European Tour 14- Swiss Darts Trophy Day 1 Picks 2026 (Friday 9th October)

Two European Tour events remain on the calendar and those chasing a spot at the 2026 European Championship have little time left to book their places.

Some of the big names on the Tour are already assured of playing in Dortmund later this month, but that has not stopped a solid field coming together in Basel for the fourteenth of the fifteen European Tour events scheduled for 2026.

Next week the European Championship field will be confirmed after the Dutch Darts Championship is played.

There are some big First Round matches to be played on Day 1 at the Swiss Darts Trophy before the Seeded players join the action on Saturday.

Picks from the Day and Evening Sessions in Basel can be read below.

William O'Connor to win & most 180s v Jani Haavisto: An early loss at the World Grand Prix would have been a disappointment, but William O'Connor did reach the Semi Final of a recent Players Championship event on the floor.

The experience on the stage gives him another edge and Jani Haavisto has come through a Nordic & Baltic Qualifier to earn a return to this level.

Earlier this season, Jani Haavisto did push Niels Zonneveld in a 6-4 loss on the European Tour and he is expected to come up short again.

William O'Connor can be very strong on the maximums when at his best and he can score more of those than his opponent on his way through to the Second Round.

Cameron Menzies v Cristo Reyes: This has all of the makings of a good match and there is plenty on the line for both players as they cling onto a top thirty-two Ranking that would mean participating in the European Championships.

Cameron Menzies recently won a Players Championship title and that means he is coming into this match with a bit more consistency compared with Cristo Reyes.

When at his best, Cameron Menzies is a very difficult player to beat, but the Scot can get down on himself, which makes it hard to trust him.

However, he looks a decent underdog to back in this match considering the amount of losses Cristo Reyes has suffered in recent weeks. He is much better than the World Number 71 Ranking may suggest, but Reyes may have hit a slight wall at the back end of this season and Cameron Menzies can exploit that.

Dirk van Duijvenbode to win & over 2.5 180s v Bruno Stockli: Four matches were won in the Home Qualifiers and that has earned Bruno Stockli an opportunity at the Swiss Darts Trophy.

However, he will be aware that the level needs to be improved if he is going to upset Dirk van Duijvenbode.

The Dutchman will be much happier playing in a more normal format after underperforming at the World Grand Prix and his scoring power should see him progress into the Second Round.

You do have to wonder if the opponent will not help Dirk van Duijvenbode bring the intensity he usually has on the stage and that may affect his maximum hitting.

In saying that, van Duijvenbode remains one of the bigger maximum hitters on the Tour and he can produce at least three in this First Round match.

Kevin Doets to win & over 2.5 180s v Nick Kenny: There are very few players outside of the absolute elite that have had a consistent season as strong as the one Kevin Doets has been able to put together.

He is inside the top 30 of the World Rankings, but strong performances at the remaining big tournaments could see Kevin Doets moving quickly into the top 16.

A narrow defeat to Nathan Aspinall at the World Grand Prix will have hurt, but Kevin Doets had been playing well on the floor in the build up to that tournament. The Double In format can be tough for any player to understand, but this match is in a normal format and Kevin Doets will feel his stronger scoring gives him the edge over Nick Kenny.

The Welshman has lost four of his last five matches, and it has been a year in which Nick Kenny has struggled to find his consistency.

This should come together in the First Round and Kevin Doets can add at least three maximums to a winning effort.

MY PICKS: William O'Connor to Win & Most 180s @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Cameron Menzies @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Dirk van Duijvenbode to Win & Over 2.5 180s @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Kevin Doets to Win & Over 2.5 180s @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 146-175, - 16.32 Units (320 Units Staked, - 5.10% Yield)

NFL Week 5 Picks 2026 (Thursday 8th October-Monday 12th October)

After Week 5 is concluded, the majority of teams in the NFL will have played more than a quarter of the regular season and that will be a time to assess how well, or poorly, the opening games have gone.

Week 4 is the first of the Bye Weeks with the Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers having the earliest of rests possible and both are leading their respective Divisions, albeit with the former being at 4-0 and the latter at 2-2.

