Saturday 10-6-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

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Preview: Notre Dame at Virginia Tech

After a perfect September that included wins over two ranked teams, life doesn’t get any easier for No. 7 Notre Dame as it visits No. 23 Virginia Tech on Saturday evening. The Hokies, who fell out of the rankings after their shocking loss to Old Dominion two weeks ago, got back into the Top 25 with a win at previously undefeated Duke last weekend.

Fighting Irish coach Brian Kelly continues to look smart for moving quarterback Ian Book into the starting lineup two weeks ago, as the junior threw for 278 yards and four touchdowns in the 38-17 win over Stanford last weekend. "(Notre Dame has) a quarterback right now that's outstanding. He's athletic enough to get himself out of trouble. Quarterbacks like this, if you don't get them down on the ground, it's gonna hurt you," Stanford coach David Shaw told reporters after the game. Virginia Tech also got a huge performance from a quarterback who started the year at No. 2 on the depth chart, as Ryan Willis threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns in his first start in place of the injured Josh Jackson. "I felt comfortable with him in there - we've been watching him practice for going on two years now, so we know he has some talent," Hokies coach Justin Fuente told reporters after the 31-14 win over the Blue Devils.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ABC. LINE: Notre Dame -6.5.

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (5-0): No one is happier to have Book at the helm than senior wide receiver Myles Boykin (20 catches for 311 yards) as the two hooked up 11 times for 144 yards and a touchdown against Stanford. The Irish also got a huge offensive boost from senior running back Dexter Williams, who ran for 161 yards and a touchdown in his first game of the season after missing the first four for disciplinary reasons. It wasn’t all good news last weekend for Notre Dame, however, as it lost its best offensive lineman Alex Bars for the season to a knee injury, while running back Tony Jones Jr. suffered a sprained ankle and is questionable this week.

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (3-1): This game could come down to which Virginia Tech defense shows up - the one that allowed 600 yards and seven touchdowns to Old Dominion two weeks ago or the one that limited Duke to 327 yards and 4-of-16 on third down conversions last week. Offensively, the Hokies kept humming with Willis, a transfer from Kansas, under center as the junior found nine different receivers for 17 catches against Duke, including four for 65 yards and a touchdown to sophomore Damon Hazelton. Another key to this matchup will be the Hokies’ offensive line, a unit that limited Duke to one sack last week, against Notre Dame’s front seven that recorded five sacks and four quarterback hurries a week ago.

EXTRA POINTS

1. This is Notre Dame’s first trip to Blacksburg, Va., and only the second all-time meeting between the schools. Virginia Tech won 34-31 at Notre Dame in 2016.

2. Notre Dame piled up 550 yards of total offense against Stanford while limiting the Cardinal to 31 total yards in the second half.

3. Fighting Irish DL Jerry Tillery equaled a program record with four sacks against the Cardinal.

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 42, Virginia Tech 35

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Preview: Washington State at Oregon State

Washington State coach Mike Leach says he believes Oregon State is on the verge of a turnaround. He just hopes it isn’t Saturday night when the Cougars visit Corvallis, Ore., for a Pac-12 North Division matchup.


The Beavers are off to a 1-4 start, including conference losses to Arizona (35-14) and Arizona State (52-24), but first-year coach Jonathan Smith’s squad has shown positive flashes in each of its outings. “I don’t think Oregon State is going to stay this way,” Leach said Tuesday on the Pac-12 coaches teleconference. “They’re going to steadily improve, and I think they’re a dangerous team. ... They’re battling consistency like I think a lot of us are. When they play consistent, they’re really tough. We have to be ready to meet that challenge if they’re consistent the entire game.” Leach certainly is wary of the trap-game aspect of Saturday’s contest as his team is coming off an emotional, come-from-behind win over Utah and then has a bye week and clashes with nationally-ranked Oregon and Stanford up next.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network. LINE: Washington State -17


