Vegas at end of Long Road Trip

The Vegas Golden Knights and the Washington Capitals meet at Capital One Arena on Wednesday. This is a rematch of last years Stanley Cup Finals. The Golden Knights are off to a slow start to the year so far. You can catch all the action on NBC Sports Network at 8 pm EST.

Oddsmakers opened the Capitals as -140-moneyline favorites versus the Golden Knights, while the game's total opened at 5.5. The line has held steady, but the total is up to 6 Under -120.

Marc-Andre Fleury has three Stanley Cup rings in his career. An inability to win a fourth in June has the normally laid-back goaltender seeking payback. Fleury aims to exact a bit of revenge on Wednesday after a slow start to the new campaign.

Fleury yielded 20 goals of 136 shots (.853 save percentage) as the Golden Knights fell to the Capitals in five games last summer.

Washington has had plenty of time to cool its jets after opening the season with a 7-0 romp of Boston last Wednesday. They then dropped a wild 7-6 overtime decision to rival Pittsburgh the following night.

Vegas Need Offensive Production Against Capitals

Vegas is 1-2 to start the young season. The offense isn't breaking the bank as the club has mustered just five goals in three games this season.

Jonathan Marchessault doubled his point total by scoring and setting up a goal against the Sabres. He looks to provide more offense after notching just three assists during the Stanley Cup Finals.

Fellow center William Karlsson followed up a promising start to the Finals by being held off the score-sheet for the final three contests. That drought has continued as the Swede has yet to score a goal. He led the team in both tallies (43) and points (78) last season.

Fleury has to better in the net. His save percentage dropped to .841 following Vegas' 4-2 setback to Buffalo at KeyBank Center. He put up a career-best totals in goals-against average (2.24) and save percentage (.927) during the season.

Vegas is 0-for-8 with the man advantage this season. They finished with the 11th-ranked power play (21.4 percent) in 2017-18.

Capitals Off to Good Start

T.J. Oshie has started the season with a flourish by recording a goal and an assist in the opener. He also scored 21 seconds apart in the third period to cap a three-point performance versus the Penguins.

Three-time Hart Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin scored in both contests this season. That increases his career total to 609 goals. It puts him one shy of "The Golden Jet" Bobby Hull for 17th in NHL history.

Ovechkin wasn't shy against Vegas on the league's grand stage in June. He collected three goals and two assists en route to wrapping up Conn Smythe Trophy honors.

Russian countryman Evgeny Kuznetsov erupted for eight points (one goal, seven assists) in the Stanley Cup Finals. He picked up where he left off this season, scoring twice versus the Bruins before setting up a goal against the Penguins.

Washington is a blistering 4-for-8 with the man advantage.

NHL Betting Odds & Trends

Vegas Golden Knights
Vegas is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
Vegas is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Vegas's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Vegas's last 6 games on the road
Vegas is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Washington
Vegas is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Vegas's last 6 games when playing Washington

Washington Capitals
Washington is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Washington is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games
Washington is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Washington is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Vegas
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Vegas
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing Vegas

 

Next up:
Vegas at Pittsburgh Thursday, October 11
Washington at New Jersey Thursday, October 11

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Arkansas State Red Wolves Host the Appalachian State Mountaineers

Arkansas State Needs Win in Key Sun Belt Conference Game

The Appalachian State Mountaineers and the Arkansas State Red Wolves meet on National Television on Tuesday. Centennial Bank Stadium will host the Sun Belt Conference matchup.  ESPN2 will have the telecast at 8:00 pm EST.

Oddsmakers have the Mountaineers as a 10-point favorite. The total is down to 59 after opening at 60.5.

The Appalachian State Mountaineers are riding high right now. They are starting to gather some support in the national polls and want to look good on national television.

This past week they received 38 points in the Coaches' poll (29th highest total) and eleven voting points in the Associated Press poll.

Statistically speaking, they're very impressive. Even when stepping up in competition they have punched with some authority.

The Arkansas State Red Wolves have not done as well as expected. Especially with the caliber of quarterback they have on hand.

Appalachian State Looks to Stay Perfect in Sun Belt Play

The Mountaineers gave Penn State a heart attack in the season opener, losing 45-38 in overtime. Appalachian State has prospered by going 3-1 straight up and 4-0 against the spread. They have swept through its last three opponents with ease.

