Category: Mini-Editorials

Giants vs. Seahawks: Monday Night Football, date, time, stream

September 30, 2023

After a couple of weeks of Monday Night Football doubleheaders, we have just one primetime game in Week 4, with the New York Giants set to take on the Seattle Seahawks. Both teams are looking to keep pace with the class of their divisions after up and down starts to their seasons. The Seahawks are riding high on a two-game winning streak, while the Giants got blown out in Week 3 by the San Francisco 49ers. With the Manningcast back in action for this one, it should be a great night for football.

How to watch Giants vs. Seahawks Monday Night Football

The Giants vs. Seahawks game will be everywhere on Monday night. ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN+ will all be broadcasting the game. Peyton and Eli Manning will be blessing the nation’s television screens once again on the Manningcast on ESPN2, while the main broadcast of the game will be on ABC and ESPN. If you do not have access to a TV or an ESPN subscription, you can watch the game via a fuboTV subscription as well.

Date: Monday, Oct. 2 | 8:15 p.m. EDT

Location: MetLife Stadium — East Rutherford, NJ

TV channel: ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+ | Live stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)

FanDuel Odds: Giants -1.5 | O/U 46.5

Giants storylines

The New York Giants played possibly the worst six-quarter stretch of football in the last several decades to open their season. They got outscored 60-0 in the first game and a half they played against the Dallas Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals. Somehow, they came away with a win against the Cardinals, but went back to their listless ways against the 49ers last week.

New York has had a litany of issues on both sides of the ball so far. They rank 30th in the league in scoring defense and 31st in the league in scoring offense. Saquan Barkley (who is currently dealing with an ankle injury) and Daniel Jones have done the heavy lifting on the ground, and if the Giants want to become less predictable on offense, they could consider trying to get another running back going. Darren Waller leads the way in receiving with 132 yards, which is great to see. What’s not great is that there is only one other player in Darius Slayton that has more than 100 receiving yards.

Seahawks storylines

Seattle is back in contention after the emergence of Geno Smith last year, and they sit 2-1, just a game behind the division-leading 49ers. However, a Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Rams already set them behind in the division, and while they managed to escape Week 2 with an overtime win against the Detroit Lions, they did blow a late lead to send the game to the extra frame. The Seahawks truly managed to get back on track with their Week 3 victory over the Carolina Panthers.

The Seahawks share a spot in the cellar with the Giants in scoring defense, ranking 29th in the league. But their offense has been really good, currently sitting in the top five. There’s a clear mismatch entering this game between the Giants defense and the Seahawks offense, and Pete Carroll will certainly look to exploit the Giants’ struggles on that side of the ball. Getting the Smith to DK Metcalf connection going early, establishing the run, and limiting turnovers will likely be enough to outpace anything the Giants can put together on offense.

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Nevada vs Fresno State prediction, odds, pick, how to watch College Football Week 5 game

September 30, 2023

The Nevada Wolf Pack take on the Fresno State Bulldogs. Check out our college football odds series for our Nevada Fresno State prediction and pick. Find how to watch Nevada Fresno State.

The Fresno State Bulldogs under head coach Jeff Tedford just keep rolling along. Tedford, who had a good tenure at California two decades ago but barely missed out on winning the Pac-10 championship during the Pete Carroll dynasty at USC, has found a real home in Fresno, winning multiple Mountain West Conference championships and getting the most out of the Bulldogs in the latter years of his coaching career. People have really been able to appreciate the work Tedford has done for a lot of reasons, one being that Tedford had health problems and needed to step away from the sport. Managing to come back for a second go-round in Fresno and still succeed is really impressive. Tedford coached Fresno State to the Mountain West title in 2018. Then Kalen DeBoer came in to run the program before jumping to Washington when the Huskies needed a head coach after the 2021 season. Tedford, refreshed and healthier, returned to Fresno and then won the 2022 Mountain West title. Tedford has shown real staying power, and early in 2023, people can see that FSU is going to be a factor in the Mountain West once again.

