Follow us @bigal_com

Instagram Twitter

Articles

Big Al's Daily Angle: CFL, EPL, NHL and NCAAF Previews and Odds - 10/18/2025

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Oct 18, 2025

The Saturday sports card features NCAAF, NHL, CFL, and EPL action.Week 8 in NCAAF college football concludes with 49 games between FBS opponents. Four NCAAF games on major national television kick off at noon ET. TCU hosts Baylor on ESPN2 as a 3-point favorite with the total set at 66.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Michigan plays at home against Washington on Fox as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 50.5. Vanderbilt is at home against LSU on ABC as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 47.5. Duke hosts Georgia Tech on ESPN as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 60.5. Central Florida plays at home against West Virginia on TNT at 1:00 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 46.5. Three NCAAF games on major national television start at 3:30 p.m. ET. Georgia is home against Mississippi on ABC as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 57.5. Ohio State travels to Wisconsin on CBS as a 25.5-point road favorite with a total of 41.5. Texas A&M plays at Arkansas as a 7.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 58.5. Two more NCAAF games on major national television at 4:00 p.m. ET. Texas Tech is on the road at Arizona State on Fox as a 7-point road favorite with a total of 50.5. Memphis visits UAB on ESPN2 as a 21.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 62.5. Texas plays at Kentucky on ESPN as a 12.5-point road favorite with a total of 43.5. Two more NCAAF games on major national television begin at 7:30 p.m. ET. Alabama hosts Tennessee on ABC as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 59.5. Notre Dame plays at home against USC on NBC as a 10-point favorite with a total of 60.5. Two more NCAAF games on major national television start at 8:00 p.m. ET. Cincinnati is on the road against Oklahoma State on ESPN2 as a 23.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 58.5. Utah travels to BYU on Fox as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 49.5. Florida State plays at Stanford on ESPN at 10:30 p.m. ET as a 17.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 54.5.The National Hockey League has 13 games on its slate. The Florida Panthers are in Buffalo to take on the Sabres at 1:10 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Ottawa Senators are home against the New York Islanders at 3:10 p.m. ET as a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Edmonton Oilers visit New Jersey to play the Devils at 3:40 p.m. ET as a -112 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Six NHL games drop the puck at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Wild play in Philadelphia against the Flyers, with both teams priced at -110 with an over/under of 6.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Seattle Kraken as a -205 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Columbus Blue Jackets play at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning as a -112 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Montreal Canadiens are home against the New York Rangers as a -118 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Dallas Stars are in St. Louis to challenge the Blues as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Winnipeg Jets host the Nashville Predators as a -185 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. Two NHL games start at 9:10 p.m. ET. The Colorado Avalanche play at home against the Boston Bruins as a -250 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Carolina Hurricanes travel to Los Angeles to battle the Kings as a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5.Two games conclude the NHL card at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Pittsburgh Penguins play in San Jose against the Sharks as a -148 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Vegas Golden Knights are home against the Calgary Flames as a -230 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. Week 20 in the Canadian Football League continues with two games. The Montreal Alouettes visit Ottawa to take on the Redblacks at 3:00 p.m. ET as a 10.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 51.5. The Calgary Stampeders host the Toronto Argonauts at 7:00 p.m. ET as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 52.5. Matchweek 8 in the English Premier League begins with seven matches. Chelsea plays at Nottingham Forest on the USA Network at 7:30 a.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Five more EPL matches begin at 10:00 a.m. ET. Newcastle United is on the road against Brighton and Hove Albion on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Leeds United travels to Burnley as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Crystal Palace plays at home against Bournemouth as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5.  Manchester City is home against Everton as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Sunderland hosts Wolverhampton as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Arsenal plays at Fulham at 12:30 p.m. ET as a -1.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. 

Read more

NBA Futures Wager: Oklahoma City to Win the 2026 NBA Title

by Al McMordie

Friday, Oct 17, 2025

For a long time, we did not see many repeat champions.  But that has been changing over the past couple of years.  In College Basketball, Connecticut won back-to-back National Championships in 2023 and 2024.  Likewise, the Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowls those same two years.  The NHL saw repeat champions in 2020 and 2021 with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and in 2024 and 2025 with the Florida Panthers.  And the Georgia Bulldogs won back-to-back titles in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.  Even Major League Baseball -- which has not seen a repeat winner since the New York Yankees won three straight titles from 1998 to 2000 -- may get a back-to-back winner this season with the Dodgers.  So, with repeat titles in vogue, we'll take Oklahoma City to run it back in 2026.  Currently, the best odds are +245 at DraftKings.The Thunder's three best players are just starting to discover how good they can be.  And none of them have even entered their prime years.  Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the MVP last season, and is 27 years old.  Jalen Williams is only 24.  And Chet Holmgren is a year younger, at 23.  But it's not just this trio; a majority of the Thunder's roster is 25 years old (or younger).Last season, the Thunder were 68-14, and set a regular season record (including the in-season tournament championship game) with a margin of victory of 12.51.  And they also had the best point spread record ever, as they went 54-26-3 ATS, and covered the point spread by an average of 3.62 ppg.  The Thunder was not as dominant in the post-season, as they went 16-7 straight-up, and 11-12 ATS.  Their victory margin was still impressive at 11.60.  But they also were stretched to seven games by both the Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers.Houston, Denver and the Los Angeles Clippers will be the main threats out West, while the New York Knicks and Cleveland lurk in the East.  But none of those five teams improved enough to challenge the Thunder, especially since OKC is IMPROVING itself.  I expect OKC's defense to once again be the best in basketball.  The Thunder led the league in defensive rating (106.6), steals, opponent FG percentage, and opponent 3-point FG percentage.  They also were second in blocks.  Defense wins championships, and OKC's defense is by far the best.  Take the Thunder at +245 to win the 2026 Larry O'Brien Trophy.Good luck, as always,Al McMordie

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, NCAAF, NHL, and CFL Previews and Odds - 10/17/2025

