Tag: Spread

Wisconsin football reveals 2024 homecoming matchup

Wisconsin football reveals 2024 homecoming matchup

Wisconsin’s 2024 homecoming weekend will surround its Saturday, October 26 matchup against the Penn State Nittany Lions.

This news comes as the Big Ten announces the homecoming dates for all 18 conference members. The kickoff time and television channel for the game are yet to be released.

Related: Anonymous Big Ten coaches weigh in on Wisconsin football in 2024

Wisconsin has the kickoff time and television channel confirmed for four of its 2024 contests thus far. That schedule includes two Friday games — Week 1 vs. Western Michigan and Week 14 vs. Minnesota.

The matchup against Penn State is one of the Badgers’ biggest on a challenging 2024 schedule. James Franklin’s program enters the 2024 season with high expectations after yet another 10-win season in 2023. The team currently ranks No. 7 in ESPN SP+ with the metric’s No. 23 overall offense rating and No. 4 defense rating. It could be a contender for the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff if former five-star quarterback Drew Allar lives up to expectations.

The Badgers opened as 6.5-point underdogs.

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Betting line revealed for Wisconsin football’s Week 1 matchup vs. Western Michigan

Do you like the #Badgers to cover in Week 1?

Wisconsin football opened as a 23.5-point favorite in its Week 1, 2024 contest against Western Michigan, odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

The game kicks off a gauntlet schedule for the 2024 Badgers. The team faces Alabama in non-conference play before Big Ten matchups at USC and Iowa, plus home against Nebraska, Penn State and Oregon.

Related: Which Big Ten football team has the toughest 2024 schedule?

Its Week 1 contest against the Western Michigan Broncos will be one of the easiest on the schedule.

The Broncos went 4-8 in 2023 in head coach Lance Taylor’s first year at the helm. His team is currently ranked No. 106 in the nation by ESPN SP+ entering the 2024 season.

Luke Fickell and the Badgers will have something to prove in Week 1 after a disappointing 7-6 2023 season. Phil Longo’s offense needs to take a jump in year two, and will rely upon veteran transfer quarterback Tyler Van Dyke to do so.

Week 1 against one of the nation’s lowest-ranked opponents will be a good opportunity to start the season strong. The opening betting line reflects that matchup.

DraftKings is yet to release an over-under.

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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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NFL Week 1 odds: Chargers open as favorites over the Raiders

The Chargers open as slight favorites for their Week 1 matchup against the Raiders following the NFL’s schedule release.

The Chargers are out to pick up their first win in the Jim Harbaugh era right out of the gate. They open as slight favorites over the Raiders in Week 1 of their 2024 campaign following the release of the team’s schedule.

FanDuel Sportsbook has Los Angeles as a 3.5-point favorite, which indicates that they expect the game to be fairly close in the divisional bout.

Las Vegas still has questions at the quarterback position, as their only move was signing Gardner Minshew without electing to draft a quarterback. They did lose running back Joshua Jacobs but also added a big-time defensive playmaker in Christian Wilkins.

The Chargers made a slew of roster moves, most notably dumping wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. But they did add a handful of players on both sides of the ball. Harbaugh envisions a tough and physical team. Will that materialize from the jump?

The last time the two teams faced off this past season, the Raiders badly beat the Chargers, 63-21. This loss led to the firings of former head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco, who now holds the same role in Las Vegas.

How to watch, wager, and stream Week 17’s Saints vs. Buccaneers showdown

How to watch, wager, and stream Week 17’s Saints vs. Buccaneers showdown

Here’s the big one. The New Orleans Saints (7-8) could be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7) on Sunday if a couple of other games don’t break their way — too many early-season defeats to rival teams in the wild-card race have set the Saints too far behind the eight ball.

The stakes couldn’t be higher, and we’ve got everything you need to know about the game. Here’s how you can watch, wager, stream, and listen in through the radio:

Saints are 4-point underdogs against the Lions at home in the Caesars Superdome

Saints are 4-point underdogs against the Lions at home in the Caesars Superdome

Oddsmakers are expecting a tight game from the New Orleans Saints (5-6) in Week 13; BetMGM Sportsbook has the Saints as four-point underdogs at home against the Detroit Lions (8-3), with a 47-point over/under suggesting a final line in the neighborhood of Detroit 25, New Orleans 21.