Fresno State shut out Arizona State, 29-0, in Week 3 of the college football season. One week later, Arizona State scored 28 points against USC. Fresno State obviously has something good going on, and Tedford deserves the credit. Fresno State will try to keep humming along when it faces Nevada in Week 5.

Here are the Nevada-Fresno State College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

College Football Odds: Nevada-Fresno State Odds

Nevada Wolf Pack: +24.5 (-105)

Fresno State Bulldogs: -24.5 (-115)

Over: 50.5 (-115)

Under: 50.5 (-105)

How To Watch Nevada vs Fresno State

TV: Fox Sports 1

Stream: Fox Sports app

Time: 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT

*Watch Nevada vs Fresno State LIVE on fuboTV (click for free trial)*

Why Nevada Could Cover the Spread

The Nevada Wolf Pack lost to Kansas by only seven points this season. Kansas is a well-coached team led by Lance Leipold, a man who is considered a rising star in the coaching profession and someone who would make a great hire at Michigan State or other programs which might be searching for a new head coach two months from now. If Nevada could stay close to Kansas and make the Jayhawks sweat — KU just did beat BYU and has defeated Illinois earlier in this 2023 season — the Wolf Pack should be able to stay close to Fresno State as well and thereby cover what is a very, very large point spread. Nevada was a 27-point underdog to Kansas and covered that spread by 20 points. Nevada could lose this game by 14 and still cover the spread by 10 points. That’s a lot of margin to work with.

Why Fresno State State Could Cover the Spread

The Bulldogs were just a three-point favorite at kickoff time in the game at Arizona State which was referenced earlier in this article. They won by 29. That’s one of the easiest covers in college football this season. Fresno State has a very solid defense which is capable of generating a lot of turnovers. While Nevada did play Kansas close, it did not play USC close, nor did it play Idaho close. That’s right: Nevada lost to Idaho, an FCS program, by 27 points at home, 33-6. If Nevada can get blown out by Idaho, it can certainly get blown out by Fresno State.

Final Nevada-Fresno State Prediction & Pick

The Fresno State Bulldogs are really good. The Nevada Wolf Pack are really bad. Don’t overthink it. Take Fresno State.

Final Nevada-Fresno State Prediction & Pick: Fresno State -24.5

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Washington vs Arizona prediction, odds, pick, how to watch College Football Week 5 game

September 30, 2023

The Washington Huskies take on the Arizona Wildcats. Check out our college football odds series for our Washington Arizona prediction and pick. Find how to watch Washington Arizona.

The Washington Huskies have to feel good about where they are right now. They have watched Oregon State and Utah, two Pac-12 Conference compeititors, lose games in the league before the end of September. Washington has a leg up on two Pac-12 contenders in the early part of the season. Washington has a big game against Oregon on October 14 in Seattle. This is the last game for the Huskies before that showdown versus the Ducks. It’s really important for this team to focus on the task at hand and not start dreaming of Bo Nix and Dan Lanning in a few weeks. First things first: Take care of business in Tucson.

Washington lost at Arizona State last year. The Huskies have not handled road trips to the Southwest with great consistency over the years. They need to display tunnel vision and secure a win over the Arizona Wildcats before shifting their focus and preparation to Oregon. That game can wait.

Arizona is dealing with uncertainty at quarterback. Jayden de Laura was injured last week against Stanford. Noah Fifita stepped in and helped the Wildcats secure a one-point win at Stanford. If Fifita plays in this game, that will give Arizona’s offense a whole new look. Washington will not have seen a whole lot of Fifita on film. Arizona coach Jedd Fisch will be in a position to reconfigure the offense and give Washington some looks the Huskies aren’t expecting to see.

