Wake Forest @ Boston College (BC -2.5, 144.5) 6 PM
We get an early ACC matchup both in terms of the season and the night. Last season Wake Forest finished 14th of 15th in the conference with a record of 11-20 (4-14) while Boston College finished 12th with a record of 14-17 (5-13). The best player in this matchup is Eagle’s forward Nic Popovic who averaged 14.5 ppg and 7.2 rpg last season. A close second could be transfer guard Derryck Thornton, a former top 15 recruit who has played at Duke and USC. Look, both teams suck, but the home team has covered spread In 5 of the 7 matchups between these two. Wake Forest was a dreadful 1-10 on the road last season. I don’t see them starting their season matching last year’s road win total. Take the Eagles.
Bet: BC -2.5
Confidence: 1 Unit
Result: Wake Forest 70 Boston College 77
Green Bay @ Purdue (PUR -23.5, 151) 7PM
Purdue’s season starts tonight in hopes of erasing last season’s heartbreaking elite eight exit to Virginia. They will have to do so without their best player Carsen Edwards and key role players, Ryan Cline And Grady Eifert. Their first test come against Green Bay out of the Horizon League who was ranked 24th last year in ppg with 81.3. Last season, they finished 4th in the conference with a record of 21-17 (10-8). But they aren’t strangers to big name schools. Last season they lost @ Iowa by 11, @ Oregon by 11 and @ Michigan State by 21. Green Bay has the offensive power to keep up with the Boilers. Take the Packers….I mean Phoenix to cover.
Bet: GB +23.5
Confidence: 2 Units
Result: Green Bay 57 Purdue 79
Notre Dame @ North Carolina (UNC -9.5, 149) 7 PM
Notre Dame has beaten two teams in 2019, Boston College and Georgia Tech, 10th and 11th in the ACC last season. The Irish finished 14th with a record 14-19 (3-15), only ahead of Pittsburgh. They finished 0-8 against ranked teams. Notre Dame will be better this year, because, well, they have to right? And while I think this spread would be acceptable in South Bend, or a game in January, I think to start the season in Chapel Hill against a team that could go for 100 on any given night to begin a rebound year is a tough task. Take the Tar Heels to roll.
Bet: UNC -9.5
Confidence: 2 Units
Result: Notre Dame 65 North Carolina 76
Cincinnati @ Ohio State (OSU -5.5, 143.5) 8:30 PM
Ohio is a sluggish, grey state that hasn’t seen sunshine since 2003. That’s indicative of how this game will be played. Last season, offensively, Ohio State ranked 303rd (69.1 ppg) while Cincinnati ranked 226th (71.8 ppg). Defensively, the Buckeyes ranked 47th (66.2 ppg) while the Bearcats ranked 15th (62.9 ppg). Take the under here.
Bet: Under 143.5
Confidence: 3 Units
Result: Cincinnati 56 Ohio State 64
Virginia @ Syracuse (UVA -3, 122.5) 9 PM
Syracuse played host to 6 ranked teams are the Carrier Dome last season. Their one win was a 20 point blowout of Louisville. The other 5 losses: 13 Oregon by 15, 14 Buffalo by 12, 22 Florida State by 18, 1 Duke by 10, 2 Virginia by 26. Syracuse won’t lose again by 26, but Virginia will still handle the Orange and this tiny 3 point spread.
Bet: UVA -3
Confidence: 4 Units
Result: Virginia 48 Syracuse 34
Today’s Record: 5-0
All-Time Record: 7-0
Jonny the Macedonian 