At 5:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (655) and the Texas Longhorns (656) in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Miami (FL) (28-7) has won five of their last six games after their 89-75 upset victory against Houston as an 8-point underdog on Friday. Texas (29-8) has won seven games in a row with their 83-71 victory against Xavier as a 4-point favorite on Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Miami converted on 11 of their 25 (44%) shots from 3-point range en route to a 51.7% shooting percentage in that game which was the best effort in their last four games. But now they play a stout Longhorns defense that has played three opponents in this Big Dance that entered the game with a top-ten shooting percentage from behind the arc yet held those three foes to 18 of 60 (30%) shooting from 3-point range. The Hurricanes only made 30.2% of their shots in their opening game against Drake — so clunkers are in the repertoire. As it is, Miami has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after scoring 85 or more points in their last game — and they have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a game where 155 or more combined points were scored. The Hurricanes have pulled off two straight upset wins after their 85-69 win against Indiana last Sunday — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games on the road Under the Total after scoring 75 or more points in two straight games. They have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in two games in a row — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games after two straight upset wins. Miami’s scoring drops by 3.8 points per 100 possessions when they play away from home. But the dirty little secret about this Hurricanes team is how much better their defense has been when playing on the road. Not only are they allowing 11.7 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing on the road in hostile environments or neutral courts, but they are also giving up -12.8 fewer points per 100 possessions in their last ten games on the road versus their defensive efficiency at home — and their Adjusted Defensive Efficiency on the road in their last ten games ranks 22nd in the nation. Two reasons for this improved play on defense: Miami is limiting their opponents to pulling down only 23.4% of their missed shots, ranking 24th in the nation, and their defensive foul rate ranks 11th in the nation in those last ten games. Texas has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight Unders after a point-spread win. And while they have covered the point spread in seven of their last eight games, they have then played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in three of their last four games. There is some conventional wisdom out there that this Longhorns team wants to play at a fast pace — and that interim head coach Rodney Terry has pushed the pace more since taking over for Chris Beard. The numbers simply do not bare this out. Texas ranks 115th in the nation by averaging 68.5 adjusted possessions per game. In their last ten games, that number drops to 67.5 adjusted possessions per game. There were 72 mutual possessions on Friday against the Musketeers — but their two previous games in the Big Dance had 64 possessions apiece after playing three games in the Big 12 tournament where no more than 68 possessions were played. Does Miami want to push the pace? Maybe — but that will be difficult against a Longhorns’ defense that ranks third in the nation in transition defense. The Hurricanes have averaged 69.7 adjusted possessions in their last ten games on the road. But here are some numbers that scream out to me: Texas scores -7.2 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing on the road. They also hold their opponents to -3.7 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing away from home, ranking fourth best in the nation. And in their last ten games overall, the Longhorns boast the second-best defense in terms of Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the nation.

FINAL TAKE: Texas has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total on a neutral court. The Longhorns have also played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total in the NCAA Tournament. Miami (FL) has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total in the Big Dance. 25* CBB Elite Eight Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (655) and the Texas Longhorns (656). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:15 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (643) and the Houston Cougars (644) in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Miami (FL) (27-7) has won four of their last five games after their 85-69 upset win against Indiana as a 1.5-point underdog on Sunday. Houston (33-3) has won 15 of their last 16 games with their 81-64 victory against Auburn as a 5.5-point favorite on Saturday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Hurricanes shot 48.6% of their shots against the Hoosiers in their best shooting effort in their last three games. They also pulled down 19 offensive rebounds which led to 29 second-chance points. That level of productivity is not likely to continue tonight against this Cougars team that holds their opponents to 27.9% shooting in the midrange. Miami (FL) has played 19 of their last 29 road games Under the Total after a straight-up win. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after scoring 85 or more points in their last game. And while that game finished Over the 145-point total installed for that game, they have then played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. The Hurricanes do see their scoring drop by -5.5 points per 100 possessions when playing on the road. But while defense seems to be the weakness of head coach Larranaga’s team, they do give up -11.8 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing on the road on neutral courts or in hostile environments. And Larranaga has his team peaking on defense at this point of the season. Miami (FL) ranks 22nd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in their last ten games on the road. The improvement is sharpest in defensive rebounding with their last ten opponents away from home rebounding only 24.7% of their missed shots, ranking 50th in the nation. Miami also ranks ninth in the nation in defensive foul rate in their last ten games on the road. Houston might have played their best 20 minutes of the season in the second half against Auburn by scoring a whopping 41 points against the stout Tigers’ defense. But the defense played a big role in that final 20 minutes as they held Auburn to just four baskets on 17% shooting from the field. The Cougars have played 19 of their last 28 games Under the Total after scoring 80 or more points in their last game. Houston is scoring -3.7 fewer points per 100 possessions on the road in their last ten games as compared to their season scoring efficiency away from home this season. It is the Cougars’ defense that leads the way for head coach Kelvin Sampson. Houston ranks fourth in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they lead the nation with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 36.1%. They lead the nation by blocking 16.8% of their opponent’s shots. Houston will also bring a slow pace to this game as they rank 342nd in the nation with only 63.3 adjusted possessions per game. The Under is a decisive 43-21-1 in their last 65 games against teams with a winning record in the Sampson era.

FINAL TAKE: The Cougars have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total on a neutral court laying 6.5 to 12 points — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in the NCAA Tournament. The Hurricanes have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total on a neutral court — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the NCAA Tournament. 25* CBB Sweet Sixteen Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (643) and the Houston Cougars (644). Best of luck for us — Frank.   

At 7:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (503) and the Toronto Raptors (504). THE SITUATION: Indiana (32-40) has lost three of their last four games after their 115-109 loss at Charlotte as a 2-point favorite on Monday. Toronto (35-37) had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 118-111 loss at Milwaukee as a 7.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Pacers lost to the Hornets despite holding them to 45.6% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last ten games. But they only shot 45.1% from the field themselves which was the worst shooting performance in their last three games. Indiana has played 17 of their last 24 games Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They did get back rookie Benedict Mathurin for this contest who scored 18 points in the losing effort. But the team misses Tyrese Haliburton who has been out for five straight games with a knee injury — and he is questionable to play tonight. The offense has not suffered with Haliburton — the team is making 48.3% of their shots in their last five games which have generated 117.4 Points-Per-Game. Both of those marks are above their season averages of 115.8 PPG and a 46.6% field goal percentage. But the Pacers' defense has let their last five opponents make 50.5% of their shots which has resulted in them scoring 122.2 PPG, a 3.9 PPG bump above their season average. Indiana has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 5 straight road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home. They have also played 4 straight Overs against teams with a losing record. And in their last 33 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points, they have played 22 of these games Over the Total. Toronto only made 44.4% of their shots on Sunday which was the worst shooting effort in their last five games. Acquiring Jakob Poetl from San Antonio at the trade deadline has ignited their offensive attack that sorely needed another big man in the middle. They have made 49.7% of their shots in their last five games which have generated 119.6 PPG. But the defense for the Raptors remains an issue as they have allowed nine of their last 11 opponents to shoot 50% or better from the field. Their last five opponents have made 50.1% of their shots against them which is resulting in 113.6 PPG. Toronto has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 15 of their last 22 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. And while they have covered the point spread in five of their last seven games, the Raptors have then played 15 of their last 19 home games Over the Total after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. They return home where they have played  6 of their last 8 games Over the Total — and they have played 9 of their last 13 home games Over the Total against teams not winning more than 40% of their games on the road. Furthermore, Toronto has played 10 of their last 12 home games Over the Total when favored by 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE: Toronto will be looking to avenge a 122-114 upset loss at Indiana as a 1.5-point favorite on the road back on January 22nd — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from an upset loss as a road favorite. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (503) and the Toronto Raptors (504). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:45 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Farleigh Dickinson Knights (843) and the Florida Atlantic Owls (844) in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Farleigh Dickinson (21-15) has won five of their last six games after their 63-58 upset victory against Purdue as a 23-point underdog on Friday. Florida Atlantic (32-3) is on an eight-game winning streak after their 66-65 upset victory against Memphis as a 1.5-point underdog on Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Part of the Knights' success in shocking the Boilermakers was holding them to 35.8% shooting — although Purdue’s 19.2% shooting percentage from behind the arc had something to do with some nervy Boilermakers’ shooters. Fairleigh Dickinson will continue to work hard on the defensive end of the court. The Knights have held their last four opponents to no better than 41.9% shooting and no more than 67 points — and these last four opponents have averaged just 59 Points-Per-Game. But while Fairleigh Dickinson’s hopes rely on their 3-point shooting, they only made 7 of their 23 (30.4%) shots from behind the arc and settled for a 38.7% shooting clip overall on Friday. The Knights have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point-spread victory. They have also played 6 straight games Under the Total on the road after winning three of their last four games. FAU beat Memphis with the Tigers making 43.1% of their shots which was actually the Owls’ worst defensive effort in their last four games. In their last ten games on the road, FAU ranks 10th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they hold their opponents to just 27.7% shooting from behind the arc which is the seventh lowest mark in the nation during that span. But the Owls also score -4.5 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing on the road on neutral courts or in hostile environments. The Under is 19-7-1 in FAU’s last 27 games on a neutral court — and they have played 7 straight Unders on a neutral court with the Total set in the 145-149.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Florida Atlantic has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total against teams winning 51-60% of their games. 25* CBB Second Round NCAA Tournament Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Farleigh Dickinson Knights (843) and the Florida Atlantic Owls (844). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:25 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Drake Bulldogs (769) and the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (770) in the Round of 64 in the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Drake (27-7) has won three in a row — and 13 of their last 14 contests — after their 77-51 victory against Bradley as a 2-point favorite in the Championship Game of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament on March 5th. Miami (FL) (25-7) had their two-game winning streak snapped in an 85-78 loss to Duke as a 2.5-point underdog in the Semifinals of the ACC Tournament last Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at MVP Arena in Albany, New York.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Drake won all three of their games in their Arch Madness by at least 12 points while shooting 47.1% or better from the field in each game. But the Bulldogs have then played 8 straight games Under the Total on the road after winning at least three games in a row by double-digits. They have also played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after making 47% or more of their shots in three straight games. Drake has also played 5 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total after a point-spread victory. And while they have covered the point spread in three straight games, they have then played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in two or more games in a row. The Bulldogs’ efficiency on offense drops by -2.4 points per 100 possessions when they play away from home. Now they face an angry Hurricanes team that allowed Duke to nail 54.9% of their shots last week which was the worst defensive effort in their last five games. Miami (FL) lost Norchad Omier early in that game to an ankle injury — and his absence was felt in their interior defense. At 6’7, Omier and Jordan Miller are the two tallest players in their starting five lineup. While he helps their offensive efforts by scoring 13.6 Points-Per-Game this season, he is important for their frontcourt defense and keeping opponents off their offensive glass. Duke pulled down 36.0% of their missed shots with Omier missing most of that game. The Hurricanes tighten things up on that end of the court tonight as they have played 8 straight Unders after allowing 85 or more points in their last game — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games on the road Under the Total after slowing 85 or more points in their last game. Furthermore, Miami has played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. According to their Adjusted Efficiency numbers, the Hurricanes allow  -10.9 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing away from home.

FINAL TAKE: Miami (FL) has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total played on a neutral court — and they have played 5 straight games in the NCAA Tournament Under the Total. Drake has played 4 straight games Under the Total played on a neutral court. 25* CBB First Round Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Drake Bulldogs (769) and the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (770). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 AM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Utah State Aggies (871) and the Boise State Broncos (872) in the Semifinals of the Mountain West Conference Tournament. THE SITUATION: Utah State (25-7) has won six games in a row after their 91-76 victory against New Mexico as a 3.5-point victory yesterday in the quarterfinals of this tournament. Boise State (24-8) has won two of their last three games after their 87-76 victory against UNLV as a 5.5-point favorite yesterday. This game is being played at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Aggies scored 91 points despite a 48.4% field goal percentage which was the lowest shooting mark in their last three games. Utah State ranks 13th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and that mark improves to 11th in the nation when they are playing away from home. The Aggies are fourth in the nation by nailing 39.5% of their 3-pointers — and they make 38.7% of their shots from behind the arc when playing away from home. Utah State has played 6 straight Overs after scoring 90 or more points in their last game. Additionally, the Over is 20-8-1 in their last 29 games after a straight-up win — and the Over is 13-5-1 in their last 19 games after a point-spread victory. The Over is 5-2-1 in the Aggies’ last 8 games against teams winning 60% or more of their games — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total on a neutral court. Boise State has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a win against a conference rival. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. The Broncos are a good offensive team that can keep up with the Aggies’ scoring. In their last ten games away from home, they rank 39th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They make 37.0% of their 3-pointers in conference playing, ranking fourth in the Mountain West. And while the Aggies attempt 24 shots from behind the arc per game, Boise State has played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total after 15 games into the season against teams who attempt 21 or more shots from downtown per contest. Despite their good defensive numbers, the Broncos tend to play higher or lower-scoring games based on their opponent. They have scored 80 or more points in three of their last eight games. They have given up 74 or more points in four of their last five games despite an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency that ranks 19th in the nation. Boise State has played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games. They have also played 26 of their last 37 games in the Mountain West Conference Tournament Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The Broncos will be looking to avenge an 86-73 loss at Utah State last Saturday — and they have played 15 of their last 19 games Over the Total when attempting to avenge a double-digit loss on the road. 25* CBB Mountain West Conference Tournament Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Utah State Aggies (871) and the Boise State Broncos (872). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the UAB Blazers (819) and the North Texas Mean Green (820) in the Semifinals of the Conference USA Tournament. THE SITUATION: UAB (24-8) has won seven games in a row with their 87-60 victory against Rice as a 14-point favorite on Thursday. North Texas (26-6) has won three in a row and 11 of their last 12 contests with their 74-46 victory against Louisiana Tech as a 9-point favorite yesterday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: This is a clash of styles with North Texas playing at one of the slowest paces in the nation while UAB ranks 39th in the nation with their games averaging 70.5 adjusted possessions per game. We bet numbers — and we are getting value with the Total in the 126 range. If the Blazers can successfully amp up the pace, we will win this one comfortably. But even if the Mean Green impose their will, I still think a rock fight finds its way over the number. North Texas is an outstanding defensive team — but their Adjusted Defensive Efficiency rises by 3.5 points per 100 possessions when they are playing away from home on neutral courts or hostile environments even after they stymied the Bulldogs to just 30.4% shooting yesterday. The Mean Green has played 5 straight Overs after not allowing more than 50 points in their last game. They have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total on the road after a double-digit victory. Additionally, the Over is 5-2-1 in their last 8 games after both a straight-up win and a point-spread victory. North Texas forces turnovers -- but this aggressiveness can get them in trouble as they rank 344th in the nation in foul rate. And they are a solid offensive team that ranks third in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in the conference and do not see much drop off when playing away from home. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games. UAB ranks 42nd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they score 80.9 Points-Per-Game when on the road. They are scoring 84.0 PPG with a 47.4% field goal percentage in their last five games. They have played 12 of their last 17 games Over the Total after scoring 80 or more points in their last contest. They have also played 11 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a win by 10 or more points — and the Over is 13-3-1 in their last 17 games after a win by 20 or more points. Furthermore, the Over is 34-16-1 in their last 51 games after a straight-up win — and the Over is 19-7-1 in their last 27 games after a point-spread victory. The Blazers have also played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher.

FINAL TAKE: North Texas swept the two regular season games with neither seeing more than 124 combined points in regulation (the rematch in Denton on February 9th went to double overtime after a 62-62 score after 40 minutes — so the 82-79 final score is deceiving). But UAB has played 3 of their 4 games Over the Toal when attempting to avenge a loss on the road this season — and they have played 7 of their 8 games Over the Total when playing on a neutral court. 25* CBB Conference USA Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the UAB Blazers (819) and the North Texas Mean Green (820). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Stanford Cardinal (769) and the Arizona Wildcats (770) in the Quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Tournament. THE SITUATION: Stanford (14-18) won for the third time in their last four games with a 73-62 victory against Utah in a pick ‘em contest yesterday in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament. Arizona (25-6) comes into this event having lost two of their last three games after an 82-73 loss at UCLA as a 5-point underdog last Saturday. This game is being played on a neutral court at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Cardinal advanced despite making only 41.9% of their shots from the field against the Utes which was the worst shooting effort in their last eight games. They are still making 47.5% of their shots in their last five games. Stanford ranks 32nd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they rise to 10th in the nation in that metric in their last ten games. Their productivity does not decline when playing away from Palo Alto either — they rank 4th in the nation in their last ten games in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing away from home. The Cardinal has played 5 straight Overs after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a win by 10 or more points against a Pac-12 opponent. Furthermore, Stanford has played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a point spread win — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total when playing on the road against a point spread victory. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total when playing their third game in seven days. The Cardinal has played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total in March. Arizona only made 47.4% of their shots against the Bruins which was the lowest shooting percentage in their last four games. The Wildcats rank 5th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they rank 5th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 56.5% with top-20 marks in both 3-point and 2-point shooting. When playing away from home, their Adjusted Offensive Efficiency improves to 3rd in the nation. Arizona also plays at a blistering pace as they average 72.7 adjusted possessions per game, ranking 6th in the nation — and that mark rises to 73.6 adjusted possessions per game when playing away from home. The Wildcats have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 straight Overs after a point spread loss. They have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total on the road when playing for the second time in the last seven days. They have also played 16 of their last 23 road games Over the Total against conference rivals. Furthermore, Arizona has played 9 straight games in March Over the Total — and they have played 4 straight Overs on a neutral court as a favorite laying 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE: Stanford upset the Wildcats in their lone meeting this season back on February 11th as a 7.5-point home underdog  — and Arizona has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when avenging an upset loss on the road. 25* CBB Pac-12 Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Stanford Cardinal (769) and the Arizona Wildcats (770). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New Orleans Privateers (306559) and the Northwestern State Demons (306560) in the Semifinals of the Southland Conference Tournament. THE SITUATION: New Orleans (12-19) has won two in a row and six of their last seven after their 82-78 upset win against Southeast Louisiana as a 5-point underdog yesterday. Northwestern State (21-10) has won two of their last three games after an 81-64 win against Incarnate Word as a 10.5-point favorite last Wednesday. This game is being played on a neutral court at The Legacy Center in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Privateers advanced to the semifinals of the Southland Conference Tournament despite making only 44.6% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last eight contests. New Orleans should shoot better tonight as they lead the conference with an effective field goal percentage of 55.0%. The Over is 46-22-1 in their last 69 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a win by six points or less. They have also played 13 of their last 19 games Over the Total after a point-spread win. And they have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total after winning two straight games against conference opponents. The Privateers will push the pace in this game. They rank 24th in the nation by averaging 71.4 adjusted possessions per game — and that mark rises to 72.9 adjusted possessions per game in their last ten games when playing away from home, ranking 14th in the nation. New Orleans has played 23 of their last 34 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they have played 13 of their last 19 games Over the Total as an underdog. The Over is also 25-7-1 in their last 33 games played on a neutral court — and the Privateers have played 18 of their last 23 conference tournament games Over the Total. Northwestern State has played 20 of their last 26 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a win against a conference rival in their previous game. They have all played 21 of their last 31 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. The Demons rank second in the Southland Conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. Their attack is fueled by them pulling down 33.4% of their missed shots, ranking second in the conference. They should have success on the offensive glass tonight against this Privateers team that is last in the Southland Conference by allowing their opponents to rebound 34.4% of their missed shots. Northwestern State has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total when playing on a neutral court — and the over is 6-1-1 in their last 8 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams split their two regular-season meetings with Northwestern State winning the first encounter on the road by an 88-65 score before New Orleans upset them on the road in the rematch on February 18th by a 68-65 score as a 10.5-point underdog. The Demons have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total when avenging an upset loss. 25* CBB Southland Conference Tournament Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New Orleans Privateers (306559) and the Northwestern State Demons (306560). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the UT-Chattanooga Moccasins (867) and the Furman Paladins (868) in the Finals of the Southern Conference Tournament. THE SITUATION: UT-Chattanooga (18-16) has won three straight games after their 74-62 win against Wofford as a 4-point favorite yesterday. Furman (26-7) has won five games in a row after their 83-80 win in overtime against Western Carolina as a 12-point favorite on Sunday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, North Carolina.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Moccasins held Wofford to just 38.7% shooting yesterday — that was the fourth time in their last five games and the sixth in their last eight contests where they held their opponent to 42.6% or lower shooting from the floor. Chattanooga ranks second in the Southern Conference when playing on the road by holding their opponents to 48.8% shooting inside the arc. The Moccasins have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a double-digit win against a conference opponent — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Additionally, Chattanooga has played 14 of their last 17 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 150s. Furman only shot 39.0% from the field yesterday which was the worst shooting effort of the season for them. But while I often conclude that outlier efforts like that are aberrations — in this instance, I suspect it is nerves kicking for this Paladins team playing with the weight of expectations. This team has not made the NCAA Tournament since 1980 — and they lost the title game of the Southern Conference Tournament last year against this Chattanooga team so winning this game has been the goal for 365 days. Furman is a good defensive team that led the conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. It starts with the Paladins’ half-court defense as they rank second in the conference with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 48.5% while ranking second in the Southern Conference in both 2-point and 3-point defense. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing 80 or more points per game — and they have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a game where 155 or more combined points were scored. Yesterday’s game flew Over the 149-point total because of overtime (the score was 72-72 after regulation time) — and Furman has played 8 straight road games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. The Paladins have played 5 straight Unders against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Furman swept the two games between these teams in the regular season with the last meeting being on February 1st with the Paladins winning by a 79-58 score. The Moccasins have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total when playing with revenge — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when avenging a double-digit loss. UT-Chattanooga has played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court — and Furman has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total on a neutral court. 25* CBB Southern Conference Tournament Total of the Year is with Under the Total in the game between the UT-Chattanooga Moccasins (867) and the Furman Paladins (868). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the Semifinals of the Northeast Conference Tournament between the St. Francis-PA Red Flash (306527) and the Farleigh Dickinson Knights (306528). THE SITUATION: St. Francis-PA (13-17) has won four of their last five games after their 83-69 win against Central Connecticut State as a 4.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Farleigh Dickinson (18-14) has won three of their last four games with their 83-75 win against St. Francis-NY as a 9-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Lots of Overs this week — I’m just following the numbers. The data points to the Over for this one — even before I then realize that these two teams are top-two statistical offenses in terms of Adjusted Efficiency in the Northeast Conference while registering two of the worst defensive metrics in the nation. St. Francis-PA ranks 356th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a point spread win — and they have played 19 of their last 27 games Over the Total after winning three of their last four games. And with their win against Central Connecticut State finishing Over, they have then played 19 of their last 28 games Over the Total after playing an Over in their previous game. After playing their last three games on the road, they go on the road where they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after playing three or more games in a row at home. The Over is 9-3-1 in their last 13 games on the road — and the Over is 6-2-1 in their last 9 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The St. Francis-PA offense is bolstered by their 3-point shooting as they rank 38th in the nation by nailing 36.9% of their shots from behind the arc. Now they play a Knights team ranking 344th in the nation by allowing their opponents to make 37.7% of their shots from behind the arc. Farleigh Dickinson ranks 362nd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — but they also lead the Northeast Conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. The Knights have scored 169 points in their last two games — and they have palled 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total after scoring at least 75 points in their last two games. They stay at home where the Over is 12-3-1 in their last 16 games — and they have played 5 straight home games Over the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. They have also played 19 of their last 25 games at home when it is just their second game in seven days.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams split their two regular-season meetings with St. Francis-PA winning the most recent game by an 82-72 score on February 23rd — and Farleigh Dickinson has played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total when playing with revenge. 25* CBB Northeast Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the Semifinals of the Northeast Conference Tournament between the St. Francis-PA Red Flash (306527) and the Farleigh Dickinson Knights (306528). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the South Carolina Upstate Spartans (306521) and the UNC-Asheville Bulldogs (306422) in the Semifinals of the Big South Conference Tournament. THE SITUATION: USC-Upstate (16-14) reached the semifinals of this tournament with their 77-76 upset win against Gardner-Webb as a 4-point underdog yesterday. UNC-Asheville (25-7) joined them in the semifinals of this tournament with their 75-66 win against Charleston Southern as a 9-point favorite on Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Spartans are a good shooting team — they rank second in the Big South with an effective field goal percentage of 52.7% based on the strength of their interior shooting. USC-Upstate ranks second in the conference by making 53.6% of their shots inside the arc. The Spartans have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 17 of their last 22 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. USC-Upstate is playing their best basketball of the season now with three straight victories along with seven wins in their last eight games. They have then played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after winning two in a row against conference rivals — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after winning five or six of their last seven contests. Betting Unders for these early tip-offs on neutral courts has been a fashionable play in the past — but we bet numbers rather than being a zombie simply for the situation. This Total is dropping — giving us more value on the Over. While these early tips can see groggy teams struggling to shoot — the Spartans bring energy by forcing turnovers. They rank 58th in the nation by forcing turnovers in 20.7% of their opponent’s possessions — and that mark improves to a 21.1% defensive turnover clip against conference opponents. They forced 17 turnovers representing 23.6% of Gardner-Webb’s possessions yesterday — and now the Bulldogs may be vulnerable in this area. UNC-Asheville ranks 313th in the nation by turning the ball over in 20.3% of their possessions — and they turn it over in 20.7% of their conference possessions. Forcing turnovers tends to create easier scoring opportunities in transition which is reinforced by the Spartans' effective 2-point shooting. USC-Upstate has played 21 of their last 29 games Over the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games — and they have played 28 of their last 43 games Over the Total as an underdog. The Over is also 4-1-1 in their last 6 games played on a neutral court. UNC-Asheville only made 35.8% of their shots yesterday which was the worst shooting effort in their last 22 games. The Bulldogs should shoot much better today after that outlier effort. They rank 32nd in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 54.1%. They rank seventh in the nation with a 39.1% shooting percentage from behind the arc — and that number improves to 40.6% in conference play. UNC-Asheville has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and the Over is 24-10-1 in their last 35 games after a point spread loss. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after winning five or more games in a row. The Bulldogs are going to get their share of points at the free throw line — they rank 12th in the nation in free throw rate. The downside to USC-Upstate’s pressure on the basketball is that they foul too much — they rank 354th in the nation in defensive free throw rate. The charity strip should help this game finish Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams split their two regular-season meetings after USC-Upstate upset the Bulldogs by a 76-70 score as a 3-point home underdog on February  4th. UNC-Asheville has played 10 of their last 16 games Over the Total when avenging a loss on the road including three of their four opportunities this season. 25* CBB Big South Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the South Carolina Upstate Spartans (306521) and the UNC-Asheville Bulldogs (306422). Best of luck for us — Frank.  

At 11:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New Mexico Lobos (867) and the Colorado State Rams (868). THE SITUATION: New Mexico (21-9) snapped a two-game losing streak with a 94-80 win against Fresno State as a 7-point favorite on Saturday. Colorado State (13-17) has lost two of their last three games after their 63-46 loss at San Jose State as a 2.5-point underdog on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Lobos rank 20th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a game where they scored at least 90 points. The Over is also 3-0-1 in their last 4 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a win against a Mountain West Conference rival. New Mexico has covered the point spread in three straight games — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in three straight games and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in three straight contests. They go back on the road where they rank 14th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing in hostile environments boosted by their 39.7% shooting percentage from behind the arc, ranking 9th in the nation. The Over is 4-0-1 in their last 5 games on the road. The Lobos rank 306th in the nation in defensive foul rate when playing on the road — and the Rams make 76.1% of their free throws on their home court. Colorado State held the Spartans to just 38.9% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last 11 games. But the Rams only shot 36.5% from the field in what was the worst shooting effort in their last 24 contests. They have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after playing a game where they did not score more than 50 points. And while they only scored 22 points in the first half of that game, they have then played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after not scoring more than 25 points in the first half in their last game. The Over is also 10-3-1 in their last 14 games after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 straight games Over the Total after a loss by 10 or more points in their last contest. And in their last 13 games after a point-spread loss, the Over is 10-2-1. While that game with San Jose State finished far below the 136.5-point total, Colorado State has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after playing an Under in their last contest. The Rams should approach their 80.4 Points-Per-Game scoring average when playing at home tonight. They rank 13th in the nation with a 56.4% shooting percentage inside the arc. The Lobos allow their opponents to convert on 50.7% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 205th in the nation — and their conference opponents have converted on 53.6% of their 2-pointers against them. Colored State ranks 21st in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing on their home court — and they rank 17th in the nation by making 40.7% of their shots from behind the arc at home. The Rams have played 11 of their last 13 games Over the Total when playing at home — and they have 5 straight Overs at home against teams with a winning record on the road. Furthermore, Colorado State has played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total as an underdog or pick ‘em — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games.

