My selection is on the 'under' between Toledo and Buffalo at 7:30 pm et on Wednesday.

Toledo is coming off a string of high-scoring games, with the 'over' cashing in each of its last four contests. I look for that streak to end here, however, as the Rockets face a tough challenge in the form of the Buffalo Bulls on Wednesday night. Note that the Rockets offense has been far better at home than on the road this season. Save for a big performance at Colorado State (who owns one of the weakest defenses in the nation), Toledo has scored just 45 points combined in its other three road tilts. Last year, Buffalo went into the Glass Bowl and held the Rockets to only 17 points in a game that featured a closing total of 63 points. The 'over' has cashed in the Bulls last three games, with their offense getting loose against the likes of Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Kent State. They should find the going a little tougher here, even if Toledo hasn't looked particularly stout on the defensive side of the football over its last few games. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on Eastern Michigan minus the points over Northern Illinois at 7:30 pm et on Tuesday.

Northern Illinois pulled out a win at Toledo last week to keep its slim hopes of reaching a Bowl game alive. Of course, those hopes aren't quite as slim now as they need to win out over their final two regular season games to get to six victories. I believe they'll be hard-pressed to string together a second straight win here, however. Eastern Michigan can likely pick up its sixth win at home against Kent State on Black Friday, but will certainly be motivated to take care of that on Tuesday night in DeKalb. The Eagles are an even 3-3 on the road this season, including a notable win at Illinois and a tough three-point loss at Toledo. I like the progression we've seen from Eagles QB Mike Glass III. While he was throwing more touchdowns earlier in the season he was also throwing a lot more interceptions. In fact, he hasn't tossed a single interception in his last three games. Huskies QB Ross Bowers is back healthy but has thrown just two touchdowns compared to three interceptions since returning and hasn't thrown multiple touchdown passes in a game since August 31st against FCS opponent Illinois State. Take Eastern Michigan (10*).

CFB MAC Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Eastern Michigan and Northern Illinois at 7:30 pm et on Tuesday.

We missed the mark with the 'under' in Northern Illinois' 31-28 win over Toledo last week but I won't hesitate to go back to the well with the same play on Tuesday night as the Huskies return home to host Eastern Michigan. I did like what I saw from the Huskies defense for the first three quarters in that game anyway. Northern Illinois allowed a touchdown with just under six minutes remaining in the first quarter against Toledo but then didn't give up any more points until a minute into the fourth quarter. The Huskies know they can't become complacent defensively in this one after giving up 21 fourth quarter points before kicking a game-winning field goal in the closing seconds last week. Eastern Michigan will certainly be up for this one, knowing that a win would make it Bowl eligible with a game to spare. Note that Northern Illinois has scored 24 points or less in six of 10 games this season. The Huskies put up 26 points the last time they faced the Eagles last season, but that was a stronger NIU squad that won eight games. Take the under (10*).

NFL AFC West Game of the Month. My selection is on Los Angeles plus the points over Kansas City at 8:15 pm et on Monday.

We missed the mark (barely) with the Chargers last week as they fell by just two points in Oakland. I won't hesitate to go back to the well with Los Angeles here, however, even if this does appear to be an even tougher matchup. First of all, I'm not sure it actually is a tougher matchup. The Raiders are far better than anyone could have anticipated and last week the Chargers found that out first hand. Unlike the Raiders, the Chiefs don't possess a quality defense. Nor does Kansas City have a consistently productive ground attack. QB Patrick Mahomes returned from injury and looked very 'Mahomes-like' in last week's narrow loss in Tennessee, throwing for a season-high as far as pass yards goes. I simply feel that the Chargers, with their excellent offensive balance led by the re-emergence of RB Melvin Gordon, can go blow-for-blow with Andy Reid's Chiefs, just as they did in their most recent meeting last season - a wild 29-28 victory at Arrowhead Stadium on a Thursday night in December. Take Los Angeles (10*).

My selection is on Los Angeles minus the points over Chicago at 8:20 pm et on Sunday.

The Bears pulled out a 20-13 win over the Matt Stafford-less Lions last Sunday but now find themselves in a miserable spot traveling west to face the Rams in primetime on Sunday night. Chicago's offense is still broken as far as I'm concerned and the Rams have the ability to make the Bears completely one-dimensional by taking away their ground attack altogether. The addition of Jalen Ramsey gives the Rams the ability to take away their opponents' best weapon in the passing game and in this case, if they can limit WR Allen Robinson they should be able to absolutely cripple the Bears offense. Rams QB Jared Goff has been far from great this season and will likely be under duress for much of the night on Sunday. With that being said, I'm not sure Los Angeles will need to score points in bunches to pull away for a comfortable win here. Take Los Angeles (10*).

My selection is on Baltimore minus the points over Houston at 1 pm et on Sunday.

While this is being pegged as a tightly-contested shootout between MVP candidates DeShaun Watson and Lamar Jackson, I expect it to fizzle with the Ravens imposing their will and winning this one going away. This is arguably the toughest matchup Watson has faced this season, on the road no less. I question whether head coach Bill O'Brien's play-calling can get them there against an elite opponent like the Ravens, to be completely honest. This is a game where the Texans defensive absences, most notably J.J. Watt will really come back to haunt them. At 6-3 I do consider Houston to be a bit of a paper tiger while Baltimore is the real deal, having already taken down the mighty Patriots. Take Baltimore (10*).

NFL NFC South Total of the Year. My selection is on the 'over' between New Orleans and Tampa Bay at 1 pm et on Sunday.

This game has shootout written all over it in on Sunday afternoon. The Saints got caught looking right past the Falcons last week as they could muster only nine points in a blowout loss, at home no less. This is an ideal bounce-back spot, however, as Drew Brees and the New Orleans offense should absolutely ether a weak Bucs defense. WR Michael Thomas has quietly been putting together a record-setting campaign and he should go off in this particular matchup. Meanwhile, the Saints defense is dealing with a number of key absences right now, the least of which being CB Marshon Lattimore, who would have likely shadowed Bucs standout WR Mike Evans. The New Orleans defense simply hasn't lived up to expectations this season and could be in for another rough ride against an increasingly aggressive Bucs offense on Sunday. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on Utah minus the points over UCLA at 8 pm et on Saturday.

UCLA has strung together three straight wins to put itself back in the Bowl conversation but it faces an uphill battle, starting with Saturday's game at Utah. The Bruins have scored 30+ points in four straight contests but are highly unlikely to approach that number here. The Utes have given up a grand total of just 33 points in five home games this season. Their lone loss came way back in mid-September at USC. I like the consistency the Utes have shown on both sides of the football, with QB Tyler Huntley having thrown just one interception all season. By contrast, UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson already thrown a whopping eight picks. The last time these two teams met it was no contest as Utah rolled to a 41-10 victory last season. Expect another dominant performance from the Utes on Saturday. Take Utah (10*).

My selection is on Iowa minus the points over Minnesota at 4 pm et on Saturday.

This is obviously a massive letdown spot for Minnesota coming off that huge win over Penn State last Saturday. The Golden Gophers enter this game with a perfect 9-0 record but it's not as if they're been slaying giants all season. This will certainly be a tough test against a terrific Iowa defense that has held its own against the best of the best this season. The Hawkeyes check in 6-3 on the campaign but have dropped three of their last five overall. That has had more to do with their schedule than anything else as they've suffered losses at Michigan, vs. Penn State and last week by just two points at Wisconsin. I look for the Iowa offense to finally get going a bit today, while the defense does its thing and guides the Hawkeyes to a big victory. Take Iowa (10*).

CFB Blowout Game of the Week. My selection is on Troy minus the points over Texas State at 3 pm et on Saturday.

Troy has its work cut out for it in order to gain Bowl eligibility this season but it all starts with this very winnable game against Texas State. With the Trojans highly-unlikely to beat both Louisiana-Lafayette and Appalachian State over their final two games, this almost becomes a must-win. I'm confident we'll see the Trojans perform accordingly. If you follow my plays regularly, you know that I'm not very high on Texas State, even though it has shown up and battled on occasion this season, even managing to win three games outright. I still believe the Bobcats have one of the weakest offenses in the entire FBS. They did score 30 points in a win last week, but that came against lowly South Alabama (1-8). Troy possesses a far more dynamic offense with QB Kaleb Barker having thrown for over 300 yards on five different occasions, while tossing at least two touchdown passes in eight of nine games this season. RB DK Billingsley has made the most of relatively limited touches, rushing for over 100 yards on four different occasions. He's coming off his best performance of the season last time out, running for 163 yards and two touchdowns on only 14 carries. The Trojans defense leaves a lot to be desired but I'm not convinced Texas State will be able to take full advantage. Take Troy (10*).

My selection is on the 'under' between Louisiana Tech and Marshall at 7 pm et on Friday.

Louisiana Tech has been absolutely mowing down the competition in C-USA play, but has also faced an extremely light schedule recently. Since the start of October, the Bulldogs have gone bye week, UMass, Southern Miss, UTEP and North Texas. Those four opponents represent four of the weakest defensive teams in the country. While the Bulldogs have absolutely scored at will over the last month, this is the same team that was held to 20 points against Grambling State and put up only 23 points at Rice. Marshall isn't likely to blow the doors off of Louisiana Tech here, and that should lend itself to a lower-scoring affair than the oddsmakers are calling for. The Thundering Herd were in an absolute smash spot offensively last time out against Rice, but could only muster 20 points. QB Isaiah Green has proven to be a game manager more than anything else, throwing for fewer than 270 yards in all but one game this season, while managing more than single touchdown pass on just three occasions. Take the under (10*).

NFL AFC North Game of the Month. My selection is on Pittsburgh plus the points over Cleveland at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

I have no confidence in the Browns to string together consecutive wins at this stage of the season. Meanwhile, the Steelers have found their identity as a hard-nosed team that runs the football and plays an aggressive, opportunistic brand of defense. Pittsburgh QB Mason Rudolph certainly doesn't instill a great deal of confidence, but he is expected to have RB James Conner back at his disposal on Thursday night and WR JuJu Smith-Schuster is in line for a big breakout performance against a Browns defense that has had no success defending receivers in the slot. The Browns have a quality defense and should be able to get after Rudolph in this one, but what about their offense? It's been a sputtering, turnover-prone unit and while RB Kareem Hunt gave them a boost in his debut, I'm not ready to say that the offense is back. Take Pittsburgh (10*).

My selection is on the 'over' between North Carolina and Pittsburgh at 8 pm et on Thursday.

Both of these teams come in well-rested having not played since November 2nd, giving them ample time to gameplan for this key mid-November showdown. North Carolina QB Sam Howell has thrown for over 340 yards in three of his last four games, compiling an incredible 15 touchdown passes over that stretch. That's not to mention the Tar Heels very capable backfield tandem of Javonte Williams and Michael Carter. Pitt's offense has left a lot to be desired over its last few games, all of the lower-scoring variety, but I expect a big bounce-back here. QB Kenny Pickett has thrown four interceptions over his last two games, but I don't expect him to simply be a game manager in this contest. The Panthers know they'll need to go on the attack to keep pace with an improving Tar Heels offense, and I look for them to find some success with the Pickett-to-Ffrench connection. Maurice Ffrench hasn't hauled in a touchdown in his last two games, but should find the end zone against a beatable Tar Heels secondary here. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on Buffalo minus the points over Kent State at 7 pm et on Thursday.

