Betting – Syndication Server

Texans odds: Houston opens as home underdog against Chargers in wild-card round

The Houston Texans might be in the playoffs, but they’re underdogs on the road against the surging Los Angeles Chargers.

The Houston Texans can be the third team to clinch the spot in the divisional round of the playoffs on Saturday afternoon at NRG Stadium.

The only thing in their way? A four-quarter battle in Nashville with the surging Los Angeles Chargers wild-card round. The last time Jim Harbaugh was in Houston, he walked away with a national title at Michigan.

Houston (10-7) enters Saturday’s showdown at Nissan Stadium as a 3-point home underdog against Los Angeles (11-6), according to odds from BetMGM. The over/under is currently set at 43.5, while the money line is at -165.

The Texans are preparing for a date with one of the league’s top defenses. In Year 1 of the Harbaugh regime, Jesse Minter turned a one-thought promising unit back into a legitimate force headlined by Derwin James and Khalil Mack.

Offensively, Justin Herbert has been consistent in helping Los Angeles secure its first 10-win season in three years. He finished with just under 4,000 passing yards and 23 touchdown passes against just three interceptions.

The Chargers are fifth in the NFL in turnover differential.

Houston is coming off perhaps its most uplifting in of the regular season with a 23-14 road victory over the Tennessee Titans. Starters rested after the opening drive, leading to a dominant day on the ground by running back Dameon Pierce.

“When you start clicking at the right time, you just want to keep seeing this,” Texans running back Joe Mixon told reporters. “Keep trending upward. And pretty much we came out there and executed the game plan.”

Prediction, betting odds and preview for Wisconsin basketball vs. Rutgers

Wisconsin basketball (11-3, 1-2 Big Ten) returns to the hardwood for a road matchup against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-6, 1-2 Big Ten) on Monday.

The Badgers enter the contest fresh off a record-setting 116-85 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Friday. That triumph marked the first Big Ten victory of the 2024-25 slate for Greg Gard’s crew.

Sophomore guard John Blackwell led the way with a career-best 32 points off 11-of-18 from the field and 6-of-10 from distance. Wisconsin big men Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter also led the win, combining for 32 points and 15 rebounds.

Rutgers hasn’t experienced the same success as Wisconsin through its first 14 games. It is 8-6 entering Monday, plus 1-2 in Big Ten play. The Scarlet Knights have fallen to unranked Indiana, Princeton, Ohio State and Kennesaw State, alongside defeats to No. 5 Alabama and No. 13 Texas A&M. The team is positioned at No. 83 in the latest NCAA NET Rankings and boasts an 0-4 mark in Quadrant 1 games.

Captained by an electric true freshman combo of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, the Scarlet Knights are raw but talented. Harper leads his crew with 22.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, and Bailey is responsible for 19.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and over a block a game. Outside of the duo, Rutgers does not roster any other player that accounts for more then 10 points per game.

Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET, 6:00 p.m. CT on Fox Sports 1. Before then, here are the betting odds and a full preview of how the Badgers and Scarlet Knights match up.

Wisconsin vs Rutgers game odds

All College Basketball Odds via BetMGM.

Point spread: Wisconsin favored by 1 1/2
Money line: Wisconsin minus-120, Rutgers plus-100
Over-under: 156 1/2

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Statistical Preview

KenPom:

Wisconsin: No. 26 overall (No. 12 offense, No. 80 defense)
Rutgers: No. 75 overall (No. 70 offense, No. 99 defense)

ESPN BPI:

Wisconsin: No. 36 overall (13.4) — No. 9 in the Big Ten
Rutgers No. 70 overall (8.2) — No. 16 in the Big Ten

2024-25 Averages:

Wisconsin: 83.9 points per game (46.3% shooting, 35.3% from three), 71.9 points allowed per game (41.8% shooting allowed, 30.7% from three)
Rutgers: 79.3 points per game (46.2% shooting, 33.2% from three), 75.0 points allowed per game (43.7% shooting allowed, 34.9% from three)

ESPN Matchup Predictor:

Wisconsin 58.6% chance to win, Rutgers 41.4%

Wisconsin Key Players

G John Blackwell (15.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists on 49.7% shooting)
G Max Klesmit (11.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3 assists on 33.6% shooting)
Wing John Tonje (18.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2 assists on 45.7% shooting)
C Steven Crowl (9.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists on 51% shooting)
F Nolan Winter (11.6 points, 6.1 rebounds on 61.8% shooting)