ABOUT WASHINGTON STATE (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12): The graduation of Luke Falk, the Pac-12’s all-time passing leader, hasn’t slowed Leach’s Air Raid attack as the Cougars lead the FBS in passing offense with 410.4 yards per game. Gardner Minshew II, a graduate transfer from East Carolina, has completed 67.8 percent of this throws for 1,992 yards, 14 touchdowns and four interceptions and is coming off his most impressive outing yet, shredding what was the nation’s top passing defense in Utah for 445 yards and three TDs in the 28-24 home win last Saturday. Senior linebacker Peyton Pelluer (7.8 tackles per game) leads a sneakily stout defense which ranks among the Pac-12’s stingiest against the run (third with 122.6 yards allowed per game) and pass (first with 154.3 yards).

ABOUT OREGON STATE (1-4, 0-2): Freshman tailback Jermar Jefferson has been the unquestioned bright spot so far for the Beavers, leading the Pac-12 and ranking third nationally with 145.4 rushing yards per game. A week ago in the loss at Arizona State, Jefferson set the conference’s single-game freshman rushing record with 254 yards and two TDs on 31 carries, breaking his own 238-yard mark he set three weeks earlier in a 48-25 win over Southern Utah. Defense, though, has been Oregon State’s downfall, ranking last in the conference and among the FBS bottom three in points (45.2) and total yards (543.6) surrendered.


EXTRA POINTS

1. Washington State holds a 52-47-3 series lead vs. Oregon State and has won four straight after a 52-23 home romp a season ago.

2. The Cougars have won 10 straight home games but have dropped four of their last five road games, including a 39-36 loss at USC on Sept. 21.

3. The game presents an interesting weakness-vs.-weakness dynamic with the Pac-12’s worst rushing attack (Washington State at 66.2 yards) facing the conference’s last-place run defense (Oregon State at 303.4 yards).


PREDICTION: Washington State 37, Oregon State 24

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Preview: California at Arizona
Gracenote
Oct 4, 2018

Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate began the season as a leading Heisman Trophy candidate, but a sprained left ankle has limited his explosiveness and cost him any chance at the prestigious award. Tate’s health figures to be a hot topic again Saturday as the Wildcats continue Pac-12 play against visiting California, which is looking to bounce back from its first loss.

Tate threw for 232 yards, two touchdowns and one interception but was limited to 38 rushing yards in last week’s 24-20 loss to USC, which led 17-0 at the half and finished with a total of 253 yards on the ground. Tate’s ankle injury is being monitored by the Wildcats’ medical staff, but he’s expected to start against a Cal team that has its own questions at the quarterback position. The Bears have settled on a rotation of Brandon McIlwain and Chase Garbers behind center, but both threw a pair of interceptions and struggled overall in last week’s 42-24 loss to Oregon. The Bears entered the contest as a ranked team for the first time in three years but committed five turnovers and allowed Oregon to rush for 6.4 yards per carry and pass for 14.1 yards per completion.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1. LINE: Cal -2.5

ABOUT CAL (3-1, 0-1 Pac-12): The Bears’ passing game remains a major concern, but the running attack thrived against Oregon as McIlwain ran 15 times for 123 yards and Patrick Laird gained 92 yards on 18 carries. The opportunistic defense is led by linebackers Jordan Kunaszyk and Evan Weaver, a junior who recorded a career-high 14 tackles last week and ranks fourth in the nation in solo tackles (7.3) and fifth in tackles (13.3) per game. Safeties Jaylinn Hawkins and Ashtyn Davis have a combined five interceptions for the Bears, who are allowing 25 points per game.

ABOUT ARIZONA (2-3, 1-1): Questions abound about Tate’s health, but there’s no uncertainty about linebacker Colin Schooler, who is tied for the national lead with 10.5 tackles-for-loss. “He’s as good as a football player as there is in this league,” coach Kevin Sumlin told reporters. “He’s smart, and his intensity is contagious. He just makes plays, and he continues to communicate with everyone during the game and still record double digits in tackles every week.” The Wildcats lead the Pac-12 in rushing at 481.4 yards per game with sophomore J.J. Taylor averaging 105.4 yards on the ground.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Arizona has won the last four meetings against Cal and holds a 17-14-2 lead in the all-time series.

