Thursday 10/27/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Spurs (1-0) at Kings (1-0)

Date: October 27, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Sacramento Kings waited a long time to kick off a new era of basketball, especially considering the franchise's recent fortunes.

Symbolically, they will step into the future Thursday when they open their shiny new arena.

The San Antonio Spurs may find that to be the perfect backdrop as the continue into their new era of basketball, one that kicked off in a way reminiscent of the old one.

Sacramento's new pad, the $557 million, 17,500-seat Golden 1 Center in the city's downtown area, will become the franchise's ninth home. It will be the Kings' third arena since moving to Sacramento in 1985.

The Kings simply hope they can win there. Sacramento finished 18-23 in its final season at Sleep Train Arena and hasn't been above .500 at home in a season since the 2007-08 campaign.

A win against San Antonio would add to the good feelings the Kings stirred up in a 113-94, opening-night win at Phoenix on Tuesday. Center DeMarcus Cousins scored 24 points, and forward Rudy Gay scored 22 with four blocked shots as a Kings team that allowed an NBA-worst 109.1 points per game a season ago held the Suns to only 38 in the first half.

A victory for Sacramento on Thursday also would be the punctuation to a night of celebration that is supposed to mark a new path after 10 seasons of turmoil without a playoff appearance.

"The first thing we've got to do is learn how to compete, and the second thing then is to learn how to win," Sacramento coach Dave Joerger told the Sacramento Bee. "We're not a young group, so if we can get through stage one quickly, then we can get to stage two."

The Spurs should feel right at home against a rowdy crowd. San Antonio laid a 129-100 beating upon the two-time Western Conference champion Warriors on Tuesday in Oakland, Calif., spoiling forward Kevin Durant's debut with Golden State and taking the air out of an arena overflowing with enthusiasm.

San Antonio also showed that life without Tim Duncan might be just as full of winning as it was with him. The Spurs are playing without Duncan as a regular part of their lineup for the first time since the end of the 1996-97 season. The Hall of Fame-bound center retired in June after a 19-season career during which San Antonio won five championships and never won fewer than 50 games in a full regular season.

With Duncan, the Spurs won 13 times in their past 14 visits to Sacramento.

Without Duncan, San Antonio hardly missed a beat in its opener. The Spurs didn't need him on the glass, outrebounding Golden State 55-35. They also seemed to have no issues finding replacements, running up a 54-16 advantage with their reserves. Guard Jonathon Simmons turned in a 20-point effort.

Guard Kawhi Leonard supplied the scoring with a 35-point night that included 15-for-15 shooting from the free-throw line. Only Duncan (twice), guard George Gervin and center David Robinson ever scored that many on a perfect night at the line for the Spurs, according to the San Antonio Express-News.

"If there was an outcome I wasn't expecting, it was this one," San Antonio's Manu Ginobili said after the game. "A 29-point lead against a team like them? I truly didn't expect it."

Optimism from a new arena aside, the Kings aren't sure what to expect during the season's early days. They jumped to a 19-point halftime lead against the Suns and looked dynamic at times. However, the contest was the first of 11 in the season's first 17 days, eight of which they will play with only one true point guard (Ty Lawson) wile fellow point guard Darren Collison serves an eight-game suspension after pleading guilty to domestic abuse.

Lawson played 36 minutes against Phoenix and finished with nine points, seven assists and six rebounds.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Thursday’s games

Hawks won five of last seven games with Washington; three of last four series games went over total. Wizards lost three of last four visits to Atlanta, losing by 15-1-16 points. This is the season opener for both teams.

Chicago is 7-3 in last ten games with the Celtics; six of last seven series games went over total. Boston lost four of last five visits to Windy City (2-3 vs spread). Celtics beat Nets 122-117 last night, in their home opener.

Portland KO’d Clippers from LY’s playoffs in six games, after losing first two; under is 5-2 in last seven series games. Clippers lost last three visits to Portland by 8-14-3 points (under is 3-2 in last five). This is Clippers’ season opener. Blazers beat Utah by 9 Tuesday in their home opener.

Sacramento christens its new arena against Spurs team that whacked Golden State by 29 in its opener Tuesday. Spurs won last six series games, covering four of last five; last four series tilts stayed under total.* Kings beat Suns in Phoenix in their opener last night.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Free NBA Picks: Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016, Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

Thursday is usually a marquee night in the NBA as it's the TNT doubleheader night, although TNT did add some other games this year as well with the new TV package kicking in. And I don't think there's any question what the most important thing we will see this Thursday night: Dwyane Wade in a Chicago Bulls No. 3 uniform. Like most around the NBA, I was stunned that Wade left Miami basically over a few million dollars. But the Heat were low-balling the face of the franchise and Wade had always said that if he left south Florida, it would be a return to his hometown. I guess from a marketing perspective, it was a no-brainer for the Bulls as Wade should assure sellouts every night. But Chicago is not a contending team and looked to be in rebuilding mode this year before Wade signed on. Every team in the NBA will have played its opener by the end of Thursday.

Wizards at Hawks (-3, 206.5)

So much for Washington's grand plan of luring Kevin Durant back to his hometown area. Durant never even gave the Wizards a meeting this offseason even though they hired his former Oklahoma City coach, Scott Brooks, to take over on the bench. I guess Durant wasn't as tight with Brooks as was previously reported. The Wiz were an interesting team a couple of years ago but now have John Wall, Bradley Beal and not much else. The team will be without free agent center Ian Mahinmi for the first 4-6 weeks due to knee surgery. He was going to be the backup to Marcin Gortat. Not sure what to make of the Hawks, but it appears they have taken a step back after losing Al Horford in free agency, trading Jeff Teague and signing past-his-prime Dwight Howard to return to his hometown. The Hawks should make the playoffs for a 10th straight year, but that's about it. They have two guys out with injuries: Jarrett Jack and Tiago Splitter. These teams split four meetings last year.

Key trends: Atlanta is 5-2 against the spread in its past seven home games. The "over/under" is 9-2 in the past 11 meetings in Atlanta.

Early lean: Hawks and over.

