TULANE @ CHARLOTTE (TUL -14.5, 55.5)
MAKHI HUGHES 125+ RUSHING YARDS
If anything, you can watch the most interesting college football coach in the country. Charlotte's Biff Poggi will be on the sideline tonight probably sporting one of his signature sleeveless T-shirts or sweatshirts. What he really needs is a defense that can stop the run and an offense that can score.
The 49ers rank 118th in the country in run defense, allowing 203.6 yards per game. That's bad news because Tulane is one of the top rushing teams in the nation. The Green Wave average 213.3 rushing yards per game, 11th-best in the FBS.
It is Halloween, so keep in mind that weirder things have happened. Charlotte actually led 6-1 Memphis last week before losing in the last minute of play. Tulane had a huge lead over North Texas, but gave up two late touchdowns and almost surrendered a back-door cover. With tonight's number at 14.5, I'm not confident picking a side but I am confident in the best matchup.
That would be Tulane's rushing offense against Charlotte's run defense. American Athletic Conference leading rusher Makhi Hughes has 939 yards on the season (7th-best in the nation). He also has three straight 100-yard games. Against this Charlotte defense, make it four.
HOUSTON @ NY JETS (NYJ -2, 42.5)
JETS 3Q ML
This shapes up to be an interesting game. The 2-6 Jets are favored over the 6-2 Texans. Houston will not have WRs Nico Collins or Stefon Diggs who tore an ACL and is done for the season. The Texans will face a Jets defense that is pretty stout. They pressure the quarterback pretty well.
On the other side, Aaron Rodgers has a history of success on Thursday Night Football. He is 10-4-1 ATS in 15 Thursday night games. His counterpart, C.J. Stroud, really struggles when he plays away from home. There are a number of angles you could take on this game, but here's one that I like.
Houston really struggles when they come out of the locker room after halftime. The Texans have scored just one third-quarter touchdown this season. Houston is 1-7 against the third quarter spread. The Jets aren't all that much better in the third quarter, but tonight I'm betting they will be. We'll play the Jets on the 3Q moneyline in the event of a third quarter tie.
SAN ANTONIO @ UTAH (UT -1.5, 223.5)
JAZZ -1.5
It's a dud of a game, but it's a perfect spot to fade a bad team. The Spurs will play on the second night of a back-to-back. They got worked over by Oklahoma City last night. Victor Wembenyana shot just 1-of-5 from the floor and scored a career-worst six points.
He probably won't play that poorly tonight, but this isn't just a back-to-back for the Spurs. This is a back-to-back at altitude. Utah doesn't have a win yet, but this is the perfect spot to get No. 1. Going back to last season, the Jazz are 5-2 ATS. I like them to get their first win and cover tonight.
Ylose expert Coach Rick Bowe delivers his daily Quick Picks. The Coach continues to roll up big wins in MLB, college football, the NFL, and much more. Coach Rick offers a unique perspective to handicapping. Check out his daily free picks right here and jump on his daily Best Bets, which you can find right here at Ylose.com/coach.