The Mountaineers have held each of them to single-digit point totals. That's the first time that has happened in 20 years. As far as average margin between yards gained and yards allowed, App State is tops in the nation. They have the second-best scoring margin.

Quarterback Zac Thomas is a 6-1 sophomore and has been pretty close to perfect. He is ranked ninth in the nation in passing efficiency with 10.54 yards per attempt. That is fourth best. The Mountaineers have averaged 6.5 yards per carry, which is also among the top five in the country.

Special teams have indeed been special and has delivered a score on a blocked punt recovery, kickoff and punt return. They are the only program in the country to have achieved that trifecta. The team is Currently averaging 51.8 points per game.

They are among the top dozen teams in FBS football in both rushing defense and pass efficiency defense.  What is scary is that they are a young team. Among the nation's 130 FBS teams, only Illinois and Coastal Carolina have a higher percentage of underclassmen on their roster.

Their last game was ten days ago, a 52-7 win over South Alabama.

Arkansas State Has to Play Better

Arkansas State's last outing was rather  disappointing. They lost 28-21 to Georgia Southern. They allowed the Eagles to ramble for 409 yards, despite only one pass completion.

The defense could not stiffen up with the game on the line. They allowed a 47-yard touchdown run with just 19 seconds to go.

Quarterback Justice Hansen is as skilled as it gets in the Sun Belt Conference, has thrown for at least one touchdown in 21 of his last 22 games.

Arkansas State is 3-2 SU and 1-4 ATS. BUT these games taking place on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday is a different story. The Red Wolves have won 15 of their last 18 in that situation.

ASU's punter is definitely a weapon. Cody Grace has had only 11% of his punts returned since his collegiate career began. Only ONE of them has been a touch-back. So he is the reason the Red Wolves are #1 in the nation in the category of Punt Return Defense.

No other team in the country has won five conference titles in the last seven years. This Tuesday night game has some significance, as Appalachian State looks very much like the class of the Sun Belt at the moment.

PREDICTION: Appalachian State 35, Arkansas State 21

Recent Form

Name	Record	ATS	Offense	Defense	Diff	ATS Home	ATS Away	OU Record	OU Home	OU Away
Appalachian State	3-1	4-0	51.75	17.00	34.75	2-0	2-0	4-0	2-0	2-0
Arkansas State	3-2	1-4	26.40	29.20	-2.8	0-2	1-2	2-3	1-1	1-2

Power Stats

Yards Per Point

Name	Offense	Defense	Differential
APP-ST	10.12	16.25	-6.13
ARK.ST	17.95	13.46	4.5

Yards Per Pass

Name	Offense	Defense	Differential
APP-ST	14.31	9.99	4.32
ARK.ST	11.66	11.75	-0.09

Yards Per Rush

Name	Offense	Defense	Differential
APP-ST	6.49	2.81	3.68
ARK.ST	4.65	5.70	-1.05

Team Records

Appalachian State Mountaineers

Name	Record	Home	Away	ATS	ATS Home	ATS Away	Offense	Defense	Diff
Overall	3-1	2-0	1-1	4-0	2-0	2-0	51.75	17.00	34.75
vs Conf	1-0	1-0	0-0	1-0	1-0	0-0	52.00	7.00	45.00
Last 3	3-0	2-0	1-0	3-0	2-0	1-0	56.33	7.67	48.66

Arkansas State Red Wolves

Name	Record	Home	Away	ATS	ATS Home	ATS Away	Offense	Defense	Diff
Overall	3-2	2-0	1-2	1-4	0-2	1-2	26.40	29.20	-2.80
vs Conf	0-1	0-0	0-1	0-1	0-0	0-1	21.00	28.00	-7.00
Last 3	2-1	1-0	1-1	1-2	0-1	1-1	25.67	22.67	3.00

Supergrid

Title	Stat	Rank	Stat	Rank
Away Team Overall Scoring vs Home Team Overall Defense	51.75	5	29.20	87
Awy Team Road Passing vs Home Team Home Passing Defense	293.50	25	93.00	4
Away Team Road Rushing vs Home Team Home Rushing Defense	149.00	65	216.00	117
Home Team Overall Scoring vs Away Team Overall Defense	26.40	89	17.00	19
Hme Team Home Passing vs Away Team Road Passing Defense	348.00	13	169.00	21
Hme Team Home Rushing vs Away Team Road Rushing Defense	192.50	64	149.50	54