FINAL TAKE: New Mexico won the first meeting between these two teams by an 88-69 score on December 28th — and the Rams have played all 3 of their games Over the Total when avenging a loss on the road this season. The Lobos have played 15 of their last 21 games Over the Total when favored — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total with the Total listed in the 150s. 25* CBB Mountain West Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New Mexico Lobos (867) and the Colorado State Rams (868). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Toledo Rockets (841) and the Ball State Cardinals (842). THE SITUATION: Toledo (24-6) rides a 14-game winning streak after a 99-65 victory as a 15-point favorite on Tuesday. Ball State (20-10) has lost three of their last four games after an 87-83 loss at Akron as a 9-point underdog on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Rockets are nailing 54.4% of their shots in their last five games which helps them generate 92.8 Points-Per-Game in those contests. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a win by 20 or more points — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total after winning seven or more games in a row. Toledo ranks 10th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — but they rank 275th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. On the road, they are scoring 81.5 PPG but allowing 77.7 PPG. The Rockets rank 2nd in the nation by making 40.1% of their shots — and that mark drops only slightly to a 39.0% clip when playing on the road, ranking 14th best in the nation. Toledo has played 14 of their last 20 road games Over the Total — and they have played 20 of their last 26 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher at home. Furthermore, the Rockets have played 22 of their last 33 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 150s — and they have played 25 of their last 35 games Over the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games. Ball State has played 4 straight Overs after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a win against a conference rival. Additionally, the Cardinals have played 29 of their last 42 games Over the Total after allowing 75 or more points in their last game — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total when playing for the third time in seven days. Ball State ranks 6th in the nation in getting to the free throw line — and they rank 23rd in the nation by making 37.7% of their shots from behind the arc. When playing at home, they make 48.4% of their shots which generates 80.4 PPG. They have played 5 straight Overs at home — and they have played 22 of their last 28 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. They have also played 19 of their last 25 home games with the Total set in the 150s. But the Cardinals have given up 77.4 PPG in their last five games — and now they host this Rockets’ team that is so good with their 3-point shooting having allowed their guests to nail 38.8% of their 3-pointers, ranking 349th in the nation. Ball State has played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Ball State won the first meeting between these two teams by a 90-83 score on January 3rd — and Toledo has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when attempting to avenge a loss. 25* CBB Mid-American Conference Total of the Year is with Over the Total in the game between the Toledo Rockets (841) and the Ball State Cardinals (842). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Lipscomb Bisons (306591) and the Kennesaw State Owls (306592) in the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament Semifinals. THE SITUATION: Lipscomb (20-12) has won four straight games and seven of their last nine after their 83-70 win against Stetson on Tuesday. Kennesaw State (24-8) has won three in a row and six of their last seven after their 67-66 victory against Queens-University of Charlotte as a 7-point favorite on Tuesday. The Owls are the host team at their Convocation Center in Kennesaw, Georgia.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Lipscomb made 47.6% of their shots on Tuesday which was the worst shooting effort in their last four contests. The Bisons rank 34th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 54.0% — and they are third in the Atlantic Sun with a 37.6% shooting clip from behind the arc, ranking third in the conference. Lipscomb has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight road games Over the Total after a win against a conference rival. Additionally, they have played 4 straight Overs after a point spread win — and they have played 7 straight overs when playing for the second time in the last three days. The Bisons are playing at a quicker pace than they were earlier in the season. While they are averaging 69.6 adjusted possessions per game, that mark has risen to 71.1 adjusted possessions per game in their last ten contests, ranking 31st in the nation. They are making 49.4% of their shots in their last five games which are generating 85.4 Points-Per-Game, a +8.8 PPG bump over their season average. But they are also allowing their opponents to make 45.2% of their shots in their last five games which is resulting in 79.6 PPG. On the road, the Bisons have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage at 60% or higher on their home court. They have played 8 of their last 11 road games Over the Total as an underdog of up to six points or as a pick ‘em — and they have played 8 of their last 12 road games Over the Total with the Total set in the 145-149.5-point range. Kennesaw State has seen the Over go 20-6-1 in their last 27 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 straight games Over the Total after a win at home against an Atlantic Sun rival. They have also played 6 straight Overs after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread as the favorite. The Owls will be vulnerable against the Bisons' 3-point shooting — they rank 10th in the conference by allowing their opponents to make 36.0% of their shots from behind the arc. But Kennesaw State can score — they rank 27th in the nation by making 57.2% of their shots inside the arc and rank 26th in getting to the free-throw line. On their home court, the Owls are making 48.6% of their shots which is generating 81.4 PPG which is +6.0 PPG above their season average. The Over is 20-7-1 in their last 28 games on their home court — and they have played 12 of their last 16 home games Over the Total when favored or as a pick ‘em.

FINAL TAKE: Kennesaw State won the first meeting between these two teams by an 85-72 score at home as a 4-point favorite — and they have played 5 straight Overs against teams with a winning record. 25* CBB Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Lipscomb Bisons (306591) and the Kennesaw State Owls (306592). Best of luck for us — Frank.  

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Southeast Louisiana Lions (306551) and the Houston Christian Huskies (306552). THE SITUATION: SE Louisiana (17-13) has won three games in a row after a 78-75 win in overtime as an 8-point favorite on Saturday. Houston Christian (10-20) had won two games in a row before a 68-64 loss at Nicholls State as an 11-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Lions only scored 22 points in the first half on Saturday while ending the game with a 42.3% shooting percentage which was the worst shooting effort in their last six games. They had nailed at least 50% of their shots in their previous three games — and they are still making 49.3% of their shots in their last five contests which is resulting in 78.4 Points-Per-Game. SE Louisiana has played 20 of their last 26 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after a win at home. The Over is 38-15-1 in their last 54 games after a point-spread win. Additionally, they have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total after not scoring more than 25 points in the first half of their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after winning two games in a row against conference rivals. The Lions are not a good defensive team — they rank 317th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They are allowing their home hosts to 46.7% shooting when playing on the road which is resulting in them giving up 77.2 PPG. The Over is 19-7-1 in their last 27 road games — and the Over is 18-7-1 in their last 26 road games against teams with a winning record a home. Furthermore, SE Louisiana has played 12 of their last 16 games in conference play Over the Total — and they have played 18 of their last 27 games Over the Total when favored. Houston Christian only made 35.8% of their shots on Saturday which was the worst shooting effort in their last five contest. The Huskies have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss. Houston Christian returns home where they are making 51.3% of their shots which is generating 88.1 PPG, a +9.8 PPPG bump over their season average. They are 30th in the nation by making 39.6% of their shots from behind the arc — and now they host a Lions team that allows Southland Conference opponents to make a whopping 41.5% of their shots from downtown. But Houston Christian does not play a lick of defense — they rank dead last in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the nation. They allow their opponents to make 37.3% of their 3-pointers and 58.5% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 336th and 306th in the nation respectively. They don’t force turnovers — and they rank 306th in the nation by allowing their opponents to pull down 31.4% of their missed shots. What the Huskies cannot do on defense, they make up for by playing at a fast pace. Their opponents average just 16.4 seconds per possession, the third fastest rate in the nation — and the 70.8 adjusted possessions per game in their contests is the 36th most in the nation. Houston Christian allows their guests to make 48.3% of their shots on their home court which is producing 88.1 PPG. The Over is 34-16-1 in their last 51 games at home — and they have played 11 of their last 12 games Over the Total on their home court. They have also played 22 of their last 28 home games Over the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. Furthermore, the Huskies have played 8 of their last 9 home games Over the Total as an underdog or as a pick ‘em — and they have played 5 straight Overs when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: Southeast Louisiana won the first meeting between these two teams by a 71-59 score as a 10-point home favorite on January 5th — but Houston Christian has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when playing with revenge. 25* CBB Southland Conference Total of the Year is with Over the Total in the game between the Southeast Louisiana Lions (306551) and the Houston Christian Huskies (306552). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the UAB Blazers (763) and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (764). THE SITUATION: UAB (21-8) has won four in a row and eight of their last nine contests after their 85-57 win against Rice as a 12-point favorite on Thursday. Western Kentucky (15-13) won for the fourth time in their last six games with a 76-66 victory against Louisiana Tech as a 4.5-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Blazers held the Owls to host 32.3% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last 28 games. The Over is 27-9-1 in their last 37 games after a straight-up win — and the Over is 13-2-1 in their last 16 games after a win by 20 or more points. The Over is also 18-7-1 in their last 26 games after a point spread win — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total after scoring 85 or more points in their last contest. Additionally, they have played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after winning four or more games in a row. Now they go on the road where they are scoring 80.0 Points-Per-Game — and they have played 20 of their last 27 games Over the Total. They have also played 6 of their last 7 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better on their home court. Western Kentucky has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. And while their game with the Bulldogs two days ago finished Under the 143.5-point total, they have then played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after playing an Under in their last game. They stay at home where they are second in Conference USA by nailing 37.2% of their shots from behind the arc which is helping them score 78.5 PPG. The Hilltoppers have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total at home. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games.

FINAL TAKE: UAB will have revenge on their mind after losing to Western Kentucky by an 80-78 score as a 10.5-point home favorite on January 11th. The Blazers should score more points in this rematch. They rank 7th in the nation by pulling down 37.1% of their missed shots. The Hilltoppers rank 271st in the nation by allowing their opponents to rebound 30.3% of their missed shots. UAB also nails 37.5% of their shots from behind the arc, ranking 22nd in the nation. Western Kentucky ranks 327th in the nation by allowing their opponents to make 37.0% of their shots from 3-point range, and that mark rises to a 38.4% clip when playing at home against Conference USA rivals. The Blazers have played 4 of their last 6 games Over the Total when avenging a loss. 25* CBB Conference USA Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the UAB Blazers (763) and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (764). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between The Citadel Bulldogs (621) and the Mercer Bears (622). THE SITUATION: The Citadel (10-20) has lost two in a row and eight of their last nine contests with their 78-70 loss at East Tennessee State as a 7.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Mercer (12-18) has lost five games in a row after their 70-67 loss at Furman as a 13-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Citadel allowed the Moccasins to nail 50.0% of their shots in what was the worst defensive effort in their last five games. The Bulldogs should tighten things up on the defensive end of the court in their final regular season game before the Southern Conference Tournament — they have played 18 of their last 25 games Under the Total after a loss on the road. They have also played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row to a conference rival — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after losing six or seven of their last eight contests. The Citadel’s bigger problems are with making baskets as they rank 287th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They only make 43.3% of their shots on the road — and they don’t crash the offensive glass either as they rank 307th in the nation by pulling down only 20.6% of their missed shots. The Bulldogs have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 19 of their last 25 games Under the Total in February. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. Mercer has seen the Under go 38-17-2 in their last 57 games after losing their previous game — and they have played ten of their last fourteen games Under the Total after losing their previous game. The Bears have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after losing their previous game by six points or less. The Under is also 4-0-1 in their last 5 games after a point-spread loss. And in their last 17 games when playing their second game in seven days, they have played 11 of these games Under the Total. Mercer also struggles to make baskets as they rank 10th in the Southern Conference and 288th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The Bears are a solid defensive team that holds their guests to just 42.4% shooting when playing at home which results in them scoring 68.2 Points-Per-Game. The Under is 14-4-2 in their last 20 games on their home court — and the Under is 36-16-2 in Mercer’s last 54 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. The Bears have also played 11 of their last 12 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Mercer won the first meeting between these two teams by a 74-65 score as a 2-point favorite on January 28th — and The Citadel has played 17 of their last 20 games Under the Total when attempting to avenge a same-season loss. 25* CBB Southern Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between The Citadel Bulldogs (621) and the Mercer Bears (622). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Abilene Christian Wildcats (893) and the Grand Canyon Anteaters (894). THE SITUATION: Abilene Christian (13-12) had their three-game winning streak snapped with a 77-62 loss to San Houston State as a 1.5-point underdog on Saturday. Grand Canyon (16-10) has lost two games in a row after their 77-76 upset loss to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley as a 12-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Wildcats only made 38.9% of their shots last Saturday which was the worst shooting effort in their last six games. Abilene Christian has played 4 straight Overs after a straight-up win in their last game — and they have played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total after a double-digit victory. The Wildcats have played six straight Overs — but not only have they then played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after playing an Over in their last game but they have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total after playing three or more Overs in a row. Abilene Christian allowed Sam Houston State to nail 55.1% of their shots in the loss last week — and they have played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total after allowing their last opponent to shoot 55% or better from the field including three of their four games Over the Total this season under those circumstances. The Wildcats are second-to-last in the Western Athletic Conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they are last in the conference with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 56.3%. Furthermore, they are last in the WAC in putting their conference opponents on the free throw line — and Grand Canyon leads the conference by making 74.7% of their shots in conference play. Abilene Christian goes back on the road where they allow their home hosts to nail 50.4% of their shots which results in 77.1 Points-Per-Game which is 7.5 PPG above their season average.  The Wildcats have played 21 of their last 30 games Over the Total on the road after winning two of their last three games. They have also played 13 of their last 15 games Over the Total in February. Grand Canyon has played 8 straight games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 straight Overs after a loss at home to a WAC rival. Furthermore, the Over is 35-16-4 in the Anteaters’ last 55 games after a point spread loss including 12 Overs in the last 15 games after not covering the point spread. And while that game finished above the 147.5-point total for that game, they have then played 14 of their last 16 games Over the Total after playing an Over in their previous game. Grand Canyon held UT Rio Grande Valley to just 37.7% shooting after holding Seattle to 36.4% shooting — but those were both their top two defensive efforts in their previous nine games. They stay at home where they are last in the WAC in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on their home court. nit the Anteaters make 47.5% of their shots at home which generates 80.3 PPG. In conference play, they sport a 56.5% effective field goal percentage on their home court, ranking second in the WAC — and they are nailing 43.1% of their shots from behind the arc at home in conference play. They have played 19 of their last 26 games at home Over the Total including eleven of their last thirteen home games. The Over is also 16-4-1 in their last 21 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Grand Canyon has also played 15 of their last 17 games Over the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Abilene Christian will be looking to avenge a 75-73 loss at home to Grand Canyon as a 2.5-point underdog on January 26th. The Anteaters have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total when playing with revenge — and they have played 4 straight Overs when avenging a loss at home to their opponent. 25* CBB Western Athletic Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Abilene Christian Wildcats (893) and the Grand Canyon Anteaters (894). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:07 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Kings (65) and the Anaheim Ducks (66). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (29-18-8) has won five of their last seven games after a 5-2 victory against Buffalo on Monday. Anaheim (17-33-5) has lost three games in a row after their 7-3 loss to Buffalo on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Kings have scored 15 combined goals in their last three games — and they have played 8 straight Overs after a win. Additionally, Los Angeles has played 16 of their last 24 games Over the Total after scoring four or more goals in their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after scoring five or more goals in their last contest. Furthermore, the Kings have played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after winning two games in a row — and they have played 5 straight Overs after not allowing more than two goals in their last game. Pheonix Copley is their goaltender tonight — and besides his parents spelling his first name contrary to the spelling of the biggest city in Arizona, he is also saddled with some disparate home/road splits. While Copley has a 2.46 Goals-Against-Average and a .910 save percentage at home, those numbers rise to a 3.03 GAA and a .896 save percentage in his 11 starts on the road. Los Angeles scores 3.2 Goals-Per-Game on the road — and they allow 3.5 Goals-Per-Game away from home. They have played 4 straight Overs on the road — and they have played 16 of their last 25 road games Over the Total with the Total set at 6 or higher. Furthermore, the Kings have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record — and the Over is 3-1-1 in their last 5 games against fellow Pacific Division rivals. The Over is 39-15-2 in Anaheim’s last 56 games against division rivals. The Ducks have also played 7 straight Overs after a loss by three or more goals — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a game where nine or more combined goals were scored. They have played 7 straight Overs after allowing five or more goals in their last contest. In their last three games, Anaheim has surrendered 20 combined goals with their opponent scoring at least six goals in all three contests. Their talented goaltender John Gibson appears to have had the morale beaten out of him during the organization’s rebuilding process. In his 37 games this season, he has a 4.05 GAA and a .897 save percentage — and he has a 4.89 GAA and a .892 save percentage in three starts this month. When playing at home, the Ducks are allowing 4.1 Goals-Per-Game — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total on home ice. They have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Anthem will be losing to avenge a 4-1 loss in Los Angeles to the Kings on December 20th — and they have played 21 of their last 30 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a loss where they did not score more than one goal. 25* NHL Pacific Division Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Kings (65) and the Anaheim Ducks (66). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:30 PM ET on Sunday, February 12th, we will be playing Over the Total in the Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs (101) and the Philadelphia Eagles (102). THE SITUATION: Kansas City (16-3) won their seventh straight game — and 12th in their last 13 contests — with their 23-20 victory against Cincinnati as a 2-point favorite on January 29th. Philadelphia (16-3) is on a three-game winning streak after their 31-7 victory against San Francisco as a 2.5-point favorite earlier on that Sunday. This game is being played on a neutral field at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Chiefs scored only 23 points against the Bengals — but the game script led that to be a lower-scoring game with Kansas City exposing a battered Cincinnati offensive line. Joe Burrow was sacked five times in that game — and the Bengals ran for just 71 yards on 17 carries on that game. The Chiefs held Cincinnati to just 309 total yards — but they will face a much stiffer challenge against this Eagles team that probably has the best offensive line in the NFL. The Kansas City offense went into that game with Patrick Mahomes limited with his mobility given the right ankle injury he suffered the previous week against Jacksonville. To then compound matters, the Chiefs lost three wide receivers to in-game injuries that made a significant impact on their ability to pass the ball. Frankly, I completely believe that the AFC Championship Game goes Over the Total if even one of those receivers was still available to complement Travis Kelce and Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the passing game in the fourth quarter of that game. Not only does KC probably score another three to seven points, but the Bengals then are pressured to play catch-up — and the game script changes. The Chiefs should at least get to their 28.7 Points-Per-Game scoring average against the Eagles — and they scored 32.8 PPG while generating 430.2 Yards-Per-Game in their nine games away from home. Kansas City has played three straight Unders — but they have then played 21 of their last 29 games on the road Over the Total after playing at least three straight games Under the Total. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after winning seven or more games in a row. I worried about Mahomes’ right ankle against the Bengals — but still concluded to back the Chiefs in that game. With two weeks to rest and continue the healing, Mahomes should be in even better shape than was against the excellent Cincinnati defense. He completed 29 of 43 passes for 326 yards with two touchdown passes and no interceptions in the AFC Championship Game despite the injury and then the loss of those three wideouts. Reid does not expect Mecole Hardman to be able to play in the Super Bowl — but both JuJu Smith-Schuster and Kadarius Toney are expected to be able to play despite missing practice time in preparation for the game. Philadelphia has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after winning three or more games in a row. And while they have covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then played 6 straight Overs after covering the point spread in two or more games in a row. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has been effective in his two playoff games since returning from his shoulder injury — and now he gets another two weeks to rest and recuperate for this contest. He will have the green light to run the ball now with everything at stake in this final game of the season. Philadelphia scores 28.7 PPG — and in their eight games away from home, that mark rises to 29.4 PPG and 398.3 total YPG. The Eagles’ elite offensive line should be able to create running lanes to jettison the Philly ground game — they lead the NFL with their rushing attack using the DVOA metrics at Football Outsiders. The Chiefs allow 4.5 Yards-Per-Carry — and their last three opponents to generate 5.1 YPC but teams too often abandon their running game because they are trailing Mahomes and this high-powered KC offense. The Eagles will not abandon their running game so hastily — and they should continue to move the football. And while Philadelphia has not allowed more than 16 points in three straight games, that speaks more to getting to play the New York Giants twice in a row (once with a backup quarterback) before getting the Niners last week who lacked a quarterback who could reliably throw a forward pass in the second half of that game. Philadelphia has allowed 32 or more points four times this season — and the best quarterback they have played against this season was either Jared Goff in Week One, Trevor Lawrence in early October (before his big step in growth after Thanksgiving) or the smirking Aaron Rodgers in November. OK, I neglected to consider Dak Prescott in that NFC East rematch in December — and Dallas scored 40 points in that game. Choose your fighter … none are Mahomes. This is a new challenge. The Eagles have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when not allowing more than 17 points in two or more games in a row.


FINAL TAKE: After two lower-scoring games in the last two Super Bowls, I am expecting this contest to see a combined score of at least 50 points. Kansas City has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total as an underdog. Philadelphia has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against AFC opponents. 25* NFL Non-Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs (101) and the Philadelphia Eagles (102). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Niagara Purple Eagles (839) and the Siena Saints (840). THE SITUATION: Niagara (12-9) has won three games in a row after their 76-73 victory against Canisius as a 4-point favorite on Friday. Siena (15-8) had won two games in a row before their 71-66 upset loss at Manhattan as a 5.5-point favorite on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Purple Eagles have played 35 of their last 52 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 13 of their last 17 road games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Niagara goes back on the road where they rank 48th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 48.0% — and they rank in the top-64 in the nation in 3-point defense and inside the arc. And while the Purple Eagles rank 250th in the nation with an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 101.6, that mark plummets to 95.5 when playing on the road in hostile environments, ranking 306th in the nation. They only make 44.7% of their shots inside the arc in these true road games, ranking  307th in the nation. Niagara has played 23 of their last 35 games Under the Total on the road — including five of their last six games away from home. They have also played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total as an underdog getting 6.5 to 12 points. Siena allowed Manhattan to make 44.9% of their shots on Friday which was the worst defensive effort in their last six games. The Saints have the second-best Adjusted Defensive Efficiency mark in conference play in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Siena has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a loss to a conference rival — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after an upset loss. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing for the second time in three days. They return home where they are making only 47.8% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 298th in the nation. The Saints have played their last 4 games at home Under the Total — and the Under is a decisive 30-12-2 in their last 44 games at home against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less when playing on the road. Siena has also played 6 of their last 8 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 130-134.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams play at a slow pace. The Saints see 66.6 adjusted possessions per game, ranking 209th in the nation — and they average 19.0 seconds per possession, ranking 325th in the nation. Siena’s opponents average 16.9 seconds per possession which is the 45th quickest clip in the nation — but now they play a Purple Eagles team that averages 20.4 seconds per game, ranking 361st in the nation. Niagara averages 62.3 adjusted possessions per game, ranking 353rd in the nation. Both of these teams are going to crawl in this game. 25* CBB Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Niagara Purple Eagles (839) and the Siena Saints (840). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (637) and the Colorado State Rams (638). THE SITUATION: UNLV (14-7) has won two in a row after their 68-62 victory against Nevada as a 1-point favorite on Saturday. Colorado State (10-12) has lost three games in a row after their 80-59 loss at Boise State as an 8.5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Rams only made 41.1 of their shots on Saturday which was the worst shooting effort in their last seven games. This is a surprise since Colorado State ranks 20th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 54.8% — and they are 13th in the nation by nailing 56.2% of their shots inside the arc. The Rams also allowed the Broncos to make 59.2% of their shots — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after allowing 80 or more points in their last contest. Additionally, the Over is 7-1-1 in Colorado State’s last 9 games after a straight-up win — and the Over is 7-1-1 in their last 9 games after a point spread victory. And while the Rams have lost four of their last five games, they have then played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after losing four or five of their last six games. They return home where they are scoring 81.3 Points-Per-Game. Colorado State makes 41.3% of their shots from behind the arc on their home court, the 30th-best mark in the country. The Runnin’ Rebels are last in the Mountain West Conference by allowing their opponents to nail 41.5% of their 3-pointers. UNLV also ranks 246th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 51.8%. The Over is 6-0-1 in the Rams’ last 7 games at home. Furthermore, Colorado State has played 6 straight Overs against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s. But the Rams rank 9th in the Mountain West in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — so they are going to give up their share of points. UNLV held the Wolf Pack to just 36.4% shooting on Saturday which was the best defensive effort in their last 12 contests. And while that final score flew Under the 140.5 point total for that game, the Runnin’ Rebels have then played 5 straight Overs after playing an Under in their last game. They have also played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. Now UNLV goes back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 6 road games Over the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home.

FINAL TAKE: Colorado State has seen three of their last five games go into overtime — including their 82-81 upset win in Las Vegas against the Runnin’ Rebels as a 5.5-point underdog on January 14th so perhaps we can catch a break with an extra five minutes in this one. We should not need the additional time — UNLV has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total when playing with revenge and they have played 6 straight Overs when avenging a loss by three points or less. 25* CBB Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (637) and the Colorado State Rams (638). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 3:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (321) and the Philadelphia Eagles (322). THE SITUATION: San Francisco (15-4) won their 12th game in a row with their 19-12 win against Dallas as a 3.5-point favorite on Sunday. Philadelphia (15-3) won for the seventh time in their last nine games with a 38-7 victory against the New York Giants as an 8-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: I expected a higher-scoring game between the Cowboys and 49ers — but the game script progressed in a way that allowed head coach Kyle Shanahan to lean on his running game and not ask rookie quarterback Brock Purdy to do too much. The Niners ran the ball in 21 of their 31 plays in the second half. Dak Prescott’s two interceptions that ended likely ended Cowboys’ scoring drives played a big role in keeping that score low and not putting pressure on San Francisco to respond with a score of their own. After tying the score at 6-6 late in the second quarter, the 49ers never trailed the rest of the game. The 49ers have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. Additionally, San Francisco has played 5 of their last 8 games Over the Total after playing an Under in their last game. And while the Niners have won the turnover battle in 11 straight games, they have then played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after generating a +1 or better turnover margin in two or more games in a row. Brock Purdy continues to do everything that Shanahan asks of him — while his numbers last week may not have been outstanding after completing 19 of 29 passes for 214 yards without a touchdown pass, he did not throw an interception or make costly mistakes. His quarterback rating of 108 was the best of all the playoff quarterbacks last week. Adding Christian McCaffrey onto this team has made their offense nearly unstoppable. With Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, and now McCaffrey, Shanahan now has four hybrid players who serve as jokers who can play multiple positions on offense. The four of them combine to create 13 different looks for this Niners’ offense — and this just puts a massive strain on opposing defenses. All these weapons make the job easier for Purdy who simply needs to act as a point guard in distributing the football. San Francisco scored 38.7 PPG and generated 423.3 YPG in their last three regular-season games. Shanahan uses “21” personnel often with two running backs in the backfield and one tight end (including the now-healthy Elijah Mitchell in the mix with McCaffrey and Juszczyk). This will present a unique challenge to the Eagles' defense that only encountered 25 dropbacks to pass against 21 personnel this season — and they ranked near the bottom of the league using the DVOA metrics at Football Outsiders defending against 21 personnel. Shanahan will have to use all his tricks to keep up with this Philadelphia offense. While the Niners were able to frustrate a Dallas offense with the inconsistent Prescott playing poorly, they also were able to focus their defensive energies on wide receiver CeeDee Lamb since the Cowboys lack a credible second receiving threat. The Eagles have two legitimate number-one options in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. The 49ers are vulnerable against quality vertical passing attacks. They allowed 15 pass plays of more than 20 bar yards this season, tied for the 3rd most in the NFL. Cornerbacks Deommodore Lenoir and Charvarius Ward have both been burned by deep balls this season — Ward, in particular, struggled against Seattle’s D.K. Metcalf who has a similar physical profile to Philly’s Brown. The Eagles also deploy plenty of play-action passes — and the 49ers' defense allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 96 of 135 passes (71.1%) from play-action for 1077 yards, 7.98 yards-per-attempt, nine touchdowns, and a Passer Rating of 101.4. In the final week of the regular season, Las Vegas’ Jarrett Stidham torched the Niners secondary by completing 23 of 34 passes for 365 yards, three touchdown passes, and a Passer Rating of 108.1. The 49ers allowed eight of their 15 pass plays of 20 or more yards in the air to come from play-action — and four of Stidham’s eight explosive completions against them came from play-action. The Eagles will likely lift much from the Raiders’ offensive game plan earlier this month. Jalen Hurts showed few ill effects from his separated shoulder injury from last month against the Giants — he completed 16 of 24 passes for 154 with two touchdown passes while rushing for 34 yards and another touchdown. After taking a 28-0 halftime lead, there was no reason for Philly to push Hurts in the second half as they coasted to victory. The Eagles have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a point-spread win. They held the Giants to just 227 total yards — but they have then played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 250 yards in their last game. Additionally, Philadelphia has played 6 straight Overs at home after winning two games in a row. And while they held the Giants to only 23 combined points in their last two games, they have then played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 17 points in two straight games. They stay at home where they are scoring 28.0 Points-Per-Game — and they have played 11 of their last 15 home games Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The Eagles have played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road — and the 49ers have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total when playing on grass. 25* National Football League Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (321) and the Philadelphia Eagles (322). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 AM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos (837) and the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors (838). THE SITUATION: UC-Santa Barbara (16-3) has won three straight games after their 76-58 victory against CS-Bakersfield as a 17-point favorite on Saturday. Hawai’i (15-5) has won three of their last four contests with their 67-63 upset win at UC-Riverside as a 2.5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Hawai’i pulled the upset against the Highlanders by making 45.3% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last five contests. The Rainbow Warriors have played 6 straight Unders after an upset win against a Big West Conference rival — and they have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after beating a conference rival in their last contest. Additionally, Hawai’i has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread win — and they have played 9 of their last 11 home games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Rainbow Warriors held UC-Riverside to just 31.9% to help earn this win. They rank 5th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 43.0%. Hawai’i is outstanding in defending the perimeter as they rank 5th in the nation by holding their opponents to just 25.5% shooting from behind the arc. But they also make things very difficult for their opponents inside the arc as they are only hitting 44.2% of their 2-point shots, ranking 16th in the nation. The Rainbow Warriors return home where they rank 24th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Hawai’i has played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total on their home court — and they have played 9 of their last 13 home games Under the Total when favored by up to six points. UC-Santa Barbara comes off their worst defensive effort of the season after allowing the Roadrunners to nail 51.1% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they have given up all year. The Gauchos survived by shooting 53.4% from the field themselves which was actually the lowest field goal percentage in their last three games. UC-Santa Barbara has played 31 of their last 45 games Under the Total after making 50% or more of their shots in two straight games. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total on the road after winning their last game. Furthermore, the Gauchos have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a point-spread win. And while their last game finished Over the Total, they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing an Over in their last game. Now after playing their last two games at home, they go back on the road where their Adjusted Offensive Efficiency drops from ranking 62nd in the nation on their home court to a rough 227th ranking in their eight true road games. But while ranking 243rd in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing at home, they dramatically improve in their away games on the road or neutral courts by ranking 33rd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. UC-Santa Barbara has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 7 of their last 9 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. The Gauchos have held their last five opponents to just 41.8% shooting which has resulted in only 57.6 Points-Per-Game. UC-Santa Barbara is an excellent shooting team inside the arc where they rank 23rd in the nation by making 55.5% of their 2-pointers. But Hawai’i can pack inside the paint against this team and dare them to take 3s where they rank 347th in the nation by making only 27.0% of their 3-pointers when playing away from home.

FINAL TAKE: UC-Santa Barbara has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and the Rainbow Warriors have played 5 of their last 6 games at home Under the Total with the Total set no higher than 129.5. 25* CBB Big West Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos (837) and the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors (838). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals (315) and the Buffalo Bills (316). THE SITUATION: Cincinnati (13-4) has won nine games in a row after their 24-17 win against Baltimore as a 7.5-point favorite last Sunday night. Buffalo (14-3) has won eight games in a row after their 34-31 victory against Miami last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bengals only gained 234 total yards last week against the Ravens — their 98-yard fumble recovery returned for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter made the winning difference in that game. Cincinnati lost left tackle Jonah Williams to a knee injury in that game — with La’el Collins and Alex Cappa also dealing with injuries, the Bengals are down three starters on their offensive line which is slowing down this offense. The Bengals only gained 257 total yards the previous week against Baltimore — and they managed only 237 total yards four games ago in their 34-23 win at Tampa Bay. Four of Cincinnati’s last five games have not seen more than 43 combined points scored. While Joe Burrow gets most of the headlines, the Bengals sport an underrated defense that has not allowed more than 18 points in three straight games and five of their last seven contests. The Under is 11-5-1 in Cincinnati’s last 17 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The injuries on the offensive line are impacting the Bengals' rushing attack. After rushing for only 55 yards against the Ravens last week, they have not gained more than 73 rushing yards in four straight games. The Under is 17-6-1 in Cincinnati’s last 24 games after not rushing for more than 90 yards in their last game — and they have played 11 of their last 12 games Under the Total after not rushing for 100 or more yards in three or more games in a row. The Bengals go on the road where the Under is 25-10-3 in their last 38 games — and they have played 8 of their last 11 road games Under the Total with the Total set in the 45.5 to 49-point range. Cincinnati has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Additionally, the Bengals have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total in January — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total in the playoffs. Buffalo has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing 30 or more points in their last game. And while they have played two straight games where 58 or more combined points were scored, they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after playing two games in a row where 50 or more combined points were scored. The Bills outgained the Dolphins last week by 192 net yards — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after outgaining their last opponent by 100 or more yards. And while they held Miami to just 42 rushing yards, Buffalo has then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 75 rushing yards in their last game. The Bills only allow 18.6 PPG — and they have held their last three opponents to just 260.3 total Yards-Per-Game.

