Robert Ferringo
THANKSGIVING SELECTIONS
2-Unit Play. Take #103 Green Bay (-3) over Detroit (12:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 22)
I know that the Packers have had a horrendous time in Detroit as a favorite over the past few years but I think that this Lions team is reverting back to the Lions we?re used to. They can?t protect the quarterback and matchups ? pass defense vs. pass offense, etc. ? are statistically very one-sided. I think this line should be around -6.0 so we?re getting value here. I?m looking for the Packers to continue to roll.
COLLEGE SELECTIONS
5-Unit Play. Take #116 Mississippi State (-6.5) over Mississippi (12:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 23)
Note: This is our SEC Game of the Year.
The home team has won seven of eight in this series and I just think that the Bulldogs are the more physical, more disciplined team. Ole Miss had a horrible letdown after their grueling Florida game early in the year and after a tough cover at home against LSU I?m looking for a similar deflation. Ole Miss is just 3-8 ATS in its last 11 road games.
4-Unit Play. Take #150 Kentucky (-3) over Tennessee (1:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
It is always a huge red flag when an unranked team is favored over a ranked team. Tennessee is 1-3 on the road this year and got hammered by Alabama, California, and Florida. Kentucky has been the whipping boy in this series but are good enough to turn the tide. UK has covered three of four in this one and I?m looking for a double-digit win.
2.5-Unit Play. Take #133 Missouri (+2) over Kansas (8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 23)
I believe that the Tigers are the better, more battle-tested team here and that playing in their home state is going to give them all the advantage they need. This is a value play, getting us the better team with the points, and I will be on the moneyline on this game as well.
3-Unit Play. Take #144 South Carolina (+3) over Clemson (7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
Clemson had its bubble burst last weekend and I think that with two weeks to prepare Steve Spurrier is going to have his charges ready to roll in this rivalry game. The Tigers have owned this matchup recently but I think that this is a better USC team than we?ve seen in some time. This is also a statement about the SEC being better than the ACC.
3-Unit Play. Take #173 Ball State (-8.5) over Northern Illinois (4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
These are two teams heading in opposite directions and Ball State has absolutely dominated on the road in this series. The Cardinals have been one of the best bets in college football this year and I think they make a statement win here to give themselves better positioning for a bowl game. NIU wants to throw the ball and play a high-scoring affair. That plays right into BSU's hands.
2-Unit Play. Take #190 Stanford (-3.5) over Notre Dame (3:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
Even though the Irish managed a win over feeble Duke last week I still think they are one of the worst teams in Division I. Stanford is no prize, but you know they?ve had this game circled and any team with the talent to beat USC is good enough to beat this Notre Dame squad.
NFL SELECTIONS
5-Unit Play. Take ?Over? 36.0 Buffalo at Jacksonville (1 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 25)
The Jaguars have been a fantastic ?over? play in the 34.0 to 36.0 total range, covering nearly 80 percent in this range over their last 20. The Jaguars have the 27th ranked pass defense in the league and just lost their defensive leader, Mike Peterson. Without Peterson and Marcus Stroud the Bills should have some room to breath. Further, there is a system at work here that has hit at a 73-percent clip over the past five years that we?re going to play.
2.5-Unit Play. Take #203 Buffalo (+7.5) over Jacksonville (1 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 25)
The road team is 5-2 ATS in this series and Buffalo has covered four out of five. They got embarrassed last week by the Patriots, but they are an amazing 14-1 ATS in games after playing New England. Jacksonville has some injury issues and I?m not confident enough in their offense as a whole to go out and put up huge numbers. Also, Buffalo is 5-1 ATS as an underdog.
3-Unit Play. Take #217 San Francisco (+10.5) over Arizona (4 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 25)
The Cardinals are not used to being posted as this large of a favorite and I don?t think I trust them to cover this large number. This is a pretty intense rivalry and this is just too many points. Arizona has been winning lately, but not blowing anyone out. The road team has covered four straight, the Cards are 3-10 as a home favorite of 3.5 or more, and if Arizona can lose to Vinny Testaverde and Carolina at home they can lose to Trent Dilfer and San Fran.
3-Unit Play. Take #207 Houston (+3.5) over Cleveland (1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 25)
Neither team will be able to stop one another so the value is in the points. Cleveland is like Arizona - they've been winning and playing a lot of close games. I think that Houston has regained its mojo with Andre Johnson back and if they could handle New Orleans' offense last week they can get the better of the Browns, who are due for a letdown after back-to-back grueling divisional games.
2.5-Unit Play. Take #212 New York Giants (-7) over Minnesota (1 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 25)
Here is a case of just taking the better team. I think that the G-Men have toughened up against the run and that they can defend well enough to take away what the Vikings want to do.