The NFC North looks like it could be one of the stronger Divisions out there with all four teams being at 0.500 or better, while the NFC West has three teams that look capable of deep runs into the post-season.

Injuries are already having an early impact on how teams feel about themselves and there has to be a real concern for the Philadelphia Eagles fans that the upper management have potentially given up on the season already. At 2-2 the Eagles players won't feel that way, but an unexpected retirement and then an unexpected trade has hurt the Offensive Line and Philadelphia have not been a very convincing 2-2 before that anyway.

The tag of being considered the most disappointing team of the season has to be shared by the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers who have both begun with four straight defeats after being considered Super Bowl contenders before Week 1 of the season. This is already a huge hold to climb out of and they are not helped by playing in strong Divisions.

You'd have to consider the Cleveland Browns as being the biggest surprise early in the season as they have bounced back from an opening Week beatdown to win three games in a row and top the AFC North. Desahun Watson looked to have played his best Football when a member of the Texans, but Browns fans have to like what they have seen from him this season and Cleveland go into New York to face the Jets and keep the momentum behind them.

The second London game of three is played in Week 5, although it does not look as strong on paper as it did when the Eagles-Jaguars game was announced earlier in the year.

Teams will be looking to get on track moving towards the first half of the regular season and the same can be said for the NFL Picks, which have made a very slow start to 2026 after the disappointing 2025.

Picks this week will begin with the Thursday Night Football game and others will be added to this thread through to the conclusion of Week 5 of the 2026 season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Dallas Cowboys Pick: Injuries to key players have hurt the New York Giants and Washington Commanders, while the Philadelphia Eagles have made a couple of moves over the last few days that suggests they do not think they are capable of winning the Super Bowl this season.

It is the Giants who lead the NFC East, but the Dallas Cowboys (2-2) have to be the favourites to win the Division and return to the Playoffs having missed out in each of the last two seasons. After three consecutive 12-5 finishes, the Cowboys have had back to back losing seasons and there is some pressure on this roster to finally make a big impact in the post-season.

They rallied to beat the Houston Texans in Week 4 and the Dallas Cowboys are big favourites when playing on Thursday Night Football when Week 5 gets underway. Bouncing back from the defeat in Brazil to the Baltimore Ravens has pulled the Cowboys back up to 0.500, but the fans will be expecting the team to have a winning record by the end of this game.

The Cowboys have big road games at the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles coming up, but it would be a big mistake to overlook the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-4) even if the NFC South team have begun this season in poor form.

Like many other teams, the Buccaneers have suffered an injury in the starting Quarter Back position, although Baker Mayfield had not been playing that well before sitting out. It does mean the Buccaneers have to play on a short week with rookie Jalon Daniels at Quarter Back and it is a big ask for any inexperienced player to perform on a short week, never mind one who was Undrafted.

Tampa Bay would have hoped Jalon Daniels could have been a project, but he was thrown into the deep end in Week 4 after Baker Mayfield was forced to sit out, and he did have issues throwing the ball. Jalon Daniels provides a dual-threat out of the Quarter Back position as he showed against the Green Bay Packers, but he had just 148 passing yards and produced a single Touchdown pass with a couple of Interceptions.

It is really important for the Buccaneers to lean on the Offensive Line who have been able to open some running lanes and they will note that the Dallas Cowboys have had some problems trying to stop the run. As long as they are in this game, Tampa Bay can try and keep the pressure away from the rookie Quarter Back, while Daniels may have a bit more time when stepping back to throw down the field considering the lack of Sacks produced by the Cowboys.

Pounding the rock and bleeding the clock will be the main plan for the Buccaneers to put themselves in the best position to win- keeping the powerful Cowboys on the sidelines for long periods is the only way Tampa Bay can hope to be successful.

Slowing down the Cowboys on the field will be much more challenging considering the way Dak Prescott and company have begun the 2026 season.