I've said it on a few occasions this season and I'll say it again here; Kent State is one of the nation's weakest teams, particularly on the defensive side of the football, and I look for the Golden Flashes to get gashed once again here. Most jumped off the Buffalo bandwagon early this season as the Bulls dropped their first two MAC contests. Since then, all they've done is reel off three straight wins, outscoring the opposition by an incredible 107-34 margin. Of course their opposition has left a lot to be desired but you can only play the teams in front of you, and they catch another favorable matchup here, noting that the Bulls routed the Golden Flashes 48-14 in their most recent meeting last November. Buffalo will undoubtedly gain Bowl eligibility at some point, but it would certainly rather take care of that right here tonight. Take Buffalo (10*).

My selection is on the 'under' between Northern Illinois and Toledo at 8 pm et on Wednesday.

Toledo has been involved in back-to-back high-scoring shootouts, flaming a couple of bad defenses in Eastern Michigan and Kent State in posting consecutive victories. I expect the Rockets to face a little more resistance against rival Northern Illinois here. The Huskies are fresh off a beatdown at the hands of Central Michigan but will undoubtedly get up for this game, knowing they need to run the table over their final three games to become Bowl eligible. With a win here, that would certainly still be well within the realm of possibility, noting they have two home games to close out the regular season. Note that Northern Illinois has held five of nine opponents this season to 27 points or less. The Huskies biggest issue has been their lack of consistent offensive production, scoring 24 points or less in seven of nine contests. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on the 'over' between Eastern Michigan and Akron at 6 pm et on Tuesday.

Akron has scored a grand total of just nine points over its last four games but here the Zips have a fine opportunity to bust out against a weak Eastern Michigan defense. The Eagles have allowed 30+ points in five of nine contests this season, while also giving up 29 points against FCS opponent Central Connecticut State. Prior to its current lull, Akron had scored 60 points over its previous three games. Defensively, the Zips have only managed to limit their points allowed thanks to game script. Make no mistake, this is one of the worst defensive teams in the nation. Eastern Michigan is in a clear 'get-right' spot offensively after getting trounced by Buffalo at home last time out. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on Seattle plus the points over San Francisco at 8:15 pm et on Monday.

The 49ers have a giant target on their backs now as they remain undefeated heading into the second week of November. While the Seahawks and their lagging defense will face a tough challenge here, I'm confident they can at the very least take the Niners down to the wire in Santa Clara. We saw some vulnerability from the Niners defense last week against Arizona and I expect that to continue to be the storyline here on Monday as the Seahawks should find considerable success both on the ground and through the air. The San Francisco run defense in particular is in a tough spot with LB Kwon Alexander sidelined for the season with torn pec. That really opens things up for the Seahawks, whose offense is far more effective when it is able to mix in consistent gains on the ground. Offensively, the 49ers are coming off a fine performance but this is by no means a juggernaut. The Seahawks defense has been a swinging gate at times, but should rise to the occasion in this divisional affair. Take Seattle (10*).

My selection is on Dallas minus the points over Minnesota at 8:20 pm et on Sunday.

The Cowboys are on an uptick right now fresh off a win over the Giants on Monday night. They're in another favorable spot here, back at home in a primetime affair against a solid but vulnerable Vikings squad. I expect the Minnesota offense to struggle at times in this one as it tries to deal with a healthy and improving Cowboys defense. Offensively, Dallas went through a bit of a lull but things appear to be back in order now and at home in a favored role, I look for it to open things up and ultimately pull away for a convincing victory on Sunday night. Take Dallas (10*).

NFL Game of the Week. My selection is on the Jets plus the points over the Giants at 1 pm et on Sunday.

Things literally can't get any worse for the Jets after they lost at the hands of the winless, supposedly taking Dolphins last week in Miami. I fully expect to see Gang Green bounce back against the rival Giants on Sunday, noting we cashed a ticket fading Big Blue just this past Monday night with the Cowboys. This is an absolute smash spot for the Jets offense against a vulnerable Giants defense playing on a short week. Jets QB Sam Darnold has not played well at all but I still believe he has the tools to succeed in the NFL and I'm confident he'll enjoy a breakout performance against the G-Men and their non-existent pass rush and swiss cheese secondary. Not only is Darnold and the Jets passing game in line for a bounce-back but we should see a big performance from RB Le'Veon Bell as well. Game script kept him from exploding against the Dolphins last Sunday but if the Jets are able to build a lead here, Bell should go off. Take the Jets (10*).

My selection is on Kentucky minus the points over Tennessee at 7:30 pm et on Saturday.

Kentucky controls its own destiny as far as Bowl eligibility goes with a relatively light schedule remaining. The Wildcats have won two of their last three games following a three-game slide and enter this contest off their bye week. While they were idle last week, Tennessee was steamrolling a solid UAB squad by a 30-7 score at home. Even off back-to-back wins, I'm not convinced the Vols are all the way back after a rough start to the season. With only three games left on the schedule and in need of two victories, they're facing an uphill battle toward Bowl eligibility. When these two teams met last year the Vols secured a 24-7 victory but I won't be surprised if the script is flipped this time around. Take Kentucky (10*).

My selection is on Alabama minus the points over LSU at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

We've picked our spots going against the Crimson Tide in recent years, but not during the regular season. Once again, I look for Alabama to prove itself in this massive showdown with LSU. Yes, this is the best Tigers squad we've seen in years but I'm not sure that means they can hang with the Tide for 60 minutes. The key here should be the Alabama defense, as it will clamp down on LSU QB Joe Burrow. The Tigers haven't had to play from behind much at all this season but that's almost a certainty on Saturday afternoon at Bryant-Denny Stadium. All indications are that Alabama will have Tua back at its disposal and I look for him to lead the Tide to another convincing win over an SEC rival. Take Alabama (10*).

CFB Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'under' between UTSA and Old Dominion at 2 pm et on Saturday.

I'm not anticipating much in the way of offensive fireworks in this matchup on Saturday afternoon. The UTSA defense hasn't been performing well lately but has also faced the likes of UAB and Texas A&M in two of its last three games. Here, it takes a big step down in class against a punchless Old Dominion offense. The Monarchs battled hard but ultimately fell a touchdown short in a 24-17 setback at Florida International last week. ODU has now been held to 17 points or less in five consecutive games. The Monarchs haven't always been stout defensively this season but catch a favorable matchup against a banged-up and talent-shy Roadrunners offense. Take the under (10*).

CFB Pac-12 Game of the Month. My selection is on Oregon State plus the points over Washington at 10:30 pm et on Friday.

This isn't the same Washington squad we've seen in years past, as evidenced by the fact that the Huskies have already dropped four games in Pac-12 play. They should be on upset alert again on Friday night as they face an upstart Oregon State squad that needs two victories in its final four games to become Bowl eligible. Given it still has to play Arizona State, Washington State and Oregon, with the latter two matchups coming on the road, this game is virtually a must-win. The Beavers are fresh off a 56-point explosion at Arizona last week. While their defense leaves a lot to be desired, their offense has shown the ability to score at will. I'm comfortable grabbing a generous helping of points with the home side here. Take Oregon State (10*).

NFL TNF Game of the Month. My selection is on Los Angeles over Oakland at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

The Chargers have suddenly found their footing, registering back-to-back wins at Chicago and at home against Green Bay and I look for them to keep it rolling as they face the rival Raiders in Oakland on Thursday night. I really like the way things have come together for the previously underachieving Chargers offense, most notably with RB Melvin Gordon busting out with a big performance against the Packers last Sunday. The door is wide open for this unit to really explode against a beatable Raiders defense on a short week. Oakland does pose a challenge with its own emerging offense but I'm confident the Chargers defense will rise to the occasion. RB Josh Jacobs is the front-runner for offensive rookie of the year but the offense can still only go as far as QB Derek Carr takes it as far as I'm concerned. Take Los Angeles (10*).

My selection is on Toledo minus the points over Kent State at 7 pm et on Tuesday.

Toledo hasn't been very good since losing QB Mitchell Guadagni to injury but it is coming off a much-needed win over Eastern Michigan last time out and I look for it to keep things rolling at home against Kent State in another big MAC affair on Tuesday night. The key here will be the Rockets ground attack. They have a dynamic running game that should be able to control proceedings against the Golden Flashes. Kent State has a rather punchless offense and while the Flashes have faced a pretty tough schedule to be sure, I simply feel they're one of the weakest teams in the MAC and the nation. We're being asked to lay a reasonable number with the superior team at home. Take Toledo (10*).

My selection is on Dallas minus the points over New York at 8:15 pm et on Monday.

It's been a disappointing campaign so far for the Cowboys but they remain in the driver's seat in the NFC East and coming off their bye week I look for them to handle the Giants at the Meadowlands on Monday night. I have no confidence in the Giants defense to slow the Cowboys offense here. Dallas got healthy on its offensive line thanks to the bye and that should open the door for QB Dak Prescott and RB Ezekiel Elliott to turn in monster performances here. Saquon Barkley will undoubtedly get his, just as he did in the first meeting between these two teams this season, but I'm not convinced rookie QB Daniel Jones will follow suit. Dallas is a perfect 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings in this series, including a win here when it rested its starters in Week 17 last year. Take Dallas (10*).

My selection is on Denver plus the points over Cleveland at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

I really like the value we're getting with the Broncos as a home underdog on Sunday afternoon against the disjointed Browns. Cleveland really has no business laying points against anyone right now. It hasn't lived up to expectations on either side of the football and will likely have trouble traveling to altitude in Denver on Sunday. The Broncos have an efficient running game and a solid defense, a recipe for success as a home underdog. Yes, QB Joe Flacco is sidelined but is backup Brandon Allen really a downgrade? Flacco simply hasn't been a good fit in this offense. I like the upside of the Broncos receiving corps led by Courtland Sutton. Look for Denver to do enough to stay inside the number on Sunday. Take Denver (10*).

My selection is on Los Angeles plus the points over Green Bay at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

Everyone is extremely high on the Packers right now, and for good reason as they're fresh off another statement road win in Kansas City last Sunday night. I just don't like the way this spot sets up for Aaron Rodgers and co. as they stay on the road and head to the west coast to face what has to be a desperate Chargers squad on Sunday. Los Angeles has been highly disappointing this season but there's no question the Chargers still have the talent on board to turn things around. This is obviously a huge step-up spot in a non-conference tilt with a marquee opponent. I'm confident we'll see the Chargers ground attack really get rolling against a beatable Packers run defense. That should set the tone for the rest of the Los Angeles offense, and effectively open things up for QB Philip Rivers. The Chargers defense hasn't been great but could be catching the Packers in a letdown spot off last Sunday night's peak performance. Take Los Angeles (10*).

NFL AFC Game of the Year. My selection is on New York minus the points over Miami at 1 pm et on Sunday.

Everyone is down on the Jets right now but this is a true 'get right' spot against the tanking Dolphins in Miami, and I look for Adam Gase's squad to take full advantage. I absolutely love the 'squeaky wheel' narrative with elite RB Le'Veon Bell calling for more work in advance of Sunday's matchup. Bell will undoubtedly get fed in this one and should absolutely dominate a non-existent Dolphins run defense. QB Sam Darnold has been ridiculed after his 'seeing ghosts' appearance on Monday Night Football but he should have no trouble carving up the Fins struggling secondary on Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, the Jets defense is serviceable against the Miami offense - which took another step back in a miserable second half in Pittsburgh on Monday night. Take New York (10*).

My selection is on Louisiana-Lafayette minus the points over Texas State at 5 pm et on Saturday.

