Xam’s Gem(s):
Michigan/Penn State Over 44.5 Points -115
Both teams will want to pound the rock early and often today. Both teams feature the running backs to have good days on the ground, with Blake Corum leading the way for Michigan and Nicholas and Kaytron Allen leading the way for PSU. The questions come in for the QBs on each team. JJ McCarthy and Drew Allar have good and bad moments this year. Both defenses have shown an ability to stop the opposing offenses. However, this will be perhaps the biggest test for both teams. If the QBs can keep their respective offenses moving and in sync, both teams should be able to score enough points to get Over this total.
Alabama/Kentucky Over 46.5 Points -114
Alabama has been scoring a lot of points recently, as evidenced by their 76 points scored in the last 2 weeks. Jalen Milroe and the offense has been gaining confidence in seemingly every game they’ve played. Kentucky surrendered a total of 122 points in 3 games before their last game against Mississippi State. Alabama shouldn’t have any issues scoring today. The key will be Kentucky showing up offensively, and Alabama can be exploited on defense. They have given up 20 points or more in 4 straight games, including 28 points at home last week.
Tennessee/Missouri Over 58.5 Points -115
Both teams have explosive offenses and have shown it all year. The Vols have boasted a solid running game all year and they’ll figure to lean on it again today. Missouri can be had against the run, so expect Tennessee to lean on what has worked in a hostile environment. Meanwhile, Brady Cook has stepped up this year for the Tigers. Missouri has been great in the redzone all year as well. This is because Missouri has a well-balanced attack. Both teams should rack up a ton of yards. The key here will be finishing in the redzone.
Iowa Money Line -126
Both Rutgers and Iowa are coming into this game significantly more confidence in their defenses than their offenses. Rutgers played a competitive game last week against Ohio State, but struggled to finish in the redzone. Iowa has struggled offensively all year. Both teams are bowl eligible, so don’t mistake poor offenses for teams that don’t have anything to play for. Iowa has only lost once at home, while Rutgers has 2 double digit losses on the road. They haven’t shown an ability to make things happen on the road offensively, and Iowa should be able to do just enough to get the win.
Michigan State/Ohio State Over 47.5 Points -110
Ohio State has everything to play for, as they are currently the 3rd ranked team in the nation. A dominant win tonight and an upset earlier in the day could lead Ohio State possibly moving up the rankings. Ohio State shouldn’t have any issues moving the ball tonight, even though they have gotten inconsistent QB play at times. The only question is what Michigan State can contribute offensively. Ohio State has a great defense, and in front of their home crowd, they can certainly dominate defensively. Michigan State doesn’t have a great offense, but they’re averaging over 14 points per game in their last 5 games. If they score that much tonight, Ohio State should do the rest.
Warriors Money Line -176
The Warriors come into this game well rested, as they’ve only played one game since November 6th. They just went into the home of the reigning champs and lost by just 3 points. They are rounding into early season form and have been playing solid defense for most of the year. Cleveland has been up and down to start the year. They’ve given up 109 points or more in 4 of their last 6 games, and 121 or more in 3 of 6. They have given up 249 points in their last 2 road games.
USC + 15.5 -110
USC and Oregon both boast elite offensive talent. Caleb Williams and Bo Nix may be the two best QBs in the nation. Bo Nix is in the running for the Heisman Trophy, and the Oregon Ducks are the 6th seed, meaning they have a shot at the CFB Playoff. USC also just fired their defensive coordinator last week after another terrible showing. Oregon isn’t the game you look to get right on defensively, but with USC’s offense, they only need to make a couple of stops to give USC a shot at the cover. Oregon has scored 81 and 63 points this year, so they can rack up a ton of points. However, they’ve been held to 42 or less points 5 times this year. If USC can hold them to that, USC should be able to do the rest offensively and get the cover.
Xam’s Prop(s):
Blake Corum Over 73.5 Rushing Yards -114
Corum has long been the engine of the Michigan offense, and on the road, they’ll look to pound the rock early and often. Corum has gone over this number 4 times this year, but he’s been a proficient runner all year, averaging 4 yards a carry or more in 7 games this year (and 3.9 in another). He will have plenty of chances as Michigan will likely not want JJ McCarthy dropping back too often in a hostile environment.
Devin Leary Over 195.5 Passing Yards -114
Alabama has been iffy defensively all year, and especially so in the secondary. In his last home game, he threw for 372 yards against Tennessee. For the season, he’s averaging 236 passing yards a game at home, and has gone over 300 yards twice at home, and had another game with 299 passing yards at home. Bama is a double digit favorite, so it should be a favorable game script for passing the ball in the 2nd half.
Joe Milton Over 18.5 Rushing Yards -114
Milton has been a dual threat all year. He has 4 games this year with 8 carries or more and has rushed for as many as 89 yards in a game this season. He’s gone over this number in 5 games this year. In what should be a high scoring game, Milton should have plenty of chances to move around. He also has 5 rushing touchdowns on the year, showing he will run regardless of where Tennessee is on the field.
Stephen Curry Over 36.5 Points + Rebounds +Assists -122
We all know Curry is the leader of the team, and the Warriors will need him to keep delivering. He’s averaging 30 points in his last 10 games, as well as just under 5 rebounds and over 4 assists per game. Cleveland has struggled this year defensively on the road, and this can turn into a bit of a shootout. Curry is shooting an insane 47% from the floor in his last 10 games. He loves putting on a show in front of the home crowd, and it should continue tonight.
Caleb Williams Over 1.5 Passing Touchdowns -180
Williams has 5 passing TDs in his last 2 games and has 7 games with 2 passing TDs or more. In 6 of those games, he has 3 or more passing touchdowns. He’s going to need a Herculean effort to get a win tonight, but a favorable game script should see him passing a lot in the 2nd half. Oregon has a good defense, but USC has been dominant offensively all year, and Lincoln Riley should be able to come up with plays that gets USC into scoring position. Williams is a threat to throw a touchdown pass no matter where he is on the field. USC knows how to create explosive plays and it should continue tonight.