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Oct 17, 2025

The Friday sports card features NCAAF, MLB, NHL, and CFL action.Week 8 in NCAAF college football continues with four games between FBS opponents. Miami (FL) hosts Louisville on ESPN at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Hurricanes have won their first five games of the season after their 28-22 victory at Florida State as a 3.5-point favorite on October 4th. The Cardinals had won their first four games of the season before a 30-27 upset loss against Virginia as a 6-point favorite on October 4th. Miami (FL) is a 13.5-point favorite with the total set at 50.5. Nebraska travels to Minnesota on Fox at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Cornhuskers have won two games in a row after their 34-31 victory at Maryland as a 7-point favorite last Saturday. They have a 5-1 record. The Golden Gophers won two of their last three games after a 27-20 victory at home against Purdue as a 7-point favorite on Saturday. The win raised their record to 4-2. Nebraska is a 7-point road favorite with an over/under of 47.5. Utah State plays at home against San Jose State on the CBS Sports Network at 9:00 p.m. ET. The Aggies are on a two-game losing streak after a 44-26 upset loss at Hawaii on Saturday. Their record stands at 3-3. The Spartans have lost two of their last three games after a 35-28 upset loss at Wyoming as a 1.5-point favorite last Saturday. Their record is 2-4. Utah State is a 4-point favorite with a total of 61.5. California is at home against North Carolina on ESPN at 10:30 p.m. ET. The Golden Bears lost for the second time in their last three games after a 45-21 loss at home against Duke as a 3-point underdog on October 4th. They have a 4-2 record. The Tar Heels have lost two games in a row after their 38-10 loss against Clemson as a 14.5-point underdog two Saturdays ago. Their record has dropped to 2-3. California is an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 47.5. Major League Baseball continues its best-of-seven league championship round of the playoffs with two games. The Toronto Blue Jays play in Seattle against the Mariners on FS1 at 6:08 p.m. ET. The Blue Jays evened this series at two games apiece with their 8-2 victory on the road against the Mariners on Thursday. Toronto sends out Kevin Gausman to pitch against Seattle’s Bryce Miller. The Blue Jays are a -112 money-line road favorite with a total of 7. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Milwaukee Brewers on TBS/truTV/HBO Max at 8:38 p.m. ET. The Dodgers took a 3-0 series lead on Thursday with their 3-1 victory. Shohei Ohtani takes the ball for Los Angeles to face a starting pitcher yet to be named for the Brewers. The Dodgers are a -194 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The National Hockey League has four games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Tampa Bay Lightning are in Detroit to face the Red Wings as a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Washington Capitals play at home against the Minnesota Wild as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Vancouver Canucks visit Chicago to face the Blackhawks at 8:40 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Utah Mammoth are home against the San Jose Sharks at 9:10 p.m. ET as a -265 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Week 20 in the Canadian Football League kicks off with one game. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers host the Saskatchewan Roughriders at 8:00 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 47.5. The British Columbia Lions play at home against the Edmonton Elks at 10:30 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 56.5.

Read more

ASA's NFL News & Notes

by ASA, Inc.

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025

ASA’s NFL News & Notes  DENVER BRONCOS – What a brutal stretch for Denver.  Here is their schedule over the last 5 weeks…@ Indianapolis, @ LA Chargers, home vs Cincinnati, @ Philadelphia, @ London vs NY Jets and now no bye after playing overseas.  On top of that, they host the Giants who are coming off a win on Thursday vs Philadelphia so they have 10 days to get ready for this game in Denver.  The Broncos have been terrorizing QB’s as they lead the NFL in sack percentage and sacks per game.  Over the last 2 games alone, vs Philly and NY Jets, they have 15 sacks.  The Giants Oline is bottom 10 in sack percentage allowed and they are giving up almost 3 sacks per game.  QB Dart is very mobile which should help although Denver faced Justin Fields and Jalen Hurts the last 2 weeks and that didn’t seem to matter.  Now is the time to make a run for the Broncos who have 4 of their next 5 games at home with 3 of those games coming vs teams that currently have losing records (Giants, Raiders and Cowboys).  ARIZONA CARDINALS – QB Kyler Murray sat out last week’s game @ Indianapolis due to a foot injury.  Veteran back up Jacoby Brissett came in and let the Cardinals to their highest offensive output of the season with 27 points and 400 total yards (31-27 loss).  Prior to last week, Arizona had been held under 300 total yards in 4 of their first 5 games.  Brissett threw for 320 yards which is 100 yards more than Kyler Murray best passing game this season.  Not back facing an Indy defense that came into the game allowing just 315 YPG and 17.8 PPG (3rd in the NFL).  Coming into the game the Cards ranked 23rd in total offense, 26th in scoring, and 27th in YPP with Murray under center.  With Brissett at QB they topped their averages by 85 yards, 10 points, and 0.9 YPP vs one of the better defenses in the NFL.   Head coach Jonathan Gannon has a decision to make this Sunday (hosting Green Bay) if Murray is back and ready to go.     LA CHARGERS – The LA offense needs to figure out how to get in the endzone.  Their offense has been very good ranking 7th in total offense yet just 23rd in scoring offense (21 PPG).  They had a chance to bury Miami early last week but settled for 5 FG’s while scoring only 2 TD’s.  They rank dead last in the NFL in red zone TD percentage (just 35%) and 2nd in field goals per game.  They rank 28th in yards per point (17 yards per point) so they are moving the ball just not getting into the endzone.  The Chargers have had 61 offensive possessions this season and scoring only 12 TD’s.  That has to improve if they want to make the playoffs facing a tough division with KC and Denver.    SEATTLE SEAHAWKS – We were on the Seahawks each of the last 2 weekends for our Top Play.  They lost 38-35 two weeks ago when TB scored 10 points in the final 1:06 of the game.  They outgained the Bucs 8.6 YPP to 7.3 YPP in that loss.  Last week they traveled to Jacksonville and dominated more than then 20-12 final score outgaining the Jags 6.4 YPP to 4.0 YPP.  This team is better than their 4-2 record.  They rank 2nd in the NFL in YPP margin and point differential at +49.  Their 2 losses came by a combined 7 points and the led with under 2:00 minutes to go in both.  Using the NFL DVOA metric (Defense adjust value over average), which we use quite often, the Seahawks are ranked as the #1 team in the NFL and rank in the top 5 both offensively and defensively.  The only other team that ranks in the top 5 on both sides of the ball (per DVOA) is the LA Rams.  They’ve been great on the road winning 10 of their last 11 games dating back to last season with 5 of those wins coming as an underdog.  Something to make note of moving forward.  CLEVELAND BROWNS – The Browns traded starting QB Flacco to division rival Cincinnati and decided to go with rookie Dillon Gabriel under center.  The results have been the same.  They’ve scored 26 total points the last 2 games with Gabriel calling the signals.  This Cleveland offense ranks last in scoring (13.7 PPG), 27th in total offense, 31st in YPP, 28th in rushing and 26th in passing.  3 of their 5 losses came with the defense holding their opponent to 23 points or less.  Their only win came vs Green Bay in a game they only scored 1 TD which came on a 4 yard drive with 3:00 remaining (following a Jordan Love interception).  They’ve scored only 8 offensive TD’s in 67 possessions this season.  They host the Dolphins on Sunday in a battle of 1-5 teams.  KANSAS CITY CHIEFS – After staring the season 0-2 with losses to the Chargers and Eagles, the Chiefs have rebounded to win 3 of 4.  Even in their 1 loss during that stretch @ Jacksonville, the Chiefs dominated the stat sheet with 7.6 YPP to 5.9 for the Jags.  Their offense kicked it in gear a few weeks ago when their top WR Xavier Worthy returned from an injury.  In their first 3 games KC averaged 20 PPG and over their last 3 they’ve upped that to 31.6 PPG.  They averaged just 307 YPG in their first 3 games and then exploded for 404 YPG over their last 3.  The speedy Worthy is averaging 11.2 yards per reception and 10.2 yards per carry since coming back.  They are 13 point favorites on Sunday vs division opponent Las Vegas.  Since Mahomes took over as KC’s starting QB in 2018, the Chiefs are 12-2 SU but just 5-9 ATS vs. the Raiders.  Last year’s games both won by the Chiefs with final scores of 27-20 and 19-17.   BUFFALO BILLS – We faded the Bills each of the last 2 weeks and cashed as they lost outright to the Patriots and Falcons as favorites.  We felt Buffalo was vastly overvalued after the first 4 weeks with a perfect 4-0 record.  Fact is they played the easiest schedule in the NFL through the first 4 weeks and by quite a wide margin.  In week 1 they came from 15 points down with under 4:00 remaining to beat the Ravens scoring 17 points in the final 3:56.  While Baltimore has had some injuries, even prior to that they’ve shown they might not be near the level they were a year ago.  After that the Bills beat the Jets, Dolphins, and Saints who have a combined record of 2-16.  If we throw the Ravens in the mix, the combined record of all 4 teams the Bills have topped is just 3-21!  Despite their easy schedule, Buffalo’s point differential is +30 which is tied for just the 8th best in the NFL.  The Falcons dominated them on Monday night with 443 yards to just 291 for Buffalo.  The Bills continued to struggle stopping the run with Atlanta racking up 210 yards on the ground.  The Buffalo rush D is dead last in YPC allowed (5.8) and 31st in YPG on the ground allowed (156).  They have this weekend off and then travel to Carolina who has rushed for 239 and 216 yards in their last 2 games and the Panthers rank 4th in the NFL in rushing.   