Dallas have played with some balance on this side of the ball, but they are going to be tested when it comes to trying to establish the run. Like they have for many years, the Buccaneers have looked be stout up front and they have been restricting opponents to 3.2 yards per carry to open this season, which will offer Tampa Bay some encouragement.

However, Tampa Bay have struggled to generate much of a pass rush and giving Dak Prescott time is only going to lead to the Cowboys moving the chains with some consistency.

Any Quarter Back that is given time to scan the field is going to have success and the Dallas Cowboys should be able to expose some of the vulnerabilities in the Buccaneers Secondary.

With the troubles that the Buccaneers have had in scoring enough points, the Dallas Cowboys are expected to have too much for Tampa Bay and especially on a short week.

This is a big spread, but the Dallas Cowboys could be tough to drag back if they get into a lead and force Tampa Bay to try and keep up by throwing the ball and the NFC East team can cover at home.

MY PICKS: Dallas Cowboys - 8.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Week 4: 4-4, - 0.52 Units (8 Units Staked, - 6.50% Yield)

Week 3: 2-5, - 3.09 Units (7 Units Staked, - 44.14% Yield)

Week 2: 3-4, - 1.31 Units (7 Units Staked, - 18.71% Yield)

Week 1: 2-4-1, - 2.23 Units (7 Units Staked, - 31.86% Yield)

World Grand Prix Darts Day 7 Pick 2026- Final (Sunday 4th October)

The next Ranking Title will be handed out on Sunday evening when the World Grand Prix comes to a close and the big events will continue through to the World Championships.

Over the next two weeks, the final two European Tour events are played before the European Championship, while the lineup for the Players Championship Finals will also be put together by the end of the month. Most of the top names will be thinking about those two Finals events rather than the European Tour events in Switzerland and the Netherlands and the floor tournaments to be completed, but there is also an opportunity to build up some momentum, especially if some of those top names have not had the same competitive action as others.

First things first, the World Grand Prix Final looks a very good one and the selection to complete this tournament can be found below.

Luke Humphries to win & over 7.5 180s v Gerwyn Price: Both of these players produced strong form in the Semi Final win over dangerous opponents and there should be a real confidence behind both Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price seeing as both are former Winners of the World Grand Prix.

The expectation is that this best of eleven Set format is going to be a battle, but Luke Humphries may be peaking at the right time having produced his best performance of the week to see off James Wade.

It was the heavy dose of maximum hitting that turned the Semi Final in his favour and that may be the case in the Final.

Of course you know Gerwyn Price is going to produce plenty of power scoring of his own and his Doubling was the key to seeing off Nathan Aspinall.

When at his best, Price can be very difficult to stop, but the longer format can be something of an issue for him in the last couple of years and you do wonder if he has the stamina to last as long as may be needed.

Gerwyn Price will push and make things awkward, but Luke Humphries has won the last couple of meetings against The Ice Man and can put together at least eight maximums to swing the momentum behind him in earning this Ranking Title.

MY PICKS: Luke Humphries to Win & Over 7.5 180s @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Grand Prix Update: 9-5, + 4.18 Units (14 Units Staked, + 29.86% Yield)

NFL Week 4 Picks 2026 (Thursday 1st October-Monday 5th October)

It has been one of those weeks where getting everything in order has been just beyond my capabilities, while another busy month is in the offing.

However, the thread for the Week 5 NFL Picks will have more reasoning written down than this Week 4, although the selections from the Sunday and Monday games can be seen below.

MY PICKS: Houston Texans - 2.5 Points @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Los Angeles Rams - 3.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Chicago Bears - 3.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Buffalo Bills - 6.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Green Bay Packers - 2.5 Points @ 1.76 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Minnesota Vikings - 9.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

San Francisco 49ers - 2.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Kansas City Chiefs - 4.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Week 3: 2-5, - 3.09 Units (7 Units Staked, - 44.14% Yield)

Week 2: 3-4, - 1.31 Units (7 Units Staked, - 18.71% Yield)

Week 1: 2-4-1, - 2.23 Units (7 Units Staked, - 31.86% Yield)

World Grand Prix Darts Day 6 Picks 2026 (Saturday 3rd October)

Fans who have bought tickets for the World Grand Prix Semi Final session will certainly be happy with the final four lineup, even without Luke Littler being involved after his early exit.