FINAL TAKE: Buffalo has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against AFC North opponents — and the Under is 12-3-1 in Cincinnati’s last 16 games against fellow AFC rivals. 25* AFC Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals (315) and the Buffalo Bills (316). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Giants (303) and the Philadelphia Eagles (304). THE SITUATION: New York (10-7-1) has won two of their last three games after their 31-24 upset win at Minnesota as a 2.5-point underdog in the Wildcard Playoffs last week. Philadelphia (14-3) snapped a two-game losing streak with their 22-16 victory as a 17-point favorite against the Giants on January 8th.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: New York’s offense was clicking last week behind a confident Daniel Jones who completed 24 of 35 passes for 301 yards with two touchdown passes. Jones also ran for 78 additional yards operating head coach Brian Daboll’s offense that helped Josh Allen become a star. Jones will be fully unleashed in this game with the Giants playing with house money. New York should be able to move the ball with Jones offering an additional threat with his legs. The Eagles allowed 499 rushing yards from quarterbacks with 307 of those yards coming from scrambles — and both of those marks are the second-most in the NFL. Running back Saquon Barkley should be relatively rested for this contest as well after only running the ball nine times last week (for 53 yards with two touchdowns). New York has averaged 163 rushing Yards-Per-Game in their last three games — and the Eagles are vulnerable against the run despite their late-season free-agent pickups of defensive tackles Ndamukong Sun and Lineal Joseph. Their last five opponents have all rushed for at least 115 yards — and those five teams averaged 130.8 rushing Yards-Per-Game against them. This Daboll offense leads the NFL in Red Zone efficiency according to the DVOA metrics at Football Outsiders — and they present a balanced attack inside the opponent’s 20-yard line by ranking 1st with the pass and 3rd with the run according to the DVOA numbers. The Over is 4-0-1 in the Giants’ last 5 games after gaining 250 or more passing yards in their last game. The Over is also 5-1-1 in their last 7 games after a point-spread win. Philadelphia has played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a straight-up win. Quarterback Jalen Hurts returned to action two weeks ago — and it remains very much a question if he has his mobility back to operate the Run-Pass Option attack that was so successful in the regular season. But the Eagles should still torch New York with their passing attack. The Giants rank last in the league in pass defense according to the DVOA metrics. Philadelphia hosts this game where they have played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: The Eagles have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams from the NFC East — and the Over is 5-2-1 in the Giants’ last 8 games against teams from the NFC. 25* NFC East Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New York Giants (303) and the Philadelphia Eagles (304). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the TCU Horned Frogs (691) and the West Virginia Mountaineers (692). THE SITUATION: TCU (14-3) snapped a two-game losing streak with an 82-68 win against Kansas State as a 4-point favorite on Saturday. West Virginia (10-7) has lost five games in a row after their 77-76 loss at Oklahoma as a 3.5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Mountaineers are desperate for a victory after dropping their first five games in conference play. Three of these losses were on the road — and four of the losses were by seven points or less. Metrics guru Ken Pomeroy still ranks West Virginia ahead of the Horned Frogs with the Mountaineers ranked 24th in his rating system with TCU three spots behind at 27th. West Virginia is one of the best scoring teams in the nation — they rank 21st in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They rank 57th in the nation by pulling down 33.0% of their missed shots — and they should get plenty of second-chance points against the Horned Frogs. TCU ranks 265th in the nation by allowing their opponents to rebound 30.9% of their missed shots — and they have been worse in conference play by allowing their Big 12 opponents to pull down 34.1% of their misses, ranking 9th in the conference. West Virginia has played 15 of their last 21 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Mountaineers have played 11 of their last 12 games Over the Total after losing four or five of their last six games. They return home where they are scoring 80.0 Points-Per-Game — and they have played 6 of their last 9 home games Over the Total. They have also played 11 of their last 15 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. Head coach Bob Huggins' team is struggling due to the play of their defense — they rank 9th in the Big 12 in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They are giving their opponents too many shots at the charity stripe as they rank 337th in the nation in opponent free throw rate. The Mountaineers have allowed their last five opponents to score 77.0 PPG. West Virginia has played 39 of their last 54 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total when favored. TCU only made 46.5% of their shots on Saturday which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games — but they allowed the Wildcats to make 43.1% of their shots which was the best defensive effort in their last four contests, so the short-term numbers point to a higher-scoring game tonight. The Horned Frogs have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a point-spread win. They have also played 8 straight Overs after winning at least eight of their last ten games. Head coach Jamie Dixon’s team should also get plenty of second-chance scoring opportunities tonight — they rank 27th in the nation by rebounding 35.1% of their missed shots. West Virginia is vulnerable on their defensive glass as they allow their opponents to rebound 28.7% of their missed shots, ranking 182nd in the nation. TCU goes back on the road where they are scoring 76.5 PPG. They have played 5 straight Overs on the road — and they have played 4 straight Overs against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher on their home court.

FINAL TAKE: The Horned Frogs have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s — and West Virginia has played 25 of their last 33 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s. 25* CBB Big 12 Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the TCU Horned Frogs (691) and the West Virginia Mountaineers (692). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Boston College Eagles (617) and the North Carolina Tar Heels (618). THE SITUATION: Boston College (8-10) has lost three games in a row after their 85-63 loss to Wake Forest as a 2.5-point underdog. North Carolina (12-6) has won three of their last four contests with their 80-59 victory at Louisville as a 13-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Tar Heels dominated the Cardinals on Saturday by holding them to just a 37.0% field goal percentage — the best defensive effort in their last 14 games. But North Carolina is not an elite defensive team this season. After ranking 35th in the nation last year in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in their trek to the national championship game, they have dropped to 58th in that metric this season. But the Tar Heels remain an outstanding offensive team that ranks 18th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. North Carolina has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a win of 20 or more points. They return home where they are making 48.1% of their shots which has resulted in 83.4 Points-Per-Game on their home court. The Tar Heels have covered the point spread in 4 straight games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Boston College only made 38.2% of their shots on Saturday in their loss to the Demon Deacons — that was the worst shooting effort in their last nine games. But the Eagles' defense continues to struggle as they allowed Wake Forest to nail 52.3% of their shots — and that came on the heels of them allowing Miami (FL) to shoot 60.4% from the field in their previous game. Boston College has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. They have also played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total after a double-digit loss at home — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a loss by 20 or more points. They go back on the road where they allow their opponents to convert 49.5% of their shots. The Eagles have played 4 straight Overs on the road — and they have played 17 of their last 23 road games Over the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: North Carolina is 8-0 at home this season — and Boston College has seen the Over go 33-16-2 in their last 51 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher at home. 25* CBB ACC Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Boston College (617) and the North Carolina Tar Heels (618). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Dallas Cowboys (151) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (152). THE SITUATION: Dallas (12-5) had their two-game winning streak snapped in a 26-6 upset loss at Washington as a 7.5-loss last Sunday. Tampa Bay (8-9) has lost three of their last five games after their 30-17 loss at Atlanta as a 6-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Buccaneers had the NFC South division wrapped up going into last week so we should not read too much into their results last week. The more telling performance was two weeks ago when Tampa Bay clinched their spot in the playoffs with a 30-24 victory at home against Carolina. Tom Brady demonstrated that he still has a few tricks up his sleeve as he completed 34 of 45 passes for 432 yards in the victory. What was particularly encouraging for Buccaneers’ backers was the emergence of wide receiver Mike Evans who caught 10 passes for 207 yards with three touchdown passes. If the Brady-to-Evans connection continues to be reliable, this deep passing threat should help open up the once-stagnant Tampa Bay offense. Frankly, I suspect that Brady and this Buccaneers offense have been sandbagging some things with the expectation that they would be hosting a first-round playoff game. The offense has been most effective when operating from no-huddle — it was from this formation that Brady was able to engineer comeback victories in games like their win against New Orleans for Monday Night Football the first Monday in December. Don’t be surprised if the Bucs operate out of no-huddle much more tonight (rather than just at crunch time). Getting Ryan Jensen back at center will also help enormously — after speculation all week by practicing with the first unit, he was activated earlier today to be eligible to play tonight. Perhaps Jensen will help with the ground game for Tampa Bay's offense that has only averaged 77 rushing Yards-Per-Game this season — but considering that their running backs are last in the league averaging 1.2 yards-after-contact, the problem is not with opening up holes at the line of scrimmage. If the Buccaneers lose tonight, they will go down with the ball in Brady’s hands. He is averaging 44 pass attempts per game — and we should not be surprised if he throws the ball at least 50 times tonight. A pass-heavy play script is a good recipe for the Over — especially when the number is below 50. Tampa Bay has played 7 of their last 11 home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 45.5-49 point range. Additionally, the Buccaneers have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total in January. The Buccaneers have allowed their last three opponents to average 369.0 total Yards-Per-Game which is +44.7 net YPG above their season average. That regressing unit presents a welcome opportunity for a Cowboys team that comes off an embarrassing loss where they only put up 182 total yards despite Dak Prescott playing for most of that game. Frankly, it was one of the worst efforts in his career as he completed just 14 of 37 passes for only 128 yards against the Eagles last week. Dallas has played 16 of their last 22 games Over the Total on the road after an upset loss by 10 or more points. Prescott missed time earlier in the season due to injury so tonight will be just the third time he has been under center following a game where he was their starting quarterback in a losing effort. The Cowboys scored 40 points in both of those previous contests — and Prescott has completed a combined 49 passes from 61 attempts for an 80.3% completion percentage for 623 passing yards, five touchdown passes, and only one interception. He has added 57 rushing yards in those two games as well. Furthermore, Dallas has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after winning five or six of their last seven games. Prescott leads an offense that leads the NFL in Red Zone touchdown rate — they have reached the end zone in 40 of their 54 trips inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. The Cowboys have played 7 of their 8 games this season Over the Total when the Total was set in the 42.5-49 point range. They have played 5 of their last 7 games Over their Total against teams with a losing record — and the Over is 3-1-1 in their last 5 games on Monday Night Football.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of the opening week game between these two teams in which Tampa Bay won by a 19-3 score in Dallas. Head coach Mike McCarthy’s teams have played 10 of their 12 games on the road Over the Total when playing with same-season revenge. Head coach Todd Bowles' teams have played 9 of their 10 games Over the Total when playing at home as an underdog getting up to three points. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Dallas Cowboys (151) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (152). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between Baltimore Ravens (149) and the Cincinnati Bengals (150). THE SITUATION: Baltimore (10-7) has lost three of their last four games after their 27-16 loss on the road against the Bengals as an 11-point underdog last Sunday. Cincinnati (12-4) has won eight games in a row after their victory against the Ravens last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Ravens have not scored more than 17 points in six straight games after their 11-point loss in Cincinnati on Sunday. Baltimore has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. Anthony Brown was their quarterback last week — he completed only 19 of 44 passes but for 286 yards against the Bengals' defense while leading the Ravens to 386 total yards. Baltimore has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game — and the Under is 36-13-2 in their last 51 games after passing for at least 250 yards in their last contest. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. Lamar Jackson is not close to ready to return to the field with swelling still in his knee. It looks to be Tyler Huntley back at quarterback tonight — but no matter who is under center, the Ravens will commit to running the ball after sandbagging their rushing attack with only 27 running plays last week, the fewest in 11 games. Head coach John Harbaugh will lean on his defense which has been outstanding in the second half of the season since acquiring linebacker Roquan Smith from Chicago. Since that trade, Baltimore is holding their opponents to 14.7 Points-Per-Game and 288.8 Yards-Per-Game, ranking 2nd and 3rd in the NFL during that span. Additionally, they lead the league by allowing only 11 touchdowns with Smith on the team while ranking tied for third by allowing only 40 Big Plays — and they are 6th in Sack Percentage per opponent dropback. The Ravens have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range. Cincinnati has seen the Under go 11-4-1 in their last 16 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have also played 37 of their last 55 games Under the Total after allowing 250 or more passing yards in their last contest. The Bengals have significant injury issues on their offensive line with both La’el Collins and Alex Cappa out with injuries — meaning Joe Burrow will be playing behind backups on the right side of the line. The narrative that this Bengals unit has improved from last year appears overstated on closer analysis. Instead, the improved sack numbers this season are more likely the result of Burrow’s improved mobility in the pocket two years after his ACL injury. Cincinnati has a Pass Block Win Rate of 50% (even when healthy) which is the third-worst in the NFL. They also struggle to run the football — they are averaging only 2.8 Yards-Per-Carry in their last three games with a 60 rushing YPG average. They only managed 55 rushing yards last week — and the Under is 17-5-1 in their last 23 games after failing to rush for more than 90 yards in their last game. The Ravens have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 90 rushing yards in their last contest. Baltimore has proven to be one of the most difficult opponents for Burrow to move the ball in his career. In their previous two games this season, Burrow only completes 63.6% of his passes for 432 yards and a 5.6 Yards-Per-Attempt average with only two touchdown passes. The Ravens play do not blitz Burrow under new defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald — instead, they use eight players in pass coverage while showing exotic looks regarding who and when their four rushers go after Burrow. On the other side of the ball, the Cincinnati defense remains underrated. They hold their guests to just 309.4 total YPG when playing at home which translates into 18.0 PPG. The Bengals have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Baltimore has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when avenging a loss on the road. The Under is also 21-7-2 in their last 29 games in January — and they have played 4 straight Unders. Cincinnati has played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total in January — and they have played 8 straight Unders in the playoffs. The Under is also 12-3-1 in the Bengals’ last 16 games against AFC opponents — and the Ravens have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against AFC North opponents. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between Baltimore Ravens (149) and the Cincinnati Bengals (150). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:40 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Giants (147) and the Minnesota Vikings (148). THE SITUATION: New York (9-7-1) has lost two of their last three games after their 22-16 loss at Philadelphia as a 17-point underdog last Sunday. Minnesota (13-4) has won three of their last four games after their 29-13 win at Chicago as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Vikings had played six straight games with at least 49 combined points scored before their victory against the Bears in the final week of the regular season. That streak started after Minnesota only scored a field goal in their flat 40-3 loss at home to Dallas. That game came after their 33-30 barn-burning victory at Buffalo the previous week. The Vikings cannot stop anyone — but the brilliance of wide receiver Justin Jefferson and the veteran competency of quarterback Kirk Cousins usually results in higher-scoring games for this team. Minnesota has played 4 straight Overs after a straight-up win. Cousins completed 17 of 20 passes for 225 yards before making way for Nick Mullens who added another 116 passing yards. The Vikings gained 482 total yards against Chicago last week — and they have played 6 of their alert 7 games Over the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. They have also played 4 straight Overs after gaining 250 or more passing yards in their last contest. Additionally, Minnesota has played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after winning two of their last three games. The Vikings’ defense has surrendered 29.6 Points-Per-Game in their last five games even after the Bears only put up 13 points against them. Their defense ranks 28th in the league in weighted DVOA Defense using the metrics at Football Outsiders that privilege the most recent performances. Minnesota returns home where they are scoring 27.0 PPG — but they are allowing their guests to generate 393.2 total Yards-Per-Game which is resulting in 25.2 PPG. The Vikings have played 19 of their last 26 home games Over the Total at home — and they have played 6 straight Overs at home against teams with a winning record on the road. Minnesota has also played 20 of their last 29 games Over the Total including seven of their last eight home games Over the Total as the favorite. And in their last 24 games with the Total set in the 42.5-49 point range, the Vikings have played 17 of these games Over the Total. New York had scored 20 points in six straight games before only scoring 16 points last week against the Eagles in a game where head coach Brian Daboll rested many of his key starters including quarterback Daniel Jones. The Giants' defense has allowed six of their last eight opponents to score at least 20 points with the two exceptions being the anemic offenses of Indianapolis and Washington. The Over is 4-1-1 in New York’s last 6 games after a point spread win — and the Giants have played 3 of their last 4 games Over the Total after winning two of their last three games. New York is generating 374.3 YPG in their last three games while ranking 7th in weighted Offensive DVOA using the analytics at Football Outsiders. The Giants also lead the NFL in Red Zone DVOA Offense — and they will be going against a Vikings’ defense that ranks 23rd in the league in Red Zone DVOA Defense so their drives should result in more touchdowns than field goals if those trends hold up. Minnesota allows their opponents to complete 66.1% of their passes — and New York has played 4 straight Overs in the second half of the season against teams who allow opposing quarterbacks to complete 64% of their passes. And while the Vikings score 24.9 PPG, the Giants have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams who score 24 or more PPG.

FINAL TAKE: Cousins has led Minnesota to eight game-winning touchdowns this season — but Daniel Jones is responsible for five game-winning drives himself in his breakout season under Daboll’s direction. New York has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams winning 75% or more of their games — and the Vikings have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. 25* NFL Wildcard Playoff Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New York Giants (147) and the Minnesota Vikings (148). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Seahawks (141) and the San Francisco 49ers (142). THE SITUATION: Seattle (9-8) snapped a three-game losing streak to make the playoffs with their 19-16 win in overtime against the Los Angeles Rams as a 5.5-point favorite on Sunday. San Francisco (13-4) is on a ten-game winning streak after their 38-13 victory against Arizona as a 14-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The 49ers held the Cardinals to just 255 yards in their victory last week. The Niners have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a win by 21 or more points — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit win against an NFC West rival. San Francisco has the best defensive unit in the NFL when using the DVOA metrics at Football Outsiders — they rank 2nd in the league Run Defense and 5th against the Pass according to those DVOA analytics. They allow only 16.3 Points-Per-Game — and they limit their guests to just 14.8 PPG and 303.8 Yards-Per-Game when playing at home. In their two games against the Seahawks this season, they held Seattle to only 20 combined points with the lone touchdown they surrendered taking place in garbage time in the second game between these teams in Seattle. Rookie quarterback Brock Purdy completed 15 of his 20 passes for 178 yards last week against the Cardinals — but the 49ers offense only gained just 311 yards against them. The Niners only generated 142 net passing yards after accounting for lost yards in sacks — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not passing for more than 150 yards in their last game. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after scoring 35 or more points in their last contest. San Francisco stays at home at Levi’s Stadium where they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total as a home favorite laying 7.5 to 14 points. The 49ers have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 straight Unders in the playoffs. Seattle held the Rams to only 123 passing yards last week — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 150 passing yards in their last contest. The Seahawks have only given up 22 combined points in their last two contests — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 17 points in two straight games. Seattle ran for 197 yards against the Rams en route to 322 total yards — and they have played 4 straight Unders after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game while also playing 4 straight Unders after gaining at least 350 yards in their last contest. The Seahawks will clearly try to slow this game down by running Kenneth Walker early and burning time off the clock. Seattle has played four straight Unders — and not only have they played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after playing two straight Unders, but they have also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after playing three or more Unders in a row. The Seahawks go back on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Additionally, Seattle has played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of the 49ers’ 21-13 win in Seattle on December 15th. Purdy completed 17 of 26 passes for 217 yards in that game — but head coach Pete Carroll and the Seahawks now have first-hand experience playing against the former Iowa State quarterback in addition to now three more games of tape against him. Seattle has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing with same-season revenge. Lastly, the weather forecast calls for wind and rain — and 49ers’ head coach Kyle Shanahan may reel in his play-calling with the rookie under center to not take unnecessary chances given those conditions. 25* NFC West Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Seahawks (141) and the San Francisco 49ers (142). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the National Championship Game between the TCU Horned Frogs (287) and the Georgia Bulldogs (288). THE SITUATION: TCU (13-1) advanced to this championship game with their 51-45 upset victory against Michigan as a 9-point underdog on Saturday. Georgia (14-0) continued their unbeaten season with their 42-41 victory against Ohio State as a 4.5-point favorite last Saturday. This game is being played on a neutral field at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Horned Frogs scored 51 points against Michigan — but two of their touchdowns came from defensive interceptions returned for scores. TCU has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Even when the Wolverines began their furious comeback in the second half, they continued to give up big plays on defense with defensive coordinator Jesse Minter deploying aggressive zero blitz schemes to get after Max Duggan who was able to counter with big plays. Quentin Johnson scored a critical touchdown in the 3rd quarter by inducing a bad missed tackle before going to the races against the Wolverines' defense that did not have a safety back to help in an emergency like this. The Georgia coaching staff will not make these arrogant mistakes — and they will discover that Duggan and the Horned Frogs' offense was mostly being contained, save for these big plays. Granted, TCU has lived off its explosiveness all season — but that is more reason for the Bulldogs to not be arrogant and focus their energies on taking these potential big plays away from the Horned Frogs. TCU ran the ball 41 times for 263 yards which was the best rushing effort in their last ten games. But now they face a Georgia defense that went into the playoffs holding their opponents to just 2.9 rushing Yards-Per-Carry with just five rushing touchdowns. To compound matters, the Horned Frogs’ top running back Kendre Miller is questionable with an injury that he suffered last week. What happens to the TCU offense if they struggle to run the ball? What happens if they have to start playing from behind rather than benefitting from two defensive touchdowns? Credit goes to the Horned Frogs coaching staff — and Duggan who is a wily veteran quarterback who can burn opposing defense with his legs — as they scored touchdowns on every one of their red zone trips (despite ranking 80th in Red Zone Efficiency going into that game) and every one of their goal-to-go plays. But can they continue to do that against this Georgia defense? Duggan only completed 14 of his 29 passes for 225 yards — and he threw two interceptions. The Horned Frogs need to tighten things up on defense after allowing 528 yards to the Wolverines. TCU has played 5 straight Unders after allowing 40 or more points in their last game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after giving up 450 or more yards in their last contest. Georgia generated 533 yards against the Buckeyes last week — but they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after gaining at least 525 yards in their last game. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after scoring 42 or more points in their last game. The Bulldogs have scored at least 37 points in three straight games — and they have played all three of those games Over the Total. But Georgia has played 9 of their last 10 games on the road Under the Total after playing three or more Overs in a row. The Bulldogs may be without one of their key weapons on offense with 6’7 tight end Darnell Washington questionable with an ankle injury he suffered last week. Washington joins tight end  Brock Bowers to form the foundation of Georgia’s smash-mouth spread offensive scheme that leans on these tight ends and their running backs as opposed to wide receivers — so his absence will throw a monkey wrench in the Bulldogs' offensive identity.

FINAL TAKE: Georgia has allowed their last two opponents to score 71 combined points after their first 12 opponents only score 136 combined points against them. I expect head coach Kirby Smart to slow this game down with the expectation that his defense remains the best unit in this game and the Bulldogs’ experience will lead them to a victory (and Smart’s priority is winning the game, not covering the point spread). Georgia has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total in bowl games — and they have played 4 straight Unders in January. 25* CFB Non-Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the National Championship Game between the TCU Horned Frogs (287) and the Georgia Bulldogs (288). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Browns (461) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (462). THE SITUATION: Cleveland (7-9) has won two of their last three games after their 24-10 upset win at Washington as a 1-point underdog on Sunday. Pittsburgh (8-8) has won three in a row after their 16-13 upset win at Baltimore as a 1-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Browns upset the Commanders despite only gaining 301 total yards of offense last week. Deshaun Watson has been underwhelming in his return from suspension — he only completed 9 of 18 passes against Washington for 169 yards (although he did throw three touchdown passes). Despite Watson’s fully guaranteed contract that he signed as a free agent from Houston, head coach Kevin Stefanski has his team running the football with his high-priced sex offender. The Browns had not scored more than 13 points in three straight games before reaching 24 points last week. But the Cleveland defense has been outstanding as they have not allowed more than 17 points in five of their last six games. This should be a motivated group to play the role of spoiler to prevent Pittsburgh from making the playoffs — and sending Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin out with his first losing season in his career would be the icing on the cake. Furthermore, Jadeveon Clowney left the team this week after claiming he wanted to play for a team that “wanted” him — and that prompted Myles Garrett to paraphrase Tomlin in claiming that his team does not want “hostage” playing for them. Expect the defensive to play inspired football with the malcontent Clowney now out of the picture. As it is, Cleveland has played  4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Browns have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last contest. They held the Commanders to just 124 passing yards — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 150 passing yards in their last contest. And while they have played six straight Unders, Cleveland has then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after playing three or more Unders in a row. In their last three games, they are generating just 277.7 total Yards-Per-Game which is resulting in 15.7 Points-Per-Game — but they are holding their last three opponents to 276.0 YPG and a mere 10.0 PPG. They stay on the road where they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total — and they have played 4 straight Unders in January. Pittsburgh has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Steelers have gained 351 yards against the Ravens with 198 of those yards coming on the ground. The Under is a decisive 47-22-2 in their last 71 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last contest. They held Baltimore to only 240 total yards — and the Under is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games after not allowing more than 250 yards in their last contest. The Steelers have not allowed more than 17 points in six straight games. They have held their last three opponents to 216.7 YPG and 13.0 PPG. But Pittsburgh has scored less than 20 points in four of their last five contests. Back at home, the Steelers are gaining only 317.0 YPG and 18.7 PPG. They have played 9 of their last 11 games at home Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 8 home games when favored by three points or less. The Under is also 12-3-1 in their last 16 home games against teams with a losing record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Pittsburgh makes the playoffs with a win this afternoon combined with a New England loss and Miami loss — so the stakes are high for them. The Steelers have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against fellow AFC North opponents — and the Under is 3-0-1 in Cleveland’s last 4 games against divisional rivals. 25* AFC North Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Browns (461) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (462). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (457) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (458). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (7-9) has lost six games in a row after their 27-13 loss to Dallas as a 14-point underdog last Thursday, December 29th. Jacksonville (8-8) has won four games in a row after their 31-3 win at Houston as a 3.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Titans head coach Mike Vrabel rested most of his starters last week — but now he gets back running back Derrick Henry along with defensive stalwarts like Denico Autry and Jeffery Simmons for this showdown that will determine the AFC South title. Don’t underestimate Vrabel’s ability to manage this game to impose his will of this being a grind-it-out slugfest. Tennessee ranks 2nd in the league in Run Defense using the Defensive DVOA metrics at Football Outsiders. They have not given up more than 87 rushing yards in five straight games. The Titans have then played 17 of their last 22 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 90 rushing yards in their last game. They have also played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 99 rushing yards in two straight games — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 99 rushing yards in three straight games. They did give up 361 yards to the Cowboys last week — but they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after giving up 350 or more yards in their last game. The Titans go back on the road where they are scoring only 17.1 Points-Per-Game and averaging just 269.4 total Yards-Per-Game. Tennessee has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on the road. The formula for success in this contest will be to keep running Henry who looks primed for at least 30 carries in this contest. But the Titans will have to rely on Joshua Dobbs at quarterback who had thrown only 17 career passes in the NFL before making his first career start last week against the Cowboys. Dobbs accounted for himself pretty well against the Dallas team — he completed 20 of 39 passes for 232 yards. But the Jaguars will benefit from the game tape they now have on Dobbs for this contest. Jacksonville has only allowed six combined points in their last two games albeit against similarly less-than-ideal quarterbacking situations with Houston and the New York Jets. They held the Texans to just 277 total yards after limiting the Jets to only 227 yards the previous week. The Jags have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after playing an Under in their last game. Houston only ran for 84 yards against them last week — and the Jaguars have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 90 rushing yards in their last contest. Jacksonville ran for 169 yards against the Texans — making it the third straight game where they gained at least 147 yards on the ground. But the Jaguars have then played 4 straight Unders after rushing for 150 or more yards in their last contest. Second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence appears to have taken the next step in his development in the second half of this season — but he has been helped by an effective running game that will probably struggle to get going against an at full-strength Titans defensive front. Jacksonville returns home where they are holding their opponents to 19.5 PPG. They have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 4 straight home games against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Jacksonville has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against AFC opponents — Tennessee has played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total against fellow AFC opponents including four of their last five games Under the Total against divisional rivals. These two teams have also played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. 25* NFL ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (457) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (458). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, whe will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Bradley Braves (707) and the Murray State Racers (708). THE SITUATION: Bradley (10-5) has won three of their last four games with their 79-45 victory against Illinois-Chicago as a 15-point favorite on Saturday. Murray State (8-6) snapped a two-game losing streak with their 78-61 win at Evansville as a 5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Braves made 52.6% of their shots against the Flames which was the best shooting mark in their last seven games. Bradley has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a point-spread victory. Furthermore, the Braves have played 4 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than 50 points in their last game. This group is an outstanding defensive team that ranks 15th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Their stout defensive play starts from their interior defense which holds their opponents to 41.9% shooting inside the arc, ranking 7th in the nation. This spells trouble for the Tigers who get 53.7% of their points from 2-pointers, ranking 100th in the nation. In their four true road games, Bradley ranks 8th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. In their seven games away from home (including three games played on a neutral court), the Braves hold their opponents to 43.9% shooting which results in 65.3 Points-Per-Game. But Bradley only makes 39.4% of their shots away from home which is generating a mere 57.3 PPG. The Braves have played 5 straight Unders on the road — and they have played 5 straight Unders on the road against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher at home. Murray State has played 4 straight Unders after a point spread loss — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after losing two of their last three games. They return home where they holding their opponents to 61.6 PPG. The Racers have played 5 straight Unders on their home court — and they have 17 of their last 25 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage at 40% or less on the road. Murray State scores 70.2 PPG on their home court — and they rank 255th in the nation in Adjusted Efficiency Rate on offense in their five games at home.

