Taking Bets | The Aftermath of Insanity | Week Five

2024 ATS Record
Blaine Duncan: 11-8 (Week Five: 1-3) 
TD Wood: 6-12-1 (Week Five: 1-2-1)
Mallory McCormack: 9-10 (Week Five: 2-2)
Greg Bosworth: 7-12 (Week Five: 2-2)

Each Friday evening, writers from The Alabama Take join together for the “Taking Bets” column, which readies all sports fans for their football weekend with some keen or not-so-bright ideas on the bets to make. It’s host of The Staredown Mallory McCormack, host of Takin’ On Sports TD Wood, editor-in-chief Blaine Duncan, and co-host of Takin’ On Sports Greg Bosworth! Find the bets, which includes one NFL game per week, on the site each Friday evening at 6:30!

Blaine Duncan 
One time I went to a Bob Dylan concert in Tuscaloosa. He didn’t say a word throughout the show, but before the last song, he leaned into the mic and rumbled, “I know you’re tired; we’re tired, too.” 

UCLA at Penn State (-27.5) - The Bruins are not any good, and they may be going without their starting QB. And they fly across the country for the game. And it’s an early one. And the Nittany Lions surely want to show the country that they have what it takes to be in the upcoming playoffs. It’s a big line, but Penn State should get a blowout at home. 

Alabama (-23.5) at Vanderbilt – The ideas here range from Bama being out of gas after an emotional win and squeaking a close one in Nashville or they have the engine revved and are ready to take on the world. I believe DeBoer got a nice taste of SEC life last weekend and doesn’t want any comebacks again this season. 

Michigan at Washington (UNDER: 41.5) – I love Takin’ On Sports, one of our podcasts in our network, and not just because I love TD and Greg. This week, I’m loving on them because they reminded me that Michigan won’t hardly pass the ball. That won’t work here. I suppose they can get the win, but with the Huskies at a one-and-a-half point favorite, who knows. Instead, the under feels right. 

NFL Game of the Week: Panthers at Bears (-4) - No NFL lines jumped out at me this week, so I tried to decide on a couple of teams that are trending down going against teams who could be trying to beat low expectations. I narrowed it down to picks against the Dolphins and the Panthers, both with former Alabama quarterback woes. The Bears at home seem like a safer bet to cover than the Patriots.  

TD Wood
Ok, gambling gods, I get it, I have wronged you in some manner – please accept my sincerest apologies and tell me what sacrifice I need to make to appease you. It isn’t purposeful, but I like home favorites this week.

Auburn at Georgia (-22.5) – I don’t think you could make this line big enough for me to not take the Dawgs. Georgia is pissed off after their loss in Tuscaloosa last weekend, and Auburn… well, the Tigers have some problems on offense. If this were in Jordan-Hare I’d stay far away, but between the hedges in Athens? Do not let your kids watch this one, folks, it’s going to be the football equivalent of a snuff film.

West Virginia at Oklahoma State (-3) – The Cowboys are desperate for a win after back-to-back losses to open Big 12 play. They also desperately need to get star running back Ollie Gordon II going after a slow start, and he racked up almost 300 yards on the ground against the Mountaineers last year. To make matters worse for West Virginia has one of the nation’s worst pass defenses.

Old Dominion at Coastal Carolina (-5.5) – This one basically boils down to Coastal is good and Old Dominion isn’t. The Monarchs struggle on both sides of the ball, but their offense is particularly inept – they barely average 300 yards per game, and only 20 points a contest. The Chanticleers should cruise in this one.

NFL Game of the Week: Giants at Seahawks (-6.5) – When in doubt, go against the team that might possibly be the worst in the NFL. 

Mallory McCormack
So last weekend was fun!  Except the whole Ole Miss/Kentucky game outcome. But I was on the field, I saw Juice, and some of my very best friends flew in from NYC and DC to visit. Now if only my picks could be so lucky, I’d be rich in more ways than just life.

Tennessee (-13.5) at Arkansas - I have a feeling Tennessee is tired of hearing about Bama and Georgia, so I expect them to take some frustrations out on the Hogs. 

Auburn at Georgia (-22.5) - Ok, so can we just state the obvious…Kentucky has a GREAT defense. Holding Georgia to 13 points and then holding my Rebs to 17 isn’t easy. And after the show we got last weekend in Tuscaloosa in the 2nd half, Georgia’s offense is hitting its stride. And don’t even get me started on the whole “But our process, when it’s complete, is going to make people be very, very proud to wear the orange and blue” b.s. that H*gh spewed this week. Sorry Auburn fans, I don’t think you’ll be proud after this one.

Missouri (+2.5) at Texas A&M - I was a little surprised to see this but I know that Kyle Field is an extremely difficult place to play. I think the Aggies will still be hungover from their midnight yell practice, so I see Mizzou winning this.

NFL Game of the Week: Cleveland @ Washington (-3.5) - I really love what Jayden Danniels is doing in the NFL. Their defense may not be as good as it can be, but they’ll make enough stops to let the offense score more than the Browns.

Greg Bosworth
Wow, we are already in the month of October and football season has been everything and then some. All I can ask for is it slows down a little because it is flying by. 

Auburn at Georgia (-22.5) - Georgia will be looking for blood after last week, the game isn’t in Auburn, and Auburn is horrible. Simple as that.

Missouri (ML +115) at Texas A&M - Everybody sees Missouri as the team who doesn’t belong after close calls with Boston College and Vanderbilt. The Tigers have one of the easier schedules in the SEC this season and this is a must win for them. They have the talent to get the win and we will see the best Mizzou team we’ve seen all season on Saturday. The Aggies have rebounded a little since the Week 1 loss, but I am still not convinced how good they are. Kyle Field is always tough, but they are beatable here; it should be a fun, physical game, but I just have this feeling Coach Drink will have the last laugh in College Station.

SMU (+6.5) at Louisville - Since losing to BYU, the Ponies have rebounded nicely and are looking like the team I expected them to be this season. Louisville is hard to beat at home, but it will be interesting to see how they bounce back from their loss in South Bend. The winner of this game will be atop of the ACC and should be a good back and forth. Not convinced SMU wins but am confident in them keeping it under a touchdown in a very interesting game Saturday afternoon.

NFL game of the week: Jets at Vikings (-2.5) - Minnesota has been the best story to this young NFL season as an unexpected undefeated team going into Week 5 with the play of Sam Darnold so far this season. Now he gets to get revenge on the Jets team who did everything to hurt his NFL career. The Jets, even with Rodgers, back have been pretty bad. The weather should be much better than what the Jets saw last week, so we might actually see a fun offensive game, but an easy cover for the Vikings none the less. 

Note: All games are against the spread. Odds are taken from MGM Grand Sportsbook.