Welcome back to another fun week of Friday Bet$ For Realz as some of your favorite Pencil Storm characters share actual bets they are making on NCAA and NFL football. Depending on our bank accounts we will be checking in throughout the 2025-26 with our blazing hot takes and sure-fire winners. However, it’s important to remember that sports betting is for suckers, so as long as you are cool with that.. Let’s Boogie.
BIG $ (Pencil Storm Browns Beat Writer)
ok Fridays have been good to me, so Im gonna mix up a lil hodgepodge parlay to see if I can build some live bullets to push all in on Shadeur on Sunday:
NC st v Fsu over 59.5
Unlv -2.5 v Hawaii
lets delve into the nba cup:
Cavs -13.5 v Pacers
Riding w/ the phenom ,Mavs -4.5 v NO
and lil NHL for good measure
Conor keeps the hawks in the puckline, Chicago +1.5 v Buffalo
good luck , fade or tail
Big$
Jeremy Porter (Pencil Storm Co-Editor in Chief, rock and roll musician, Mexican fast-food enthusiast, proudly representing that state to the north in hostile online territory MICHIGAN GO BLUE!)
Jeremy is currently on tour waiting for solid cell reception and crunching numbers on Detroit v Green Bay on Thanksgiving Day.
Ok, I’m back, everyone calm down, here’s some thoughts from that state to the north (AKA MICHIGAN!). I can’t argue with Colin about JJ and his performance with the Vikings. I like the kid and want him to succeed, but it hasn’t been great.
Anyhow, yeah, I’d have taken Michigan with the points on Saturday if I could’a laid down a bet (I can’t seem to bet unless I am actually IN Michigan). I’d have taken OSU too. Next week has an OSU victory written all over it, but so have the last couple years, so that’ll be fun.
Meanwhile, the LIONS haven’t lost 2 in a row in like 3+ years, and they shouldn’t have a problem with the struggling Giants, but 13 is a lot. I’ll still take it. La Porta is out for the season, which really stings.
Back to the Vikings, I hear ya Colin, and I wouldn’t take take them with the points at Lambeau even if JJ was firing on all cylinders. I’m still rooting for the kid, and I hate the Pack, but if I bet, it’ll be on the Green and Yellow. I saw Hüsker Dü in Green Bay 2 shows before they broke up, so there’s some conflicting bias there too. What a division this year!
Patriots should be able to cover -7.5 against the Bengals.
I love the Ravens -13.5 against the Jets.
Fingers crossed the Chief’s disastrous season continues against the Colts tomorrow. I’m sure the refs will give them some breaks and they’ll put up a fight, but God it’s nice to watch them fail.
Next week we have GB at Detroit on Thanksgiving. Last year the Pack handed us our ass on Thanksgiving, so we’ll be cautious. And I may actually root for the Chiefs to beat one of the few teams I hate more than them - Dallas - but we’ll get into that next week.
Colin Gawel (Pencilstorm guy / musician solo and with Watershed)
Jeremy isn’t going to like this, except when his Lions play the Vikings, but I am riding a heater betting against former Michigan and current Vikings QB JJ McCarthy. The Browns are my favorite team so I know a few things about shoddy signal callers. The Vikings are my second favorite team so I have been watching the disastrous decision to hand JJ the reins of what was a 14 win team with the highest payroll in the NFL. This season is a bust and it’s ALL because of our guy JJ under center.
Not to bore everyone with stats but… in the 2023 college games where JJ played with sign stealer Connor Stallions on the sideline his completion percentage was 78.1%, YPG 225 and with 18 touchdown passes.
In the 5 games after Stallions was suspended: completion percentage 68.6%, YPG 166 and get this…..he only threw ONE TD PASS in the final five games of the season.
Huh, that sure is some coincidence. Coach Jim Harbaugh is no fool so once JJ didn’t know if a blitz was coming he didn't trust him to make plays. This should have been a huge red flag for any NFL GM. Save your tinfoil hats Michigan fans, these numbers don’t lie and neither does my bank account. Bet JJ under on total completions + yards and take the over on INT. It has hit three out of four weeks. The only time it didn’t was the Vikes got so far behind the other team played prevent and let Mr. 9 get some easy garbage time stats. Maybe he / coaches figure it out soon but until then I will be on the dark side raking easy $.
Oh, and Shadeur Sanders cannot play QB either and unlike the Vikings, the Browns have no weapons to help. So consider that play as well.
Brian Phillips (Former Radio Morning Show Host CD101)
Charlotte +43.5 at Georgia
What am I nuts? Yes, Charlotte is dreadful, but Georgia never covers these paycheck games.
Washington State +13.5 at James Madision.
In a season of strange matchups for the Cougs, this one is the weirdest. JMU is a good team with a real shot at the college football playoff and I expect they'll win. With a total around 41 this number is just too big. Remember Wazzu nearly knocked off Ol Miss and Virginia on the road earlier this season.
Notre Dame -36.5 at Syracuse.
The Orange have been starting a walk on at QB who came to Syracuse to play lacrosse. The Irish need to keep padding that resume. I expect max effort from Notre Dame and few points from Syracuse.
Texas -8.5 vs Arkansas
Texas has struggled on offense, but they should be able to get it done with this small of a number.
Ben Galli (Pencilstorm NBA Beat Writer)
USC +10.5 vs Oregon
This game is effectively for the third B1G playoff spot should that materialize. Big, big game. USC has played in some tough ones this year and I think Lincoln Riley has a lot to prove before he dashes off for the next big thing. I expect this to be a hard-fought battle that ends closer than 10.5.
Cincinnati vs New England Over 50.5
Joe Burrow is likely playing. It’s what he wants, as well as the coach’s best chance to keep his job. The Bengals offense will be fine, even without Ja’Marr Chase. Their defense, however, will not. They can’t stop the run and the Patriots have the seventh-highest scoring offense in the league. The Bengals last four game totals have been 64, 77, 89, and 46. I think this one easily surpasses 50.5 points.