We cashed a ticket fading Texas State last Saturday against Arkansas State and I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the same play here. The Bobcats have two wins to their credit this season but I still believe they’re one of the weakest teams in FBS. Not surprisingly, their limited offense struggled to get anything going last Saturday against the Red Wolves, scoring a pair of second quarter touchdowns but that was it. They’ll be hard-pressed to improve on that performance against a good Ragin’ Cajuns defense here. Louisiana-Lafayette is fresh off its bye week, which came on the heels of a big 17-point road win over rival Arkansas State. RB Trey Ragas’ health is in question as he recovers from an ankle injury but even if he can’t go, the Ragin’ Cajuns still have a terrific stable of dynamic running backs to lean on. I’m confident we’ll see them build an early lead in this one and let their defense and ground attack take care of the rest, ultimately pulling away for a cover on Saturday. Take Louisiana-Lafayette (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between TCU and Oklahoma State at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

TCU is coming off a huge 37-27 win over Texas last Saturday and fresh off that offensive breakout, most are expecting a shootout in Stillwater this week. I’m not so easily convinced. Keep in mind, prior to last week’s win, the Horned Frogs had scored just 41 points combined in dropping back-to-back games against Iowa State and Kansas State – both on the road. Oklahoma State by no means possesses an elite defense but I do think the Cowboys can keep the Horned Frogs inconsistent offense in check on Saturday. On the flip side, the TCU defense has shown signs of turning things around over the last couple of weeks. They didn’t give up a touchdown until four minutes into the second quarter last week against Texas and when it mattered most they stepped up, allowing just one second half touchdown. The Horned Frogs will undoubtedly have their hands full trying to slow down dynamic Cowboys RB Chuba Hubbard on Saturday but it’s worth noting that they’ve allowed just one 100+ yard rusher this season and that was Iowa State QB Brock Purdy, who gained 102 yards on the ground against them. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on Marshall minus the points over Rice at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

This was a blowout last year as Marshall rolled to a 41-14 victory and I’m expecting more of the same on Saturday. Rice checks in 0-8 on the campaign but the fact that it has at least kept things somewhat competitive helps keep the line in check here. RB Aston Walter suffered a shoulder injury last week and while he is expected to play, he won’t be at full strength. You can be sure the Thundering Herd have been keying their defensive gameplan on Walter as he’s proven to be the Owls only true playmaker on offense this season. Marshall hasn’t been able to take a breath in a few weeks, coming off back-to-back tightly-contested affairs against Florida Atlantic and Western Kentucky (it won both games). The Thundering Herd have faced a truly difficult schedule to this point but now get four straight winnable games to close out the season to improve their Bowl positioning. Look for them to take full advantage of this blowout waiting to happen against one of the nation’s weakest FBS teams. Take Marshall (10*).

CFB C-USA Game of the Year. My selection is on Florida International minus the points over Old Dominion at 12 noon et on Saturday.

I love the bounce back spot for FIU here as it returns home following a beatdown at the hands of Middle Tennessee State last week. The loss dropped the Panthers to 4-4 on the season but they remain very much in contention for a Bowl game. That certainly depends on getting a win here, and I’m confident we’ll see them secure the victory in convincing fashion. At 1-7, Old Dominion is a true doormat this season. The Monarchs lone victory came back in August against FCS squad Norfolk State. They check into this one having scored just one offensive touchdown in their last 11 quarters of football. FIU has certainly shown blowout potential here at home this season, where it owns victories by 13, 44, 25 and 15-point margins, its lone home loss coming against a quality opponent in Western Kentucky – a game in which it covered the spread. Note that Panthers QB James Morgan has been quietly efficient, throwing seven touchdowns and no interceptions over his last four games. Meanwhile, RB Anthony Jones has rushed for 421 yards on just 72 carries, while finding the end zone five times over that same stretch. The Panthers are heavily favored for a reason in this early start matchup. I’ll lay the points. Take Florida International (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between Northern Illinois and Central Michigan at 12 noon et on Saturday.

We missed the mark with the ‘under’ in Northern Illinois’ last game, a 49-0 rout of lowly Akron last Saturday. I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the same play here, however. The Huskies offense has been inconsistent this season and will certainly be stepping up in class here off the win over the Zips. I’m confident we’ll see them keep their offensive gameplan focused on the ground where RB Tre Harbison has been terrific. That strategy should help keep the chains, and more important for us, the clock moving. Central Michigan entered last week’s date with Buffalo on a serious roll offensively but that had more to do with the level of opposition it had faced through the first three weeks of October than anything else (the Chippewas faced Eastern Michigan, New Mexico State and Bowling Green over a three-week stretch). Last week, the Chips could only manage 20 points in a blowout loss to Buffalo, turning the football over four times in the process. Much like NIU, I look for CMU to keep the football on the ground for much of the afternoon on Saturday, with RB Jonathan Ward having rushed for over 100 yards in four of his last five games. Take the under (10*).

CFB AAC Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Navy and Connecticut at 8 pm et on Friday.

We missed the mark with the 'under' in Navy's high-scoring win over Tulane last week but I won't hesitate to go back to the well with the same play as the Midshipmen hit the road to face lowly UConn on a short week. Last week's high-scoring result was certainly game script dependent as Tulane simply couldn't stop the Navy offense early on, digging a 24-0 hole just five minutes into the second quarter. From there things really opened up. I expect a different story to unfold here. Connecticut stunningly put up 56 points in a win at UMass last week but will face a much tougher challenge here. Note that prior to last week's performance, the Huskies had scored 22 points or less in five straight games and had topped out at 24 points, that coming in a season-opening win over FCS squad Wagner. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on Arizona plus the points over San Francisco at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

Most believe a 49ers win is a foregone conclusion in this one as San Francisco checks in with an unblemished record on the season while the Cardinals are coming off a beatdown at the hands of the Saints in New Orleans last Sunday. I don't believe the Niners are built to cover these big pointspreads, however, and here will face an improving Arizona squad that has won three of its last four games and hasn't allowed a first quarter touchdown in its last two contests. The Cards are likely going to be missing their top two running backs for this one but did acquire Kenyon Drake from the Dolphins earlier this week and it really hasn't mattered who they have plugged in at running back, they have performed well. San Francisco will be content to win this division road game, let alone cover the spread. We'll grab the points with a hungry Cards squad that has gone an impressive 5-3 ATS to date. Take Arizona (10*).

My selection is on the 'over' between Miami and Pittsburgh at 8:15 pm et on Monday.

I'll keep it simple with my analysis of this play on Monday night. Both offenses have struggled at times this season, due to injuries and otherwise but I do feel the two units have some upside heading into this one. The Dolphins were finally able to get things going a little bit last week, scoring 21 points against a good defense in Buffalo. WR Davante Parker has now scored a touchdown in three straight games which is saying something for an offense that couldn't do anything earlier in the campaign. RB Kenyon Drake didn't travel with the team as he is likely to be traded before the deadline but his absence doesn't concern me all that much. Look for the Fins to do what they can to move the football through the air in this particular matchup. The Steelers are in a smash spot offensively against an awful, undermanned Miami defense. Pittsburgh will get QB Mason Rudolph back under center following its bye week and I'm confident he'll can march the offense up and down the field against a very beatable opponent. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on Kansas City plus the points over Green Bay at 8:20 pm et on Sunday.

The last time we saw the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football they suffered a shocking loss to the Colts. That was with Patrick Mahomes at the helm. Now Kansas City enters this primetime showdown with journeyman QB Matt Moore under center and few are giving it much of a chance against the red hot Packers. I don't expect the Chiefs to simply roll over. Kansas City has been all over opposing quarterbacks this season and Sunday should be no different against the Packers mediocre offensive line. Note that the Chiefs will have DT Chris Jones back at their disposal, and his presence should really limit the Packers ability to rip off big gains on the ground. Green Bay's passing game has held up well in WR DaVante Adams absence, but this could be the contest where that starts to turn. Defensively, the Packers have been abused by opposing rushing attacks, allowing just a tick shy of five yards per rush this season. That opens the door for the Chiefs limited offense in the absence of Mahomes. As we saw last Thursday night against an elite defense in Denver, even Matt Moore is able to find some success with the talent of WR Tyreek Hill on the field. I'm not sure the Chiefs offense will even be asked to do too much to keep this one competitive, but they might just come through regardless. Take Kansas City (10*).

NFL Non-Division Game of the Month. My selection is on Houston minus the points over Oakland at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

The Raiders are in a really tough spot here, still on the road at the tail-end of what has been an excruciatingly long stretch of games away from home and coming off an epic beatdown at the hands of the Packers last Sunday. Things don't figure to get any easier in Houston on Sunday as the Texans enter a terrific bounce-back spot off last week's divisional loss in Indianapolis. QB DeShaun Watson and the Texans offense should have a field day against the Raiders undermanned defense, which dealt top CB Gareon Conley to Houston earlier in the week. The Raiders haven't exactly waved the white flag just yet, but at 3-3 the time is coming. Offensively, Oakland has been better than expected but with RB Josh Jacobs limited and possibly even sidelined by a shoulder injury, it will be in a really difficult situation here. Jacobs has been a dynamic playmaker but the Raiders don't have much depth in the backfield. While I'm not all that high on the Texans defense, I do think they'll be playing from ahead for much of the day on Sunday, and can gameplan aggressively against mistake-prone QB Derek Carr. Look for Houston to eventually stretch out the margin in this one. Take Houston (10*).

My selection is on the 'under' between Carolina and San Francisco at 4:05 pm et on Sunday.

The Panthers are coming off a wild, high-scoring affair in London two weeks ago as they routed the Bucs in a key divisional win. Here, Carolina hits the road to face the upstart 49ers and could be in for a rough ride against one of the best defensive teams in the league. San Francisco is allowing just over four yards per rush this season and should be able to effectively limit Panthers do-it-all RB Christian McCaffrey. The 49ers pass defense just doesn't give up big plays and that sets them up well against the Panthers downfield passing game led by elite athletes Curtis Samuel and D.J. Moore. I don't expect the Carolina defense to roll over. The Panthers 'd' catches a favorable matchup against a 49ers offense that has been good, but certainly not great this season. QB Jimmy Garoppolo should be under pressure for much of the afternoon with offensive linemen Joe Staley and Mike McGlinchey still sidelined. While the Panthers have given up their share of yardage to opposing ground games, the 49ers backfield isn't all that imposing. Expect a tightly-contested affair. Take the under (10*).

NFL AFC Game of the Month. My selection is on New York plus the points over Jacksonville at 1 pm et on Sunday.

The Jets are coming off a dreadful performance on both sides of the football on Monday night against the Patriots. I do feel they'll bounce back here, however, as they head to Jacksonville to face the Jaguars. The Jags defense has been exploited by opposing running backs this season as they check in allowing just shy of five yards per rush. Off a poor offensive showing on Monday, look for the Jets to feed RB Le'Veon Bell in this one. On the flip side, the Jets defense has been exceptional against the run, allowing just north of 3.2 yards per rush. That should severely limit what the Jags are able to do offensively, as despite all the Gardner Minshew hype, QB Leonard Fournette has been, and will continue to be the key to their offense. Take New York (10*).

My selection is on Los Angeles minus the points over Cincinnati at 1 pm et on Sunday.

