[laughs]

Or, um, or going to the Wisconsin UCLA football game on Saturday.

Yep.

Kramer! Kramer!

Uh, Oklahoma six and a half at home against the Wildcats.

Yeah, so Oklahoma wins this game against, uh, Texas, and does it because of its defense, not because of John Mateer.

It was the Oklahoma defense that won that game.

And, uh, when I looked at some of the trends here for Texas and Oklahoma after the Red River game, it was pretty ugly.

Texas is 0 and 7 against the spread the last seven after playing Oklahoma, and the trends are almost as bad for the Sooners.

I really like Will Stein.

You know, talk about some of the best coaching hires of the off-season, and I wouldn't even put Lane Kiffin in, uh, the conversation right now.

How about your Boilers breaking a 19, uh, game, uh, conference losing streak and now put up back-to-back wins, and they're favored again this week? Uh, 10 and a half is what we have at our local outfit here, the DraftKings outlet, Notre Dame over BYU

Is this the best start collectively the handicappers have had in the Friday show since you've been doing it?

Uh, I, I believe so.

Obviously haven't tracked it every, uh, every year through five weeks, but I think it is.

Derek Stevens and I were talking about before the first week, "This is the best, strongest field I've put together for the circuit Friday football invitation." And we added se- well, we added seven new handicappers this year, including Jack Lindberg, Ed Salmon, guys like that.

So it's, uh, it was a strong field, and the numbers back it up to this point.

22 of the 25 handicappers are over 500, and, uh, the, uh, combined record of all 25 handicappers right now is more than 100 games over, uh, 500.

It's at 55.2%, which is, you know, might not sound spectacular to some people who are listening, but when you have 25 handicappers in a contest, that's remarkable.

Why, why do you like the Raiders on Sunday, catching all those points?

Is this the best start collectively the handicappers have had in the Friday show since you've been doing it?

I believe so.

Obviously, you haven't tracked it every year through five weeks, but I think it is.

Derek Stephens and I were talking about before the first week, this is the best, strongest field I've put together for the Circuit Friday Football Invitational.

and we added seven new handicappers this year, including Jack Lindenberg, Ed Salmon, guys like that.

So it was a strong field, and the numbers back it up to this point.

22 of the 25 handicappers are over 500, and the combined record of all 25 handicappers right now is more than 100 games over 500.

Why do you like the Raiders on Sunday, catching all those points?

Bingo.

So I, I haven't bet this yet, but I am gonna bet it.

I'm gonna play the Hoosiers.

I'm waiting to see if a four pops up somewhere, but I just saw Dave Mason of BetOnline report that Ohio State by far, uh, the most popular side in terms of bets, and you're gonna hear that from bookmakers all week.

Everybody loves Ohio State, and how can you not? I mean, your eyes are probably not lying at this point.

Indiana has been unimpressive.

Ohio State's been really impressive, especially in the, uh, Iowa game, uh, a couple weeks ago.

Mm-hmm.

Where were you as the Bills get this heart-stopping three-point victory?

Heart-stopping.

Wow, that's a great description of what happened there.

And if you laid two and a half or three with the Rams, you're very disappointed with that result last night.

But I will say, on most occasions, not every occasion, but on most occasions, you want the ball first in overtime, and here's why.

In a 10-minute OT, you can get a two-for-one on possessions.

And we saw this earlier in the Colts Chiefs overtime game in Kansas City.

that game.

What do you make of the steam coming in on Boise State?

Well, hopefully it's on the right side.

I did bet Boise minus six.

I played Boise Moneyline here, and I expect the Broncos should be able to win this game by ten or more.

I was pretty impressed by Boise's win at Western Michigan a few weeks ago, 32-7.

That's a Western team that's obviously legit, and the Broncos had no problem that day on the road.

Maddox Madsen has played really well.

And the market seems to be on UCLA, too, as right now the number has come all the way down to 10 here at Circa, Matt.

Yeah

...

the end of that game against the Ravens, that's a simple game management situation.

If you can't handle that, you can't be a head coach in the NFL.

I would've fired him after that.

After last night, there's no way the guy should still be head coach of the Cowboys.

