The air is getting crisp however Chicago columnist Jon Greenberg and Browns beat author Zac Jackson hope their luck is heating up. It’s a giant slate in school soccer and a probably bizarre week within the NFL.
JACKSON (3-4 final week, 16-17 general): Faculty soccer is in an odd place, however there’s nonetheless some magic to it. At 6:30 this morning, my 13-year-old was speaking about Diego Pavia.
Then later he requested me why I used to be so dangerous at choosing NFL video games, so I shifted the dialog again to Pavia.
GREENBERG (6-1 final week, 19-14 general): Did he say something about my large weekend? If not for Sean McDermott’s strategery, I may’ve gone 7-0. I used to be like Caleb Williams towards the blitz, making muscle-memory selections with the ball. (Simply don’t ask concerning the WNBA guess I made Tuesday evening.)
It’s Wednesday morning as I write this and I’m having hassle focusing as a result of I simply completed a 7 a.m. “dine and sprint” with my daughter for her cross-country staff. We ran a mile after which had breakfast. I didn’t beat her and she or he’s about 4-foot-6, 60 kilos, however a minimum of I didn’t eat a donut afterward. I’ve acquired a giant paddle tennis match arising so I hope my legs recuperate. My staff on the Winnetka Platform Tennis Membership is +125 at dwelling towards the Winter Membership and it’s -125 that I drink over 2 1/2 beers. (Replace: each favorites received.)
Let’s begin with a late-night Friday Pac-12, I imply Large 12 sport between Utah and Arizona State. The No. 16 Utes are 4.5-point favorites on the highway (down from 6.5), however they’ve solely coated as soon as since their season-opening win over Southern Utah. I favored them higher at 6.5, however give me the Solar Devils +4.5, Let’s see if Slingin’ Sam Leavitt can make them a 4-0 dwelling file.
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JACKSON: When West Virginia went up three touchdowns final Saturday afternoon, I sprained my shoulder patting myself on the again. I felt like an actual run was coming to the heavy inexperienced. I’m unsure I received a choose the remainder of the weekend. If I attempted to choose a winner at your tennis membership, they’d instantly run out of paddles.
It’s a REALLY large weekend in school soccer, and for lots of people meaning greasy meals forward of Texas-Oklahoma or believing that Ohio State will flex its costly muscle at Oregon. However for me, it means Ball State at Kent State. Absolutely the backside internet hosting a staff in its personal weight class — if one exists. That Ball State is barely favored by 6.5 about made me fall out of my chair.
GREENBERG: I simply realized after making my Friday evening choose that I’ll be fasting beginning at midnight. From sunset Friday to sunset Saturday is the holiest time of the yr within the Jewish calendar. Unhealthy timing to be a Jewish school soccer bettor! (Or fan, I suppose.) Think about Julian Edelman attempting to observe that Kent State sport.
I’m sticking with Military -26.5over UAB and its comically overmatched coach Trent Dilfer. He was a weekly visitor on a Chicago radio present two seasons in the past and was doing movie opinions on Justin Fields. Then he acquired the UAB job and simply ghosted the producer. No goodbye present, no utilizing this chance to promote the third-largest market on the Blazers. Who loses their present job first, Fields or Dilfer? The Black Knights by 4 touchdowns, guide it.
Final yr, I took the over within the Pink River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma and it hit so I’m doing it once more at 50.5.
And final, you hit simply on the Cal Golden Bears final week, although I used to be as shocked as anybody once I awoke and discovered that Miami pulled off the upset. The “Calgorithm” was the story of school soccer, however they don’t do fancy math on the College of Pittsburgh. (They do fancy math at close by Carnegie Mellon, the place the Tartans are 5-0 this yr, together with a 66-0 win over your brother’s Bethany Bison.) Give me the Panthers -3.5 on this traditional ACC matchup.
JACKSON: Ball State was tied with Missouri State after three quarters … and gave up 20 factors to Missouri State within the fourth, however received the sport. Final week, Western Michigan acquired 461 yards and 45 factors on Ball State. That got here per week after James Madison acquired 63.