That would be the most points the Saints have scored in a game since the start of November, when they put up 24 points on the Chicago Bears in their last home game. They haven’t finished with a winning record at the Caesars Superdome in years, and they’re 2-2 right now. A win over the Lions would do a lot to rebuild the homefield advantage the Saints cultivated for more than a decade, and prove they belong in the NFC playoff picture.

So the Saints are four-point underdogs, with the spread at -110; that means a $100 wager would return $190.91 if they covered. The money line is +165 as kickoff draws closer, which would result in a $265 return on a $100 slip if the Saints pull off an upset. But that feels a little close even if the Lions look vulnerable after being knocked down by the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving.

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Colts vs. Jaguars: Prediction, point spread, odds, best bet

The Jaguars will host the Colts on Sunday, five weeks after getting a 31-21 win at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Jacksonville Jaguars play the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, and if you’re looking to do some last-minute betting research, you’re in luck! We’ll give you the latest point spread, money line odds and over/under number, as well as the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet.

The game starts at 1 p.m. ET and can be seen on CBS.

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The winner of the matchup between 3-2 teams will take sole possession of first place in the AFC South.

Five weeks ago, the Jaguars started their season with a 31-21 win against the Colts. After losing in the next two weeks, Jacksonville got its season back on the right path with back-to-back wins in London.

The Colts similarly bounced back from their Week 1 loss with wins in three of the next four weeks. Still, they’re the underdog in the rematch with the Jaguars.

  • Point spread: Jaguars -3.5
  • Money line: Jaguars -190 / Colts +155
  • Over-under: 44

Colts at Jaguars injury report:

The most significant injury is the loss of quarterback Anthony Richardson to the injured reserve, which will push Gardner Minshew II into the starting lineup for Indianapolis. The Colts will also be without right tackle Braden Smith.

For the Jaguars, wide receiver Zay Jones and offensive lineman Walker Little will be out of action after both suffered knee injuries in Week 5.

Advice and prediction

Calvin Ridley over 61.5 receiving yards (-115)

During the Week 1 win, Ridley went off for 92 yards in just the first half against the Colts. It’ll mostly be the same group of inexperienced cornerbacks who struggled to contain Ridley and are tasked with stopping him this time around. The addition of JuJu Brents could make a difference, but the absence of Zay Jones could mean even more balls headed Ridley’s direction.

Prediction: Jaguars 34, Colts 20

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Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.

Jaguars open as 4.5-point favorites vs. Colts in Week 6

The Jaguars are favored to finish a season sweep of the Colts.

The Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts will play for first place in the AFC South when they meet at EverBank Stadium for a Week 6 tilt.

It’s the second matchup for the divisional rivals this season after the Jaguars earned a 31-21 win at Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 1. Since then, the Colts have won three of their last four games, including a 23-16 win against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

While Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson suffered an injury that is likely to keep him out for a while, the team has a capable backup in former Jaguars starter Gardner Minshew II. Still, it’s the Jaguars that are favorites after winning back-to-back games in London.

If you’re looking for betting odds on the Jaguars upcoming game against the Colts, we’ve got you covered. The following lines for the spread, money line and over/under are from BetMGM, giving you an idea of how the oddsmakers think the game will go.

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Moneyline (ML)

  • Jaguars -225 (bet $225 to win $100)
  • Colts +180 (bet $100 to win $180)

Against the spread (ATS)

  • Jaguars -4.5 (-115)
  • Colts +4.5 (-105)

Over/Under (O/U)

  • 45.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

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CBS Sports bucks the spread for Florida-Kentucky game outcome

Experts at CBS Sports are predicting an upset for the bout between the Florida Gators and Kentucky Wildcats.

We’re less than 48 hours away from the grudge match between the Florida Gators and Kentucky Wildcats, and media outlets like CBS Sports are making their predictions.