Read more

NBA Contrarian Betting

by Wayne Root

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025

The contrarian strategy in NBA betting can be a powerful tool when used wisely. By betting against public opinion and identifying value in the betting lines, contrarian bettors can find opportunities that others might overlook. However, it requires thorough research, a good understanding of the game, and a disciplined approach to be successful.The contrarian strategy in NBA betting involves betting against the majority of bettors. Here’s a detailed look at how this strategy works and why it can be effective:Understanding the Contrarian StrategyPublic Bias:Many bettors tend to favor popular teams or star players, often influenced by media coverage and recent performances. This can lead to skewed betting lines. For example, if a well-known team is on a winning streak, the public might heavily back them, causing the odds to shift in their favor. Identifying Value:Contrarian bettors look for instances when the odds are not reflective of the actual probabilities of an outcome. When the majority backs one side, the contrarian might see value in betting the opposite side. The idea is that sportsbooks adjust lines based on public betting patterns, sometimes leading to inflated odds for the popular side. Psychology of Betting:Many casual bettors have a tendency to follow trends and go with their gut feelings, which can create opportunities for contrarians. This can lead to overreactions to recent performances, injuries, or media narratives. Contrarian bettors capitalize on this by going against the crowd, especially in high-stakes games where emotions run high. When to Use the Contrarian StrategyHigh Public Betting Percentage:If a large percentage of the betting public is backing one team, and the line doesn't move significantly, it may indicate value in betting against that team. Late-Season Fatigue or Injuries:As the season progresses, public perception may lead to an overestimation of a team’s capabilities, especially if they’re dealing with fatigue or injuries. Home Underdogs:Often, the public tends to favor the visiting team, especially if they have a strong record. Betting on home underdogs can be a contrarian approach, especially if the home team has strengths not reflected in the public's perception. Risks InvolvedMisjudging the Market:The public often has valid reasons for their opinions. Ignoring data and trends in favor of being contrarian can lead to losses. Timing:Contrarian bets may take time to pay off. A team favored by the public could continue to win, and waiting for the right moment to bet against them requires patience and discipline. Emotional Bias:Sometimes, being contrarian can stem from personal biases against popular teams, leading to irrational decisions. Tips for Effective Contrarian BettingDo Your Research:Analyze team performance, player statistics, and other relevant data. Ensure your contrarian bets are based on solid reasoning. Monitor Line Movements:Pay attention to how betting lines change in response to public betting patterns. This can provide insight into when to place a contrarian bet. Stay Disciplined:Stick to your strategy and avoid emotional betting. Successful contrarian betting requires a level-headed approach. Focus on Situational Factors:Look for situational factors such as matchups, travel schedules, and player injuries that can influence the game outcome beyond public sentiment.Here are some common mistakes that contrarian bettors should avoid to enhance their chances of success:1. Ignoring Data and TrendsMistake: Relying solely on the contrarian approach without considering statistics, team performance, and matchups. Solution: Always back your contrarian bets with solid research and analysis. Understand the underlying reasons for public sentiment and how they relate to actual performance. 2. Overreacting to Recent PerformancesMistake: Betting against a team simply because of a recent loss or poor performance, without considering the bigger picture. Solution: Look for long-term trends rather than just short-term fluctuations. Assess whether the recent performance is indicative of a deeper issue or just a temporary setback. 3. Chasing LossesMistake: Trying to recover losses by increasing the size of contrarian bets, which can lead to poor decision-making.  Solution: Stick to a disciplined bankroll management strategy, betting only a small percentage of your bankroll on each wager. 4. Betting with EmotionMistake: Allowing personal biases or emotions to influence contrarian bets, such as betting against a team you dislike. Solution: Maintain objectivity and focus on data-driven decision-making rather than personal feelings. 5. Neglecting Line MovementsMistake: Failing to monitor how betting lines move in response to public sentiment, which can indicate value. Solution: Pay attention to line movements and understand what they might signify about market perception and potential value. 6. Ignoring Contextual FactorsMistake: Not considering situational elements like injuries, travel schedules, or player fatigue that can impact game outcomes. Solution: Always assess the context of a game; these factors can significantly influence performance and betting value. 7. Focusing Only on Popular TeamsMistake: Concentrating solely on high-profile teams, which can lead to missed opportunities with less popular teams that offer better value. Solution: Widen your focus to include a variety of teams and matchups, looking for value wherever it exists. 8. Failing to AdaptMistake: Sticking rigidly to the contrarian strategy without adjusting based on changing circumstances or new information. Solution: Be flexible and willing to adapt your approach as the season progresses and as new data becomes available. 9. Not Shopping for the Best OddsMistake: Betting at a single sportsbook without comparing odds, potentially leaving money on the table. Solution: Use multiple sportsbooks to find the best odds for your contrarian bets, maximizing potential returns. 10. Underestimating Public SentimentMistake: Dismissing the opinions of the public entirely, assuming they are always wrong. Solution: Recognize that the public can sometimes have valid insights. Analyze their reasoning and assess whether it aligns with your research.ConclusionBy avoiding these common mistakes, contrarian bettors can improve their decision-making process and enhance their chances of success. A disciplined, research-driven approach that considers both public sentiment and objective analysis is key to effective contrarian betting.

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NHL, MLB and NCAAF Previews and Odds - 10/16/2025

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025

The Thursday sports card features NFL, NCAAF, MLB, and NHL action.Week 7 in the National Football League kicks off with one game. The Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Cincinnati to play the Bengals on Prime Video at 8:15 p.m. ET. The Steelers have won three games in a row after their 23-9 victory at home against Cleveland as a 6-point favorite last Sunday. The Bengals are on a four-game losing streak after their 27-18 loss at Green Bay as a 15-point underdog on Sunday. Pittsburgh is a 5.5-point road favorite with the total set at 44.5 (all odds from DraftKings).Week 8 in NCAAF college football continues with one game between FBS opponents at 7:00 p.m. ET. East Carolina hosts Tulsa on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. ET as a 17.5-point favorite with an over/under of 53.5. Major League Baseball continues its best-of-seven league championship round of the playoffs with two games. The Los Angeles Dodgers play at home against the Milwaukee Brewers on TBS/truTV/HBO at 6:08 p.m. ET. The Dodgers took a 2-0 series lead with their 5-1 victory on Monday. They send out Tyler  Glasnow to pitch against a Brewers starting pitcher wh0 yet to be named. Los Angeles is a -199 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5.The Seattle Mariners are home against the Toronto Blue Jays on FS1 at 8:33 p.m. The Blue Jays won their first game in this series last night with their 13-4 victory. The Mariners still hold a 2-1 series lead. Luis Castillo takes the mound for Seattle to pitch against Max Scherzer for Toronto. The Mariners are a -137 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The National Hockey League has 11 games on its slate. Six NHL  games drop the puck at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Ottawa Senators host the Seattle Kraken as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Colorado Avalanche play in Columbus against the Blue Jackets as a -162 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Winnipeg Jets are in Philadelphia to take on the Flyers as a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Montreal Canadiens play at home against the Nashville Predators as a -162 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The New Jersey Devils are home against the Florida Panthers as a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs host the New York Rangers as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Edmonton Oilers visit New York to face the Islanders at 7:40 p.m. ET as a -170 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Dallas Stars play at home against the Vancouver Canucks as a -198 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.Three games conclude the NHL card at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Vegas Golden Knights are home against the Boston Bruins as a -225 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Los Angeles Kings host the Pittsburgh Penguins as a -218 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Carolina Hurricanes play in Anaheim against the Ducks as a -180 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5.

