Announcement

**Udog** · 10-07-2011, 10:26 PM

Saturday's betting tips: BYU struggles against the WAC

Who’s hot

NCAAF: The Over is 5-0 in Georgia Tech’s games this year.

NCAAF: Navy is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games against winning teams.

NHL: San Jose went 5-1 in the preseason, outscoring opponents 20-8.

CFL: The Over is 10-3-1 in Calgary’s last 14 road games.

Who’s not

NCAAF: Utah is 0-5 ATS in its last five games on fieldturf.

NCAAF: BYU is 5-16-1 in its last 22 games against WAC opponents.

NHL: Washington scored just 17 goals in seven preseason games (2.4 average).

CFL: The BC Lions are 3-10-1 in their last 14 meetings with Calgary.

Key stat

105th – That’s where Miami ranks out of 120 major-college teams in rushing yards allowed per game (202.3). They’re 106th in yards allowed per carry (5.0). Saturday, the depleted Hurricanes must deal with Hokies RB David Wilson, who averages 127.8 yards per game on the ground. No. 17 Virginia Tech is a 7.5-point home favorite.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

San Jose won’t have right wing Martin Havlat (shoulder) for its season opener Saturday. Tommy Wingels is expected to take Havlat’s place on the second line with Ryane Clowe and Logan Courture. Havlat is skating with the Sharks at practice, but has not been cleared for full contact. Havlat had 22 goals and 40 assists last season.

Game of the day

No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners vs. No. 10 Texas Longhorns (10.5, 56.5)

Notable quotable

“To beat the hell out of their receivers, that’s our game plan on the outside. It’s to try to mess up their timing routes as much as we can.” – cornerback Antonio Cromartie on the Jets’ plan for New England. The host Patriots are favored by 9.5 points in Sunday’s AFC East grudge match.

Notes and tips

Ohio State, an 11-point underdog at Nebraska, ranks 108th in total offense after mustering 178 total yards last week. It was the Buckeyes’ lowest total since 2007, as Michigan State put QB Braxton Miller under constant pressure. But the return of OT Mike Adams should help against the Cornhuskers’ front, led by DT Jared Crick.

Since 2000, the team that has rushed the ball for the most yards has won all but one game in the Georgia-Tennessee series. The Bulldogs, who are laying 2 points on the road, should ride RB Isaiah Crowell and give him his biggest workload yet. He ranks fourth in the SEC with an average of 103 yards per game.

The New York Giants likely will be without DE Justin Tuck and RB Brandon Jacobs on Sunday. They’re listed as doubtful after neither practiced Friday. Starting center David Baas already has been ruled out. Still, New York is laying 9.5 points to the visiting Seahawks, who are 2-15 as road underdogs since 2007.

**Udog** · 10-07-2011, 10:31 PM

Armadillo: Weekend's six-pack

-- Home team covered seven of last nine Illinois-Indiana games.

-- Iowa won six of last seven vs Penn State, including four SU upsets.

-- Favorites are 10-1-1 vs spread in last dozen Minnesota-Purdue games.

-- Boise State covered nine of last ten against Fresno State.

-- Washington State covered eight of last eleven against UCLA.

-- Nevada covered its last five games against UNLV.

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Armadillo: Saturday's List of 13: Things I'm looking for this weekend

13) Mack Brown appears to have Texas back on right track after LY’s 5-7 fiasco, but playing Oklahoma in Cotton Bowl has always been a yardstick game for both teams. With Garrett Gilbert transferring out of Austin this week, it becomes especially important for the Longhorns to at least be competitive with Oklahoma, to sustain the perception of improvement.

12) John Brantley has a high ankle sprain, so Florida turns to true freshman QB Driskill for its game at LSU this week; luckily for the Gators, it’s a 3:30 CBS game, and not a night game. I am told there is nothing like the atmosphere on a Saturday night in Baton Rouge.

ESPN’s Jesse Palmer told a story on-air this week about an LSU fan threatening Palmer from the stands while he was a Florida Gator. When Palmer turned to see who was threatening to climb the fence and do physical harm to him, Palmer saw that his tormentor was a woman!!!!

11) Hopefully Nebraska’s first Big Dozen home game will go better than the road opener at Wisconsin; the Buckeyes come into Lincoln using a freshman QB who put up only one score at home vs Michigan State last week, and that was in the game’s last minute. Cornhuskers need a decisive win in this game.

