Welcome back to another fun season 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 2026-27 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!
Brian Phillips (Former Radio Morning Show Host CD101)
Ohio State -27.5 vs Illinois... The Illini couldn't beat Duke at home. How about 38-10 Buckeyes.
Arizona -10 1/2 at Washington State... Pac 12 of old memories here. You always want to get teams from that part of the world to Pullman in November. Alas it'll be a perfect 60 degree fall afternoon on the Palouse. I don't get why this number is so short. Wazzu has a decent defense, but the offense has been putrid so far. Wazzu's kicker has been alarmingly bad so far. I don't see how my Cougs keep this close. I'm hoping for a pleasant surprise but not expecting it.
Tennessee ML vs Texas... I know what happened a couple of weeks back, but the Horns still can't run the ball. I could take the 4 1/2, but let's have some fun here and see if the Vols have learned Jim Knowles' defense yet.
Maryland ML vs UCLA... The Bruins make their first eastern swing of the 2026 season. How can we assume a team that gave up 38 to Purdue is going to fare here on a tough travel schedule. The line is only 1 1/2 to UCLA so let's just be on the front foot here.
Georgia -13 1/2 vs Oklahoma... Yes, the Sooners defense is really good, but also banged up. Mateer looks lost. They can't run the ball. I think we're looking at something like 27-6 here.
Florida ML vs Ol Miss... Coming off that impressive win I would not be shocked to see the Rebs come out flat. It's hard to pick against Chambliss, but in the Swamp I'll take Florida inside the line which sits -3 1/2 to the Gators as I write. Fascinating line.
Oregon at USC... Ducks favored by three. I have no clue. I'm not picking this game. I'll have an eye on it however. Should be interesting. I think we'll learn a lot.
Tulsa +7 at Arkansas... The Golden Hurricane are being punished for playing with their food against Sam Houston. This defense will travel however, and the Razorbacks are the worst team in the SEC. I would not be shocked if Tulsa didn't win outright.
Utah at Iowa State... Under 47 1/2. The Clones defense is Wazzu's defense from last season and they've shown well so far. I don't think they will score much however so I feel pretty good about this under.
Oregon State -10 1/2 at UTEP. This Atkinson kid the Beavs got from Mercer looks really good. They gave Houston and Texas Tech games that's for sure. I think they'll easy roll past this number.
UMass -4 1/2 at Sacramento State... If you haven't been following along this is a MAC league game. (I know, it makes no sense). Anyway the Minutemen are 3-0 and the Hornets are the worst team in FBS. UMass easy here.
Baseball post season thoughts
I can't get the Cubs out of my head. My enthusiasm for this pick was dampened a bit when Alex Bregman was hit in the face with a foul ball the other day (I can't imagine the pain there). Pete Crow Armstrong is a generational talent however, and I feel like they have enough pitching to pull this off especially when you consider their home park leans heavily toward pitching in cooler weather. I'm going to take the Cubbies to come through as a wild card and win it all. Here's a crazy thought: How about we run back that wildly entertaining 2016 series. I think the AL is wide open with Judge out again. Give me Cleveland with their great pitching and the Cubs with Chicago winning it all.
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!)
I like Purdue +27.5 over the over-ranked (imo) Irish. Michigan -5.5 looks good to me, and I’d probably take Illinois with 27 points to cover against the Buckeyes.
Lions predictably got smoked by the Bills. The defense is terrible, they’ll be lucky to be 8-9. They should beat the Jets, but you never know with this team. I like the Bills -7 over the Chargers and the Commanders +7.5 over Seattle.
Colin Gawel (Pencilstorm guy / musician solo and with Watershed)
Been a rough go so far to start the 2026 season. In fairness, who expected Deshawn Watson to hit the prop overs at the exact same time Baker Mayfield was going under? Lose - Lose for me. Browns did pull off the shocking win but nobody bet on that result. Live bet LSU ML over Ol’ Miss? Nope. Anyway, onwards and ugh…break even…
Ignore all the statistics and rankings, something in my gut tells me Texas isn’t ready to carry that onerous number one ranking into Knoxville and come out with a victory. Sark’s squad has more talent but they had more talent last year and they struggled on the road inside the SEC. Arch just isn’t all that. Something isn’t right. Volunteers ML.
Also - will dumb ass Buckeye/CFP fans quit saying Ryan Day “turtled” down the stretch in the tough loss to Texas. Can we please stop repeating what we hear and take a cursory glance at the actual play calling for some facts. Ohio State threw the ball 16 times and ran it only 10 in the 2nd half. We also went for a 4th down, AND threw an end zone fade to Jerimie Smith on 3rd and 5 from the Texas 35 yard line. The Buckeyes missed the 45 yard field goal that would have sealed the game with less than three minutes left. That is not playing it safe.
An actual conversation from the coffee shop, “Day played not too lose. He should have stayed aggressive” Me, “We did go for a 4th down and throw a long fade to Smith on 3rd down looking for a kill shot with three minutes left”
“Well, yeah, he shouldn’t have done that..that was too aggressive”
Me, “Well was he too aggressive or not? Did you actually look at the recap or are you talking out of your ass?”
“I guess I am talking out my ass”
Sometimes, the other team just wins. Ask Western Michigan how that goes.
I like Michigan at home. I like Florida hosting OL Miss, and I think Wisconsin should cover (+10) and hit the under in the rain at Happy Valley. And LSU is going to smash Texas A&M. Lane needs to run this one up to jump back into full heel mode.
In MLB, the AL is a mess. Why not take the Guardians (+500) to make the World Series?
Ben Galli (Pencilstorm NBA Beat Writer)
Louisville -12.5 vs Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons (underrated name) qb was listed as questionable but is expected to play which lowered the line a point. But I’m all in on Buckeye transfer Lincoln Kienholz at the helm of this Cardinal offense in what should be a high scoring affair, at least for them.
West Virginia -1.5 vs Oklahoma State: Huge upset win for the Cowboys over Oregon which they followed up well, but these Mountaineers might be Big 12 contenders and should coast at home here.
And just for fun I’m looking at the over in Oregon at USC (61.5) and the Brewers to win the NL.
BIG $ (Pencil Storm Browns Beat Writer)