Head To Head Summary

Name	Record	ATS	OU	Score	Rush	YPR	PA	CP	PY	TY	TO +/-
Appalachian State	1-1	1-1	2-0	32.00	201.00	4.32	29.00	63.79	306.00	507.00	2.50
Arkansas State	1-1	1-1	2-0	36.00	238.00	5.80	27.00	51.85	177.50	415.50	0.50

Head To Head Detail

Date	Away	Home	Score	Line	Total	OU Result	ARY	APY	ATY	ATT	HRY	HPY	HTY	HTT	Away Team Attempts	Home Team Attempts	Away Team Completions	Home Team Completions
Nov 5, 2015	ARK.ST	APP-ST	40-27	309	208	517	0	108	357	465	3
Nov 15, 2014	APP-ST	ARK.ST	37-32	294	255	549	2	167	147	314	1

NCAA Football Betting Odds & Trends

Appalachian State Mountaineers
App State is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Appalachian State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Appalachian State's last 6 games
Appalachian State is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Appalachian State is 17-7 SU in its last 24 games on the road

Arkansas State Red Wolves
Ark State is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
Arkansas State is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games
Ark State is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Arkansas State is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games at home

Team Last 5 Games

Appalachian State Mountaineers

Date	Opponent	score	Result	line	ATS Result	offensive rush yards	offensive passing yards	offensive total yards	defensive rush yards	defensive passing yards	defensive total yards	turnovers	Location
Sp 29, 2018	S.ALA	52-7	W	-25/56.5	W/O	348	169	517	83	225	308	1	H
Sep 22, 2018	GWEBB	72-7	W	-44/56	W/O	432	260	692	34	126	160	-2	H
Sp 8, 2018	CHARLT	45-9	W	-14/48.5	W/O	139	295	434	95	108	203	0	A
Sp 1, 2018	PENNST	38-45	L	24/54	W/O	159	292	451	204	230	434	1	A
Dec 23, 2017	TOLEDO	34-0	W	6/61	W/U	327	131	458	22	124	146	-4	A

Arkansas State Red Wolves

Date	Opponent	score	Result	line	ATS Result	offensive rush yards	offensive passing yards	offensive total yards	defensive rush yards	defensive passing yards	defensive total yards	turnovers	Location
Sp 29, 2018	GASOU	21-28	L	-3/53.5	L/U	117	376	493	348	61	409	1	A
Sep 22, 2018	UNLV	27-20	W	-7.5/66	L/U	197	199	396	310	23	333	-3	H
Sp 15, 2018	TULSA	29-20	W	2/71.5	W/U	214	191	405	167	172	339	-2	A
Sep 8, 2018	ALAB	7-57	L	36.5/63	L/O	173	218	391	278	321	599	0	A
Sp 1, 2018	SE.MIS	48-21	W	-31.5/		188	497	685	122	163	285	3	H

Next up:
Appalachian State home to Louisiana-Lafayette Saturday, October 20
Arkansas State home to Georgia State Thursday, October 18

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ALDS Game 4: Red Sox vs. Yankees Preview and Pick

Yankees on Brink of Elimination in ALDS

The ALDS had been more of the same from the regular season, so far. The Yankees look to avoid elimination when they host the Red Sox in Game 4 of the American League Division Series on Tuesday. Boston crushed New York 16-1 last night to take a 2-1 series lead.

Tuesday, October 9 at 8:07 PM ET on TBS.


Yankee Stadium

Mostly Cloudy 71°F

Wind: 4mph blowing Out to L

Odds: Yankees are -135-moneyline favorites. The total is 9.

Game 4 Pitching Matchup

Rick Porcello threw 2/3 of an inning in relief in Game 1 and surrendered a hit. He went 17-7 with a 4.28 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in 191 1/3 innings over 33 starts this season. He was dominant against the Yankees.

He went 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA, an 0.65 WHIP and a complete game in four starts. Porcello is 10-8 with a 3.11 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP in 22 career starts against the Yankees. 

CC Sabathia had a decent season for the Yankees. He posted a 9-7 record with a 3.65 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP in 153 innings over 29 starts. He had mixed results in three starts against the Red Sox.

Sabathia posted a 1-0 record with a 4.50 ERA (giving up seven earned runs on 14 innings). The veteran lefty had a 1.64 WHIP in three starts this season.