Rutgers Key Players

G Dylan Harper (22.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists on 52.3% shooting)
G/F Ace Bailey (19.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.3 blocks on 48.5% shooting)
G Jeremiah Williams (7.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists on 45.7% shooting)
G Jordan Derkack (7.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.6 on 36.0% shooting)
C Lathan Sommerville (7.8 points, 4.1 rebounds on 56.7% shooting)

Wisconsin vs Rutgers prediction, pick

The reason for the narrow spread revolves around Rutgers being at home for this contest. To put it flatly — the Scarlet Knights do not have enough depth or production to contend in the Big Ten. Harper and Bailey will be the two best players on the floor, but Wisconsin’s depth, poise and experience will shine bright in this matchup.

Both Harper and Bailey possess size on the perimeter, so Wisconsin should continue to funnel the ball inside to Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter. The interior pressure will open shots for dynamic scorers John Blackwell and John Tonje, who will have their hands full with Harper and Bailey.

Still, Wisconsin will win to move to 12-3 on the season.

Prediction: Wisconsin 83, Rutgers 70

Wisconsin vs Rutgers channel, start time, streaming:

Wisconsin vs Rutgers starts at 7 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. CT and can be seen on Fox Sports 1.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

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Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots odds, picks and predictions

The Buffalo Bills (13-3) visit the New England Patriots (3-13) Sunday afternoon. Kickoff from Gillette Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET (CBS). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NFL odds around the Bills vs. Patriots odds, and make our expert NFL …

The Buffalo Bills (13-3) visit the New England Patriots (3-13) Sunday afternoon. Kickoff from Gillette Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET (CBS). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NFL odds around the Bills vs. Patriots odds, and make our expert NFL picks and predictions.

The Bills have won 3 games in a row after throttling the Jets 40-14 on Sunday and covering as 10.5-point home favorites, and clinching the AFC’s No. 2 seed. QB Josh Allen went 16 of 27 for 182 yards with 2 touchdowns while adding another on the ground in the win. With no further playoff implications, Buffalo is expected to rest most starters except Allen, who will play to continue his 114-game starting streak. He’s not expected to play much, though.

The Patriots have dropped 6 games in a row after being decimated 40-7 against the Chargers last Saturday and failing to cover as 6-point home underdogs. QB Drake Maye went 12 of 22 for 117 yards and a TD in the loss.

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Bills at Patriots odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of NFL odds. Lines last updated Saturday at 11:45 a.m. ET.

Moneyline (ML): Bills -190 (bet $190 to win $100) | Patriots +155 (bet $100 to win $155)
Against the spread (ATS): Bills -3.5 (-110) | Patriots +3.5 (-110)
Over/Under (O/U): 36.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

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Bills at Patriots key injuries

Bills

LB Terrel Bernard (quadricep) out
WR Curtis Samuel (rib) questionable

Patriots

C Ben Brown (concussion) out
S Kyle Dugger (ankle, quadricep) questionable
CB Christian Gonzalez (concussion) out
TE Hunter Henry (foot) questionable
LB Anfernee Jennings (knee) questionable
DE Titus Leo (ankle) questionable
QB Drake Maye (right hand) questionable
S Jabrill Peppers (hamstring) out
WR Ja’Lynn Polk (shoulder) out
LB Sione Takitaki (knee) questionable

FOOTBALL NEVER STOPS
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Bills at Patriots picks and predictions

Prediction

Bills 24, Patriots 13

Moneyline

PASS.

There is minimal value on the Bills (-190) to handle the Patriots, who are in position to get the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft with a loss Sunday.

Against the spread

BET BILLS -3.5 (-110).

Even without a majority of its starters, Buffalo is a dominant team. With Allen at least starting, Buffalo will not struggle too much against a New England team that has something to lose for. Buffalo is 10-6 against the spread (ATS) this season compared to New England’s 6-9-1 ATS record.

Over/Under

LEAN OVER 36.5 (-110).

While there are no playoff implications in this matchup, the players are still playing for their jobs and future jobs looking ahead to the offseason. Both teams will still look to be aggressive. With the Pats entering this matchup with a plethora of injuries, Buffalo will look to close out its season with a solid performance.