FINAL TAKE: The Racers rank 33rd in the nation in 3-point defense by holding their opponents to 29.1% shooting from behind the arc — and Bradley ranks 59th in the nation by getting 36.2% of their points from 3-point shooting. 25* CBB Missouri Valley Conference Total of the Month is with Under the Total in the game between the Bradley Braves (707) and the Murray State Racers (708). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Seton Hall Pirates (627) and the Creighton Bluejays (628). THE SITUATION: Seton Hall (8-7) snapped a three-game losing streak with their 88-66 win against St. John’s as a 3-point favorite on Saturday. Creighton (8-6) has won two games in a row with their 80-65 win against DePaul as a 15.5-point favorite on Christmas Day.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Pirates nailed 54.1% of their shots against the Red Storm — that field goal percentage along with their 88 points represented their best offensive numbers of the season. But Seton Hall has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after scoring at least 85 points in their last contest. The Under is also 11-3-1 in their last 15 games after winning their previous game by 20 or more points. And while the Pirates have played two straight Overs, they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after playing two more Overs in a row. They go back on the road where they are only making 42.6% of their shots which is resulting in them scoring 65.0 Points-Per-Game in those contests — -4.9 PPG before their season average. Seton Hall has played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total on the road — and the Under is 13-5-1 in their last 19 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Pirates are an outstanding defensive team in the first season under head coach Shaheen Holloway. Seton Hall ranks 29th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they rank 17th in the country by holding their opponents to 27.7% shooting from behind the arc. The Pirates like to get to the free throw line — they rank 6th in the nation in free throw rate. But now they play a Bluejays team that leads the nation in opponent free throw rate allowed. Creighton ranks 28th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They also limit their opponents to pulling down only 21.8% of their missed shots, ranking 7th best in the nation. The Bluejays were on a six-game losing streak before winning their last two games by double-digit wins at home against Big East Rivals. Both of those games coincided with the return of Ryan Kalkbrenner who missed three games to an injury last month. Creighton has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after winning their previous two games against conference opponents by 10 or more points. They have made at least 54.0% of their shots in their last two games after not shooting better than 46.3% in their previous six contests. The Bluejays have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after shooting 50% or better from the field in two straight games. They have scored 158 combined points in their last two contests — but they have then played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in two straight games. And in their last 5 games when playing with at least seven games between contests, they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing with seven or more days between games. They stay at home where they rank 22nd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency on their home court. They hold their opponents to 40.7% shooting which is translating into their opponents scoring just 60.1 PPG. The Under is 21-10-1 in Creighton’s last 32 games at home — and the Under is 8-1-1 in their last 10 home games against teams with a winning percentage no higher than 40% on the road. They have also played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total when favored by 6.5 to 9 points. Additionally, the Bluejays have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 130s.

FINAL TAKE: Creighton has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and Seton Hall has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. 25* CBB Tuesday FS1-TV Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Seton Hall Pirates (627) and the Creighton Bluejays (628). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Minnesota Vikings (127) and the Green Bay Packers (128). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (12-3) has won two in a row and four of their last five games after their 27-24 win against the New York Giants as a 4.5-point favorite on December 24th. Green Bay (7-8) has won three straight games after their 26-20 upset win at Miami as a 3.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Kirk Cousins had another good game against the Giants — he completed 34 of 48 passes for 299 yards with three touchdown passes and no interceptions. In his last four games, Cousins has thrown for 1357 yards for a 339 passing Yards-Per-Game average — and he has tossed ten touchdowns during that span. The Vikings have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total after passing for at least 350 yards in their last game. Minnesota has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 20 of their last 26 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. The Vikings generated 353 yards of offense in that game — and they have played 17 of their last 22 games Over the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last contest. But Minnesota also gave up 435 yards to the Giants in that game — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total after allowing 350 or more yards in their last contest. They go back on the road where they have played 12 of their last 17 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 8 of their last 9 road games Over the Total against teas with a losing record at home. Green Bay has found their offensive identity (finally) — they are scoring 26.5 PPG in their last six games. The key to the Packers' offensive success has been to lean into their dynamic running back duo of Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon. In Green Bay’s last four games, those two running backs have 117 combined touches for 635 yards with six touchdowns. The Packers have covered the point spread in three straight games — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in three of their last four games. They go back home where they have played 9 of their last 12 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Additionally, Green Bay has played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total in January.

FINAL TAKE: The Packers have played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total against fellow NFC North rivals — and the Vikings have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against divisional foes. Green Bay is looking to avenge a 23-7 loss in Minnesota on September 11th — and the Packers have played 4 of their last 6 games Over the Total when playing with revenge. These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings at Lambeau Field Over the Total. 25* NFC North Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Minnesota Vikings (127) and the Green Bay Packers (128). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the College Football Playoff Semifinals between the Ohio State Buckeyes (273) and the Georgia Bulldogs (274) in the Peach Bowl. THE SITUATION: Ohio State (11-1) lost their first game of the season in a 45-23 upset loss against Michigan as a 9-point favorite on November 26th. Georgia (13-0) continued their unbeaten season with a 50-30 win against LSU as a 17-point favorite in the SEC Championship Game on December 3rd. This game is being played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Buckeyes allowed only 15.6 Points-Per-Game and 5.2 Yards-Per-Play in their first ten games — but their last two contests against Maryland and then the Wolverines saw them give up 37.5 PPG and 7.3 YPP. The extended break since the loss to Michigan should help the Ohio State defense get back to full health. Injuries slowed down linebacker Tommy Eichenberger, defensive backs Lathan Ransom and Denzel Burke, and defensive tackle Michael Hall, Jr. They will be in better condition tonight. The Buckeyes were a defense that ranked 8th in the nation in Opponent Rush Success Rate Allowed and 27th in Yards-Per-Attempt allowed in the passing game. Their pass defense tightened to hold their opponents to just 5.5 YPG when placing seven or more defenders in the box — so the commitment to stop the run should not burn them with big plays in the passing game tonight as it did against the Wolverines. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has had over a month to make corrections from the mistakes against Michigan. As it is, the Buckeyes have played 8 straight Unders after getting blown out by 21 or more points in their last contest. They have also played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after an upset loss to a Big Ten opponent — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a double-digit upset loss when favored by six or more points. I am a bit worried about quarterback C.J. Stroud facing this stout Bulldogs’ defense. While Stroud leads the Ohio State attack when playing the role of a flat track bully, the Buckeyes’ offense stalled too often against their most challenging three opponents. Against Michigan, Ohio State only scored a field goal in the final 33 minutes. The Buckeyes had scored only 16 points with under ten minutes to go against Penn State before the floodgates opened in that game. Ohio State scored just 21 points and gained less than 400 total yards in their opening game against Notre Dame. Stroud seems reluctant to use his legs to gain yards — negating a skill that has become so valuable in these pass-heavy attacks. Stroud also keys-in too much on his first read while lacking advanced skills to move to a second (or third) option — and that is how the Wolverines burned him after sandbagging that defensive tactic. Now Stroud and a Buckeyes offense that will play without injured running back TreVeyon Henderson faces a stiffer test against Georgia — who has a healthy Jalen Carter at defensive tackle after he has missed time with injuries. While the Bulldogs’ defense was not as historic as last year’s group, they still held their opponents to just 12.8 PPG and 292.2 Yards-Per-Game. Georgia has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread to cover as a double-digit favorite. The Bulldogs generated 529 yards against LSU while averaging 7.56 Yards-Per-Play — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after averaging 6.75 or more YPP in their last game. Additionally, they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after scoring 42 or more points in their last contest. And while Georgia has scored 87 combined points in their last two games, they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring at least 31 points in two straight games. Moving forward, the Bulldogs have played 5 straight Unders in bowl games — and the Under is 4-1-1 in their last 6 games against teams outside the SEC.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is 10-4-2 in Georgia’s last 16 games played on a neutral field — and the Bulldogs have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 10 points. Ohio State has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total on a neutral field with the Total set in the 56.5 to 63 points — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total in December. 25* CFB Total of the Month with Under the Total in the College Football Playoff Semifinals between the Ohio State Buckeyes (273) and the Georgia Bulldogs (274). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (231) and the Missouri Tigers (232) in the Gasparilla Bowl. THE SITUATION: Wake Forest (7-5) has lost four of their last five games after their 34-31 upset loss at Duke as a 3-point favorite on November 26th. Missouri (6-6) has won two in a row and four of their last six after a 29-27 upset victory as a 3-point underdog on November 25th. This game is being played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Tigers are a lower-scoring team that averages only 25.5 Points-Per-Game. They did not score more than 24 points eight times — and in their five games away from home, they scored only 18.0 PPG while averaging just 336.6 total Yards-Per-Game. Quarterback Brady Cook was up-and-down in his sophomore season — and he will be without his top wide receiver target Dominic Lovett who had 56 catches for 846 receiving yards as he is in the transfer portal. Missouri ran for 226 yards in their upset win against the Razorbacks en route to 468 total yards. The Tigers have played 5 straight Unders after rushing for 200 or more yards — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last contest. The Under is also 35-16-2 in their last 53 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 straight Unders after a point spread victory. Furthermore, Missouri has played 20 of their last 27 games Under the Total after an upset win — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after an upset win at home. The Tigers are dealing with some opt-outs on their defense — while they were 3rd in the SEC with 33 sacks, they are losing 17 of those sacks from three players making themselves available for the NFL draft. This remains a team that held their opponents to 337.9 total YPG this year. The offense perked up in their final three games when head coach Eli Drinkwitz relinquished the play-calling duties to quarterbacks coach Bush Hamdan — but Hamdan has left to take over the offensive coordinator gig at Boise State which means Drinkwitz will be back to calling plays again. A problem for this Tigers' offense was the play of their offensive line as they allowed 91 tackles for loss, ranking 114th in the nation. Missouri was 112th in the FBS in Havoc Rate Allowed — and the Demon Deacons ranked 31st in the nation in Havoc Rate on defense. The Tigers have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog. Wake Forest has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. And while they have covered the point spread just once in their last five games, they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after covering the point spread once in their last three games. Furthermore, the Demon Deacons gained 453 yards against the Blue Devils in their last game — but they surrendered 507 total yards. Wake Forest has then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after gaining 450 or more yards in their last game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing 450 or more yards. This will be the last game in a Deacons uniform for 5th-year quarterback Sam Hartman who will either enter the NFL draft or transfer to another program. He has led Wake Forest to score at least 31 points in three straight games — but they have then played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after scoring 31 or more points in three straight games. All three of those games saw 65 or more combined points scored — but they have then played 4 straight Unders after playing three or more in a row with 60 or more combined points scored. The defense struggled in those three games without injured safety Malik Mustapha — but he is expected back for this game. The Demon Deacons' offense was more dynamic at home where they averaged 41.9 PPG while scoring at least 34 in each game. But Wake Forest’s four-lowest scoring efforts this year were on the road — including two games where they only scored 21 points. They averaged 29.8 PPG in their five road games — and their opponents' 388.0 YPG mark was -23.9 YPG lower than their season average, so their defense was a bit more effective. The Demon Deacons have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after the first month of the season.

FINAL TAKE: Wake Forest has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral field — and Missouri has played 4 straight Unders on a neutral field. 25* CFB Friday ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (231) and the Missouri Tigers (232). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Arizona State Sun Devils (741) and the San Francisco Dons (742). THE SITUATION: Arizona State (11-1) has won nine straight games after their 91-67 victory against San Diego as a 12-point favorite on Sunday. San Francisco (9-4) has lost two of their last three games after their 68-63 upset loss at UT-Arlington as a 15-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Sun Devils nailed 47.0% of their shots on Sunday which was the best shooting effort in their last six games. Arizona State has played 6 straight Unders after scoring at least 90 points in their last game. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 16 of their last 23 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, they have played 7 straight Unders after a win by double-digits at home — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points. The Sun Devils have also played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after winning two or more games in a row. They also allowed the Toreros to shoot 40.0% despite their opponent’s field goal percentage of 35.1%. Arizona State ranks 19th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they hold their opponents to 61.3 Points-Per-Game. The Sun Devils play outstanding half-court defense — they are 4th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 40.4% while ranking 2nd in the country by limiting their opponents to making only 39.1% of their shots inside the arc. Now Arizona State goes back on the road where they make only 42.2% of their shots. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road. San Francisco has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They only shot 38.2% from the field against the Mavericks in their last game — but they did nail 13 of their 31 (42%) shots from 3-point range. The Dons have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after making 13 more snots from behind the arc in their last contest. San Francisco is not likely to come close to replicating that effort tonight considering they only make 32.7% of their 3-pointers, ranking 206th in the nation. The Dons are going to struggle to score against the Sun Devils. Most of their scoring comes from inside the arc where they make 53.1% of their shots, ranking 80th in the nation — but that plays right into the heart of the Arizona State defense. San Francisco ranks just 173rd in the nation in offensive rebounding — and they do not get to the free throw line as they rank 180th in the free throw rate. The Dons do not draw a ton of fouls — their last two opponents to committed just 14 and 11 personal fouls. San Francisco has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after not drawing 15 or more fouls in two straight games. They have also played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing for the third time in the last seven days. They stay at home where they have played 4 straight Unders. They hold their guests to 41.2% shooting which results in 63.3 PPG. They also rank 38th in the nation in 3-point defense by limiting their opponents to a 29.0% shooting percentage from 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: Arizona State will be looking to avenge a 66-65 loss at home to the Dons as a 2.5-point underdog last season. The Sun Devils have played 14 of their last 17 games Under the Total when favored. 25* CBB Wednesday CBS-Sports Network Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Arizona State Sun Devils (741) and the San Francisco Dons (742). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Rams (531) and Green Bay Packers (532). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (4-9) snapped their six-game losing streak with their 17-16 upset win at home against Las Vegas as a 6-point underdog on December 8th. Green Bay (5-8) ended their two-game losing streak with their 28-19 victory at Chicago as a 3.5-point favorite on December 4th.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Packers’ head coach Matt LaFleur and Aaron Rodgers has finally embraced the potential of the Green Bay offense if they commit to running the ball more behind Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon. After bottoming out with just 12 rushing attempts in a 23-21 loss at Washington, the Packers have since run the ball at least 19 times in their last six games including 31 or more rushes in three of those games. They have gained at least 106 yards on the ground in five of those six games — and they gained 175 or more on the ground three times. Sticking with the running game helps Rodgers be more effective in the passing attack since defenders get burned for simply stepping back to defend the pass. It is not a coincidence that Christian Watson has stepped up as a deep threat in the second half of the season coinciding with these increased rushing efforts. Watson has now caught 11 of his 23 targets of more than 10 air yards — resulting in 294 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Green Bay has scored 28 or more points in three of their last four games. The Packers ran for 175 yards on 32 carries against the Bears — and they have played 14 of their last 20 games Over the Total after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game. They have also played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after rushing for 175 or more yards in their last contest. Additionally, Green Bay has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Toal after a point-spread victory. They have also played 6 straight games Over the Total after losing two of their last three games. But the play of the Packers' defense remains an issue — especially since the season-ending injury to linebacker Rashan Gary. The Packers have allowed 27 or more points in three of their last four games and six of their last nine. In their last three contests, they are surrendering 439.0 total Yards-Per-Game which is resulting in their opponents scoring 28.7 Points-Per-Game. The Bears gained 409 yards against them two weeks ago — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after allowing 350 or more yards in their last game. They have also played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after allowing 400 or more yards in their last contest. Green Bay returns home where Rodgers has been much more effective with a Passer Rating of 104 with 12 touchdowns and just one interception. The Packers have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total at home at Lambeau Field. They have also played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. Los Angeles has played 9 of their last 14 games Over the Total with the benefit of the mini-bye after playing on a Thursday. They have also played 4 of their last 6 games Over the Total after losing four or five of their last six games. Baker Mayfield gets the start at quarterback after orchestrating the Hollywood-ending comeback victory against the Raiders. He should have a much better feel for Sean McVay’s offense now. This has been a lost season for the defending champions — and, for the record, I thought they were the most vulnerable reigning champion to suffer a hangover from a Super Bowl win in at least 20 years. But now I think the acquisition of Mayfield brings some life and energy to this team who can now revel in the role of the spoiler on national television. I’m not the biggest Mayfield fan — but it is hard to deny that he plays better in the tole of the feisty underdog. He also demonstrated plenty of heart and toughness playing through several injuries for Cleveland last year. He’s healthy now — and finally playing for a non-dysfunctional NFL organization for the first time in his career. McVay still wants to center his play-calling on the run game — and he should have success against this Packers run defense that ranks last in the league missing the DVOA analytics at Football Outsiders. Cam Akers is showing signs of life with 200 rushing yards in the last four weeks with three touchdowns. But the Rams’ defense misses Aaron Donald who will be out once again for this game. They have given up 392.3 total YPG in their last three games — and they have surrendered 26 or more points in four of their last five games. They did hold the Raiders to 137 passing yards — but they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after allowing no more than 150 passing yards in their last contest. They go back on the road where they have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against NFC opponents — and the Packers have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total in December. With both of these teams essentially out of the playoffs, look for a wild one tonight. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Rams (531) and Green Bay Packers (532). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New York Giants (303) and the Washington Commanders (304). THE SITUATION: New York (7-5-1) is winless in their last four games after their 48-22 loss to Philadelphia as a 7.5-point underdog last Sunday. Washington (7-5-1) is unbeaten in their last four games after their 20-20 tie with the Giants as a 2.5-point favorite two weeks ago on December 4th.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Giants only gained 304 total yards last week in their loss to the Eagles. After thriving under rookie head coach Brian Daboll, defenses have adjusted to running back Saquon Barkley who perhaps is beginning to tire in the back half of the season. Barkley ran the ball only nine times last week for 28 yards — and he has only 38 carries in his last three games for 130 rushing yards. The Under is 15-5-2 in New York’s last 22 games after a straight-up loss — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a loss by 14 or more points. The Under is also 18-7-1 in their last 26 games after a point-spread loss. And while the Giants got outgained by -133 net yards, they have then played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after getting outgained by 100 or more yards in their last contest. New York got torched for 253 rushing yards by Philadelphia — but the Under is then 5-2-2 in their last 9 games after giving up 150 or more rushing yards in their last contest. They have also played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after allowing 30 or more points in their last contest. The Giants go back on the road where they are only allowing 22.8 Points-Per-Game. But in their last three games, they are scoring just 20.7 PPG and generating just 306.7 total Yards-Per-Game. New York has played 13 of their last 20 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 25 of their last 36 games Under the Total as an underdog. Washington has played 5 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Commanders ran for 165 yards against the Giants two weeks ago — and the Under is 15-5-1 in their last 21 games after rushing for 150 or more yards in their last game. They get the rematch at home where they are only scoring 18.7 PPG and averaging 326.0 total YPG. But the Washington defense is playing as well as any defensive unit in the league lately. They have held their last three opponents to 14.3 PPG and 279.3 YPG — and this group will be even better if and when Chase Young returns to action from his injury (which could be tonight). The Commanders have played 16 of their last 21 home games Under the Total — and they have played 6 straight Unders at home in the second half of the season. They have also played 4 straight Unders at home against teams with a losing record on the road. Additionally, the Under is 19-7-1 in Washington’s last 27 games against teams with a winning record — and the Under is 6-2-1 in their last 9 games in December. The Commanders have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total as the favorite — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 35.5 to 42-point range.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is 4-1-1 in Washington’s last 6 games against fellow NFC East rivals — and the Under is 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams. 25* NFC East Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New York Giants (303) and the Washington Commanders (304). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Falcons (311) and the New Orleans Saints (312). THE SITUATION: Atlanta (5-8) has lost two straight — and four of their last five contests — after their 19-16 loss to Pittsburgh as a 1-point underdog on December 4th. New Orleans (4-9) has lost two in a row — and four of their last five as well — after a 17-16 loss at Tampa Bay as a 3.5-point underdog on Monday Night Football on December 5th.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Falcons only gained 306 total yards against the Steelers in their last game. They are scoring just 18.7 Points-Per-Game and generating a mere 306.0 total YPG in their last three contests. It is this ineptitude on offense that played a role in head coach Arthur Smith benching Marcus Mariota and turning to rookie Desmond Ridder at quarterback. The former Cincinnati Bearcat has yet to appear in an NFL game this season — this will be a tough test in a very hostile environment against a stout defense. With tight end Kyle Pitts out the season with a torn MCL, this remains a limited Falcons’ offense that lacks weapons in the passing attack. Ridder may offer a more credible vertical threat in the passing game, but Smith is not going to ask Ridder to do too much — and this will remain a run-first team. Atlanta is scoring only 19.0 PPG and generating 290.8 total YPG in their six games on the road. They have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And while the Falcons have not covered the point spread in two straight games, they have then played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in two of their last three games. Atlanta surrendered 154 rushing yards to the Steelers in their last game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing 150 or more rushing yards in their last contest. On the road, the Falcons have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams that lack a winning record at home. New Orleans only gained 298 yards in their loss to the Buccaneers just under two weeks ago. They have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. They have also played 17 of their last 23 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Under the Total. Furthermore, the Saints have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a bye week. And while they only rushed for 66 yards against Tampa Bay, they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not gaining at least 90 rushing yards in their last contest. New Orleans is scoring only 14.3 PPG in their last three contests while averaging just 293.7 total YPG in those games. But the Saints are staying competitive by holding those last three opponents to 16.7 PPG — and they only allow 307.0 total YPG in their six games at home. Additionally, New Orleans has played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total against NFC South rivals.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total in December — and the Saints have played 5 straight Unders in December. This is a rematch of New Orleans’ 27-26 win in Atlanta as a 5.5-point favorite on September 11th — but these two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome Under the Total. 25* NFC South Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Falcons (311) and the New Orleans Saints (312). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 AM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between France (225061) and Argentina (225062) in the Finals of the Men’s World Cup. THE SITUATION: France (W5-D0-L1) advances to the Finals of the World Cup with their 2-0 victory against Morocco on Wednesday. Argentina (W5-D0-L1) reached the Finals the day before with their 3-0 victory against Croatia.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: France has been the highest-scoring side in this competition with 13 goals scored. The deeper metrics confirm the scoring prowess of Les Bleus with 13.1 expected goals. In their victory against Morocco, they posted 2.25 xG even against a defensive side. Led by Kylian Mbappe who has scored five goals in this event, this team has probably the best player in the world right now. But the continuing concern for manager Didier Deschamps has been the shaky play of his back line. France has conceded at least one goal in five of their six matches. Overall, Les Bleus have allowed five goals — and the expected goals they have allowed in this tournament suggest it should be even worse with their 7.37 xGA mark. In their last three matches in the Knockout Stage, France has allowed 6.03 xGA with all three of these opponents reaching 1.43 xGA or higher. To compound matters, the “air conditioning” bug that has been spreading in Qatar — blamed on the constant air conditioning blasting throughout the city for this world event — has impacted the Les Bleus locker room with defenders Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konate under the weather. Varane, at least, should still play — but it is a worry if he is not at 100% overcoming a flu bug. Argentina has been dynamic in their scoring attack with 12 goals scored in this tournament — and their xG is 13.72. They generated 3.19 xG in their victory against the stout defense of Croatia. La Albiceleste has scored two or more goals in five straight games. This has been a breakout tournament for Enzo Fernandez and Julian Alvarez. But the straw that stirs the drink remains Lionel Messi who has been outstanding in the pursuit of his first World Cup title to put the bow on his illustrious career. Messi has scored five goals himself in this event — and he is playing to cement his status as the Greatest Of All Time in this match. But Le Albiceleste is not strong with their fullbacks — and they have surrendered leads too often in this tournament.

FINAL TAKE: Championship matches tend to be cagey affairs that usually are lower-scoring matches — and that is how this match should initially play out. But if and when a team scores the first goal, this contest should open up. France is a counter-attacking side — so expect Argentina to control possession. With the Mbappe versus Messi narrative involved in this match along with two shaky defenses, expect a higher-scoring contest. 25* World Cup Total of the Year with Over the Total in the match between France (225061) and Argentina (225062). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (301) and the Seattle Seahawks (302). THE SITUATION: San Francisco (9-4) has won six games in a row after their 35-7 victory against Tampa Bay as a 3.5-point favorite on Sunday. Seattle (7-6) has lost three of their last four contests after their 30-24 upset loss to Carolina as a 3.5-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The 49ers’ defense stymied Tom Brady and the Buccaneers' offense by holding them to 322 total yards. This San Francisco defense has not allowed more than 17 points in six straight games — and their last three opponents have combined for just 24 total points. With this Niners' defense closer to full strength after dealing with injuries, they are making a strong case that they are the best defensive unit in the NFL. They are allowing only 15.2 Points-Per-Game and 286.8 total Yards-Per-Game. They rank 2nd and 5th in Run Defense and Pass Defense according to the DVOA analytics at Football Outsiders. San Francisco ranks 2nd in Defensive DVOA  overall and 1st in weighted Defensive DVOA which puts more emphasis on recent performances. The 49ers have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a victory by three or more touchdowns — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Niners have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last contest. San Francisco will make it very difficult for the Seahawks to run the football — the 69 rushing yards Tampa Bay generated against them was actually the most yards they have allowed on the ground in their last six games. The 49ers have played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 90 rushing yards in their last game — and they have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 99 rushing yards in three straight games. Now after playing their last two games at home, they go on the road to play in a hostile environment for the first time since October 30th (their lone road game last month was in Mexico against Arizona). San Francisco has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after playing two straight games at home. They have also played 4 straight road games against teams with a winning record at home. Brock Purdy has been a pleasant surprise for the team — but as the book gets written on him as he puts accumulates for game tape with the Niners, this will be his first NFL appearance away from the friendly confines of Levi’s Stadium. The 49ers have played 4 straight Unders after scoring at least 35 points in their last game. And while they have played two straight Overs with Purdy under center, they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing two straight Overs. Purdy looks to get the start tonight despite his ribs and oblique injury — the rookie has a hard assignment on a short week and limited practice. Head coach Kyle Shanahan will likely have a run-heavy game plan tonight even without Elijah Mitchell who is back on the Injured List with an MCL injury. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel is out as well with an ankle and knee injury. This team could sure use Jeff Wilson who they traded to Miami after acquiring Christian McCaffrey. Remember when McCaffrey was only going to be just another weapon in this offense to not risk yet another injury? He looks to get a heavy workload tonight — and Seattle knows it. The Seahawks have been a disaster in stopping the run after allowing 209.5 rushing YPG in their last four games. And they expect to have Kenneth Walker back at running back after he missed last week which will help them control the clock after their defense was on the field for 39:16 minutes against the Panthers. Seattle has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after losing three of their last four games. And while they have failed to cover the point spread in four straight games, they have then played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. The Seahawks have not allowed more than 148 passing yards in their last two games — and they have played 13 of their last 21 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 150 passing yards in two straight games. They stay at home where they are holding their opponents to 22.5 Points-Per-Game — and they have played 7 of their last 8 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. They have also played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total as an underdog. The Seahawks have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total on Thursday Night Football.