Read more

Inside The College Football Boxscores Week 7 – Part 3

by Matt Fargo

Wednesday, Oct 15, 2025

Fargo looks past the top line scores and goes deep into the box scores to get a better picture of what really happened for all of the FBS games the past weekend.Florida Atlantic 53, UAB 33Florida Atlantic forced a three and out to open the game and went 64 yards in eight plays to take a 7-0 lead which was the first of four touchdowns in four possessions and the Trent Dilfer tenure was done before halftime. The Blazers punted on their first four possessions and the game was done two minutes into the second quarter. The Owls outgained UAB 482-329 and 7.4 to 4.8 despite going just 3-10 on third down but were helped out by the Blazers committing 15 penalties for 128 yards. Coastal Carolina 23, ULM 8Coastal Carolina went 120 yards in its first two possessions but had to settle for a pair of field goals and it was a very inefficient first half before finding the endzone right before halftime for take a 16-0 lead into the break. The Warhawks punted on all six first half possessions and after scoring a touchdown early in the third quarter, the offense could do nothing the rest of the way. The Chanticleers only outgained UL Monroe 378-315 and 5.4 to 5.1 yppl but the Warhawks were 1-13 on third down.Wyoming 35, San Jose State 28San Jose St. jumped out to a 21-7 lead with the only Wyoming touchdown coming on a 73-yard punt return and the Spartans took a 14-point lead into halftime. After a scoreless third quarter filled with turnovers, the Cowboys cashed a turnover into a touchdown via interception and they scored two late touchdowns amassing 165 yards and the defense held. Wyoming outgained the Spartans 413-383 but ran 19 fewer plays and it had the yppl advantage 6.4 to 4.6. Texas A&M 34, Florida 17Florida took the opening kickoff and went 75 yards in eight plays to take a 7-0 lead but Texas A&M scored touchdowns on its first three possessions consisting of drives of 75, 81 and 75 yards. The Aggies took a seven-point lead into the fourth quarter and scored 10 points off a missed fourth down conversion and a fumble from the Gators. Texas A&M outgained Florida 417-319 and 6.1 to 5.2 yppl as it went 9-17 on third down while the defense held the Gators to 1-10 on third down. Iowa 30, Wisconsin 0Iowa opened the scoring with a 32-yard field goal then intercepted a pass and scored a touchdown three plays later and intercepted another pass two plays later and scored a touchdown on the next play. The Hawkeyes dominated the rest of the way with their defense to pitch the shutout. Iowa outgained the Badgers 319-209 and 5.2 to 3.7 yppl so it was far from dominating but the two early interceptions set the tone. The Hawkeyes did rush for 210 yards on 36 carries (5.8 ypc). USC 31, Michigan 13USC took the opening kickoff and went 75 yards in 11 plays to take a 7-0 lead. The Wolverines went three and out on its first possession and despite running 11 plays on its second possession, it was forced to punt again but took its third possession 86 yards in 14 plays to tie the game. The Trojans then scored the next 17 points to put the game away. USC outgained Michigan 489-316 and 7.2 to 5.5 yppl while going 6-12 on third down and held the Wolverines to 2-9 on third down. Minnesota 27, Purdue 20Purdue jumped out to a 10-0 lead and took a four-point lead into halftime and a third quarter field goal gave the Boilermakers a 20-13 lead going into the fourth quarter. The Gophers went 70 yards in 14 plays to tie the game and had an interception return for a touchdown on the next play to take the lead. Purdue was then stopped at the Minnesota seven-yard line with 1:56 left. Purdue outgained the Gophers 456-262 but were -3 in turnovers while going just 3-5 in the redzone. Georgia 20, Auburn 10Auburn took the opening kickoff and went 75 yards in 14 plays to take a 7-0 lead. The Tigers forced a punt and went 70 yards but had to settle for a 24-yard field goal and then after a punt, they went 79 yards but fumbled at the Georgia one yard line. That motivation got the Georgia offense going as the Bulldogs scored in four of their next six possessions, the exceptions being a turnover on downs and a missed field goal. Georgia outgained Auburn 296-277 and 4.3 to 4.1 yppl. Clemson 41, Boston College 10Clemson jumped ahead 10-0 and built a 17-3 lead before Boston College went 75 yards in 10 plays to cut the lead to seven points but then it was all Tigers after that. Clemson scored 17 points to close the first half to take a 34-10 lead into the break but it threw two interceptions to open the second half. The defense did the job not to let the Eagles back in the game and overall, the Tigers outgained Boston College 504-221 and 6.6 to 3.6 yppl but were sloppy with three turnovers. Texas Tech 42, Kansas 17Texas Tech forced a punt on the opening possession of the game and threw a 71-yard touchdown pass on its first play from scrimmage. Kansas fumbled on its next play and the Red Raiders scored a second touchdown five plays later then built a 21-0 lead. Kansas did score 17 unanswered points to end the first half but Texas Tech owned the second half 21-0. The Red Raiders outgained Kansas 505-319 and 7.4 to 4.1 and they rushed for 372 yards on 40 carries (9.3 ypc).  UTSA 61, Rice 13UTSA took the opening kickoff and went 75 yards in five plays to take a 7-0 lead and Rice was able to move the ball on its first possession but had to settle for a field goal. The Roadrunners then scored the next 31 points before Rice tacked on a touchdown before halftime. UTSA opened the second half with two defensive touchdowns in the first seven plays and added a safety. The Roadrunners outgained Rice 437-269 and 7.4 to 3.9 yppl but the offense was just 4-10 on third down. LSU 20, South Carolina 10LSU opened the scoring with a field goal following a Gamecocks fumble and South Carolina then missed a field goal. The Tigers then fumbled it back to South Carolina and scored three plays later on a 72-yard rushing touchdown. It was a tie game midway through the third quarter before LSU scored the final 10 points. The Tigers outgained South Carolina 420-317 and 6.7 to 4.4 yppl as it ran nine fewer plays but did have three turnovers. The Gamecocks committed 13 penalties. BYU 33, Arizona 27BYU took a 14-0 lead before Arizona ran off 24 straight points, the last touchdown coming early in the fourth quarter. The Cougars then went 69 yards in 15 plays but had to settle for a 24-yard field goal and then forced a punt and went 47 yards to tie the game with 19 seconds remaining. Field goals were traded in the first overtime and in the second overtime, BYU scored and then the defense held. The Cougars outgained Arizona 430-383 and held the Wildcats to 4-17 on third down. Troy 48, Texas State 41Texas St. opened up a 28-7 lead after the first quarter as it had two big touchdown plays of 59 and 62 yards. The Bobcats slowly let Troy back in the game as the Trojans scored on seven of their final eight possessions including the game tying touchdown with 1:13 remaining and the Bobcats missed a 42-yard field goal as time expired. Troy scored first in overtime before the Bobcats failed to convert a fourth and one. Texas St. outgained the Trojans 574-458 and 7.7 to 6.3 yppl. Boise State 41, New Mexico 25Boise St. opened the scoring with a field goal and then added a touchdown to end the first quarter but New Mexico returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. The Lobos forced a three and out and drove 58 yards for a touchdown but the Broncos went on a 31-3 run before New Mexico added a touchdown in garbage time. Boise St. outgained the Lobos 397-231 but had the ball for 21 more minutes while running 32 more plays and had just a 4.6 to 4.3 yppl advantage. Utah 42, Arizona State 10After Utah scored a touchdown on its opening possession, Arizona St. went 54 yards in 16 plays and took over seven minutes off the clock but had to settle for a field goal. The Utes then scored the next 21 points before the Sun Devils added a touchdown but it was too late. Utah rushed for 276 yards on 42 carries (6.6 ypc) and overall the Utes outgained Arizona St. 412-273. They ran 23 fewer plays and outgained the Sun Devils 7.5 to 3.5 yppl and had only eight third downs. San Diego State 44, Nevada 10San Diego St. had a 14-0 lead after the first quarter following touchdowns on a 75-yard punt return and a 45-yard interception return. The Aztecs added on 30 more points before taking the foot off the gas. Nevada scored all 10 points in garbage time in the fourth quarter. San Diego St. outgained the Wolf Pack 409-254 with 141 of those 254 yards for Nevada coming on those two scoring drives. The Aztecs held Nevada to 60 yards rushing on 33 carries (1.8 ypc). Hawaii 44, Utah State 26It was a back and forth game with Hawaii taking the lead 27-26 near the end of the third quarter and then outscored the Aggies 17-0 in the fourth quarter. Utah St. scored one minute into the second half and then the offense fell apart as it finished with two punts, a turnover on downs, a fumble and an interception in its final eight possessions. Hawaii outgained the Aggies 546-435 but ran 17 more plays and the yppl was even at 6.6. The Aggies were 2-12 on third down.