Here are the Washington-Arizona College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

College Football Odds: Washington-Arizona Odds

Washington Huskies: -19.5 (-110)

Arizona Wildcats: +19.5 (-110)

Over: 65.5 (-110)

Under: 65.5 (-110)

How To Watch Washington vs Arizona

TV: Pac-12 Network

Stream: Pac-12 Now

Time: 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT

*Watch Washington vs Arizona LIVE on fuboTV (click for free trial)*

Why Washington Could Cover the Spread

The Huskies have Michael Penix, a man regarded by many as the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy this season and overtake USC’s Caleb Williams for the prestigious stiff-arm trophy. Penix has put up huge numbers this season for a Washington offense which is scoring tons of points. Washington posted 59 last week against Cal in a very easy win. Washington is getting out to 30 and 40-point leads in its games and is not being remotely threatened in third or fourth quarters. The Huskies covered a 20.5-point spread last week against Cal. The Huskies should be able to cover a 19.5-point spread this week against Arizona, which might have to go to its backup quarterback, Noah Fifita, against the Huskies’ elite offense and solid defense. This is not the situation you would dream up if you were to pick Arizona against the spread.

Why Arizona Could Cover the Spread

The Noah Fifita factor could change the energy surrounding this game. Washington wouldn’t be able to see a whole lot on film and might be thrown off balance if Arizona coach Jedd Fisch can devise a clever game plan. Washington has been really good this season, but a road night game — which UW has not yet played in 2023 — could be the very scenario which knocks this team off balance and creates a weird night in which the Huskies will have to fight hard to win. The spread is large; Arizona will probably keep the game close enough to cover.

Final Washington-Arizona Prediction & Pick

The Huskies are the much better team, but the Wildcats are going to treat this game as their Super Bowl. They will keep the game close enough to cover. Take Arizona.

Final Washington-Arizona Prediction & Pick: Arizona +19.5

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Alabama vs Mississippi State prediction, odds, pick, how to watch College Football Week 5 game

September 30, 2023

The Alabama Crimson Tide take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Check out our college football odds series for our Alabama Mississippi State prediction and pick. Find how to watch Alabama Mississippi State.

The Alabama Crimson Tide are a highly flawed football team. They still have to face LSU later this season. They still have to face Tennessee this season. Chances are they will lose a few more games. However, as alarming as their situation might be, they have served notice to their opponents: If you don’t have a good enough offense, we will bury you with our defense and toughness.

The Alabama offense is a mess, there’s no doubt about it, but the Tide were able to beat South Florida by giving up only three points to the Bulls. This past weekend, they won comfortably despite scoring a very pedestrian 24 points. They held Ole Miss to just 10 points and exhibited legitimate mastery of the Rebels at the line of scrimmage. Their defense carried the day by smothering Lane Kiffin’s Oxford attack. Alabama was ordinary on offense and yet attained full control of the game midway through the second half. It never seemed as though Alabama — once it got a second-half lead — was going to give up that lead. It was less about Nick Saban being a great coach, more about an Alabama opponent not having anything close to the level of offensive talent which could put Alabama’s defense in bad spots.

If teams can’t make big downfield plays against Alabama’s defense, particularly in the passing game, they will struggle against the Crimson Tide. That is something we have learned from the first month of the season.

Here are the Alabama-Mississippi State College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

College Football Odds: Alabama-Mississippi State Odds

Alabama Crimson Tide: -14.5 (-110)

Mississippi State Bulldogs: +14.5 (-110)

Over: 46.5 (-110)

Under: 46.5 (-110)

How To Watch Alabama vs Mississippi State

TV: ESPN

Stream: ESPN Plus

Time: 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT

*Watch Alabama vs Mississippi State LIVE on fuboTV (click for free trial)*

Why Alabama Could Cover the Spread

The Mississippi State Bulldogs, as you know, are playing this season one year after the death of previous coach Mike Leach, who ran the air raid offense. New head coach Zach Arnett decided not to retain the air raid system. He wanted to move to a different offensive approach and structure. Yet, he didn’t have the personnel to run the new offense. He kept a lot of the players who ran the air raid under Leach. This created a mismatched reality in the MSU locker room. The Bulldogs are operating an offense their current personnel is not designed to run. This has led to a lot of struggles and growing pains for the Bulldogs. It leaves their offense in disarray, perfectly vulnerable in the face of Alabama’s strong and nasty defense. MSU has to be able to score to keep this game close. The Bulldogs aren’t likely to do that.