Kent State is the one staff within the nation that’s but to steer. In any respect. Sure, Kent State performed at Penn State, Tennessee and Pitt, however Kent State additionally misplaced to St. Francis (Pa.) at dwelling. What occurs right here? I say factors. Plenty of them. My play of the week is over 59.5. Desperation ought to win right here. Whichever staff loses may not win in any respect the remainder of the season. In Kent State’s solely earlier MAC sport, it misplaced 52-33 to Japanese Michigan, which isn’t precisely an offensive juggernaut.
Two hours west, give me the other. Plenty of runs in Northern Illinois-Bowling Inexperienced and never a lot scoring. Give me the below 47.5 in an enormous sport so far as the race to the MAC title sport.
You want large video games? I really like LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier. I lean towards LSU +3 at dwelling, and I need the over 62.5 in LSU-Ole Miss.
I’ll additionally comply with you with Military -26.5. We solely have so many extra probabilities to guess towards Dilfer.
GREENBERG: I used to be imagined to be in London residing it up, however as an alternative I’ll be on my sofa attempting to counterpoint myself financially as an alternative of culturally.
So how can I finance my subsequent journey overseas?
(An apart: It wasn’t by betting my Indiana choose final week. I acquired to an area on line casino and discovered Illinois’ gaming board modified the principles once more about betting in-state school soccer groups, like Northwestern. For a few years you can do it in-person at sportsbooks, however now they’ve taken that away from us.)
How about Houston -7 at New England? It appears like blatant mismanagement to start out Drake Maye towards a Texans protection that pressured Caleb Williams principally each snap in his second sport. In three of their 4 wins up to now, the Texans protection didn’t enable greater than 20 factors. However Drake Perhaps is nice, proper? And so they’re at dwelling. I’ll wait to live-bet this one to see if Maye surprises them with an early deep ball.
There are 9 dwelling underdogs this week. That appears like quite a bit for 14 video games (which incorporates the London sport, the place the Bears are technically the house favourite), however I believe it’s simply the product of some actually dangerous soccer being performed proper now.
In addition to the Texans, 4 highway favorites that caught my eye: Lions -3 on the Cowboys, Falcons -6 at Carolina, Bengals -3.5 on the Giants and the Payments -2.5 on the Jets.
I’ve acquired to go along with Kirk Cousins right here. Perhaps I’m biased after watching the Panthers play final week — the commonest chit-chat within the press field eating space final week was “Wow, the Panthers stink.” — and that is most likely a lure sport for the Falcons, however I’ll roll with Atlanta -6.
Then we’re off to New Jersey. Joe Burrow, the captain of a 1-4 sinking ship, appears actually aggravated. As he ought to be. He’s going to take it out on the Giants, however can the remainder of his staff determine it out? I’m betting on the child from Athens: Bengals -3.5.
Final week, my logic was the Payments would reply after a blowout loss. It didn’t fairly work out that approach and the New Coach Bump may elevate the Jets this week, however until Aaron Rodgers has visited a mysterious international physician or a time machine this week, I’ll go along with Buffalo -2.5.
JACKSON: I see your Bengals choose and I get it. I virtually acquired there myself, however I’m going to keep away from placing American {dollars} on Ohio’s NFL groups till additional discover. A lot additional. With highschool playoffs arising I’ll attempt to discover some winners there.
I’ll take below 38 in Houston-New England. The Patriots are making a quarterback change to Maye and the Texans are out of types. Houston ought to be content material counting on Ka’imi Fairbairn to flee right here. Yuck.
Steelers -3 in Las Vegas. Double yuck, proper? The Raiders seem to be a multitude. Mike Tomlin bounce-back sport. Signal me up.
I’ll take Denver +3 at dwelling vs. the Chargers within the AFC West model of Ball State-Kent State. I do know the Chargers ought to be more healthy off the bye, however in an unsightly sport I’ll take the factors with the house staff.
GREENBERG: I want I had your religion in Fields and the Steelers.
Jon Greenberg’s picks
Zac Jackson’s picks
(Photograph of Trent Dilfer: Wesley Hitt / Getty Photographs)
