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Friday’s Best College Football, NFL & MLB Bets (9/8)

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No matter your sport of choice, there's always sports betting action to be had. We'll have you covered each and every day with our daily best bets. Here are all of our best bets across each major sport in action today.

Today's Best Bets

Here are today's best bets.

College Football Bets

Illinois vs. Kansas

Kansas and Illinois enter this Week 2 showdown both at 1-0, but took quite different paths to get there. The Jayhawks steamrolled Missouri State, 48-17, without star quarterback Jaylon Daniels, who missed the game with a back injury. Meanwhile, Illinois needed a late field goal to squeak past Toledo at home. While this does feel like a good spot to back Illinois following a less-than-encouraging opening game, I don't see a ton of value in the spread. I have more confidence in the over.

Illinois allowed 400 yards to Toledo in their season opener and is replacing three starters in the secondary. Whether it's Daniels or capable backup Jason Bean under center for Kansas, they should be able to move the ball efficiently through the air. Meanwhile, Illinois racked up 4.7 yards per carry against Toledo last weekend and should be able to dominate on the ground against an underwhelming Kansas front seven. Plus, Illinois actually has a competent QB in Ole Miss transfer Luke Altmyer. Expect a back-and-forth shootout in Lawrence on Friday night.

Pick: Over 56.5 (-108)

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NFL Best Bets

Baltimore Ravens (BAL) vs. Houston Texans (HOU) - Spread: BAL -9.5 

Love, love, love the Ravens in the spot. The heaviest favorites at home versus an under-matched Houston Texans team that has suffered injuries across its offensive line this preseason, with a rookie QB making his first NFL in a hostile environment. Over the last four seasons under John Harbaugh, the Ravens' average margin of victory in Week 1 has been by over 25 points.

And we should expect a healthy dosage of Ravens RB J.K. Dobbins inflicting damage on the Houston Texans’ defense.  During Dobbins' hot streak to end the 2022 season, he hit the "over" his rushing line in his last five games at full health. The Texans’ run defense has been a bottom-5 unit over the past three seasons, so Dobbins should be set for a very productive day rushing. The Texans tried to plug up their interior with the additions of Sheldon Rankins and Hassan Ridgeway this offseason, but it remains to be seen if new head coach Demeco Ryans can turn this unit into the stingy 49ers run defense of the south with overall inferior personnel.

-Andrew Erickson

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MLB Best Bets

Seattle Mariners (-112) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (-104) | O/U 7.5 (-114/-106) 

This matchup between the Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays is the only one on the day's slate between two teams with 78-plus wins, and oddsmakers project a pitcher's duel, as it is tied for the lowest projected total of any game today. This seems like a fishy line, given how each team's starting pitcher has struggled recently, but we are taking the bait and expecting a high-scoring affair.

Mariners right George Kirby started August on fire by holding the Los Angeles Angels and Baltimore Orioles to a combined one run in 16 innings. However, this is his fourth consecutive road start, and his last three have produced subpar numbers despite facing poor offenses. Over his previous three starts, Kirby has pitched to a 6.34 ERA despite facing three offenses that rank in the bottom 11 of the league in runs scored. At one point in mid-August, Kirby led MLB in WHIP, and while he still ranks fourth, his drop in velocity on his two primary pitches (fastball and slider) in his last start, which he throws a combined 59.2% of the time, is a concern. Tampa Bay ranks eighth in wRC+ against right-handed pitchers at home since August 1, and Kirby's xBA ranks in the league's bottom quarter.  

Kirby is opposed by Rays righty Taj Bradley, who has not earned a win in seven consecutive starts while pitching to a 7.92 ERA in that span. Just one of those starts has come since the end of July, as Bradley returned from a month-long absence to throw five innings of two-run ball against the Cleveland Guardians. The Mariners must get to Bradley early, as Tampa Bay's bullpen has the lowest xFIP since August 1. But its relievers are beatable, allowing an OBA that ranks outside the top ten in that span.

Pick: Over 7.5 (-114)

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