Trail Blazers Host 76ers on Sunday

76ers are Banged up Heading into Portland

The Philadelphia 76ers and the Portland Trail Blazers will meet on Sunday at Moda Center. The 76ers may be battling tonight without a key piece to their lineup.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia, NBCS Northwest (Portland), Line: Portland -1.5; O/U: 223.

Philadelphia could be without star center Joel Embiid when they continue their five-game road trip Sunday. Embiid recorded 23 points, 15 rebounds and five blocked shots in Thursday's 114-97 win at Utah. He missed Saturday's practice due to knee pain and might sit out his first game of the season due to injury.

Mike Muscala likely would start in place of Embiid for Philadelphia. They are 1-1 on their road trek and have won seven of its last 12 road games. This is a great turnaround after opening 0-5 away from home. The Trail Blazers won at Golden State on Thursday before falling to the Warriors at home two days later. Damian Lillard racked up 40 points in the 115-105 loss for Portland. The game began a stretch where they play seven of eight and 13 of 19 at home.

The 76ers are 23-13 on the season. Ben Simmons recorded his 17th career triple-double in the win over the Jazz. Simmons is averaging 17 points, 10.9 rebounds and 8.3 assists this month. J.J. Redick continued his hot stretch with 24 points while making 6-of-9 3-pointers. Muscala is heading in the other direction. He has gone 4-for-16 from long range over the same span while missing his only two-point attempt.

The Trail Blazers are 20-16 on the season. Portland received very little from its bench on the front end of its back-to-back set against the Warriors. Eight reserves combined to produce 14 points on 5-of-21 shooting. Lillard was on the court for 39 minutes. This was after playing 41 at Golden State. He has struggled with zero days of rest between games, and it is drastic. He is averaging 19 points on 41.1 percent shooting compared to 28.1 on 45.6 percent in all other contests. Jusuf Nurkic averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds in the home-and-home set. He has registered four double-doubles over his last five games.

PREDICTION: Trail Blazers 109, 76ers 100

NBA Betting Odds & Trends

Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers are 14-6 SU in its last 20 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games
The 76ers are 6-14 ATS in its last 20 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 16 of Philadelphia's last 24 games on the road
Philadelphia is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Portland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games when playing Portland
The 76ers are 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Portland
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Philadelphia's last 10 games when playing on the road against Portland

Portland Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers are 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Portland's last 6 games
The Trail Blazers 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Portland's last 15 games at home
Portland is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
The Trail Blazers 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Portland's last 10 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

Next up:
Philadelphia at Los Angeles Tuesday, January 1
Portland at Sacramento Tuesday, January 1

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NFL Week 17 Free Betting Pick- Bears at Vikings

Playoff Seeding at Stake with Bears and Vikings

The NFL regular season comes to a close this Sunday with an important matchup in the NFC North. The 11-4 Chicago Bears and the 8-6-1 Minnesota Vikings. These bitter rivals don't need anything to motivate them usually, but with playoff implications on the line this should be a slobber-knocker.

Game time from US Bank Stadium is set for 4:25 p.m. on FOX. BetAnySports has set the Vikings as six-point home favorites with a total line of 40.5 points.

The Bears have already clinched the division title. They are gunning for a first-round bye with one more win and one more Los Angeles Rams’ loss. Chicago has won its last three games both straight-up and against the spread. This was after Sunday’s 14-9 win at San Francisco as a 3.5-point favorite. The Bears are now 8-1 (SU and ATS) over its last nine games. The total has stayed UNDER in four of its last five contests.

Chicago will go as far as its defense can take it this postseason. With a points-allowed average of 18.1, this has quickly turned into one of the best units in the NFL. During this current three-game run, the Bears have allowed a combined 32 points. On the other side of the ball, they have scored an average of just 17.7 points during the same three-game span.

The Vikings Can Clinch Final Playoff Spot

Minnesota will clinch the final playoff spot in the NFC with a win on Sunday afternoon. They can also get into the postseason with a Philadelphia loss. The Vikings lost to Chicago 25-20 on Nov. 18 as 2.5-point road underdogs. This was part of an even 3-3 mark SU and ATS over their last six games. They did beat Miami at home and Detroit on the road in their last two games. The total has stayed UNDER BetAnySports’ closing line in six of Minnesota’s last eight contests.

