BetMGM. I have to take Miami at this number. Malachi Toney is obviously a big loss, but I haven't seen enough from Notre Dame yet to lay over a touchdown in this matchup. Both teams have played lighter schedules with Miami winning its toughest game over Wake Forest and Notre Dame falling at BYU. I get the Irish being at home at night angle. I do like Notre Dame to win a close game. However, Miami still has Darian Mensah and loads of talent on offense. I worry about the Hurricanes' suspect secondary against CJ Carr, but Miami's No. 1 rush defense gives up just 60.8 yards per game. I got it Notre Dame 30 Miami 27. I'll back the Canes +7.5 for one unit.

FanDuel. I'm playing Utah State -23.5 on the opener at FanDuel. It's an awful spot for Omaha: playing at BYU late Friday, then traveling to face the Aggies Saturday afternoon. Utah State is rested after blowing out Idaho State in the opener. I expect the Aggies to run a tired Omaha team off the floor at home. I make the number -27.5. Play up to 25.5 for one unit.

Caesars. Ohio State is in a better spot at home this week in what is essentially a playoff game for the Buckeyes. I expect Ohio State’s defense to look a lot different after giving up 30 points to USC. Oregon backup quarterback Dylan Raiola is coming off his best game of the season, but as we saw against UCLA, he can crumble under pressure. Also, look for Jeremiah Smith to be more involved now that Luke Fahey has that first start under his belt. Credit to the Ducks: they came back from an early deficit at home last Saturday to beat Northwestern. However, Oregon's struggling defense still allowed 456 total yards, including 175 on the ground. Give the Buckeyes -7.5 for a unit.

DraftKings. It feels like Kansas State is about done. The Wildcats are 1-4 in their last five games with losses to struggling Colorado and Arizona State. Oklahoma State is coming off a loss at Iowa State, where its defense allowed 51 points and 581 total yards. While the Cowboys' defense is a concern, I think they run wild in this matchup. Kansas State ranks 103rd against the run and allowed 369 rushing yards in its last two games. QB Drew Mestemaker gets the headlines, but the Cowboys also average 191 rushing yards per game. Kansas State is starting its fourth QB in as many weeks. OSU will give up some points, but they will score a lot more. I'll lay 5.5 for a unit.

FanDuel. Duke travels to NC State before facing Miami next weekend. The Wolfpack will be playing their second game with interim head coach Todd Goebbel after Dave Doeren was let go following a 3-4 start. NC State played well in Goebbel’s first game, defeating Cal 31-10. Teams often get an initial bump from a coaching change, then drop off. We’ll see if the NC State players can carry that momentum into Saturday. The Blue Devils are 2-1 on the road, although all three games have been close. They lost to Georgia Tech by three and defeated Illinois and Virginia by a combined seven points. I see another tight one here. I'll take NC State +4.5 for a Half Unit.

FanDuel. Queens is in a tough spot, playing its third game in five days. The Royals won the first two by scoring a combined 199 points. That's the good news. The bad news is Queens allowed 193 points to Winthrop and Loyola Marymount. The Royals are stepping up in class against an Oklahoma State squad with a star-studded recruiting class and a highly rated transfer haul. The Cowboys are my Big 12 sleeper, and I think they hang 100 points on Friday night. Queens struggled when facing bigger schools last season, losing six games to Villanova, Virginia, Wake Forest, Arkansas, Auburn, and Purdue by an average of 31 points. I think Oklahoma State rolls at home. Play anything under -21 for a Half Unit.

FanDuel. Jumping on Missouri right away at -23.5 for one unit. I make the Tigers -27.5 here. Cleveland State has an entirely new roster, made up mostly of freshmen and smaller school transfers. It could be a long season for the Vikings, and Missouri usually kills these teams at home early in the year. I think the Tigers roll. Play up to 25.5.

FanDuel. I was hoping for +7, but I don't think we'll get there. Illinois State is one of the few Mid-Major teams with key players actually coming back for another season. Three starters return, headlined by Chase Walker (17.7 PPG) and Johnny Kinziger (11.5 PPG). Saint Mary's is starting over with a first-time head coach and a completely re-tooled roster. The Gaels do still have some talent, although with so many changes, it might take a few games for everything to come together. I expect a tight game here, so I'll back Illinois State +6.5 for a Half Unit.