10) Tampa Bay Bucs are 9-0-2 vs spread in last 11 road games, but they’ve got a West Coast trip on a short work week, which is a very tough scheduling spot, especially against a 49er squad doing the little things (+8 turnover ratio) right.

9) Can NC State beat a I-A team, even if it is Central Michigan? Has any team ever looked dumber than the Wolfpack does for basically giving Russell Wilson away?

8) How will Eldrick Woods do this week in San Jose with his new caddy, as he placates the Presidents Cup people and plays a tournament before heading to Australia?

7) Eagles were called the Dream Team this summer; now they’re 1-3, struggling on defense and playing a 3-1 Bills team that has 28 guys who were either not drafted or drafted in rounds 5-7. Interesting game. 6) Larry Fitzgerald goes home to Minnesota this week; his Arizona Cardinals lost their last three games by total of 8 points. Vikings haven’t won a game yet. Loser is going to be in deep trouble.

5) I’m curious to hear how Terry Francona is on TV; if he’s good, his managerial career could be over. Still can’t believe the Red Sox let him get away. Interesting to see where he winds up and who the Red Sox replace him with. Its a very tough act to follow.

4) Hockey season starts this weekend; if you haven’t seen a pro hockey game in person and you get a chance, go. Hockey is the one sport that loses the most in translation to TV. Great fun in person.

3) By Tuesday we should have a much better idea if there’s going to be an extended work stoppage in the NBA; my gut says there’s going to be. Too bad. Players would still be big winners, even if they gave the owners everything they wanted, but there are huge egos involved, so that ain’t happening.

2) Couple interesting playoff revenge scenarios Sunday. Jets won in Foxboro last January, are now struggling and are on road for third week in row; they seem vulnerable to a Patriots team that has it rolling on offense. Packers made like Sherman going thru Atlanta in last winter’s playoffs; now they’re 4-0 and going back to Georgia Dome, facing a Falcon squad that hasn’t hit its stride yet this season, but won its only home game.

1) Monday is Detroit’s first Monday night home game in a decade; Lions are going to have a very good home field advantage in that dome— offensive lines are going to struggle getting off the ball well. Chicago’s line has had troubles anyway. Am concerned about huge deficits Lions faced the last two weeks, but think this will be big game for them, especially with all the positive energy in the Motor City surrounding the Tigers.

**Udog** · 10-07-2011, 10:35 PM

CFL
Dunkel

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8

Game 493-494: Calgary at BC (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 111.641; BC 124.505
Dunkel Line: BC by 13; 50
Vegas Line: BC by 3 1/2; 53
Dunkel Pick: BC (-3 1/2); Under

MONDAY, OCTOBER 10

Game 495-496: Toronto at Montreal (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 105.601; Montreal 115.086
Dunkel Line: Montreal by 9 1/2; 51
Vegas Line: Montreal by 13 1/2; 54
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+13 1/2); Under

Game 497-498: Saskatchewan at Edmonton (4:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Saskatchewan 106.654; Edmonton 113.607
Dunkel Line: Edmonton by 7; 53
Vegas Line: Edmonton by 6; 51
Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (-6); Over

CFL
Long Sheet

Week 15

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Saturday, October 8

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CALGARY (8 - 5) at BRITISH COLUMBIA (7 - 6) - 10/8/2011, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in road games versus division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 29-47 ATS (-22.7 Units) in home games versus division opponents since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 6-3 against the spread versus BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 6-3 straight up against BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Monday, October 10

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TORONTO (3 - 10) at MONTREAL (8 - 5) - 10/10/2011, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 6-17 ATS (-12.7 Units) as an underdog of 10 or more points since 1996.
TORONTO is 4-15 ATS (-12.5 Units) as a road underdog of 10.5 to 14 points since 1996.
MONTREAL is 45-66 ATS (-27.6 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 8-2 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 8-2 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SASKATCHEWAN (4 - 9) at EDMONTON (7 - 6) - 10/10/2011, 4:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) versus division opponents this season.
SASKATCHEWAN is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) off a division game over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 61-37 ATS (+20.3 Units) as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 102-65 ATS (+30.5 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 88-58 ATS (+24.2 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
EDMONTON is 1-11 ATS (-11.1 Units) as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points over the last 3 seasons.
EDMONTON is 5-17 ATS (-13.7 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
EDMONTON is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) as a home favorite of 3.5 to 7 points over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
EDMONTON is 6-2 against the spread versus SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
EDMONTON is 5-3 straight up against SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CFL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 15