This one has blowout written all over it as the Rams aim to follow-up last week's 'get right' win over Atlanta and head across the pond for what should be a much-needed distraction in what has been a bit of a tumultuous start to the season. The Bengals are awful. They can't stop the run, continue to deal with key injuries in the secondary, and sport an uneven offense that has been completely handicapped by an ineffictive offensive line. We can count on Rams QB Jared Goff to turn in a second straight solid performance facing little pressure against a non-existent Cincinnati pass rush. Meanwhile, the Rams backfield tandem of Todd Gurley and Darrell Henderson should run wild against a Bengals defense that allows just shy of five yards per rush this season, effectively putting this game away in the second half. Take Los Angeles (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between Notre Dame and Michigan at 7:30 pm et on Saturday.

We won with the ‘under’ when these two teams hooked up to kick off the season last year and I’ll make the same play here. The Irish are coming off three consecutive relatively high-scoring affairs in which they put up a combined 117 points. I’m not counting on QB Ian Book and the Notre Dame offense to bust out again here, however. Michigan has one of the best defenses in the country, and will certainly be up for this showdown at the Big House. I’m confident we’ll see the Irish lean heavily on RB Tony Jones Jr. off three straight 100+ yard rushing performances but he’ll be stepping up in competition after running all over Virginia, Bowling Green and USC. We’ve already seen the Wolverines offense get stymied on a number of occasions this season and should expect no different here. I don’t think we’ll see Jim Harbaugh throw QB Shea Patterson to the wolves here. Look for him to once again be asked to manage the game and avoid the big mistakes against an opportunistic Irish defense. Take the under (10*).

CFB Sun Belt Game of the Year. My selection is on Arkansas State minus the points over Texas State at 7 pm et on Saturday.

Texas State has somewhat surprisingly held its own in most games this season but still checks in sporting a 2-4 record. Arkansas State has been up and down and comes into this one off of back-to-back losses. Notably, last week’s 17-point loss on paper could have really gone either away as Louisiana-Lafayette pulled away with a couple of late touchdowns. I do still feel the Red Wolves are one of the better teams  in the Sun Belt and if they have their sights set on Bowl eligibility, this is a game they need to get. I expect them to win this one comfortably. QB Layne Hatcher has thrown for 10 touchdowns over his last game and last week we saw RB Marcel Murray carry a full workload, running 35 times for 164 yards while adding three catches. Texas State QB Gresch Jensen suffered a concussion last week and the Bobcats top rusher Caleb Twyford is actually a wide receiver that has run for more than 78 yards only once this season. Arkansas State took this matchup 33-7 last season and I’m anticipating another blowout here. Take Arkansas State (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between Texas and TCU at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

We won with the ‘under’ in TCU’s loss at Kansas State last week and I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the same play here. The Horned Frogs didn’t find the end zone until the second quarter in last week’s contest, and when the game was on the line, couldn’t score a single touchdown in the game’s final 23+ minutes. The fact is, TCU has had considerable offensive success in just two of five games this season and one of those came against lowly Kansas, who Texas hung 50 points on last week. The Longhorns know they’ll need to be better defensively after giving up a stunning 48 points against the Jayhawks last Saturday. I’m confident they’ll respond favorably here after holding TCU to just 16 points in last year’s matchup. Note that just two weeks ago, Texas held mighty Oklahoma out of the end zone from just under 10 minutes left in the first quarter until midway through the third quarter. The Longhorns may not have an elite defense this season, but it’s not as if they’re facing an offensive juggernaut on Saturday. Take the under (10*).

CFB AAC Total of the Month. My selection is on the ‘under’ between Tulane and Navy at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

These two teams combined to score 57 points in last year’s matchup – a narrow one-point Green Wave victory. I’m anticipating a lower-scoring affair this time around. Tulane is fresh off a beatdown at the hands of Memphis last week. The Green Wave are certainly a better defensive team than they showed in that contest. Memphis went into that one highly-motivated after suffering its first loss of the season the week previous at Temple. Navy has been rolling along, scoring a whopping 114 points over the course of its current three-game winning streak. Keep in mind, those wins came against Air Force, Tulsa and South Florida. Just two weeks ago Tulane gave up only seven points in a blowout win over Connecticut, allowing the Huskies to gain just 134 yards through the air and less than 100 on the ground. This is obviously a much tougher matchup but my point is, the Green Wave are capable of stiffening up defensively. Remember, earlier this season they gave up just 24 points on the road against Auburn, holding the Tigers off the scoreboard for the entire first quarter and giving up just a single touchdown in the second half. Navy’s lone defeat this season came at the hands of aforementioned Memphis. After allowing a touchdown with just under 10 minutes left in the first quarter, the Middies didn’t give up another offensive touchdown until nearly six minutes into the third quarter. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between Akron and Northern Illinois at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

Akron’s offense couldn’t have looked much worse than it did in last week’s 21-0 loss at home against Buffalo (we won with the Bulls in that game). Rather than fade the Zips again here, we’ll turn our attention to the total and back the ‘under’ as they hit the road to face Northern Illinois. One area where I do expect some improvement from the Zips offensively is on the ground. You can run on the Huskies this season and that bodes well for Akron as it looks to effectively shorten this game and churn out long drives. That of course also serves our purposes well with a play on the ‘under’. Northern Illinois lost starting QB Ross Bowers to a concussion in last week’s loss to Miami-Ohio. Regardless who is under center, the Huskies have had a tough time getting anything going offensively this season. Save for a few breakdowns from opposing defenses resulting in big plays, Northern Illinois has been kept at bay for much of the campaign. RB Tre Harbison has seen his workload increase over the last few games and has had some success, but it’s worth noting that he has reached the end zone in just two of six contests this season. He’ll likely be the focal point of the Huskies offense on Saturday but that only strengthens our position on the ‘under’ as he should be able to help NIU churn out long, time-consuming drives against a Zips defense that has at the very least been able to limit opposing passing attacks, not allowing a quarterback to throw for over 200 yards since September 21st against Troy. Take the under (10*).

CFB Pac-12 Game of the Month. My selection is on USC minus the points over Colorado at 9 pm et on Friday.

The USC Trojans are dealing with a number of key injuries on the defensive side of the football but that's certainly been factored into this line. I like the upside of the Trojans offense as they head to Boulder to face an awful Colorado defense. On the flip side, the Buffaloes offense has disappointed this season - the duo of QB Steven Montez and WR Laviska Shenault Jr. in particular. The Trojans 'next man up' philosophy on defense has served them well and I believe this is another matchup they can handle. Note that Colorado has scored just 13 points in its last two games. Even when the Buffaloes did put up 30 points in a losing effort against Arizona three weeks ago they still didn't manage to find the end zone until the final two minutes of the first half and failed to score a touchdown over the game's critical final 20 minutes. USC rode a big game from freshman RB Kenan Christon last week as he ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns on just eight carries. Take USC (10*).

My selection is on Minnesota minus the points over Washington at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

It seems as if big pointspreads have become the norm in these primetime games and this Thursday’s contest is no different. Once again, I’m not sure the oddsmakers can set the line high enough as the Vikings should have little trouble brushing aside the lowly Redskins. Washington has such little upside at this point it’s almost laughable. WR Terry McLaurin has arguably been its lone bright spot and while he should get his in this matchup with a beatable Vikings pass defense, that’s no reason to jump off the Vikings in a game that has true blowout potential. We’ve already seen Redskins interim head coach Bill Callahan orchestrate an offensive gameplan centred around the rushing attack, and more specifically RB Adrian Peterson. That gameplan just isn’t likely to work against a Vikings front that has been terrific against the run this season. With the ‘Skins likely to fall behind early, they may be forced to air it out but their comeback potential is limited given the fact that Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer knows former Minnesota QB Case Keenum’s tendencies and limitations. Minnesota will be without WR Adam Thielen for this game and while that’s a major hit, I still see this as a blow up spot for the Vikes offense. QB Kirk Cousins will be given clean pockets all night long against a Redskins defense that hasn’t been able to get to opposing quarterbacks at all this season. Meanwhile, RB Dalvin Cook is in line for another monster performance against a defense that can be run on and has gone nothing to eliminate short passing plays to opposing running backs. With the Vikes likely to dominate the time-of-possession battle, it’s only a matter of time before this one gets out of hand. Take Minnesota (10*).

NFL AFC East Total of the Year. My selection is on the 'under' between New England and New York at 8:15 pm et on Monday.

I really like the way this one sets up as a relatively low-scoring affair on Monday night. The Patriots offense is certainly banged-up right now with virtually their entire wide receiving corps nursing various ailments. I expect RBs Sony Michel and James White to be the focal point of the offense on Monday night at the Meadowlands, which plays into our hands as the ground game and short passing attack helps keep the clock moving. We can count on Bill Bellichick and more specifically CB Stephon Gilmore to take away the Jets best weapon through the air, that being WR Robby Anderson. New England will likely allow the Jets to pound away with RB Le'Veon Bell, but to limited success. QB Sam Darnold returned with a big game against the Cowboys last week, but look for him to come back to earth against a familiar divisional opponent on Monday Night Football. Take the under (10*).

NFL Sunday Night Football Game of the Year. My selection is on Philadelphia plus the points over Dallas at 8:20 pm et on Sunday.

I absolutely love the way this spot sets up for the Eagles as they try to bounce back from last week’s tough loss in Minnesota. Philadelphia continues to perform at an elite level offensively, despite the fact that it has dealt with a number of key injuries at the wide receiver position this season. QB Carson Wentz remains one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the league and he’s set to expose an injury-ravaged Cowboys defense on Sunday night. Dallas is coming off back-to-back devastating losses, with the most recent being particular painful at the hands of the lowly Jets. With WR Amari Cooper likely to miss and RB Ezekiel Elliott busy running into piles there’s little reason to have much confidence in the Cowboys offense right now. Head coach Jason Garrett is on the hot seat again and I’m not sure that we’ll see the team rally around him this time around. While everyone was singing the praises of Cowboys first-year offensive coordinator Kellen Moore earlier this season, things have gotten stale in a hurry. Look for the Eagles pass rush to take advantage of the Cowboys injuries on the offensive line (Tyron Smith and La’El Collins are expected to miss) and make life difficult for QB Dak Prescott all night long. The case can be made that the wrong team is favored in this one. Take Philadelphia (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between New Orleans and Chicago at 4:25 pm et on Sunday.

This is the lowest total on this week’s board, but it’s warranted in my opinion. The Saints keep rolling along without QB Drew Brees but their success certainly hasn’t come on the strength of their offense. In a favorable matchup against the Jaguars last Sunday they managed only 13 points with QB Teddy Bridgewater resuming his role as game manager, throwing for 240 yards and a single touchdown while RB Latavius Murray led the backfield in rush yards with only 44. Alvin Kamara remains banged-up and there’s some doubt whether he’ll even be able to play on Sunday. Either way, I have little confidence in the Saints putting many points on the board against an elite and rested Bears defense that should be in a foul mood following a loss to the Raiders in Oakland. On the flip side, the Bears will welcome back QB Mitchell Trubisky but I’m not counting on big returns against a quality Saints defense. Chicago’s offense has little upside right now and with Saints CB Marshon Lattimore likely to erase WR Allen Robinson and RB David Montgomery still trying to carve out a true lead back role, we can anticipate another (far) less-than-explosive performance at Soldier Field. This one has slugfest written all over it. Take the under (10*).

NFL NFC Total of the Year. My selection is on the ‘over’ between Los Angeles and Atlanta at 1 pm et on Sunday.