Behind Kirk Cousins, the Vikings are averaging 262.3 passing yards per game. They fall much farther down the list when it comes to running the ball. The Vikings average of 95.3 rushing yards per game is down the list a bit. Adam Thielen has been Cousins’ top target with 110 receptions for 1,335 yards and nine scores. Dalvin Cook is the team’s leading rusher with 576 rushing yards and two scores on 122 carries.

It is obvious that Minnesota needs a win on Sunday much more than Chicago. With that being said, I will still take the Bears and the six points as my ‘best bet’ pick. The Bears win 23-14.

NFL Betting Odds & Trends

Chicago Bears
The Bears are 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games
Chicago is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games
The Bears are 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Chicago is 6-17 SU in its last 23 games on the road
The Bears are 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
Chicago is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Chicago's last 14 games when playing Minnesota
The Bears are 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Chicago is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chicago's last 7 games when playing on the road against Minnesota

Minnesota Vikings
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games
The Vikings are 17-7-1 ATS in its last 25 games at home
The Vikings are 11-2 SU in its last 13 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Minnesota's last 11 games at home
The Vikings are 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Chicago
Minnesota is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Minnesota's last 14 games when playing Chicago
The Vikings are 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Chicago
Minnesota is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 7 games when playing at home against Chicago

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NFL Week 17: Texans Host the Jaguars

Texans Look to Clinch AFC South and More With Help

The Jacksonville Jaguars and the Houston Texans meet at NRG Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Texans can clinch the AFC South with a win or Titans and Colts Tie. They can also clinch home field and other advantages with help from some other teams. The entire scenario is explained further down the article.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Texans -7 ;O/U: 40.

The Houston Texans were in a position to clinch a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs and possibly the No. 1 overall seed. But they dropped two of their last three games.

Houston will clinch the AFC South with a win and can grab the No. 2 seed with a win and a loss by the New England Patriots. The Pats close out the regular season by hosting the New York Jets. The Jaguars already clinched last place in the AFC South after reaching the AFC championship game last season. They are reduced to the role of spoiler on Sunday.

The Jaguars are 5-10 going into NFL Week 17. Jacksonville coach Doug Marrone benched quarterback Blake Bortles following a seven-game losing streak. Bortles will return to the starting role Sunday after he came on in relief and led a field-goal drive at Miami last week. The Jaguars averaged 11.3 points in the four games Cody Kessler started in place of Bortles.

The Texans are 10-5 going into week 17 and that is a minor miracle after starting the season 0-3. Houston suffered a 32-30 loss at Philadelphia last week. It wasn't for lack of effort from quarterback Deshaun Watson. He wowed teammates and coaches with his performance. Watson threw for 339 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Eagles. He rushed for two more scores. He needs 69 passing yards on Sunday to reach 4,000 for the first time in his career.

PREDICTION: Texans 24, Jaguars 13

NFL Betting Odds & Trends

Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are 2-7-2 ATS in its last 11 games
Jacksonville is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Jacksonville's last 6 games
The Jaguars are 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
The Jaguars are 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Jacksonville's last 5 games on the road
The Jaguars are 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing Houston
Jacksonville is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Houston
The Jaguars are 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Houston

Houston Texans
The Texans are 6-12-2 ATS in its last 20 games
The Texans are 10-2 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games
Houston is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games at home
The Texans are 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games at home
The Texans are 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing Jacksonville
Houston is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Jacksonville
The Texans are 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Jacksonville

NFL Playoff Scenarios for Houston

Houston can clinch the AFC South division title and home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

1) HOU win + NE loss or tie + KC loss + LAC loss + HOU clinches a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over KC

Houston can clinch the AFC South division title and a first-round bye with:
1) HOU win + NE loss or tie
2) HOU win + KC loss + LAC loss + HOU clinches a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over KC
3) HOU tie + NE loss
4) IND-TEN tie + NE loss + BAL win + HOU clinches a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over BAL

Houston can clinch the AFC South division title with:

1) HOU win or tie

2) IND-TEN tie

NFL Playoff Scenario Source

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Trail Blazers Host Warriors Friday Night

Warriors Look for Revenge in Back to Back Meetings

The Golden State Warriors (23-13 SU, 14-22 ATS) came out of the holidays as the top team in the Pacific Division. They’re not playing like the juggernauts of recent memory though. They won’t have their big off-season acquisition ready for Saturday’s road game against the Portland Trail Blazers (20-15 SU, 17-18 ATS).

Tip-off is at 10 PM ET on NBA-TV. Line: Warriors -5; O/U: 226.