Why Mississippi State Could Cover the Spread

The Alabama offense is a disaster. We have seen the rotations at quarterback. We have seen the weak and flawed offensive line play. We have seen the uninspired play calling from offensive coordinator Tommy Rees. We have seen this team struggle to score more than 24 points on a regular basis this year. If Bama scores 24, chances are MSU will score at least 10 points and thereby cover the spread.

Final Alabama-Mississippi State Prediction & Pick

The MSU defense will limit the Bama offense, and that will be enough to get Mississippi State to cover the spread.

Final Alabama-Mississippi State Prediction & Pick: Mississippi State +14.5

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South Carolina vs Tennessee prediction, odds, pick, how to watch College Football Week 5 game

September 30, 2023

The South Carolina Gamecocks take on the Tennessee Volunteers. Check out our college football odds series for our South Carolina Tennessee prediction and pick. Find how to watch South Carolina Tennessee.

The South Carolina Gamecocks and Tennessee Volunteers cannot be happy with where they are at the end of September. Both teams had really good 2022 seasons. South Carolina beat Tennessee and Clemson late in the season to significantly raise the hopes and expectations of what this team could become in 2023. Tennessee beat Clemson in the Orange Bowl in a triumphant season which included wins over LSU and Alabama. The Vols regained national relevance after a long time removed from the college football and SEC spotlights. Both programs felt they had a lot to build on in 2023. Yet, those foundations in 2022 have not led to increased and continued building this year.

Tennessee looked terrible in a decisive loss at Florida. The Vols were physically manhandled by the Gators and did not come particularly close to winning that game in The Swamp a few weeks ago. Tennessee beat Bama and LSU last year. The Vols were supposed to have had zero problems with the middle tier of the SEC. Their next goal was to beat Georgia. Yet, they couldn’t even beat Florida, and they didn’t even come close. That’s a lot of regression for a team which was hoping to maintain a high standard of performance this season.

South Carolina’s wins over Tennessee and Clemson last year were marked by a knack for making the big clutch play. So far this season, the Gamecocks haven’t been able to make clutch plays. They haven’t been able to make big splash plays in large numbers. South Carolina’s offense was shut down by North Carolina in Week 1. North Carolina is not known for its defense. That loss might have raised some alarm bells inside the program. When South Carolina then got shut down by Georgia a few weeks later, the fears of Gamecock fans were confirmed.

Both South Carolina and Tennessee have a lot to prove heading into this game.

Here are the South Carolina-Tennessee College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

College Football Odds: South Carolina-Tennessee Odds

South Carolina Gamecocks: +11.5 (-108)

Tennessee Volunteers: -11.5 (-112)

Over: 60.5 (-110)

Under: 60.5 (-110)

How To Watch South Carolina vs Tennessee

TV: SEC Network

Stream: ESPN Plus

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT

*Watch South Carolina vs Tennessee LIVE on fuboTV (click for free trial)*

Why South Carolina Could Cover the Spread

The Tennessee offense is very limited, and that’s because the Tennessee offensive line isn’t doing a very good job of giving quarterback Joe Milton enough time to survey the field and then throw. Milton has an elite arm. He can gun the ball down the field with the best of them. His arm talent is considerable. Yet, with a frail offensive line in front of him, Milton can’t really show what he can do. The Tennessee offense has been stuck this year precisely because its offense has been a mess and can’t score in bunches the way the 2022 offense did with Hendon Hooker and other stars on the field.

Why Tennessee Could Cover the Spread

The Vols can feast on a weak South Carolina offensive line which has been shoved around in 2023 and has not given quarterback Spencer Rattler the ability to read defenses and make good decisions. Rattler has been rattled because he has not had time to settle in the pocket this season.

Final South Carolina-Tennessee Prediction & Pick

This is a game to stay away from. Neither team, neither quarterback, neither offense can be trusted.

Final South Carolina-Tennessee Prediction & Pick: South Carolina +11.5

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San Diego State vs Air Force prediction, odds, pick, how to watch College Football Week 5 game

September 30, 2023

The San Diego State Aztecs take on the Air Force Falcons. Check out our college football odds series for our San Diego State Air Force prediction and pick. Find how to watch San Diego State Air Force.