This projects as potentially one of the highest-scoring shootouts of the entire season as both offenses come in ready to fully expose the weaknesses of the opposing defenses. The Rams secondary is an absolute mess right now and don’t let their early week acquisition of CB Jalen Ramsey steer you otherwise. Ramsey hasn’t suited up since September and now comes in following a limited week of practice with his new team. His reward will be lining up against Falcons all-world WR Julio Jones who is finally in line for a big breakout performance on Sunday. While the Falcons have been awful in the win-loss column, their offense continues to churn along with QB Matt Ryan posting monster numbers. Nothing changes against the Rams truly disappointing defense this week. On the flip side, we’ve also seen the Rams offense sputter due in large part to the inefficiency of QB Jared Goff, not to mention their offensive line’s inability to pass-protect. That should change here as the Falcons defense has done nothing to pressure opposing quarterbacks. Given a clean pocket I’m confident Goff can tear apart this struggling Falcons defense. After last week’s debacle it’s unlikely the Rams will lean heavily on their ground attack here, instead electing to attack the Atlanta defense through the air. Count on big performances from Kupp, Woods, Cooks et al as this one develops into a back-and-forth shootout. I’m not sure the oddsmakers can set the total high enough. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on Jacksonville minus the points over Cincinnati at 1 pm et on Sunday.

This is a dream bounce-back matchup for the Jaguars off last week’s ugly home loss against the suddenly defensive-minded Saints. The Bengals sit at 0-6 on the season and come in off another tightly-contested loss against Baltimore last week. Off that physical affair on the road I’m not sure how much this injury-riddled squad will have left in the tank this Sunday, nor do I believe its motivation will be all that high against the Jags. No team pressures the quarterback less than the Bengals and that should open the door for a big game from Jags QB Gardner Minshew, who fell out of favor with the bandwagon crowd following last week’s brutal performance against the Saints. Even if Minshew can’t get things going through the air, RB Leonard Fournette should have no trouble exposing a truly awful Bengals run defense. Meanwhile, Jacksonville’s defense catches a favorable draw here against Cincinnati and its dreadful offensive line. Look for the Jags pass rushers to find their way into the Bengals backfield all afternoon long. WR Tyler Boyd is one of the Bengals only offensive pieces that catches any sort of favorable matchup in this one. Yes, Jacksonville dealt CB Jalen Ramsey earlier in the week but he hadn’t been on the field since September anyway. If anything, I see last week’s loss to the Saints as a rallying point for the 2-4 Jags. Take Jacksonville (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between Minnesota and Detroit at 1 pm et on Sunday.

With the Vikings coming off a high-scoring affair against the Eagles last week this is an ideal spot to jump back on the ‘under’ as they hit the road to face the Lions, who are playing on a short week following Monday night’s highly-disappointing loss in Green Bay. We’ve seen Minnesota really open up its offense in the last couple of weeks with WRs Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs taking turns going off. Here, I think we can count on a return to form from the Vikings offense as they’ll likely lean heavily on RB Dalvin Cook and even backup Alexander Mattison, who played a key role in last week’s victory. The Lions run defense has struggled at times, including on Monday night when it allowed Packers RB Jamaal Williams to run wild. I do look for Detroit to bounce back in that regard here at home, however, and feel that the Lions pass defense does match up well against the Vikes dynamic tandem of Thielen and Diggs. Detroit got off to a nice start offensively at Lambeau Field on Monday but couldn’t sustain it – a common theme with this offense over the years. Here, the Lions face the unenviable task of playing on a short week against one of the league’s best defenses. Note that Minnesota excels at pressuring opposing quarterbacks and has held opposing running backs well south of four yards per rush this season. Detroit simply has too few reliable options in its passing game to worry me all that much against a good, but not great Vikes pass defense. Take the under (10*).

NFL AFC South Game of the Month. My selection is on Indianapolis minus the points over Houston at 1 pm et on Sunday.

The Texans upset win in Kansas City is still fresh in the minds of bettors while the Colts win on that same field the week previous has been all but forgotten, leading to a favorable line for the home side in this AFC South showdown on Sunday. The bye week came at the right time for Indianapolis as it is expected to have MLB Darius Leonard and WR T.Y. Hilton back at full speed this Sunday. Meanwhile, the Texans defense is in a really tough position with an injury-ravaged secondary, preparing to face Hilton, who has been a real thorn in their side over the years. While I have a lot of confidence in Texans QB DeShaun Watson, not to mention WR DeAndre Hopkins, I have little confidence in anyone else on the Houston offense, nor in play-caller and head coach Bill O’Brien. I simply see this as an excellent spot to fade the Texans off a huge win last week as they head on the road to face a better-coached, and still underrated Colts squad on Sunday afternoon. Take Indianapolis (10*).

My selection is on the ‘over’ between Arizona and New York at 1 pm et on Sunday.

We have another shootout waiting to happen in a game involving the Cardinals on Sunday afternoon. After cashing with the ‘over’ in last week’s win over the Falcons, there’s no reason to jump ship here. Arizona has the perfect make-up as an ‘over’ team in today’s NFL. The Cardinals offense can move the football in a myriad of different ways and plays up-tempo regardless the situation. Their defense is one of the weakest in the league. I’ll get back to that in a moment. Here we can expect Arizona to absolutely throttled a weak Giants defense that allows just under five yards per rush and have done nothing to slow any opposing pass game with a pulse this season. The Giants offense continues to boast plenty of upside with rookie QB Daniel Jones under center. This week Jones will get some much needed help with the return of do-it-all RB Saquon Barkley. Running backs have absolutely terrorized the Cards defense this season, both on the ground and through the air. Arizona will get CB Patrick Peterson back from suspension this week but how effective he’ll be remains to be seen. I don’t think it’s simply a matter of his return curing all that ails this defense. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between Tulane and Memphis at 7 pm et on Saturday.

We won with the ‘under’ in Tulane’s rout of Connecticut last Saturday and I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the same play here. The Green Wave will obviously be facing a much tougher challenge this time around. Note that Tulane hasn’t really been overly tested but when it did go on the road to face Auburn it managed just six points. Memphis isn’t Auburn but will pose a difficult challenge. Last week, the Tigers didn’t bring their ‘A’ game defensively, digging themselves a 23-7 first half hole before rallying. I do give them credit for stiffening up in the second half, allowing just a single touchdown in the game’s final 30 minutes. Look for the Tigers to come out of the gate much stronger back at home. The Green Wave by no means possess an elite defense, but we have certainly seen positive signs. Going back to that matchup with Auburn, they held the Tigers out of the end zone until the second quarter and also went a stretch of 22 game minutes from the second quarter into the third quarter before allowing another touchdown. When these two teams squared off last season Tulane rolled to a 40-24 victory. I expect this one to be more tightly contested, which should lend itself to a lower-scoring affair. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on SMU minus the points over Temple at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

This is being pegged as a real tough test for SMU as it welcomes 5-1 Temple to Gerald J. Ford Stadium on Saturday afternoon. I’m confident the Mustangs will be up to the challenge. Temple should be commended for its strong start, but it’s not as if it has been overly tested. The Owls wins have come against Bucknell, Maryland, Georgia Tech, East Carolina and Memphis. The win over Maryland certainly could have gone either way as they won by a score of 20-17 and last week the Owls did everything they could to give the game away after building a big 23-7 first half lead against a shell-shocked Memphis squad. Here, I’m confident the Owls will get the Mustangs best punch. SMU enters the game off its bye week which came on the heels of a wild 43-37 triple-overtime win over Tulsa. It certainly got caught flat-footed in that one – its first game as a top-25 ranked team since 1986 – falling behind big before rallying with three unanswered fourth quarter touchdowns to force overtime. Temple should garner its full attention here. The Mustangs have put up 40+ points in all but one of their six games so far this season and should approach that number again. I’m not convinced the Owls will be able to keep up. Take SMU (10*).

CFB Blowout Game of the Month. My selection is on Buffalo minus the points over Akron at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

This one has blowout written all over it as a hungry Buffalo squad travels to face winless Akron. The Bulls have faced a tough early season schedule so it’s not surprising that they enter this contest with just two wins to their credit. Things do get easier from here, starting with what should be a layup against the Zips. Look for the Buffalo ground game to really get rolling in this one. Note that last week Akron got torched for 208 rushing yards on 39 attempts by Kent State running back Will Matthews and quarterback Dustin Crum. Buffalo’s tandem of Kevin Marks and Jaret Patterson have the potential to improve on those numbers here. Buffalo has shown it has blowout potential having already defeated FCS squad Robert Morris (who I wouldn’t rank far below Akron) 35-10 and Temple 38-22. The Bulls took this matchup by a 24-6 score last season. Take Buffalo (10*).

CFB Big 12 Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between TCU and Kansas State at 2:30 pm et on Saturday.

Things really got away from TCU in its most recent game as it dropped an ugly 49-24 decision on the road against Iowa State. I look for the Horned Frogs to do a much better job of controlling proceedings against Kansas State on Saturday and that lends itself to a much lower-scoring affair. Keep in mind, that game against Iowa State essentially turned on a Cyclones defensive fumble return for a touchdown three minutes into the second quarter. Offensively, TCU has shown flashes of brilliance but those flashes have been few and far between. QB Max Duggan has been inconsistent at best, passing for over 200 yards only once, that coming in comeback mode against Iowa State. There's no question, the Horned Frogs will face a tough challenge in the form of Kansas State's defense on Saturday. After dropping back-to-back conference tilts against Oklahoma State and Baylor, in blowout fashion no less, this is obviously a huge game for the Wildcats. Like TCU, Kansas State's offense has been less than impressive. At home against Baylor, Kansas State didn't find the end zone until there were less than seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The good news is, in that same contest, the 'Cats held Baylor out of the end zone until the final seven minutes of the first half. This was a defensive struggle last year with TCU prevailing 14-13. Take the under (10*).

CFB MAC Total of the Year. My selection is on the 'over' between Toledo and Ball State at 2 pm et on Saturday.

This matchup was no contest a year ago as Toledo rolled to a 45-13 win. As the line would indicate, this should be a far more competitive affair, and I believe that lends itself to a high-scoring game. Ball State has reeled off back-to-back wins after starting its campaign with a 1-3 record. The Cardinals have already been involved in some shootouts. They can beat you through the air and on the ground with little talked about RB Caleb Huntley absolutely going off over the last two games, rushing for 309 yards on 64 carries. The touchdowns haven't come just yet (he has just five through six games this season) but it's only a matter of time. QB Drew Plitt has been bombing away, attempting at least 32 passes in five of six games to date. He has already tossed 13 touchdowns. The Cardinals will need all of that offense and then some against a Toledo squad that will be in a sour mood after scoring just seven points in a loss at Bowling Green last week. Keep in mind, the Rockets entered that game sporting a 4-1 record, having scored 145 points over the course of a four-game winning streak. Rockets RB Bryant Koback has already ran for at least 177 yards on two different occasions this season and should have a field day against the Ball State defense on Saturday. Toledo admittedly has questions at QB after Mitchell Guadagni suffered an injury last week but it's not as if he's been setting the MAC on fire. Take the over (10*).

CFB ACC Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Pittsburgh and Syracuse at 7 pm et on Friday.

Most are expecting a shootout in this Friday night ACC tilt but I'm looking for a different story to unfold at the Carrier Dome. Pittsburgh is coming off a wild, high-scoring 33-30 win at Duke last time out. Keep in mind, the Panthers built a huge 26-3 lead in that contest and actually didn't give up a touchdown until the final three minutes of the third quarter. They sagged late and let the Blue Devils stage a furious rally, even giving up the lead in the fourth quarter before securing the win with a late touchdown. That should only amp up their concentration on the defensive side of the football in this one, and I see this as a manageable matchup against an inconsistent Syracuse offense. Note that earlier this season, Pitt didn't give up a touchdown against a powerful UCF offense until the final five minutes of the first half. Syracuse is coming off a tough 16-10 loss at N.C. State last week. The Orange are off to a frustrating 3-3 start. QB Tommy DeVito has looked terrific at times but has been far too inconsistent. 11 of his 12 touchdown passes have come in three games and he has also thrown five interceptions. Syracuse's ground attack has been equally inconsistent. Take the under (10*).

