Play Houston Texans +4.5.

Kansas City is dealing with injuries. Tyreek Hill has a broken collar bone and Sammy Watkins has a hamstring injury that forced him to exit the game against the Colts. Texans a balanced offense that is running for 5.1 yards per carry and throwing for 252 yards and 69% completion rate. Kansas City is giving up 155 yards rushing and 5.3 yards per rush. That should open passing plays for the Texans on the Chiefs defense. KC lost several players on defense in game against the Colts last week and sat many starters to injury as well. Mahomes did tweak his ankle on Sunday night. Houston balance on offense keeps them in this game allowing to generate enough points to cover here.

Play Houston Texans +4.5.

Play Minnesota Vikings -3.5

Vikings have been a strong home team. They have wins by 16 to Atlanta and by 20 to Oakland. They enter play off a 28-10 win at the Giants. Vikings defense is holding opponents to just 292 yards per game with 3.6 yards per rush. They are eighth in the league on third down and fifth in the red zone. Viking showed some confidence in opening their passing game last week in their win at New York with 279 yards. Eagles have been weak defending the pass this season giving up 271 yards per game. Eagles took some injuries to their defense and wide receiver DeSean Jackson is dealing with an ab injury. Vikings pass rush very good at home will make if difficult for Carson Wentz to operate.

Play Minnesota -3.5.

Play New Orleans Saints at a +3.

Panthers are 3-0 with Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback. Key to this has been the play of the Saints defense that has given up an average of 20 points per game. Bridgewater had a good game last week against division rival Buccaneers with 345 yards passing. Offense has been good on third down. Jaguars return home after a physical battle with Carolina and losing 34-27. Jaguars faced a good offensive team at home in the Chiefs in the opener and allowed 40 points in defeat. Jacksonville did give up 445 yards to the Panthers offense with 285 rushing. Jaguars 26th on third down and 27th in the red zone this season.

Play New Orleans +3

Play Iowa +3.5.

This is a spot where Iowa thrives. At home in prime time we have seen this program step up with huge efforts. Must be impressed with the Hawkeyes defense holding the Wolverines to only ten points. Penn St steps up in class facing the best defense they have seen. In their highest profile game, the Nittany Lions got past Pittsburgh only by seven at home. Iowa has a notable road win in a high profile road game at Iowa St. This Penn St is not experienced on offense and now they face some resistance defense in a hostile road game. Hawkeyes holding opponents to only 255 yards and 8.8 points per game. Iowa St in a big game scored only 17 on this defense at home.

Play Iowa +3.5.

Play Florida St Seminoles +27.5.

These meetings have been competitive in four of their past five meetings with the Seminoles falling within this number. Seminoles have talent and showed improvement in wins at home to Louisville and NC State. Tigers have not covered their high profile games beating Texas A&M by 14 at home and North Carolina by one on the road prior to their bye week. Seminoles getting production from starting quarterback James Blackman who is completing 69.4% of his passes with nine touchdowns and two picks. Cam Akers is an NFL prospect at running back for the Seminoles. Florida St generates enough offense to cover this big number.

Play Florida St +27.5,

Play Michigan St +10.5

Wisconsin had issues getting points on Northwestern scoring only 24 in a nine point victory failing to cover. Michigan St can stop the run holding opponents to just 3.1 yards per carry. Wisconsin runs the football 46 times and throws an average of 25 times per game. Expect a lot down and distance situations on third down for the Badgers playing into the hands of a good Michigan St defense. Northwestern behind an ineffective backup quarterback manage to push across 15 points on the Badgers. Wisconsin does not possess the speed of the Buckeyes. The Spartans generate enough offense to cover this big number.

Play Michigan St +10.5

College football pick Texas Longhorns +11.

Longhorns have made ground on the Sooners program through the years. Texas has faced the much tougher schedule. They put up 38 points on a good LSU defense in a seven point loss. Back to back wins in Big 12 at home to Oklahoma St then last week in a tough spot beat an improving West Virginia team 42-31 on the road. Longhorns have covered six of their past seven against the Sooners. Oklahoma has put up good numbers. But their opponents thus far, Houston, South Dakota, a down UCLA and Texas Tech program plus Kansas. Longhorns the more tested team.

Play Texas +11.

Play Colorado Buffaloes +21.

Colorado is not a doormat PAC 12 team. They have been a competitive team in losses by five to Arizona then overtime to Air Force. They do have wins in overtime to Nebraska and at Arizona St. Buffaloes offense is generating 447 yards per game with 300 yards in the passing game. Senior quarterback Steven Montez is completing 67% of his passes with ten touchdowns and two picks. They were without Laviska Shenault Jr, an NFL prospect, the top receiver for Colorado in their loss to Arizona. If he returns in this spot Colorado will even better offensively. Oregon not the dominant running team we have seen in the past. They are only averaging 4.5 yards per carry on the ground on an average of 36 rushes per game. Oregon did just finish playing Cal winning 17-7 but only put up 21 points on a rebuilding Stanford team. Buffaloes generate enough offense to cover this huge number.

Play Colorado +21.

MLB pick is St Louis Cardinals -120 odds.

Getting the start for St Louis will be Miles Mikolas. The righthander has pitched well at home with an ERA of 2.98 and WHIP of 1.03 in 96 2/3rd innings of work. He has allowed one earned run in each of his past two starts. He worked five innings at Atlanta holding a good hitting Braves lineup to one run over five innings. Anibal Sanchez goes for the Cardinals. Team record in his past six starts against the Cardinals is 1-5. He only went five innings in his NLCS start against the Dodgers. That puts a bad Nationals bullpen into the game early. Cardinals bats have been hot. Nationals bats did struggle facing the righthanders in Walker Buehler and Kenta Maeda in the NLDS.

Play St Louis Cardinals -120 odds.

College football pick is Miami Hurricanes -2.

Miami looks for a strong bounce back after their turnover fest in their defeat to Virginia Tech. But sophomore quarterback N’Kosi Perry relieved and looked good hitting on 28 of 45 passes for 422 yards with four touchdowns and a pick. Miami defense did hold the Hokies to 3317 yards and only 3.6 yards per rush on 43 carries. Hurricanes have won three of four against the Cavaliers. Hurricanes defense holding teams to only 283 yards per game and 53.4% completion rate. Virginia not running effectively with 3.4 yards per rush. Cavs quarterback Bryce Perkins has thrown six interceptions on the season. He has taken fifteen sacks this season and faces a good defense here.

Play Miami -2.