Sabathia was just 2-2 with a 5.40 ERA and 1.60 WHIP in his last five starts this season. He's 18-13 with a 4.14 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP and a complete game in 42 career starts against the Red Sox.

 

MLB Trends:

The Boston Red Sox are:

1-4 in their last five postseason road games

2-5 in Porcello's last seven starts when their opponent scores two runs or less in their previous game

The New York Yankees are:

24-8 in Sabathia's last 32 home starts

22-9 in Sabathia's last 31 starts against a team with a winning record

4-1 in Sabathia's last five home starts against the Red Sox

6-0 in Sabathia's last six Tuesday starts

6-2 in Sabathia's last eight starts against the Red Sox

ALDS This and That

This is a must-win game for the Yankees. They should play with the sense of urgency they lacked last night. The home crowd will be behind them, firing them up along the way.

Last night's setback was a disgrace for New York. At the end of the day it only counts as one loss. It happens in all sports, and there's usually a chance for redemption. 

Porcello hasn't pitched well at Yankee Stadium, going 1-4 with a 5.56 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP in seven career starts. Sabathia is more proven in games like this and he has a 2.77 ERA in his last 13 starts against the Red Sox. 

Andrew Benintendi, Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez are only hitting a combined .169 (11-for-65) in their career against Sabathia. Porcello gave up five earned runs on 5 1/3 innings in his only start at Yankee Stadium this season. 

MLB Pick: Yankees -135 at Jazz Sports

Check odds here: https://goo.gl/dVwAAb

 Odds as seen on ESPN Chalk: https://goo.gl/ji6GJZ

Detroit Red Wings vs. Anaheim Ducks Free NHL Pick

Anaheim Ducks Look to Stay Hot

The Detroit Red Wings look to get back on track from Sunday's 4-2 loss against the Los Angeles Kings when they visit the red-hot Anaheim Ducks.

Monday, October 8 at 10:00 PM ET

Honda Center

Odds: Ducks are -200-moneyline favorites. The total is 5.5 Under -125.

Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings remained winless after a 4-2 road loss against the Los Angeles Kings last night. The Red Wings made 38 shots, limiting the Kings to just 25 and killed all three penalties. They couldn't find the back of the net on even-strength.

They netted on two of four power-play chances. Jimmy Howard is expected to start in Anaheim. He's 10-6-2 against the Ducks with a 2.28 GAA and a .926 save percentage.

The Red Wings are averaging 2.0 goals per game (22nd in the league) and 3.5 goals against (18th). They have a 42.9 power play percentage (3rd) and an 88.9 penalty kill percentage (9th).

Gustav Nyquist leads the team with three points and three assists and Dylan Larkin has one goal. Jimmy Howard is 0-0-1 with 2.89 GAA and a .923 save percentage. Jonathan Bernier is 0-1-0 with 3.09 GAA and a .875 save percentage.

Anaheim Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks are off to a 2-0-0 start after their 1-0 win against the Arizona Coyotes last Saturday. The Ducks were heavily outshot for the second consecutive game (41-20).

They held on in the last minute, when the Coyotes had a 5-on-3 power play. The Ducks pulled their goalie for the sixth attacker. Rookie Max Comtois scored the only goal in the last minute of the second period. This was after scoring his first career goal in the season opener against the Sharks.

The Ducks are averaging 3.0 goals per game (15th in the league) and 1.0 goals against (2nd). They have a 40.0 power play percentage (6th) and a 100.0 penalty kill percentage (1st).

Jakob Silfverberg leads the team with four points and four assists. Max Comtois has two goals. John Gibson is 2-0-0 with 1.00 GAA and a .973 save percentage. 

 



 

NHL Trends:

The Under is: 

18-7-1 in Detroit's last 26 games when their opponent scores two goals or less in their previous game

6-2 in Detroit's last eight games playing on zero days rest

10-4 in Anaheim's last 14 games when their opponent scores two goals or less in their previous game

33-16-2 in Anaheim's last 51 games following a win

11-5-2 in the last 18 meetings in Anaheim

Jimmy Howard and John Gibson have been outstanding early on so goals will be at a premium tonight. The Ducks allow many shots on goal this season but the Red Wings aren't exactly lighting the lamp so far, so a low-scoring game is highly likely.

