My childhood nickname was Bones because I look like look a light post when standing still, I also like to analyze the betting side to sports... so let's fire up "Bones' Bets". As if sports could not get more exciting or entertaining, some geniuses many decades ago decided to implement betting lines and point spreads. A point spread makes almost every game even and entertaining, especially when trying to read between the lines and not get trapped. I've had some success recently with spreads in both the NFL and NCAA so I have decided to start a weekly piece about my favourite picks for the weekend, as a way of increasing the variety of ways I can write about sports. Of course, betting your money is your decision and yet it is not even entirely necessary, sometimes knowing the spread makes a game more exciting, money or not. Without betting money, I have learned more about sports and how odds work, making games and weekends even more exciting than before. So if you choose to bet money or not, these picks are still going to be exciting to look forward to this upcoming weekend. Here goes nothing...
NCAAF
Temple @ Boston College (-12.5)
This one is going to be fun, Boston College laid one of the bigger eggs last week getting pounded by a bad Purdue team. The once ranked Eagles return home to face a 2-2 Temple team that shouldn't pose a serious threat. Like many BC games, there will be points and I expect A.J Dillon to bounce back this week... so there will be points. With a 12.5 point spread, the Eagles are getting two touchdowns in a home game with a chip on their shoulder. With all this considered:
Money Line: Boston College (-450)
Point Spread: Boston College (-12.5)
Over/Under: Over (54)
West Virginia (-3.5) @ Texas Tech
Close your eyes if you like defensive football. This is CLASSIC Big 12 football at its finest, points points and more points. West Virginia enters with a Heisman candidate in Will Grier, and a legit shot at a national title, but they could be in tough here. They face a Red Raiders team that loves to score, so this one should have no problem going over, despite the line asking for 72 (!!!) points. Las Vegas is not doing anyone any favours here laying that hook on the 3 point spread, 3.5 is a scary number especially on the road. However, there haven't been many holes in West Virginia's game so I'll look for them to expose TTU much like Ole Miss did in week one. Give me the favourites here in a real dog fight.
Money Line: West Virginia (-153)
Point Spread: West Virginia (-3.5)
Over/Under: Over (72)
Michigan (14.5) @ Northwestern
This game has many elements to it that go well beyond the history or the stats. Michigan has run over its last few opponents, given that they are very weak competition it is hard to read anything from those games except for the fact that the offence may have found its feet. Northwestern came into this season with high hopes and an NCAA best win streak, but many things have failed to go their way since their week one win at Purdue. Back to back losses to Duke and Akron at home, paired with the devastating loss of their star running back Jeremy Larkin to a serious spinal condition, and you have a fractured football team. Typically I would recommend avoiding any spread that slips just beyond 14 points as they are usually traps, but this will be a very hard test for Northwestern. Without their best offensive player, Northwestern will struggle against a dominant Michigan defence. Northwestern is a tough road opponent however, so I like the under here.
Money Line: Michigan (-550)
Point Spread: Michigan (-14.5)
Over/Under: Under (46.5)
NFL
Minnesota @ Los Angeles (Rams) (-7)
The Vikings looked baaaad last week at home against the Bills, and things do not get much easier on a short week heading to Los Angeles. The Rams basically score at will so this one is definitely going over 48.5. The Rams have won all three of their games by double digits so it is safe to say they are rolling. If this one was -7.5 I would be a little more on edge, worst case we get a push here with Vegas laying a touchdown but I do not see it coming to that.
Money Line: LAR (-288)
Point Spread: LAR (-7)
Over/Under: Over (-48.5)
Cincinnati @ Atlanta (-4)
The Bengals are a sneaky team this year, making this business trip to Georgia intriguing for them. Atlanta has yet to really pull away from their opponents this year, so I do not fancy them in any situation here where they are giving more than a field goal. If the Bengals offence keeps clicking this game will be fun and high scoring, making the 53 points being offered by Vegas pretty nice to look at. Both teams may be without their top running backs in Mixon and Freeman, but we still get to watch Julio Jones and A.J Green battle it out.
Money Line: Atlanta (-190)
Point Spread: Cincinnati (+4)
Over/Under: Over (53)
Philadelphia (-3.5) @ Tennessee
Philly has not been the same Philly that stunned the world and won the Super Bowl last year but they are still a very good team. Luckily for them, they are going up against a not so good football team. The Titans have held their own this year so far but in ugly fashion, so I'm not convinced their luck will continue against an Eagles team that is walking into week 2 at 1-0 with their star QB Carson Wentz. This game does have sloppy all over it, 41 points is not a lot but I still like the under. Consider this a coming out party for the Eagles, one where we see the real Eagles take the field for the first time.