Caesars. Half Unit for the first CBB pick of the season. Both teams have new rosters, but I like the players the Bulls added a little more. In 2026, this is obviously more of a personal projection. We won't know about 99% of these teams until we see how all the new pieces fit together. Both teams will play fast here and shoot a ton of threes. The difference is I think UB has the better guards. I make the Bulls -1, so I will back them at +3 for a half unit. The five-month grind with no sleep and two more ulcers is underway!

FanDuel. Miami is on the road this week, laying over two touchdowns to Bill Belichick and North Carolina, with Notre Dame on deck. After a disappointing loss to Syracuse, the Tar Heels should be sky-high for this game. UNC already played Notre Dame at home and gave the Irish a fight before losing 37-26. I see a similar kind of game here. The Tar Heels have been in every game this season. The 11-point loss to Notre Dame is the only time they lost by double digits, and that was a one-point game in the third quarter. Miami's players have had next Saturday's matchup vs. Notre Dame circled since the summer. Meanwhile, this is North Carolina’s Super Bowl. I'll take UNC for a Half Unit.

BetMGM. This line is on the move with BetMGM still posting -12. I would play it up to 13.5. The Bulldogs are coming off a bye week after an upset loss to Auburn. That was easily Georgia’s worst game of the season. The Bulldogs had a hangover after their emotional win over Alabama. Georgia's top-10 rush defense gave up 192 yards, 100 yards over their season average. I expect Kirby Smart’s team to be more focused on Saturday. My concern for Florida is the quarterback position. It will be either Aaron Philo or redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr. Both quarterbacks are banged up and listed as questionable on the injury report. If Georgia’s defense can contain Florida running back Jadan Baugh, they should cover.

FanDuel. Vegas has lost three straight games, but this feels like a get right spot at home for the Golden Knights. Ottawa lost starting goaltender Linus Ullmark. The Senators are expected to start backup Samuel Ersson, and that should be good news for Vegas. Ersson is 0-3 with a 4.59 goals-against average. The Golden Knights have scored just five goals in their last three games, but their overall offensive numbers remain strong. Vegas ranks top 10 in goals, shots on goal, and power play percentage. Look for the Golden Knights' offense to get back on track against the short-handed Senators. I played the Vegas ML -152 for a Half Unit.

DraftKings. I love this spot for Utah. We won't get this price on many Mammoth home games. Minnesota is at the end of a long road trip, with the Wild playing their fifth away game in eight days. Utah's style is built to exploit tired legs, and the Mammoth should be well rested after three days off. The game is priced this way because the two teams are close on paper. However, the spot, rest, and home ice all favor Utah. I'll back the Mammoth -125 for one unit.

DraftKings. This is a matchup between two hot teams. The Devils have won three straight and five of their last six. Meanwhile, Dallas has won five straight. My issue with New Jersey is that all five of those wins came at home. The Devils have played just three road games this season. They are 1-2 with the lone win coming in OT over Detroit. One of NJ's strengths is that they rank first in shots on goal. The Stars should negate that. Dallas ranks first in SOG allowed, first in goals allowed, and second in penalty-kill percentage. Not only has the defense been strong, but starting goaltender Jake Oettinger has been a wall, sporting a 1.43 GAA. I'll back Dallas -125 for one unit.

BetRivers. I was waiting to see if this number got to +7. Utah is a very good football team, though the Utes have played a soft schedule so far. Utah’s best win is over 3-3 Iowa State. Meanwhile, Houston has played three quality opponents, going 2-1 against Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, and Kansas State. They also beat a good Oregon State team. Utah has great metrics but sometimes those numbers are misleading when a team plays a softer early schedule. Just ask Notre Dame. I have these two teams rated close, right behind BYU and Texas Tech in the Big 12. I think this could be the most entertaining game of the weekend, so I'll take +7 with Houston for a half unit.