NFL AFC West Total of the Month. My selection is on the ‘over’ between Kansas City and Denver at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

When these two teams met on this field last October we saw the total settle out around 54 points. That game failed to eclipse that number but here I look for a different story to unfold, at a more favorable number for ‘over’ bettors. The Chiefs defense is a mess. They’re allowing well north of five yards per rush this season, which sets up especially well for the Broncos two-headed backfield attack featuring Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman. The Broncos won’t shy away from pounding the football in an effort to chew up the clock and effectively shorten this game, but I’m confident they’ll break off enough big runs to finish drives with touchdowns on the board. Given the Chiefs highly disappointing and virtually non-existent pass rush, oft-criticized Denver QB Joe Flacco should be able to find some success through the air in this one as well. Kansas City obviously possesses an elite offense, even if it isn’t going to match the numbers it put up during an incredible 2018 campaign. This is an admittedly tough matchup against a quality Broncos defense but off back-to-back losses, you can be sure the Chiefs offense will come out swinging and WR Tyreek Hill certainly looked no worse for wear in his first game back from injury last Sunday. Bettors are very hesitant to play the ‘over’ in this one due to the Broncos knack for getting involved in low-scoring games but that only serves to give us value with the total being set lower than it should be in my opinion. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on Louisiana-Lafayette minus the points over Arkansas State at 7:30 pm et on Thursday.

The Ragin' Cajuns are coming off a tough 17-7 loss at home against Appalachian State in a rematch of last year's Sun Belt championship game. They're installed as a road favorite here in what looks like a tough matchup with Arkansas State, on paper at least. In a game that has true shootout potential, I have more confidence in the Louisiana-Lafayette defense to get a couple of key stops when it needs it on Thursday night. I also like the fact that the Ragin' Cajuns boast one of the best rushing attacks in the nation. They have the tandem of backs in Elijah Mitchell and Trey Ragas to effectively shorten this game and put it away for good should they be able to build a lead. Arkansas State has absolutely exploded offensively over its last few games with QB Layne Hatcher tossing eight touchdown passes in his last two contests. Don't count on a repeat performance against a capable Cajuns defense here. Take Louisiana-Lafayette (10*).

NFC North Game of the Month. My selection is on Detroit plus the points over Green Bay at 8:15 pm et on Monday.

Simply put, I'm not sure the Packers are as good as their 4-1 record, or last week's high-scoring win over the Cowboys would seem to indicate. They'll be without WR DaVante Adams again on Monday night and with their defense sagging, I'm not sure they'll be able to get past the Lions without a serious fight. Detroit was written off by most before the season even began, and certainly following an ugly season-opening tie in Arizona. Since then, Detroit has been somewhat inconsistent, but has managed to battle its way to a 2-1-1 mark and can gain ground on the division rival Packers with a win here. I like the way the Lions underrated offense matches up against the Packers suddenly struggling defense and on the flip side, I also think the Detroit defense can give QB Aaron Rodgers some serious heartburn here. RB Aaron Jones went off against the Cowboys last Sunday but don't count on a repeat performance here as Matt LaFleur seems determined to give RB Jamaal Williams his share of touches as well, even if it may be to the detriment of the offense. The Lions have two wins to their credit at Lambeau Field since 2015 so there's no real intimidation factor at play here. Take Detroit (10*).

My selection is on the 'under' between Pittsburgh and Los Angeles at 8:20 pm et on Sunday.

Pittsburgh is in dire straits on offense right now with both Ben Roethlisberger and Mason Rudolph sidelined. Don't discount the loss of change-of-pace RB Jaylen Samuels either. Simply put, the Steelers offense has been a plodding unit at the best of times this season and now heads to the west coast with that is sure to be a conservative, run-based offensive gameplan. Los Angeles hasn't been great against the run but can focus its defensive focus on slowing RB James Conner and a one-dimensional offense here. The Chargers are somewhat committed to working RB Melvin Gordon back into the fold but there's no question, he didn't look great in last week's season debut. With key injuries on their offensive line the Chargers are limited in what they can do offensively right now. This isn't an ideal matchup against an underrated Steelers defense that can generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks and while RB Austin Ekeler and WR Keenan Allen can inflict some damage, I still believe this total will prove to be too high. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on the 'over' between Atlanta and Arizona at 4:05 pm et on Sunday.

This game has true shootout potential as the Falcons travel to Glendale to take on the Cardinals. Atlanta was involved in a shootout last week in Houston, ultimately falling well short in a blowout loss. The Falcons offense continues to roll along with Matt Ryan airing it out more than any other quarterback in the NFL. Nothing changes this week as Ryan faces a less-than-imposing Cardinals pass defense that continues to play without corners Peterson and Alford. Not only that but Arizona isn't generating any pressure on opposing quarterbacks which means Ryan should have plenty of time to find his terrific wide receiving corps for big gains. On the flip side, this is a potential blow-up spot for Cards rookie QB Kyler Murray. Like the Cards, the Falcons aren't putting any pressure on opposing quarterbacks and Murray should have little trouble beating them both through the air and on the ground. There are questions whether RB David Johnson will be able to play through a bad back but even if he can't go, backup RB Chase Edmonds showed last week he's more than up for the challenge. Take the over (10*).

NFL NFC North Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between Cincinnati and Baltimore at 1 pm et on Sunday.

Both of these teams were involved in tightly-contested affairs last Sunday and while both games went 'over' the total, neither contest was a shootout. Here, I believe the potential is there for a shootout as the Bengals try to stay competitive, and should have a good shot at doing so against an injury-plagued, and struggling Ravens defense. On the flip side, this is a tremendous opportunity for the Baltimore offense to run wild against an awful Bengals defense. Teams have absolutely steamrolled Cincinnati on the ground this season and few teams are set up better to do exactly that than the Ravens. QB Lamar Jackson is coming off a good but not great performance in an overtime win over the rival Steelers last Sunday. Look for him to find the going a lot easier in this one. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on LSU minus the points over Florida at 8 pm et on Saturday.

This is the marquee matchup on Saturday’s board as the 6-0 Gators challenge the 5-0 Tigers in the Bayou. While Florida is coming off a hard-fought emotional home win over rival Auburn last Saturday, LSU enjoyed nothing more than a tune-up in a 42-6 rout of Utah State. I’m still not sure we’ve seen the best the Tigers have to offer, which is saying something considering they’ve scored 60+ points on two separate occasions already this season. This is the game where I look for the LSU defense to step to the forefront and serve as the key to victory. Gators standouts Lamical Perine and Freddie Swain absolutely exploded against Auburn last Saturday but I’m confident the Tigers will do a better job of keeping that duo in check in this one. Florida QB Kyle Trask has managed the last couple of games nicely but won’t be able to match LSU QB Joe Burrow in this one. While we can’t expect Burrow to keep up his ridiculous pace, I do look for him to consistently put the Tigers in good position to score on Saturday night, ultimately helping them pull away for another convincing win. Take LSU (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between Army and Western Kentucky at 7 pm et on Saturday.

We’re dealing with a relatively low posted total in this one but the number is warranted in my opinion. Army is coming off back-to-back uncharacteristic high-scoring games, splitting those contests against Morgan State and Tulane. This one sets up as a slugfest, however, noting that Western Kentucky has seen three of its five games this season total 34 points or less. The Hilltoppers have managed to score more than 21 points only once, and that came back in Week 1 against FCS squad Central Arkansas. While last week’s game got away from them, the Black Knights have proven they can play hard-nosed defensive football, allowing a grand total of just 65 points through their first four contests this season. Take the under (10*).

CFB Big 12 Game of the Month. My selection is on Baylor minus the points over Texas Tech at 4 pm et on Saturday.

Baylor is one of the nation’s more surprising undefeated teams as we head into mid-October. The Bears are coming off back-to-back impressive wins over Iowa State and Kansas State and now have the opportunity to really get rolling before heading on the road for a showdown with Oklahoma State next week. Texas Tech is in a clear letdown spot here as it tries to follow up a surprising 45-35 win over Oklahoma State last Saturday. The Red Raiders jumped all over a Cowboys squad that was arguably ‘fat and happy’ off a big win over Kansas State the week previous. Keep in mind, Texas Tech is still playing without starting QB Alan Bowman. Jett Duffey has filled in admirably, not only this season but last year as well, but faces a tall task against a quality Baylor defense here. Just two weeks ago, Duffey was held to 11-of-20 passing for 120 yards and ran the ball seven times for just 16 yards against Oklahoma. Take Baylor (10*).

CFB Total of the Week. My selection is on the ‘under’ between Connecticut and Tulane at 3:45 pm et on Saturday.

Connecticut was in a terrific spot to earn its second win of the season last week as it hosted an injury-plagued South Florida squad at home. Not only did the Huskies fail to win that game, they got blown out by a 48-22 score. Their lone victory this season came against FCS squad Wagner at home back in Week 1. Things won’t get any easier as they travel to face upstart Tulane here, noting that UConn has topped out at 24 points – that performance coming against aforementioned Wagner. Tulane was involved in a surprising shootout against Army at West Point last Saturday, prevailing by a 42-33 score. That was actually the Green Wave’s second consecutive shootout win after defeating Houston 38-31 two weeks previous. I don’t think Tulane will be interested in getting involved in another high-scoring affair here. Remember, earlier this season we saw the Green Wave give up just 44 points over a three-game stretch that included a road date with Auburn (they gave up 24 points in that loss). This is a ‘win and move on’ type of situation for the Green Wave and that sets up well for us with an ‘under’ ticket in hand. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on Alabama minus the points over Texas A&M at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

We got backdoored by Texas A&M earlier this season as it scored a last-second touchdown to close the gap to 14 points at Clemson. I won’t hesitate to go back to the well fading the Aggies here, however, as they face another steep challenge against Alabama. We actually cashed an ‘under’ ticket the last time A&M took the field, two weeks ago against Arkansas in Dallas. The Aggies had a tough time putting away a middle-of-the-road Arkansas squad on that day, ultimately prevailing by a 31-27 score. QB Kellen Mond has now thrown four interceptions and has fumbled the football three times through five games this season. If he can’t take care of the football against the Crimson Tide it will be lights out in a hurry for the Aggies. There’s not a lot to say about Alabama. The Tide continue to roll but after giving up a grand total of 43 points in their first four games they allowed 31 against Ole Miss last Saturday. That should help keep their motivation level high as they head to College Station, noting that ‘Bama took this matchup by 22 points last season. Take Alabama (10*).

CFB AAC Game of the Year. My selection is on Memphis minus the points over Temple at 12 noon et on Saturday.

I really like the way this spot sets up for a Memphis team that remains under the radar despite its perfect 5-0 record. The Tigers are coming off a 52-point explosion on the road against Louisiana-Monroe last week. RB Kenneth Gainwell is seemingly getting better with each passing game, racking up well north of 350 rush yards and four touchdowns over his last three contests. The Tigers defense didn’t perform particularly well in last week’s win, but did earn the game-sealing interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. We have seen this unit step up when it has needed to – remember Memphis defeated Ole Miss by a 15-10 score back in Week 1. We suffered a tough backdoor defeat with Temple last week as it won in unimpressive fashion at East Carolina. The Owls are off to a solid 4-1 start this season but only their victory over then-21st ranked Maryland back on September 14th was all that impressive. Their offense seems to be regressing each week and that’s certainly not encouraging as they could very well need to keep up in a shootout here on Saturday. Take Memphis (10*).