Money Line: Philadelphia (-180)
Point Spread: Philadelphia (-3.5)
Over/Under: Under (41)
NCAAF
Temple @ Boston College (-12.5)
This one is going to be fun, Boston College laid one of the bigger eggs last week getting pounded by a bad Purdue team. The once ranked Eagles return home to face a 2-2 Temple team that shouldn't pose a serious threat. Like many BC games, there will be points and I expect A.J Dillon to bounce back this week... so there will be points. With a 12.5 point spread, the Eagles are getting two touchdowns in a home game with a chip on their shoulder. With all this considered:
Money Line: Boston College (-450)
Point Spread: Boston College (-12.5)
Over/Under: Over (54)
West Virginia (-3.5) @ Texas Tech
Close your eyes if you like defensive football. This is CLASSIC Big 12 football at its finest, points points and more points. West Virginia enters with a Heisman candidate in Will Grier, and a legit shot at a national title, but they could be in tough here. They face a Red Raiders team that loves to score, so this one should have no problem going over, despite the line asking for 72 (!!!) points. Las Vegas is not doing anyone any favours here laying that hook on the 3 point spread, 3.5 is a scary number especially on the road. However, there haven't been many holes in West Virginia's game so I'll look for them to expose TTU much like Ole Miss did in week one. Give me the favourites here in a real dog fight.
Money Line: West Virginia (-153)
Point Spread: West Virginia (-3.5)
Over/Under: Over (72)
Michigan (14.5) @ Northwestern
This game has many elements to it that go well beyond the history or the stats. Michigan has run over its last few opponents, given that they are very weak competition it is hard to read anything from those games except for the fact that the offence may have found its feet. Northwestern came into this season with high hopes and an NCAA best win streak, but many things have failed to go their way since their week one win at Purdue. Back to back losses to Duke and Akron at home, paired with the devastating loss of their star running back Jeremy Larkin to a serious spinal condition, and you have a fractured football team. Typically I would recommend avoiding any spread that slips just beyond 14 points as they are usually traps, but this will be a very hard test for Northwestern. Without their best offensive player, Northwestern will struggle against a dominant Michigan defence. Northwestern is a tough road opponent however, so I like the under here.
Money Line: Michigan (-550)
Point Spread: Michigan (-14.5)
Over/Under: Under (46.5)
NFL
Minnesota @ Los Angeles (Rams) (-7)
The Vikings looked baaaad last week at home against the Bills, and things do not get much easier on a short week heading to Los Angeles. The Rams basically score at will so this one is definitely going over 48.5. The Rams have won all three of their games by double digits so it is safe to say they are rolling. If this one was -7.5 I would be a little more on edge, worst case we get a push here with Vegas laying a touchdown but I do not see it coming to that.
Money Line: LAR (-288)
Point Spread: LAR (-7)
Over/Under: Over (-48.5)
Cincinnati @ Atlanta (-4)
The Bengals are a sneaky team this year, making this business trip to Georgia intriguing for them. Atlanta has yet to really pull away from their opponents this year, so I do not fancy them in any situation here where they are giving more than a field goal. If the Bengals offence keeps clicking this game will be fun and high scoring, making the 53 points being offered by Vegas pretty nice to look at. Both teams may be without their top running backs in Mixon and Freeman, but we still get to watch Julio Jones and A.J Green battle it out.
Money Line: Atlanta (-190)
Point Spread: Cincinnati (+4)
Over/Under: Over (53)
Philadelphia (-3.5) @ Tennessee
Philly has not been the same Philly that stunned the world and won the Super Bowl last year but they are still a very good team. Luckily for them, they are going up against a not so good football team. The Titans have held their own this year so far but in ugly fashion, so I'm not convinced their luck will continue against an Eagles team that is walking into week 2 at 1-0 with their star QB Carson Wentz. This game does have sloppy all over it, 41 points is not a lot but I still like the under. Consider this a coming out party for the Eagles, one where we see the real Eagles take the field for the first time.
Money Line: Philadelphia (-180)
Point Spread: Philadelphia (-3.5)
Over/Under: Under (41)
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