FINAL TAKE: Seattle has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and San Francisco has played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. This is a rematch of the Niners' 27-7 victory at home on September 18th — and the Seahawks have played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total when playing with same-season revenge. 25* NFC West Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (301) and the Seattle Seahawks (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Miami Dolphins (119) and the Los Angeles Chargers (120). THE SITUATION: Miami (8-4) had their five-game winning streak snapped in a 33-17 loss at San Francisco as a 4.5-point underdog on Sunday. Los Angeles (6-6) has lost three of their last four games after their 27-20 loss at Las Vegas as a 2.5-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Dolphins had scored at least 30 points in four straight games before getting stymied by the 49ers’ stout defense. Now playing this weak Chargers defense may be just what the doctor ordered to get quarterback Tua Tagovailoa who struggled under the pressure of the San Francisco pass rush last week. Tagovailoa still leads the NFL in Passer Rating — and now he faces a defense that ranks 26th in the NFL using the weighted DVOA analytics at Football Outsiders that privileges the most recent results. Tagovailoa completed 18 of 33 passes for 295 yards with two touchdowns but two interceptions against the Niners. Miami has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the total after passing for at least 250 yards in their last game. They have also played 13 of their last 19 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. The Dolphins stayed out west this week for this second game on the road — and their offense generates 397.2 Yards-Per-Game away from home. But Miami also allows their home hosts to score 32.8 Points-Per-Game. The Dolphins have played 4 straight Overs on the road — and they have played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total with the number set at 45.5 or higher. And while the Chargers average 353.7 total YPG, Miami has played 8 of their last 9 games on the road Over the Total against teams who average at least 350 YPG. Injuries have not helped the Los Angeles cause with linebacker Joey Bosa and cornerback J.C. Jackson among their best players that have been out for an extended basis — and star safety Derwin James is doubtful to play tonight after missing practice all week with a quad injury. But the defensive problems go deeper than that. Second-year head coach Brandon Staley has been ineffective in taking care of his side of the football after being hired after one season as the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams. In hindsight, the Rams’ defensive success that year probably has much more to do with Aaron Donald than it did with Staley’s schemes which effectively deployed nickel and dime schemes with Donald still clogging the run lanes. The Chargers have allowed their last three opponents to generate 420.7 total Yards-Per-Game which has resulted in 27.0 Points-Per-Game from these foes. Los Angeles returns home to SoFi Stadium where they are giving up 28.0 PPG. The Chargers have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a loss on the road. They have also played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after losing two of their last three games. Justin Herbert usually manages to keep his team competitive with four of the Chargers’ six losses being decided by one scoring possession. He completed 28 of 47 passes for 335 passing yards against the Raiders — and now he gets Mike Williams back this week to join up with Keenan Allen after both wide receivers have missed multiple games this season. Los Angeles gained 386 yards in that game — and they have played 11 of their last 15 games Over the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last contest. They have also played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in their last contest. Additionally, the Chargers have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total at home.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angles has played 5 of their last 6 games over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. 25* AFC Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Miami Dolphins (119) and the Los Angeles Chargers (120). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars (115) and the Tennessee Titans (116). THE SITUATION: Jacksonville (4-8) has lost seven of their last nine games after their 40-14 loss at Detroit as a 1-point underdog last Sunday. Tennessee (7-5) has lost two games in a row after a 35-10 loss at Philadelphia as a 5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Jaguars managed only 266 total yards of offense in their loss to the Lions last week. They have not scored more than 17 points in four of their last six contests — and they are averaging just 304.3 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three games. Jacksonville has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 14 points in their last game. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 18 of their last 25 games Under the Total after a loss by 14 or more points. Additionally, the Jaguars have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after playing a game where 50 or more combined points were scored. And while Jacksonville has played their last two games Over the Total, they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after playing two straight Overs. The Jaguars stay on the road where they have played 7 of their last 9 road games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home. Tennessee has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a loss by 14 or more points. Ryan Tannehill completed 14 of 22 passes for just 141 yards  — and he was relieved by rookie Malik Willis who completed 2 of his 4 passes for another 16 yards. The Titans managed to generate only 209 total yards of offense against the Eagles. They have played 5 straight games Under the Total after not passing for more than 150 yards in their last games. That result appeared to be the final straw for ownership who fired general manager Jon Robinson earlier this week for, in large part, trading away wide receiver A.J. Brown to Philadelphia on draft day. The issue was never the importance of Brown — it was whether or not the organization was going to meet his eventual sky-high contract demands. In hindsight, trading him to Philly and then drafting Treylon Burks in the first round later that night. But Burks has been injured for much of the season — and he is questionable to play today after not practicing this week. Without Burks yet stepping up, the Titans' offense lacks a number-one target in the passing game. Injuries on the offensive line have compounded matters — most notably, left tackle Taylor Lewan is out the season. But perhaps the biggest concern for this offense relates to running back Derrick Henry who seems to have hit a wall. In his last four games, he has run the ball 75 times for just 208 rushing yards with only one touchdown. Not only is he averaging just 2.78 rushing Yards-Per-Carry — and he has not generated more than 3.1 YPC in any of those four games. Tennessee has not scored more than 17 points in five of their last six games. And while the Jaguars' defense has been a disappointment, they are solid against the run railing 13th in the league using the DVOA analytics by Football Outsides. But the Titans' defense remains solid as their loss to Philadelphia was the first time they allowed more than 20 points since Week Three. They have held six of their last nine opponents to 17 or fewer points. They allowed 453 yards last week — but they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after alloying 350 or more yards in their last contest. They return home where they are allowing just 16.6 PPG — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total at home. They have also played 9 of their last 10 home games Under the Total at home when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Tennessee has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against AFC South rivals — and Jacksonville has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against divisional rivals. 25* AFC South Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars (115) and the Tennessee Titans (116). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will bhe playing Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (525) and the Washington Wizards (526). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (14-13) has lost two straight -- and four of their last five contests — after their 115-110 loss at Miami as a 7-point underdog on Thursday. Washington (11-15) has lost five in a row — and eight of their last nine contests — after a 121-111 loss at Indiana as a 4-point underdog last night.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Clippers have played 4 straight games Over the Total after a point spread loss. And while this is their fourth game since Monday, Los Angeles has played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total when playing for the fourth time in seven days. The Clippers have Kawhi Leonard back on the court and reunited with Paul George — yet the team is not playing hard on the defensive end of the court. In their last five games (with Leonard back for the last three), they are allowing their opponents to nail 49.3% of their shots which is translating into 119.2 Points-Per-Game. They complete their four-game road trip having played 6 straight games Over the Total on the road — and the Over is 7-1-1 in their last 9 home games against teams with a winning record a home. Los Angeles has also played 23 of their last 31 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. Washington has allowed three straight opponents to make at least 50% of their shots after the Pacers made 50.6% of their shots last night. The Wizards have allowed their last three opponents to hit 48.7% of their shots which has resulted in them giving up 119.2 PPG during that span. The Over is 5-0-2 in their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and the Over is 4-0-1 in their last 5 games after a point spread loss. They have also played 13 of their last 17 games Over the Total after losing four or five of their last six games. Washington has also played 35 of their last 51 games Over the Total when playing without a day of rest. They are undermanned right now with several injuries including Bradley Beal and Will Barton being out tonight. They return home where they have played 19 of their last 28 games Over the Total on their home court. Additionally, the Wizards have played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 25 of their last 34 meetings Over the Total — and they have played 4 straight Overs when playing in Washington. 25* NBA Non-Conference Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (525) and the Washington Wizards (526). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Las Vegas Raiders (101) and the Los Angeles Rams (102). THE SITUATION: Las Vegas (5-7) has won three in a row after their 27-20 victory at home against the Los Angeles Chargers as a 2.5-point favorite on Sunday. Los Angeles (3-9) has lost six games in a row after their 27-23 loss to Seattle as a 7-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: After only gaining 400 or more yards once in their first nine games, the Raiders have topped the 400-yard threshold in three straight games after they gained 404 yards against the Chargers. But Las Vegas has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after gaining 350 or more yards in their last contest. They have also played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. Running back Josh Jacobs has rushed for 482 yards in those three contests — but he may not be able to maintain that level of effectiveness playing on a short week while being officially listed as questionable with a quad and calf injury. I do expect Jacobs to play — I just remain in doubt about how good he will be on three days of rest. The Raiders held the Chargers to just 72 rushing yards last week — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 90 rushing yards in their last contest. Las Vegas stays on the road for the third time in their last four games having scored just 21.7 Points-Per-Game and averaging 308.7 total Yards-Per-Game in their seven contests away from home — and they are just 2-5 on the road. They have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home. Los Angeles is a mess at quarterback with Matthew Stafford out the season with a spinal injury and backup John Wolford questionable with a neck injury. The Rams signed Baker Mayfield two days ago — and it looks like there is a good chance he will play tonight. I waited until this afternoon waiting for the updated report on who will start at quarterback tonight — head coach Sean McVay will wait on that decision until Wolford goes through pre-game workouts to see how his neck responds. If Wolford cannot go, then McVay will turn to either Bryce Perkins or Mayfield who has been in their building for just two days. No matter who is under center tonight, Los Angeles will want to establish the run to slow this game down. They gained 171 rushing yards last week against the Seahawks — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after rushing for 150 or more yards in their last contest. The Rams have been a gigantic disappointment, especially on offense where they are scoring 16.8 PPG and averaging 281.3 YPG this season — and they are managing just 17.7 PPG and 284.3 YPG in their last three games. Los Angeles misses left tackle Andrew Whitworth who retired in the offseason — and subsequent injuries on the offensive line have made this unit a shell of the one that helped them win the Super Bowl last season. The Rams gave up 348 passing yards last week as well — but they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after allowing 250 or more passing yards in their last contest.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles has played 17 of their last 25 home games Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 8 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Las Vegas Raiders (101) and the Los Angeles Rams (102). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Arizona State Sun Devils (709) and the SMU Mustangs (710). THE SITUATION: Arizona State (8-1) has won six games in a row after their 68-64 win against Stanford as a 5.5-point favorite on Sunday. SMU (3-5) has lost two games in a row after a 69-68 upset loss to Jackson State as a 13-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Sun Devils have played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total after a straight-up win including four straight Unders going into this game. They have also played 11 of their last 12 games Under the Total after winning two games in a row. Arizona State has not allowed more than 65 points in seven straight games — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 65 points in two straight games. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 65 points in three straight contests. Head coach Bobby Hurley has his team playing outstanding defense. They rank 16th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and only one of their opponents has made more than 39.7% of their shots against them. They rank 4th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 38.9% — and the 24.4% shooting from behind the arc and the 40.2% shooting inside the arc by their opponents are both the 6th best cards in the nation. Their 5.8 blocks per game are 14th in the nation. On the road, they are holding their opponents to 36.8% shooting which is resulting in just 61.7 Points-Per-Game But Arizona State is making only 41.8% of their shots on the road which is translating into 69.0 PPG. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total on the road. The Sun Devils are not a good outside shooting team as they make only 29.0% of their 3-pointers, ranking 312th in the nation. They rely on getting to the charity stripe given their free-throw rate which is 28th in the nation — but the whistles from the referees are not always as accommodating when playing in a hostile environment for just the third time this season. Arizona State has played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total with the number set in the 130s. SMU has played 5 straight Unders after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Mustangs can struggle to score points with only Zhuric Phelps and Zach Nutall averaging more than 9 PPG. SMU ranks 320th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 45.3%. They struggle with their shooting everywhere on the court — they rank 299th in the nation with a 29.5% shooting percentage behind the arc and 291st in the country with a 45.7% mark inside the arc. SMU is making only 40.0% of their shots which results in just 67.0 PPG. But the Mustangs are a solid defensive team that ranks 108th in the country in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They hold their guests to 39.4% shooting and 64.3 PPG when playing at home. They have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 17 of their last 26 home games Under the Total as an underdog getting up to six points.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is 27-8-1 in Arizona State’s last 36 games against teams not winning more than 40% of their games — and they have played 13 of their last 15 games Under the Total when favored. 25* CBB Wednesday ESPNU Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Arizona State Sun Devils (709) and the SMU Mustangs (710). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (475) and the Dallas Cowboys (476). THE SITUATION: Indianapolis (4-7-1) has lost two in a row and five of their last six contests after their 24-17 upset loss to Pittsburgh as a 2.5-point favorite on Monday. Dallas (8-3) has won two in a row and four of their last five games after their 28-20 win against the New York Giants as a 10.5-point favorite on Thanksgiving.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Colts managed only 290 yards of offense against the Steelers. They have not scored more than 17 points in five of their last six games and seven of their last nine contests. They have not scored more than 21 points in ten of their 12 games. They are averaging only 15.8 Points-Per-game on the season — and in their five games on the road, they are scoring just 11.7 PPG and averaging 311.5 total Yards-Per-Game. Indianapolis has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have played 4 straight Unders when playing on a short week after a game on Monday. And while the Colts endured a -2 net turnover margin against Pittsburgh, they have played 6 straight Unders after playing a game where they had a -2 or worse net turnover margin. The Indy defense remains solid — they rank 5th in the NFL by allowing only 308.9 YPG and they rank in the top half of the league at 13th according to the Football Outsiders DVOA efficiency ratings. They have held four of their last six opponents to 20 points or less. They go back on the road where they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total. They have played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 42.5 to 49-point range including 4 of their last 5 road games with the Total set in that range. Indianapolis has played 6 straight Unders against teams with a winning record — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total as an underdog. And in their last 42 games played in December, 30 of these games finished Under the Total. Dallas has the top-ranked defense using the DVOA analytics. They have held eight of their 11 opponents to 20 points or less with four of their opponents failing to score more than 10 points. They lead the NFL in sacks which likely spells a nightmare for the immobile statue that is the aging Matt Ryan tonight. They held the Giants to just 300 total yards in their Thanksgiving game. They outgained New York by +130 net yards — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after outgaining their previous opponent by +100 or more yards. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Cowboys averaged 6.23 Yards-Per-Play against the Giants — and they have played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total after averaging 6.0 or more YPP in their last game. Dak Prescott completed 21 of 30 passes for 261 yards in the win — but Dallas has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after passing for at least 250 or more yards in their last game. They stay at home where they are holding their opponents to 16.8 PPG and 313.5 total YPG — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total at home.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings Under the Total. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (475) and the Dallas Cowboys (476). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Clemson Tigers (321) and the North Carolina Tar Heels (322) in the ACC Championship Game. THE SITUATION: Clemson (10-2)  had their two-game winning streak end in a 31-30 upset loss to South Carolina as a 14-point favorite last Saturday. North Carolina (9-3) has lost two straight games after getting upset for the second-straight time in a 30-27 loss to North Carolina State in overtime as a 6.5-point favorite on Friday. This game is being played on a neutral field at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Tigers have scored 30 or more points in three straight games and ten of their 13 contests this season. But their defense let them down last week against the Gamecocks as they surrendered 414 total yards. Clemson has given up 28 or more points in four of their games this season — they can be exposed. They have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. And while they did go into halftime with a 23-14 lead, they have then played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total after scoring at least 20 points in the first half of their last game. Running back Will Shipley only ran the ball 15 times last week despite averaging 8.8 Yards-Per-Carry — expect a heavy load from Shipley tonight against this Tar Heels defense that allows 170 rushing Yards-Per-Game. Shipley averages 5.8 YPC — and he has 35 gains of 10 or more yards this season. Quarterback D.J. Uigalelei has been a disappointment this year — but he is at his most dangerous against defenses like North Carolina that give up big plays. Uigalelei has passes classified as Big Throws 22 times this season with 20 or more air yards — and the Tar Heels rank 109th in the nation in Opponent Pass Success Rate Allowed. Wake Forest’s Sam Hartmann averaged 10.3 Yards-Per-Attempt against North Carolina earlier this year. Clemson running the football and then dropping long passes should generate plenty of points — they rank 19th in Rush Success Rate and 26th in Line Yards. They gained 237 rushing yards on the ground last week — and they have played 4 straight Overs the Total after rushing for 200 or more yards in their last game. And while the Tigers have played two straight Overs, they have then played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after playing two straight Overs. Clemson has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total when favored by 3.5 to 10 points. The Tigers’ defense is vulnerable to giving up big plays — they rank 63rd in Explosiveness Allowed. North Carolina averages 4.75 Points-Per-Drive inside the opponent's 40-yard line which is the 4th-best mark in the nation. Quarterback Drake Maye ranks 4th in the country by Pro Football Focus with a passing grade of 91.1. On passes of 10 or more air yards, Maye has 40 passes classified as “Big Time” — and his PFF passing grade rises to 92. He leads an offense that has scored 31 or more points in nine of their 12 games. And in their six games away from home, the Tar Heels score 38.3 Points-Per-Game and generate 513.7 Yards-Per-Game. But this porous North Carolina defense gives up 35.0 PPG and 510.0 YPG in those six road games. They have given up at least 21 points in all but one of their games. The Tar Heels have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after an upset loss to a conference rival — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a loss to an ACC rival by seven points or less. Furthermore, North Carolina has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Back to that defense — the Tar Heels rank 112th in the nation by allowing their opponents to average 6.0 Yards-Per-Play. They rank 120th in Opponent Success Rate. They have played 21 of their last 29 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total in December.

FINAL TAKE: Don’t expect many field goals in this game — Clemson ranks 24th in the nation Finishing Drive Rate while North Carolina ranks 4th in that metric (and this dynamic becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy since both coaches know this). The Tigers have played 6 straight Overs on a neutral field with the Total set at 63 or higher — and North Carolina has played 4 straight Overs on a neutral field. 25* CFB ACC Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Clemson Tigers (321) and the North Carolina Tar Heels (322). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Akron Zips (327) and the Buffalo Bulls (328). THE SITUATION: Akron (2-9) snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 44-12 upset win at Northern Illinois as a 9.5-point underdog last Saturday. Buffalo (5-6) has lost three in a row after a 30-27 loss in overtime to Kent State as a 4.5-point favorite on Saturday. This game got rescheduled after the blizzard in Buffalo two weeks ago postponed this contest originally planned for November 19th.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bulls need to end their recent slide and get the victory this afternoon to become bowl eligible — so head coach Maurice Linguist’s team will be motivated to play well. Buffalo has played 5 straight Overs after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a loss at home. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after an upset loss at home to a conference rival. And while that game finished Over the 50.5-point Total, they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after playing an Over in their last game. The Bulls have scored at least 24 points in ten straight games while averaging 29.5 Points-Per-Game on the season. But stopping their opponent has been an issue as they are allowing 28.5 PPG and 404.5 total Yards-Per-Game at home at UB Stadium — and they have surrendered 35.3 PPG and 422.0 YPG in their last three contests. Buffalo has played 5 of their last 6 games at home — and they have played 19 of their last 26 home games Over the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. Akron has disappointed in their first year under head coach Joe Moorhead — but he will want to end the season on a high note. D.J. Irons was the starting quarterback for most of the season before missing the last two because of injury. Junior Jeff Undercuffler stepped up last week by completing 21 of 32 passes for 312 yards with three touchdown passes while leading the Zips offense to 512 total yards. Look for the offensive fireworks to continue as Akron has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. The Zips have scored 72 combined points in their last two games — and they have reached at least 27 points in five of their last seven games. Despite their nine losses, Akron has lost four of their last seven games by one possession. But their defense had surrendered at least 27 points in six straight games before their surprising performance against the Huskies last week. The Zips have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after allowing no more than 20 points in their last contest — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last contest. Akron has allowed 36 PPG against FBS opponents — and they let their opponents generate 6.1 Yards-Per-Play and 8.7 Yards-Per-Attempt in the passing game which are both outside the top 115 marks in the nation. When playing on the road, the Zips give up 39.3 PPG and 461.7 total YPG. They have played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Akron has played 10 of their last 15 games Over the Total on the road as an underdog — and Buffalo has played 5 of their last 6 home games Over the Total as a favorite laying 10.5 to 14 points. 25* CFB Mid-American Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Akron Zips (327) and the Buffalo Bulls (328). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Buffalo Bills (301) and the New England Patriots (302). THE SITUATION: Buffalo (8-3) has won six of their last eight games after their 28-25 victory at Detroit as a 10-point favorite on Thanksgiving. New England (6-5) had their three-game winning streak end in a 33-26 loss at Minnesota as a 2.5-point underdog on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Buffalo held the Lions to just 326 yards in the victory last week. They will be without Von Miller who is dealing with a knee injury — but their defense is getting healthier with defensive ends Greg Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa along with middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds full participants in practice this week. The Bills have played 6 straight Unders after a straight-up win. And while Buffalo has seen at least 53 combined points scored in three straight games, they have then played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after playing two or more games with 50 or more combined points scored. The Bills have averaged 414.7 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three games — but they have played 5 straight Unders after averaging at least 400 YPG in their last three contests. Buffalo scores 28.1 Points-Per-Game and 415.9 YPG — but those numbers drop to 24.7 PPG and 393.4 YPG when playing on the road. The Bills have played 6 straight Unders on the road — and they have played 6 straight Unders as a road favorite. Buffalo’s defense remains elite even without Miller — they rank 3rd in the NFL according to the DVOA metrics at Football Outsiders. They have held their last three opponents to 310.0 YPG — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. New England has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 27 of their last 40 games Under the Total after a point-spread loss. The Patriots have also played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after winning two of their last three games. And while they gained 409 total yards against the Vikings, they have then played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. New England only gained 45 yards on the ground in that game — and they have played 16 of their last 21 games Under the Total after gaining no more than 90 rushing yards in their last game. The Patriots' defense is the real deal — they rank 2nd in the league in DVOA and first when weighting those defensive metrics to recent games. They hold their guests to just 15.2 PPG and 264.0 total YPG when playing at home. Additionally, in their last three games, they have held their opponents to only 13.0 PPG and 194.0 total YPG. On the other side of the ball, the Patriots rank just 25th in the NFL in DVOA on offense — ranking 24th with their running game and 22nd with their passing game. To compound matters on that side of the ball, they will be without running back Damien Harris and left tackle Isaiah Wynn. They are only generating 303.0 YPG in their last three games. New England has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total in December.

FINAL TAKE: The Patriots will want to slow this game down by running the football and likely playing two high safeties to dare the Bills to run the football and get out of their passing attack. New England has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against AFC opponents — and the Bills have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against rivals from the AFC. 25* AFC East Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Buffalo Bills (301) and the New England Patriots (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:37 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Edmonton Oilers (37) and the Chicago Blackhawks (38). THE SITUATION: Edmonton (12-10-0) has won two in a row after their 4-3 win against Florida on Monday. Chicago (6-11-4) has lost seven in a row after their 7-2 win against Winnipeg on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Blackhawks started the season getting better than expected results with a roster that many considered the worst in the league. But hard work can only go so far — and the injury to defenseman Seth Jones has left the team significantly undermanned on their blue line. Chicago is allowing 5.0 goals-per-game in their last five games. The Blackhawks have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a loss at home — and they have played 19 of their last 28 games Over the Total after a loss by two or more goals at home. Additionally, Chicago has played 7 straight Overs after a loss at home by three or more goals — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after allowing five or more goals in their last contest. The Blackhawks stay at home where they are giving up 3.8 goals-per-game. They have played 31 of their last 49 home games Over the Total with the Total set at 6 or higher. Arvid Soderblom is between the pipes tonight. While he has a .918 save percentage in three starts on the road, his save percentage is .903 save percentage in five games (four starts) at home. Chicago has played 12 of their last 17 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 15 of their last 22 games Over the Total against teams from the Western Conference. Edmonton (12-10-0) has seen the Over go 3-1-2 in their last 6 games after a win — and they have played 25 of their last 35 games Over the Total after a win at home. They have also played 20 of their last 29 games Over the Total after scoring four or more goals in a victory at home. The Oilers have scored eight combined goals in their last two games — and they have played 33 of their last 50 games Over the Total after scoring at least three goals in two straight contests. Edmonton is scoring 3.4 goals-per-game led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl — but the defensive efforts from those superstar forwards have been less than desired this year which has played a role in them allowing 3.5 goals-per-game. Stuart Skinner is their goaltender tonight. He has a 2.62 Goals-Against-Average and a .921 save percentage at home — but those numbers decline to a 3.02 GAA and a .917 save percentage on the road. And in his seven starts this month, Skinner has a 3.47 GAA and a .899 save percentage. The Oilers have played 17 of their last 22 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: The Blackhawks will be looking to avenge a 6-5 loss at home to Edmonton on October 27th — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total when playing with revenge. These two teams have played 8 of their last 10 meetings Over the Total -- and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when playing in Chicago. 25* NHL Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Edmonton Oilers (37) and the Chicago Blackhawks (38). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (525) and the Portland Trail Blazers (526). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (12-9) has won four of their last six games after their 114-100 upset win against Indiana as a 2-point underdog on Sunday. Portland (11-9) has lost five of their last six games after a 111-97 loss at Brooklyn as a 7.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Clippers will be undermanned tonight with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and John Wall all out due to various ailments. As it is, Los Angeles ranks 29th in the league in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They are also 2nd in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency (but playing without George does not help their cause on that end of the court). The Clippers have played 18 of their last 24 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. They have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after an upset win at home — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread win. They go back on the road where they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total. They have also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 210-219.5 point range. Portland is playing with Damian Lillard who is dealing with a calf injury. The Trail Blazers return home for one game after being on the road since November 20th. The Under is 16-7-1 in their last 24 home games after being on the road for seven or more days. The Under is 18-7-2 in Portland’s last 27 games at home — and the Under is 5-1-2 in their last 8 home games against teams with a losing record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing against each other in Portland. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (525) and the Portland Trail Blazers (526). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Green Bay Packers (273) and the Philadelphia Eagles (274). THE SITUATION: Green Bay (4-7) has lost six of their last seven games after their 27-17 upset loss to Tennessee as a 3-point favorite on November 17th. Philadelphia (9-1) rebounded from their first loss of the season by beating the Colts in Indianapolis by a 17-16 score as a 6.5-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Packers managed to generate just 271 yards against the Titans last week. The struggling Green Bay offense has not scored more than 17 points in three of their last four games — and they have not scored more than 22 points in six of their last seven games. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has conceded that he is playing with a broken thumb — but while that may explain how his once immaculate delivery has devolved into a wrist flick motion, his problems go way beyond this season. Even a broken thumb does not explain his bad decision-making — and he continues to struggle to develop chemistry with his wide receiving corps in the Brave New World without Davante Adams. I do not understand why this team simply does not run the ball more (although the deteriorating offensive line has not always made that easy — but they abandon the run too quickly: as Michigan demonstrated yesterday versus Ohio State, sometimes the ground game does not emerge until the second half). After running the ball at least 25 times in three straight games, they only ran the ball 19 times for 56 yards against the Titans. Green Bay has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. And while they allowed Tennessee to generate 6.69 Yards-Per-Play last week, they have then played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after giving up 6.69 YPP in their last contest. They go on the road where they are only scoring 15.0 Points-Per-Game and generating 328.8 total Yards-Per-Game. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played all 3 games on the road as an underdog this season Under the Total. Philadelphia has held five of their last six opponents to under 20 points. The Colts gained only 284 total yards against them last week. The Eagles have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after winning a game where they did not cover the point spread. After winning the turnover battle in their first eight games this season, Philly has seen the Regression Gods appear by losing the turnover battle in each of their last two games. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after enduring a -1 net turnover margin in two straight games. The Eagles' offense has taken a step back as of late as they are scoring just 22.3 PPG and 312.7 YPG in their last three games — -4.0 PPG and -57.3 YPG below their season average. But this Philly defense remains elite and is now bolstered on the interior of their defensive line with the acquisitions of Ndamukong Suh and Lineal Joseph. They hold their guests to 18.0 PPG and 285.6 total YPG when playing at home. They have also played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total in November.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia has played 8 of their last 11 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road — and Green Bay has played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. 25* NFL Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Green Bay Packers (273) and the Philadelphia Eagles (274). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New York Giants (107) and the Dallas Cowboys (108). THE SITUATION: New York (7-3) has lost two of their last three games after their 31-18 upset loss to Detroit as a 3-point favorite on Sunday. Dallas (7-3) has won three of their last four games after their 40-3 win at Minnesota as a 1.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Giants are decimated with injuries — especially on the offensive line. They will be without three starters and a rotational player with Evan Neal, Shane Lemieux, Jon Feliciano, and Joshua Ezeudo all declared out today. Left tackle Andrew Thomas is questionable as well with an illness — but he did take part in limited practice yesterday. New York is also thin at wide receiver with Wan’Dale Robinson out with an injury — and Sterling Shepard already out the season, Kadarius Toney traded to Kansas City, and Kenny Golladay being in the perpetual doghouse. New York is scoring only 18.3 Points-Per-Game in their last three games. The Under is 18-7-1 in their last 26 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss. Additionally, the Giants have played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Under is also 6-0-1 in their last 7 games after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. New York did generate 413 yards last week — but the Under is 20-6-1 in their last 27 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. They go back on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total — and they have played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total as an underdog. They have also played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total in November — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Dallas held the Vikings to just 183 total yards last week — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 250 yards in their last game. They limited Minnesota to just 110 passing yards — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 150 passing yards in their last game. The Cowboys have an elite defense that ranks 2nd in the NFL in the DVOA rankings at Football Outsiders. They have held seven of their ten opponents to less than 20 points — and they lead the league with 42 sacks. Daniel Jones is going to have a very difficult time passing the ball with his banged-up offensive line — and Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn can safely stack the box to stop Saquon Barkley given the limitations the Giants will have in the passing game. The Cowboys generated 458 yards of offense last week with Dak Prescott passing for 276 yards. But Dallas has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in their last game. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after outgaining their previous opponent by 150 or more yards. The Cowboys have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last contest. And while Dallas has scored at least 28 points in each of their last three games, they have played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total after scoring 25 or more points in three straight games. The Cowboys return home where they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: This game is a rematch of Dallas’ 23-16 victory in New York as a 1-point underdog on September 26th. The Giants have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total when avenging a same-season loss — and they have played 7 straight Unders when avenging a same-season loss by seven points or less. 25* NFC East Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New York Giants (107) and the Dallas Cowboys (108). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (475) and the Arizona Cardinals (476). THE SITUATION: San Francisco (5-4) has won two games in a row after their 22-16 win against the Los Angeles Chargers as an 8.5-point favorite last Sunday. Arizona (4-6) had lost four of five games before their 27-17 upset win in Los Angeles against the Rams as a 3.5-point underdog on Sunday. This game is being played on a neutral field at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The 49ers held the Chargers to just 238 yards in the victory last week — and that came after holding the Rams to 223 total yards. San Francisco has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after not allowing 250 or more yards in two straight games. They have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The 49ers lead the NFL by allowing just 280.6 total Yards-Per-Game. They hold their opponents to just 16.6 first downs per game — also the best mark in the league. The stout San Francisco defense starts with their ability to stop the run. The Niners hold their opponents to 3.43 Yards-Per-Carry and 82.7 rushing YPG — the lowest marks in the league. They held the Chargers to just 51 rushing yards. San Francisco has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after holding their previous opponent to 90 or fewer rushing yards. The 49ers did rush for 157 yards en route to the 387 total yards they generated against the Chargers. But, frankly, despite their offense loaded with weapons with skill position players getting healthy and the acquisition of Christian McCaffrey, too often head coach Kyle Shanahan dials up gimmicky plays when simple plays do the trick. The Niners have not scored more than 23 points in three of their last four games. Some of that can be explained by Shanahan’s commitment to running the football — and they have held their last two opponents scoreless in the second half. San Francisco has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game — and they have played 4 straight Unders after rushing for at least 350 yards in their last game. Additionally, San Francisco has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in November — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total against NFC opponents. Arizona has only covered the point spread once in their last three games — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after covering the point spread just once in their last three games. The Cardinals are riddled with injuries. Colt McCoy gets the start under center with Kyler Murray dealing with a hamstring. I think McCoy is solid — but he lacks Murray’s play-making and scrambling abilities. While he completed 26 of 37 passes last week in the win against the Rams, Arizona only gained 298 total yards in the game. Wide receiver Marquise Brown is still on Injured Reserve and tight end suffered a season-ending knee injury. The offensive line is also a mess with four protected starters from preseason camp not playing tonight. Left tackle D.J. Humphries and center Rodney Hudson have been declared out — and left guard Justin Pugh and right guard Will Hernandez have missed most of the season with injuries. The Cardinals' defense remains solid with stars line J.J. Watt and Budda Baker anchoring the unit. They hold their opponents to only 295.4 YPG when playing on the road. Arizona has played 13 of their last 21 games Under the Total set in the 42.5 to 49-point range — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total on Monday Night Football.

FINAL TAKE: Arizona has played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when favored. 25* NFC West Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (475) and the Arizona Cardinals (476). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (469) and the Los Angeles Chargers (470). THE SITUATION: Kansas City (7-2) has won five of their last six games after a 27-17 win against Jacksonville as a 10-point favorite last Sunday. Los Angeles (5-4) has lost two of their last three games after a 22-16 loss at San Francisco as an 8.5-point underdog last Sunday night.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Chiefs generated 486 total yards last week in their double-digit win against the Jaguars. They are scoring 30.3 Points-Per-Game and generating 504.7 Yards-Per-Game in their last three contests despite some injuries in their wide receiver corps. Patrick Mahomes will be without JuJu Smith-Shuster and Mecole Hardman due to injuries — but Marquez Valdes-Scantling returns to the field tonight and they acquired Kadarius Toney from the Giants at the trade deadline who should get plenty of reps tonight. And, of course, there is nothing wrong with Travis Kelce. Mahomes has seamlessly led the transition of this offense to one that is more balanced since they traded away Tyreek Hill in the offseason. They have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a win at home by double-digits. Led by Isiah Pacheco’s 82 yards on 16 carries, the Chiefs churned out 155 rushing yards last week — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game. The rookie from Rutgers has taken over the starting tailback job and he is poised for a big game against this Chargers defense that allows 5.3 Yards-Per-Carry and has surrendered 191 rushing YPG in their last three games. Kansas City has played two straight Unders — but they have then played  5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after playing two straight Unders. The Chiefs running the football should make their offense even more dynamic since it will open up more opportunities in the passing game. I do worry about this KC offense when they become too pass-reliant. Now they go back on the road where they are scoring 36.5 PPG — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against AFC West rivals. Los Angeles has played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a loss on the road. They have also played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a loss by six points or less. They have also played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total after losing two of their last three games. Quarterback Justin Herbert does hope to get his top two wide receivers back tonight after Mike Williams and Keenan Allen have practiced this week after missing multiple games apiece to injury. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total at home — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. The Chargers have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total against AFC rivals.

