STONE COLD LOCKS WEEK 10

Stone Cold Locks 

By Bob Gaughan

2025 record 21-24

2024 record 67-44-1

2023 Record 82-71-3

2022 Record 68-41-2

2021 record 62-49

2020 record  52-52-4

2019 Record  62-41-2

2018 Record 72-50-3

Total: 484-371-15=57%

MR. OVER/UNDER:   Philadelphia +2.5 over Green Bay

 Last week was one of those weeks in which I should have gone south and played some golf. Green Bay AND Detroit losing at home caused me to eat all my leftover Halloween candy, and I had a lot left over: Reeces, Nestle’s Crunch, Kit Kats and Tootsie Rolls.  Stomach ache!  We’re at that time of year when it’s a good idea to check the weather for outdoor games. The Cleveland/Jets game may see some rainy weather.

The top two  teams in the AFC East are both in Florida this weekend. I like Tampa coming off a bye, against the Patriots. While New England got lucky last week, this could be the week their luck runs out and they end up tied with the Bills in their division. However, I’m going with another team that’s coming off a bye, the Eagles. Phily has yet to lose a game in November going back to 2023. Green Bay lost tight end Tucker Kraft last week as we saw a Green Bay team upset by the team that was last in their division. I think it’s time for Saquon Barkley to have a big game. I like the Eagles getting points.

Man in Stripes:  Lions -4.5 1H at Commanders

Still recovering from possibly the WORST loss in team sports history!!! I will.go to my grave saying my Jays were the better team, how they didn't win, I will NEVER KNOW.. IKF s lead off, Clement shot in left center, Gimenez lining it to Muncy.. Worse that Wide Right!! OK, we turn the page!!

Dan Campbell and Co. we're good to us earlier in season when we went 1st half with them, let's run it back!!!

Detroit is looking to rebound after a bad home 3 point loss to the Vikings..Lions should be ready to go with some urgency and revenge from Washington knocking them out of playoffs last year..Jared Goff and Co. Will be ready!! As for the Commanders... NOT GOOD!!! They got destroyed at home by 24 to the Seahawks, and in the game lost their star QB, Jayden Daniels for possibly the rest of the season.. Marcus Mariotta starts for the Commanders.. 2 OL , Terry  Mc Laurin ALL ARE OUT!!Late game in DC with half the crowd being Lions fans, this has a smell of a blowout..Lets eliminate any back door shenanigans, the Lions are 6-2 1H ATS.. Campbell has them flying and ready to bite some more kneecaps!!

Good luck and enjoy the games!!

MONO: TEXAS TECH -10.5 OVER BYU

This week going with Texas Tech -10.5 hosting BYU. This is a huge game in the Big 12 as #7 BYU travels to #8 Texas Tech. BYU is 8-0 this year, led by true freshman QB Bear Bachmeier (#47). Their biggest win this year was in a rivalry game at home against Utah. They won that one 24-21. They’re balanced on offense behind a top 20 rushing attack in the country. Aside from the Utah win, I don’t think this team has been tested and are walking into a buzzsaw in Lubbock. Techs rush defense is the best in the country and if they make BYU one dimensional, I expect Bachmeier to turn the ball over and give the Red Raiders some short fields. Tech gets there starting QB Behren Morton back for the 2nd straight week after missing a few games earlier this year. They air it out, averaging nearly 300 passing yards per game and almost 200 yards per game on the ground. In the NIL era, Texas Tech spent a ton of money on their defensive front and I think that’s the difference here. Expect Tech to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and capitalize on BYU mistakes. We had a similar line last weekend when Cincy went to Utah and got throttled. I think this one ends in a similar fashion. Take the Red Raiders to cover by a couple of touchdowns. Tech wins, 38-21.

Brutal: Kennesaw State (-9.5) @ NEW MEXICO STATE  

  Most people know this name from the legendary Kennesaw Mountain Landis who is often hailed in some quarters as the man who saved baseball as the first commissioner of MLB, appointed after the Black Sox scandal of 1919. In reality, this former federal judge was more concerned with his image, ego and maintaining the racist status quo in major league baseball.  He served as MLB Commissioner from 1920 to 1944 when he passed away.  Only after he was dead could Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers finally get Jackie Robinson to break the color barrier in 1947.  In reading his memoirs and other accounts, it becomes apparent that Landis was indeed a complete narcissist and segregationist; a pompous ego maniac who was far more concerned with his legacy and desperate to keep African Americans out of major league baseball forever.  We wonder how he would feel about the high number of African Americans in all sports today including the football team at his namesake university. 

  Kennesaw State is 6-2, 4-0 in C-USA and their only two losses were at the start of the year: 10-9 to Wake Forest in Winston-Salem (in a game they should have won), and a now understandable humbling in Bloomington, 56-9 to Indiana ( they performed better than #9 Illinois against the Hoosiers).  The Owls are new to Conference USA and are leading the conference.  During their six game winning streak they have averaged 32 points a game on offense and are only giving up 14 points on defense.  New Mexico State on the other hand is 3-5, 1-4 in C-USA; they are on a three game losing streak and have lost 5 of their last 6 games.  Their only win has been against the pitiful, winless and worst team in the conference, Sam Houston State who they beat over a month ago in Los Cruces.  In that six game stretch, excluding the SHSU win, the Aggies have given up an average of 36 points a game and scored only 18.  

  Kennesaw State is on a mission to win the conference and despite the long road trip to New Mexico, it is hard to see them slipping up here.  The Owls are the best team the Aggies have faced this year.  The second best was Louisiana Tech who flattened them 49-14 in Ruston.  In the interest of common component comparability, Kennesaw easily handled the Bulldogs of La Tech, 35-7.  The weather will not be a factor in the desert, the projection is 76 degrees, no wind or humidity.  We do not usually like road favorites approaching double digits, but this game has blowout written all over it.  

  In the CFL Divisional finals we are cautiously backing the biggest members of the cat family who are both dogs: 

 Montreal Alouettes @ HAMILTON TIGER-CATS (+3) 

 British Columbia Lions ( +3.5) @ SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

Bob: Houston +

1.5 over Jacksonville

The best unit on the field Sunday will be the Houston defense. Texans are number one in total defense and number one in scoring defense. Last week they lost a close one at home to Denver where they held the Broncos to 216 yards. They allow 267 yards per game and just over 15 points.  Last week the lost CJ Stroud in the first half, they will be without him this week again but be better prepared for it. The best offensive player on the field will be Nico Collins.  The Texans are home for back to back home games.  The Jaguars are on the road for back to back road games.  The Texans need this game so much more than Jacksonville.  Jacksonville’s offense is hurt with the loss of Travis Hunter.  Jacksonville will be one dimensional in this one because I don’t see them running against the Texans great defensive line. Spread is way down because of Davis Webb starting. Let’s go with the home team that needs it more in a better spot at home.