The Warriors had hoped that DeMarcus Cousins might be ready to make his 2018-19 season debut on or shortly after Christmas Day. His recovery from last year’s torn Achilles is taking some time. Cousins’ rehab might even extend into February. That is leaving Golden State’s front-court in some disarray . Damian Jones is also out indefinitely with a torn pectoral.

Portland has a healthy lineup going into Saturday’s matchup, but they’re an average team at best right now. They are outscoring teams by an average of 0.1 points per game. The Warriors have a point differential of plus-4.0. PG Damian Lillard is scoring 27.5 points per 36 minutes for the Blazers. Most of his back-court teammates defense leaves something to be desired. Big men Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins supply most of Portland’s stopping power

This, That, and a Dart Throw

Damian Lillard didn't miss his chance to win a game in overtime on Thursday, but Kevin Durant did. Durant and the Warriors will try to get some quick revenge against the Trail Blazers on Saturday in the back end of the home-and-home set. Lillard buried a 3-pointer with 6.3 seconds left in overtime on Thursday. It gave the Trail Blazers a 110-109 lead that became the final when Durant missed a jumper at the other end.

Golden State dropped its last two games and three of the last five. The team continues to look for the form that enabled them to win three of the last four NBA titles. Steph Curry finished with 29 points and seven assists on Thursday. He also committed the turnover that led to Lillard's go-ahead 3-pointer. Curry is 9-of-16 from 3-point range over the last three contests. Klay Thompson went 2-of-9 from 3-point range. He is shooting 20.8 percent from beyond the arc over the last eight games.

Portland center Jusuf Nurkic collected 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting. He also had 12 rebounds on Thursday. He took advantage of a Warriors team lacking a true center. Nurkic was one of the few Trail Blazer players to enjoy a decent shooting night Thursday. The rest of the club shot 32.2 percent from the floor.

PREDICTION: Warriors 112, Trail Blazers 106

NBA Betting Odds & Trends

Golden State Warriors
The Warriors are 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
Golden State is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Golden State's last 10 games
The Warriors are 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The Warriors are 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Portland
Golden State is 12-3 SU in its last 15 games when playing Portland
The total has gone OVER in 18 of Golden State's last 24 games when playing Portland
The Warriors are 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Portland
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Golden State's last 11 games when playing on the road against Portland

Portland Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers are 6-13 ATS in its last 19 games
The Trail Blazers are 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games
Portland is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games at home
The Trail Blazers are 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Portland's last 14 games at home
The Trail Blazers are 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Golden State
Portland is 3-12 SU in its last 15 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 18 of Portland's last 24 games when playing Golden State
The Trail Blazers are 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Portland's last 11 games when playing at home against Golden State

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Orange Bowl: Oklahoma Sooners vs Alabama Crimson Tide

Sooners and Crimson Tide On Collision Course

The Oklahoma Sooners and the Alabama Crimson Tide will on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium. They will be playing in t he Capital One Orange Bowl. The bowl game is the setting for a College Football Playoff semifinal matchup. These two squads have the two top ranked offenses in the nation.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Alabama -14; O.U: 80.5.

Top-seeded, and top-ranked, Alabama begins pursuit of a second straight College Football Playoff title. It would be the third in five seasons with a win. when it matches up with fourth-seeded Oklahoma in a semifinal game at the Orange Bowl in Miami. The Crimson Tide sailed through the regular season without a close call. They then had a heavyweight title fight in the SEC Championship game. They notched a 35-28 victory over Georgia. The fourth-seeded Sooners engaged in several shootouts during a one-loss season. They are back in the CFP for the third time in the past four seasons.

Oklahoma junior QB Kyler Murray won the Heisman Trophy over Alabama sophomore Tua Tagovailoa. Both quarterbacks put up superb statistics this season. Murray passed for 4,053 yards and 40 touchdowns and had only seven interceptions. He also rushed for 892 yards and 11 scores. Tagovailoa threw for 3,353 yards and 37 touchdowns and was only picked off four times. While Murray ponders whether to change his plan of playing professional baseball (1st round draft pick and signed with the Oakland Athletics) in favor of the NFL, Tagovailoa has more immediate concerns. He recovering from the left ankle surgery he underwent earlier this month after the beating he took against the Bulldogs. He is also dealing with season-long issues with his right knee.