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, MLB and NHL Previews and Odds - 10/15/2025

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Oct 15, 2025

The Wednesday sports card features NCAAF, MLB, and NHL action.Week 8 in NCAAF college football continues with two games between FBS opponents at 7:00 p.m. ET. Delaware travels to Jacksonville State on ESPN. The Blue Hens had won two games in a row before a 27-24 upset loss at home against Western Kentucky as a 2.5-point favorite on October 3rd. They have a 3-2 record on the season. The Gamecocks won for the second time in their last three games in a 29-27 victory at Sam Houston as a 7-point favorite last Thursday. The victory evened their record at 3-3. Delaware is a 3-point road favorite with the total set at 57.5 (all odds from DraftKings). UTEP plays at Sam Houston on the CBS Sports Network. The Miners lost their fourth straight game last Wednesday in a 19-8 setback against Liberty as a 2-point underdog. They have a 1-5 record. The Bearkats have lost their first six games of the season after their loss at home against Jacksonville State last week. UTEP is a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 47.5. Major League Baseball continues its best-of-seven league championship round of the playoffs with one game. The Seattle Mariners host the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of the ALCS on FS1 at 8:08 p.m. ET. The Mariners took a 2-0 lead in this series with their 10-3 victory on the road in Toronto on Monday. They have won five of their last six games. The Blue Jays have lost three of their last four games. Seattle sends out George Kirby to take the mound to pitch against Toronto’s Shane Bieber. The Mariners are a -137 money-line favorite with a total of 7. The National Hockey League has four games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Florida Panthers are on the road in Detroit against the Red Wings on TNT. The Panthers had won their first three games of the season before a 5-2 loss at Philadelphia on Monday. The Red Wings rebounded from losing their opening game of the season with two straight victories after a 3-2 win at Toronto on Monday. Florida is a -142 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5.The Ottawa Senators visit Buffalo to take on the Sabres. The Senators won their opening game of the season but have since lost two games in a row after a 4-1 loss against Nashville on Monday. The Sabres have lost their first three games of the season after a 3-1 loss at home against Colorado on Monday. Ottawa is a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Two more games conclude the NHL card at 9:40 p.m. ET. The Utah Mammoth plays at home against the Calgary Stampeders. The Mammoth lost for the second time in their first three games this season in a 3-1 loss at Chicago on Monday. The Flames won their first game of the new season before losing two games in a row after their 4-2 loss at home against St. Louis on Saturday. Utah is a -218 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The St. Louis Blues are home against the Chicago Blackhawks on TNT. The Blues rebounded from losing their opening game of the season with two straight victories after their 5-2 win at Vancouver on Monday. The Blackhawks ended a three-game losing streak to begin the season with their victory against Utah on Monday. St. Louis is a -230 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5.  