Celtics at Bulls (+3, 210.5)

First of the TNT doubleheader. It's not just Wade's debut for Chicago but also Robin Lopez and Rajon Rondo. Too bad the Bulls didn't have Rondo and Wade about five years ago and then maybe they'd be pretty good. Chicago begins life without Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. I'm not sure that Coach Fred Hoiberg lasts his second season. It's the second of a back-to-back for Boston as the Celtics surely were going to beat the visiting Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night. Kelly Olynyk missed that one as he works his way back from shoulder surgery, and Marcus Smart was questionable. The Celtics won two of three vs. the Bulls last year but have dropped two in a row in Chicago.

Key trends: The Celtics are 3-8-1 ATS in the past 12 in Chicago. The over is 6-1 in the past seven meetings.

Early lean: Bulls and over.

Spurs at Kings (+6, 209)

San Antonio began the post-Tim Duncan Era on Tuesday with an incredibly impressive 129-100 win at the Super Warriors. Obviously you can't read too much into one game, but Kawhi Leonard, my MVP pick this year, was by far the best player on the floor with a career-high 35 points, five rebounds and five steals. And Jonathan Simmons was the latest out-of-nowhere breakout guy for San Antonio with 20 points and some great defense off the bench. That result was shocking. It's the second of a back-to-back for the Kings as they were in Phoenix on Wednesday. This will be their first game that matters in their new Golden 1 Center, which is drawing rave reviews. Remember, the Kings a couple of years ago were close to being bought and moved to Seattle, but then-Commissioner David Stern stepped in and found a local buyer in Vivek Ranadive, and Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson was able to get the new arena built. The Spurs swept the Kings last year and have won six straight in the series, three in a row in Sacramento. Duncan recorded four 20-20 games against Sacramento, more than any other opponent.

Key trends: The Spurs are 9-2 ATS in the past 11 in Sacramento. The under is 4-0 in the past four meetings.

Early lean: Kings and under. Seems like a huge letdown possibility for the Spurs, and the Kings will be fired up for their first meaningful game in the new building.

Clippers at Trail Blazers (+1.5, 208.5)

The TNT nightcap. It's the season opener for the Clippers, who basically brought the band back to try for one more championship run before a possible roster shakeup as both Chris Paul and Blake Griffin can hit free agency next summer. This franchise still has never reached the Western Conference Finals. On Tuesday, Portland beat visiting Utah 113-104 for its NBA-record 16th straight home-opening victory. Damian Lillard dominated with 39 points. The Blazers have the most returning minutes of any team in the league from last year. Of course, these two teams met in the first round of last year's playoffs, and the Blazers lost the first two games but won the final four because the Clippers lost both Paul and Griffin to injury. The Clippers were 3-1 vs. Portland in the regular season and have won 13 of the past 19 during the season overall.

Key trends: The Blazers are 1-8 ATS in their past nine after scoring at least 100 points in their previous game. The over has hit in 14 of the past 22 meetings in Portland.

Early lean: Clippers and over.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Thursday’s games

Hawks won five of last seven games with Washington; three of last four series games went over total. Wizards lost three of last four visits to Atlanta, losing by 15-1-16 points. This is the season opener for both teams.

Chicago is 7-3 in last ten games with the Celtics; six of last seven series games went over total. Boston lost four of last five visits to Windy City (2-3 vs spread). Celtics beat Nets 122-117 last night, in their home opener.

Portland KO’d Clippers from LY’s playoffs in six games, after losing first two; under is 5-2 in last seven series games. Clippers lost last three visits to Portland by 8-14-3 points (under is 3-2 in last five). This is Clippers’ season opener. Blazers beat Utah by 9 Tuesday in their home opener.

Sacramento christens its new arena against Spurs team that whacked Golden State by 29 in its opener Tuesday. Spurs won last six series games, covering four of last five; last four series tilts stayed under total.* Kings beat Suns in Phoenix in their opener last night.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

ACC Report - Week 9
By Joe Williams

2016 ACC STANDINGS
Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under
Boston College 3-4 0-4 2-4-1 2-5
Clemson 7-0 4-0 4-3 2-5
Duke 3-4 0-3 4-3 1-6
Florida State 5-2 2-2 3-3 3-3
Georgia Tech 4-3 1-3 3-2-1 3-2-1
Louisville 6-1 4-1 4-2-1 6-1
Miami (Fla.) 4-3 1-3 4-3 4-3
North Carolina 6-2 4-1 5-3 3-5
North Carolina State 4-3 1-2 5-2 4-2-1
Pittsburgh 5-2 2-1 2-5 6-1
Syracuse 4-4 2-2 4-4 2-6
Virginia 2-5 1-2 3-3-1 2-4-1
Virginia Tech 5-2 3-1 4-3 4-3
Wake Forest 5-2 2-2 4-3 3-4


Virginia Tech at Pittsburgh (Thurs. - ESPN, 7:00 p.m. ET)
A pair of 5-2 teams hook up in the Steel City, and it's a very important game in the Coastal Division, as each team looks to keep a one in the loss column to keep pace with North Carolina, who is on a bye this week. The Hokies have been a difficult team to figure out. They throttled Miami last week, rebounding after a loss at Syracuse when they were 23-point favorites. The Hokies are still 6-2 ATS in their past eight ACC games despite that loss to the Orange two weeks ago, and they're 22-10 ATS in their past 32 on Thursday after spanking the Hurricanes last Thursday. Pitt has covered just five of their past 22 games at home, and two of their past nine overall. However, they're coming off a bye and are 6-2-1 ATS in their past nine following a week off. And in this series, the Hokies are 1-8 ATS in the past nine meetings, and 0-6 ATS in their past six trips to Pittsburgh. The Hokies are 4 1/2-point favorites as of Wednesday morning, and the underdog is 8-1 ATS in the past nine in this series, with the home team 4-1 ATS in the past five.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Pac-12 Report - Week 9
By Joe Williams

2016 PAC-12 STANDINGS
Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under
Arizona 2-5 0-4 1-6 4-3
Arizona State 5-3 2-3 5-3 4-4
California 4-3 2-2 4-3 6-1
Colorado 6-2 4-1 8-0 3-5
Oregon 2-5 0-4 0-6-1 5-2
Oregon State 2-5 1-3 5-2 3-4
Southern California 4-3 3-2 3-4 2-5
Stanford 4-3 2-3 4-3 2-5
UCLA 3-5 1-4 2-6 3-4-1
Utah 7-1 4-1 4-4 4-4
Washington 7-0 4-0 4-3 6-1
Washington State 5-2 4-0 4-3 4-3