While they are the top two scoring teams in the nation, Oklahoma at 49.5 points per game, Alabama at 47.9, the Crimson Tide has a huge edge on defense. The Crimson Tide ranks fourth in scoring defense at 14.8 ppg and held eight opponents to 17 points or fewer. The Sooners are giving up 32.4 per game gave up 40 or more five times. It was four straight November games where the defense got pummeled. The Sooners lone blemish is a 48-45 loss to Texas on Oct. 6th. The unit faces a huge challenge in slowing down an Alabama attack that rolled up 45 or more points nine times.

This, That, and a Dart Throw

The Sooners were 12-1 overall and 8-1 in the Big 12 during the regular season. The status of All-American receiver Marquise Brown may remain unclear until close to game time, but he is expected to play. He suffered a left lower-leg injury in the Big 12 title game victory over Texas. Brown has 75 receptions for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdown receptions. He is one of a strong cast of skill players Murray has at his disposal. Wideout CeeDee Lamb has 57 catches for 1,049 yds and 10 scores. Running back Kennedy Brooks rushed for 1,021 yards and 12 touchdowns. RB Trey Sermon chipped in 928 yards rushing and 12 scores. The terrible defense has solid players in middle linebacker Kenneth Murray. He had 140 tackles and four sacks. Weak-side linebacker Curtis Bolton had 130 stops with four sacks.

The Crimson Tide made it through a brutal schedule undefeated. Tagovailoa also has an All-American target in wideout Jerry Jeudy. He has 59 catches for 1,103 yards and 12 touchdowns. Henry Ruggs III chipped in 42 catches for 724 yards. He also has been a big-play target with 10 scoring catches. All-American defensive tackle Quinnen Williams put together one of the top campaigns of any defensive player in the nation. He had 18 tackles for loss, including eight sacks, while making 66 stops. All-American safety Deionte Thompson had two interceptions and four forced fumbles. Linebacker Dylan Moses had a team-high 76 tackles.

PREDICTION: Alabama 56, Oklahoma 24

Capital One Orange Bowl Trends

Alabama Crimson Tide Trends

• Trend Over is 9-2 in Crimson Tide last 11 bowl games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0. Hit % 81.80% (11) O/U 9|2 Push 0 W/L
• Over is 20-5-2 in Crimson Tide last 27 neutral site games as a favorite. 80.00% (27) 20|5 2
• Over is 11-3 in Crimson Tide last 14 neutral site games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0. 78.60% (14) 11|3 0
• Over is 9-1-2 in Crimson Tide last 12 neutral site games as a favorite of 10.5 or greater. 90.00% (12) 9|1 2

Oklahoma Sooners Trends

• Trend Under is 8-2 in Sooners last 10 neutral site games as a favorite. Hit % 80.00% (10) O/U 20|5 Push 2 W/L
• Under is 6-1 in Sooners last 7 neutral site games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0. 85.70% (7) 11|3 0
• Under is 4-0 in Sooners last 4 bowl games as a favorite. 100.00% (4) 10|4 0
• Over is 8-1 in Sooners last 9 games as a favorite. 88.90% (9) 9|4 1

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Cotton Bowl Classic: Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Clemson Tigers

Clemson and Notre Dame Fighting Battle in CFP Semifinals

The fans at AT&T Stadium will see the third-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the second-ranked Clemson Tigers Saturday afternoon. They will be playing in the 2018 Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The game is a College Football Playoff semifinal matchup. The winner earns a spot in the championship game. This is the first time two undefeated teams have played in the College Football Playoff.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Clemson -11.5; O/U: 57.5.

Clemson will play in the College Football Playoff for the fourth consecutive season. The Tigers are 3-2 in the College Football Playoff over the past three years, including a national title in 2016. They suffered a 24-6 loss to Alabama in last year's semifinal. The Fighting Irish are making their first appearance in the four-team playoff, which was instituted in 2014.

Clemson's offense thrives on big plays. Notre Dame's defense is one of the nation's best at stopping them. Something has got to give. The Tigers rank in the top five in plays of 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 yards. They have 90 plays of 20 yards or more and 19 of 50 yards or more. The Fighting Irish rank in the top 10 defensively in all those categories. The unit has given up only nine plays of 60 yards or more, the fewest in the nation.

Two of the country's top running backs will be on display this afternoon. Clemson's Travis Etienne and Notre Dame's Dexter Williams are in the upper echelon in the nation. Etienne rushed for 1,434 yards, 21 touchdowns, and averages 8.31 yards per carry. He has topped 150 yards in six games this season. Williams was suspended for the first four games of the season. He has averaged 117.6 rushing yards in eight games. He has scored 12 of his 13 touchdowns on the ground.