This is a really interesting game. SDSU does not have a particularly good offense, but its defense might be underappreciated if only because that defense has to regularly take the field knowing it has to make big plays to win games. When one team is heavily tilted toward one side of the ball and needs its stronger half of the ball to carry most of the workload, that unit will feel the stress and strain of the responsibility it carries. When one side of the ball has to do most of the work on a regular basis, it will sometimes collapse and fall well short of its capabilities. This comes from trying to do too much, but it also comes from not getting enough support from the other side of the ball and being left on the field too long.

San Diego State’s defense has not been dominant, but it has been good this season. It has, however, been physically taxed by being left on the field so often by a sputtering offense. Now the Aztecs will go up against an Air Force team which is 4-0 but whose overall quality is still very much in question.

Here are the San Diego State-Air Force College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

College Football Odds: San Diego State-Air Force Odds

San Diego State Aztecs: +10.5 (-115)

Air Force Falcons: -10.5 (-105)

Over: 42.5 (-110)

Under: 42.5 (-110)

How To Watch San Diego State vs Air Force

TV: CBS Sports Network

Stream: CBSSports.com

Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT

*Watch San Diego State vs Air Force LIVE on fuboTV (click for free trial)*

Why San Diego State Could Cover the Spread

The Aztecs’ defense deserves more credit than what it has received so far this season. The SDSU defense battled hard in the season opener against Ohio (a team which beat Iowa State and is actually pretty good) and in a rugged road loss at Oregon State, a team which just defeated Utah on Friday night. SDSU’s defense didn’t play great against Idaho State or against UCLA, but the Aztecs have been overextended on that side of the ball and have not been put in a good position to succeed.

Air Force might be 4-0, but the Falcons played an FCS opponent (Robert Morris) and really struggled against Sam Houston, winning by a 13-3 score in a very ugly game. Air Force has played well in its last two games, but one of those games was against San Jose State, a team which has already lost several times this season and might not be able to make a bowl game at the end of the year. Air Force’s strength of schedule is low, and SDSU is going to take advantage of that. This game will be very close late in the fourth quarter.

Why Air Force Could Cover the Spread

The Falcons have averaged 42 points in three of their four games this season. If you remove the 13-point showing against Sam Houston, this is a team whose offense can be expected to pile up the points. The Sam Houston game was an aberration. Air Force has more speed and more playmaking skill than SDSU, and the Falcons should be able to wear down the Aztecs over the course of 60 minutes played at altitude in Colorado Springs.

Final San Diego State-Air Force Prediction & Pick

The San Diego State defense will keep this game close. Take the Aztecs.

Final San Diego State-Air Force Prediction & Pick: San Diego State +10.5

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3 bold Kraken predictions for 2023-24 NHL season

September 30, 2023

The Seattle Kraken had quite the sophomore season as an NHL franchise. They surprised many around the game of hockey en route to securing their first appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And the surprises didn’t end there, as the Kraken came within one game of advancing to the Western Conference Final.

This summer, Seattle operated as a team that eyed a return to the playoffs. It makes sense, given the foundation the team already has in place. However, they are one of the more difficult teams to project. There are a few factors to consider before you can even attempt to figure out where they will finish this upcoming season.

The 2023-24 NHL season is coming up on the horizon. And with that in mind, let’s make some claims regarding this team before the puck drops. Here are three bold predictions for the Seattle Kraken ahead of the upcoming campaign.

Matty Beniers improves, but…

Matty Beniers is coming off an impressive rookie campaign that saw him win the Calder Trophy. And that’s something for him and the Kraken organization to be proud of. As a result, many around the game, and Kraken fans especially, are hoping to see him break out this season.

Unfortunately, I’m not sure that happens. This isn’t to say that Beniers won’t improve. In fact, I’m willing to bet he does improve his point totals from last season. But it’s just a season too early for a true breakout season.

Beniers has all the potential in the world, and that cannot be understated. However, the second season can produce growing pains for even the most promising players in the league. The young Kraken star will be fine, but a true breakout season seems a bit unlikely for 2023-24.