FINAL TAKE: Kansas City and Los Angeles are completing 65.5% and 66.4% of their passes this season. The Chiefs have played 6 straight Overs on the road against opponents that are completing 64% or more of their passes — and the Chargers have played 16 of their last 22 games Over the Total against opponents that are completing 66.4% or more of their passes. 25* AFC West Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (469) and the Los Angeles Chargers (470). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the UCLA Bruins (885) and the Illinois Fighting Illini (886). THE SITUATION: UCLA (3-0) has opened their season with three straight victories after an 86-56 win against Norfolk State as a 20.5-point favorite on Monday. Illinois (3-0) has won their first three contests after a 103-65 victory against Monmouth as a 28-point favorite on Monday. This game will be played on a neutral court at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for the Continental Tire Main Event tournament.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: This is the first true test for both these teams that have aspirations to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins return Jaime Jaquez and Tyger Campbell from the group that finished 27-8 last season. But head coach Mick Cronin does replace Johnny Juzang and Jules Bernard who combined to score 28.4 Points-Per-Game last season. UCLA nailed 57.1% of their shots on Monday against Norfolk State which was the best shooting effort of their season. They allowed Norfolk State to make 47.3% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of the year — so that end of the court will likely be an area of emphasis tonight for Cronin. The Bruins have played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a game where they made at least 55% of their shots. They have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a double-digit win on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points. They have also played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a point-spread victory. And while UCLA has scored at least 76 points in all three of their games, they have played 8 of their last 9 road games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in three straight contests. And in their last 19 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher, they have played 14 of these games Under the Total. Illinois replaces ten players from their team that finished 23-10 including their top five scorers headlined by Kofi Cockburn who departed early for the NBA. Head coach Brad Underwood hit the transfer window hard by bringing in Terrence Shannon, Jr. from Texas Tech and Matthew Mayer from Baylor. They have a talented point guard in Sky Clark but he is a freshman who will be tested for the first by an elite opponent. The Fighting Illini made 59.7% of their shots against Monmouth which was the best shooting effort of the season — but they allowed them to make 42.9% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of the season after holding their first two opponents to just 35.0% and 31.2% shooting. Illinois has played 4 straight Unders against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: This is the first game away from home for both teams. Both of these teams are struggling to make their free throws with UCLA making only 67.5% of their shots from the charity stripe and Illinois only hitting 64.6% of their freebies. The Illini have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total on a neutral court — and they have played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total on a neutral court with the Total set in the 140 to 144.5 point range. The Bruins have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total on a neutral court with the Total set in the 140-144.5 point range. 25* CBB Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the UCLA Bruins (885) and the Illinois Fighting Illini (886). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Jose State Spartans (197) and the San Diego State Aztecs (198). THE SITUATION: San Jose State (6-2) has won two games in a row after a 28-16 victory against Colorado State as a 23.5-point favorite last Saturday. San Diego State (5-4) has won three of their last four games after a 14-10 victory against UNLV as a 5-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Spartans held their sixth opponent in their eight games to no more than 17 points in their victory against the Rams. The Under is 12-3-1 in their last 16 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after winning a win against a conference rival. Additionally, San Jose State has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last contest. They did give up 468 yards in the game — but the Under is 5-2-1 in their last 8 games after giving up 450 or more yards in their last contest. They have played 8 straight Unders after winning multiple games in a row. The Spartans rank 17th in the nation in Opponent Offensive Success Rate. Led by Vilami Fehoko’s 14 tackles for loss and seven sacks, San Jose State ranks in the top ten in the nation in sacks and 13th in Havoc Rate. They hold their opponents to under 100 rushing Yards-Per-Game. Overall, they are giving up just 16.4 Points-Per-Game and 316.9 YPG. But while they score 27.1 PPG overall, that scoring average plummets by more than a touchdown to 19.7 PPG when playing on the road. The Spartans have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. San Diego State has played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Aztecs are once again stout on defense — they hold their opponents to 21.3 PPG. But they struggle to move the football as they are averaging just 19.6 PPG and 309.8 YPG. They have not scored more than 23 points in seven of their nine games. They rank 108th in the nation in Offensive Success Rate — and they are only 113th in the FBS in Rushing Success Rate. San Diego State has played twenty-two of their last twenty-nine games Under the Total after not scoring more than 20 points in their last contest. They return home where they are scoring just 21.0 PPG — but they hold their guests to only 16.6 PPG. The Under is 40-19-1 in the Aztecs’ last 60 games at home — and they have played 10 of their last 13 home games Under the Total as an underdog. The Under is also 13-2-1 in their last 16 games in November.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is 11-4-1 in San Diego State’s last 16 games against teams with a winning record — and San Jose State has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. 25* CFB Mountain West Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the San Jose State Spartans (197) and the San Diego State Aztecs (198). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Falcons (113) and the Carolina Panthers (114). THE SITUATION: Atlanta (4-5) has lost two of their last three games after a 20-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers as a 2.5-point underdog last Sunday. Carolina (2-7) has lost five of their last six games after a 42-21 loss at Cincinnati as a 7-point on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Falcons only managed 315 total yards last week in their loss to the Chargers. They are a run-first team under second-year head coach Arthur Smith — they are running the football on 61% of their offensive plays from scrimmage. This focus on running the football burns time off the clock and helps the Atlanta defense — they only allowed 336 total yards to the Justin Herbert-led offense. The Falcons rushed for 201 yards last week. They have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game — and they have played 15 of their last 20 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 200 yards in their last contest. Atlanta has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point-spread loss. The Falcons are allowing 450.3 total Yards-Per-Game in their last three games — but they have then played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after allowing 450 or more YPG in their last three contests. Atlanta ranks 8th in efficiency on offense according to the DVOA metrics at Football Outsiders — but they are only averaging 280.5 total YPG in their four road games which is resulting in just 21.5 Points-Per-Game. The Falcons have played 33 of their last 45 games Under the Total in November — and they have played 7 straight Unders in Weeks 10-13. They have also played 6 straight Unders playing on Thursday Night Football. Carolina only managed 228 yards last week in their loss to the Bengals. The Panthers have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a loss by 14 or more points — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after allowing at least 30 points in their last game — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after allowing at least 150 rushing yards in their last contest. Carolina caught an angry Bengals team that got embarrassed on Monday Night Football by Cleveland. And while the Panthers traded away Christian McCaffrey, they did not unload their valuable assets on defense like defensive end Brian Burns. Carolina allows only 21.2 PPG when playing at home — but they are scoring just 19.6 PPG and generating a mere 285.0 total YPG. They have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total at home as an underdog. Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks is the team’s interim head coach after Matt Rhule was fired on October 10th — and his teams have played 7 straight Unders when playing at home against conference rivals. The Panthers have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against NFC South divisional rivals.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is 13-5-1 in the last 19 meetings between these two teams — and the Under is 15-5-2 in the last 22 games between these teams when they are playing in Carolina. 25* NFC South Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Falcons (113) and the Carolina Panthers (114). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Stars (17) and the Winnipeg Jets (18). THE SITUATION: Dallas (8-3-1) has won three straight games after their 6-2 win at Edmonton on Saturday. Winnipeg (7-3-1) has won two straight games after a 4-0 shutout win against Chicago on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Dallas has been dominant lately in their three-game winning streak. Not only have they scored at least five goals in each of those victories, but they have also held each of those opponents to just two goals in each of those contests. Their win on the road against the Oilers was preceded by a 7-2 win at Arizona. The Stars have played 39 of their last 55 games Under the Total after winning their last two games by at least three goals — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after winning two in a row on the road. Dallas has scored at least three goals in four straight games — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after scoring at least three goals in four straight games. They have played 46 of their last 63 games Under the Total after scoring at least four goals in three straight games. Additionally, the Under is 7-3-2 in their last 12 games on the road — and they have played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total on the road after winning three straight games. The Under is also 6-1-2 in their last 9 games against teams with a losing record. Scott Wedgewood gets this fifth start on the road this season as the team’s goaltender. He has been solid with a 2.75 Goals-Against-Average and a .919 save percentage in those four starts away from home. The Under is 5-1-1 in Winnipeg’s last 7 games after a win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not allowing more than two goals in their last contest. The Under is also 6-0-2 in their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. They stay at home where they are allowing only 1.4 Goals-Per-Game — and they have played 5 straight Unders on their home ice. Connor Hellebuyck has been sensational in the net so far this season. He owns a 2.09 GAA and a .936 save percentage this season with two shutouts among his nine starts. In his five starts at home, he sports a 1.19 GAA with a .959 save percentage — and both his shutouts were at home.

FINAL TAKE: The Jets will be looking to avenge a 4-1 loss at Dallas back on October 17th — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing with revenge. 25* NHL Central Division Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Stars (17) and the Winnipeg Jets (18). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (471) and the Kansas City Chiefs (472). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (5-2) has won five straight games after their 17-10 upset win at Houston as a 1-point favorite last Sunday. Kansas City (5-2) has won three of their last four games after their 44-23 win at San Francisco as a 1-point favorite two weeks ago.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: We won’t know who the starting quarterback for the Titans will be until kickoff with Ryan Tannehill a game-time decision with his high ankle injury. If Tannehill cannot go, then it will be rookie Malik Willis under center. Frankly, both options are limited in the passing game, especially given the lack of reliable weapons the team has at wide receiver. It will be the Derrick Henry Show tonight for the Titans, especially since running the football will burn the clock and keep Patrick Mahomes off the field. Tennessee has played 6 straight Unders after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight Unders after a point spread victory. Led by Henry’s 219 rushing yards last week with Willis as the starting quarterback, the Titans generated 354 total yards while having their offense on the field for 34:48 minutes of that game. Tennessee has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after rushing for at least 200 yards in their last game — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last contest. Willis only passed 55 yards last week on 10 attempts — but the Titans have played 18 of their last 27 games Over the Total after not passing for at least 100 yards in their last game. They held the Texans to just 43 rushing yards — and they have played 4 straight Overs after not allowing more than 50 rushing yards in their last contest. Tennessee has played four straight Unders — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after playing two straight Unders. The Under is 12-3-1 in Kansas City’s last 16 games after their bye week. Mahomes passed for 423 yards while leading an attack that generated 529 yards of offense. But the Chiefs have played 4 straight Unders after gaining at least 500 yards in their last game — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in their last contest. And while Kansas City has passed for at least 265 yards in three straight games, they have then played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in three straight games. The Chiefs return home where they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Additionally, Kansas City has played 38 of their last 58 home games Under the Total when laying 7.5 to 14 points — and they have played 14 of their last 18 home games Under the Total as a 10.5 to 14-point favorite. They have also played 4 of their last 6 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 45.5 to 49-point range.

FINAL TAKE: I am not going to be surprised if the Chiefs exceed their 24 rush attempts per game average tonight — one way to neutralize the Titans’ rushing attack which wants to wear down your defense is to run the ball more yourself to fight back on the time of possession game. Kansas City is only averaging 25.7 Points-Per-Game at home this year with them playing more Unders. The Chiefs have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against fellow AFC foes. 25* AFC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (471) and the Kansas City Chiefs (472). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Green Bay Packers (459) and the Detroit Lions (460). THE SITUATION: Green Bay (3-5) has lost four games in a row after their 27-17 loss at Buffalo as a 10.5-point underdog last Sunday. Detroit (1-6) has lost five games in a row after their 31-27 loss to Miami as a 3.5-point underdog last week.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Packers may have finally embraced the approach on offense that should give them success moving forward in the second half against the Bills. Green Bay ran the ball in the second half of that game — and that helped them generate 398 yards of offense against a stout Buffalo defense. The Packers trailed at halftime by a 24-7 score — and they have played 17 of their last 23 games Over the Total after playing a game where they allowed at least 24 points in the first half. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a point-spread loss. They stay on the road where they have played 16 of their last 21 road games Over the Total against teams with a losing record at home. They have also played 6 straight Overs against teams with a losing record. While the sputtering Packers’ offense has received most of the attention, their defense has been a disappointment as well. Green Bay ranks 22nd in the NFL in Defensive DVOA using the metrics at Football Outsiders. They are giving up 25.7 Points-Per-Game in their last three games. Surprisingly, the Packers' offense ranks 8th best in the league in Offensive DVOA. Nothing beats playing the Lions to help a team’s offensive numbers. Detroit is last in Defensive DVOA — and they are 30th against the run and last in the league against the pass using those analytics. They are giving up 32.1 PPG and 421.3 total Yards-Per-Game. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 28 of their last 40 home games Over the Total after four games in a row. They did gain 393 yards against the Dolphins last week — and quarterback Jared Goff completed 27 of 37 passes for 321 yards. Goff plays much better at home — Detroit averages 281 passing YPG. The Lions have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in their last contest. Detroit is scoring 35.8 PPG and generating 431.0 YPG at home at Ford Field. Detroit has been dealing with injuries — but they do get running back D’Andre Swift back for this game and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is back in the mix. But the Lions are surrendering 36.0 PPG and 470.5 YPG in their four home games. Detroit has played 20 of their last 27 games at home Over the Total. They have also played 11 of their last 13 home games Over the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. Furthermore, the Lions have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against NFC opponents.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams played two shootouts last season where 67 and 52 combined points were scored. Green Bay and Detroit have played 9 of their last 13 meetings against each other Over the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total when playing at Ford Field. 25* NFC North Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Green Bay Packers (459) and the Detroit Lions (460). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (535) and the Boston Celtics (536). THE SITUATION: Chicago (5-4) has won four of their last six games after a 106-88 win against Charlotte as a 4.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Boston (4-3) has lost three of their last four games after a 114-113 upset loss at Cleveland on Wednesday as a 1.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bulls are playing better defense this season led by Alex Caruso and Javonte Green. They held the Hornets to just 39.1% shooting after limiting Brooklyn to only 99 points in their previous game. Chicago has played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point-spread victory. And in their last 13 games after playing a game where no more than 195 combined points were scored, the Bulls have played 8 of those games Under the Total. They go back on the road where they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 8 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. They have also played 6 straight Unders against teams with a winning record. Boston misses Robert Williams III who is out for a few months with an injury — but they are beginning to play better on defense. After holding Washington to 38.8% shooting, they limited the Cavaliers to just 42.0% shooting on Wednesday. Boston is still playing well in defending the rim even without Williams. They rank 4th in the NBA in preventing shots at the rim — and they are 9th in the league in opponent’s field goal percentage within four feet of the rim. The Celtics have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have also played 36 of their last 57 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Boston will be looking to avenge a 120-102 loss at Chicago as a 5.5-point favorite on October 24th — and they have played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from an upset loss on the road as the favorite. These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 meetings Under the Total. 25* NBA Friday ESPN Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (535) and the Boston Celtics (536). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (309) and the Houston Texans (310). THE SITUATION: The Philadelphia Eagles (7-0) remained unbeaten this season with their 35-13 victory against Pittsburgh as an 11-point favorite last Sunday. Houston (1-5-1) has lost five of their last six games after a 17-10 loss to Tennessee on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Eagles held the Steelers to just 300 total yards last week -- they are tied for 3rd in the NFL by holding their opponents to just 298.1 total Yards-Per-Game. They have not allowed more than 21 points in six of their seven games — and they have held five of their seven opponents to 17 points or less. Philadelphia has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a win at home — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. Additionally, the Eagles have played a decisive 57 of their last 81 games Under the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last game — and they have played 38 of their last 57 games Under the Total after scoring at least 35 points in their last contest. Now after playing their last two games at home, Philly goes back on the road where they are generating 342.0 total YPG which is over 50 YPG below their season average. The Eagles have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 12 of their last 17 road games Under the Total with the number in the 42.5 to 49-point range.  Houston only generated 71 yards before their final drive last week against Tennessee when they accumulated 90 of their 161 total yards in that game. Even at full strength, the Texans' offense is anemic as they score only 16.6 PPG and generate 288.7 YPG, ranking 29th and 31st in the league. The Offensive DVOA metrics used by Football Outsiders rank Houston as the second-worst offense in the league. Quarterback Davis Mills has not registered a Quarterback Rating of 100 or higher in any of his starts this season. He will be missing his weapons in the passing game with Nico Collins out with a groin injury and Brandin Cooks seemingly uninterested in playing after hoping he would get moved at the trade deadline. He was dealing with an injury — but he has not practiced the last two days because of an issue listed as personal. This leaves Mills to have to rely mostly on dink-and-dunk check downs in the passing game. Rex Burkhead and Dameon Pierce have combined to catch 44 balls on 55 targets for 223 yards — but they are only averaging 5.1 yards-per-catch and 4.1 yards-per-attempt. The Texans managed only 118 net yards in the passing game last week — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after playing a game where they did not pass for more than 150 yards. On the other side of the ball, the Houston defense has been solid. They are holding their opponents to 22.0 PPG. They have held five of their seven opponents to 23 points or less — and they have played held four of those seven opponents to 20 points or less.

FINAL TAKE: The Texans have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total in November — and they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (309) and the Houston Texans (310). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals (277) and the Cleveland Browns (278). THE SITUATION: Cincinnati (4-3) has won four of their last five games after their 35-17 win against Atlanta as a 6.5-point favorite last Sunday. Cleveland (23-20) looks to snap a four-game losing streak after their 23-20 loss at Baltimore as a 6.5-point underdog last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cincinnati defense may be the most underrated unit on both sides of the ball (and special teams) in the NFL. They held the Falcons to just 214 total yards in their victory last week. They are 5th in the league by holding their opponents to 5.92 Yards-Per-Attempt in the passing game. They are limiting their opponents to a Red Zone conversion rate of just 38.9% — and they have stopped six of the seven 4th down plays of their opponents. The Bengals are the only team in the NFL to not allow a touchdown in the second half. They have not allowed more than 19 points in four of their last five games. This may not be the best defense in the league — but they are right up there. They rank 5th in the NFL using the Defensive DVOA metrics at Football Outsiders. Cincinnati has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. And while the Bengals generated 537 total yards against the Falcons, they have then played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last contest (and now they will be without star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase for four to six weeks given his hip injury). Cincinnati is struggling to run the football — they have only rushed for 75 and 78 yards in their last two games. They have played 15 of their last 18 games Under the Total after not rushing for more than 90 yards in their last game — and they have played 10 straight Unders after not rushing for more than 100 yards in two straight games. Now they go back on the road where they are scoring only 22.8 Points-Per-Game while averaging just 305.8 Yards-Per-Game. The Bengals have played 12 of their last 15 road games Under the Total — and the Under is 19-6-1 in their last 26 games on the road against teams with a losing record at home. They have also played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total when favored by up to seven points. Cleveland held the Ravens to only 254 yards in their loss last week. Turnovers are killing this team as they have lost the turnover battle in each of their games in their current four-game losing streak. The Browns have played 27 of their last 39 home games Under the Total after a -1 or worse net turnover margin in two straight games — and they have played 13 of their last 17 home games Under the Total after a -1 or worse net turnover margin in three straight games. Cleveland has played 44 of their last 67 games Under the Total when they have lost four or more in a row — and they have played 4 straight Unders after losing four or five of their last six games. The Browns have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on Monday Night Football.

FINAL TAKE: Cincinnati has played 8 straight Unders against AFC opponents. The Under is 7-1-1 in their last 9 games between these teams — and the Under is 6-2-1 in their last 9 games played in Cleveland. 25* AFC North Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals (277) and the Cleveland Browns (278). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Boston Bruins (75) and the Columbus Blue Jackets (76). THE SITUATION: Boston (7-1-0) has won four games in a row after their 5-1 win against Detroit last night. Columbus (3-5-0) has lost two of their last three games after a 6-3 loss to Arizona on Tuesday.

REASONS TO OVER THE TOTAL: The Bruins have scored at least five goals in five of their eight games this season despite not having Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy who started the season with injuries. The Over is 4-1-1 in their last 6 games after a victory — and they have played 14 of their last 19 games Over the Total after a win by three or more goals. Additionally, Boston has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after scoring at least five goals in their last contest. The Over is also 5-1-1 in their last 7 games after allowing two goals or less in their last game — and the Over is 5-0-1 in their last 6 games played without a day of rest. They stay on the road where they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total. And in their last 12 games against Eastern Conference foes, the Over is 9-1-2. Columbus scored at least three goals in five straight games while averaging 4.0 Goals-Per-Game in those contests — and now they have Patrik Laine back after he was out with an injury. The Blue Jackets signed Johnny Gaudreau as a free agent in the offseason — he is averaging a point per game. But the defense remains a problem as they have allowed at least three goals in seven of their eight games. They allowed 35.25 shots per game last year, the second most in the league. They also gave up 3.62 Goals-Per-Game last season — and it has been worse this year with them giving up 4.1 Goals-Per-Game. Goalie Elvis Merzlikins has a 4.06 Goals-Against-Average and an .863 save percentage in five games after posting a 3.22 GAA and a .907 save percentage last season. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a loss by three or more goals in their last game — and they have played 15 of their last 18 games at home Over the Total after playing a game where both teams scored at least three goals. The Over is 39-13-4 in their last 56 games at home.

FINAL TAKE: The Over is 15-7-1 in the Blue Jackets’ last 23 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* NFL Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Boston Bruins (75) and the Columbus Blue Jackets (76). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (545) and the Milwaukee Bucks (546). THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (1-2) enters this game coming off a 134-124 loss at Memphis as a pick ‘em on Monday. Milwaukee (2-0) is unbeaten so far this season after a 125-105 win against Houston as a 13-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Nets nailed 54% of their shots on Monday against the Grizzlies which was the best shooting effort this season. But they allowed Memphis to make 50% of their shots which was the worst defensive performance of the new campaign. Brooklyn has been a disaster on defense this season allowing their first three opponents to score 123.0 Points-Per-Game on 49.3% shooting — but I think much of this is explained by the level of intensity Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving bring to that end of the floor. These two played harder on defense in the playoffs against Boston last spring — and I expect a similar effort tonight in this nationally-televised game. As it is, the Nets have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Furthermore,         Brooklyn has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after allowing at least 125 points in their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after allowing 130 or more points in their last contest. And while they have allowed their three opponents to make 48.8% of their shots, they have then played 42 of their last 64 games Under the Total after allowing three straight opponents to shoot 47% or better from the field including ten of those last fifteen circumstances. What is perhaps more troubling for the Nets is their lack of efficiency on the offensive end of the court with their starting five. In the 73 possessions that Durant, Irving, Ben Simmons, Royce O’Neal, and Nic Clayton have been on the court together, they are scoring only 97.3 points per 100 possessions. As the Celtics exposed in the playoffs last year, this offense can be slow, stagnant, and predictable when Durant and Irving are playing “your turn, my turn” with the basketball. Adding Simmons and Claxton into the mix adds two players who do not present any scoring threat — making that starting five even easier to defend. Brooklyn has played 39 of their last 62 games Under the Total with the number set at 220 or higher. The Under is also 9-2-1 in their last 12 games against teams with a winning record. Milwaukee shot a season-high 56.5% from the field in their win against the Rockets. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a double-digit win. The Bucks have also played 4 straight Unders when playing with three or more days of rest. They stay at home where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on their home court. Milwaukee is playing without two of their best shooters with Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton out with injuries. Their absences have allowed for Wes Matthews and Jelon Carter to play more minutes, who are more effective on the defensive end. The Bucks lead the NBA by allowing their opponents to score 97.9 points per 100 possessions. But the offense ranks 25th in Adjusted Net Efficiency despite playing two bottom-ten defenses in terms of efficiency. Head coach Mike Budenholzer has his team playing at a slower pace as they rank 26th in tempo this season after ranking 4th in that metric last year. Brooklyn ranks 24th in the league in pace.

FINAL TAKE: Simmons defended Giannis Antetokounmpo in an interesting matchup — he held the Greek Freak to just 6 of 21 shooting in the preseason (for what that is worth). The Under is 10-2-1 in their last 13 meetings against each other — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games in Milwaukee Under the Total. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (545) and the Milwaukee Bucks (546). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (475) and the New England Patriots (476). THE SITUATION: Chicago (2-4) has lost three in a row after their 12-7 loss to Washington as a 1-point underdog two Thursdays ago on October 13th. New England (3-3) is on a two-game winning streak after their 38-15 upset win at Cleveland as a 2.5-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: While many observers pre-judged Bill Belichick’s decision to have Matt Patricia, those of us who were willing to just wait and evaluate the evidence as it develops (and Week One does not offer enough “evidence”) are now not handcuffed by the need to confirm prior assumptions. And guess what? The Patriots’ offense is starting to purr under Patricia’s guidance — even with rookie Bailey Zappe at quarterback. After only scoring 24 combined points in their first two games, New England has scored at least 24 points in four straight games while averaging 28.8 Points-Per-Game during that stretch. They are getting it done by running the football behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL — they are generating 146.5 rushing Yards-Per-Game in their last four games. In their two home games, they are averaging 160 rushing YPG on 5.1 Yards-Per-Carry. That level of productivity affords the Patriots the luxury of not having either of their young quarterbacks have to do too much in the passing game — but the team has passed for over 300 yards in two of their last four games. Belichick has yet to name a starter for tonight — but it was Mac Jones working with the first team on Saturday, so that is who I expect gets the nod. Frankly, it does not matter as both are capable in this offense. Zappe completed 24 of 34 passes for 309 yards with two touchdown passes and no interceptions. While Buffalo and Kansas City get most of the attention with their dynamic passing attacks, it is teams like Philadelphia, Dallas, Seattle, and the New York Giants who rank in the Football Outsiders' top ten in offensive DVOA with run-first philosophies on offense. New England generated 6.3 Yards-Per-Carry against the Browns after averaging 6.5 YPP the previous week against Detroit. The Patriots have played 19 of their last 26 home games Over the Total after averaging at least 6.0 YPP in two straight games. The Patriots have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a win by 14 or more points — and they have played 38 of their last 57 games Over the Total at home after a double-digit win. Additionally, they have played 4 straight Overs after passing for 250 or more yards in their last contest. The Patriots return home where they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total. They have also played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total in October. Chicago generated 392 yards in offense but were 0-for-3 in the Red Zone in their 5-point loss to the Commanders last week. But I am seeing improvement in second-year quarterback Justin Fields who is getting more aggressive with his legs to compensate for the lack of play-makers at wide receiver. Fields ran the ball 12 times for 88 yards against Washington while passing for 190 yards. It is too easy to criticize the Bears management for not getting Fields more weapons — these observers fail to appreciate that first-year general manager Ryan Poles inherited a salary-cap disaster courtesy of previous general manager Ryan Pace which will take two years to address. Fields is getting better after not being coached well last season under “offensive” head coach Matt Nagy. The Bears do have a solid running game with David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert. They ran for 238 yards against a very good Washington defensive line last week. In fact, Chicago has rushed for 149 or more yards in four of their last five games — and that level of productivity will help put Fields in a better position to succeed in the passing game. Teams can run on the Patriots' defense —  they rank 27th in the league in Rushing DVOA Defense according to the Football Outsiders analytics (for what that is worth). New England is allowing their opponents to average 4.7 Yards-Per-Carry — and they have given up at least 100 rushing yards in three of their last four games. The Bears have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last game. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after not scoring more than 14 points in their last contest — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after losing four of their last five games. Chicago will likely find themselves trailing in this game — so they will probably pass the ball more in the second half against this Patriots team that gave up 258 passing yards last week. New England has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after allowing 250 or more passing yards in their last contest. Chicago held Washington to only 86 passing yards last week — but they have played 4 straight Overs after allowing no more than 150 passing yards in their last contest. On the road, the Bears are allowing 25.3 PPG and 392.0 YPG.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 meetings against each other Over the Total. While regulars know that I am quite willing to play Unders even when the number is at 40 or less, I find the number too low for this game given the Patriots’ offense and the likely game script that will follow. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (475) and the New England Patriots (476). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (473) and the Miami Dolphins (474). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (2-4) snapped their four-game losing streak with their 20-18 upset victory against Tampa Bay as a 10-point underdog last Sunday. Miami (3-3) has lost three in a row after their 24-16 loss at home to Minnesota as a 3-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Steelers had not scored more than 20 points in any of their games during their four-game losing streak — they were scoring just 13.5 Points-Per-Game during that losing streak. And they only gained 270 yards against the Buccaneers last week — so it is not as if they discovered the keys to the offensive engine with rookie Kenny Pickett under center. But after an embarrassing 38-3 loss to Buffalo the previous week, head coach Mike Tomlin demanded a better effort from his defense — and they responded by holding Tom Brady and company to just 304 total yards. Despite being without T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh ranks a solid 15th in Defensive DVOA according to the metrics at Football Outsiders. But the offense remains a work in progress behind a          subpar offensive line. They rank 24th in Offensive DVOA — and they cannot get their ground game going to help out Kenny Pickett or Mitchell Trubisky as they rank second-to-last in Rushing DVOA. In their three games on the road, they are scoring 14.3 Points-Per-Game. The Under is 14-5-1 in their last 20 games after a straight-up win. And while they had not covered the point spread in three straight games before their upset win last week, they have played 14 of their last 22 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in two of their last three games. Additionally, the Under is 45-19-1 in their last 65 games on the road — and the Under is 34-16-1 in their last 51 games in October. Miami gets Tua Tagovailoa back from concussion protocol for this game — but every Dolphins game now holds the risk that if he takes one big shot from a defender, then he will be removed from the game given the scrutiny the league is under regarding the implementation of their player safety policies. He is playing behind a shaky offensive line. Dynamic wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are both playing through injuries — and neither has scored a touchdown in four straight games. The Dolphins' defense did step up lack week by holding the Vikings to just 234 total yards. They gained 458 yards in the game but were held back by a -3 net turnover margin. Miami has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. And while the Dolphins have failed to cover the point spread in three straight games, they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in two straight games. They stay at home where they have played 7 of their last 9 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 42.5 to 49-point range. They have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. Additionally, Miami has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total against AFC foes.