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

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Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots odds, picks and predictions

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

Bills at Patriots odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of NFL odds. Lines last updated Saturday at 11:45 a.m. ET.

Moneyline (ML): Bills -190 (bet $190 to win $100) | Patriots +155 (bet $100 to win $155)
Against the spread (ATS): Bills -3.5 (-110) | Patriots +3.5 (-110)
Over/Under (O/U): 36.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

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Bills at Patriots key injuries

Bills

LB Terrel Bernard (quadricep) out
WR Curtis Samuel (rib) questionable

Patriots

C Ben Brown (concussion) out
S Kyle Dugger (ankle, quadricep) questionable
CB Christian Gonzalez (concussion) out
TE Hunter Henry (foot) questionable
LB Anfernee Jennings (knee) questionable
DE Titus Leo (ankle) questionable
QB Drake Maye (right hand) questionable
S Jabrill Peppers (hamstring) out
WR Ja’Lynn Polk (shoulder) out
LB Sione Takitaki (knee) questionable

FOOTBALL NEVER STOPS
Live games, analysis and more 7 days a week: Get ESPN+

Bills at Patriots picks and predictions

Prediction

Bills 24, Patriots 13

Moneyline

PASS.

There is minimal value on the Bills (-190) to handle the Patriots, who are in position to get the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft with a loss Sunday.

Against the spread

BET BILLS -3.5 (-110).

Over/Under

LEAN OVER 36.5 (-110).

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

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Giants now 2.5-point road underdogs vs. Eagles in Week 18

The New York Giants are currently a 2.5-point road underdog to the Philadelphia Eagles in this coming Sunday’s Week 18 matchup.

The New York Giants (3-13) are currently a 2.5-point underdog to the Philadelphia Eagles (13-3) for this Sunday’s 2024 season finale at Lincoln Financial Field.

The line is down a full point from earlier in the week when it opened at +3.5. The news that the Eagles are sitting most of their key personnel in this game has affected the public betting flow and moved it toward the Giants.

The over/under opened at 38.5 total points is down to 37 and the moneyline stands at Eagles -120, Giants +145, per BetMGM.

The Giants are coming off an exciting 45-33 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, which snapped their franchise-record 10-game losing streak. They will attempt to win back-to-back games for the first time since they won three straight from Weeks 11-14 last season.

The 45 points were the highest by a Giants team at home since 2012.

The Eagles trounced the rival Dallas Cowboys, 41-7, at home on Sunday, clinching both the NFC East and the second overall seed in the NFC Playoffs.

Former Giants running back Saquon Barkley will not play in this game. He has rushed for 2,005 yards this season and is 101 yards away from breaking the NFL’s all-time single-season rushing record of 2,105, set by Eric Dickerson in 1984. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni is being cautious and has made the decision to sit Barkley.

The Giants are 5-11 against the spread this season while the Eagles have gone 10-6.

10 of the Giants’ 16 games this season have gone under, which is 7-9 in games involving the Eagles.

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How to watch Tennessee versus Arkansas basketball today: Time, TV channel

Here is how to watch Tennessee versus Arkansas basketball, including time, channel, TV schedule and streaming info.

Tennessee (13-0) is ranked No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll for a fourth consecutive week.

The Vols will open Southeastern Conference play on Saturday at Food City Center. Tennessee will host Arkansas (11-2) and first-year head coach John Calipari.

Calipari is 22-16 versus Tennessee while serving as a head coach. The Razorbacks also have Tennessee transfer forward Jonas Aidoo on roster during the 2024-25 season.

The Vols lead the all time basketball series versus Arkansas, 26-22, dating to 1936.

Here is how to watch the Tennessee-Arkansas basketball game, including time, TV schedule and streaming information.

What channel is Tennessee vs. Arkansas game on? Time, TV schedule

TV channel: ESPN

Start time: 1 p.m. EST

Tennessee versus Arkansas can be watched on ESPN. Karl Ravech (play-by-play) and Jimmy Dykes (analyst) will be on the call.