Calgary (8-5) @ BCLions (7-6)-- Road team won both series games this season; Stamps (+1.5) won 34-32 here in Week 2, then lost 32-19 (-5) at home three weeks ago. Red-hot Lions won last six games, scoring average of 33.3 ppg- they were 1-6 before that. BC covered its last three tries as a favorite. Calgary is 3-3 since bye; they're 5-1 on foreign soil, with only loss at Hamilton- Week 2 win here was only other game thy've been dog all season. Seven of Lions'last nine games stayed under the total.

Toronto (3-10) @ Montreal (8-5)--Alouettes already beat Toronto twice this season, 40-17 (-10) here in Week 3, 36-23 (+5.5) three weeks later. Argos lost four of last five games, are 3-4 as road underdogs, losing away games by 6-23-1-5-22-10 points. Five of their last seven games stayed under total. Montreal won three of last four games after 2-4 skid; they're 3-3 as home favorites, winning home games by 4-24-23-30 points, with losses to Saskatchewan/Montreal.

Saskatchewan (4-9) @ Edmonton (7-6)-- Eskimos lost six of eight after a 5-0 start; they they beat Roughriders 42-28 (+6.5) in Week 1, are 2-2 as home favorites, but they've lost last three home games SU. Roughriders are 2-4 as road underdogs; after 1-7 start, they won three games in row, but lost last two weeks, by 42-5/40-3 scores. Nine of last 11 Roughrider games stayed under total. Edmonton is 5-0 when it allowed 23 points or less, 2-6 when it allows more. Riders scored 5-3 points last two games.

CFL

Week 15

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Trend Report
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Saturday, October 8

10:00 PM
CALGARY vs. BRITISH COLUMBIA
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Calgary's last 14 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Calgary's last 6 games when playing British Columbia
British Columbia is 3-11 ATS in its last 14 games when playing Calgary
British Columbia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

Monday, October 10

1:00 PM
TORONTO vs. MONTREAL
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing Montreal
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Montreal's last 6 games when playing Toronto
Montreal is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Toronto

4:30 PM
SASKATCHEWAN vs. EDMONTON
Saskatchewan is 3-13 SU in its last 16 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Saskatchewan's last 6 games
Edmonton is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Edmonton's last 12 games when playing at home against Saskatchewan

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CFL

Week 15

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Canadian Bacon: CFL Week 15 odds and picks
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Calgary Stampeders at B.C. Lions (-3.5, 54)

Both teams are coming off impressive wins last week and are now battling for first place in the West.

The Stampeders have been excellent on the road with a 5-1 record but their defense has allowed 348 points, fourth from the league’s basement. Meanwhile, the Lions lead the league having allowed only 273 points.

With a win the Stampeders would stay alone on top of their division while taking the season series against the Lions – which could prove huge when the bye weeks are decided. Calgary is also trying to avenge a 32-19 home loss to the Lions at McMahon Stadium on Sept. 17.

Jon Cornish, named Canadian player of the week and of the month, has kicked Joffrey Reynolds out of the lineup and makes the Stampeders offense more balanced. He has rushed for 233 yards in two games.

The Lions’ offense, led by QB Travis Lulay, remains one of the most potent in the league. Wally Buono’s squad also has an explosive young running back in Andrew Harris, who scored two touchdowns last week against the Eskimos. The Lions are on a six-week winning streak but most importantly, they come into this one relatively healthy and with lots of depth.

Pick: B.C.

Toronto Argonauts at Montreal Alouettes (-13, 54)

Jeremaine Copeland and Cory Boyd are both frustrated by the way they are used in the offense. Copeland spoke out to TSN about it before Boyd voiced his complaints over Twitter.

Copeland says the Argos record would probably be much better if he was thrown the ball more often. So despite a change at QB, team spirit can’t get much lower in the Argos locker room with a 3-10 record.

Head coach Jim Barker even admitted he made a mistake by sticking so long with QB Cleo Lemon while saying he can now build around Steven Jyles. The only positive thing going for the Argos is that Chad Owens is about to become the only professional football player in history with more than 3000 combined yards two years in a row (he now has 2431).

