Frank Sawyer: Expert Sports Betting Picks for Sale

FRANK’S CUTTING ROOM FLOOR FOR SATURDAY, 9/14:

My “Cutting Room Floor” plays are the situations I considered the closest to being worthy of investment but did not make the “final cut” for my official plays today for subscribers. The last play I cut for Saturday is with the Virginia Cavaliers plus (or minus) the points versus the Maryland Terrapins. Virginia (2-0) looks to build off their 31-30 win at Wake Forest as a 1-point favorite last Saturday. The Cavaliers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win. They return home looking to avenge their 42-14 loss at Maryland last season — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home. Maryland (1-1) looks to rebound from a 27-24 upset loss at home to Michigan State as an 8.5-point favorite on Saturday. The Terrapins have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after an upset loss. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games on the road as an underdog. Take Virginia plus (or minus) the points. Best of luck — Frank.

Frank Sawyer’s Hollywood Sports is now on a 66 of 110 (60%) All-Sports run with featured 25*/20*/10* plays after CA$HING the Washington State-Washington Under in the Apple Cup in college football just now! Now Frank has tonight’s Toledo-Mississippi State ATS winner on ESPNU at 7:30 PM ET for his 25* CFB Saturday ESPNU Game of the Month! DO NOT MISS OUT!

At 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Mississippi State Bulldogs (182) minus the points versus the Toledo Rockets (181). THE SITUATION: Mississippi State (1-1) looks to bounce back from their 30-23 loss at Arizona State as a 6.5-point underdog last Saturday. Toledo (2-0) has won their first two games of the season after their 38-23 win against UMass as a 17-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS MINUS THE POINTS: This is a get-right game for Mississippi State under rookie head coach Jeff Lebby. The former offensive coordinator at Oklahoma and Ole Miss mentioned in his press conference after last week’s game that he is focusing on getting off to a better start by his team this week. The Bulldogs went into halftime trailing by a 27-3 score before they made it a game in the second half by outscoring the Sun Devils on the road by a 16-3 score. They nearly overcame a devastating fumble on their one-yard line that Arizona State scooped up to score a defensive touchdown. Senior transfer quarterback from Baylor Blake Shapen played well in a hostile environment by completing 18 of 28 passes for 268 passing yards while throwing two touchdown passes without an interception. Mississippi State returns home to Davis Wade Stadium where they crushed Eastern Kentucky two weeks ago by a 56-7 score. The Bulldogs have covered the points spread in 7 of their last 10 home games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games with the Total set in the 56.5-63 range. Toledo was fortunate to get past the Minutemen after they outgained by -126 net yards. The Rockets only gained 258 yards of offense and lost the first down battle by a 12 to 23 margin. They only produced a 26% Success Rate on their offensive plays. They benefitted from a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that immediately restored their seven-point lead in the second quarter. And the final score was deceptive since UMass failed at an onside kick after scoring a late touchdown with less than three minutes to go which gave Toledo a short field from which they scored a final touchdown to ice the game. Quarterback Tucker Gleason completed only 8 of 23 passes for 175 yards — he has completed less than 50% of his passes in over 200 career passes. The Rockets have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games on the road after a victory. They have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a win on their home field. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after scoring 37 or more points. Now after playing Duquesne and then the Minutemen at home, they go on the road for a big step up in competition against a Power Four program. Toledo has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after playing their last two games at home. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 road games as an underdog under head coach Jason Candle. This is a rebuilding year for Candle with just eight starters back from their 11-3 team from last season. They lost three of their four starters in the secondary with two now playing in the NFL and one leaving in the transfer portal — and that leaves an inexperienced defensive backfield against this Bulldogs passing attack under Lebby.

FINAL TAKE: The Rockets have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games played in September — and Mississippi State has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams outside the SEC. 25* CFB Saturday ESPNU Game of the Month with the Mississippi State Bulldogs (182) minus the points versus the Toledo Rockets (181). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington State Cougars (137) and the Washington Huskies (138). THE SITUATION: Washington State (2-0) has won their opening two games of the season after their 37-16 upset win against Texas Tech as a 2.5-point underdog last Saturday. Washington (2-0) has won their first two games after their 30-9 win against Eastern Michigan as a 24.5-point favorite on Saturday. This game is being played on a neutral field at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cougars' defense has been of the bend-but-don’t-break variety as they have only given up 46 points despite ranking 124th in the nation in yards allowed. The formula for success in their “Super Bowl” game this season with the Pac-12 in transition will be to run the football and burn time off the clock. Washington State rushed for 301 yards against the Red Raiders last week. Sophomore quarterback Josh Mateer has struggled with his accuracy. He only completed 9 of 19 passes for 115 yards last week. This is a much different offense for head coach Jake Dickert after quarterback Cam Ward left the program in the offseason for Miami (FL). The Cougars have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a win by 17 or more points. They have also played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after scoring 37 or more points. Additionally, they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 10 points. And in their last 15 games in the first half of the season, Washington State has played 10 of these games Under the Total. Washington held the Eagles to just 204 yards of offense last week in their 21-point win. Two games into the Jedd Fisch era as the Huskies new head coach and it has been the defense that has stood out. They have held their first two opponents to just 228.5 total Yards-Per-Game and 3.4 Yards-Per-Play — and neither of those teams reached the end zone against them. Fisch’s teams have 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total when playing in September. The Huskies have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win at home — and they have also played 4 straight Unders after a victory at home by 17 or more points. Former Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers is the new starting quarterback for this program — he completed 21 of 26 passes for 261 yards with four touchdown passes last week. But after playing Weber State and Eastern Michigan, this is the first big test for this new offense and their first game played away from Husky Stadium.

FINAL TAKE: The Apple Cup involves a team from the Big Ten as we enter a Brave New World. Fisch’s teams have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total against non-conference opponents — and the Cougars have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total against teams outside the Pac-12. 10* CFB Washington State-Washington O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Washington State Cougars (137) and the Washington Huskies (138). Best of luck for us — Frank.