This, That, and a Dart Throw

The Fighting Irish ended the regular season 12-0. They are in the ACC in every sport but football, but play 6 games against ACC opponents. Notre Dame had five games decided by eight points or fewer. They only played three ranked teams in the latest Top 25. Notre Dame's offense is not elite, but Williams provides a strong runner to complement quarterback Ian Book. Book passed for 2,468 yards, 19 touchdowns and six interceptions. He has thrown at least two touchdowns in all eight games since becoming the starter. The defense is led by a dominant line and has forced 20 takeaways.

Clemson is also undefeated. The Tigers might be the most well-rounded team in the country. They rank fifth in total offense, scoring offense, second in scoring defense, and sixth in total defense. Etienne and QB Trevor Lawrence have put up big numbers. Lawrence has 2,606 yards passing, 24 TD's and only four interceptions. The Tigers have 10 players who have caught a touchdown pass. Clemson's defense has been a wrecking crew. The squad has racked up 121 tackles for loss and 46 sacks. Defensive end Clelin Ferrell has 17 tackles for loss and10 1/2 sacks. He leads the way. The suspension of projected first round pick, Dexter Lawrence, shouldn't be an issue. Clemson is that deep.

PREDICTION: Clemson 34, Notre Dame 10

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Trends

Clemson Tigers Trends

• Trend Under is 5-2 in Tigers last 7 bowl games as an underdog of 3.5-10.0. Hit % 71.40% (7) O/U 2|5 Push 0 W/L
• Under is 14-6 in Tigers last 20 games as a favorite of 0.5-3.0. 70.00% (20) 6|14
• Under is 6-2 in Tigers last 8 neutral site games as an underdog of 3.5-10.0. 75.00% (8) 2|6
• Under is 4-1 in Tigers last 5 neutral site games as a favorite of 10.5 or greater. 80.00% (5) 1|4

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Trends

• Trend Under is 10-1 in Fighting Irish last 11 games as an underdog of 10.5 or greater. Hit % 90.90% (11) O/U 1|10 Push 0 W/L
• Under is 8-2 in Fighting Irish last 10 neutral site games as a favorite. 80.00% (10) 2|8
• Over is 11-5 in Fighting Irish last 16 games as a favorite of 0.5-3.0. 68.80% (16) 6|14
• Under is 4-0 in Fighting Irish last 4 neutral site games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0. 100.00% (4) 0|4

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Peach Bowl: Florida Gators vs Michigan Wolverines

Wolverines Looks to Save Season Against Gators

The fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium will see the 10th-ranked Florida Gators and the seventh-ranked Michigan Wolverines on Saturday. They will be battling in the 2018 edition of the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl.

TV: Noon ET, ESPN. LINE: Michigan -4.5; O/U: 51.

The Wolverines harbored serious College Football Playoff hopes heading into their final regular season game against sixth-ranked Ohio State. They suffered a devastating shellacking in a 62-39 loss to the Buckeyes. Michigan looks to overcome the ass-kicking by getting to 11 wins in a season for just the 10th time in program history. The Dan Mullen era at "The Swamp" began with a bang. The Gators raced out to a 6-1 start. They then dropped back-to-back contests against No. 5 Georgia (36-17) and Missouri (38-17). The Gators won three straight games to close out the regular season. Florida looks put an exclamation point on a solid season by knocking off the Wolverines for the first time in program history.

Michigan looks to avoid a bad case of Florida fatigue as they get set to face the Gators for the third time since 2016. The Wolverines routed Florida 41-7 in the 2016 Citrus Bowl. They took the Gators down 33-17 in the 2017 season opener in Arlington, TX. The Wolverines improved to 4-0 all time in the series. They hope a historic loss to their bitter rivals doesn't carry over into the Peach Bowl. Michigan has dropped four of their last five bowl games.

Mullen has restored Florida's swagger this year. He orchestrated victories over No. 11 Louisiana State and 18th-ranked Mississippi State to put the program in position to win 10 games in his first season at the helm. This is a feat which eluded Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer. Mullen has resuscitated a moribund offense that was 109th in yards per game (335.9) last season. Florida has generated over 500 yards in three consecutive games heading into the Peach Bowl. They hope the month off allows them to keep firing on all cylinders. Michigan tops the nation in total defense at 262.5 yards per game.