Meanwhile, the Alouettes could secure a playoff berth with a win but all the attention will be on QB Anthony Calvillo. He is only 258 yards away from surpassing Damon Allen’s record for the most passing yards in a career in all of pro football history (CFL and NFL).

Pick: Montreal

Saskatchewan Roughriders at Edmonton Eskimos (-6, 50.5)

The Eskimos are in the thick of the race for first place in the West while the Roughriders are in a survival mode.

The Eskimos defense has been impressive (ranked third in the league) while no team has given more points this season than Saskatchewan (385, almost 30 points per game). The Riders’ offense has only scored 275 points on the year and were been beaten by the Lions and the Stampeders by a combined score of 82-8 in their last two games.

After losing the first game of the season to the Eskimos, the Roughriders absolutely need this win to avoid being out of the playoff picture for the first time since 2001.

But the Eskimos offense is much more balanced and the rushing game might be the difference in this one. Edmonton averages 104 yards on the ground while the Riders have allowed 155 yards per game to opposing running backs.

Also note that the Roughriders have had their share of difficulties at Commonwealth Stadium, winning only three times in their last 16 trips to Edmonton.

Pick: Edmonton

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**Udog** · 10-07-2011, 10:41 PM

NHL

Saturday, October 8

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Hockey Night In Canada: NHL betting preview
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Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple Leafs (-165, 5.5)

Two fan bases thirsty for playoff appearances, two franchises desperate for better showings this season. The Senators pop into Air Canada Centre on the tail end of back-to-back games after losing to Detroit 5-3 on Friday. That's possible edge for the host Leafs, who had a day to prepare for their rivals after opening the season Thursday night.

Reimer the real deal?

You don’t need to be a Toronto die-hard to know the pressure and expectations heaped on goaltender James Reimer. All eyes seem to be on net for the Maple Leafs, as Reimer tries to prove last year was no fluke, when he recorded 20 wins and a 2.88 goals-against average for a bad team.

But so far, so good for the 23 year old. On Thursday, he made 32 saves for his fourth career shutout, as Toronto opened the year with about as satisfying a night as possible, winning 2-0 over rival Montreal at home.

Not much of a preseason primer

Not much is expected from the Senators this season, as the youth movement continues to move forward. And anyone looking for a glimpse of what may lie ahead probably didn’t get one in the preseason.

Ottawa went 3-3-1 and looked good at times, but really gave a sense that offense is going to be a problem. The Senators netted just 16 goals.

Bounceback on the blueline?

The Senators could use a boost from aging defenseman Sergei Gonchar, both on the back end and the scoresheet. The 37-year-old scored just seven goals last season and finished at minus-15.

Gonchar, noted for his offense with 11 seasons in double-digit goals, is never going strike fear in opponents from a pure defensive standpoint. But surely Ottawa was expecting a little more last year when it signed him on July 1, 2010 to a three-year, $16.5 million contract.

History

For those looking for a hot start from Toronto, it’s going to be tough to beat last year. The Maple Leafs opened up 4-0 last season, including a 5-1 win over Ottawa, interestingly enough, in the second game of the season. The teams split six games last season.

Pittsburgh Penguins at Calgary Flames (-105, 5.5)

Surely, CBC was thinking that Sidney Crosby might be on the ice with his Penguins when the HNIC schedule was designed in the summer. That won’t happen, but this rare October matchup isn’t without its share of stars.

Everyday Evgeni

If anyone was looking for Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma to ease forward Evgeni Malkin back into the swing of things as he returns from knee surgery, you can forget about it.

Malkin and the Penguins opened the season with a 4-3 shootout win in Vancouver on Thursday. In the first period, he logged nine shifts for 5:35 of ice time, picking up one assist and winning four faceoffs.

The Penguins have plenty of personnel around Malkin, even without Crosby. But no matter how much depth they have, it’s clear that Malkin’s going to be the focal point. And he appears ready. In the preseason alone, he had three goals and seven points. He scored the shootout winner versus the Canucks.

Jarome’s balky back

If coach Brent Sutter's going to lead the Flames back into the postseason, he'll obviously need a healthy Jarome Iginla on the ice as much as possible. That might be a problem.