2. Cal has scored first in all four games this season.

3. Arizona has seven sacks in its past three games after failing to record one in the first two.

PREDICTION: Arizona 31, Cal 27

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Utah at Stanford

Conference play has become increasingly treacherous for Utah, which is 4-11 in its last 15 games against Pac-12 opponents since October 2016. The Utes look to reverse the trend Saturday when they visit No. 14 Stanford, which fell from the ranks of the unbeaten last week after allowing 550 total yards in a 38-17 loss at Notre Dame.

The Utes are facing a third straight Pac-12 North opponent to begin conference play following back-to-back losses to Washington (21-7) and Washington State (28-24). Linebacker Chase Hansen has a team-high 34 tackles to lead an impressive Utah defensive unit, but the team’s offense ranks 11th in the conference in scoring at 22.3 points per game. Stanford is also looking to generate more offense after being dominated at the line of scrimmage by Notre Dame, which held the Cardinal to 229 yards on 51 plays and limited Heisman Trophy candidate Bryce Love to 73 yards on 17 carries. “We’ve got to run the ball better, and we’ve got to be able to stop the run,” coach David Shaw told reporters. “They’re pretty straightforward things that we take pride in. We didn’t do that last week.”

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Stanford -5

ABOUT UTAH (2-2, 0-2 Pac-12): Zack Moss had his second 100-yard rushing game of the season in the loss to the Cougars, but the Utes were held to one field goal in the second half and need more consistency from quarterback Tyler Huntley, who has four touchdowns and two interceptions. Huntley’s favorite target is sophomore Britain Covey, who has a team-high 27 catches for 284 yards but was a non-factor last week with two receptions for 22 yards. Coach Kyle Whittingham has been pleased with his special teams unit – including preseason All-American Mitch Wishnowsky, who averages 43.7 yards per punt.

ABOUT STANFORD (4-1, 2-0): Love missed the team’s win over UC Davis last month due to injury and left the loss at Notre Dame in the third quarter with an ankle injury, but the dynamic senior is expected to play against the Utes. Stanford’s offensive line allowed five sacks and struggled to protect quarterback K.J. Costello, who completed 15 of 27 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown, a 4-yarder to JJ Arcega-Whiteside. The defense is led by a pair of senior linebackers in Joey Alfieri (3.5 sacks) and Sean Barton, a Salt Lake City native who has a team-high 38 tackles.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Utah is 3-0 all-time at Stanford but lost last season’s meeting in Salt Lake City by a 23-20 score.

2. The Utes have allowed a total of 17 second-half points through four games.

3. Stanford’s 11-game home winning streak is tied for third-best nationally with Clemson and Washington.

PREDICTION: Stanford 27, Utah 17

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Fresno State at Nevada
When: 10:30 PM ET, Saturday, October 6, 2018
Where: MacKay Stadium, Reno, Nevada




Overall Team Offense

The Nevada Wolf Pack are ranked 43 on offense, averaging 452.2 yards per game. The Wolf Pack are averaging 169.0 yards rushing and 283.2 yards passing so far this season.
The Fresno State Bulldogs are ranked 49 on offense, averaging 441.8 yards per game. The Bulldogs are averaging 167.5 yards rushing and 274.2 yards passing so far this season.