Vince Dunn establishes himself

On the flip side, veteran defenseman Vince Dunn already broke out with his performance last season. He became a solid two-way contributor and he cashed in as a result. Dunn and the Kraken agreed to a four-year, $29.4 million extension this summer.

Some may expect Dunn to come back down to Earth this season. And that’s not entirely unfair. After all, he nearly doubled his career-high point total in 2022-23. It’s completely understandable if the 26-year-old truly is a 50-60 point player, or if the 30-point range is his true form.

However, I believe Dunn will be just fine. He will continue to eat big minutes and face the most skilled players on the opposing teams. Sure, he could fall a bit short of the 64 points he produced last season. But Dunn can still come close while developing as a true defensive force. He is the best blueliner on the Kraken roster, and that won’t change in 2023-24.

A difficult playoff path

I am not going to predict that the Kraken miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs, because I ultimately think they do make the cut. However, if you are expecting the same Seattle team we saw last year, I think you are setting yourselves up for disappointment.

The Kraken are built on their depth. Seattle can roll all four lines better than any team, and they can feel comfortable with all four lines in any situation. That said, it’s worth noting that the team lost some of their depth this summer. Daniel Sprong scored 21 goals on the third line, for example, but he left for the Detroit Red Wings.

Seattle did bring in depth pieces to replace them. But can they replicate what the team lost? Can Kailer Yamamoto do what Sprong did? What about Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, who is tasked with anchoring the fourth line? Is he a good enough replacement for Morgan Geekie?

This isn’t even mentioning the team’s goaltending. Philipp Grubauer played well in the playoffs, but during the regular season, he wasn’t great. Joey Daccord is fine as a backup, but in saying that, he’s not the most inspiring option in goal either.

The Kraken have the talent to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But a lot has to go their way for them to comfortably make it like they did a year ago. Seattle should contend for a wild card spot, but don’t be surprised if they are fighting for their playoff lives late in the season.

The post 3 bold Kraken predictions for 2023-24 NHL season appeared first on ClutchPoints.

West Virginia vs TCU prediction, odds, pick, how to watch College Football Week 5 game

September 30, 2023

The West Virginia Mountaineers take on the TCU Horned Frogs. Check out our college football odds series for our West Virginia TCU prediction and pick. Find how to watch West Virginia TCU.

The West Virginia Mountaineers and head coach Neal Brown are in a very interesting position. They are 3-1, but on many levels, they have not solved the key questions they need to figure out in order for the WVU fan base to feel this program has a bright future and a real chance to be great again. West Virginia was a national championship contender in the first decade of this century under former head coach Rich Rodriguez. In the early 2010s, West Virginia was still nationally relevant under former coach Dana Holgorsen. One thing to note about those Holgo-coached WVU teams is that even when they fell short, they were fun to watch. They were never boring.

Neal Brown’s West Virginia teams have been boring. The Mountaineers have struggled to score consistently and have not been able to get much of anything from their passing game. They have not been an easy team to watch, and that is always something which will make fans uneasy.

This year, West Virginia is 3-1 through four games. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the Mountaineers are still boring. Their big wins of the season against Texas Tech and Pitt have been very ugly wins in which their defense completely dominated and their unimpressive offense did just enough to get by. West Virginia needs to find solutions on offense for Mountaineer fans to feel that Neal Brown should coach this team in 2024 and beyond. If the offense doesn’t get fixed in 2023, the fans won’t feel good about the long-term overall outlook for the football program.

Here are the West Virginia-TCU College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

College Football Odds: West Virginia-TCU Odds

West Virginia Mountaineers: +13.5 (-105)

TCU Horned Frogs: -13.5 (-115)

Over: 51.5 (-110)

Under: 51.5 (-110)

How To Watch West Virginia vs TCU

TV: ESPN2

Stream: ESPN Plus

Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT

*Watch West Virginia vs TCU LIVE on fuboTV (click for free trial)*

Why West Virginia Could Cover the Spread

The Mountaineers have a good and nasty defense. It shut down both Pitt and Texas Tech and won a pair of important games for this team. People will say that Pitt and Texas Tech aren’t very good, and that’s fair to a certain extent. However, this defense is playing well even though it knows its offense won’t score a whole lot. The defense is playing with a small margin for error and yet is still excelling. That is very important to note. It’s a lot like a pitcher in baseball knowing he won’t get much of any run support. He has to be perfect or close to perfect. If he allows more than one run, he will probably lose, but he goes out there and allows no runs in seven innings and gives his team a chance to win the game. That’s what West Virginia’s defense has been like so far this season. If WVU’s defense plays the way it has been playing through four games this season, the Mountaineers will contain the TCU offense and will cover the large spread.