Nathan Aspinall and James Wade impressed more than Gerwyn Price and Luke Humphries in the Quarter Final matches played on Friday, but Saturday is a new day and the format moves from a best of five to a best of nine Set one.

This does give players more time to recover, but we have seen how quickly matches can get away if the Doubling is not right and Price and Humphries will need to improve if they are going to get through the matches to come.

All four of the players will be confident enough as they remain active in this Ranking tournament, but the importance of matches increases the pressure and both Semi Finals look like they could be very closely contested.

Nathan Aspinall v Gerwyn Price: You never want to rule out someone with the qualities of Gerwyn Price and the layers obviously feel the same with the Welshman down as the favourite.

However, no one has been performing at the level of Nathan Aspinall this past few days and he will be massively motivated by being set as the underdog in this Semi Final.

The Quarter Final performance is about as good as anything anyone has produced in the World Grand Prix and it is almost impossible to think Nathan Aspinall can reproduce that again and especially not in the longer format of this Semi Final. Regardless, he will feel he can put together enough bursts to keep on top of Gerwyn Price and especially if the favourite is as slow getting out of the starting gate as he was in the win over Jonny Clayton.

Unlike The Ferret, Nathan Aspinall has been peppering the treble 20 all week and that power scoring coupled with his own Doubling gives him the edge.

At the prices on offer, Nathan Aspinall has to be the selection even if we all know what Gerwyn Price is capable of doing once he gets into a roll.

Luke Humphries to win & most 180s v James Wade: It has been a really strong year from James Wade and he has clearly been motivated by what he felt was a snub when it came to the Premier League Darts selection.

Winning a World Ranking event while holding a top six Ranking mark will make it very difficult to ignore him next year, but James Wade has a tough test in front of him in the Semi Final.

He has not been completely happy with his form over the past week, but Wade is playing well enough to win this match if Luke Humphries cannot find some consistency.

You do have to wonder if Humphries is holding something in reserve.

The World Number 2 has done what is needed to beat Dave Chisnall and Niels Zonneveld and perhaps felt comfortable enough, but Luke Humphries was much better in the win over Jermaine Wattimena. It can be argued that the last of those names was the most dangerous, or at least as far as Humphries may have been concerned, and that may have influenced the kind of performances he has produced in his run to the Semi Final.

Maximum hitting has not been as frequent as may have been expected, but Luke Humphries is very capable of finding his groove in the treble 20 bed and he can complete the Match Double on the way through to the Final.

MY PICKS: Nathan Aspinall @ 2.50 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Humphries to Win & Most 180s @ 2.40 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Grand Prix Update: 8-4, + 3.78 Units (12 Units Staked, + 31.50% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2026- Ben Whittaker vs Conor Wallace (Saturday 3rd October)

The first Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua presser lacked a bit of life, but that fight is still over a couple of months away from taking place in Cardiff and there may be something of an early lull before peaking in intensity as we get closer and closer to the first bell.

Things will be put on the back-burner for a while and instead the focus in the weeks ahead is on a number of very good looking nights that have been arranged.

That includes seeing the rematch between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley, while we also see the return of Canelo and another good looking rematch when Joshua Buatsi faces Willy Hutchinson.

All of these cards are set for the next month of action, and there are other main events not mentioned that look like they could determine the top of respective Divisions. More announcements could be made for beyond the middle of November, but Boxing fans are in for a good run on both sides of the Atlantic.

Ben Whittaker vs Conor Wallace

Take away the two full Champions and throw in Artur Beterbiev and Callum Smith and the rest of the Light Heavyweight Division looks pretty wide open.

It is perhaps the real reason that Ben Whittaker and Conor Wallace are in a position to be fighting for the Number 1 contender spot in the IBF World Rankings on Saturday evening.

Both are pretty highly Ranked across the four main Boxing organisations, although you could argue that neither Ben Whittaker nor Conor Wallace has a resume worthy of that kind of spot.

