Well, if the first game of the five-day playoff weekend is any indication, we’re in for quite a run.
Notre Dame defeated Penn State 27-24 on a field goal with seven seconds to play to advance to the CFP championship. The Nittany Lions ended up closing as the 1-point favorites, so that was the first SU loss for favorites in the playoffs. The Total finished Over 45.5 even after the score was 10-10 after three quarters.
Notre Dame’s opponent will be decided tonight, but the Irish were a 2.5-point underdog to Texas and +8.5 vs. Ohio State in the lookahead lines.
Steve Makinen weighs in on the Cotton Bowl (7:30 p.m. ET):
Have the ratings moved too much for this game based on what has happened in the last couple of weeks? Going into the playoffs, with both teams off of losses to end their seasons, I had Texas at a 67.5 power rating, and Ohio State at 67. Taking into account road/neutral field ratings, my Power Rating line at that time for this matchup would have been Texas -0.2. Now after two very impressive Buckeyes wins and two lesser wins for the Longhorns, we find the actual line at Ohio State -6? Can lines really move that much in two weeks for two elite teams?
More CFP resources
>Check later this morning for Josh Appelbaum‘s Sharp Report.
>DraftKings/Circa betting splits.
>Matchups page with Makinen’s estimated scores.
>CFB Picks page for VSiN Pro subscribers.
In the Road to Jansanity Contest, we have no more perfect records. >Check the Jansanity standings.
Wild-Card Weekend Best Bets
We’ll dig into the NFL games more on Saturday, but here are the Best Bets columns we’ve posted:
Today in college basketball
Greg Peterson has posted his Best Bets for today’s menu.
Adam Burke will have his top plays later this morning.
Quick Hits
NBA: Zach Cohen will post his Best Bets by mid-morning.
NHL: Look for Jonathan Davis‘ picks later today.
Horse Racing: 1/ST Bet handicapper Jeff Siegel will have picks for today’s card. 1/ST Bet offers wagering on hundreds of races every day from across the country and around the world. Sign up at 1STBET.COM with promo code VSIN200 to claim a 20% rebate for your first 60 days, up to $200.
Tennis: Zach has previews of the Australian Open men’s and women’s brackets after the draw.
This is The VSiN Daily newsletter for Friday, January 10. Sign up for this free email and get picks and insights delivered to your in-box every morning.