California at Southern California (Thu. ESPN, 10:30 p.m. ET)
The Golden Bears hit the road to battle USC. The line opened with the Trojans favored by 14, and has been bet up to -16 1/2 with a total of 75 1/2. Cal is coming off a high-scoring win against visiting Oregon last weekend, while USC throttled Arizona in the desert by a 48-14 count, winning for the third straight game while cashing against the spread for the second time in three ties. One thing that has been consistent for USC is the 'under' hitting in five of the past six games, a complete opposite of Cal. The 'over' has hit in six of seven games for the Golden Bears this season. Cal is 4-1 ATS in their past five against a team wit ha winning record, but they're 3-7 ATS in their past 10 conference games and 2-6 ATS in their past eight on the road. For USC, they're 4-9 ATS in their past 13 overall, and 2-5 ATS in their past seven against a team with a winning record. In this series, the favorite has cashed in six of the past seven against the spread, while the road team is 4-1 ATS in the past five. Cal is 7-3 ATS in their past 10 trips to USC, but just 1-6 ATS in the past seven meetings overall. Total bettors might be interested in the fact the 'under' is 10-2 in the past 12 meetings, and 5-1 in the past six at USC.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Ohio Bobcats (5-3) at Toledo Rockets (6-1)
By Mark Roberts
Thursday, October 27, 2016 at 7:30 pm (Glass Bowl)
The Line: Toledo Rockets -18.5 -- Over/Under:
TV: CBSC

The Ohio Bobcats face a tall task in slowing down the Toledo Rockets in week nine college football.

The Ohio Bobcats have played some ugly college football in 2016 and when I say that I mean they win by grinding things out without flash. That’s what the Bobcats did in a 14-10 victory at Kent State. Ohio leaned hard on their defense with a 345-254 yardage advantage and three very painful turnovers. Bobcats quarterback Quinton Maxwell completed 11-19 for 127 yards and an interception in a very short passing attack. Sebastian Smith led the Ohio receiving corps with four receptions for 58 yards but the strength of this offense was on the ground with Dorian Brown totaling 110 yards and a score on 12 carries while Maleek Irons added 83 yards and a touchdown on 13 touches.

The Toledo Rockets are one of the best college football teams in the MAC but they not been the dominant squad most have expected. The Rockets eventually took care of business in a 31-17 victory versus visiting Central Michigan but this was only a 3-0 contest heading to the locker room. Toledo outgained CMU 410-344 and forced a pair of turnovers while going mistake free themselves. Rockets quarterback Logan Woodside was spectacular, connecting on 23-32 for 264 yards and four touchdowns with Cody Thompson hauling in seven passes for 122 yards and all four scores. Kareem Hunt led the Rockets with 87 yards on 20 touches with Terry Swanson adding 47 yards but rushing the ball wasn’t anything more then average.

The under is 7-0 in Ohio last 7 games overall and the under is 5-0 in Ohio last 5 conference games while Ohio are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 road games. Toledo are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Thursday games and the under is 8-0 in Toledo last 8 home games vs. a team with a winning road record while Toledo are 9-1-1 ATS in their last 11 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game. The home team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

I’m not betting Toledo because they have not been covering and I’m not betting Ohio because I don’t think they are good but I will make a pick…

MARK'S PICK
Ohio +18.5

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Virginia Tech at Pittsburgh
By Joe Nelson

Virginia Tech was a big winner in ACC action last Thursday and the Hokies will hope to do it again this week on the road in a second straight primetime Coastal Division clash. Upstart Pittsburgh has impressed as the second highest scoring team in the ACC and the Panthers have won the past two meetings in this series.

Here is a look at the ESPN matchup Thursday night to kick off the final college football weekend in October.

Match-up: Virginia Tech Hokies at Pittsburgh Panthers
Venue: Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Time/TV: Thursday, Oct. 27, 7:00 PM ET
Line: Virginia Tech -4½, Over/Under 57
Last Meeting: 2015, Pittsburgh (+3½) 17, at Virginia Tech 13

Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh are both 5-2 for successful starts to the season. The Hokies have an extra ACC win at this point but with just one conference loss both teams are serious threats in the Coastal Division race with the winner of this game certainly gaining a favorable position with Virginia Tech clearly in the driver’s seat if they win this game.

2015 Coastal champion North Carolina is 4-1 in league play with a one-point win over Pittsburgh but a 34-3 loss to Virginia Tech. The Tar Heels will be expected to win out as Virginia Tech can’t afford to fall a game behind even though the Hokies will also be expected to win the remaining ACC games.

Pittsburgh can stay on pace with the division leader for the moment with a win this week but the Panthers have a much tougher path to the title, already losing the tiebreaker with North Carolina and with road games at Miami and at Clemson in November. The Panthers actually could realistically slip to 5-5 and be on the bowl bubble heading to home games with Duke and Syracuse to close the season as the upcoming schedule is difficult.

Pittsburgh has won the past two meetings in this series with a 21-16 home win in 2015 as a very slight home favorite and a 17-13 win as a slight underdog in Blacksburg last season. The Panthers were off last week with nearly two weeks to prepare for this matchup looking to extend a three-game winning streak.

Panthers games have frequently featured exciting finishes this season as Pittsburgh has two three-point wins and both losses came in high-scoring back-and-forth road games, falling by seven at Oklahoma State, and by just one at North Carolina. Pittsburgh has averaged over 38 points per game but the Panthers are also allowing over 31 points per game. Pittsburgh has had some good fortune this season with a +5 turnover margin and with five non-offensive touchdowns including three interception return scores.

Virginia Tech has featured similar scoring production as well although blowout wins over FCS Liberty, Boston College, and East Carolina are skewing the results a bit. The two losses for the Hokies came by 21 points vs. Tennessee and by 14 points at Syracuse with turnovers playing a big factor in those results. Virginia Tech owns an even turnover margin this season and a Hokies defense with a reputation for big plays doesn’t have a defensive score yet this season.

Former Memphis head coach Justin Fuente stepped into a favorable situation taking over a stable program after the long tenure of Frank Beamer. Virginia Tech has been to a bowl game every season since 1993 and that run looks ready to continue. This season’s team has been substantially improved defensively allowing just 4.4 yards per play this season and surrendering just 302 yards per game, both big improvements compared to last season. The Hokies have been especially tough against the run allowing just 2.9 yards per carry with longtime Beamer assistant Bud Foster still running the defense.