Sports writer Barrett Sallee returned to make his Week 5 picks against the spread and highlighted Florida’s upcoming SEC bout. The Gators are underdogs in most Las Vegas sportsbooks.

Sallee says he’s taking the Gators (plus-2.5) to pull off the upset on the road.

“If you’re looking for an underrated game that will come down to a field goal, this is it,” Sallett wrote. “Florida’s offense isn’t flashy, but quarterback Graham Mertz has been smart with the football and the offensive line has improved since Week 1.”

“It’s far from dynamic, however. Kentucky’s defense hasn’t been as consistent as it should be, but it won’t been that threatened by Mertz and Co. This will be an ultra low-scoring, old-school affair in which Florida will win in a slight upset.”

The Kentucky Wildcats have taken down inferior opponents but in sloppy fashion. In the game against Vanderbilt, Kentucky relied on a mental mistake from Commodores quarterback AJ Swan, who threw two pick sixes at major points in the game.

Florida, on the other hand, has been more than efficient on defense, only giving up 13.5 points a game and suffocating opposing running backs to 2.9 yards an attempt.

So place your bets before kickoff, folks. A narrow Florida Gators victory could hand you the big bucks.

The rivalry matchup between the Gators and Wildcats is set to kick off at noon EDT and will broadcast on ESPN.

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

NFL Week 1 odds: Chargers open as slight favorites over the Dolphins

The Chargers open as slight favorites for their Week 1 matchup against the Dolphins following the NFL’s schedule release.

The Chargers are out to prove that they’re better than their first-round playoff exit last season, and will open as slight favorites over the Dolphins in Week 1 of their 2023 campaign following the release of the team’s schedule.

DraftKings Sportsbook has Los Angeles as a 2.5-point favorite, which indicates that they expect the game to be fairly close between the rising AFC powerhouses.

Led by Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and the newest addition, cornerback Jalen Ramsey, the Dolphins won’t be an easy out for the Chargers and are expected to compete with the Bills for the AFC East crown in 2023.

Though it is too early to tell what either team’s 53-man roster might look like in early September, this matchup is set to be one of the more intriguing games on the schedule for Week 1.

The last time the two teams faced off this past season, the Chargers won in a close affair, 23-17.

Taylor Heinicke is back in the driver’s seat for the Commanders, who can’t really get much worse

Washington can only get better, even with Carson Wentz injured.

Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers after undergoing surgery for a fractured finger on his throwing hand.

He’ll be replaced by Taylor Heinicke, and rookie Sam Howell becomes the new backup.

It’s a clear downgrade at the position for the Commanders, who traded for Wentz after going 7-8 with Heinicke as the starter a year ago. But on the bright side, things can’t get much worse than how they’ve already been going in D.C.

With Wentz under center, the team is just 2-4 and in last place in the suddenly good NFC East. Coach Ron Rivera threw Wentz under the bus after the fourth loss, then reversed course with a fiery defense of him after the team managed just 12 points against the Bears last week.

Washington was a 5.5-point underdog for Sunday’s game even before Wentz was officially ruled out.

That line could probably grow larger if bettors believe Green Bay can turn things around, but that’s where this game gets interesting. The Packers are reeling themselves, with consecutive losses to the New York Giants and Jets, teams they were favored to beat after starting the season 3-1.

The Packers have been unable to stop the run, and their offense has underwhelmed too. Hope only remains in their ability to turn things around because nobody wants to be the person to count out the two-time reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers.

No such hope exists for Washington, but there is a chance for them to at least be better. Heinicke is more than capable of making things happen on offense when he isn’t turning the ball over. And while his 45.8 QBR last season wasn’t great, it’s higher than Wentz’s 34.1 this year.

Heinicke also completed a higher percentage of his passes, and he averaged more yards per attempt even though Wentz was supposed to stretch the field more with a stronger arm. In a 24-10 loss to the Packers last year, Heinicke went 25-of-37 passing for 268 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and he ran for another 95 yards.

Given the Packers struggles, and Washington’s clear room for improvement, this game could end up more interesting than it seems.

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