No harm, no foul. DPJ and I both went .500 last week on our individual best bets but our best of the best bets are absolutely full steam ahead (4-1 over the past three weeks). We’re getting to that point in the season where big time teams win big time games and we’re confident in the teams we’re riding with to conclude the regular season/going into conference championships. Enjoy our favorite bets of the week and always remember to bet smarter, not harder.

Q’s Best Bets (10-14 Overall)
Oregon @ Utah/SMU @ Cincinnati 
Pick: 7 Point Teaser: Oregon +10.5, SMU +19.5 (-130 odds)

The Oregon/Utah matchup is a likely sneak preview into the PAC 12 Conference Championship game. Although Oregon has multiple paths into the conference championship game this year, Utah could absolutely play spoiler to Oregon’s CFP hopes this weekend if they are able to come away with a win. In all honesty, I’m never a huge fan of betting on PAC 12 games… A handful of teams are overrated every year and the conference consistently proceeds to cannibalize itself towards the end of the season. That said, I think Oregon is more talented on both sides of the ball and Crisobal knows how to get the boys going this time of year (11-3 in November at Oregon). I think Oregon probably wins this one outright but, because I don’t trust the PAC 12, I’m giving them a little breathing room with the teaser. Confident that the Ducks at the very least keep it close in this high stakes conference matchup.

I know what you’re thinking, “flipping on Cincy already, eh?” Yes, I am (and I already flipped on them last week by calling USF to cover, just to be clear). Cincinnati looks like a team that’s absolutely feeling the weight of carrying the hopes of all non Power 5 conference teams heading into the postseason. It feels like they’ve been trying to lose a game for weeks now and I get the sneaking suspicion that SMU could very well be the team to push them over the edge. Cincinnati has really only beaten Notre Dame all year, a team that has had its ups and downs all season, and SMU would also be undefeated if it wasn’t for two road losses in the past three weeks for a combined 10 points. Every game for the rest of the year honestly feels like a look ahead game for Cincinnati until they play a true contender and SMU definitely matches up well enough to at least make this one interesting. Love the Mustangs to keep this game within three scores, if not winning outright.

DPJ’s Best Bets (10-10-1 Overall)
Michigan @ Maryland/Oklahoma State @ Texas Tech
Pick: 6 Point Teaser: Michigan -8, Oklahoma State -4 (-110 odds)

If you read my picks last week you should be picking up on the trend I’m trying to hitch my wagon to. It’s basically rocket science so follow along closely: Bet on the good teams that are in CFP contention that are playing bad teams. I hope you, the smart reader that I know you are, can comprehend such an outlandish formula. Michigan is flying to Maryland to take on a god-awful Terps team. The maize and blue are very much still in the thick of things with the CFP and with a win this week they get the pleasure of flying home to Ann Arbor to get their ass beat by the Buckeyes in devastating fashion. Ok State is less likely to get a CFP bid but they could probably talk themselves into smacking Tex Tech on Saturday, Oklahoma next week and winning the Big 12 championship game to land them a CFP spot. The teaser makes both these lines a bit more palatable but quite frankly I don’t hate a straight up parlay. We will take the safer route and ride the teaser.

UCLA @ USC – Saturday, 11/20 (4:00 PM EST)
Pick: UCLA -3

As a Los Angeles native it would be a real shame if I didn’t make one of these teams a best bet of the week. Luckily I grew up essentially hating both teams and their fan bases so I am just an unbiased sport journalist at this point. I know USC’s fan base well, they are massive front runners and when the team is good they come out in droves and when the team stinks they are nowhere to be found. Well guess what? The team stinks this year and I know this will be a quiet one at the Coliseum. UCLA has been solid all season with all four of their losses against the only good teams on their schedule. They have handled crappy teams pretty darn well and I would expect this one to go similarly. Easy pick, take the Bruins and cash that bet on Saturday night. 

Best of the Best Bets – DPJ & Q approved (9-9 Overall)
Michigan State @ Ohio State – Saturday, 11/20 (3:30 PM EST)
Pick: Michigan State +21

Alright Sparty… don’t fail me now! I have written about this Spartans team this year more times than I can count and I’m not ready for the Cinderella story to end in Columbus this weekend. Well, the Cinderella story might end but I don’t see their rampage against the spread this season ending this weekend. Ohio State has pulled their typical tricks this year, losing an ugly game early in the season and steam rolling the rest of their sub par competition for the next 8 weeks to fool the country into thinking they’re an elite program as usual. I’m not buying it. The fact that CJ Stroud is in Heisman contention is laughable to me. The guy really hasn’t played well in big games all season and has had to rely on his stacked WR group to bail him out time and time again. Kenneth Walker III on the other hand, surprise all star with a great shot (and validly so) at becoming the second non QB to win the Heisman trophy in a row, will absolutely be looking at this game as an opportunity to separate himself from the rest of the pack and he very well could against this exposable Buckeyes defense. The Spartans also have a reliable play caller under center in Payton Thorne and NFL caliber WRs in Reed and Nailor. The Spartans secondary has struggled at times this year but they have shown the ability to cause turnovers (16 on the year) and if they’re able to stir up some ruckus in the backfield then Stroud could be staring down the barrel of the biggest upset of his career (well, other than his loss to Oregon ALREADY THIS YEAR). Not confident enough to take the Spartans straight up in this one but very confident that they will at least make it a game. Take Michigan State to cover 3 TDs with confidence and don’t be surprised if they shock the world and steal a victory in the Horseshoe on Saturday. – Q

Other Action (7-10 Overall)

2 Team – 7 Point Teaser (-130 odds): Wisconsin -2.5, MIchigan -7

Risky Business (4-14 Overall)

3 Team – 7 Point Teaser (+130 odds): Pittsburgh -6.5, Oklahoma +3.5, Michigan State +28

Disclaimer: SidehustlebetsMJQ.com is not an online gambling operator or a gambling site of any kind. Our insights about sports/sports betting are purely for entertainment purposes only.