My selection is on Georgia minus the points over South Carolina at 12 noon et on Saturday.

Georgia doesn’t seem to garner the same respect level as Alabama and Oklahoma but it should. The Bulldogs are off to a perfect 5-0 start, allowing a grand total of just 54 points in the process. The final score read 43-14 but last week’s win in Tennessee wasn’t a true blowout. Here, I look for Georgia to be even sharper. South Carolina has won twice in five games so far this season, including a 24-7 rout of Kentucky last week. That could leave the Gamecocks a little ‘fat and happy’ entering this not likely winnable contest on Saturday. Note that South Carolina has topped the 24-point mark only once this season and that came against FCS squad Charleston Southern. In the Gamecocks two road games to date they gave up 58 points against North Carolina and Missouri. Georgia rolled to a 24-point victory in this matchup last year but I don’t expect it to overlook South Carolina in this spot. Take Georgia (10*).

My selection is on the 'under' between Virginia and Miami at 8 pm et on Friday.

The Hurricanes are coming off a high-scoring affair last week against Virginia Tech while Virginia is coming off a much-needed bye week following an ugly performance on the road against Notre Dame. I'm anticipating a relatively low-scoring affair here. The Canes ultimately put up 35 points and now starting QB N'Kosi Perry threw for over 400 yards and four touchdowns last week against the Hokies but that had everything to do with the fact they were playing out of a 28-0 hole in the second quarter. Miami isn't built to win shootouts and won't be interested in another track meet here. The same goes for Virginia. The Cavaliers are off to a 4-1 start this season but have played a rather uneven brand of football on both offense and defense. With no semblance of a ground game, I'm not sure they're going to be able to generate a lot of offense against a good Miami defense in bounce-back mode here. Defensively, I do think the Cavaliers can limit the Canes offense that isn't as good as it showed on the scoresheet last week. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on Louisiana-Monroe minus the points over Texas State at 9:15 pm et on Thursday.

At the onset of the season I had Texas State rated as one of the worst teams in the entire nation and despite the Bobcats 2-3 record, I still believe that is the case. Louisiana-Monroe checks in with an identical 2-3 mark but it has certainly faced a difficult draw with its three losses coming against Florida State and Iowa State on the road and undefeated Memphis at home. Even though the Warhawks lost by 19 at home against the Tigers last time out, that was a competitive game until the fourth quarter. Texas State has one impressive victory to its credit, or somewhat impressive at least. The Bobcats took down Georgia State by a 37-34 score at home back on September 21st. Keep in mind, they needed three overtimes to get it done and it's worth noting they didn't reach the end zone on offense until the final four minutes of the first half and then not again until overtime. The Warhawks took this matchup a year ago and I expect a similar story to unfold here. Take Louisiana-Monroe (10*).

NFL Thursday Night Football Game of the Month. My selection is on New England minus the points over New York at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

We won with the Patriots as a massive road favorite last Sunday in Washington and there’s little reason to jump ship as they return home on a short week to host the injury-riddled Giants on Thursday night. New York is expected to be without arguably its two best offensive players in this one as RB Saquon Barkley and TE Evan Engram are sidelined with injuries. That leaves rookie QB Daniel Jones in a really tough position going up against a fierce Patriots defense that should have little trouble exposing the Giants offensive line. Even when Jones does have time in the pocket he’ll have few options to work with down field. Maybe WR Golden Tate goes off in his second game back but I highly doubt it. It’s also worth mentioning that WR Sterling Shepard will miss this game after suffering an ugly concussion last week. Offensively, the Pats should be able to do whatever they want against one of the weakest defenses in the league. New York has had an extremely difficult time slowing down any opposing offense other than the lowly Redskins this season and continues to deal with a number of key injuries. The Patriots really didn’t get rolling until the second half against the Redskins last Sunday but still managed to put 30+ points on the board. Expect a sharper performance from Tom Brady and co. here as they roll past the G-Men in Foxborough. Take New England (10*).

My selection is on the 'over' between New York and New England at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

With word coming out that the Giants will be missing Saquon Barkley, Evan Engram and Sterling Shepard (among others) we've seen a considerable drop in this total (not to mention an ugly weather forecast). I feel it's gone too low. Simply put, I don't expect the Giants to possess the football long enough to churn out long, clock-eating drives in this game. Maybe we'll see the Patriots take their foot off the gas at some point, but even if they do, they'll likely have already contributed enough points to help this one 'over' the number. We're not asking much out of the Giants offense here and I don't believe they'll get completely shut out. Take the over (9*).

NFL Monday Night Football Total of the Year. My selection is on the 'under' between Cleveland and San Francisco at 8:15 pm et on Monday.

I absolutely love the way this play sets up on Monday night in Santa Clara. The Browns are coming off an offensive explosion on the road against the division rival Ravens last week but don't count on a repeat performance here. Cleveland came up with the perfect gameplan for that matchup, focusing on quick passes and run plays to beat up on an undermanned and struggling Ravens defense. Now the Browns stay on the road and travel across the country for a matchup with the upstart (and undefeated) 49ers, who have gotten some tremendous defensive play in the early going this season. While the Browns defense is in for some regression here, I do think their defense can hold up well against everyone not named George Kittle on Monday night. Kittle will get his, but look for the Browns 'D' to do a nice job of containing the Niners offense as a whole. Cleveland is getting a little healthier on the defensive side of the football and it matches up well with the middle-of-the-road San Francisco offense. This total has everything to do with the Browns high-scoring result last week and the early season thinking that the Niners would be involved in plenty of shootouts this season. Neither angle is really in touch with reality at this point. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on the 'over' between Jacksonville and Carolina at 1 pm et on Sunday.

We missed the mark with the 'over' in the Panthers win in Houston last Sunday but I won't hesitate to go back to the well with the same play here. The door is open for another big game from Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette with the Panthers now missing DT Kawann Short. Note that even with Short in action, Carolina hasn't fared well against opposing run games, allowing just shy of 4.8 yards per rush. The Panthers are in a strong bounce-back spot offensively after getting held down by the Texans last Sunday. With Jaguars stud CB Jalen Ramsey ruled out once again, look for Panthers QB Kyle Allen to take full advantage. Even the bumbling Broncos offense was able to get rolling against this defense last week in Denver, and this certainly isn't an ideal spot for the Jags playing on the road for a second straight week. Nothing really needs to be said about the Panthers ground game as RB Christian McCaffrey can move the chains regardless the situation. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on the 'over' between Atlanta and Houston at 1 pm et on Sunday.

This game has true shootout potential, even after both of these offenses struggled mightily in last week's contests. With the Texans allowing north of 4.5 yards per carry on the ground, things should open up for Falcons QB Matt Ryan through the air in this one. Houston has one of the weakest secondaries in the entire NFL but held up fine last week thanks to Panthers QB Kyle Allen not testing it with deep passes. We should see a much different story unfold here with Ryan and WR Julio Jones in line for a big game. Atlanta's defense ranks second-to-last in the league in sacks this season and could be in for a long afternoon if it can't generate any pressure on Texans QB Deshaun Watson. WR DeAndre Hopkins has faced a murderer's row of cornerbacks in recent weeks but catches a break here against the Falcons struggling secondary. I've been calling for breakout games from WR Will Fuller for weeks now but it has yet to happen. This could certainly be the spot. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on New England minus the points over Washington at 1 pm et on Sunday.

The oddsmakers really can't set this line high enough as the Patriots should have little trouble disposing of the Redskins in Washington on Sunday. This could be the end of the line for 'Skins head coach Jay Gruden. The team is in further turmoil this week after word got out that Gruden didn't want the team to draft QB Dwayne Haskins. Colt McCoy will get the start under center this week but your guess is as good as mine as to whether he'll finish the game. The Patriots defense has arguably been the best in football this season and should absolutely feast on a miserable Redskins offensive line. Washington's only real bright spot this season has been WR Terry McLaurin but he's dealing with a hamstring injury and questionable to play after missing last week's game. Even if he can go, he'll face the daunting challenge of Pats CB Stephon Gilmore's coverage here. I'm not even sure we'll need a lot from the New England offense but this is a really nice bounce-back spot off of last week's hard-fought, low-scoring win in Buffalo. Take New England (10*).

My selection is on Michigan State plus the points over Ohio State at 7:30 pm et on Saturday.

We won with Ohio State in its absolute annihilation of Nebraska last Saturday night but I'm expecting a much tighter affair this week as the Buckeyes welcome Michigan State to The Horseshoe. We also cashed in this matchup a year ago, winning a ticket on the 'under'. I do think we'll see points come at a premium again this year (last year's tilt reached only 32 total points). With that in mind, we're being given an awful lot of points with a quality Spartans squad. All most bettors can remember is Michigan State's ugly low-scoring home loss to Arizona State earlier this season. Outside of that game, the Spartans offense has performed well, however, and combine that with a terrific defense and I think Michigan State can stick around and make things interesting here. With a pointspread this generous and considering the tendency the Buckeyes have shown to ease off the gas in the later stages of football games (due entirely to building insurmountable leads), Spartans tickets should be in play right down to the final whistle. Take Michigan State (10*).

My selection is on the 'over' between Western Michigan and Toledo at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

This one is being pegged as a shootout and I expect it to play out as exactly that on Saturday afternoon at the Glass Bowl. Last year this matchup produced 75 points in a game that wasn't competitive as Toledo rolled to a 51-24 victory. I do feel the Broncos are much better-suited to surviving a shootout this time around, keeping in mind we cashed a ticket on the 'over' in Western Michigan's wild 52-33 loss at Syracuse just two weeks ago. Things predictably settled down in the Broncos 31-15 win over Western Michigan last week but I'm confident the offense will ramp back up again here. Toledo is coming off a hard-fought 28-21 home win over BYU last week - the Rockets really couldn't have performed any better defensively in that one. Just two weeks ago they allowed 35 points in a narrow win at Colorado State. This is a team that can light it up through the air and on the ground and one that should have little trouble ripping through a weak Western Michigan defense. The concern for the Rockets has to be that they'll be in for a letdown here, particularly on the defensive side of the football, and the Broncos will certainly be ready to take advantage of that. This is a high total, but it's high for a reason. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on Army plus the points over Tulane at 12 noon et on Saturday.

In a game where points should come at a premium, I'll gladly grab the points with what I believe is the better team, at home no less, on Saturday afternoon. Tulane is coming off an emotional 38-31 win over Houston on national tv, but that came more than two weeks ago. The Green Wave were certainly up for that spotlight game at home but I'm not convinced we're going to see the same type of emotionally-fueled performance here. Army stumbled out of the gates this season, narrowly escaping with a 14-7 win over Rice back in Week 1. The Black Knights have gotten stronger with each passing week, however, including a near stunning upset win on the road against Michigan and back-to-back blowout victories over UTSA and Morgan State. Like Tulane, Army is also coming off its bye week. In what should be a competitive contest, I like the Knights to come away victorious. Take Army (10*).

My selection is on New Mexico plus the points over San Jose State at 10 pm et on Friday.