NHL Pick: Under 5.5 (-125) Jazz Sports

Check odds here: https://goo.gl/dVwAAb

Odds as seen on ESPN Chalk: https://goo.gl/ji6GJZ

Washington Redskins vs. New Orleans Saints Monday Night Football Prediction

Saints Brees on Verge of Rewriting Record Books

We might witness history to close Week 5 when the Washington Redskins visit the New Orleans Saints. This showdown of NFC division leaders on Monday Night Football could see some records fall.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees needs 201 passing yards to become the all-time NFL leader. The record currently held by Peyton Manning with 71,940 yards. Brees is currently third on the all-time list and he needs just 99 yards to pass Brett Favre en route to Manning.

Monday, October 8 at 8:15 PM ET

Mercedes-Benz Superdome

Odds: Saints are 6.5-point favorites. The total is at 51.5.

Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins took first place in the NFC East while enjoying their bye week. Now they're looking for back-to-back victories following a 31-17 Week 3 win over the Green Bay Packers on September 23.

The Redskins put a ton of pressure on Aaron Rodgers for most of the game. They sacked him four times, led by two from defensive end Jonathan Allen. 

Alex Smith was effective as he completed 12 of 20 passes for 220 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He adding 20 yards on the ground on seven carries. Veteran running back Adrian Peterson played well with 120 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries.

Tight ends Vernon Davis and Jordan Reed combined to make six catches for 135 yards.

The Redskins are averaging 245.3 passing yards (18th in the NFL) and 137.7 rushing yards (5th). Washington ranks 23rd with 21.3 points per game and 2nd with 14.7 points against.

Alex Smith has passed for 767 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. Adrian Peterson has 236 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 56 carries. Jordan Reed has 14 receptions for 168 yards and one touchdown.

Mason Foster has 27 tackles and Matt Ioannidis has three sacks.

New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints got back on track from a 48-40 Week 1 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with three straight wins. Last Sunday's 33-18 road victory over the New York Giants helped build confidence.

Drew Brees was the second quarterback in the history of the league to throw for over 5000 yards in a season after Dan Marino. He's one of only five signal-callers to reach that milestone. Brees is the only one to do so in multiple seasons with five.

The 39-year-old signal-caller has shown no signs of slowing down. Although his numbers against the Giants were not that impressive by his standards.

Brees completed 18 of 32 passes for a season-low 217 yards and no touchdowns. That ended a 10-game streak with at least one score. He was still effective enough with Alvin Kamara's rushing help to lead the Saints on three second half touchdown drives.

Kamara had career-highs of 134 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

The Saints are averaging 313.8 passing yards (7th in the NFL) and 104.5 rushing yards (18th). New Orleans ranks 3rd with 34.3 points per game and 29th with 30.3 points against.

Drew Brees has passed for 1,295 yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions. Alvin Kamara has 275 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 56 carries. Michael Thomas has 42 receptions for 445 yards and three touchdowns.

Demario Davis has 37 tackles and Cameron Jordan has four sacks.

 



 

NFL Trends:

 The Washington Redskins are:

 4-0 ATS in their last four games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game

 6-2 ATS in their last eight road games against a team with a winning home record

 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games against a team with a winning record

6-0 ATS in their last six meetings

4-0 ATS in their last four meetings in New Orleans

The New Orleans Saints are:

1-4 ATS in their last five home games

1-4 ATS in their last five games following an ATS win

2-9 ATS in their last 11 games in Week 5

1-5 ATS in their last six Monday games

The underdog is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings between these two teams and the Redskins have a strong defensive line led by Jonathan Allen that can generate enough pressure on Drew Brees. Alex Smith always takes care of the football and he keeps defenses alert while exploiting mismatches in the middle of the field. I like Brees to break the all-time record for passing yards and the Saints to win but the Redskins will cover the spread. 

NFL Pick: Redskins +6.5 (-110)

Check odds here: https://goo.gl/dVwAAb

Odds as seen on ESPN Chalk: https://goo.gl/ji6GJZ

 

NLDS Game 4: LA Dodgers vs Atlanta Braves

Braves Stay Alive and Look to Even NLDS

Game 4 of the NLDS will feature the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves. They will play on Monday afternoon at SunTrust Park. First pitch is a few minutes after 4:30 pm EST. The Milwaukee Brewers await the winners series in the NLCS.