Ben Whittaker's almost year with Matchroom has been a bit of a disappointment, although he will let everyone know that the quality of opponent has looked poorer than it is thanks to his own improvements. None of the three opponents have heard the bell for the Third Round, and the records they brought to the ring looked better on paper than with any scrutiny made of how those records had been put together.

This should be a tougher test against an Australian who was born in Northern Ireland, but Conor Wallace is not only stepping out of his comfort zone by travelling for the fight, but also moving up a number of levels.

You can expect some durability from the B side fighter, but Ben Whittaker should be far too sharp and too quick for what looks a limited Wallace and he can finish this off before halfway and can then call out the winner of Dmitry Bivol vs Callum Smith, which is rumoured to take place before the end of the year.

There should be a couple of Stoppages on the undercard as well on this night in Birmingham.

Bilal Fawaz is trying to make up for lost time and will be defending his British Light Middleweight Title for the third time before moving onto the world stage.

He is responsible for slowing the momentum of Junaid Bostan and then earned a tough Decision against Ishmael Davis before being given an 'easier' opponent for his second defence of this British Title. This is a step up from last time, but Fawaz has the skills to put it on Eithan James and eventually wear down an opponent whose both previous defeats have been before the final bell has been heard.

Sean Bruce will be defending his British Flyweight Title for the first time, but all of the momentum is with Hamza Uddin and the unbeaten 23 year old can continue marching forward.

Fans want to see excitement from fighters and the promoters also have an easier job if someone is willing to move through the gears to end contests, which is something Hamza Uddin has clearly taken on board.

The last three wins have all been inside the distance and Hamza Uddin can secure another against a Champion who has been down multiple times in his career.

MY PICKS: Ben Whittaker to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.50 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Bilal Fawaz to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.72 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Hamza Uddin to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.66 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2026: 28-44, - 8.89 Units (112 Units Staked, - 7.94% Yield)

College Football Week 5 Picks 2026 (Saturday 3rd October)

The next month is going to be featuring some very big games or that is at least the way it looks after the first third of the season is in the books.

Teams cannot afford to overlook those they are facing before the pivotal games are played and that means a number of unbeaten teams will be putting their record on the line in Week 5 of the College Football season.

Conference games that will begin to separate the contenders and the pretenders are on the schedule for this week and there are six selections from the games to be played.

Alabama Crimson Tide @ Mississippi State Bulldogs Pick: Any team that has a 4-0 record through the opening weeks of the season has to be respected, but the Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-0) will have picked up further confidence from having won two SEC games already this season. One of those was on the road, although beating both the South Carolina Gamecocks and Missouri Tigers will be considered victories over teams that are expected to finish in the bottom half of the Conference.

That is not the case in Week 5 when the Bulldogs host the Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0) who have also produced a 2-0 record in SEC play and who have to be careful about overlooking this opponent to the big game with the Georgia Bulldogs in Week 6.

The Crimson Tide have looked pretty good on both sides of the ball, although the win over South Carolina last week feels like the most complete performance after Alabama started very quickly. Other wins this season have been behind strong second half performances and the Crimson Tide will recognise the importance of beginning this game in the right manner to try and dampen a confident home team and what is expected to be an enthusiastic crowd.

Keelon Russell is very much growing into his role as the starting Quarter Back for Alabama, but Russell is also going to appreciate the strong balance that has been provided for him on this side of the ball.

It is important for the Crimson Tide's Offensive Line to try and establish the run and make sure the Quarter Back is in third and manageable spots on the field.

They will have noted how well the Bulldogs Defensive Line has played early this season and that was clear to see in the way Mississippi State were able to slow down the Gamecocks in that win on the road. It was more of the same when the Bulldogs showed their strength at the Line of Scrimmage in the win over Missouri, although Mississippi State fans will be well aware that the Alabama Offensive Line is the toughest they would have faced so far this season.

However, there is definitely reason to believe the Bulldogs can at least limit the Crimson Tide ability on the ground and that will shift some pressure on Keelon Russell, even if the young Quarter Back has been playing with confidence of late.