This, That, and a Dart Throw

The Wolverines were 10-2 overall and 8-1 in the Big Ten during the regular season. Linebacker Devin Bush was named the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year after recording a team-high 80 tackles. That including 9.5 for a loss and throw in five sacks. Bush is likely to forego his senior season in order to turn pro. Defensive end Rashan Gary was selected to Big Ten All-Defensive First Team by the coaches. He missed three games with a shoulder injury and will sit out the Peach Bowl. The projected first-round pick will be preparing for the 2019 NFL Draft. Shea Patterson was a huge upgrade at the quarterback position. The Ole Miss transfer threw for 2,364 yards and 21 touchdowns this season. He will announce whether he will turn pro or come back for another year following the Peach Bowl.

The Gators were 9-3 overall and 5-3 in the SEC during the regular season. Defensive end Jachai Polite was named a Second Team All-American by the Associated Press. He rang up a tally of 16 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and five forced fumbles. Van Jefferson played with Patterson at Ole Miss before transferring to Florida. He leads the Gators in receptions with 31, receiving yards with 439, and touchdowns with 6. Lamical Perine had 750 yards and 6 TD's and Jordan Scarlett had 717 yards and 4 scores. They form an explosive one-two punch in the backfield. Feleipe Franks made big strides in his sophomore season. He threw for 2,284 yards and 23 touchdowns. He added another 276 yards and six scores on the ground.

PREDICTION: Florida 27, Michigan 17

Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl Trends

Michigan Trends

• Trend Over is 5-0 in Wolverines last 5 games as an underdog of 10.5 or greater. Hit % 100.00% (5) O/U 5|0 Push 0 W/L
• Over is 4-0 in Wolverines last 4 bowl games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0. 100.00% (4) 4|0
• Over is 4-0 in Wolverines last 4 neutral site games as a favorite. 100.00% (4) 4|0
• Under is 4-0 in Wolverines last 4 games as a favorite of 0.5-3.0. 100.00% (4) 0|4

Florida Trends

• Trend Over is 5-1 in Gators last 6 games as an underdog of 10.5 or greater. Hit % 83.30% (6) O/U 5|0 Push 0 W/L
• Under is 4-0 in Gators last 4 neutral site games as a favorite. 100.00% (4) 4|0
• Under is 7-2 in Gators last 9 games as a favorite of 0.5-3.0. 77.80% (9) 0|4
• Under is 5-2 in Gators last 7 neutral site games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0. 71.40% (7) 5|0

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Alamo Bowl: Iowa State Cyclones vs Washington State Cougars

First Meeting Between Cyclones and Cougars

The 24th-ranked Iowa State Cyclones and the 13th-ranked Washington State Cougars will meet on Friday at the Alamodome. They are participating in the 2018 Valero Alamo Bowl.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Washington State -2.5; O/U: 56.5.

The Iowa State and Washington State football programs have each been around for approximately 125 years. They'll meet for the first time ever in the Valero Alamo Bowl. Iowa State rallied behind QB Brock Purdy to tie for third in the Big 12 with West Virginia. They earned this bid based on their 30-14 win against the Mountaineers, who were ranked No. 6 at the time. Purdy made his first career start in that game and threw three touchdown passes. He has remained a steady force for the Cyclones, leading them to a 6-1 mark as a starter.

Washington State tied for first in the North Division of the Pac-12. They missed out on the conference championship game when they lost to Washington 28-15 in the regular-season finale. The Cougars are led by quarterback Gardner Minshew. He is a senior transfer from East Carolina who passed for 4,477 yards and 36 touchdowns this season. Opposing defenses only managed nine interceptions and 11 sacks against the agile signal caller. Washington State coach Mike Leach has faced Iowa State four times in his career, owning a 3-1 mark. This was while coaching Texas Tech from 2000-2009.

Much of the focus is going to be on the quarterbacks. Iowa State sported the top-ranked defense in the Big 12 during the regular season, only allowing an average of 22.5 points a game. The leader on that side of the ball is safety Greg Eisworth. He is a community college transfer who was named the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year by conference coaches. Eisworth led the Cyclones with 7.6 tackles a game. Iowa State will likely gear its defense toward the pass. Washington State ranked second-to-last in rushing among 129 FBS teams during the regular season.