This isn't a pretty matchup by any means as New Mexico travels to face San Jose State with both teams sporting identical 2-2 records. All that most remember about the Lobos is that they got throttled 66-14 at Notre Dame two weeks ago. But let's keep things in perspective. New Mexico actually didn't allow an offensive touchdown until over three minutes into the second quarter in that game. They suffered some big defensive breakdowns allowing big play touchdowns in that contest, but won't face anything close to the same type of challenge against the Spartans here. San Jose State is coming off a 41-24 loss to Air Force last week. After scoring a touchdown in the first five minutes of the game, the Spartans didn't reach the end zone again until there were less than four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. In their first home game this season - a 34-16 loss against Tulsa - the Spartans didn't reach the end zone until over halfway through the second quarter and then not again until there were less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter. Look for New Mexico to do a good job of shortening this game by churning out long drives, which obviously works in our favor with a play on the underdog. Take New Mexico (10*).

My selection is on the 'under' between Los Angeles and Seattle at 8:20 pm et on Thursday.

The Rams are coming off a ridiculously high-scoring game in a stunning home loss to the Bucs last Sunday afternoon but I'm not about to write off this defense. Facing a familiar division opponent should be just what the doctor ordered in this 'get right' matchup for the defense. This is by no means an easy challenge as the Seahawks offense has been rolling along but I do think the Rams will be up for it. On the flip side, the Seattle defense is coming off a stellar performance in Arizona last Sunday and will no question feed off the energy of the home crowd here, especially considering the last time they played on this field things did not go well against the Saints. We saw two high-scoring games between these two teams last season but that hasn't been the norm in this series. I'm not sure either squad is interested in a shootout traveling on a short week with a lot on the line in-division. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on Temple minus the points over East Carolina at 8 pm et on Thursday.

Temple has absolutely owned this series, reeling off five straight double-digit victories in five meetings since 2014. The Owls are off to a 3-1 start this season but haven't looked all that impressive in getting there. Here, on the national stage on Thursday night, I look for them to get loose against an East Carolina squad that isn't as good as it 3-2 record would seem to indicate. We were on the 'over' in East Carolina's narrow 24-21 win over Old Dominion last Saturday. That was by no means an impressive victory as neither team was able to get anything going in a truly ugly affair. Save for a 48-point outburst against FCS squad Gardner-Webb, the Pirates offense has been non-existent this season. The game script should set up well for the Owls to ultimately put this game away with a dynamic offense that has yet to really get rolling this season. Veteran QB Adam Russo got bogged down against Georgia Tech last week but has still thrown 10 touchdowns through four games this season. Meanwhile, RB Re'Mahn Davis is coming off a breakout 135-yards, two-touchdown performance against the Yellow Jackets and should run wild on an ECU defense that got torched for 315 yards on the ground against Navy earlier this season. Take Temple (10*).

CFB Sun Belt Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between Georgia Southern and South Alabama at 7:30 pm et on Thursday.

We're looking at a low total here largely due to the fact that these two teams have just two wins between them and both have been wildly inconsistent, and downright awful at times, on the offensive side of the football. I do have confidence in the quarterback play on both sides, however, and think this total should be set in the 50's - noting that last year's meeting produced north of 60 points in a Georgia Southern blowout. I do anticipate a more competitive affair here. South Alabama has the pieces in place on offense for a breakout with QB Cephus Johnson making strides and showing his ability to move the football on the ground and RB Tra Minter one of the most overlooked and underrated running backs in the country who is also capable of contributing big plays in the return game. Georgia Southern should have little trouble moving the football with QB Shai Werts leading the charge. The Jaguars possess one of the weaker defenses in the nation and didn't have a hope of slowing the Eagles offense last season. I don't see much changing here for the Jags on the defensive side of the football. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on Pittsburgh minus the points over Cincinnati at 8:15 pm et on Monday.

After cashing with Pittsburgh in an ATS but not SU victory in San Francisco last Sunday, I like the Steelers to cover the number again, albeit as a favorite this time around. This is an excellent matchup for the Steelers defense to absolutely tee off on a Bengals offensive line that has struggled to open up running lanes for Joe Mixon while also allowing opponents to get a ton of pressure on QB Andy Dalton. Should the Steelers build a lead they'll be able to pin their ears back and force a key turnover or two as this game progresses. On the flip side, the Steelers offense will likely go back to basics here and let RB James Conner go to work against a Bengals defense that has surrendered a whopping 5.2 yards per rush this season. Last week's matchup wasn't good for Steelers QB Mason Rudolph but he should bounce back against a much more favorable draw here. Cincinnati has not done a good job of generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks, recording just five sacks so far this season. Take Pittsburgh (10*).

NFL NFC Game of the Month. My selection is on Los Angeles minus the points over Tampa Bay at 4:05 pm et on Sunday.

This game has blowout written all over it as the Rams return home following a business-like 20-13 win in Cleveland last Sunday night. Los Angeles used a supreme defensive effort to hold off a hungry Browns squad in that one but here should be able to get loose offensively, particularly through the air against a struggle Bucs pass defense. On the flip side, I don’t see the Bucs accomplishing much in this one with the Rams outstanding secondary likely to take care of business against the dynamic duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Tampa Bay’s ground game is a virtual non-factor and playing from behind on Sunday isn’t likely to change that. Look for another dominant performance from the Rams as they remain undefeated with another convincing win. Take Los Angeles (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between Tampa Bay and Los Angeles at 4:05 pm et on Sunday.

This total checks in much higher than I expected, largely due to the shootout with the Giants the Bucs were involved in last Sunday afternoon. Here, I look for Tampa Bay to have a tough time getting anything going offensively against an elite Rams defense. Head coach Bruce Arians would be wise to dial back QB Jameis Winston here in an effort to at least sustain some drives and avoid costly turnovers. While Los Angeles has the potential to explode offensively in this one, it doesn’t have a track record of embarrassing the opposition. Tampa Bay has actually done a nice job of holding enemy running backs in check this season and the Rams aren’t likely to completely abandon their ground game in this one, opening the door for some long, clock-churning drives. Take the under (10*).

NFL NFC East Total of the Year. My selection is on the ‘over’ between Washington and New York at 1 pm et on Sunday.

We won with the ‘over’ in the Redskins ugly, turnover-fueled blowout loss to the Bears on Monday night and I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the same play here. Washington will certainly be taking a step down in class against the Giants defense, which has been repeatedly abused by opposing offenses this season. There’s no help coming for the G-Men in that department, in fact things could get even worse due to injuries at the linebacker position. Meanwhile, the New York offense got a major boost from rookie QB Daniel Jones last Sunday in Tampa and he’s primed for another big performance here. We saw New York TE Evan Engram absolutely explode against the Bucs last week and we can count on more of the same against the Redskins weak pass defense here. Even with the absence of all-world RB Saquon Barkley, look for the Giants offensive resurgence to continue for another week. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on the ‘over’ between Carolina and Houston at 1 pm et on Sunday.

We won with the ‘over’ in the Panthers blowout win in Arizona last week while just missing with the same play in the Texans impressive road win over the Chargers. The latter game appeared headed well north of the total before things ground to a halt in the fourth quarter. I’m not anticipating a similar story to unfold here. This is another fine matchup for Panthers backup QB Kyle Allen, who delivered a truly impressive performance, albeit against a very beatable Cardinals defense last week. The Panthers speed at the wide receiver position is likely to give the Texans fits here while RB Christian McCaffrey should have little trouble both on the ground and through the air against a defense that has been very vulnerable against opposing running backs this season. It’s always a bit of a leap of faith when supporting the Texans offense, due to a couple of reasons, the least of which being the play-calling of Bill O’Brien and the other the issues on the offensive line. Houston did seem to sort out its o-line issues in last week’s game and the pure talent of QB Deshaun Watson and WR DeAndre Hopkins always helps limit the worry around this offense in general. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on Kansas City minus the points over Detroit at 1 pm et on Sunday.

Perhaps due to their weak defense and the surprising start of the Lions, the Chiefs remain a relatively short road favorite in Detroit on Sunday afternoon. We won with the Lions in their upset victory in Philadelphia last week but that had more to do with the Eagles laundry list of injuries than anything else. This may be a showdown between two undefeated teams but they really couldn’t be at much more opposite ends of the spectrum offensively. The Chiefs just keep rolling along and catch the Lions in a tough spot with a number of key injuries on the defensive side of the football, the least concerning of which to CB Darius Slay. QB Patrick Mahomes should be in for another monster performance in ideal conditions at Ford Field on Sunday afternoon. Kansas City’s struggles defending the run will likely encourage the Lions, already a ‘run-first’ team, to pound the football on the ground here, but it’s the wrong move in my opinion as Detroit simply won’t be able to keep pace with an explosive Chiefs offense by running the football. Take Kansas City (10*).

CFB Big Ten Total of the Year. My selection is on the ‘under’ between Ohio State and Nebraska at 7:30 pm et on Saturday.

We won with the ‘over’ in Ohio State’s last road game, a 51-10 win at Indiana two weeks ago. While I do expect to see another strong showing from the Buckeyes defense, I also look for Nebraska to feed off the energy of a raucous home crowd and at least hold their own defensively for a stretch in this one, which will be enough to keep the final score ‘under’ the inflated total. It’s hard to imagine any Ohio State total not being inflated at this point as the Buckeyes have scored an incredible 214 points through four games, looking virtually unstoppable in the process. I simply see this as the game where things settle down a little bit. I’m not sure Ohio State is interested in getting involved in another shootout with the Cornhuskers after narrowly escaping with a 36-31 victory in this matchup last November. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on Ohio State minus the points over Nebraska at 7:30 pm et on Saturday.

Ohio State continues to steamroll inferior competition and while Nebraska looks like it poses a significant challenge on paper, I’m not sure it’s going to play out that way on the field. The Cornhuskers are coming off yet another offensive explosion last week, scoring 42 points in a road win over Illinois. QB Adrian Martinez has done it all on a weekly basis but I’m confident the Buckeyes can develop a gameplan to slow down the Huskers dynamic quarterback. The argument can certainly be made that Ohio State has been the most impressive team in college football so far this season, outscoring the opposition by a ridiculous 214-36 margin. This represents the Buckeyes first true test and I definitely believe they’ll be up for it, especially after narrowly escaping with a 36-31 in this same matchup last November. Lost in Nebraska’s hot start offensively has been its awful defensive play against any opponent with a pulse, giving up 34 points at Colorado and 38 at Illinois. Home cooking has been kind so far, but those performances came against South Alabama and Northern Illinois as double-digit favorites. Expect a different story to unfold here. Take Ohio State (10*).

My selection is on Kansas State plus the points over Oklahoma State at 7 pm et on Saturday.

While Oklahoma State was involved in a shootout loss against rival Texas last Saturday, Kansas State was idle and enters this game with its undefeated record intact. The Wildcats have just one impressive win to their credit, that coming in their last game, a 31-24 win as a touchdown underdog at Mississippi State (we won with the ‘over’ in that game). I do like the way this one sets up for Kansas State as well as I expect it to run the football at will and control the clock, ultimately shortening this game against offensive-minded Oklahoma State. The Cowboys have a potent ground attack of their own but I suspect they’ll be in tough contending with a rested and ready Wildcats defense. Note that Kansas State held Mississippi State out of the end zone in the critical final 19 minutes of the game two weeks ago, after falling behind 21-17. Wildcats QB Skylar Thompson hasn’t been racking up the completions or yardage totals but has been efficient, throwing four touchdowns compared to no interceptions through three games. Take Kansas State (10*).