On offense the results have been strong albeit a bit erratic for the Hokies with junior Jerod Evans posting great numbers with 19 touchdowns and only two interceptions. Evans has added over 400 rushing yards to boost the ground game that is led by sophomore Travon McMillian who passed 1,000 yards as a freshman last season.

Pittsburgh finished 8-5 last season for a successful first season for Pat Narduzzi, with the Panthers hoping to have some coaching stability after losing Todd Graham and Paul Chryst in the past five years. Nathan Peterman is senior quarterback that has built on a fine 2015 season with stronger results in 2016, completing 63 percent of his passes and with only two interceptions in 158 attempts. James Conner has been a great comeback story for the Panthers in the backfield while sophomore speedster Quadree Henderson has been a threat in the running and passing games as a big play threat.

The Panthers have been the far worse defensive team allowing 6.0 yards per play this season for regression compared to last season’s numbers. The Panthers have been stout against the run but they are allowing nearly 300 passing yards per game. Getting big leads early has been a factor in those numbers however as Pittsburgh had substantial early leads on Penn State and North Carolina before tight finishes in splitting those marquee contests.

Historical Trends:

-- Virginia Tech has struggled in this series that has been recently renewed with Pittsburgh following Virginia Tech to the ACC after the teams were Big East members.

-- The Hokies are 2-10 ATS in the past 12 meetings going back to 1996 including holding only one S/U win (2013) since 2001.

-- Under Beamer the Hokies had an impressive road favorite run going 21-7 ATS from 2004 through 2011 but since 2012 Virginia Tech is just 4-11 ATS in the road favorite role, splitting this season with a win at North Carolina and the upset loss at Syracuse as an over three-touchdown favorite.

-- Pittsburgh is just 6-16-2 ATS at home since 2013 but going further back Pittsburgh is 25-18 ATS as a home underdog since 1996 including the outright win over Louisville last season in the last instance.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Ohio Bobcats (5-3) at Toledo Rockets (6-1)
By Mark Roberts
Thursday, October 27, 2016 at 7:30 pm (Glass Bowl)
The Line: Toledo Rockets -18.5 -- Over/Under:
TV: CBSC

The Ohio Bobcats face a tall task in slowing down the Toledo Rockets in week nine college football.

The Ohio Bobcats have played some ugly college football in 2016 and when I say that I mean they win by grinding things out without flash. That’s what the Bobcats did in a 14-10 victory at Kent State. Ohio leaned hard on their defense with a 345-254 yardage advantage and three very painful turnovers. Bobcats quarterback Quinton Maxwell completed 11-19 for 127 yards and an interception in a very short passing attack. Sebastian Smith led the Ohio receiving corps with four receptions for 58 yards but the strength of this offense was on the ground with Dorian Brown totaling 110 yards and a score on 12 carries while Maleek Irons added 83 yards and a touchdown on 13 touches.

The Toledo Rockets are one of the best college football teams in the MAC but they not been the dominant squad most have expected. The Rockets eventually took care of business in a 31-17 victory versus visiting Central Michigan but this was only a 3-0 contest heading to the locker room. Toledo outgained CMU 410-344 and forced a pair of turnovers while going mistake free themselves. Rockets quarterback Logan Woodside was spectacular, connecting on 23-32 for 264 yards and four touchdowns with Cody Thompson hauling in seven passes for 122 yards and all four scores. Kareem Hunt led the Rockets with 87 yards on 20 touches with Terry Swanson adding 47 yards but rushing the ball wasn’t anything more then average.

The under is 7-0 in Ohio last 7 games overall and the under is 5-0 in Ohio last 5 conference games while Ohio are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 road games. Toledo are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Thursday games and the under is 8-0 in Toledo last 8 home games vs. a team with a winning road record while Toledo are 9-1-1 ATS in their last 11 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game. The home team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

I’m not betting Toledo because they have not been covering and I’m not betting Ohio because I don’t think they are good but I will make a pick…

MARK'S PICK
Ohio +18.5

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hokies (5-2) at Panthers (5-2)

Date: October 27, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh will play for position in the Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division race when they clash Thursday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN) at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.

It is pretty much an elimination game for the Panthers and close to that for the Hokies.

A win would keep the 25th-ranked Hokies (5-2, 3-1 ACC) on the road to the conference title game Dec. 3 in Orlando. They hold the tiebreaker over present division leader North Carolina (6-2, 4-1), which is off this weekend.

The unranked Panthers (5-2, 2-1) need a win to keep the pressure on the division-leading Tar Heels, who hold the tiebreaker over Pitt.

A loss wouldn't eliminate the Hokies from the title race but would leave them needing the Tar Heels to lose at least one of their remaining conference games against Georgia Tech, Duke, and North Carolina State to regain the advantage in the tiebreaker.

A Panthers defeat would leave Pitt them on the outside and hoping for some sort of multiple-team deadlock at the end of the regular season that doesn't include both North Carolina and Virginia Tech, which both would hold tiebreakers over the Panthers.

Panthers coach Pat Narduzzi acknowledges the Thursday contest is pretty much a "must-win" game.

"Yeah, I would say so," Narduzzi said. "I would say so. Based on how things look and I think every ACC game is a must win as we go on, as far as what you want to do. You're a 5-2 football team, and each one of these games is important."

The Hokies are 1-2 away from Blacksburg's Lane Stadium, and the trip to Pittsburgh represents their biggest road test of the season. Virginia Tech is headed for a place where it hasn't experienced much success.

The Hokies' last road win over the Panthers was in 1999 in the old Pitt Stadium, when both teams labored in the Big East Conference. The Panthers have won all four meetings played at Heinz Field and have won six of the past seven meetings overall.

"It's not something we've addressed," Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuentes said of the Hokies' recent struggles vs. the Panthers. "I know that Pitt has been very good and we haven't, for whatever reason, whether it was there or here, haven't had much success in recent history. But it's not something we dwell on."

Hokies running back Travon McMillian said, "This is a totally different team than we've had in the past."

Narduzzi sees the Panthers' recent success as a non-factor.

"If we need the past to help with our confidence, then we probably got issues, 'Hey, we got a chance to win because this is what happened in the past,'" he said. "It doesn't matter.

"This is a new football team. They're coming in here, they have never come in here in October 2016 to play us. So they get a chance to come here, and it's a new show, in my opinion."