Home and Away

The Nevada Wolf Pack are 2-0 at home this season, 1-0 against conference opponents and 6110-6110 against non-conference opponents.
At home the Wolf Pack are averaging 54.5 scoring, and holding teams to 27.0 points scored on defense.
The Fresno State Bulldogs are 1-1 while on the road this season, 0-0 against conference opponents and 6110-6110 against non-conference opponents.
On the road, the Bulldogs are averaging 26.0 scoring, and holding teams to 17.5 points scored on defense.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Colorado State at San Jose State
When: 10:30 PM ET, Saturday, October 6, 2018
Where: CEFCU Stadium, San Jose, California




Overall Team Offense

The San Jose State Spartans are ranked 107 on offense, averaging 350.2 yards per game. The Spartans are averaging 54.5 yards rushing and 295.8 yards passing so far this season.
The Colorado State Rams are ranked 66 on offense, averaging 414.0 yards per game. The Rams are averaging 93.2 yards rushing and 320.8 yards passing so far this season.

Home and Away

The San Jose State Spartans are 0-2 at home this season, 0-1 against conference opponents and 6110-6110 against non-conference opponents.
At home the Spartans are averaging 39.5 scoring, and holding teams to 44.0 points scored on defense.
The Colorado State Rams are 0-1 while on the road this season, 0-1 against conference opponents and 6110-6110 against non-conference opponents.
On the road, the Rams are averaging 10.0 scoring, and holding teams to 48.0 points scored on defense.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Wyoming at Hawaii
When: 11:59 PM ET, Saturday, October 6, 2018
Where: Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii



Overall Team Offense

The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors are ranked 17 on offense, averaging 496.5 yards per game. The Rainbow Warriors are averaging 145.2 yards rushing and 351.3 yards passing so far this season.
The Wyoming Cowboys are ranked 122 on offense, averaging 302.4 yards per game. The Cowboys are averaging 142.0 yards rushing and 160.4 yards passing so far this season.

Home and Away

The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors are 3-0 at home this season, 2-0 against conference opponents and 6110-6110 against non-conference opponents.
At home the Rainbow Warriors are averaging 48.0 scoring, and holding teams to 30.3 points scored on defense.
The Wyoming Cowboys are 1-1 while on the road this season, 0-1 against conference opponents and 6110-6110 against non-conference opponents.
On the road, the Cowboys are averaging 21.0 scoring, and holding teams to 23.5 points scored on defense.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

CAPPERS ACCESS
(CFB)
Michigan St
Arizona St
Virginia Tech
California

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Cleveland Indians vs. Houston Astros Preview and Predictions 10-06-2018 in MLB

MLB Previews 5th October 2018 by Gracenote
Indians vs. Astros Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 10/05/2018

The Houston Astros look to match the power they displayed in the opener and sweep the first two matchups of the American League Division Series when they host the Cleveland Indians for Game 2 on Saturday afternoon. Houston, which went deep 27 times on the way to the 2017 World Series title, belted four solo homers in Friday's 7-2 victory in Game 1 while limiting a dangerous Cleveland lineup to three hits.

George Springer hit one of the four blasts Friday to become the third player in major league history to go deep in five consecutive postseason games, joining former Astros star Carlos Beltran (five, 2004) and Daniel Murphy of the New York Mets (six, 2015). "It's huge," Springer told reporters of the series-opening win. "For us to come back (Saturday) up one, it makes it easier on us to go out and kind of attack them the way we want to play and have some fun." Carlos Carrasco, who went 1-1 with 5.40 ERA and 14 strikeouts over 13 1/3 innings against Houston this year, will try to cool off the Astros' bats while facing fellow right-hander Gerrit Cole, who has not lost since Aug. 10. The Indians got two of their three hits in the sixth inning Friday as Yan Gomes, along with Francisco Lindor, delivered singles and Jose Ramirez recorded an RBI groundout to close the gap to 4-2.

TV: 4:37 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Carlos Carrasco (17-10, 3.38 ERA) vs. Astros RH Gerrit Cole (15-5, 2.81)

Carrasco had lost three straight decisions in September before limiting Kansas City to one run on three hits and two walks over five innings to earn the victory last Sunday. The 31-year-old Venezuelan, who has 35 wins in his last two seasons, held the New York Yankees to three hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings in his lone postseason outing last fall. Josh Reddick is 6-for-12 with a homer versus Carrasco, who is 8-6 with a 2.96 ERA and a .222 batting average against on the road this year.