Iginla has been bothered by back spasms and has been taking a cautious approach. He made it just 30 minutes into a practice on Sept. 17 and there's been concern in Calgary ever since.

When his game gets back to full strength, a milestone won't be far behind. Iginla needs 16 more goals to reach the 500-goal mark. He'll be just the 42nd member of that fraternity when it happens.

Cooke changing his game?

New NHL czar of discipline Brendan Shanahan clearly has shown he means business with regard to some rough-and-tumble players. Many have said they might consider changing their game, but Penguins forward Matt Cooke might really mean it.

Cooke, suspended twice for a total of 21 games last season, scored two goals in the first 23:09 of the season. Against Vancouver, he scored on a power play in the first period on Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo, then beat him again shorthanded in the second. Cooke had just 30 points last season and has never reached the 20-goal mark in his first 13 years in the league.

History

Not much to go on. Backup goaltender Brent Johnson was strong back on Nov. 27, 2010, when the Penguins cruised past the Flames, 4-1, in Pittsburgh. Calgary has won its last two home openers.

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**Udog** · 10-07-2011, 10:43 PM

NHL

Saturday, October 8

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Ice picks: Saturday's best NHL bets
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New York Rangers vs. Anaheim Ducks (-110, 5.5)

The Rangers are stewing in Sweden about a missed opportunity Friday against Los Angeles. New York gave the Kings a power play in overtime (4-on-3), and Jack Johnson scored with 52 seconds left for a 3-2 decision.

New York also took a bad penalty with two minutes left in regulation, though L.A. didn't capitalize on that.

"To take a stupid one at the end of the third, kill that off, and then take another stupid one in overtime -- you're not going to win," coach John Tortorella said. "Hopefully we got a quick lesson here as far as our discipline is concerned."

The Ducks fell 4-1 in Helsinki to Buffalo on Friday, then traveled to Stockholm. Anaheim "played more as individuals in parts of the game versus a team," coach Randy Carlyle lamented.

Last year the Rangers (15-6) were much better than the Ducks (10-24) in back-to-back situations.

Pick: Rangers

Columbus Blue Jackets at Minnesota Wild (-145, 5.5)

Columbus lost 3-2 at home to Nashville on Friday, while the Wild geared up for Saturday's season opener at home.

The Blue Jackets usually don't enjoy visiting the Twin Cities, except for maybe an excursion to **** of America. They're 4-11 in their last 15 visits.

And the home team has dominated this rivalry, winning 23 of the last 31 matchups.

Minnesota, which missed the playoffs last year for the second straight time, brought in a lot of talent including goal-scorers Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi. Those moves should pay dividends immediately.

Pick: Wild

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**Udog** · 10-07-2011, 10:46 PM

MLB

Saturday, October 8

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American League Championship Series preview and pick
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Detroit Tigers (95-67) vs. Texas Rangers (96-66)

Season series: Tigers won 6-3
Series odds: Texas (-125), Detroit (+105)

PITCHING: By finishing off the Tampa Bay Rays in four games, the Rangers earned themselves a significant advantage on the mound. Texas can go with the same rotation it used against the Rays, starting with sensational southpaw C.J. Wilson in Saturday's opener. He'll likely be followed by Derek Holland, Colby Lewis and Matt Harrison.

Detroit was unable to use Justin Verlander in its Game 5 win over the New York Yankees, so he should be good to go in the ALCS opener. He gives the Tigers a slight edge in Game 1, but Texas will have the advantage beyond that after Detroit was forced to use both Doug Fister and Max Scherzer in the deciding game against the New York Yankees.

The Texas bullpen is one of the best in baseball, with Darren Oliver and Mike Adams providing a nasty left-right combo on the way to closer Neftali Feliz. Jose Valverde aside, the Tigers simply don't match up.

EDGE: Rangers

HITTING: The Rangers (.283) and Tigers (.277) were first and third in the major leagues in batting, and both teams are capable of putting up huge innings against even the best pitching staffs.

Texas enjoyed a decent edge in home runs, hitting 41 more than Detroit during the regular season, and a sizeable advantage on the basepaths, where the club finished with 143 stolen bases compared to just 49 by the Tigers.

Detroit has firepower of its own, led by the gregarious Miguel Cabrera, but isn’t a threat to swipe bases and struggled at times against a Yankees pitching staff that was largely underwhelming.