What concerns Narduzzi more is a Hokies' offense led by versatile quarterback Jerod Evans (229 yards a game passing and 60 rushing) and McMillian, who is coming off a 131-yard rushing performance in Tech's 37-16 thumping of Miami last week.

The Tech defense that held Miami to just 42 yards rushing and recorded eight sacks. It is, Narduzzi acknowledges, the best defense his team has faced so far.

"Based on the stats, without a question," he said.

The Hokies have yielded only nine touchdown passes this year while also recording nine interceptions.

Pitt itself is no slouch defensively, holding opponents to less than 97 yards a game rushing and sacking opposing quarterbacks 25 times, which is tied for fourth-best total in the country. Defensive end Ejuan Price has a national-best nine sacks.

The Panthers also are one of the top rushing teams. Behind junior James Conner (76 yards a game) and a stable of backups, the Panthers rank 20th in the country with their average of 239 rushing yards per game.

"You can tell the makeup of their team starts with running the football and stopping the run," Fuentes said. "And they've been successful at that, and that is why they're winning ballgames."

Pitt is coming of a bye week, but Narduzzi isn't convinced that will be an advantage.

"You can go either way," he said. "You would like to keep the momentum. You would like to keep playing and stay in that same rhythm. However, it did give us a chance to get fresh and get healthy. I don't think it will play a big part either way. That won't be an excuse or a benefit."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Akron Zips (4-3) at Buffalo Bulls (1-6)
By Mark Roberts
Thursday, October 27, 2016 at 7:30 pm (UB Stadium)
The Line: Buffalo Bulls +15 -- Over/Under: 60
TV: ESPN3

The Akron Zips look to keep their college football Bowl hopes alive with a road win versus the Buffalo Bulls.

The Akron Zips overcame an early ten point deficit with a strong performance late to upend the Ball State Cardinals 35-25 in a MAC college football bout. Both teams moved the ball well overall with the Zips holding a 531-443 edge with most coming during a 28-6 second half. The Zips ground game was productive behind 112 yards and a touchdown from Van Edwards Jr. with Manny Morgan adding 43 yards on seven totes. Akron excelled in the air with quarterback Thomas Woodson connecting on 27-40 for 338 yards and a pair of touchdowns with Jojo Natson, Austin Wolf and Jerome Lane combining for 290 receiving yards on 20 catches with a TD apiece.

The Buffalo Bulls are rebuilding but hoped to catch the struggling Northern Illinois Huskies off guard in Saturday’s college football action but the problem with that plan was the Huskies didn’t struggle in a 44-7 decision as a 24 point favorite. The Bulls struggled on both sides of the ball as they trailed 30-7 heading in to the locker room and never recovered. The numbers do tell the story with NIU leading in yards 511-338 which made the Bulls four turnovers really stick out. UB quarterback Tyree Jackson had a miserable day, going 25-41 for 203 yards with four interceptions with Jamarl Eiland and Mason Schreck combining for nine receptions for 92 yards. Buffalo received 97 rushing yards from Jordan Johnson but needed much more to keep the Huskies offense off the field.

Akron are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game and Akron are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 Thursday games while the over is 4-1 in Akron last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing home record. The home team is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings and Akron are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Buffalo.

I really don’t like Akron as big favorites and simply don’t like Buffalo in what is a crappy match up that I’ll likely by pass…

MARK'S PICK
Under 60

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Appalachian State Mountaineers (5-2) at Georgia Southern Eagles (4-3)
By Mark Roberts
Thursday, October 27, 2016 at 7:30 pm (Paulson Stadium)
The Line: Georgia Southern Eagles +3 -- Over/Under: See the Latest Odds
TV: ESPNU

The Appalachian State Mountaineers visit the Georgia Southern Eagles in Sun Belt college football.

The Appalachian State Mountaineers are trying to stake their claim as the best college football team in the Sun Belt. The Mountaineers started slow against Idaho but once they got going the game was in the win column as indicated by the 37-19 final. ASU held a slight 375-357 yardage edge and intercepted three passes including a pick six. Appalachian State quarterback Tyler Lamb connected on 18-23 for 220 yards with JP Caruso going 2-2 26 yards and a touchdown. Shaedon Meadors was the Mountaineers top receiving option with seven receptions for 106 yards while Jalin Moore ran for 114 yards and a score on 23 carries.

Something seems amiss with the Georgia Southern Eagles college football team although they have been good and the expectations can be unreasonable. The Eagles come off of a 22-19 victory against New Mexico State as a two touchdown favorite. GSU was outgained 432-411 with both teams committing three turnovers but the Eagles kicked far too many field goals. Georgia Southern quarterback Kevin Ellison hit 7-8 for 101 yards and a pair of touchdowns and an interception while Seth Shurman went4-12 for 56 yards and a pick. Ellison also led the Eagles with 117 yards on the ground with Wesley Fields adding another 88 yards.

Appalachian State are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games following a straight up win and Appalachian State are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 road games while the over is 5-1 in Appalachian State last 6 games following a ATS loss. The under is 5-0 in Georgia Southern last 5 conference games and the under is 4-0 in Georgia Southern last 4 Thursday games while Georgia Southern are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a ATS loss.

I have watched both teams and I don’t think either is as strong as in previous seasons but Appalachian State is more steady in my view…

MARK'S PICK
Appalachian State -3

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAA Football Predictions: Week 9 Opening Line Report and Picks
by Alan Matthews

With former No. 2 Ohio State's surprising loss at Penn State on Saturday night, the Buckeyes' first-ever true road loss under Coach Urban Meyer (that's amazing), and No. 6 Texas A&M's defeat at Alabama, there are now seven unbeaten Power 5 teams left in the country.

What's really interesting in Week 9 is that six of those schools play on the road (Alabama is off), and five lost to their Saturday opponent in their last meeting. New No. 2 Michigan and No. 7 Nebraska are on three-game losing streaks to Michigan State and Wisconsin, respectively.

