CFB, MLS, and Serie A — The Daily Card

Ohio State returns a loaded offense headlined by Heisman finalist QB Julian Sayin and star WR Jeremiah Smith, with four offensive line starters back from last season's dominant unit — a recipe for running up the score on a Group of Five opponent. Ball State brings just two returning starters in the secondary against new OC Arthur Smith's scheme, and the Buckeyes are fully healthy entering Week 1. Talent wins, and -49.5 against a MAC squad is a gift for a program coming off a national championship-caliber roster.

Everyone's writing off VMI, but these Keydets run the triple option — a scheme that gives even elite programs nightmares in Week 1 with limited prep time, and Virginia Tech is breaking in a brand new head coach in his debut! The last time these teams met, VT won 54-7, but that's a 42-year-old datapoint and a 55.5-point spread is a MOUNTAIN to climb against a scrappy FCS squad running an offense nobody practices against all offseason.

The crowd is riding Napoli's underdog storyline like it's a religion, but they're rolling into San Siro without Buongiorno, Mazzocchi, AND Marianucci — that's a shredded backline facing Lautaro & Co. at home. Inter gets Neres back and is oozing value at +115 on a -1 line the public is ignoring. Fade the Napoli hype, collect the plus money — the sheep never learn.

New England sits 4th in the Eastern Conference with a strong 11-4-7 record and positive goal differential, while LA Galaxy is mired in a poor run at 6-8-9 — a massive form gap the pick'em line completely ignores. New England does have Langoni and Campana out, but Galaxy's injury list is comparable, and Carles Gil remains the class player on the field. Getting the better-form road side at near-even money on a flat spread is textbook value.

Inter Milan hosts Napoli with a healthy core — Thuram returning, Barella, Bastoni, and Martinez all available — while Napoli travels to the San Siro missing Neres, Anguissa, and Mazzocchi, weakening both wings and midfield. Getting plus-money (+115) on the home favorite covering just -1.0 is a rare structural edge in a fixture where Inter's depth advantage at home is significant. The injury imbalance tips this matchup clearly toward Inter covering a modest one-goal spread.

Kansas is a motivated Big 12 program looking to shed back-to-back 5-7 seasons, and they're hosting an FCS LIU squad that was dominated in their own season opener. The Jayhawks have no major injury concerns flagged heading into Week 1, while the talent gap between a Power 4 program and a Sharks team at this level is simply too vast to overcome. At plus money, this is a gift — elite programs feast in these tune-up games.

Everybody's writing off the Miners like they don't even belong on the same field, but a 40.5-point cushion is a MOUNTAIN of points to give away even for a powerhouse program — that's nearly six touchdowns! Oklahoma may be loaded on paper, but blowout spreads this massive historically get covered more often than not by scrappy Group of Five programs who play with nothing to lose and everything to prove.

The sheep backing Arizona are apparently blind to the fact that the D-backs are a walking MASH unit — Ketel Marte (knee), Lourdes Gurriel (adductor), Tommy Troy (shoulder), and Corbin Carroll (day-to-day) all sidelined or banged up, gutting their lineup. Meanwhile, Houston is riding a 7-3 last-10 stretch with a clear offensive edge in SLG and home run power, and they get the plus-money side to boot. Fading the crowd on a crippled road team at plus-money odds? That's not contrarian, that's just good sense.

Stuttgart is shorthanded with a brutal injury list including striker Dallinga (illness), winger Führich (doubtful), Sauer, Diehl, and multiple defenders — they sit 18th with zero points. Köln comes in 6th with 3 points and in clear form, giving them a meaningful edge over a depleted home side. Getting Köln at +1.0 with plus-money odds is a line that underprices the injury disparity and Stuttgart's terrible early-season form.

Real Madrid enters this match with a perfect 3-0 start to the La Liga season and blistering offensive form — 10 goals scored in three games, including a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad and a 4-0 shutout of Málaga. While Real Madrid does have injury concerns (Militão, Mendy, Rodrygo), Betis is also compromised with their starting goalkeeper Diego Conde out alongside Lo Celso and Ruibal, which exposes their backline to Madrid's attack led by Mbappé and Bellingham. At +115 odds, laying -1.5 with the La Liga table leaders carrying this much momentum and facing a vulnerable Betis defense represents clear positive expected value.