For the Tigers to keep up with the Rangers, they'll need extensions of the solid performances posted by Delmon Young, Brandon Inge and Magglio Ordonez. It's a safe bet that won't happen and, with the Rangers dangerous from one through nine, Texas should have no trouble outslugging Detroit.

EDGE: Rangers

INTANGIBLES: The core of the Rangers club was in this very position a year ago and looked dominant in a six-game win over the Yankees. That experience could be a major factor this time around.

Texas is also playing better baseball, having won three straight while the Tigers needed to escape a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning to prevail in Game 5 against the Yankees. Whatever momentum Detroit had coming into the postseason is long gone.

EDGE: Rangers

PREDICTION: Rangers in five games

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**Udog** · 10-07-2011, 10:49 PM

MLB

Saturday, October 8

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Hot lines: Saturday's best MLB bet
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Detroit Tigers at Texas Rangers (100, 7.5)

The Tigers enter the ALCS on an emotional high, having upset the Yankees in Game 5 at Yankee Stadium. Detroit also went through the Yankees in the first round when it reached the World Series in 2006 under manager Jim Leyland.

But their bullpen struggled mightily for most of the ALDS, and that could be a problem unless ace Justin Verlander goes the distance.

The Rangers, who won three straight over Tampa Bay following a 9-0 loss in the ALDS opener, have a deep, balanced lineup. Five players drove in multiple runs in the series.

"We constantly have different guys step up," Michael Young said.

Texas ace C.J. Wilson should bounce back after giving up three homers to the Rays in the opener.

And he might not have to face Detroit left fielder Delmon Young, who strained his oblique in Thursday's win over New York. Young hit three homers in the series while batting .316.

Tigers All-Star first baseman Miguel Cabrera hit .200 in the ALDS with one extra-base hit.

The Rangers have won eight of their last nine home games.

Pick: Rangers

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**Udog** · 10-07-2011, 10:58 PM

MLB
Long Sheet

Saturday, October 8

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DETROIT (98 - 69) at TEXAS (99 - 67) - 7:35 PM
JUSTIN VERLANDER (R) vs. C.J. WILSON (L)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 7-24 (-18.3 Units) against the money line in road games when playing with a day off over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS is 94-61 (+14.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
TEXAS is 74-42 (+16.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TEXAS is 73-43 (+17.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
TEXAS is 46-33 (+9.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TEXAS is 100-66 (+15.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
WILSON is 44-23 (+12.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WILSON is 32-14 (+13.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
DETROIT is 93-68 (+14.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
DETROIT is 45-31 (+13.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
DETROIT is 23-11 (+13.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
DETROIT is 99-70 (+19.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
DETROIT is 48-37 (+13.7 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
VERLANDER is 27-10 (+12.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
VERLANDER is 46-20 (+18.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 6-3 (+3.5 Units) against TEXAS this season
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.6 Units)

JUSTIN VERLANDER vs. TEXAS since 1997
VERLANDER is 6-2 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 2.31 and a WHIP of 1.063.
His team's record is 7-2 (+4.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-5. (-2.2 units)

C.J. WILSON vs. DETROIT since 1997
WILSON is 0-0 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 5.40 and a WHIP of 1.499.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-0. (+0.0 units)

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MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, October 8

Verlander is 13-0, 2.97 in his last 15 starts; he lost 2-0 to Texas back on April 11 at home, throwing 119-pitch complete game (Rangers got two runs in 7th). Leyland got Tigers thru first round without overextending his starters too badly, which is why he's a great manager. Wilson is 0-2, 6.52 in his last four starts; he allowed four runs in 6.2 IP at Detroit on April 12, a game Tigers later won. Detroit is 6-3 against the Rangers in 2011, winning two of three in all three series (two at home).

**Udog** · 10-07-2011, 10:59 PM

NOTE:
For the initial posting of trends and indexes, we have provided information available up to the time of posting.
Additional updates for today’s games will be posted ASAP.