Being placed in third and long spots will mean Keelon Russell is going to be feel the heat from the Bulldogs pass rush, although there are holes in this Secondary that can be exploited. Keelon Russell has been efficient when he has dropped back to pass and that will be important in his bid to avoid mistakes that may hand the momentum and impetus to the unbeaten hosts.

Mississippi State will be encouraged by the success South Carolina had when running the ball against Alabama last week, but the Line of Scrimmage on this side of the ball is going to be another battle.

Despite allowing 5.4 yards per carry in the win over South Carolina, Alabama have been pretty stout on the Defensive Line and they will be looking to find a way to slow down what has been a productive Bulldogs rushing attack in 2026. This could also come down to how much Alabama respect Kamario Taylor at Quarter Back for the Bulldogs, although they should respect a player that continues to grow very quickly in the position.

Kamario Taylor will feel he can make some plays against this Crimson Tide Secondary, but playing out of third and manageable is the key with the Alabama Defensive Backs making big plays to turn the ball over.

Turnovers feel like they could be the big factor in the outcome of this SEC game, while the Mississippi State Bulldogs are still in 'prove it' mode, despite the 4-0 start to the season.

Head Coach Jeff Lebby is already on course to help the Bulldogs finish with the first winning season since 2022, while an improvement has been shown in each year under his guidance. However, the Alabama Crimson Tide have shown they have a Defensive unit capable of backing up an improving Offense and ultimately that may see them prevail and cover in a difficult environment on the road.

Michigan Wolverines @ Minnesota Golden Gophers Pick: A loss as time expired will have really hurt, but the Michigan Wolverines (3-1) know there is a lot of Football to be played between now and the College Football Playoff. The walk off loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes has dropped the Wolverines to 0-1 within the Big Ten, but the schedule will offer them plenty of opportunity to earn redemption and that has to begin in Week 5.

As heartbreaking as the defeat will have been for the Wolverines to absorb, the Minnesota Golden Gophers (3-1) were edging to a win over the Washington Huskies on the road to improve to 1-0 in the Big Ten on the same day.

This will have given the Golden Gophers a boost to take into this big home game, but they are still a significant underdog and that is largely down to having an inconsistent Offensive unit going up against a very tough Michigan Defense.

Earlier this season, the Golden Gophers were blown out by the Mississippi State Bulldogs and they are going to have a tough day in the office when it comes to moving the ball with any consistency in this one. The problems begin at the Line of Scrimmage with Minnesota's Offensive Line only helping the team pick up 4 yards per carry on the season and they are not expected to have a lot of room against the Wolverines Defensive Line that has allowed an average of 87 yards per game.

Everything good for the Wolverines begins with the ability to shut down the run and that allows them to unleash what has been a productive pass rush, which in turn has helped the Secondary. No team has managed to score more than 20 points against the Wolverines, but that number has only been reached by the Iowa Hawkeyes with a late play pushing them past the 17 points Michigan had allowed as a season-high in the previous week.

Drake Lindsey has begun the season with positive numbers for the Golden Gophers at Quarter Back, but he will be the first to admit that this is a big challenge coming up and the Wolverines may give themselves a big advantage by continuing to play at their current level on this side of the ball.

Doing so will help an improving Bryce Underwood and Michigan Offensive unit and that may see the road team do enough to win and cover this spread set.

Like the Golden Gophers, the Michigan Wolverines may not be that convinced that they are going to get a lot of joy when it comes to pounding the rock against the opponent's Defensive Line. And like the home team, that will mean there is more pressure on the Quarter Back to make the plays needed to keep the chains moving, although performances in the last two games suggest Bryce Underwood is getting comfortable with what is being asked of him.

The key will be the Offensive Line giving Underwood enough time to make his reads down the field, while the Quarter Back has been a bit more composed in the last couple of games that may give the Michigan Wolverines the confidence to get the job done and by at least a Touchdown lead.