This, That, and a Dart Throw

Iowa State was 8-4 overall and 6-3 in the Big 12 during the regular season. The Cyclones ranked last in the Big 12 in rushing offense at 124.3 yards a game. They had the third-most productive running back in the conference in David Montgomery. He who averaged 99.3 yards a game and was Iowa State's lone first-team all-conference selection. Montgomery missed a 48-42 victory against Oklahoma State on Oct. 6 with an upper arm injury. It was feared at the time that Montgomery would be out longer, but he came back with a season-high 189 yards the following week against West Virginia. He enters the Alamo Bowl with back-to-back 100-yard efforts.

Washington State was 10-2 overall and 7-2 in the Pac-12 during the regular season. The snowy conditions played a huge role in Washington State's loss to Washington last month. Minshew didn't throw a touchdown pass for the first time this season. He was held to 152 passing yards after throwing for at least 319 in every other game. Minshew won't need to deal with adverse weather inside the Alamodome. Minshew hasn't looked for wide receivers Dezmon Patmon and Easop Winston much the last two games. That should change on the speedy turf.

PREDICTION: Washington State 38, Iowa State 24

Valero Alamo Bowl Trends

Washington State Cougar Trends

• Trend Under is 8-2 in Cougars last 10 games as an underdog of 10.5 or greater. Hit % 80.00% (10) O/U 2|8 Push 0 W/L
• Under is 6-1 in Cougars last 7 games as a favorite of 0.5-3.0. 85.70% (7) 1|6 0
• Under is 4-1 in Cougars last 5 games as a favorite. 80.00% (5) 1|4 0
• Over is 5-1-1 in Cougars last 7 games as an underdog of 3.5-10.0. 83.30% (7) 5|1 1

Iowa State Cyclones Trends

• Trend Under is 7-0 in Cyclones last 7 games as a favorite of 0.5-3.0. Hit % 100.00% (7) O/U 1|6 Push 0 W/L
• Under is 26-7-1 in Cyclones last 34 games as a favorite. 78.80% (34) 1|4 0
• Under is 3-0-1 in Cyclones last 4 bowl games as an underdog. 100.00% (4) 0|3 1
• Under is 7-2 in Cyclones last 9 games as an underdog of 3.5-10.0. 77.80% (9) 5|1 1

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Camping World Bowl: West Virginia Mountaineers vs Syracuse Orange

Syracuse Takes on Depleted West Virginia

The 20th-ranked Syracuse Orange and the 16th-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers meet on Friday at Camping World Stadium. They will battle in the 2018 Camping World Bowl. This game had the potential to be a entertaining track meet, but that may not develop by players electing to bypass the game for their NFL future.

TV: 5:15 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Syracuse -3; O/U: 67.5.

No. 16 West Virginia will be missing a pair of studs on offense when they take on No. 20 Syracuse in the Camping World Bowl. The Mountaineers have announced that quarterback Will Grier and left tackle Yodny Cajuste will skip the game to prepare for their careers in the NFL. The betting line has been turned on it's head in recent days. West Virginia opened as a 6.5-point favorite and are now sitting as 3-point underdogs. The total has dropped from 74 to 67.5.

Grier would have served as one-half of a senior quarterback matchup. Instead that matchup will pit sophomore Jack Allison against Syracuse senior Eric Dungey. The Orange field general has thrown 17 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. He also has 15 rushing scores to go with his 732 rushing yards, which is second on the squad.

There could be plenty of points in this contest, as Syracuse scores 40.8 points on average and gives up 27.8. West Virginia averages 42.3 points, although with the absence of Grier and Cajuste will alter the Mountaineers' offensive potential in this one. West Virginia will not be without talent on offense. Wideouts Gary Jennings Jr. and David Sills V have posted 115 combined catches for 1,823 yards and 28 touchdowns.

This, That, and a Dart Throw

West Virginia was 8-3 overall and 6-3 in the Big 12 during the regular season. The Mountaineers allowed 104 points in losing their final two games of the regular season. The losses to Oklahoma State and Oklahoma saw the D giving up 35 fourth-quarter points in the two games. Allison has only thrown 10 passes this season and will rely on the trio of Kennedy McKoy, Martell Pettaway and Leddie Brown. The trio combined for over 1,700 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. Grier had 37 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. He is considered one of the top quarterbacks available in the NFL Draft, while Allison is widely expected to take over as the Mountaineers' starting quarterback next season. This game could go a long way in determining that.