I think you can rule out Texas A&M from the College Football Playoff because the Aggies now aren't even going to win the SEC West Division as there's no chance that the Crimson Tide will lose twice. The Aggies, who dropped to No. 9 in the AP Top 25, are the biggest favorites on the board for Week 9 at -42.5 against New Mexico State. Ohio State only slipped to No. 6, and as long as the Buckeyes win out, including the Big Ten title game, they should get into the playoff because that would include a victory over Nebraska (next week) and unbeaten (presumably) Michigan to close the regular season. OSU is -24.5 this week at home vs. Northwestern. Urban Meyer's teams have proven resilient, losing consecutive games just four times during his 15-year career. The Buckeyes have done that once since he arrived, losing to Michigan State and Clemson at the end of the 2013 season.

There are still two unbeaten Group of 5 schools as they battle for the highest ranking and that automatic berth in the New Year's Six bowl game, this year the Cotton. They are No. 13 Boise State and No. 20 Western Michigan. The blue Broncos are at Wyoming on and the brown Broncos are off this week.

We also had another coach fired over the weekend, the fourth in the FBS since the season began: Fresno State's Tim DeRuyter with a 1-7 record. Offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau has been named the interim head coach. The Bulldogs host Air Force on Friday. Former California head coach Jeff Tedford is the top candidate to eventually land the Fresno State job. But if I'm FSU I aim higher: Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin. FSU is his alma mater. But I think Kiffin will be offered a very good Power 5 head coaching job this offseason.

Here are a few Week 9 opening lines that caught my eye. Rankings from AP poll and games Saturday unless noted.

No. 25 Virginia Tech at Pittsburgh (+3.5), Thursday: Big game in the ACC Coastal Division as both teams are tied with North Carolina with one conference loss; the Hokies already hold the tiebreaker with UNC so a win here has them in great shape to play in the conference championship game. It's the second Thursday game in a row for Virginia Tech as it took care of visiting Miami 37-16 last week. Pitt's only two losses came by a combined eight points, at Oklahoma State out of conference and at North Carolina. The Panthers still have to visit Clemson, however. Last week in a 45-31 win at Virginia, Pittsburgh played James Conner and Jordan Whitehead on both offense and defense. Conner, one of the ACC's best running backs and the 2014 ACC Offensive Player of the Year, took some snaps at defensive end. Whitehead, a safety, had three carries for 28 yards at running back. The pick: Virginia Tech.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: California Golden Bears (4-3) at USC Trojans (4-3)
By David Racey
Thursday, October 27, 2016 at 10:30 pm (Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum)
The Line: USC Trojans -15 -- Over/Under: See the Latest Odds
TV: ESPN

The California Golden Bears will travel to play the USC Trojans in a PAC-12 Friday night college football game.

The USC Trojans are 4-3 (3-2) this season after beating Arizona by a score 48-14 in their last game. USC was able to force 4 turnovers in this game and outgained Arizona by over 200 total yards. The USC offense is averaging 28.3 points per game with 177 rushing yards and 263 passing yards per game. Sam Darnold is completing 66.7% of his passes for 1334 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions for USC. Justin Davis has rushed for 476 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Ronald Jones has rushed for 285 yards and 2 scores for the Trojans. JuJu Smith-Schuster has caught 40 passes for 565 yards and 8 touchdowns, while Steve Mitchell has caught 24 passes for 226 yards and 1 touchdown for USC. The USC defense is giving up 24 points per game with 164.4 rushing yards and 206.3 passing yards per game. Cameron Smith has led the USC defense with 50 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, and 1 sack, while Iman Marshall has added 32 tackles and 2 interceptions. Matt Boermeester has gone 8-12 on field goals, with a long of 49 yards.

The California Golden Bears are 4-3 (2-2) this season after beating Oregon by a score of 52-49 in overtime in their last game. Cal gained over 630 total yards in this game and was able to get the win in overtime. The Cal offense is averaging 43.7 points per game with 175 rushing yards and 370.3 passing yards per game. Davis Webb is completing 62.2% of his passes for 2581 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions for Cal. Khalfani Muhammad has rushed for 525 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Tre Watson has rushed for 451 yards and 2 scores for the Golden Bears. Chad Hansen (Questionable) has caught 59 passes for 770 yards and 8 touchdowns, while Demetris Robertson has caught 26 passes for 377 yards and 6 touchdowns for California. The Cal defense is giving up 41.3 points per game with 270.7 rushing yards and 217.6 passing yards per game. Raymon Davison has led the Cal defense with 52 tackles and 1 interception, while Devante Downs has added 51 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Matt Anderson has gone 13-15 on field goals for Cal, with a long of 47 yards.

Cal is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against a team with a winning record and 2-6 ATS in their last 8 road games. The over is 8-1 in Cal’s last 9 games overall. USC is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Thursday games and 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games. The over is 5-0 in Cal’s last 5 road games. The under is 10-2 in these two teams last 12 meetings. Cal is 1-6 ATS in these two teams last 7 meetings.

USC has started to get their offense going in recent game and will be at home for this game. Cal has played well to start the season and plays in high scoring games. USC should find success against a poor Cal defense, while the USC defense is the better defensive unit. With USC at home, I like them to win the game, but I am taking Cal to keep it close behind their strong offensive unit.

DAVID'S PICK
California Golden Bears +15

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAF

Thursday’s games

Toledo is 6-1 with only loss 55-53 at gun at BYU. Rockets scored 36 pts/game in winning last three games, by 15-7-14 points. Toledo is 6-7-1 in last 14 games as a home favorite, 2-1 this year- they won their last five games with Ohio U (2-3 vs spread) but teams last met in 2010. Bobcats lost 43-40/31-13 in last two visits here, last of which was in ’07. Ohio won its last two road games 17-7/14-10; Bobcats are 4-1 in last five games as a road underdog. MAC home favorites are 3-10 vs spread this season.

Buffalo lost its last four games by average score of 38-13, giving up average of 369.7 rushing yards/game the last three games. Bulls are 4-2 as home dogs under Leipold, 2-1 this year. Akron won three of last four games, and scored 42.7 pts/game in winning last three road games SU- they’re 2-6-1 as road favorite under Bowden. Buffalo is 5-2 in last seven games with Akron; favorites covered three of last four series games. Zips lost last four visits here, losing 55-24/51-10 in last two. MAC home underdogs are 3-6 vs spread this season. Four of last five Buffalo games stayed under total.