**Udog** · 10-08-2011, 08:43 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Ottawa at Toronto
The Senators look to take advantage of a Toronto team that is 1-5 in its last 6 games as a home favorite of -150 to -200. Ottawa is the pick (+145) according to Dunkel, which has the Senators favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Ottawa (+145). Here are all of today's picks.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8

Game 1-2: NY Rangers vs. Anaheim (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Rangers 11.421; Anaheim 11.009
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-110); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (-110); Under

Game 3-4: Buffalo at Los Angeles (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Buffalo 11.780; Los Angeles 12.685
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles (-110); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-110); Over

Game 5-6: Ottawa at Toronto (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ottawa 11.559; Toronto 10.361
Dunkel Line & Total: Ottawa by 1; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Toronto (-165); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Ottawa (+145); Over

Game 7-8: Tampa Bay at Boston (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay 10.978; Boston 12.562
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 1 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Boston (-155); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-155); Under

Game 9-10: Philadelphia at New Jersey (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 10.982; New Jersey 12.001
Dunkel Line & Total: New Jersey by 1; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Philadelphia (-115); 5
Dunkel Pick: New Jersey (-105); Under

Game 11-12: Carolina at Washington (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Carolina 11.714; Washington 10.575
Dunkel Line & Total: Carolina by 1; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Washington (-185); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Carolina (+165); Over

Game 13-14: Florida at NY Islanders (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Florida 12.037; NY Islanders 10.974
Dunkel Line & Total: Florida by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: NY Islanders (-120); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Florida (+100); Over

Game 15-16: Nashville at St. Louis (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Nashville 11.713; St. Louis 12.504
Dunkel Line & Total: St. Louis by 1; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: St. Louis (-120); 5
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-120); Under

Game 17-18: Columbus at Minnesota (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Columbus 11.977; Minnesota 10.971
Dunkel Line & Total: Columbus by 1; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota (-145); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Columbus (+125); Under

Game 19-20: Dallas at Chicago (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 11.691; Chicago 12.541
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 1; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago (-185); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-185); Over

Game 21-22: Detroit at Colorado (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 10.766; Colorado 11.870
Dunkel Line & Total: Colorado by 1; 5 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit (-150); 6
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (+130); Under

Game 23-24: Pittsburgh at Calgary (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 11.925; Calgary 11.339
Dunkel Line & Total: Pittsburgh by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Calgary (-110); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-110); Over

Game 25-26: Phoenix at San Jose (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 11.286; San Jose 11.782
Dunkel Line & Total: San Jose by 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-200); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Jose (-200); Under

**Udog** · 10-08-2011, 08:53 AM

NHL

Saturday, October 8

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Trend Report
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1:00 PM
NY RANGERS vs. ANAHEIM
NY Rangers are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games
NY Rangers are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing Anaheim
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Anaheim's last 6 games
Anaheim is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

2:00 PM
BUFFALO vs. LOS ANGELES
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Buffalo's last 11 games
Buffalo is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Los Angeles's last 7 games when playing Buffalo
Los Angeles is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games

7:00 PM
CAROLINA vs. WASHINGTON
Carolina is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Washington
Carolina is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Washington is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Carolina
Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

7:00 PM
OTTAWA vs. TORONTO
Ottawa is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Ottawa's last 6 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Toronto is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Ottawa
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing at home against Ottawa

7:00 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. NEW JERSEY
Philadelphia is 6-18 SU in its last 24 games when playing on the road against New Jersey
Philadelphia is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games when playing New Jersey
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New Jersey's last 6 games
New Jersey is 5-13 SU in its last 18 games when playing Philadelphia

7:00 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. BOSTON
Tampa Bay is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games
Tampa Bay is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Boston
Boston is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing Tampa Bay
Boston is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home

8:00 PM
COLUMBUS vs. MINNESOTA
Columbus is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Columbus is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Minnesota is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Columbus
Minnesota is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Columbus

8:00 PM
FLORIDA vs. NY ISLANDERS
Florida is 12-5 SU in their last 17 games when playing NY Islanders
Florida is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games
NY Islanders are 11-5 SU in their last 16 games when playing at home against Florida
NY Islanders are 5-12 SU in their last 17 games when playing Florida

8:00 PM
NASHVILLE vs. ST. LOUIS
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Nashville's last 7 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
Nashville is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of St. Louis's last 5 games when playing Nashville
St. Louis is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games

8:30 PM
DALLAS vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Dallas's last 5 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Dallas is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing at home against Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games at home