TV: 4:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1  

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Rich Hill (2018: 11-5, 3.66 ERA) vs. Braves RH Mike Foltynewicz (0-1, 18.00)

ODDS: Dodgers are -143-moneyline favorites. The total is at 8 -1010.

Maybe the Atlanta Braves just needed to get home to find their footing in the National League Division Series. They find themselves still alive and hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers for Game 4 on Monday.

Gametime is less than 24 hours after staving off elimination with a 6-5 victory at SunTrust Park. Atlanta did not score a run in two losses at Los Angeles but rode a grand slam by Ronald Acuna Jr.

Hill Hot at Right time for Dodgers in NLDS

Los Angeles is trying to reach the NL Championship Series for the third consecutive year. They received 15 scoreless innings from its starters in the first two games.

Rookie Walter Buehler issued a bases-loaded walk to counterpart Sean Newcomb in the second inning of Game 3. He then served up Acuna's blast that put the Braves ahead 5-0.

Los Angeles battled back to tie it thanks to homers by Chris Taylor and Max Muncy. The HR's gave the team seven blasts in the series. Freeman's sixth-inning leadoff shot for Atlanta gave him hits in seven of his eight career postseason contests.

Hill ended the regular season with a flourish, winning all five of his turns in September. All the while posting a 3.90 ERA and a .174 opponents batting average. The 38-year-old made five starts in last year's playoffs for the Dodgers. He allowed five earned runs and 13 hits in 17 2/3 innings.

Hill scattered three hits over seven scoreless frames en route to victory on July 26. It was his only appearance against Atlanta this season.

Muncy has recorded two hits - both homers - in the series while driving in four runs.

Folty Looks to Redeem Himself after Game 1 Debacle

Freddie Freeman's hit the game-winning solo homer to cut the Dodgers' best-of-five series lead to 2-1.

Acuna is the favorite to be the NL Rookie of the Year. He became the youngest player in postseason history to belt a grand slam at 20 years, 293 days old. He has recorded three of the Braves' 15 hits in the series.

Foltynewicz fizzled in his postseason debut in the series opener. He surrendered four runs and three hits in just two innings. He allowed homers by Joc Peterson and Muncy. The 27-year-old registered five strikeouts but issued three walks and hit a batter.

Foltynewicz finished the regular season 13-10 with a 2.85 ERA. He had 202 strikeouts in 183 innings while earning his first career All-Star appearance.

RF Nick Markakis went 0-for-3 in Game 3 and is just 1-for-10 in the series.

NLDS Betting Odds & Trends

Los Angeles Dodgers
Dodgers is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
LA Dodgers is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Dodgers is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games on the road
LA Dodgers is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 5 games on the road
LA Dodgers is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Atlanta
LA Dodgers is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of LA Dodgers's last 6 games when playing Atlanta
LA Dodgers is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
LA Dodgers is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of LA Dodgers's last 9 games when playing on the road against Atlanta

Atlanta Braves
Braves are 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Atlanta is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games
Atlanta is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Atlanta is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Atlanta's last 9 games at home
Atlanta is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing LA Dodgers
Atlanta is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing LA Dodgers
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing LA Dodgers
Atlanta is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers
Atlanta is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Atlanta's last 9 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers

 

Next up:
Los Angeles home to Atlanta Wednesday, October 10

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Louisville Cardinals Host Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Friday Night

Jackets Look to Stay on Track visiting the Louisville Cardinals

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Louisville Cardinals battle on Friday Night at Papa John's Stadium. Both teams are fighting for survival to make the postseason after slow starts to the season.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Georgia Tech -5.5

Georgia Tech suffered through a miserable start to the season. They lost three of their first four contests. The team hopes to continue taking advantage of a soft spot in its schedule Friday at Louisville. This is the first-ever matchup between the ACC teams.

The Yellow Jackets have struggled to get their running game on track at times this season. They piled up 372 yards on the ground in a 63-17 rout of Bowling Green last week. Now they aim for their first road victory since the 2016 Tax Slayer Bowl.

The Cardinals held a three-point lead against Florida State with two minutes remaining last week. Coach Bobby Petrino called for a pass that was intercepted that set up the game-winning touchdown in a crushing 28-24 defeat.

Georgia Tech Looks for Consistent Offensive Play

Georgia Tech is 2-3 overall and 0-2 ACC action. The Yellow Jackets were far smoother running the triple-option last week than in a blowout loss to Clemson in their previous game. They certainly benefited from the caliber of the opposing defense.

