After a one-day break, college bowl games resume with three on tap tonight, including the tussle between the Oregon Ducks and the Texas Longhorns. In the NBA, the Trail Blazers look to shake off their bitter loss against Miami when they take on the hot-shooting Pelicans on the road.
[sc:BettingArticlesShortcoder ]Sports Betting Preview for December 30
NFL –Chargers Sneak Into Playoffs With Win Over Chiefs
- Nick Novak made a 36-yard field goal in overtime to complete the Chargers’ comeback against the Chiefs. With the losses of Baltimore and Miami, the Chargers needed at least a tie versus the Chiefs.
NFL –Packers Top Bears, Claim NFC North
- Aaron Rodgers returned just in time to lead the Packers past the Bears, 33-28. Down 27-28 with less than a minute to play, Rodgers fired a pass to Randall Cobb for a 48-yard touchdown to put the Packers on top for good.
NFL – Eagles Edge Cowboys, Win NFC East
- Brandon Boykins picked off Cowboys QB Kyle Orton’s pass late in the game to secure the Eagles’ slim 2-point lead for a 24-22 win. Nick Foles went 17-of-26 for two touchdowns and no interception to lead Philadelphia to its first NFC East title since 2010.
Top Bet Games to Bet On
Valero Alamo Bowl: Oregon Ducks vs. Texas Longhorns (6:45 PM ET)
An 8-0 SU start in the season had blown the sails of Oregon into the direction of a BCS National Championship appearance until a costly loss to Stanford took them out of the No. 2 spot in the BCS rankings. The Ducks had a chance to regain their lofty position, but blew it as well by going 2-2 SU in their last four games, which not only hurt their BCS rankings but also their Pac-12 title hopes. [sc:NCAA240banner ]
Though steeped with troubles late in the season, Oregon was able to receive good news when star QB Marcus Mariota announced that he’ll be back next year. Mariota was the team’s best performer, leading the team’s vaunted offense (46.8 PPG – 3rd in FBS) all throughout the season. The Ducks are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games away.
Odds: Ducks (-14.5) vs. Longhorns (+14.5), O/U: TBA
More than a bowl game, the Valero Alamo Bowl championship carries more significance for the Longhorns as this will be the last game as a Longhorn for Texas head coach Mack Brown. Brown has been with the team for 16 years, during which he steered the Longhorns to two national championship game appearances, winning one.
After a 1-2 SU start, the Longhorns went on a tear, winning six in a row including a 26-20 drubbing of Oklahoma. But just like in the beginning, the Longhorns lost two of their last three, missing their chance at a BCS bowl appearance. In their last game, the Longhorns lost to Baylor (30-10), a high scoring team like Oregon, although they limited the Bears well under their 53.3 PPG average. Texas is 6-1 UNDER in its last seven games overall.
Portland Trail Blazers vs. New Orleans Pelicans (8:00 PM ET)
The Blazers had the chance to measure themselves against the defending champions Saturday sans LeBron James, but only got a heartbreaker of a loss when Chris Bosh sank a game-winning 3-pointer late in the game for a close 108-107 decision.
Despite losing the game and failing to cover the 7-point spread as home favorites, Portland maintained its streak of going OVER. The Blazers are the best scoring team in the NBA (108.6), and coupled with a mediocre defense (102.6 PPG allowed – 27th in NBA), the team is having quite a run in the Totals by going 8-0 OVER in its last eight games.
Odds: Trail Blazers (TBA) vs. Pelicans (TBA), O/U: TBA
More than a week ago, the Pelicans were defeated by Portland on the road and tonight, they will have a chance to return the favor when they host the Trail Blazers. In their first meeting, the Pelicans had trouble stopping spitfire Damian Lillard who registered 20 points, including a crucial 3-pointer towards a 110-107 loss. But New Orleans certainly has shown that they can match any team offensively, and they could explode tonight against Portland’s lax defense. The Pelicans are averaging 103.6 PPG in their last five outings. New Orleans is 5-0 ATS in its last five games against the Trail Blazers.
For the most comprehensive list of NFL, NCAAF, MLB, and NHL game odds and betting lines, visit Top Bet Sportsbook.
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