Virginia Tech whacked UNC/Syracuse recently, but lost at Syracuse in between; since 2012, Hokies are 4-10 as a road favorite, 1-1 this year. Underdogs covered seven of last nine Virginia Tech-Pitt games; Panthers won six of last seven series games. Hokies lost last four visits here, by 5-18-3-31 points. Pitt scored 36+ points in its last six games, winning last three; they’re 1-4 in last five games as a home underdog. Underdogs are 5-1 vs spread in last six series games played here. ACC home underdogs are 2-6 vs spread. Last six Pitt games went over the total.

Appalachian State won its first three Sun Belt games by combined score of 78-22; ASU is 6-1 as a road favorite since jumping to I-A ball, 2-0 this year. Georgia Southern lost three of last four games, but they were all on road. Eagles won SU in their only game as a home dog since jump to I-A, beating Western Michigan LY. Home favorites won/covered both Appalachian State-Georgia Southern games; ASU lost 34-14 in last visit here, two years ago. Eagles ran ball for 408 yards in their win in 2014, only 188 in LY’s loss. Sun Belt home underdogs are 4-3 vs spread.

USC won its last 12 games with Cal, covering nine of last 11; Trojans beat Cal 38-30/27-21 last two years. Golden Bears lost last seven visits to Coliseum, but went 4-3 vs spread in those games. USC is 20-12 in last 32 games as a home favorite, 2-1 this year; they gained 523+ TY in winning last three games after a 1-3 start. Cal allowed 43+ points in five of last six games; Bears are 7-4 in last 11 games as a road underdog. Pac-12 home favorites are 9-7 vs spread this season. Cal ran 116 plays from scrimmage in OT win over Oregon LW. Five of Trojans’ last six games stayed under total. Over is 6-1 in Cal’s games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Opening Line Report - Week 8
By Marcus DiNitto

Of the 13 games on the NFL’s Week 8 card, seven feature early point spreads within a half-point of a field goal. In fact, none of the games have a line of a touchdown or more. The betting numbers are indicative of the parity throughout the league.

Here’s a look at the opening lines for the entire slate. The point spreads listed are the Las Vegas consensus as of about 11 p.m. ET Sunday night, with early moves and differences between sports books noted. We asked Nick Bogdanovich, director of trading at William Hill U.S., to chime in.

Thursday, Oct. 27

Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans (-3.5)

If the NFL is hoping for a boost to its sagging prime time ratings, a Jaguars/Titans game probably isn’t the answer. But there’s point spread on it and it’s an isolated game, so it has our attention. It’s interesting to note that the Titans went off as bigger favorites at home over the Colts on Sunday than they opened for this home game against Jacksonville.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Opening Line Report - Week 8
By Marcus DiNitto

Of the 13 games on the NFL’s Week 8 card, seven feature early point spreads within a half-point of a field goal. In fact, none of the games have a line of a touchdown or more. The betting numbers are indicative of the parity throughout the league.

Here’s a look at the opening lines for the entire slate. The point spreads listed are the Las Vegas consensus as of about 11 p.m. ET Sunday night, with early moves and differences between sports books noted. We asked Nick Bogdanovich, director of trading at William Hill U.S., to chime in.

Thursday, Oct. 27

Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans (-3.5)

If the NFL is hoping for a boost to its sagging prime time ratings, a Jaguars/Titans game probably isn’t the answer. But there’s point spread on it and it’s an isolated game, so it has our attention. It’s interesting to note that the Titans went off as bigger favorites at home over the Colts on Sunday than they opened for this home game against Jacksonville.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Tech Trends - Week 9
By Bruce Marshall

Thursday, Oct. 27

OHIO at TOLEDO...Toledo on 17-5-1 spread run since late 2014. Note that road team is 8-0 vs. line in Solich games TY (Ohio 4-0 away) and 9-0 since late 2015.

Slight to Solich & Ohio, based on team trends.


AKRON at BUFFALO...Bulls 2-9 vs. spread since mid 2015. Though home team has won big the last two meetings. Zips only 3-5 vs. line TY after closing 8-2 LY.

Slight to Akron, based on Buffalo negatives.


VIRGINIA TECH at PITT...Hokies only 1-3 vs. line away TY but have covered 4 of last 5 overall. Panthers just 6-12 last 18 on board and 1-9 last 10 vs. line at Heinz Field.

Virginia Tech, based on recent Pitt home woes.


APP STATE at GEORGIA SOUTHERN... App has covered first three on road TY and 7 of last 8 as visitor. Home team has won and covered last two meetings, however. GSU 1-5 vs. line TY.

App State, based on team trends.


CAL at SOUTHERN CAL...Cal no SU wins vs. SC since epic 2003 3-OT game at Berkeley. Bears 2-9 vs. spread last 11 vs. Trojans. Dykes 1-5 vs. spread last six as visitor.

USC, based on series trends.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Jags, Titans square off

Thursday Night Football Betting Preview
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-4 SU; 3-3 ATS) vs. Tennessee Titans (3-4 SU; 2-5 ATS)

Odds: Tennessee (-3.5); Total set at 44

The AFC South gets more cloudy by the week as all four teams are basically within a game of one another. None of the four teams in the division have looked good by any stretch of the imagination and it's likely that the eventual division winner will have plenty of bettors going the other way come playoff time.

We've got a while to go until then though, and Week 8 kicks off with a Jacksonville/Tennessee game that both teams are looking to grab. So who will be the one to take it by playing sound football for 60 minutes?

Tennessee and Jacksonville can't be accused of being a bettor's preferred team to back the past few years, but with all the preseason hype surrounding the Jaguars coming into 2016, it's good to see they haven't burned too much money yet at 3-3 ATS.

Bettors everywhere were expecting the Jags to take that next step forward in their progression and compete for a playoff spot, but a 2-4 SU start has many turning their back on Jacksonville now and chalking up their results as being “the same old Jaguars.” Yet, even at 2-4 SU, they've been in a lot of close games already this year with four of those six contests being decided by four points or less.

Even though the Jags are just 2-2 SU in those games, eventually that experience of knowing what it takes to close a tight game strong will pay dividends for the Jaguars and that turning of the corner everyone expected could be on the horizon. With this week's point spread basically being a pick'em if the game was on a neutral field, this week's game vs. Tennessee could be another nail biter.

Tennessee was expected to be on the upward swing as well this year and a 3-4 SU record does show progress. But the play of the defense in recent weeks has to be a bit concerning as they've allowed 27, 26, and 34 points to the likes of Houston, Cleveland, and Indianapolis.