FINAL TAKE: Steelers’ senior assistant coach and linebackers coach Brian Flores may be Tomlin’s secret weapon in this game since he was Tagovailoa’s head coach in Miami in his first two seasons. The inside reports suggest Flores was not a fan of Tua. The Pittsburgh defensive approach will be interesting to watch. 25* AFC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (473) and the Miami Dolphins (474). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Mississippi Rebels (383) and the LSU Tigers (384). THE SITUATION: Mississippi (7-0) remained unbeaten this season with their 48-33 victory against Auburn as a 14.5-point favorite last Saturday. LSU (5-2) has won five of their last six games after their 45-35 upset win at Florida as a 1.5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Rebels have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring 40 or more points in their last game. Ole Miss racked up 448 rushing yards in the victory — but they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 200 yards in their last contest. The Rebels run the ball 65.5% of the time behind two dynamic rushers in Zach Evans and Quinshon Judkins. Their talent makes up for a mediocre offensive line that will face their stiffest test of the season against the talent that LSU has on their defensive line. Quarterback Jaxson Dart’s season stats are propped up from two big games against Georgia Tech and Central Arkansas — but he completed only 9 of 19 passes for 130 yards against the Tigers last week. The Ole Miss defense plays aggressively with pressure on the quarterback and a good pass defense. They hold their opponents to just 6.6 Yards-Per-Attempt in the passing game. The Rebels front seven holds opposing rushers to 3.9 Yards-Per-Carry — and they rank 19th in sack rate. Head coach Lane Kiffin’s group of is one of three teams in the nation that have not allowed more than 25 plays of 20 or more yards this season. Mississippi goes back on the road where they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total — and the Under is 41-17-1 in their last 59 games on the road against teams with a winning record at home. LSU has played 5 straight Unders after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last contest. The Tigers’ defense is limiting points when their opponents get into the Red Zone — they allow just 3.2 points per Red Zone trip by their opponent, ranking 19th in the nation. They return home to Baton Rouge where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: LSU has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Ole Miss has played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total against SEC rivals. 25* CFB SEC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Mississippi Rebels (383) and the LSU Tigers (384). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:37 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the San Diego Padres (971) and the Philadelphia Phillies (972) listing both starting pitchers Joe Musgrove and Ranger Suarez. THE SITUATION: San Diego (95-76) evened this best-of-seven series with their 8-5 victory in Game Two of the National League Championship Series on Wednesday. Philadelphia (93-77) had won three-straight games before this loss.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Padres have won five of their last seven contests — and they have played 17 of their last 21 games Over the Total on the road after winning five or six of their last seven games. The Over is 5-1-1 in their last 7 games on the road — and the Over is 5-1-1 in their last 7 games with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. Manager Bob Melvin turns to Musgrove tonight who had a 14-5 record in the regular season along with a 2.93 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in  30 starts. The sabermetrics do call for some regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.45 and 3.47 from his regular season numbers. And despite two great starts in the postseason, his SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 3.27 and 3.63 moving forward. In his 19 2/3 career innings in the playoffs, he has a 3.66 ERA — and his SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 3.84 and 3.83 moving forward. Even including his seven shutout innings on the road against the Mets on October 9th in the NL Wildcard Series, he still has a 3.86 ERA in his last seven starts on the road. The Padres have played 14 of their last 19 games Over the Total with Musgrove on the mound priced in the +/- 125 range. He allowed six earned runs in six innings in his lone start against the Phillies this season. Philadelphia pounds right-handed pitching at home. Since June 1st — and since September 1st — the Phillies rank 1st and 2nd in MLB in weighted On-Base Percentage and weighted Runs Created at Citizens Bank Park against right-handed starting pitchers. They have played 5 straight home games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. Philadelphia has played 14 of their last 19 home games Over the Total after winning three of their last four games. They have played 5 straight home games Over the Total — and the Over is 18-7-1 in their last 26 home games against teams with a winning record. The Over is also 12-3-2 in their last 17 home games in the postseason. They counter with Suarez who had a 10-7 record with a 3.65 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP in 29 regular season starts. His SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 4.11 and 3.82 moving forward. He demonstrated nerves in his first playoff appearance on October 11th where he walked five batters in 3 1/3 innings before being pulled. He has not been as effective at home where he owns a 4.27 ERA, a 1.52 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .272 in 13 starts as opposed to his 3.20 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .231 on the road. The Phillies have played 8 of their last 12 home games Over the Total with Suarez as their starting pitcher. He faces a Padres team that thrives against left-handed pitching. San Diego ranks 6th and 8th in weighted On-Base Percentage and weighted Runs Created since the start of the season on the road against left-handed pitching — and they rank 5th in those metrics since September 1st.

FINAL TAKE: The Over is 12-3-1 in the Padres’ last 16 games against left-handed starting pitchers — and the Over is 7-0-1 in their last 8 road games against left-handed starting pitchers. San Diego has also played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. 25* MLB National League Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the San Diego Padres (971) and the Philadelphia Phillies (972) listing both starting pitchers Joe Musgrove and Ranger Suarez. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:07 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Atlanta Braves (901) and the Philadelphia Phillies (902) listing both starting pitchers Charlie Morton and Noah Syndergaard. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (102-63) looks to force a decisive fifth game in this best-of-five National League Divisional Series after their 9-1 loss on the road against the Phillies yesterday. Philadelphia (91-76) can advance to the NL Championship Series with a victory today.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Braves have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a loss by eight or more runs against an NL East rival. Atlanta has also played 21 of their last 32 games Over the Total after not scoring more than two runs in their last game including four of these last five circumstances. And while the Braves have not hit a home run in their last two games, they have then played 7 straight Overs after not hitting a home run in two straight games. Additionally, the Over is 19-5-2 in their last 26 games on the road — and the Over is 8-2-1 in their last 11 games on the road with the Total set in the 9-10.5 range. They have also played 19 of their last 29 road games Over the Total when listed in the +/- 125 price range. They give the ball to Morton who has a 9-6 record with a 4.34 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP in 31 starts. The right-hander has been most effective at home where he owns a 3.05 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .205 in 16 starts — but those numbers rise to a 5.72 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .261 in 15 starts on the road. Atlanta has played 7 of their last 8 road games Over the Total with Morton on the mound priced as a money-line favorite up to -150. The veteran has faded in the second half of the season with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP in his last six starts. The Braves have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total when Morton is tasked to end a team losing streak. He faces a Phillies lineup that ranks 1st and 2nd in MLB since both July 1st and September 1st in weighted on-base percentage and weighted Runs Created at home against right-handed pitchers. Philadelphia has played 4 straight Overs at home against right-handed starting pitchers. They have also played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total after an upset victory as a home underdog — and they have played 25 of their last 36 games Over the Total after a win by four or more runs. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after not allowing more than two runs in their last game. Additionally, the Phillies have played 5 of their last 6 games at home Over the Total with the Total set in the 9-10.5 range — and the Over is 11-3-2 in their last 16 home games in the playoffs. They counter with Syndergaard who has a 10-10 record with a 3.94 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in 25 games (23 starts). The sabermetrics call for regression with Syndergaard’s SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.39 and 4.29 moving forward. Thor has been clobbered in his two daytime starts this year with a 7.20 ERA, a 1.80 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .364. Atlanta has played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The Braves have played 11 of their last 17 games Over the Total when avenging a loss to their opponent where they did not score more than one run. These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 meetings Over the Total — and they have played 4 straight Overs when playing in Philadelphia. 25* MLB National League East Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Atlanta Braves (901) and the Philadelphia Phillies (902) listing both starting pitchers Charlie Morton and Noah Syndergaard. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Iowa State Cyclones (187) and the Texas Longhorns (188). THE SITUATION: Iowa State (3-3) has lost three games in a row after their 10-9 loss to Kansas State as a 1-point underdog last Saturday. Texas (4-2) comes off a 49-0 shellacking of Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry as a 7.5-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cyclones’ offense has stalled by averaging only 15 Points-Per-Game in their three-game losing streak — and they have scored only 20 combined points in their last two contests. They have become one-dimensional due to a struggling rushing attack as they have averaged just 56 rushing Yards-Per-Game in their losing streak while generating only 2.0 Yards-Per-Carry. Iowa State has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 20 points. They are scoring just 23.2 PPG — and now they go on the road where they are scoring 10.5 PPG and averaging only 318.0 total Yards-Per-Game. The Under is 19-8-1 in their last 28 games on the road. The Cyclones’ defense is keeping them competitive — head coach Matt Campbell’s team is holding their opponents to 13.7 PPG and 277.8 total YPG. They have held five or six opponents to no more than 14 points. Iowa State has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog — and the Under is 34-16-1 in their last 51 games against teams with a winning record. Texas has held five of their six opponents to 20 or points or less. They rank 9th in the nation in opponent Rushing Success Rate Allowed — so they should continue to force the Cyclones into being too reliant on their passing attack to move the ball. Head coach Steve Sarkisian’s team got Quinn Ewers back at quarterback last week against the Sooners — and he completed 21 of 31 passes for 289 yards with four touchdown passes while leading the Longhorns to 585 total yards. But Texas has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after passing for at least 280 yards. Additionally, they have played 35 of their last 51 games Under the Total after a point spread win. The Longhorns have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 4 straight Unders in October.

FINAL TAKE: After Texas’ 30-7 win in Ames against the Cyclones last season, these two teams have played 7 straight Unders. These two teams have also played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing in Austin. 25* CFB Big 12 Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Iowa State Cyclones (187) and the Texas Longhorns (188). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington Commanders (105) and the Chicago Bears (106). THE SITUATION: Washington (1-4) lost for the fourth straight time on Sunday in a 21-17 loss at home to Tennessee as a 1-point underdog. Chicago (2-3) has lost two in a row after a 29-22 loss at Minnesota as a 10-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: We are confronted with another low Total below 40 — but when it looks hard to just not take the Over, that is when we need to swallow hard and give the Under strong consideration. These are two of the worst offenses in the league playing on a short week. It would not be a surprise if at least one of these teams struggles to reach 14 points. The Total suggests this game is a race to 20 points — and both coaches will likely embrace the concept, making a lower-scoring game a self-fulfilling prophecy. Washington scores 18.0 Points-Per-Game — and they rank 30th in offense according to the DVOA metric at Football Outsiders. They have only scored 35 combined points in their last three games behind a mediocre offensive line that is now decimated by injuries. Three original starters, center Chase Roullier, right guard Wes Schweitzer, and right tackle Sam Cosmi, are all out for this game. The Commanders rank 28th in the NFL by averaging just 89 rushing Yards-Per-Game — and they rank 30th by giving up 20 sacks to Carson Wentz already this season. Wentz will be without two important targets in the passing game with both rookie wide receiver Jahan Dotson and tight end Logan Thomas declared out for this game. As it is, the Commanders have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 straight Unders after a point spread loss. And while Washington managed to gain 385 yards last week against the Titans, they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. The Commanders have played three straight Unders while not scoring more than 17 points in any of those three games. They have then played 6 straight Unders after not scoring more than 17 points in two straight games — and they have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after playing at least two straight Unders. They have played 12 of their last 14 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row — and they have played 8 straight Unders after losing three in a row. And while Washington has not covered the point spread in their last four games, they have then played 20 of their last 24 games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in four straight games. Chicago is scoring only 17.2 PPG this season while averaging just 274.0 total YPG which is second-to-last in the NFL — and they rank 29th in Offensive DVOA. They managed only 271 yards last week against the Vikings. The Bears have played 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a point-spread win. The Vikings generated 429 yards against them last week — but they have played 24 of their last 35 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. And while that game finished above the 43.5-point total, they have played 10 go their last 15 games Under the Total after playing their last game Over the Total. They return home where they have played 21 of their last 29 games Under the Total — and they have played 14 of their last 17 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. The Chicago defense has been tough at home as they have held their first two opponents to only 15.0 PPG and 330.0 total YPG.

FINAL TAKE: The Bears have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total in October — and the Commanders have played 15 of their last 18 games Under the Total. Expect plenty of punts and Red Zone failures — and both coaches will play conservatively. 25* NFC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Washington Commanders (105) and the Chicago Bears (106). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:37 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the San Diego Padres (933) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (934) listing both starting pitchers Yu Darvish and Clayton Kershaw. THE SITUATION: San Diego (91-75) lost the opening game of the NL Divisional Series in a 5-3 loss to the Dodgers. Los Angeles (112-51) looks to take a 2-0 lead in this best-of-five series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Despite the loss yesterday, the Padres are finally starting to score runs to meet the potential of their offense after trading for Juan Soto and Josh Bell at the trade deadline. San Diego ranks 6th in MLB in weighted on-base percentage on the road against left-handed pitchers — but they only rank 23rd in MLB in weighted Runs Created on the road against lefties for the season. But the Regression Gods may have already paid a visit to this team -- since September with them scoring more of these runners they are getting on base. Since September 1st, the Padres rank 5th on the road against left-handed pitching in weighted on-base percentage — and they also rank 5th on the road against left-handed starting pitching in weighted Runs Created during that span. The Over is 4-1-1 in their last 6 games on the road — and they have played 17 of their last 25 road games Over the Total with the Total set no higher than 7. Additionally, San Diego has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total in October — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total in the postseason. And while the Dodgers score 5.2 Runs-Per-Game, the Padres have played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total against teams who score 5.0 or more Runs-Per-Game. Darvish gets the start with his 16-8 record along with a 3.10 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP in 30 starts. He does his best pitching at home where he owns a 2.60 ERA, a 0.88 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .188 — but those numbers rise to a 3.50 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .222 in his 17 starts on the road. San Diego has played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total with Darvish on the mound with the Total set no higher than 7. Darvish also has a career 4.50 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP in eight playoff starts. He faces a Dodgers team that struggled with their bats since September with their huge lead over their National League competition. But Los Angeles still led MLB in both weighed on-base percentage and weighted Runs Created at home against right-handed pitchers in the regular season — and they ranked 3rd and 1st in those metrics since July 1st. The Over is 7-1-1 in the Dodgers’ last 9 games against teams with a winning record — and the Over is 4-0-1 in their last 5 home games in the playoffs. Los Angeles has also played 9 of their last 14 home games Over the Total with the number set at 7 or less. They counter with Kershaw who has a 12-3 record with a 2.28 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP in 22 starts. The veteran southpaw has not been quite as filthy at home this season where he has a 2.39 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP, and a .221 opponent’s batting average in 11 starts as opposed to his 2.17 ERA, a 0.90 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .191 on the road. Kershaw was effective in the 2020 postseason — but he remains a future Hall of Fame whose playoff performances have been the lone blemish on his resume. He has a career record of 12-12 in the postseason with a 4.59 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. The Dodgers have played 7 of their last 10 home games Over the Total with Kershaw pitching as a money-line favorite priced at -175 to -250.

FINAL TAKE: The Over is 3-0-1 in the last 4 meetings between these two teams in Dodgers Stadium. With the Total set just at 7, expect at least one of these pitchers to struggle against these potent lineups. 25* MLB National League West Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the San Diego Padres (933) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (934) listing both starting pitchers Yu Darvish and Clayton Kershaw. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Las Vegas Raiders (479) and the Kansas City Chiefs (480). THE SITUATION: Las Vegas (1-3) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 32-23 win against Denver as a 2.5-point favorite last Sunday. Kansas City (3-1) comes off a 41-31 upset win at Tampa Bay as a 2-point underdog last Sunday night.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Chiefs demonstrated that their offense will continue to roll even without Tyreek Hill by overwhelming an outstanding Buccaneers last week. Patrick Mahomes is doing a great job in distributing the football to open receivers — and head coach Andy Reid is willing to dial up the running game against defenses that playing the in-vogue two high safety shell schemes to take away big plays in the passing game. Kansas City ran for 189 yards against the stout Tampa Bay run defense while generating 417 total yards. The Chiefs have scored at least 27 points in three of their four games while scoring 41 or more points twice. They are second in the NFL by averaging 32.3 Points-Per-Game. Kansas City has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Chiefs have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. And while Tampa Bay ran the ball for only three yards last week, Kansas City has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after outrushing their previous opponent by 75 or more yards. The Buccaneers fell behind early and abandoned the running game completely (which played a big role in ruining our Under in that game). A similar game script will likely take place tonight. The Raiders will struggle to run the ball against the Chiefs' defense that leads the NFL by allowing only 66 rushing Yards-Per-Game. Admittedly, that number is lower because opponents abandon the ground game — but their opponents are averaging just 3.3 Yards-Per-Carry and they rank third in run defense DVOA at Football Outsiders. But teams can pass on the Chiefs' defense that replaced three starting defensive backs in the offseason including Tyrann Mathieu. Kansas City is giving up 264 passing YPG with opposing quarterbacks completing 70.4% of the passes against them. The Chiefs' pass defense ranks 20th in the league DVOA. The Bucs averaged a healthy 6.4 Yards-Per-Play against them last week while converting touchdowns on all three of their trips inside the Red Zone. Kansas City has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. The 23 points that Las Vegas gave up to the Broncos were the fewest points they have allowed this season. They have played two straight Overs — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after playing their last two games Over the Total. Additionally, the Raiders have played 9 of their last 14 games Over the Total after losing two of their last three games — and they have played 5 of their last 8 games Over the Total after losing three of four contests. Two of their games have seen at least 52 combined points — and they have played 10 of their last 16 games Over the Total with the Total set at 49.5 or higher. The Las Vegas defense is allowing 25.0 PPG and 357.0 total YPG. They did hold Denver to just 299 total yards — but the Broncos only had 45 offensive plays in the game. They allowed Denver to average 6.64 YPP a week after allowing Tennessee to average 6.69 YPP the previous week. The Raiders have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after allowing their last opponent to average at least 6.5 YPP — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after allowing two straight opponents to generate at least 6.0 YPP. Furthermore, the Over is 8-3-1 in Las Vegas’ last 12 games in October. The Raiders have also played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total against AFC West rivals.

FINAL TAKE: Kansas City has averaged 36 PPG in their last nine games against the Raiders with Mahomes under center. These two teams have played their last four games Over the Total with the Chiefs scoring 48 and 41 points in both games last year. 25* AFC West Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Las Vegas Raiders (479) and the Kansas City Chiefs (480). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (301) and the Denver Broncos (302). THE SITUATION: Indianapolis (1-2-1) looks to rebound from their 24-17 upset loss to Tennessee as a 4.5-point favorite last Sunday. Denver (2-2) had their two-game winning streak snapped with a 32-23 loss at Las Vegas as a 2.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Don’t blame the Colts' defense for the upset loss to the Titans — they held their AFC South Rivals to just 243 total yards. It was a -3 net turnover margin that did Indianapolis in for that game — and they have played 4 straight Unders after playing a game where they had a -2 or worse net turnover margin. Indianapolis is holding their opponents to just 297.0 total Yards-Per-Game. They have not allowed more than 24 points in any of their four games — and they are allowing just 21.3 Points-Per-Game. But the struggling Colts offense has not scored more than 20 points in any of their games this year — they are scoring 14.3 PPG and generating just 339.8 total YPG. Things will not get any easier for the Indy offense on a short week with running back Jonathan Taylor declared out for this game with an ankle injury. The Colts have played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total after an upset loss to an AFC South rival as a home favorite. Additionally, they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Now after playing their last two games at home, they go back on the road where they have played 5 straight Unders — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after playing their last two games at home. Denver had only allowed 36 combined points in their first three games before a desperate Raiders team generated 385 yards and 32 points against them last week. But the Broncos have then played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after playing a game where they allowed at least 30 points — and the Under is a decisive 37-18-1 in their last 56 games after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. And while Las Vegas rushed for 212 yards in that game, they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing at least 150 rushing yards in their last game. They return home where they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total. The Denver defense is still allowing only 17.0 PPG along with 284.0 total YPG. But the offense has yet to gel with Russell Wilson under center as they have scored not more than 16 points in three of their four games — they are only generating 16.5 PPG and 335.8 total YPG. To compound matters moving forward, Denver lost their top running Javonte Williams to a torn ACL last week that will keep him out the season. The Broncos' offensive line is banged up with starting guard Quinn Meinerz out with a hamstring and starting right tackle Billy Turner questionable with a knee injury.

FINAL TAKE: Indianapolis has played 8 straight Unders against AFC opponents — and the Under is 35-17-1 in Denver’s last 52 games against fellow AFC opponents. While this is another low total, it would not be terribly surprising if at least one of these teams struggles to score 14 points. 25* NFL Thursday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (301) and the Denver Broncos (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (277) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (278). THE SITUATION: Kansas City (2-1) looks to rebound from their 20-17 loss at Indianapolis as a 4.5-point favorite last Sunday. Tampa Bay (2-1) comes off a 14-12 upset loss to Green Bay as a 2.5-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: After Arizona inexplicably opted to play a single-high safety while blitzing Patrick Mahomes in Week One, we have seen how the Chiefs’ offense will operate without Tyreke Hill when facing defenses that play two-safeties to take away the big plays of Patrick Mahomes with his set of weapons that now is without the speedster Hill. Why are defensive coordinators still opting to blitz quarterbacks like Mahomes who punish these tactics by getting the ball out to play-makers quickly against a now undermanned secondary? He completed 30 of 39 passes for 360 yards against the Cardinals. Things then changed when facing the Brandon Staley-coached Chargers that are willing to kill explosive quarterbacks like Mahomes by a thousand cuts by daring him to settle for shorter plays and longer drives. KC gained only 319 yards in their 27-24 victory which turned on a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown by the Chiefs’ defense. Against the Colts last week, Kansas City only gained 305 total yards while only being on the field for 26:28 minutes. In his last two games, Mahomes has completed only 44 of 71 passes for 483 yards. Now the Chiefs face Todd Bowles and the Buccaneers’ elite defense that held him to completing 26 of 43 passes for 243 yards in the Super Bowl two years ago when they only scored nine points in that 22-point loss. Kansas City has certainly improved their offensive line since then, but the elite secondary of Tampa Bay will still take away big plays against a Chiefs’ set of targets that is now without Hill. As it is, Kansas City has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after getting upset on the road as a favorite — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. The defense is playing quite well by holding their opponents to 21.7 Points-Per-Game along with 314.0 total Yards-Per-Game. They have held their last two opponents to 75 and 82 rushing yards — and they have then played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 99 rushing yards in two straight games. But the Chiefs have not rushed for more than 98 yards in two straight games — and they have played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total after not rushing for at least 100 yards in two straight games. Tampa Bay is getting healthy again at wide receiver with Chris Godwin, Julio Jones, and Russell Gage all expected to join Mike Evans on the field after he was suspended for last week’s game. But those injured players have not practiced this week so the passing game may not be in synch quite yet for Tom Brady. The Buccaneers have not scored more than 20 points this season — they are scoring just 17.0 PPG while averaging 297.3 total YPG. They have played 7 straight Unders after a loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after an upset loss. The Tampa Bay defense may be the best unit in the NFL. They held Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense to only 315 yards. They are giving up only 9.0 PPG along with 289.0 total YPG. But the issue for the Bucs is their beat-up offensive line. After the surprise retirement of All-Pro left guard Ali Marpet, the line is without Ryan Jensen, Aaron Stinnie, and Josh Wells — and Donovan Smith was limited in practice this week. They are using rookie Luke Goedeke at left tackle and the depth is razor thin. Tampa Bay cannot get their rushing game going as they have only gained 106 yards on the ground in the last two weeks after getting a mere 36 rushing yards last week. The Buccaneers have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not rushing for more than 90 yards in their last game. Tampa Bay is averaging only 3.4 Yards-Per-Carry — and Kansas City has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams not generating more than 3.5 YPC.

FINAL TAKE: The Buccaneers have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total in expected close games when they are listed in the +/- 3-point range. Don’t be surprised if both teams try to control the clock — that is the Tampa Bay formula to keep Mahomes off the field and the Buccaneers will dare the Chiefs to run against their elite run defense. Long drives are a great recipe to cash under tickets. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs (277) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (278). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Baltimore Orioles (921) and the Boston Red Sox (922) listing both starting pitchers Dean Kremer and Rich Hill. THE SITUATION: Baltimore (80-74) has lost three of their last four games after their 13-9 loss on the road against the Red Sox in the second game of this series. Boston (73-81) snapped their six-game losing streak with last night’s win.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Orioles have allowed at least six runs in four straight games — and they have scored at least six runs in four of their last five contests. The first two games of this series have both seen 22 combined runs after Baltimore won Game One by a 14-8 score. The Orioles have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a loss. Additionally, they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last contest. Furthermore, Baltimore has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after allowing at least seven runs in their last two games — and they have played 12 of their last 18 games Over the Total after allowing at least eight runs in two straight games. And in their last 7 games after playing two straight games where at least 15 combined runs were scored, they have then played 6 of those games Over the Total. They have played 20 of their last 31 road games Over the Total against division opponents — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. Kremer gets the ball tonight with an 8-5 record with a 3.07 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in 20 games (19 starts). The deeper sabermetrics call for regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.42 and 4.28 moving forward. And while the right-hander has a 2.67 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .237  when pitching at home, those numbers rise to a 3.47 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .282 in 10 starts on the road. Baltimore has played 3 of their last 4 road games Over the Total with Kremer pitching with the Total set in the 9-9.5 range. Boston has played 5 straight Overs against right-handed starting pitchers. The Red Sox have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game — and they have played 21 of their last 31 games at home Over the Total after a game where at least 15 combined runs were scored. They have played 4 straight games at home Over the Total — and they have played 25 of their last 36 home games Over the Total in September. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. They counter with Hill who has a 7-7 record with a 4.65 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in 24 starts. The veteran lefty seems to be wearing down as the season closes since he has allowed four or five runs in four of his last five starts. In his last five starts, he has a 5.96 ERA, a 1.72 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .305. He has been less effective at home where he has been saddled with a 5.87 ERA, a 1.52 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .293 in 10 starts as opposed to his 3.80 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP, and a .240 opponent’s batting average in his 14 starts on the road. Boston has played 11 of their last 17 games at home Over the Total with Hill priced as a -110 or higher favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Manager Brandon Hyde is going with a right-handed dominant starting lineup tonight against Hill — and Baltimore is scoring 7.4 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .306 batting average, a .354 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .900. 25* MLB American League East Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Baltimore Orioles (921) and the Boston Red Sox (922) listing both starting pitchers Dean Kremer and Rich Hill. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (487) and the Denver Broncos (488). THE SITUATION: San Francisco (1-1) comes off a 27-7 win against Seattle as an 8.5-point favorite last Sunday. Denver (1-1) got their first win of the season with their 16-9 victory at home against Houston as a 10.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The 49ers held the Seahawks to just 216 yards in their victory last week. The Niners once again have one of the best defenses in the NFL. After ranking third in the league by allowing only 310.0 total Yards-Per-Game last season, they are giving up just 210.0 total YPG this year along with only 13.0 Points-Per-Game.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston College Eagles (345) and the Florida State Seminoles (346). THE SITUATION: Boston College (1-2) snapped a two-game losing streak last Saturday with a 38-17 victory against Maine as a 31.5-point favorite. Florida State (3-0) remained unbeaten this season with a 35-31 victory against Louisville as a 2.5-point favorite last Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Eagles got their first win of the season against an overmatched northeast FCS program — but this is a team that is going to struggle to move the football behind a retooled offensive line that replaced all five starters from last season. Boston College is scoring only 23.0 Points-Per-Game and generating 299.3 total Yards-Per-Game — and they are averaging just 4.7 Yards-Per-Play. The Eagles to struggling to run the football as they are averaging just 1.7 Yards-Per-Carry and they rank 125th in Rushing Success Rate. Against their two FBS opponents, Rutgers and Virginia Tech, BC has rushed for just 33 yards on 54 combined carries (which does include sacks). Head coach Jeff Hafley is relying on senior quarterback Phil Jurkovec — but he only completed 55% of his passes and averaged 6 yards per pass attempt against the Scarlet Knights and Hokies. He did complete 25 of 37 passes for 320 yards against Maine last week — but the Eagles have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. Boston College has also played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and the Under is 39-18-2 in their last 59 games after not allowing more than 20 points. The Eagles' defense has been solid — they are allowing just 22.0 PPG and 328.0 total YPG. They have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total in September — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total against ACC opponents. The Under is also 50-22-2 in their last 74 games on the road. Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis rolled his ankle last week in the game against the Cardinals and had to leave the game. After being questionable all week, the reports this afternoon is that Travis will take the field tonight — but his effectiveness will remain a question particularly because he does rely on his legs to get yardage. The Seminoles gained 455 total yards last week — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. And while they gave up 495 yards to Malik Cunningham and the Cardinals’ offense, they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing at least 450 or more yards in their last contest. Florida State is improved on defense with eight starters back from last year from a group that did not allow more than 30 points in their final eight games last year. They have held their three opponents to 20.3 PPG and 335.7 YPG. The Seminoles rank 22nd in the nation by running the football in 61% of their plays on offense — and they will likely eclipse that mark given Travis’ gimpy ankle. Florida State has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in September.