Tennessee vs. Arkansas odds

Odds: Tennessee -11.5

O/U: 143.5

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Where to watch Tennessee vs. Arkansas on livestream

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Tennessee vs. Arkansas live on Fubo” link=”https://www.fubo.tv/welcome/leagues/191261?irad=399332&irmp=1205322&subId1=SMG&subId2=NCAAF&subId3=2024″]

2024-25 Tennessee Vols basketball schedule results

Oct. 27 versus Indiana (L, 66-62 — exhibition)

Nov. 4 versus Gardner-Webb (W, 80-64)

Nov. 9 at Louisville (W, 77-55)

Nov. 13 versus Montana (W, 92-57)

Nov. 17 versus Austin Peay (W, 103-68)

Nov. 21 versus Virginia (W, 64-42 — Naussau, Bahamas)

Nov. 22 versus Baylor (W, 77-62 — Naussau, Bahamas)

Nov. 27 versus UT Martin (W, 78-35)

Dec. 3 versus Syracuse (W, 96-70)

Dec. 10 versus Miami (W, 75-62 — New York, New York)

Dec. 14 at Illinois (W, 66-64)

Dec. 17 versus Western Carolina (W, 84-36)

Dec. 23 versus Middle Tennessee State (W, 82-64)

Dec. 31 versus Norfolk State (W, 67-52)

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

Week 18 H-Bomb underdog picks: Final week theme in many cases is, ‘Who are these guys?’

Jess Root and Howard Balzer try to pick which big underdog can cover the spread or win their game outright.

The dogs are going down. That has been the theme for several weeks as the pickings have been slim in H-Bomb eligible games with an underdog of 6.5 points or more.

With this the final week of the regular season, Jess Root and I are in danger of finishing with a .500 record after we both were 7-3 following games in Week 10. It doesn’t take a math wizard to figure out we are both 2-5 since then.

Last week, only two of six covered: the Cardinals and Giants with the latter winning outright over the Colts. Jess lost last week on the Cowboys and my loser was the Panthers.

Consider this: After underdogs covered in 12 of the first 13 games of the season and had a record of 17-2 entering Week 6, there has been a total reversal.

The 2-4 record last week dropped the overall record to 40-33 (54.8 percent) and there have been only 23 covers in the last 54 eligible games (42.6 percent). In the last four weeks, the record is 5-13.

Here are the seven eligible games for this week with five underdogs playing with backup quarterbacks:

Ravens -20 vs. Browns
Falcons -8 vs. Panthers
Buccaneers -14 vs. Saints
Packers -10 vs. Bears
Seahawks -6.5 at Rams
Broncos -10.5 vs. Chiefs
Commanders -6.5 vs. Cowboys

Making these picks difficult are the players on playoff teams sitting out.

Jess is going with the Rams despite the fact that Jimmy Garoppolo will be the quarterback and be without running back Kyren Williams, wide receiver Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua along with left tackle Alaric Jackson, right guard Kevin Dotson and right tackle Rob Havenstein.

I will go with the Chiefs against Denver even though Kansas City will have Carson Wentz at quarterback and probably not play tight end Travis Kelce and defensive lineman Chris Jones. While the Broncos are playing for a possible wild-card spot, it’s still difficult to envision Kansas City losing by 11 points or more.

STANDINGS AFTER 17 WEEKS

Jess 9-8 (3 direct hits)

Howard 9-8 (3 direct hits)

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

Kevin O’Connell is the favorite to win the Coach of the Year award

Kevin O’Connell is the runaway favorite for Coach of the Year after leading the Vikings to a 14-2 record.

Kevin O’Connell is now the runaway favorite to win the NFL’s Coach of the Year award after leading the Minnesota Vikings to a 14-2 record. They are one win away from winning the NFC North and securing home-field advantage in the playoffs.

O’Connell’s odds of winning Coach of the Year are -1200, according to BetMGM. Dan Campbell is the only head coach who has any shot of catching him, but he is still a long shot at +600. Andy Reid and Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn are tied for third with odds of +4000.

This isn’t the first time O’Connell has been a candidate for the award. He finished sixth in voting after leading the Vikings to a 13-4 record in 2022. Fellow first-year head coach Brian Daboll won the award when he led the New York Giants to a 9-8 record.

A loss to Campbell and the Lions this Sunday likely won’t affect O’Connell’s odds too much. But a victory would all but clinch the award.