Quarterback TaQuon Marshall ran for two touchdowns and completed 5-of-6 passes for 160 yards. Backup Tobias Oliver added 115 yards rushing and two scores.

Linebacker Brant Mitchell recorded a season-high eight tackles last week.

The Yellow Jackets already have matched last season's total of 10 forced turnovers and are tied for 13th in the nation in that category.

Louisville Cardinals Have to Play Better Overall

There were some positives for Louisville last week, as former starting quarterback Jawon Pass regained his job by throwing for 306 yards and two touchdowns.

Louisville is 2-3 overall and 0-2 in ACC play. Pass completed 24-of-45 attempts and rushed for a score last week. He missed several open targets and threw interceptions on the Cardinals' final two drives.

Louisville is 113th in the nation in rushing offense. They are averaging just 120 yards. Hassan Hall finished with 57 on 11 carries. Linebacker P.J. Blue finished with eight tackles, bringing his total over the last two games to 14.

WR Jaylen Smith recorded his sixth 100-yard receiving performance of his career last week. That ties him for 10th on the school's all-time list.

The Cardinals are 12-5 at home in ACC play since joining the league in 2014.

PREDICTION: Georgia Tech 23, Louisville 17

ACC Football Betting Odds & Trends

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Georgia Tech is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
Georgia Tech is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Georgia Tech is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Georgia Tech is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road

Louisville Cardinals
Louisville is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Louisville is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Louisville is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games at home
Louisville is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

 

Next up:
Georgia Tech home to Duke Saturday, October 13
Louisville at Boston College Saturday, October 13

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NLDS Game 2: Braves vs Dodgers Preview and Pick

Braves Look to Rebound after Shutout in NLDS Game 2

NLDS Game 2 at Dodger Stadium will feature two crafty veterans on the mound. The Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers face off in the night cap in a day of MLB Playoff games.

TV: 9:37 p.m. ET, FS1  

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Anibal Sanchez (7-6, 2.83 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (9-5, 2.73)

ODDS: The Dodgers as -225-moneyline favorites. The game's total sits at 7.

The Los Angeles Dodgers led the National League and finished second in the majors in homers this season. They enter Game 2 of the NL Division Series at home Friday against the Atlanta Braves after an impressive power display in the series opener.

The Dodgers slugged homers in each of the first two innings to build a four-run lead. They finished the night with three blasts to cement things. The defending NL champions posted a 6-0 victory over Atlanta in Game 1 on Thursday.

Braves Need Sanchez to Come up Big in NLDS Game 2

The Braves are in the playoffs for the first time in five years and are very young. They have to quickly forget a forgettable start from ace Mike Foltynewicz. He allowed a leadoff homer to Joc Pederson in the first inning.

Then the big blow came with a hit batsman and walk set up Max Muncy's three-run shot with two outs in the second.

Sanchez makes his eighth career postseason appearance (seventh start) tonight. It will continue a remarkable season in which he was signed by the Braves in spring training. He recovered from a hamstring injury to help anchor Atlanta's youthful rotation.

The 34-year-old is 2-4 with a 2.79 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP in the playoffs. He held left-handed batters to a .191 average in the regular season and went 5-2 with a 2.67 ERA in 13 road starts.

Sanchez went 1-1 in two starts against the Dodgers. He gave up two runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings at Los Angeles to get the win on June 9.

The only positive for the Braves was the performance of left-handers Sean Newcomb and Max Fried. They combined to strike out three and allow one hit in 3 1/3 scoreless innings after Foltynewicz lasted just two innings.

Freddie Freeman, the only position player left from the 2013 playoff team, singled in the first inning of Game 1.

Dodgers Expect Kershaw to be .... Well Kershaw

Los Angeles is an overwhelming favorite to win the series and advance to the NL Championship Series. They never were threatened as starter Hyun-Jin Ryu pitched seven innings and saved the Dodgers' bullpen.

Enrique Hernandez added a solo homer as the Dodgers have belted 31 in their past 16 games. They finished the regular season with 235 homers.

Many people were surprised when the Dodgers started Hyun-Jin Ryu in the series opener. This was even though Kershaw allowed three runs or more three times in six starts in September. He finished the month 3-0 with a 3.89 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP.

