Best Bets and Picks of Weekend

CFB: Michigan at Maryland Best Bet:

Michigan -19 at DraftKings

This Michigan season will be written about for years to come. On the field, the Wolverines have been dominating, winning their first 10 games by an average of 32 points. Off the field, things are bonkers. Suspended coach Jim Harbaugh says his squad is “America’s Team” while dealing with allegations of improper scouting.

Meanwhile, there are still games to be played.

This is Michigan’s last game before the showdown with Ohio State. Maryland isn’t bad. They’re 6-4. Quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa has thrown 22 TD passes, but Michigan is on a mission now. They believe the world is against them. It’s a tired narrative, but it fits. Harbaugh won’t be on the sidelines, but running back Blake Corum and quarterback J.J. McCarthy will be. Michigan will want to win big.

CFB: Michigan State at Indiana Best Bet:

Indiana -4.5 at BetMGM

These are the two teams at the bottom of the Big 10 East. Both are 3-7 with two games left. Both have nothing to play for. Both are coming off losses.

This is the 66th Battle for the Brass Spittoon, one of college football’s most unique trophies. Indiana won last year in double overtime. They haven’t won back-to-back games against Michigan State since 67-69.

Hoosiers freshman QB Brendan Sorsby has 12 touchdowns the last four weeks, but the Indiana offense isn’t great. Michigan State has been rolling with freshman Katin Houser at QB. Quietly, Nate Carter has had a good year at running back for State, but that’s really about it.

This comes down to effort. Michigan State got destroyed by Ohio State last week. It’s been a horrible season in East Lansing. Indiana is still playing hard. They played Penn State close, and Louisville close. They are 6-4 against the spread this season. Indiana will add to Michigan State’s miserable season.

NFL: Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers:  

Cowboys -10.5 at FanDuel

Dallas romped past the Giants and their third-string QB, covering a whopping 17.5-point spread last week with ease.

Now they get a bad Carolina team with their own QB issues. First round pick Bryce Young has looked shaky, but he’s also surrounded by a terrible cast of weapns. Carolina is 1-8 and the offense ranks 30th in yards. There’s no way they score a lot of points against a Cowboy defense that ranks No. 3 in the NFL.

Meanwhile, the Panthers defense is still missing star Brian Burns with a concussion. Dak Prescott has thrown for 17 touchdowns, tight end Jake Ferguson has become a valuable weapon for Dallas. CeeDee Lamb is closing in on 1000 yards and the Cowboys are still chasing Philly in the NFC East.

Dallas should win by a couple of touchdowns at least.

By:Darren Cooper

Born and raised in Louisiana, Darren Cooper has a fond appreciation for bayous, Mardi Gras beads and the sports betting industry. Darren has worked for multiple print and online publications since 1998, primarily as a sports columnist in the Northeast. He’s covered a Super Bowl (it was a blowout), the World Series (same) and the NBA Draft (man, those guys are tall). For the last few years he’s dug deep into the sports gambling industry as it exploded across America, learning how the legal sausage is made and how while all the sportsbooks look the same, they all have different identities and styles. He’s learned to always bet within his means -- and take the under. When not in front of his computer creating, Darren spends time with his three boys. He runs, reads and is always looking for the next big thing to write about.

All Reviews by Darren Cooper