Giants vs. Eagles: 3 best prop bets for Week 18

The New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles face off on Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field. Here are three prop bets to consider.

The New York Giants (3-13) close out their season with a trip down the New Jersey Turnpike this Sunday afternoon to face the NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles (13-3).

Normally, there would be lots of betting options in this matchup (mostly on the Philly side), but this is Week 18, which is now being called the fourth preseason game.

Teams that are out of the playoffs will likely not be dressing players who are hurting and teams that are headed to the postseason usually sit any player they feel too essential to risk in a game that is meaningless in the standings.

That is the case this Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field. Philly has already stated that star running back Saquon Barkley will not play, so cross him off your lists.

Philadelphia doesn’t need the game and is just trying to keep their best players out of harm’s way.

On Thursday, the Eagles sat most of their key personnel at practice, foreshadowing what they might do on Sunday: Wide receiver A.J. Brown (knee/rest), quarterback Jalen Hurts (concussion/left finger), quarterback Kenny Pickett (ribs) and wide receiver DeVonta Smith (wrist/rest) did not participate in practice.

Many others were limited.

The Giants, on the other hand, are likely to play anyone who has a personal stake in either gaining experience, passing a milestone, or a contract incentive. Translation: Everyone who can play, will.

Here are three prop bets to play based on the information at hand, per BetMGM.

Giants WR Malik Nabers OVER 69.5 receiving yards (-130)

Malik Nabers wants to finish the season on a high note and he’ll be in a great position to do that on Sunday against the Eagles’ backup secondary. Many fantasy experts are predicting Nabers to eclipse the 100-yard mark in this game and his price in fantasy is rising. Jump on this number now before it gets too high to bet.

Giants WR Malik Nabers OVER 6.5 receptions (-115)

Nabers leads the NFL in targets (162) and has 104 receptions on the season, one shy of Puka Nacua’s NFL record for rookie wide receivers. Nabers is also chasing fellow rookie, Las Vegas tight end Brock Bowers (who has 108 catches) for the rookie single-season reception record. Expect Nabers to continue to be fed the ball.

Giants QB Drew Lock OVER 191.5 passing yards (-115)

Of course, on the other side of the Nabers equation, will be the quarterback. In this case, it’s Drew Lock who is coming off a career day last week against Indianapolis. The Eagles will have to play some of their starters in this game, but it won’t be for long. If Lock sees minimal pressure in the pocket, he will be in for a big statistical afternoon. Last year, as a Seattle Seahawk, Lock started the Seahawks’ Week 14 20-17 win over Philly on the road, hitting on 22-of-33 passes for 208 yards.

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What time is Penn State vs. Notre Dame kickoff? CFP semifinal game info

When and where will Penn State’s College Football Playoff against Notre Dame be played?

For just the second time in series history, Penn State and Notre Dame are set to collide in a postseason bowl game. And the stakes could not be much higher this time around. Penn State and Notre Dame will meet in the semifinal of the College Football Playoff, which will be played in the Orange Bowl next week. Penn State has a pretty good track record in the Orange Bowl as a program, although it has been a while since the Nittany Lions got to play in the game.

Here are some of the details you need to know about Penn State’s next game on its quest for a national championship.

Penn State vs. Notre Dame in CFP game date

Penn State and Notre Dame will meet in the Orange Bowl on Thursday, January 9, 2025.

Penn State will get the benefit of extra rest preparing for the game after playing its quarterfinal round game on New Years Eve (Dec. 31, 2024). Notre Dame had to wait an extra day before playing in the Super Bowl due to the New Years Day tragedy in New Orleans.

What time does Penn State play Notre Dame in CFP?

The College Football Playoff semifinal games will each start at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Orange Bowl is played one day prior to the Cotton Bowl (between Texas and Ohio State).

Where is Penn State vs. Notre Dame?

The Orange Bowl will be played in Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Hard Rock Stadium is the home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins and the Miami Hurricanes of the ACC. This will be Penn State’s second game played in the stadium, with the most recent game being the 2006 Orange Bowl, a triple-overtime thriller against Florida State.

Penn State vs. Notre Dame odds

Penn State opens as the initial underdog in the Orange Bowl, although the line is a close one. Notre Dame opened as a 1.5-point favorite according to various betting outlets moments after Notre Dame close out Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

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