Kershaw makes his 20th career postseason start tonight. In 24 overall games he is 7-7 with a 4.35 ERA with 139 strikeouts in 122 innings. Kershaw beat the Braves in his only start against them in 2018. He struck out eight with no walks and one run allowed in 7 2/3 innings on July 27 in Atlanta.

Muncy hit only five homers in 96 games across two seasons in Oakland. He belted 35 this season and has three homers and nine RBIs in his past four games.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 3, Braves 1

NLDS Game 2 Betting Odds and Trends

Atlanta Braves
Braves are 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Atlanta is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 6 games
Atlanta is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Atlanta is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 6 games on the road
Atlanta is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing LA Dodgers
Atlanta is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing LA Dodgers
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing LA Dodgers
Atlanta is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers
Atlanta is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers
LA Dodgers is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Dodgers are 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
LA Dodgers is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
Dodgers are 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Atlanta
LA Dodgers is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 5 games when playing Atlanta
LA Dodgers is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Atlanta
LA Dodgers is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 5 games when playing at home against Atlanta

 

Next up:
Atlanta home to Los Angeles Sunday, October 7

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ALDS Game 1: Yankees vs Red Sox Preview and Pick

ALDS Game 1 Showcases Baseball's Fiercest Rivalry

New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox renew hostilities in ALDS Game 1. The game will be played at Fenway Park. This is the oldest, and fiercest rivalry, in Major League Baseball. This should be a heavyweight battle from first pitch to last.

TV: 7:32 p.m. ET, TBS  

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH J.A. Happ (17-6, 3.65 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Chris Sale (12-4, 2.11)

ODDS:  The Red Sox as -170-moneyline favorites. The game's total opened at is at 7.5 Under -115.

The Boston Red Sox set a franchise record for wins during the regular season. They ran away with the American League East. The New York Yankees will not be intimidated.

The Red Sox will start LHP David Price in Game 2 and RHP Rick Porcello in Game 3 while the Yankees counter with RHP Masahiro Tanaka in Game 2 and have yet to announce a Game 3 starter.

Boston lost in the Division Series in each of its last two trips to the postseason and is 1-6 in seven playoff games since winning the 2013 World Series.

Yankees Look for Happ to Keep up Solid Performances in ALDS Game 1

New York won 100 games during the regular season but still needed to survive the one-game wild card playoff on Wednesday. They beat the Oakland Athletics 7-2 to earn a trip to Fenway Park.

Happ went 7-0 with a 2.69 ERA in 11 starts after being acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays. He closed strong with a 1.86 ERA in five September outings. Happ went 1-1 with a 1.99 ERA in four starts against Boston this season.

He was not as effective at Fenway Park. Happ surrendered nine runs - four earned - and nine hits over 9 2/3 total innings. Happ last pitched in the postseason with the Blue Jays in 2016. He is 1-1 with a 3.72 ERA in 10 career playoff games - three starts.

New York set a major league record for home runs during the regular season (267) and added two more in Wednesday's wild card win.

Red Sox Hope Sale is Recovered Fully for ALDS

Boston (108-54) will start ace Chris Sale opposite New York lefty J.A. Happ in Game 1. The Red Sox led the majors in runs scored (876) and batting average (.268). MVP candidates Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez led the way.

Sale spent September trying to build up his pitch count and strengthen his shoulder. This was the result of two trips to the disabled list. He struggled in his last two outings. The Lefty allowed a total of five runs and nine hits across eight innings.

Sale made his postseason debut in 2017 and struggled in two appearances against Houston in the ALDS. He made one start, and went 0-2 while surrendering nine runs and 13 hits over 9 2/3 total innings. He gave up for dingers.

Sale had little trouble against the Yankees in 2018. He struck out 19 while yielding one run in 13 innings over two starts.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 4, Yankees 2

ALDS Game 1 Betting Odds and Trends

New York Yankees
Yankees is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
NY Yankees is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Yankees's last 5 games
NY Yankees is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
NY Yankees is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Yankees's last 5 games on the road
NY Yankees is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Boston
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Yankees's last 5 games when playing Boston
NY Yankees is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Boston

Boston Red Sox
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 5 games
Boston is 5-10 ATS in its last 15 games at home
Boston is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 5 games at home
Boston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing NY Yankees
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 5 games when playing NY Yankees
Boston is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against NY Yankees

 

Next up:
New York at Boston Saturday, October 6

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