Looking to place a wager on some football games this weekend? The Post-Gazette has all the information you need to make picks in key contests, locally and nationally. Here’s the outlook for games Oct. 8-12.
Odds are current as of Wednesday afternoon, per DraftKings. Historical information is from Odds Shark.
Philadelphia at Steelers
Spread: Steelers, -7.0
Moneyline: Steelers -335, Philadelphia +280
Over/under: 43.5
Facts and figures: Seven of the teams’ eight meetings since 1991 have produced totals under 43.5. … The Eagles have not won in Pittsburgh since 1988, losing in each of their three subsequent trips here. … Philadelphia has lost four of its past five games against the spread, though it was favored in all of those defeats. … The Steelers have not covered as favorites of a touchdown or more since Oct. 28, 2018, against Cleveland. They’re 0-3 at that number or larger since. … The under cashed in seven of the Steelers last eight games of 2019, but the over has now cashed in three of their past four.
Pitt at Boston College
Spread: Pitt, -6.0
Moneyline: Pitt -230, Boston College +185
Over/under: 44.0
Facts and figures: Pitt remains winless against the spread in three games as a favorite against conference opponents this season. … The Eagles, by contrast, have beaten the spread twice as underdogs. … The under has cashed four times in the teams’ six combined games. … Boston College won outright as an eight-point underdog in the meeting last season at Heinz Field. … Pitt was 4-1 against the spread as the road team in 2019.
Thursday Night Football — Tampa Bay at Chicago
Spread: Tampa Bay, -4.0
Moneyline: Tampa Bay -186, Chicago +160
Over/under: 44.0
Facts and figures: Chicago is 2-1 both against the spread and outright as an underdog this season. … The over has cashed in six of Tampa Bay’s past eight games. Buccaneers games have also gone over a total of 44 three times in the first four weeks of 2020. … Tampa Bay has not won outright in Chicago since 2008.
Sunday Night Football — Minnesota at Seattle
Spread: Seattle, -7.0
Moneyline: Seattle -315, Minnesota +270
Over/under: 57.5
Facts and figures: Seattle has won each of the past six meetings since 2012. Five of those games were decided by a touchdown or more. … The Seahawks are 4-0 against the spread this season. Three of those four wins have come by at least a touchdown. … Five of the teams’ combined eight games have gone over a total of 57.5.
Monday Night Football — Los Angeles Chargers at New Orleans
Spread: -8.0
Moneyline: New Orleans -360, Los Angeles +300
Over/under: 51.5
Facts and figures: New Orleans has won four of the past five games in the series, dating back to 2000, but only one of those games was decided by eight or more points. … The over has hit in each of New Orleans’ four games this season, and in six of the past seven dating to the end of last season. … The Chargers are 1-3 but haven’t lost any game by more than seven points all season.
No. 4 Florida at No. 21 Texas A&M
Spread: Florida, -6.5
Moneyline: Florida -245, Texas A&M +195
Over/under: 57.5
Facts and figures: The over has cashed in five of the Gators’ past six games, while the under has hit at the same rate for the Aggies. … Texas A&M’s loss last week at Alabama extended its losing streak against the spread to four games. … Florida is 7-4-1 against the spread as a favorite since the start of last season.
No. 19 Virginia Tech at No. 8 North Carolina
Spread: North Carolina, -5.0
Moneyline: North Carolina -200, Virginia Tech +163
Over/under: 59.5
Facts and figures: The Hokies have won each of the past four meetings and six of the past seven. The past two meetings, however, were decided by a total of five points. … The under has cashed in four of North Carolina’s past five games. By contrast, the over has hit at the same rate in Virginia Tech’s past five. … The teams combined for 84 points in their most recent meeting, a 43-41 Tech win last Oct. 19.
No. 13 Tennessee at No. 3 Georgia
Spread: Georgia, -12.0
Moneyline: Georgia -530, Tennessee +390
Over/under: 42.5
Facts and figures: Georgia has won each of the past three meetings by an average of 32 points. … The total has gone over 42.5 in seven of the past eight meetings. The one that didn’t go over reached a total of 41 points in 2017. … Tennessee was 5-2 against the spread as an underdog in 2019.
No. 7 Miami at No. 1 Clemson
Spread: Clemson, -14.5
Moneyline: Clemson -560, Miami +400
Over/under: 63.5
Facts and figures: Clemson has won each of the two meetings in the past five seasons by a combined margin of 96-3. … However, the Tigers have lost each of their past four games against the spread, dating to their national championship loss against LSU to end the 2019 season. … Miami, by contrast, has won each of its first three games both outright and against the spread. The Hurricanes were also 3-0 against the spread as underdogs in 2019.
Adam Bittner: abittner@post-gazette.com and Twitter @fugimaster24.
First Published: October 8, 2020, 12:00 p.m.