9:00 PM
DETROIT vs. COLORADO
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Detroit's last 18 games
Detroit is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games when playing on the road against Colorado
Colorado is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games when playing at home against Detroit
Colorado is 4-18 SU in its last 22 games

10:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. CALGARY
Pittsburgh is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Pittsburgh's last 11 games when playing on the road against Calgary
Calgary is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Calgary is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh

10:30 PM
PHOENIX vs. SAN JOSE
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Phoenix's last 10 games when playing on the road against San Jose
Phoenix is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against San Jose
San Jose is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
San Jose is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Phoenix

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**Udog** · 10-08-2011, 09:00 AM

MLB
Dunkel

Detroit at Texas
The Tigers look to build on their 13-3 record in Justin Verlander's last 16 road starts. Detroit is the pick (-115) according to Dunkel, which has the Tigers favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-115). Here are all of today's picks.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8

Game 901-902: Detroit at Texas (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Verlander) 16.070; Texas (Wilson) 15.029
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Detroit (-115); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-115); Over

MLB

Saturday, October 8

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Trend Report
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8:05 PM
DETROIT vs. TEXAS
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Detroit's last 8 games when playing on the road against Texas
Detroit is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Texas
Texas is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Texas's last 6 games at home

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**Udog** · 10-08-2011, 09:47 AM

MLB
Short Sheet

Saturday, October 8

American League Championship Series - Game 1
DETROIT at TEXAS, 8:05 PM ET (TC)
VERLANDER: 15-2 TSR as road favorite
WILSON: TEX 2-7 at home off one run win

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

**Udog** · 10-08-2011, 11:15 AM

NHL
Short Sheet

Saturday, October 8

NY RANGERS vs. at ANAHEIM, 1:00 PM ET - Stockholm, Sweden VERSUS
NY RANGERS: 323-277 SU (-116.7 units) as favorite
ANAHEIM: 49-39 SU in all games

BUFFALO vs. LOS ANGELES, 2:00 PM ET - Berlin
BUFFALO: 20-27 SU on Saturdays
LOS ANGELES: 9-1 SU in Saturday road games

OTTAWA at TORONTO, 7:00 PM ET
OTTAWA: 21-27 SU vs. division
TORONTO: 11-23 SU off home shutout win

TAMPA BAY at BOSTON, 7:00 PM ET NHL
TAMPA BAY: 22-17 SU as road underdog
BOSTON: 24-4 SU at home vs. Tampa Bay

PHILADELPHIA at NEW JERSEY, 7:00 PM ET
PHILADELPHIA: 12-5 SU vs. New Jersey
NEW JERSEY: 10-27 SU 1st half of season

CAROLINA at WASHINGTON, 7:00 PM ET
CAROLINA: 25-41 SU as a road underdog of +100 to +200
WASHINGTON: 26-16 SU as a home favorite of -200 or less

FLORIDA at NY ISLANDERS, 8:00 PM ET
FLORIDA: 12-29 SU as a road underdog of +100 to +150
NY ISLANDERS: 18-27 SU on Saturday

NASHVILLE at ST LOUIS, 8:00 PM ET
NASHVILLE: 21-18 SU as a road underdog of +100 to +200
ST LOUIS: 28-32 SU as a home favorite of -200 or less

COLUMBUS at MINNESOTA, 8:00 PM ET
COLUMBUS: 16-31 SU as a road underdog of +100 to +150
MINNESOTA: 14-6 SU at home vs. Columbus

DALLAS at CHICAGO, 8:30 PM ET
DALLAS: 27-40 as a road underdog of +100 to +200
CHICAGO: 63-32 SU at home

DETROIT at COLORADO, 9:00 PM ET
DETROIT: 18-7 SU as road favorite
COLORADO: 1-7 SU at home if total is 6+

PITTSBURGH at CALGARY, 10:00 PM ET
PITTSBURGH: 10-1 SU in Saturday road games
CALGARY: 0-2 SU vs. Pittsburgh

PHOENIX at SAN JOSE, 10:30 PM ET
PHOENIX: 1-5 SU at San Jose
SAN JOSE: 8-10 SU as a home favorite of -200 or higher

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

Announcement

Saturday's Trends and Indexes - 10/8 (MLB, WNBA, NHL, CFL, Misc.)

Saturday's Trends and Indexes - 10/8 (MLB, WNBA, NHL, CFL, Misc.)

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