He can't get his team prepared to play.

You're gonna put Georgia on teasers.

Yeah

...

the end of that game against the Ravens, that's a simple game management situation.

If you can't handle that, you can't be a head coach in the NFL.

I would've fired him after that.

After last night, there's no way the guy should still be head coach of the Cowboys.

He can't get his team prepared to play.

You're gonna put Georgia on teasers.

Your thoughts today on Mike Ditka passing away at the age of 86.

Yeah, it's a sad day.

Based on stories you'd heard recently, you knew it was probably coming.

And, you know, I spent five years as a Chicago Bears beat writer, so I was around Ditka a decent amount.

Great guy.

Love that guy.

And when you see some of the NFL head coaches today, some of these soft, weak head coaches, you kind of miss the days of the badass NFL head coach.

Oh, we made the playoffs good enough.

Me too

...

this line hasn't moved to three anywhere in the market because it seems like everybody likes the Steelers.

We had John Strzempki on the show a couple nights ago.

[laughs] JJ likes the Steelers.

Uh, I've heard a bunch of cappers who like 'em.

It's basically a fate of the Colts in a really difficult scheduling spot playing their third game away from home in four weeks.

Granted, it's a, a, you know, cupcake schedule here, but, uh, what, what's your thoughts on that game and any other games you like here as we wrap up?

They just don't score runs.

Yeah.

Well, the w- as far as the Juan Soto thing goes, I was shocked that the Yankees actually offered Soto as much money as they did.

Uh, Hal Steinbrenner actually made a huge offer to Soto, which surprised me, and I ca- I can't blame him for that because I think Soto was gone regardless, right? Basically, Soto wanted his own team.

He didn't wanna be, uh, you know, Robin to, uh, Batman, which is gonna be Aaron Judge and the Yankees.

He wanted his own team.

So he was...

But, uh, what, what's your thoughts on that game and any other games you like here as we wrap up?

Uh, what do you make of the number here?

Yeah, I was on the Rams on, uh, Sunday, and that was, uh, like, what, 55 minutes of agony.

And, uh, the Rams found a way to pull that out.

And if you look at the box score, that game really, uh, was tilted heavily in favor of the Rams.

Uh, I like the Rams here.

I laid two and a half Monday night.

I, I anticipated this would go up to three, and I really think the number should probably be three and a half.

What do you think?

Uh, what do you make of the number here?

Yeah, I was on the Rams on, uh, Sunday, and that was, uh, like, what, 55 minutes of agony, and, uh, the Rams found a way to pull that out.

And if you look at the box score, that game really, uh, was tilted heavily in favor of the Rams.

Uh, I like the Rams here.

I laid two and a half Monday night.

I, I anticipated this would go up to three, and I really think the number should probably be three and a half.

Look, the Bills were out-gained 405 to 340, uh, by the Patriots, and the Pats ran 73 plays in that game, which means the Buffalo defense, which is bad, was on the field for a long time, and that's gonna be a negative, uh, going to the West Coast for this two-game trip.

What do you think?

Uh, what do you make of the number here?

Yeah, I was on the Rams on, uh, Sunday, and that was, uh, like, what, 55 minutes of agony.

And, uh, the Rams found a way to pull that out.

And if you look at the box score, that game really, uh, was tilted heavily in favor of the Rams.

Uh, I like the Rams here.

I laid two and a half Monday night.

I, I anticipated this would go up to three, and I really think the number should probably be three and a half.

What do you think?

What do you make of what you've seen so far in the postseason?

I thought Jensen would be so depressed about the guardians.

He might not show up to the show this morning.

And you know, I, I kind of felt the same way about the Yankees last night.

I mean, this is Aaron Boone baseball, a lack of discipline, a lack of fundamentals.

And you've seen this from the Yankees.

You remember before the world series against Dodgers a couple of years ago, the scouting report by the Dodgers is let the Yankees beat themselves and they'll do it with a bad base running defensive breakdowns.

