Steve Merril – Sports Handicapper

-Chicago is a team in utter disarray; fired coach, player revolt, and trade talks; another blowout
-offense is shooting 43.4% from the field on the road vs. defenses that give up 45.8% shooting
-Bulls defense has given up 450 total points in their last 4 games; in terrible current form

-San Antonio is on a 4-game winning streak; won all 4 of those games by 13 points or more
-offense is shooting 47.7% from the field at home vs. defenses that give up 45.9% shooting
-Spurs defense allows 33.6% shooting from 3 at home vs. offenses that shoot 35.3% from 3 

9* Play SPURS (-).

-Georgia State hits the road off an easy blowout win over an overmatched opponent; class jump 

-offense scored just 62 and 52 points in their 2 slow-paced games this season; expect same here 

-Panthers defense gives up 38.3% shooting from 3 on the road vs. offenses that shoot 36.2%

-Kansas State returns home off back-to-back road losses; class relief; expect a big effort here            
-offense is shooting 43.3% from the field vs. defenses that allow 42.8% shooting from the field
-Wildcats defense allows 36.2% shooting from the field at home vs. offenses that shoot 43.6%

9* Play KANSAS STATE (-).

-Washington is 7-3 on the season, but their record could be worse; 4 wins by 8 points or less

-offense is shooting 31.7% from three vs. defenses that allow 32.8% shooting from three 

-Huskies defense has been much worse away from home; giving up 74.4 points per game

-Virginia Tech is 8-1 on the season with their lone loss coming by a single point; strong team          
-offense is shooting 51% from the field vs. offenses that give up 44.6% shooting from the field
-Hokies defenses allows 30.8% shooting from three vs. offenses that shoot 35.1% from three

9* Play VIRGINIA TECH (-).

-Cleveland hits the road off a home dog win; 3rd away game over the last 4 weeks; bad spot

-offense is averaging just 5.8 yards per play vs. defenses that give up 6.0 yards per play
-Browns allow 29 points per game on the road vs. offenses that average 26.3 points per game

-Denver returns home off an ugly loss in San Francisco; expect a strong bounce back effort here
-offense averages 6.3 yards per play points at home vs. defenses that give up 5.9 yards per play
-Broncos give up 21.5 points per game at home vs. offenses that average 25.7 points per game 

9* Play BRONCOS (-).

-Eastern Michigan went 7-5 this season, but they scored 27 points or more in 6 of those games   

-offense is averaging 8.3 yards per pass attempt on the road vs. defenses that allow 7.4 yppa    

-Eagles defense is giving up 6.0 yards per play on the road vs. offenses that average 5.3 yppl

-Georgia Southern went 9-3 this season; they scored 28 points or more in 8 of their games 

-offense is averaging 31.1 points per game vs. defenses that give up 30.6 points per game

-Eagles defense has given up 26.2 points per game on 5.8 yards per play on the road this season

9* Play OVER the total.

-Middle Tennessee State comes in off back-to-back games against UAB; big effort off a loss
-offense is averaging 29.2 points per game vs. defenses that give up 27.1 points per game
-Blue Raiders defense is giving up 5.3 yards per play vs. offenses that average 5.7 yards per play

-Appalachian State went 10-2 against a terrible schedule that ranks 45 spots below MTSU’s

-offense is averaging 6.1 yards per play on the road vs. defenses that give up 6.3 yards per play
-Mountaineers defense faced a poor collection of offenses that only averaged 5.6 yards per play

9* Play MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE (+).

-Arizona State went 7-5; played a much tougher schedule; line is inflated for WR Harry absence
-offense is averaging 6.2 yards per play vs. defenses that only give up 5.5 yards per play
-Sun Devils defense allows 25.1 points per game vs. offenses that average 26.1 points per game 

-Fresno State won their biggest game of the season in the MW Championship at Boise State; flat
-offense is averaging 5.5 yards per play on the road vs. defenses that give up 5.9 yards per play
-Bulldogs defense faced terrible offenses that only averaged 5.5 yards per play; big class jump

10* Play ARIZONA STATE (+).

-North Texas went 9-3 this season while playing in many high-scoring games; expect same here  

-offense is averaging 36.4 points per game vs. defenses that give up 32.9 points per game    

-Mean Green allows 7.0 yards per pass attempt on the road vs. offenses that average 6.8 yppa

-Utah State went just 10-2 this season; they scored 30 points or more in 9 of those games 

-offense is averaging 47.2 points per game vs. defenses that only give up 33.8 points per game

-Aggies defense allows 5.8 yards per play on the road vs. offenses that average 5.2 yards per play

9* Play OVER the total.