Other than Indy on offense, none of those teams are particularly strong and the Titans 3-4 SU record could simply be a byproduct of a last-place schedule. This is the third of three straight weeks at home for the Titans, and while that's typically a positive for teams, this Titans team hasn't experienced winning enough to fully take advantage of it here.

The Jaguars are on a 4-0-2 ATS run in this rivalry and are looking for redemption after a really poor performance at home against Oakland last week. Sports outlets were poking fun all week at the Jaguars and that fake punt they allowed vs. Oakland and that couldn't have sat well.

The old saying in the NFL that “nobody is ever as bad as they look one week and nobody is ever as good as they were one week” situationally applies rather strongly here, and I expect the Jags to be at their best. When Jacksonville is sharp on both sides of the ball they can put together some solid performances, and with their last trip on the road being a 17-16 comeback win in Chicago, there may be some good vibes left in those suitcases this week.

Although Jacksonville has struggled out of the gate and not lived up to the preseason hype, there is something there with this team that caused so many to believe in them this year. By no means are the Jags out of the playoff picture yet, and a statement win on the road against Tennessee may have that Jacksonville bandwagon fill up again.

Tennessee is still trying to figure out how to win games and the fact that they are 0-4-1 ATS in their last five at home vs teams with a losing record on the road speaks to that. Going even further, Tennessee is 5-18-3 ATS in their last 26 against a losing team and are just hitting the meat of their schedule now.

Although the Jags looked awful vs. Oakland last week, these two teams are about to go in two very different directions and the wrong team is favored here.

Best Bet: Take Jacksonville +3.5 points

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NFL Thursday Night Football betting preview: Jaguars at Titans

Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans (-3.5, 43.5)

The Jacksonville Jaguars and host Tennessee Titans entertained loftier expectations this season, but both sputtering AFC South rivals can see a ray of optimism through the gloom and doom as they enter Thursday's contest at Nissan Stadium. Despite losing both division clashes, the host Titans are just one game removed from first-place Houston while the cellar-dwelling Jaguars are 1 1/2 games away from the penthouse.

Jacksonville's Blake Bortles tossed a career-high five touchdown passes in a 42-39 setback to Tennessee on Dec. 6, with Allen Robinson reeling in three of those scoring strikes to highlight his 10-catch, 153-yard performance. Bortles and Robinson are struggling significantly this season, however, with the former accounting for 11 turnovers (nine interceptions) and the latter underscoring his tough campaign with two catches for nine yards in Sunday's 33-16 setback versus Oakland. Marcus Mariota has eight touchdown passes in his last three games and nearly guided Tennessee to its third straight victory on Sunday before a fourth-quarter collapse resulted in a 34-26 loss to Indianapolis. The second overall pick of the 2015 draft, Mariota became the only player in NFL history to have at least 250 passing yards with three touchdowns and more than 100 rushing yards in a single game in his last encounter with the Jaguars.

TV: 8:25 p.m. ET, NFL Network.

LINE HISTORY: The Titans opened the betting week as 3.5-point home favorites for this electric Thursday night matchup and the point spread hasn't moved all week. The total hit the board at 46 and has actually come down three full points to 43 by Wednesday evening.

WEATHER REPORT: The forecast is calling for perfect autumn football conditions in Nashville for Thursday night. Partly cloudy skies, temperatures in the 60's, virtually no wind (1-2 mph breeze), and humidity levels around 70 percent.

INJURIES:

Jaguars - TE N. Sterling (Prob Thurs, foot), CB A. Colvin (Prob Thurs, toe), T K. Beachum (Prob Thurs, knee), CB P. Amukamara (Prob Thurs, knee), WR A. Hurns (Prob Thurs, neck), RB C. Grant (Ques Thurs, toe), DL J. Odrick (Ques Thurs, quadricep), TE J. Thomas (Ques Thurs, ankle), C L. Bowanko (Ques Thurs, hip), DT R. Miller (I-R, achilles), T L. Joeckel (I-R, knee), S J. Sample (I-R, shoulder), T J. Wells (I-R, thumb), DT M. Bennett (I-R, calf), DE J. Woodard (I-R, achilles).

Titans - TE D. Walker (Prob Thurs, chest), WR T. Sharpe (Ques Thurs, knee), CB C. Riggs (Ques Thurs, hamstring), TE J. Amaro (Ques Thurs, shoulder), LB K. Dodd (Ques Thurs, foot), G Q. Spain (Out Thurs, knee), S R. Johnson (Out Thurs, neck), CB P. Cox (Out Thurs, concussion), T B. Bell (Out For Season, ankle), G C. Warmack (Elig Week 11, finger), G J. Matias (I-R, knee), CB B. Okotcha (I-R, shoulder).

ABOUT THE JAGUARS (2-4 SU, 3-3 ATS, 4-2 O/U): Jacksonville's offense has been slowed by its 30th-ranked rushing attack (76.7 yards per game) and league-worst third-down conversion rate (27.6) to reside 24th in scoring (19.5 points per contest). T.J. Yeldon leads the Jaguars with only 200 yards rushing, although the second-year running back amassed 136 yards from scrimmage (79 receiving, 57 rushing) and a touchdown in his last meeting with the Titans. Tight end Julius Thomas is aiming to record his third touchdown in as many games versus Tennessee and fifth in six outings against a division representative.

ABOUT THE TITANS (3-4 SU, 2-5 ATS, 5-2 O/U): DeMarco Murray has been Tennessee's primary source of offense, as the 28-year-old has rushed for an NFL third-best 633 yards while his 27 receptions are tops on his own team. The Titans' ground attack could be in question as Quinton Spain (knee) is expected to miss two games, and fellow guard Brian Schwenke didn't distinguish himself after being beaten by his man that resulted in a late fumble by Mariota in the loss to the Colts. Tight end Delanie Walker, who has a team-leading 330 yards receiving and three touchdowns, has reeled in 16 receptions for 201 yards and a score in his last two meetings with Jacksonville.

TRENDS:

* Jaguars are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 vs. AFC South.
* Titans are 5-18-3 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.
* Over is 5-1 in Jaguars last 6 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
* Over is 5-0-1 in Titans last 6 vs. a team with a losing record.
* Jaguars are 8-1-2 ATS in their last 11 meetings.

CONSENSUS: 59 percent are on the Titans to cover as home favorites while 62 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.