Read more

Inside The College Football Boxscores Week 7 – Part 2

by Matt Fargo

Tuesday, Oct 14, 2025

Fargo looks past the top line scores and goes deep into the box scores to get a better picture of what really happened for all of the FBS games the past weekend.James Madison 24, Louisiana 14After a scoreless first quarter, Louisiana struck first with a six-play, 80-yard touchdown drive and then recovered a fumble two plays later but could not take advantage as it had a 51-yard field goal blocked. James Madison turned that into a touchdown but the Cajuns went 75 yards in three plays to take a 14-7 halftime lead. The Dukes scored on the first play of the second half and the defense clamped down. James Madison outgained Louisiana 477-288 and 5.9 to 5.1 yppl.Ole Miss 24, Washington State 21Mississippi was caught in an unexpected dogfight as Washington St. hit the scoreboard first late in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead and the Rebels did not get into the endzone until 31 seconds remaining in the second quarter. The Cougars took the opening second half kickoff and went 75 yards in seven plays before Mississippi scored the next two touchdowns. The Rebels outgained Washington St. 439-345 but did run 11 more plays and they were hurt by eight penalties for 99 yards.Eastern Michigan 16, NIU 10The teams traded field goals in the first half with Eastern Michigan taking a 6-3 lead. Northern Illinois opened the scoring in the second half with an 80-yard touchdown run before the Eagles reclaimed the lead early in the fourth quarter. They intercepted a pass two plays later and tacked on a field goal and the Huskies were stopped on downs twice to end the game. Northern Illinois had only 252 yards besides that touchdown run and finished 4-16 in third down. The Eagles had only 296 yards of offense.Kent State 42, UMass 6Kent St. opened the game by returning the kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown and the Golden Flashes never looked back. They took a 21-6 lead into halftime so it was still a game but they forced a punt on the first Minutemen possession and went 80 yards in 14 plays for a touchdown and took advantage of a failed fourth down try and an interception to add two more scores. Kent St. outgained Massachusetts by only 330-271 but ran 20 fewer plays and had a 5.3 to 3.3 yppl advantage.Notre Dame 36, NC State 7Notre Dame forced a punt to open the game and went 58 yards in six plays to go ahead 7-0. The Wolf Pack responded to open the second quarter with an 11-play, 83-yard drive before Notre Dame kicked a field goal right before the half. The Irish then took over as after punting on its first possession, it scored on four of its next five possessions. Notre Dame outgained the Wolfpack 485-233 and 6.8 to 3.9 yppl. The last four NC State possessions resulted in three interceptions and a safety.Marshall 48, Old Dominion 24Marshall opened the scoring with a 22-yard interception return and after a Thundering Herd missed field goal, Old Dominion tied the game on a 71-yard touchdown pass. It was all Marshall after that as it went on a 41-3 run before the Monarchs added a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns. Old Dominion was outgained by only 445-439 but 155 of its yards were those last two touchdown drives. Additionally, it lost the turnover battle 3-0 that led to 21 points for the Thundering Herd.Western Michigan 42, Ball State 0Western Michigan turned it over on downs inside the Cardinals redzone on its first possession but then scored touchdowns on its next three possessions and the rout was on. The Broncos were far from perfect as besides the fourth down miss, they had a missed field goal and a one play interception. Western Michigan outgained the Cardinals 461-88 and 6.3 to 1.8 yppl as it forced 10 punts with Ball St. converting only one third down and it crossed midfield only once.Appalachian State 41, Georgia State 20Appalachian St. opened up a 17-0 lead at halftime which eventually became 31-0 and the Mountaineers coasted the rest of the way. They were outscored 20-10 after that as the Panthers offense finally got going with three touchdown drives of 75 yards each which added some fluff yardage. Appalachian St. outgained Georgia Southern 435-381 on 10 fewer plays which made it 5.9 to 4.9 yppl. The Mountaineers punted on four of their first five possessions but did not punt after that.UNLV 51, Air Force 48The Rebels did it again with another late win to remain undefeated. Air Force was able to build an 11-point lead late in the second quarter but UNLV went on a 16-0 run and then it was back and forth and after the Falcons went up 48-44 with 1:13 remaining, the Rebels went 75 yards on six plays in 37 seconds for the game winning touchdown. Air Force outgained the Rebels 603-597 but ran 23 more plays thanks to a 14-minute clock edge and UNLV took the yppl 10.0 to 7.3.Kansas State 41, TCU 28The Wildcats spotted TCU and 7-0 lead and then ran off 28 straight points that included a 15-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown and a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown. The Horned Frogs never got it below 14 points until the end of the game on a garbage touchdown. The two defensive touchdowns were the difference as TCU outgained the Wildcats 448-343 and 6.5 to 4.8 yppl and another interception led to a touchdown and they committed eight penalties.Colorado 24, Iowa State 17Colorado scored at the end of the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead but Iowa St. scored the only 10 points in the second quarter to lead at the half. The Cyclones retook the lead after the Buffaloes took it back two plays into the second half but Colorado finished on a 10-0 run. Iowa St. outgained Colorado 441-395 and 6.3 to 6.2 yppl but the Cyclones went just 2-12 on third down and had a questionable decision to go for it on their own 18-yard line with 7:13 left and missed it.Wake Forest 39, Oregon State 14Wake Forest took the opening kickoff and went 60 yards in just three plays to take a 7-0 lead which was eventually extended to 32-0 after three quarters. The Demon Deacons had a yardage edge of 358-211 through the three quarters as Oregon St. missed a field goal, had two turnovers and turned it over on downs which accounted for 148 of those 211 yards. Overall, Wake Forest outgained the Beavers 468-309 and it ran 26 fewer plays and had a 8.7 to 3.9 yppl advantage.Georgia Tech 35, Virginia Tech 20Georgia Tech opened up an 18-0 lead which turned into 21-7 at halftime but the Hokies took the second half kickoff and went 75 yards in nine plays to make it a one possession game. The Yellow Jackets put up two more touchdowns to put them away before a late garbage Virginia Tech touchdown. Georgia Tech outgained the Hokies 481-367 but did run 11 more plays so it only had a 7.3 to 6.7 yppl advantage but Virginia Tech committed 10 penalties and was 0-8 on third down.Texas 23, Oklahoma 6Oklahoma opened up a 6-0 lead early in the second quarter at which time Texas had only 22 yards of offense and had a missed field goal in there following an interception. The Longhorns finally got on the board with a field goal and then took over in the second half. They scored on their first two second half possessions and three of four that included another missed field goal. Texas outgained the Sooners 302-258 and 4.9 to 3.7 yppl and it went 10-17 on third down.Northwestern 22, Penn State 21Northwestern had the only points in the first quarter as it used a 7:23 drive in 12 plays but it resulted in just a 27-yard field goal. It was a back and forth game the whole way and it was Penn St. that took a 21-16 lead with 10:50 left in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats then went 75 yards in 11 plays to retake the lead with 4:51 left and Penn St. could not get a first down after and never got the ball back. Northwestern outgained Penn St. 282-274 but was outgained 5.4 to 4.1 in yppl.Nebraska 34, Maryland 31This was a game of runs as Nebraska opened with a 10-0 lead, Maryland responded with 14 points, Nebraska responded 14 points, Maryland responded with 17 points including an interception return for a touchdown and Nebraska scored the final 10 points including the winning touchdown with 1:08 remaining. The Huskers outgained Maryland 453-379 and 7.7 to 5.7 yppl as it ran eight fewer plays but lost the turnover battle 3-0 with three interceptions. Maryland had eight penalties for 100 yards.Indiana 30, Oregon 20Indiana opened the scoring with a field goal and after the teams traded punts, Oregon went 51 yards in three plays to take a 7-3 lead. The Hoosiers took the ensuing kickoff and went 75 yards on nine plays in 5:00 to take a 10-7 lead and they never trailed again. Oregon tied it up three different times and Indiana put the game away with 2:06 left on a 22-yard field goal. Indiana outgained the Ducks 326-267 and 4.8 to 4.2 yppl with the Hoosiers going 5-14 on third down and the Ducks just 3-14.Navy 32, Temple 31The Midshipmen got on the board first on a 50-yard touchdown pass but Temple scored the next 17 points, its first of two 10-point leads. The Owls blew the second one with 6:34 left in the fourth quarter but they went 75 yards on 11 plays in 5:18 to take a 31-24 lead. Navy then went 75 yards in 37 seconds to score and made the two-point conversion and the Owls ran out of time. Temple outgained Navy 518-384 but ran 22 more plays and was outgained 7.1 to 6.8 yppl.Tennessee 34, Arkansas 31Arkansas opened the scoring after taking the opening kickoff 75 yards on nine plays in 4:50 for a 7-0 lead and it was back and forth with the Razorbacks holding a 17-10 lead. The Volunteers then scored 24 unanswered points before Arkansas cut it back to 10 points and then to three points with 2:55 left but never got the ball back. The yardage differential was only nine yet Tennessee outgained Arkansas 7.5 to 6.5 but was hurt by 10 penalties with Arkansas committing just one. 