Cole won his last five decisions of the regular season across eight starts while striking out 69 over 46 2/3 innings during that stretch. The 28-year-old UCLA product, who held opponents to a .198 batting average and struck out a career-high 276 this year, was 8-2 at home in 2018 and permitted three runs over seven innings in a no-decision at Cleveland in late May. Yonder Alonso is 3-for-8 versus Cole, who was 1-2 with a 3.94 ERA in three postseason starts in 2015 and 2013 while he was with Pittsburgh.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cleveland All-Star LF Michael Brantley, who ended the regular season with a nine-game hitting streak, singled in the ninth inning of Game 1.

2. Houston 3B Alex Bregman, who led the team with 31 homers and 103 RBIs in the regular season, went deep and knocked in two runs in Game 1.

3. The Indians have lost four straight playoff games - all on the road - since taking the first two contests of the ALDS against the New York Yankees in 2017.

PREDICTION: Indians 5, Astros 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox Preview and Predictions 10-06-2018 in MLB

MLB Previews 6th October 2018 by Gracenote
Yankees vs. Red Sox Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 10/06/2018

All the pressure is on David Price as the Boston Red Sox attempt to take a 2-0 lead over the visiting New York Yankees on Saturday in the best-of-five American League Division Series. The left-hander has a dreadful 0-8 record in nine career postseason starts and was a porous 0-3 with a 10.34 ERA in four starts against the Yankees this season.

The 33-year-old Price insists Saturday is just another game and he isn't fixated on finally notching a postseason win as a starter. "If I lose the entire playoffs and we win a World Series, I'll take that," Price said during his press conference. "That's what I'm here for. I don't want this to be about me and me not winning. I want to go out there (Saturday) and throw the ball well, and help the Red Sox win." J.D. Martinez hit a three-run homer - his fourth career postseason blast - in the first inning of Boston's 5-4 win in Game 1 while Aaron Judge went deep as New York fought back from a five-run deficit. "I think as much as it's tough any time you lose a game in the postseason, I think we can take away from this game that we kind of hung around, we battled," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said afterward. "I like the way we continued to compete and give ourselves a chance."

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (12-6, 3.75 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH David Price (16-7, 3.58)

Tanaka allowed eight earned runs over eight innings in his last two starts after giving up just one across 21 innings during a three-start winning streak, and the sequence speaks to his inconsistent nature. "I think it's aggressiveness," the 29-year-old from Japan said through a translator during his press conference. "I think when I'm on my game, when I'm doing well out there, I think I feel like I'm being able to really focus on the matchup and being aggressive." Tanaka was 1-0 with a 7.58 ERA in four starts against Boston this season and stands 8-4 with a 4.35 ERA in 18 career outings versus the Red Sox.

Price has picked up two postseason victories as a reliever and owns a 5.03 ERA in 17 overall appearances. He put forth a stellar effort in last year's ALDS when he blanked the Houston Astros on five hits over 6 2/3 innings without getting a decision in two outings. Price is 15-14 with a 4.90 ERA in 42 career appearances (41 starts) against the Yankees and has been routinely torched by Gary Sanchez, who is 6-for-13 with five homers and 11 RBIs against him.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees CF Aaron Hicks (hamstring) departed in the fourth inning and is slated to undergo an MRI exam on Saturday, according to Boone.

2. Boston LF Andrew Benintendi went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in Game 1.

3. New York DH Giancarlo Stanton struck out four times while going 1-for-5 in the opener.

PREDICTION: Yankees 7, Red Sox 5

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Toronto Argonauts vs. BC Lions Preview and Predictions 10-06-2018 in CFL

CFL Previews 3rd October 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 10/03/2018

The BC Lions look to stay in the hunt for a postseason berth when they host the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday. The Lions were routed 40-10 by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Week 16 to fall into last place in the competitive West Division, two points behind the Edmonton Eskimos in the race for the crossover playoff spot, and hope to bounce back by avenging a 24-23 loss to the Argonauts on Aug. 18.