Syracuse was 9-3 overall and 6-2 in the ACC during the regular season. The Orange won five of their final six games after a mid-season lull. They scored at least 40 points in each of those victories. They had a 42-21 shellacking at Boston College in the regular-season finale. Moe Neal has 827 yards and is the team's leading rusher. The issue is, he has only found the end zone in three of Syracuse's 12 games. On special teams, the Orange boast an All-American kicker in Andre Szmyt. The freshman was 28-of-32 on field goals. First-team All-ACC punter Sterling Hofrichter should give them a nice advantage if the bowl game becomes a field-position battle.

PREDICTION: Syracuse 56, West Virginia 27

Camping World Bowl Trends

Syracuse Trends

• Trend Under is 5-0 in Orange last 5 games as an underdog of 10.5 or greater. Hit % 100.00% (5) O/U 0|5 Push 0 W/L
• Under is 5-1-1 in Orange last 7 games as a favorite of 0.5-3.0. 83.30% (7) 1|5 1
• Under is 5-0 in Orange last 5 neutral site games as an underdog of 3.5-10.0. 100.00% (5) 0|5 0
• Over is 5-2 in Orange last 7 games as a favorite. 71.40% (7) 5|2 0

West Virginia Trends

• Trend Under is 5-1 in Mountaineers last 6 games as a favorite of 0.5-3.0. Hit % 83.30% (6) O/U 1|5 Push 1 W/L
• Over is 4-0 in Mountaineers last 4 games as a favorite. 100.00% (4) 5|2 0
• Over is 3-1-1 in Mountaineers last 5 games as an underdog of 3.5-10.0. 75.00% (5) 6|20 1
• Over is 6-2 in Mountaineers last 8 games as a favorite of 10.5 or greater. 75.00% (8) 6|2 0

Meetings Trends

• Trend Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings. Hit % 80.00% (5) O/U 1|4 Push 0 W/L
• Mountaineers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 meetings. 20.00% (5) 0 1|4
• Mountaineers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 meetings in Syracuse. 71.40% (7) 0 5|2
• Underdog is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings. 80.00% (5) 0 1|4

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Jazz Hosts the 76ers on TNT

Jazz Looking to Get Back to .500

The Philadelphia 76ers and the Utah Jazz will meet on Thursday at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Both teams are coming off Christmas Day games with differing results.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, NBCS Philadelphia, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Utah) LINE: Jazz -4.5; O/U: 219.5.

The Utah Jazz are starting to find their form. They have wins in three of the last four games and are coming off a dominating Christmas Day performance in a win over the Portland Trail Blazers. The Jazz will be looking to get back to .500 against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Utah is holding its own against some of the best teams in the West. They have wins over Portland (twice) and Golden State in the last four games. The 76ers began their five-game road trip with a 121-114 overtime loss at Boston on Tuesday. They still feel they are headed in the right direction to be able to compete for the Eastern Conference crown.

The 76ers are 22-13 on the season and have battled all year. Philadelphia's starters scored 101 of the team's 114 points on Tuesday. Getting more out of the bench has to be a priority. Power forward Mike Muscala suffered through the roughest night for any of the reserves. He went 1-of-9 from the floor (1-of-8 from beyond the arc). PG Ben Simmons recorded a double-double in each of the last three games, including one triple-double.

The Jazz are 17-18 on the season. Utah held Portland to 39.3 percent shooting on Tuesday. Center Rudy Gobert anchored the defensive effort with seven blocks. Gobert added 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting. He chipped in 14 rebounds for his fifth straight double-double. PG Dante Exum scored 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting Tuesday. He snapped a string of five straight games scoring in single digits.

PREDICTION: Jazz 110, 76ers 98

NBA Betting Odds & Trends

Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers are 13-6 SU in its last 19 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games
The 76ers are 5-14 ATS in its last 19 games on the road
The 76ers are 6-13 SU in its last 19 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 7 games on the road
Philadelphia is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Utah
The 76ers are 3-9 SU in its last 12 games when playing Utah
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Philadelphia's last 10 games when playing Utah
Philadelphia is 7-16-1 ATS in its last 24 games when playing on the road against Utah
The 76ers are 1-12 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Utah
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing on the road against Utah

Utah Jazz
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Utah's last 5 games
The Jazz are 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
The Jazz are 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Utah's last 5 games at home
The Jazz are 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
Utah is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Utah's last 10 games when playing Philadelphia
Utah is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
The Jazz are 12-1 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Utah's last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

Next up:
Philadelphia at Portland Sunday, December 30
Utah home to New York Saturday, December 29

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