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, MLB and NCAAF Previews and Odds - 10/14/2025

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Oct 14, 2025

The Tuesday sports card features NCAAF, MLB, and NHL action.Week 8 in NCAAF college football kicks off with three games between FBS opponents. Liberty hosts New Mexico State on the CBS Sports Network at 7:00 p.m.  ET. The Flames ended a four-game losing streak with a 19-8 victory at UTEP as a 2-point favorite last Wednesday. They have a 2-4 record for the season. The Aggies ended a two-game losing streak with a 37-10 upset victory against Sam Houston as a 2-point underdog on October 2nd. Their win improved their record to 3-2. Liberty is a 10-point favorite with the total set at 46.5 (all odds from DraftKings). South Alabama plays at home against Arkansas State on ESPN2 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Jaguars are on a five-game losing streak after a 31-24 upset loss in overtime at Troy as a 1-point favorite two Saturdays ago on October 4th. They have a 1-5 record heading into this game. The Red Wolves ended a four-game losing streak with a 31-30 upset victory at home against Texas State as a 13.5-point underdog nine days ago. They improved their record to 2-4 with the win. South Alabama is a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 58.5. Western Kentucky is at home against Florida International on ESPNU at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Hilltoppers have won three games in a row after a 27-24 upset victory at Delaware as a 2.5-point underdog two Fridays ago on October 3rd. They have a 5-1 record. The Golden Panthers lost for the third time in four games in a 51-10 setback at Connecticut as a 7-point underdog on October 4th. Their record dropped to 2-4 with the loss. Western Kentucky is a 10-point favorite with a total of 55.5.Major League Baseball continues its best-of-seven league championship round of the playoffs with one game. The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to Milwaukee to face the Brewers in Game 2 of the NLCS on TBS/truTV/HBO Max at 8:08 p.m. ET. The Dodgers took the opening game of this series last night by a 2-1 score. They have won 11 of their last 12 games. The Brewers have lost three of their last four games. Los Angeles sends out Yoshinobu Yamamoto to pitch against Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta. The Dodgers are a -126 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The National Hockey League has eight games on its slate. Four NHL games drop the puck at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Nashville Predators as a -218 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Edmonton Oilers play in New York against the Rangers as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Montreal Canadiens play at home against the Seattle Kraken as a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Washington Capitals are home against the  Tampa Bay Lightning on ESPN as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Vegas Golden Knights are in Calgary to take on the Flames as a -162 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Dallas Stars host the Minnesota Wild on ESPN at 9:40 p.m. ET as a -192 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Carolina Hurricanes are in San Jose to face the Sharks at 10:10 p.m.  ET as a -250 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Anaheim Ducks play at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins at 10:40 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5.  

Read more

Inside The College Football Boxscores Week 7 - Part 1

by Matt Fargo

Monday, Oct 13, 2025

Fargo looks past the top line scores and goes deep into the box scores to get a better picture of what really happened for all of the FBS games the past weekend.Missouri State 22, Middle Tennessee 20This was a back and forth game throughout that ended up coming down to the kicking game. Missouri St. took a two-point lead with 4:45 remaining and the Blue Raiders followed by driving 44 yards to set up a possible game winning field goal with under a minute left but the 52-yard attempt was no good. The yardages were nearly dead even at 353-348 as were the yppl averages at 5.2 to 5.3 but the Bears had the edge in the redzone at 5-5 with Middle Tennessee going 1-1.Liberty 19, UTEP 8Liberty snapped a four-game losing streak but it was not the most dominating victory. The Flames defense did its job as it held UTEP to 167 yards and nine first downs with 65 of those yards coming on its touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. Liberty did gain 403 yards on offense but it had the ball for over 20 more minutes while running 31 more plays and it averaged just 4.9 yppl. The Flames were just 3-18 on third down which killed possessions and led to four field goals.Kennesaw State 35, Louisiana Tech 7Kennesaw St. has already doubled its win total from last season with four. The Owls spotted Louisiana Tech a 7-0 lead in the first quarter and then went off for 35 unanswered points. Kennesaw St. outgained the Bulldogs 400-305 but ran 12 fewer plays and won the yppl 6.3 to 4.1. Louisiana Tech had its chances in the second half as it got into Owls territory three times including the seven-yard line and one-yard line but failed on fourth down twice and threw an interception.  Tulane 26, East Carolina 19Tulane dominated the first half as it outgained the Pirates 235-81 and pitched a shutout but had to settle for four field goals on offense. East Carolina was able to generate some offense in the second half as it had four scoring drives but two resulted in field goals. Tulane put the game away with two touchdown drives on its last two possessions including the game winner with 35 seconds left. The Green Wave ran 11 fewer plays and still won the yards 458-340 and the yppl at 7.4 to 4.7.Jacksonville State 29, Sam Houston 27The Gamecocks had a pair of 10-point leads early but Sam Houston used a pair of long drives to take a 21-17 lead midway through the third quarter. Jacksonville St. retook the lead early in the fourth quarter but the Bearkats scored with 52 second left to take a one point lead. The Gamecocks then went 48 yards and kicked the 52-yard game winner as time expired. Jacksonville St. won the yards 499-286 but ran 28 more plays which led to a lesser 6.2 to 5.5 yppl advantage.Southern Miss 38, Georgia Southern 35It was a shootout in Statesboro but Southern Mississippi controlled the game. The Eagles jumped ahead 7-0 late in the first quarter but the Golden Eagles scored 28 unanswered points and it never got close until the end. Georgia Southern scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter after recovering a fumble and then forced a punt and drove down to make it a three-point game but never got the ball back. The Eagles were hurt with three interceptions and 12 penalties for 104 yards.USF 63, North Texas 36The teams traded touchdowns in the first half to make it a 21-21 game at halftime and then South Florida took over. The Bulls got the second half kickoff and went 75 yards in four plays, picked off a pass three plays later and went 15 yards in two plays and then recovered a fumble for a touchdown four plays after that and it was game over. South Florida outgained the Mean Green 580-443 including 306-107 yards rushing (5.4 to 3.7 ypc). North Texas finished with five turnovers.Washington 38, Rutgers 19Rutgers got the opening kickoff and went 75 yards in four plays and after a Washington missed field goal, it tacked on a field goal for a 10-0 lead. The Scarlet Knights then forced a punt and could have gotten more points but missed a 45-yard field goal. The Huskies got it to three points at halftime and then took over in the second half as it scored four straight touchdowns. Washington outgained Rutgers 579-493 but ran 18 fewer plays and had a 9.8 to 6.4 yppl edge but did have nine penalties.Colorado State 49, Fresno State 21Colorado St. jumped ahead 21-0 and never looked back. The Rams scored touchdowns on their first four possessions while gaining 266 yards but the offense could not keep it up as they had three and outs in their next five possessions. Fresno St. did get it to 14 points but Colorado St. tacked on two late touchdowns. The Bulldogs actually outgained the Rams 469-334 but ran 27 more plays and were outgained just 6.3 to 5.9 in yppl. They lost the turnover battle 4-0 and had 13 penalties for 117 yards.Cincinnati 20, UCF 11The Bearcats pitched a shutout for most of the first half until Central Florida got a field goal with 27 seconds remaining. The Knights did not get its touchdown until garbage time at 2:17 when the score was 20-3 as they went 90 yards in 19 plays. Central Florida did outgain Cincinnati 419-306 but held the ball for nearly 20 more minutes while running 42 more plays and it was outgained 6.4 to 4.6 yppl. The Knights were stopped on downs three times and fumbled, all in Cincinnati territory.Army 24, Charlotte 7It was complete Army domination as it outgained Charlotte 354-178 including 304-68 yards rushing (4.8 to 2.3 ypc). The Black Knights had the ball for nearly 16 more minutes because of that huge rushing advantage. It could have been worse but there was a fumble in the first half while turning it over on downs and missing two field goals on three straight second half possessions. Charlotte avoided the shutout with a touchdown with eight seconds left, accounting for 59 of its 178 yards.Miami (Ohio) 20, Akron 7This was an ugly first half that featured just a field goal for scoring, five punts, a missed field goal, two interceptions and a turnover on downs. Miami got inside the Akron 30-yard line on all five second half possessions as it scored 17 points but missed on fourth down once and ended the game at the Zips five-yard line. The RedHawks outgained Akron just 350-273 and 5.2 to 4.3 yppl as they finished just 4-12 on third down which killed drives and the Zips had 10 penalties for 60 yards.Ohio State 34, Illinois 16Ohio St. jumped ahead 20-0 as it scored on four of its first five possessions and while Illinois scored on the opening possession of the second half, the Buckeyes went 63 yards to get the touchdown back and then recovered a fumble two plays later and tacked on another touchdown. Illinois did outgain Ohio St. 295-272 with the yppl even at 4.2 but it was just 4-14 on third down and turned it over on downs twice. Additionally, the Illini lost the turnover battle 3-0 and held to 1.7 ypc rushing.UCLA 38, Michigan State 13UCLA spotted Michigan St. a 7-0 lead and then took over with 38 unanswered points to blow the game open. The Bruins punted on their first possession and then scored on six of their next seven possessions, the only non-score being a 34-yard missed field goal. The Spartans only other touchdown came late in the third quarter when the game was already decided. The Bruins outgained Michigan St. 418-253 and 6.2 to 4.2 yppl while controlling the clock for nearly 13 minutes more.Alabama 27, Missouri 24The Tigers took the opening kickoff 78 yards in six plays to take a 7-0 lead before Alabama scored on its first three possessions to take a 17-7 lead. Missouri was able to tie it up before the Crimson Tide took a two-possession lead with 3:16 remaining and Missouri could not catch them. The Tigers won the yardage battle 330-325 but ran 19 fewer plays and outgained Alabama 5.9 to 4.3 in yppl. A pair of second half interceptions did not help and Missouri was just 1-10 on third down.Pitt 34, Florida State 31This game was back and forth throughout and Florida St. took a three-point lead going into the fourth quarter. The Panthers took advantage of a Seminoles fumble to get a field goal and tie the game and then forced a pair of punts to score 10 points. Florida St. made it a three-point game with 1:45 left but Pittsburgh got the onside kick and ran out the clock. The Panthers outgained Florida St. 476-415 but had eight more plays and the yppl were 6.7 to 6.6 and benefitted going 3-3 on fourth down.SMU 34, Stanford 10SMU jumped ahead 17-0 and never led by less than two touchdowns the rest of the way. The Mustangs outgained Stanford by only 369-353 but ran 20 fewer plays and won the yppl 6.8 to 4.8 as they had the ball 13 minutes less. They used two huge plays for two touchdowns as they had an 87-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and a 96-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter which made it a 21-point lead as opposed to a possible one possession game.Houston 39, Oklahoma State 17Oklahoma St. took the opening kickoff 75 yards to take a 7-0 lead and the game was tied at 10-10 early in the second quarter before Houston took over. The Cougars scored on six of their final seven possessions not counting the drive to end the game while the defense did not allow the Cowboys to cross midfield on six straight possessions until a garbage time touchdown. Houston had the ball for 13 more minutes and outgained the Cowboys 485-225 but did have 28 more plays.Bowling Green 28, Toledo 23Toledo jumped ahead 21-0 in the second quarter and it could have been worse as the Rockets turned it over on downs twice inside the Bowling Green redzone. The Falcons then scored 28 unanswered points as they did not allow Toledo to cross midfield on its first seven possessions of the second half. The Rockets were driving for a possible tying touchdown but threw an interception at the 32-yard line. Toledo outgained the Falcons 429-226 but had 13 penalties and were 3-13 on third down.