Nothing is ever easy against a PJ Fleck Coached team, but the Wolverines may be able to largely close down what the Minnesota Golden Gophers want to do Offensively and that may open the door for Bryce Underwood and Michigan to bounce back in the best way possible after the Week 4 defeat.

Florida Gators @ Missouri Tigers Pick: Five SEC teams have opened the season with a 4-0 record and it will be something of a surprise that the Florida Gators (4-0) are one of those teams.

One winning season in the last five played has seen the Gators drop away from the top of the SEC, but they have a new Head Coach in place now and Jon Sumrall arrives having put four winning seasons together at the Troy Trojans and Tulane Green Wave. Stepping up into the SEC was expected to be another challenge for the Head Coach, but Florida have won both Conference games played, including blowing out the Mississippi Rebels last time out.

They have also scored 44 points in a row win at the Auburn Tigers and so Florida will be travelling with real confidence.

Next up is a trip to the Missouri Tigers (3-1) who were beaten by the Mississippi State Bulldogs to end the unbeaten start to the season and also drop them to 0-1 in the SEC.

Both of these teams were expected to be bottom half finishers in the SEC in the preseason expectations, but there is a feeling growing around the Florida Gators that they have been underestimated.

It is very important for the Tigers Defensive Line to show much more composure in the tackles when they are facing the Gators having struggled to slow the Bulldogs last week. This time they are facing a Florida Offensive Line that have opened up big holes for Running Back Jadan Baugh and failure to win at the Line of Scrimmage or preventing yards after contact to be racked up is going to put Missouri in a very tough spot in this game.

There is power in the Florida Offensive Line, but the balance on this side of the ball has been a key part of the 4-0 start to the season.

Quarter Back Aaron Philo may not be putting up gaudy numbers, but he knows relying on the Offensive Line and then producing efficiently will put the Gators in a very good position to win games and that is what he has been doing. In the two SEC games played, Aaron Philo has 400 yards with 2 Touchdowns and an Interception, while completing over 68% of his passes to help keep the chains moving when needed.

The Secondary he will be facing in Week 5 is one that can be exploited if the Gators are running the ball as they have been and it could make for another tough day for Missouri and one in which they need their own Offensive playmakers to step up.

Austin Simmons is the Missouri Quarter Back and has experience playing with the Mississippi Rebels before being beaten out for the starting role there and transferring to Missouri. There has been nothing wrong with his performances for the Tigers having thrown 11 Touchdown passes without an Interception, but Simmons will be well aware that this Florida team may be the toughest he has faced in 2026 and he may have to perform without a consistent rushing attack.

It is one thing operating in front of the chains, but Austin Simmons may have to allow some passing routes to develop a little longer than usual and that may see him put under pressure by what has been a strong Florida pass rush.

In saying that, Simmons will note that the Gators Secondary is still a work in progress and he should give the Tigers opportunities to score points, although avoiding becoming one-dimensional with the play-calling is going to be key when the Tigers have the ball. This is going to be a big game for the Quarter Back who struggled in a performance against the Kentucky Wildcats last year and the Gators will believe they are stronger than the Mississippi State Bulldogs against whom Austin Simmons played pretty well last week.

The Florida Secondary have shown they can step in front of throws and turn the ball over and that may end up being the key to the outcome of this Week 5 SEC game.

Missouri will make this tough, but a turnover may be enough to give the Gators an extra possession or two and that may end up being a key reason that Florida are not only able to improve to 5-0, but to do that behind a cover as the road favourite.

MY PICKS: Alabama Crimson Tide - 5.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Michigan Wolverines - 5.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Florida Gators - 5.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Iowa State Cyclones - 3.5 Points @ 2.00 William Hill (1 Unit)

Nebraska Cornhuskers - 14.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Illinois Fighting Illini - 9.5 Points @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Week 4: 4-3, + 0.49 Units (7 Units Staked, + 7% Yield)

Week 3: 1-4, - 3.17 Units (5 Units Staked, - 63.40% Yield)

Week 2: 2-3, - 1.28 Units (5 Units Staked, - 25.60% Yield)

Week 0: 0-3, - 3 Units (3 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)