Why TCU Could Cover the Spread

The Horned Frogs played poorly against Deion Sanders and Colorado in the season opener, and everyone knows TCU was really bad in that game. However, the Horned Frogs have clearly learned from that game and have adjusted since that game. They looked very solid in a comfortable win over SMU, and they also went on the road and shut down Houston in a Big 12 game (yes, Houston is now a Big 12 member). TCU has bounced back. This is not the same team which fumbled the bag against Colorado. The Frogs will thump WVU and its impotent offense.

Final West Virginia-TCU Prediction & Pick

The TCU Horned Frogs are nowhere close to the 2022 team which reached the national title game. WVU should keep this close. Take the Mountaineers.

Final West Virginia-TCU Prediction & Pick: West Virginia +13.5

The post West Virginia vs TCU prediction, odds, pick, how to watch College Football Week 5 game appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Pitt vs Virginia Tech prediction, odds, pick, how to watch College Football Week 5 game

September 30, 2023

The Pitt Panthers take on the Virginia Tech Hokies. Check out our college football odds series for our Pitt Virginia Tech prediction and pick. Find how to watch Pitt Virginia Tech.

This is not a game you will enjoy if you love great offense and smooth, sophisticated passing attacks. Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech have both struggled to throw the ball in 2023. They both struggled to throw the ball in 2022 as well. Pittsburgh won the ACC championship in 2021 behind quarterback Kenny Pickett and receiver Jordan Addison, who then transferred to USC before the 2022 season. Pitt’s offense hasn’t been the same since Pickett left for the NFL and Addison transferred out of the program. Pitt looked horrible in a brutal loss to archrival West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl earlier this season. Coach Pat Narduzzi wants a team which can run the ball, but he has plainly neglected to field a team which can competently pass the ball and create enough balance to keep opposing defenses guessing.

Virginia Tech has been in search of a good passing game for several years. It is a point of great frustration for the Hokies that Hendon Hooker — who was one of the best players in college football in 2022 with Tennessee — used to play for Virginia Tech but was not given the caliber of coaching which could maximize his talent. Virginia Tech is adrift as a program, lacking the offense needed to score big and lacking the athletes which can provide an imposing defense and serve as a counterweight to the team’s lack of scoring punch. Both teams are having miserable seasons, which helps explain why the point spread is so close and the game feels a lot like a coin flip.

Here are the Pitt-Virginia Tech College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

College Football Odds: Pitt-Virginia Tech Odds

Pitt Panthers: -1.5 (-115)

Virginia Tech Hokies: +1.5 (-105)

Over: 40.5 (-105)

Under: 40.5 (-115)

How To Watch Pitt vs Virginia Tech

TV: ACC Network

Stream: ESPN Plus

Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT

*Watch Pitt vs Virginia Tech LIVE on fuboTV (click for free trial)*

Why Pitt Could Cover the Spread

Betting on this game is something which has to be placed in its proper context. Sometimes, betting on a sporting event is an act of trust in the team you think will win and thrive. This is not one of those games. This is a game in which a smart bettor won’t trust the team he is betting on to cover the spread; this is a game in which to bet against the team one thinks will fail to cover. That is the recommended approach here: Distrust Virginia Tech more than you distrust Pittsburgh. Virginia Tech has languished in the lower tiers of the ACC in recent years more than Pitt has. Pitt won the ACC in 2021, and although the Panthers have regressed a lot, they do have more good players on defense than Virginia Tech does. On a night when both teams figure to play bad football, Tech figures to be the worse team. Pitt — being slightly favored on the road — would probably be close to a touchdown favorite at home. That is worth noticing. It does suggest that Pitt is probably not as bad as Tech.