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, MLB, NHL and CFL Previews and Odds - 10/13/2025

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Oct 13, 2025

The Monday sports card features NFL, MLB, NHL, and CFL action. Week 6 in the NFL concludes with two games. The Buffalo Bills travel to Atlanta to play the Falcons on ESPN at 7:15 p.m. ET. The Bills lost their first game of the season in a 23-20 upset loss at home against New England as an 8-point favorite last Sunday. The Falcons return from their bye week after winning for the second time in their last three games in a 34-27 victory against Washington as a 2.5-point favorite on September 28th. Buffalo is a 4.5-point road favorite with the total set at 49.5 (all odds from DraftKings).The Washington Commanders host the Chicago Bears on ABC at 8:15 p.m. ET. The Commanders won for the second time in their previous three games in a 27-10 upset victory on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers as a 3-point underdog last Sunday. The Bears return from their bye week after pulling off their second straight upset win with a 25-24 victory in Las Vegas against the Raiders as a 1.5-point underdog on September 28th. Washington is a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 49.5.Major League Baseball continues its best-of-seven league championship round of the playoffs with two games. The Toronto Blue Jays play at home against the Seattle Mariners on Fox/FS1 at 5:03 p.m. ET in Game 2 of the ALCS. The Mariners took Game 1 last night with a 3-1 victory. The Blue Jays send out Trey Yesavage to pitch against Seattle’s Logan Gilbert. Toronto is a -132 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5.The Los Angeles Dodgers play in Milwaukee against the Brewers on TBS/truTV/HBO Max at 8:08 p.m. ET in Game of the NLDS. Blake Snell takes the mound for the Dodgers to take on a starting pitcher the Brewers have yet to name. Los Angeles is a -157 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The National Hockey League has 10 games on its slate. Five NHL games drop the puck in the afternoon for Canada’s Thanksgiving Day. The Colorado Avalanche is on the road at Buffalo to play the Sabres at 12:40 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Three more NHL games start at 1:10 p.m. ET. The Ottawa Senators are home against the Nashville Predators as a -175 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Winnipeg Jets visit New York against the Islanders as a -175 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Tampa Bay Lightning are in Boston to challenge the Bruins as a -175 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Detroit Red Wings at 2:10 p.m. ET as a -192 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5.Two NHL begin at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Florida Panthers travel to Philadelphia to take on the Flyers as a -142 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The New Jersey Devils play in Columbus against the Blue Jackets as a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 55. The Vancouver Canucks play at home against the St. Louis Blues at 7:40 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Minnesota Wild are home against the Los Angeles Kings at 8:10 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Utah Mammoth are on the road against the Chicago Blackhawks at 8:40 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5.    Week 19 in the Canadian Football League concludes with one game. The Montreal Alouettes host the Ottawa Redblacks on the CBS Sports Network at 1:00 p.m. ET. The Alouettes are on a three-game winning streak after their 38-20 victory at home against Calgary as a 4.5-point favorite on September 26th. The Redblacks lost for the fifth time in their last six games in a 20-13 loss at home against Saskatchewan as a 5.5-point underdog on October 3rd. Montreal is a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 51.5.

Read more
« ‹ 1 10 12 360 › »

Follow us @bigal_com

Instagram Twitter

Links

Big Al's Sports Picks Info

All photographic images used for editorial content have been licensed from the Associated Press.

© 2025 Al McMordie's BigAl.com. All Rights Reserved.