"Just because we got our tail whooped the world's not going to stop," BC defensive end Odell Willis told reporters. "Instead of sitting around a pouting and being sad or mad about the situation we have to figure out what we can do to make it right." Toronto's playoff hopes were dealt a crippling blow following a 38-16 setback to the Calgary Stampeders. The Argonauts were competitive in the first half but crumbled down the stretch, leaving the defending Grey Cup champions eight points behind the pack in the race for a playoff spot with five games remaining and could be officially eliminated if they lose to the Lions, and Edmonton and Winnipeg emerge victorious in Week 17. "This team knows they are loved and respected for the work they do each and every day," Toronto coach Marc Trestman told reporters. "We are trying to stop the bleeding but we haven't been able to do it collectively for a number of reasons."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN

ABOUT THE ARGONAUTS (3-10): McLeod Bethel-Thompson completed 31-of-45 passes for 273 yards against Calgary, but failed to throw a touchdown for the second consecutive week. S.J. Green caught four passes for 68 yards versus the Stampeders to move past Ray Alexander (8,842) for 29th place on the CFL's all-time receiving yards list (8,872). Running back James Wilder Jr. could miss the remainder of the season after suffering a leg injury against the Stampeders while defensive back Robert Woodson will likely miss Saturday's clash after sustaining a lower-body injury.

ABOUT THE LIONS (6-7): Jonathon Jennings was limited to 146 yards on 17-of-25 passing and finished with three interceptions, including two that were returned for touchdowns, before he was benched in favour of Cody Fajardo. Running back Tyrell Sutton, who was acquired in a trade with the Montreal Alouettes last week, looks poised to make his BC debut after missing the loss to the Tiger-Cats with a quad injury. Linebacker Solomon Elimimian is nearing a return as he's set to be medically cleared to play next week after missing the last nine games with a wrist injury while quarterback Travis Lulay could be available in the next 7-10 days after separating his shoulder Sept. 14.

EXTRA POINTS

1. BC has won five of its six home games this season.

2. Toronto is 0-6 on the road in 2018.

3. Argonauts short-yardage QB James Franklin is tied for the league lead with 12 rushing touchdowns.

PREDICTION: Lions 30, Argonauts 20

[Can'tPickAWinner]

1. NSA(The Legend) CFB - Old Dominion +13.5
2. Vegas Line Crushers CFB - Tulane under 48
3. VegasSI.com CFB - Old Dominion over 63.5
4. SportsAction365.com CFB - Louisiana Tech -9.5
5. Gameday Network CFB - Rutgers +4.5
6. PointSpreadReport.com CFB - Arkansas over 57.5
7. InsiderSportsAction.com CFB - California -2.5
8. Lou Panelli CFB - Tulane +6.5
9. Gerry "Big Cat" Andino CFB - Arkansas over 57.5
10. VegasSI.com Platinum Info Club CFB - LSU -2
11. William E. Stockton CFB - Wake Forest over 61
12. Vincent Pioli CFB - South Florida under 72.5
13. Steve "Scoop" Kendall CFB - Utah +4
14. SCORE CFB - Notre Dame over 55
15. East Coast Line Movers CFB - Ohio -12
16. Tony Campone CFB - Miami Ohio over 47.5
17. Chicago Sports Group CFB - Navy -2.5
18. Hollywood Sportsline CFB - Fresno St -15
19. VIP Action CFB - Liberty -3
20. South Beach Sports CFB - Kentucky +6
21. Las Vegas Sports Commission CFB - California -2.5
22. NY Players Club CFB - Wake Forest over 61
23. Fred Callahan CFB - Utah +4
24. Las Vegas Private CEO Club CFB - Rutgers +4.5
25. Michigan Sports CFB - Syracuse -3.5
26. National Consensus Report CFB - Temple -10.5