Why Virginia Tech Could Cover the Spread

The Pitt offense has been a disaster this season. If you saw the Panthers flail and stumble repeatedly in a road night game at West Virginia a few weeks ago, you would be able to put two and two together and conclude that another road night game won’t go any better. If you know how bad the Pitt offense truly is, and if you are aware how poorly that offense plays in road night games, you will realize that Virginia Tech is the right play in this game.

Final Pitt-Virginia Tech Prediction & Pick

This is definitely a game to stay away from. Neither side is trustworthy.

Final Pitt-Virginia Tech Prediction & Pick: Pitt -1.5

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Charlotte vs SMU prediction, odds, pick, how to watch College Football Week 5 game

September 30, 2023

The Charlotte 49ers take on the SMU Mustangs. Check out our college football odds series for our Charlotte SMU prediction and pick. Find how to watch Charlotte SMU.

The Charlotte 49ers are 1-3 this season, but in one of their losses, they put up a particularly good fight against a Big Ten opponent on national television. On NBC, Charlotte held Maryland without a touchdown in the first half of a Saturday primetime game before the Terrapins’ offense finally got going in the second half. Charlotte’s defense showed a certain degree of resilience and toughness in that game, and it’s something the 49ers’ coaching staff can continuously reference when emphasizing that this defense can compete with higher-profile opponents throughout the 2023 season.

SMU is one of those higher-profile opponents, but the Mustangs have faced a tough schedule and have absorbed some defeats this season. The Ponies have fallen short against Oklahoma and TCU. Their defense actually played really well versus Oklahoma, limiting the Sooners under 30 points, but the Mustangs’ offense didn’t do well in that game. TCU’s defense didn’t have a particularly good day against TCU, the Mustangs’ other loss of the young season.

SMU faces a frustrating reality: Both sides of the ball have shown real potential in the first month of the season, but head coach Rhett Lashlee has struggled to get those sides of the ball to perform well at the same time. This is called complementary football, and SMU needs to find a way to play more of it as the season unfolds. This game against Charlotte gives the Mustangs a chance to brush up on their habits and tendencies. We will see if the Ponies can pass the test.

Here are the Charlotte-SMU College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

College Football Odds: Charlotte-SMU Odds

Charlotte 49ers: +22.5 (-110)

SMU Mustangs: -22.5 (-110)

Over: 59.5 (-106)

Under: 59.5 (-114)

How To Watch Charlotte vs SMU

TV: ESPNU

Stream: ESPN Plus

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT

*Watch Charlotte vs SMU LIVE on fuboTV (click for free trial)*

Why Charlotte Could Cover the Spread

The 49ers have had their moments this season — not a lot of them, but enough to get people to say that this team has some potential. Charlotte really did frustrate Maryland a few weeks ago on the road. The 49ers didn’t win, but they earned a lot of respect. SMU, meanwhile, has been very inconsistent this season in a lot of different ways. There is a sense that SMU has the potential to be a good team, but there is a competing awareness that the Mustangs aren’t ready to exhibit the consistency which will enable them to fulfill their potential in 2023. Given how large the point spread is, the Charlotte defense can definitely keep the game close and enable the 49ers to cover the spread.

Why SMU Could Cover the Spread

The Mustangs aren’t relentlessly consistent, but they did bury Louisiana Tech earlier in the season. SMU doesn’t put its best foot forward all the time, but it has played well on some occasions. Is Charlotte a team which is going to stand in the ring for four full quarters and keep this game close? Many will point to that Maryland game, but Charlotte is a 1-3 team for a reason. The 49ers have some spunk, but they are an objectively worse team than SMU by a large margin. Moreover, SMU — by playing tough games against Oklahoma and TCU — should find Charlotte’s personnel much easier to deal with by comparison. That should matter.

Final Charlotte-SMU Prediction & Pick

This is a game to stay away from. SMU will win, but the margin of victory is hard to pin down.

Final Charlotte-SMU Prediction & Pick: SMU -22.5

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