FINAL TAKE: The Seminoles pulled off a 26-23 upset on the road against the Eagles as a 3-point favorite on November 20th with the Total set at 55.5 — these two teams have played 5 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total. 25* College Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Boston College Eagles (345) and the Florida State Seminoles (346). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (301) and the Cleveland Browns (302). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (1-1) looks to rebound from a 17-14 loss to New England as a 3-point underdog on Sunday. Cleveland (1-1) looks to bounce back from a 31-30 upset loss at home to the New York Jets as a 6.5-point favorite last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The low total in this game is daring bettors to take the Over — but let’s not take the sugar. The Steelers managed only 243 total yards last week in the narrow loss to the Patriots — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after not gaining at least 250 yards in their last game. They have also played 4 straight Unders after not scoring more than 14 points in their last game. The Pittsburgh offense is held back by an offensive line that is still a work in progress — and they are not getting challenging defenses with their vertical passing game under quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. The Steelers are scoring only 18.5 Points-Per-Game — and seven of those points came from a pick-six in their opening week upset win at Cincinnati. Pittsburgh has only managed two offensive touchdowns from the 255.0 total Yards-Per-Game they are averaging. Pittsburgh has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total on the road after a narrow loss by three points or less. Furthermore, they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Now they go back on the road where the Under is a decisive 44-18-1 in their last 63 games. Additionally, the Steelers have played 6 straight Unders in the first month of the season — and they have played 4 straight Unders against fellow AFC North opponents. Cleveland has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a loss — and they have played 26 of their last 34 games at home Under the Total after losing their last game. And while their first two games of the season have finished Over the Total, they have then played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after playing two straight Unders. The Browns are allowing 27.5 PPG despite holding both opponents to 331.5 total YPG. Cleveland still has an outstanding defense that ranked 5th in the NFL by holding their opponents to 311.5 total YPG. JaDeveon Clowney will miss this game due to injury but Myles Garrett is expected to play after missing practice on Thursday. Cleveland has held their first two opponents to 54 and 93 rushing yards — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 99 rushing yards in two straight games. And while the Browns generated 405 yards against the Jets last week, they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. Cleveland returns home where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total for Thursday Night Football.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 9 encounters Under the Total when playing in Cleveland. It may be scary to play the Under with the number so low — but that is the point. Both teams will likely struggle to score touchdowns in the Red Zone. 25* AFC North Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (301) and the Cleveland Browns (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Minnesota Vikings (291) and the Philadelphia Eagles (292). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (1-0) comes off a 23-7 victory at home against Green Bay as a 2.5-point favorite last Sunday. Philadelphia (1-0) defeated the Lions in Detroit last Sunday by a 38-35 score as a 6-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Kirk Cousins completed 23 of 32 passes for 277 yards with two touchdown passes and no interceptions in the victory against the Packers last week. He seems to be more comfortable under new head coach Kevin O’Connell who was his quarterback coach in Washington in 2017.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (287) and the Green Bay Packers (288). THE SITUATION: Chicago (1-0) won their opener with a 19-10 upset win against San Francisco as a 6.5-point favorite last Sunday. Green Bay looks to rebound from their 23-7 loss at Minnesota as a 2.5-point underdog last week.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Packers should be more effective on offense this week after Aaron Rodgers was ineffective in his first game playing without his security blanket Davante Adams. But Rodgers is clearly not comfortable with the two rookies the team drafted, Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, and he does not have the same confidence in veterans like Sammie Watkins or Randall Cobb as he did with Adams. Unlike Patrick Mahomes who had his group of wide receivers spend time with him in Fort Worth, Texas to bond and develop some passing chemistry with him, Rodgers did whatever he does in the offseason that is away from football. His tough-love approach to freeze out Watson after he dropped a likely touchdown pass from a bomb from Rodgers in his first target in the game was not the best way to nurture his confidence. The passing game is going to be a work in progress for the Packers for a while. Green Bay’s formula for success will be to run the football behind Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon — and for Rodgers to continue their touches in the passing game. Expect longer possessions from them tonight as they burn the clock. But the Packers need to play better on defense after they allowed the Vikings to generate 6.5 Yards-Per-Play and 395 total yards against them. The Green Bay defense should be a strength after they drafted two of the hot shots from the Georgia defense in the first round of the NFL draft, defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt and linebacker Quan Walker, to help a group that ranked ninth in the league by allowing 328.2 Yards-Per-Game. The Packers have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a loss by 14 or more points. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 14 points in their last game. Kirk Cousins passed for 269 yards against them — just under 50 passing YPG above their season average last year. But Green Bay has played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last game. Chicago only gained 204 yards last week in their upset win against the 49ers. That mark along with their 3.8 Yards-Per-Play average was the lowest offensive numbers in the league last week. The Bears have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after an upset win as an underdog. They have also played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The second-year quarterback completed 8 of 17 passes for 121 yards dealing with the rainstorm conditions in the south of Chicago during that game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not passing for more than 150 yards in their last contest. He lacks reliable weapons in the passing game outside of wide receiver Darnell Mooney. But expect more solid defensive efforts from this team moving forward under a defensive head coach in Matt Eberflus who inherited a defense that ranked sixth in the NFL by allowing 316.7 total Yards-Per-Game. The Bears have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total in the first month of the season. Chicago has played 37 of their last 58 road games Under the Total as an underdog getting 7.5 to 14 points — and Green Bay has played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams last played on December 12th when Green Bay won by a 45-30 score at Lambeau Field in a game that Fields was under center for the Bears. Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry can use that game tape to slow down Fields this time around. The Packers did respond to their 38-3 loss to New Orleans in the opener last year by returning home to Lambeau where they crushed Detroit by a 35-17 score — but he had Adams in that game who caught eight of his nine targets for 121 receiving yards. Rodgers is going to continue to eye-roll at his wide receivers failing him tonight because he wants the world to know that it is not his fault (it never is) — so expect more offensive drives that settle for field goals rather than five touchdowns. 25* NFC North Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (287) and the Green Bay Packers (288). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Chargers (103) and the Kansas City Chiefs (104). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (1-0) began the regular season with a 24-19 victory against Las Vegas as a 4.5-point favorite on Sunday. Kansas City (1-0) opened the season with a 44-21 win at Arizona as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Chargers flexed their muscles on defense by holding the Raiders to just 320 yards of total offense. Linebacker Khalil Mack looked rejuvenated in a Chargers uniform after being signed in the offseason from Chicago. He joined linebacker Joey Bosa to combine for 16 hits on Las Vegas quarterback Derek Carr. I am expecting a significant bump in the play of this Los Angeles defense in the second season under head coach Brandon Staley. The team hopes to have free agent cornerback J.C. Jackson take the field tonight after he missed Sunday’s game with an ankle injury. The former New England star is one of the best cover corners in the league. The Chargers have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a win by six points or less. They have also played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total in September. The LA offense was not dynamic last week against the Raiders as they only gained 355 total yards — down more than 35 yards from their season average last year. They did control time of possession for 32:32 minutes in that game which will probably be their formula tonight. Wide receiver Keenan Allen has been declared out with a hamstring injury which will make Mike Williams the primary option and elevate Joshua Palmer into the starting lineup. Losing Allen is significant since Williams had seven drops last year and Palmer lacks down-the-field speed. Allen is the glue to this group. With the addition of Sony Michel who was cut by Miami, look for the Chargers to run the ball more with a rotation of Austin Ekeler, Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller, and Michel. I definitely expect Staley to have his defense play a two-high safety zone that frustrated Patrick Mahomes last season. Inexplicably the Cardinals opted to play a single high safety and bring the blitz early and often against Mahomes last week. I like Arizona defensive coordinator Vance Joseph — but I would sure like to hear his rationale for bypassing the two high safeties and opting to blitz on 53% of the Chiefs’ dropbacks. Mahomes punishes the blitz. Opposing defenses found success against him by playing that two-high safety zone defense that takes away the deep ball. Now I do believe Mahomes put himself in a much better position than say, Aaron Rodgers, to be patient and take what the defense will give him this season in the first year without Tyreek Hill. The Chiefs generated 33 first downs and controlled the clock for 34:42 minutes in their easy win against the Cardinals. Mahomes had a fantastic statistical afternoon — going 30 of 39 for 360 yards with five touchdown passes — but the drives were not as quick-strike without Hill. And, hey, what do ya know? The defense benefited from the long drives as they held Kyler Murray and the Arizona offense to just 282 total yards. Kansas City has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit win on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after gaining at least 24 first downs while having the offense on the field for at least 34 minutes in their last previous game. The Chiefs ranked 8th in the NFL last year by allowing 21.4 Points-Per-Game — and they performed much better when they acquired Melvin Ingram midseason which allowed them to move Chris Jones back to defensive tackle. While Ingram is now gone, they drafted Purdue’s disruptive defensive tackle George Karlaftis in the first round to replace him and keep Jones at his preferred inside position. Additionally, Kansas City kicker (and fantasy gem) Harrison Butker is out for this game — they activated Matt Ammendola from the practice squad to kick field goals and extra points (which does not hurt our case for the Under).

FINAL TAKE: Both games between these two teams had at least 54 combined points scored — so I understand the arguments for the Over. But Staley is leaning-in to light boxes to defend against the pass which begs opposing offenses to run the ball. The Chargers allowed opponents to average 5.5 Yards-Per-Carry against their light boxes last year. I expect Kansas City to have success on offense — but with long drives and less explosiveness. It does not take much in the game script to get off the pace to finish Over 54 points. And then when you add the short week for both teams and my expectation that Staley calms down on his zeal to go for it on every fourth down, look for a lower-scoring game than expected. 25* AFC West Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Chargers (103) and the Kansas City Chiefs (104). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Charlotte 49ers (301) and the Florida Atlantic Owls (302). THE SITUATION: Charlotte (0-0) returns 14 starters from last year’s team that finished 5-7. FAU (0-0) has 14 starters back as well from their team that finished 5-7 last year.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The 49ers need to improve a defensive unit that allowed 34.0 PPG and that ranked 120th in the FBS by giving up 465.0 total YPG — but head coach Will Nealy has reasons for optimism in his fourth year with the program. He brought a wily veteran with plenty of experience in the NFL and the FBS level in Greg Brown to coordinate his defense this season. Brown served as the defensive coordinator for Arizona in 2018 -- and he has over a decade of experience as a defensive coach in the NFL. He has experienced players that he should be able to coach up as eight seniors who played at least 250 snaps last year returned. Injuries did not help Charlotte’s cause last year with the team losing 46 total games to injuries from their starters. Getting Davondre “Tank” Robinson back at strong safety after the former East Carolina transfer suffered a season-ending biceps injury in Week One will help. Healy also brought in a four-year player in defensive end Amir Siddiq from Central Michigan to add a pass rush threat to a line that has two starts returning. He joins defensive end Markees Watts to give the team an intriguing pass rush combination who combined for ten sacks last year. The 49errs offense returns Chris Reynolds at quarterback for his sixth year with the program and his fifth as a starter. At this point, we know what we are going to get with the fifth-year starter (with the COVID season where no player lost eligibility). He completed 215 of 337 yards for 2648 yards — but the offense only scored 27.2 PPG which ranked 79th in the nation. Charlotte has palled 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in the first half of the season. They have also played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 56.5 to 63-point range. And in their last 7 games, as an underdog getting 3.5 to 10 points, they have played 5 of those games Under the Total. FAU returns eight starters from their offense that only scored 25.4 PPG last year, ranking 84th in the FBS. Former Miami (FL) quarterback N’Kosi Perry returns under center after he completed only 60.7% of his passes for 2771 yards. Perry has demonstrated flashes of brilliance in his career — but his inconsistency is why he lost the starting job with the Hurricanes and eventually transferred to a Group of Five program. He plays behind an offensive line that allowed 35 sacks last year. The Owls' defense gave up 409.2 total YPG last year (90th in the FBS) but they only gave up 25.8 PPG which was tied for 58th in the nation. Third-year head coach Willie Taggart retooled his defense by bringing in Todd Orlando as the new defensive coordinator after previous stints with USC, Texas, and the University of Houston. The veteran has six returning starters plus a slew of transfers led by sophomore linebacker Jamie Pettway from Missouri. FAU held their first eight opponents to only 21.5 PPG last year — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the first half of the season. The Owls have also played 18 of their last 26 games at home Under the Total with the Total in the 56.5-63 point range — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 10 points.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 6 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total. FAU dominated Charlotte last year by a 38-9 score as a 6.5-point favorite on the road with that Total set at 58. Healy has probably reminded himself every day in the offseason that his team has a 6-3 record in the last two seasons if they do not allow more than 35 points — but they are 1-8 in their last nine games when their opponent scores more than 35 points. The 49ers need to control the clock to help Reynolds stay within striking distance. 25* CFB Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Charlotte 49ers (301) and the Florida Atlantic Owls (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (115) and the Las Vegas Raiders (116). THE SITUATION: New England (1-1) comes off a 20-10 victory against Carolina as a 6-point favorite in their second preseason game last Friday. Las Vegas (3-0) remained unbeaten in their three preseason games after a 15-13 upset victory at Miami as a 1.5-point underdog last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Patriots come off a game where they scored a defensive touchdown by recovering a fumble in the fourth quarter — and they allowed the Panthers to score on a 50-yard interception touchdown in the third quarter. We lost our Under play on Monday after the Jets scored a defensive touchdown early in the fourth quarter — but I do not expect this minor rash of defensive touchdowns to continue. The bigger takeaway from New England’s second preseason game is that their defense did not allow an offensive touchdown while holding the Panthers to just 192 total yards. The Patriots have an outstanding defense that finished 2nd in the NFL by allowing only 17.8 Points-Per-Game — and this is a unit with depth. They enjoyed a +3 net turnover margin in the contest — and they have played 8 of their last 12 preseason games Under the Total after playing a preseason game where they had a +2 net turnover margin and they have played 4 of their last 5 preseason games Under the Total after generating a +3 or better net turnover margin in their last game. Now after playing their first two preseason games at home in Gillette Stadium, they go on the road for their lone road trip this month — and they have played 5 of their last 7 preseason games Under the Total after a two-game home stand in the preseason. The Patriots took part in joint practices at the Raiders facilities here in Las Vegas (technically in Henderson, very close to the Hollywood Sports home offices, BTW). Head coach Bill Belichick has been ripped for not hiring an experienced offensive coordinator — instead, he is using longtime staff members and former (failed) head coaches, Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, to work with the offense while auditioning for the play-calling duties. This development is making it difficult for their regular season opponents to scout against them since there is not a book on Patricia or Judge when calling offensive plays. Do not expect Belichick to offer any clues in this preseason game — and any of the more sophisticated plays he wanted second-year quarterback Mac Jones to work on probably took place in the joint practices with the Raiders. Jones played only three series last week against Carolina — don’t look for him to take the field in this final preseason game. Expect rookie Bailey Zappe from Western Kentucky to get most — or all of the snaps — since there is no urgency for Belichick to get 14-year veteran Brian Hoyer some snaps. The Patriots will probably not use either of their top two running backs, Damien Harris or Rhamondre Stevenson after Harris left the final joint practice with the Raiders on Wednesday with a minor injury. Las Vegas only managed 289 total yards of offense despite being on the field for over 33 minutes in their preseason game against the Dolphins last week. Derek Carr has not taken the field in any of the first three preseason games for first-year head coach Josh McDaniels — and after two good joint practices against the Patriots’ first-string defense, it would be a big surprise if the starting quarterback would risk injury now. With the Raiders playing four preseason games this year with their involvement in the Hall of Fame Game, the traditional dress rehearsal game for McDaniels if he wanted to get Carr some live action would have been last week. Las Vegas then traded away their veteran quarterback Nick Mullens to Minnesota earlier in the week — so it will probably be just Jarrett Stidham and rookie Chase Garbers under center for this one. Stidham played for McDaniels the previous two seasons when he was the offensive coordinator in New England — so this game may be mostly under Garbers’ leadership, the rookie QB from California, to see what he can do. Look for plenty of running plays from the Raiders offense as well — they have run the ball in 97 of their 198 snaps in their three preseason games (yes, I track run/pass ratios for these exhibition games to help find an edge) for a 49% clip which should help our Under play since the clock should continue to run all night when they are on offense. Las Vegas has averaged just 303.3 total YPG in their three preseason games — but their defense has shined by holding their three opponents to 14.7 PPG and only 303.7 total YPG.

FINAL TAKE: Preseason coaching trends are of particular interest to me — but with all the new coaches, the wiped-out preseason in 2020 because of COVID, and the reduction of four preseason games to three starting last year, the sample sizes to discover actionable evidence has declined. But New England offers the deepest sample size of exhibition games to digest with Belichick in his 23rd year leading the team. The Patriots have played 16 of their last 24 road games in the preseason Under the Total when an underdog getting up to three points. 25* AFCx Preseason Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (115) and the Las Vegas Raiders (116). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:37 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami Marlins (971) and the Oakland A’s (972) listing both starting pitchers Jesus Luzardo and Cole Irvin. THE SITUATION: Miami (54-69) has won two games in a row after their 5-3 victory against the A’s in the second game of their series. Oakland (45-79) has lost four of their last six games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Before Tuesday night’s game, the Marlins had not scored more than four runs in 23 straight games — and they did not score more than three runs in 21 of those games. The Under is 21-8-2 in Miami’s last 31 games with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. The Marlins have also played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total on the road. They give the ball to Luzardo who has a 3-5 record with a 3.44 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP in 10 starts. The deeper sabermetrics are encouraging with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.32 and 3.15 moving forward. He comes off an impressive start in Los Angeles against the Dodgers on Friday when he allowed only one run in 6 1/3 innings against the commanding MLB leader in runs scored. Miami has played 4 straight Unders this season when Luzardo is on the mound following up a start where he did not allow more than one earned run. In his last four starts this month since coming back from a forearm injury that kept him on the shelf since May, Luzardo has a 2.76 ERA with a 0.90 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .188. The left-hander has been more effective on the road where he enjoys a 2.53 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .128 in six starts as opposed to his 4.87 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and .253 opponent’s batting average in four starts at home. Luzardo also sports a 2.45 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .154 in four starts. He faces an A’s team that has played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total against left-handed starting pitchers — and the Under is 6-2-1 in their last 9 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. Oakland has played 31 of their last 46 games Under the Total after losing two of their last three games. At home, the A’s are scoring only 2.8 Runs-Per-Game while posting a .205 batting average, .268 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .585. The Under is 28-13-1 in their last 42 games at home. They counter with Irvin who has a 6-11 record this season with a 3.33 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP in 22 starts. The left-hander has been much more effective at home where he enjoys a 2.12 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .199 in 12 starts as compared to his 4.88 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .270 on the road. Oakland has played 13 of their last 20 home games Under the Total with Irvin pitching with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. He pitches against a listless Marlins lineup that is hitting just .188 in their last seven games with a .261 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .607 during that span.

FINAL TAKE: Since June 1st, Miami ranks 28th in MLB in weighted on-base percentage on the road against left-handed starting pitchers — and they rank 29th in MLB since June 1st in weighted Runs Created on the road against left-handed starting pitchers. Oakland ranks 29th in MLB in weighted on-base percentage when playing at home against left-handed starting pitchers since June 1st — and they rank 27th in weighted Runs Created at home against left-handed starting pitchers since June 1st. 25* MLB Getaway Game Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Miami Marlins (971) and the Oakland A’s (972) listing both starting pitchers Jesus Luzardo and Cole Irvin. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Falcons (431) and the New York Jets (432). THE SITUATION: Atlanta (1-0) opened their preseason campaign with a 27-23 upset win at Detroit as a 2.5-point underdog on August 12th. New York (1-0) also pulled off an upset in their first preseason game with a 24-21 win at Philadelphia as a 1-point underdog on August 12th.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Jets will be playing their third and fourth string quarterbacks in this game tonight. Zach Wilson injured his knee last week which will keep him out for at least the rest of the regular season. Veteran Joe Flacco has looked good in practice — but second-year head coach Robert Saleh will not risk him getting injured in an exhibition game since he may be needed to quarterback the team to start the season. That means that Mike White and Chris Streveler will get the snaps for the Jets tonight. White completed only 10 of his 20 passes last week for 98 yards White was solid in four games and three starts last year — but too often he was a Check-Down Charlie as he averaged just 4.1 yards in the air per completion. Streveler is a former Grey Cup champion for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers but he has played in only two games in the NFL in his career with Arizona. The Jets only gained 302 yards last week against the Eagles — but the defense played well by holding Philadelphia to just 313 total yards. After allowing the Eagles to score 31 points in the opening preseason game last season, Saleh’s teams in the preseason have held their last three opponents to 14 PPG. Atlanta head coach Arthur Smith will play Marcus Mariota in the first quarter tonight — but rookie Desmond Ridder will likely get the majority of the snaps tonight. The former Cincinnati Bearcat was up-and-down last week in completing just 10 of 22 passes for 103 yards. Second-year pro Feleipe Franks is likely to get some snaps under center in the fourth quarter. Mariota played last week — but the Falcons only gained 307 yards on 18 first downs.

FINAL TAKE: The Falcons scored only 30 points in their three preseason games last year — they are averaging 14.3 PPG in the four preseason games under Smith. The Jets have averaged 19.7 PPG in their last three games under Saleh. 25* NFLx Preseason Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Falcons (431) and the New York Jets (432). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (421) and the Minnesota Vikings (422). THE SITUATION: San Francisco (1-0) won their opening preseason game at home against Green Bay last Friday by a 28-21 score as a 2.5-point favorite. Minnesota (0-1) lost in Las Vegas to the Raiders as a 4.5-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: These two teams completed two days of joint practices on Wednesday and Thursday of this week — so the most sophisticated offensive plays they were willing to show each other took place then rather than in this game which the remaining 30 teams in the league can access. The respective offensive game plans are not just going to be vanilla — they are going to be generic brand vanilla. San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan already proclaimed earlier in the preseason that he would not use his starters for this second preseason game. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk claimed the joint practices were a “waste of time” because he was barely used. He may miss even that excitement for tonight’s game. Trey Lance is not likely to play — and Shanahan will not risk Jimmy Garoppolo getting injured since that would ruin his trade value. So, expect some Nate Sudfeld under center and plenty of rookie quarterback Brock Purdy. The seventh-round pick out of Iowa State completed 3 of 6 passes for 36 yards against the Packers last week. The Niners are dealing with injuries at running back with Elijah Mitchell already out and now Trey Sermon dealing with a foot injury that he endured during the joint practices. The Niners’ offense will probably be plenty of rushing attempts for rookie Tyrion Davis-Price along with Jeff Wilson and JaMychal Hasty with the clock running constantly with Shanahan just wanting to escape the game without injuries. His teams have played all 5 of their preseason games Under the Total when playing on the road. Minnesota only managed to gain 298 yards last week in their loss to the Raiders — but they did hold Las Vegas to just 300 total yards. Rookie head coach Kevin O’Connell did not play the key offensive starters last week — and he has declared that he will sit quarterback Kirk Cousins, running back Dalvin Cook, and wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Backup Sean Mannion will probably get some snaps — but the starter will be second-year pro Kellen Mond who will probably play the majority of the game.

FINAL TAKE: These are two teams that could face each other in the NFC playoffs — frankly, I’m surprised that these coaches agreed to the joint practices earlier this week. O’Connell was the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams — so the Sean McVay offensive system is already well-known to Shanahan. These two teams probably played the greatest hits from the established Shanahan/McVay playbooks during the week — and the backups on offense will be asked to execute those plays once again against defensive players who have working against them for two days already. That is a great formula for the Under. 25* NFCx Preseason Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (421) and the Minnesota Vikings (422). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (969) and the Boston Red Sox (970) listing both starting pitchers Domingo German and Nathan Eovaldi. THE SITUATION: New York (71-41) has lost two straight games — and seven of their last eight — after their 4-3 loss in Seattle to the Mariners on Wednesday. Boston (55-58) snapped a four-game losing streak with their 4-3 win against Baltimore last night.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The slumping Yankees had scored nine runs in two straight games before getting shutout by a 1-0 score to the Mariners on Tuesday and then losing by one-run again on Wednesday. New York has played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total after losing two games in a row by two runs or less — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after losing two games in a row by one run. They continue their road trip where the Over is 7-3-1 in their last 11 games when the Total is in the 9-10.5 range — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. And in their last 16 games against divisional rivals, they have played 13 of these games Over the Total. Manager Aaron Boone gives the ball to German who has a 1-2 record with a 5.09 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP in four starts this season. After missing all of 2020 because of domestic abuse charges, he returned last season to generate a 4-5 record with a 4.58 ERA in 98 1/3 innings. His season was delayed this year due to a shoulder injury. Giving up gopher balls has always been an issue for the right-hander — and he has already served up four home runs in his 17 innings this year. German looked good in his rehab starts — but he has been saddled with a 5.68 ERA in his three starts on the road since his return to the mound. He has only pitched 106 innings from 2019 which was his best full season despite a 4.03 ERA. He has a career 4.56 ERA while allowing 1.68 home runs per nine innings. In his 25 career innings at Fenway Park, he has a 4.68 ERA. The Yankees have also played 8 of their last 13 games Over the Total with German their starting pitcher at night. He faces a Red Sox team that has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams using a WHIP of 1.30 or higher — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. Boston has played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total playing at home in Fenway Park. They have also played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total against teams winning at least 60% of their games — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against AL East rivals. They counter with Eovaldi who has a 5-3 record with a 4.23 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP in 17 starts this season. The right-hander missed about five weeks prior to the All-Star Break earlier this summer with back inflammation — and since his return, his velocity is down. While he did pitch surprisingly well two starts ago in Houston against the Astros recently, he still has a 7.29 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .304 in his four starts the second half of the season. He has pitched better on the road where he owns a 2.64 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .224 in ten starts — but in his seven starts at home, he has been saddled with a 6.81 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, and an opponents batting average .320 in seven starts at home. The Red Sox have played 10 of their last 16 games Over the Total with Eovaldi pitching with the Total in the 9-10.5 range. He faces a Yankees’ lineup that ranks 3rd and 2nd on the road against right-handed starting pitchers in MLB since June 1st in weighted On-Base Percentage and weighted Runs Created. New York has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games over the Total on the road against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The Bronx Bombers have scored 14 runs in each of their last two games against Boston. These two teams have played 7 straight Overs — and they have played 5 straight Overs when playing in Fenway Park. 25* MLB American League East Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (969) and the Boston Red Sox (970) listing both starting pitchers Domingo German and Nathan Eovaldi. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:08 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Cubs (961) and the San Francisco Giants (962) listing both starting pitchers Adrian Sampson and Carlos Rodon. THE SITUATION: Chicago (41-59) has lost two of their last three games after their 5-4 loss to the Giants yesterday. San Francisco (50-51) has won two of their last three games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cubs had won six straight games before dropping two of three. They have played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after winning five or six of their last seven games. The Under is also 3-0-1 in their last 4 games after losing their last game. Chicago has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record — and the Under is 6-2-1 in their last 9 road games with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. Sampson takes the mound for the Cubs with his 0-1 record along with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in 39 1/3 innings. The right-hander has been more effective on the road where he owns a 2.53 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .205 in 10 2/3 innings which includes two starts as opposed to his 3.45 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and .254 opponent’s batting average at home at Wrigley Field. Chicago has played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total with Sampson on the hill priced as a money-line underdog at +150 or higher. He faces a slumping Giants lineup that is scoring only 3.0 Runs-Per-Game with a .220 batting average, .270 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .624 in those games. San Francisco ranks 27th in MLB since June 1st in weighted on-base percentage when playing at home against right-handed starting pitchers — and they rank 24th in weighted Runs Scored at home against right-handed starting pitchers since the beginning of June. They have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. San Francisco has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after winning their last game — and the Under is 10-2-1 in their last 13 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. They have also played 20 of their last 30 games Under the Total after winning two of their last three games. The Giants have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing at home. They counter with Rodon who has an 8-6 record with a 3.18 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP in 20 starts. The deeper sabermetrics validate his outstanding season with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.12 and 3.14 moving forward. The lefty has a 2.05 ERA in his eight starts at home as opposed to his 3.88 ERA on the road. His teams have played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total when he is the starting pitcher priced in the -125 to -175 range. He faces a Cubs team scoring only 3.9 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .224 batting average, .274 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .666 during that span. Since June 1st against left-handed starting pitchers, Chicago ranks 20th in weighted on-base percentage on the road and 23rd in weighted Runs Created. The Cubs have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against left-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 encounters against each other Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing at Oracle Park. 25* MLB Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Cubs (961) and the San Francisco Giants (962) listing both starting pitchers Adrian Sampson and Carlos Rodon. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Mariners (917) and the Houston Astros (918) listing both starting pitchers Logan Gilbert and Jose Urquidy. THE SITUATION: Seattle (54-45) has won three games in a row after their 4-2 win against Texas yesterday. Houston (64-35) has lost three games in a row after their 4-2 loss at Oakland on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Mariners have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after winning their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after upsetting a divisional rival in their last game. Seattle has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after winning three games in a row against an AL West opponent. And in their last 7 games with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range, the Mariners have played 5 of these games Under the Total. Gilbert gets the start with his 10-4 record along with a 2.77 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in 20 starts. The right-hander has been more effective on the road where he sports a 2.42 ERA and an opponent’s batting average of .224 in 11 starts as opposed to his 3.19 ERA and a .248 opponent’s batting average in nine starts at home. Seattle has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total with Gilbert starting on the road with the Total set in the 8-8.5 range. Houston has played 23 of their last 34 games Under the Total after losing their last game — and they have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total after not scoring more than two runs in their last contest. And while the Astros have scored only five runs in their last two games, they have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after not scoring more than three runs in two straight games. Houston has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 18 of their last 27 home games with the Total set in the 8-8.5 range. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. They counter with Urquidy who has a 9-4 record along with a 3.93 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP in 18 starts. The right-hander has been more effective at home where he enjoys a 2.63 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .237 as opposed to his 4.83 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .271 on the road. The Astros have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total with Urquidy on the mound after losing their last game. He faces a Mariners team that has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: Seattle has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against divisional rivals. 25* MLB Thursday FS1-TV Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Mariners (917) and the Houston Astros (918) listing both starting pitchers Logan Gilbert and Jose Urquidy. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (917) and the Oakland A’s (918) listing both starting pitchers Luis Garcia and Frankie Montas. THE SITUATION: Houston (64-33) had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 7-5 loss to the A’s last night. Oakland (36-63) has won four of their last five games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Under is 40-19-6 in the Astros’ last 65 games after a loss — and the Under is 29-14-1 in their last 44 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Under is also 33-16-4 in Houston’s last 53 games on the road — and they have played 23 of their last 34 road games Under the Total with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. They have also played 24 of their last 33 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage no higher than 40%. Garcia gets the ball with his 8-5 record with a 3.65 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP in 17 starts. The sabermetrics confirm his good season with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.53 and 3.58 moving forward. The right-hander has been more effective on the road where he owns a 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average in .193 in eight starts as opposed to his 4.89 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .219 in nine starts at home. Houston has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total with Garcia their starting pitcher on the road priced at -110 or higher. He faces an A’s team that has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have played 6 straight Unders against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. Oakland has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after winning their last game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last contest. And while the A’s have played their last two games Over the Total, they have then played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after playing two straight Overs. At home, Oakland is scoring only 2.7 Runs-Per-Game with a .202 batting average, .264 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .580. Montas takes the mound for the A’s to further his 3-9 record despite a 3.16 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in 18 starts. The right-hander has been outstanding at home where he owns a 2.27 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .203 batting average in 11 starts as compared to his 5.01 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .264 when pitching on the road. Oakland has played 10 of their 11 games Under the Total with Montas pitching at home — and they have played 11 of their last 12 games Under the Total with Montas their starting pitcher with the Total set at 7 or less. The A’s have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. Oakland has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams from the AL West — and the Astros have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against divisional foes.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing in Oakland. Lastly, Houston has played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total when avenging an upset loss as a road favorite. 25* MLB American League West Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Astros (917) and the Oakland A’s (918) listing both starting pitchers Luis Garcia and Frankie Montas. Best of luck for us — Frank.