What do you make of the Steelers laying two and a half come Sunday?

podcast youtube itunes spotify much appreciated to everyone as we continue to pump up those numbers and one of the plays that you gave out on the pod this week was minnesota this this game starts in uh about 45 minutes in the twin cities and michigan getting some love in the market this number is up to six and a half and maybe inching close to seven here what do you make of this line move this week on michigan and i know you like the gophers here in this spot at home

Give me the gophers.

I'm sticking with P.J. Fleck as a home dog here.

And this is another one.

I'm not really sure why there's so much Michigan love.

I mean, you've watched this team.

And what jumps out to you? Really nothing.

So under a field goal, laying two and a half here, what do you make of this spot, Hawaii, late night against San Jose State?

And as we record this right now, Ohio State, Matt, is a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 45.5.

All right.

So I'm going to be on the Hawkeyes here.

I've already bet this plus 14 and a half.

I know a lot of people are going to cringe and not want to play this.

That's fine.

You don't have to follow on this play.

Are you looking to back Hawaii in this spot?

What do we need to know, the audience, everybody, about the beginning here weeks of the Friday Football Invitational?

Ed Sammons is on top.

You know, for years we've talked about who's the sharpest.

odds maker in Vegas.

And I think a lot of people would have answered Ed Sam.

It's 33 years as a bookmaker and odds maker just retired from the Westgate super book.

And he's one of seven new contestants.

What do you want to do with the Patriots and Drake May?

What do we need to know, the audience, everybody, about the beginning here weeks of the Friday Football Invitational?

Ed Sammons is on top.

You know, for years we've talked about who's the sharpest.

odds maker in Vegas.

And I think a lot of people would have answered Ed Sam.

It's 33 years as a bookmaker and odds maker just retired from the Westgate super book.

And he's one of seven new contestants.

What do you want to do with the Patriots and Drake May?

How emboldened are you watching what their prospects could be?

You're basically reading my mind.

I mean, I was on the primetime show last night with Tim Murray.

And I said in the pregame that the Philadelphia Eagles are two and oh frauds, they're phonies.

And if they were life and death to beat the commanders in week one, the Titans in week two.

And I believe I was on your show last week talking about the same thing, Dave Ross and I both lined up on the bears.

Right.

Totally play for you potentially tonight or an outlook on this series and how you kind of see the bracket shaping up.

Are you looking to back old Rocky Top tonight against Texas? Yeah.

Well, I did.

It was actually, excuse me, my first bet of the week was Tennessee.

And I wanted to fade the Longhorns on the road because last year, Arch Manning and the Horns were so bad on the road.

As you and I talked about the primetime show this week, 0-5 ATS last year when they hit the road.

And you have to prove it to me tonight.

in a hot or today in a hostile atmosphere.

So what did you hear from some of the handicappers last night? And do you still believe Notre Dame-Purdue is destined for a lot of points this afternoon?

This will be a noon kick for on abc right now the betting market sits mostly four but there are some four and a halves this opened as high as five and a half right now the total sitting at 55 and a half at a handful of shops circa sits at 55 for tennessee and texas

Yeah, I took five and a half with Tennessee early in the week.

That was the first bet I made on Monday morning.

And actually, like you said, it's four and a half, four now.

If this lands on five, I'll be pissed because we're going to go with four and a half on record here.

But I think, you know, I think the Vols have a great shot to win this game.

So hopefully the number doesn't even come into play here, but It is a significant number for the Longhorns to cover on the road.

What do you make of this spot in West Lafayette between the Irish and

You like them plus three against a desperate Texans team?

Yeah, I've actually played a few more favorites early in this season than I typically do.

And I've done well with some of the favorites so far.

But this is definitely going to be ugly dog week for me.

Ugly home dog week.

And the Colts are going to be the first dog.

And I was on the Colts as road dogs on Sunday night at KC.

Assuming that we get Case Keenum here for the Bears?

You like them plus three against a desperate Texans team?

Yeah, I've actually played a few more favorites early in this season than I typically do.

And I've done well with some of the favorites so far.

But this is definitely going to be ugly dog week for me.

Ugly home dog week.

And the Colts are going to be the first dog.

And I was on the Colts as road dogs on Sunday night at KC.

Assuming that we get Case Keenum here for the Bears?