Speaking for myself, this is the most stressful part of the semester. Take a breather from your all night studying session to consider next week’s picks. Remember, it’s just a breather. Let’s take a look at what happened to Litwin’s Locks a week ago. In the Pac-12, I went 2-1 (Win-Lose) against the spread on the three scheduled games played. On the season, that makes me 8-7 (Win-Lose).
I plan on building and getting myself firmly over .500, not just teetering on the edge. Unfortunately, the NFL has broken me. I feel like Wile E. Coyote after Road Runner paints a tunnel on a brick wall and runs full speed into it.
After last week’s 0-3 (Win-Lose) performance, my combined NFL record is 13-24-3 (Win-Lose-Push). I’ve considered retiring from the sports gambling game but, if I did, would I ever be able to forgive myself? Would I be able to look Pete Rose in the eye while I pay for his autograph at a sports memorabilia shop in Las Vegas? The answer is a resounding “no,” so let’s delve into the numbers and find some locks.
There’s no new gambling terms for this week. If you have read every week of Litwin’s Locks to date, you have my permission to call yourself a sports gambling expert. As newly minted experts, feel free to share your picks in the comments section below.
Pac-12 (Lines according to ESPN Daily Lines pulled on 12/3/2020 @ 11:16 a.m. EST)
Stanford Cardinal (+330) at No. 22 Washington Huskies (-410) (Saturday)
Line: Washington -11.5, Total: 50
Stanford had a thrilling victory against Cal last week. Stanford capitalized on some special teams errors, including blocking the game-tying “Point After Touchdown” as the clock was expiring in the fourth quarter. Washington is solid in all phases of the game and won’t just hand the game to Stanford. Washington controls the pace of the game, and while it may be a close first half, I predict Washington runs away in the second. Pick: Washington -11.5
No. 23 Oregon Ducks (-350) at California Golden Bears (+290) (Saturday)
Line: Oregon -10, Total: 59
Oregon losing to Oregon State last week was backbreaking for the Ducks. Oregon has no shot at making the CFP. Oregon was the Pac-12’s only shot to get there. If anything, this proves the Pac-12 is the weakest Power 5 football conference. Oregon will blow this California team out in a bounce back game. I have nothing to say about Cal. They stink. I guess I had something to say. Pick: Oregon -10
Oregon State Beavers (+360) at Utah Utes (-440) (Saturday)
Line: Utah -11, Total: 51.5
Oregon State might have had their biggest win in 20 years in last week’s victory over the Ducks. Oregon State is a program on the rise and I am confident picking them to cover at Utah. Utah should chalk this up to a lost season. Betting nugget: Oregon State is 3-1 “Against The Spread” this season. Good teams win, great teams cover. Pick: Beavers +11
RELATED: Strong offensive line the key to snapping losing streak this Saturday
Colorado Buffaloes (-280) at Arizona Wildcats (+240) (Saturday)
Line: Colorado -7, Total: 59
Arizona needs accountability and the coaching staff looks lost. Colorado is off to a surprising start and that will continue this weekend. Arizona fans have probably started to focus on basketball. Pick: Colorado -7
UCLA Bruins (+135) at Arizona State Sun Devils (-155) (Saturday)
Line: Arizona State -3, Total: 55
Arizona State hasn’t played in weeks due to a team-wide outbreak. They will be either well-rested or rusty. UCLA is another team 3-1 ATS and you should know by now that I have a thing for teams who find a way to cover. Also, let’s just say that I am not Arizona State defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis’s biggest fan. UCLA has more games under its belt and I like them with the points. Pick: UCLA +3
Washington State Cougars (n/a) at USC Trojans (n/a) (Sunday)
Line: Trojans -13, Total: 67.5
I guess USC has an outside chance of making the CFP. By “outside,” I mean 5,000 miles from the nearest building. The prediction that USC will prevail by more than two touchdowns is a red flag since they have not yet won a game decisively. USC will no doubt win this game, but I’m not so sure about whether they will cover. Washington State +13
Bonus College Pick
No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes (-4000) at Michigan State Spartans (+1500) (Saturday)
Line: Ohio State -24, Total: 59.5
At this point, we are not sure if this game will be played. Ohio State needs the game to happen and they need to win it big. Since they won’t be playing as many games as the other top teams in college football, they need all the style points they can get. The Buckeyes won’t play around and they will take care of Sparty with surgical precision. Pick: Ohio State -24
NFL (Lines according to ESPN Daily Lines pulled on 12/3/2020 @ 11:17 a.m. EST)
Las Vegas Raiders (-380) at New York Jets (+310) (Sunday)
Line: Raiders -8, Total: 47
I talked the Raiders up last week and boom, they laid an absolute egg against the Falcons. They desperately need to get back on track and a game against the Jets could satisfy that need. The Raiders will impose their will on this hapless Jets team whose eyes are already set on Trevor Lawrence. Pick: Raiders -8
New York Giants (+400) at Seattle Seahawks (-500) (Sunday)
Line: Seahawks -10, Total: 47
I watched the Giants in person last week against a very bad Bengals team and, honestly, the Giants were lucky to escape with a win. Colt McCoy is the likely starter for the Giants after starting signal caller Daniel Jones suffered an injury last week. The Seahawks are going to win this game by at least a billion. Enough said. Pick: Seahawks -10
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