NFL Week 10 Picks 2026 (Thursday 12th November-Monday 16th November)

The NFL moves into Week 10 of the 2026 season and that means we are through the trade deadline and passing the halfway mark of the regular season schedule for the majority of teams in the League.

This is not like some of the other US Sports where there is a huge amount of business during the season and on the deadline day, but the NFL teams leading the way have been more active than previous years.

The standout trade looks to be the one that has seen Kirk Cousins return to the Minnesota Vikings, a team who have a Super Bowl ready Defensive unit, but a spluttering Offense in a powerful NFC North. They will be hoping Cousins can bring some veteran leadership and do enough from the Quarter Back position to have the Vikings make use of that Defensive unit and it looks a positive move on paper, especially if Kirk Cousins settles quickly.

He will need to when playing in the NFC North that has a Chicago Bears team that have put plenty of chips into the pot in their bid to win the Super Bowl, while the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers are both looking amongst the best in the entire NFL Some have already suggested this could be the strongest Division EVER seen in the NFL and there is a real case to make to suggest all four teams could make the post-season, although that is unlikely with teams having to face one another between now and early January.

Others like the Jacksonville Jaguars have made it clear they feel they have a Super Bowl ready roster and the NFL in general looks like it is going to be a much stronger competition than it felt it was twelve months ago.

Of course for all of the trades being made by contenders, it does mean some teams are already looking ahead to 2027 and right at the top of that list is the Philadelphia Eagles. The strong start to the season has been erased by the injuries that have popped up and they were clearly a selling team at the deadline, while one or two others may wish they had picked up more Draft capital to take into the New Year.

Unlike last season, it does feel some of the top teams in the NFL have already been rising to the top and that should make for a strong end to the season and the potential for some fireworks in the post-season.

Injuries can change the narrative at any time in each passing week, but there are ten teams in the NFL who are at least 4 games above 0.500, which does not include the likes of the New York Giants (5-2-1) and Green Bay Packers (6-3). Some of those teams really do have the kind of quality that felt like it was missing last time around, but there is still a long run to be had between now and the end of the regular season.

The opening six weeks of the NFL season had followed the poor ending to the 2025 season, but it was never a case of getting too down on a selection process that had put together a number of winning campaigns.

That patience has begun to pay off after another very strong performance in Week 9, although it has not quite been enough to wipe out the early disappointments.

Momentum is with the NFL Picks having had three winning weeks in succession, but there is still a lot of Football to be played.

Week 10 Picks begin with the NFC East battle on Thursday Night Football and other selections will be added to this thread in the days ahead.

And like we have added to other threads, you can sign up to join the selections using the line provided, which will mean the writer is given a small commission for new players. The line can be accessed here and the Week 10 Picks can be read below.

Washington Commanders @ New York Giants Pick: By the end of Thursday Night Football in Week 10 of the 2026 NFL season, both of these NFC East teams will have gotten past the halfway mark of the regular season schedule.

With the Philadelphia Eagles bottoming out, the Washington Commanders (2-5-1) should be well aware that they will soon find themselves following that Divisional rival out of contention if they cannot start turning things around immediately. They have won just one of the last five games, that being against the aforementioned Eagles who have turned their attention to 2027, and this is the second time that they are facing the New York Giants (5-2-1), which increases the importance of this Divisional game.

Losing would put the Commanders four games out of the Divisional lead, while also holding the tie-breaker disadvantage compared with the New York Giants, and that looks very difficult to overcome.

Two seasons ago, the Commanders made the Playoffs thanks to a 12-5 record and then made a run to the NFC Championship Game, but injuries prevented them from challenging in 2025. The expectation was that a healthier Jayden Daniels could spark the team and he has played in six games in 2026 compared with just seven overall last season.

However, Daniels is operating an Offensive unit playing with a first time Offensive Co-Ordinator and that has been a frustration to the team as well as the fans with Washington struggling.

In saying that, it was not David Blough's fault that Daniels failed to understand the clock management situation in the tie with the New York Giants last month and failing to win that game has made things that much more difficult for the Washington Commanders. For the main part, Jayden Daniels has done what has been asked, but just 7 Touchdown passes have been thrown this season and that is not good enough, even if he is yet to throw an Interception.

Last month, the Washington Offensive Line crushed New York up front and that led to the team piling up over 200 yards in just 30 carries- since then, the Commanders have not run the ball as well as they did in that game, while the Giants Defensive Line has tightened up, but you would still have to expect the Commanders to use the same game plan and control the clock and the down and distance when they have the ball.

Jayden Daniels is capable of moving the ball with his feet, but should also be successful making plays out of third and manageable spots on the field. The absence of Terry McLaurin is a big blow for the Quarter Back and Daniels has found the pocket collapsing around him when he has dropped back to throw, but he will not have to hold the ball for too long if the Commanders are in front of the chains and that should aid him on Thursday Night Football.

The New York Giants have been one of the overachievers through the first half of the season and they have won four of the last six games, including the last two in a row with a Bye Week thrown in-between. Many reports had the Giants actively looking to make trades that could see them capitalise in the surprisingly weak NFC East, but they failed to add as the fans or Head Coach may have hoped and that potentially leaves them short of the talent needed to have a really deep run in the posr-season.

First things first is getting to the post-season and the Giants have to be hoping Quarter Back JJ McCarthy is not too limited by a hip injury suffered in the win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9. Playing on a short week is far from ideal and the Giants may not have the same kind of support for the Quarter Back as the Washington Commanders will expect to give to Jayden Daniels.

It was pretty clear that the Giants were looking to make a big impact by trading for a top Running Back, but moves for Bijan Robinson and Jonathan Taylor failed to materialise. The Offensive Line helped the Giants pick up just over 100 yards in 28 carries in the tie with the Commanders and they are not expected to have a lot of joy establishing the run with the kind of consistency that may be needed to give a banged up Quarter Back a bit of support.

Another similarity with the Commanders is that the New York Offensive Line has not offered the kind of time the Quarter Back would like with the pocket collapsing as they have failed to prevent pass rushers getting into the backfield.

However, unlike Washington, that task becomes all the tougher when stuck in third and long spots on the field and the Commanders will feel they have enough about them to break down this New York Offensive Line that has not blocked very well. There are one or two holes that JJ McCarthy can exploit in the Secondary, but that becomes so much harder to do when under immense pressure and the Quarter Back has to avoid picking up more damage to a vulnerable hip, while also avoiding the mistakes that can turn the momentum of a game.

New York will feel late mistakes in Overtime cost them the chance of beating Washington in the first meeting in 2026, but that tie did snap a four game losing run in the series. That may give the Giants some confidence, but they were beaten as a similar size favourite when hosting the Washington Commanders last season and the road team may be able to make the points count in a game where an extra possession or two can make all of the difference.

A feeling remains that the Giants record is built on a weak schedule rather than a massive improvement from a team that finished 4-13 last season. Head Coach John Harbaugh will have given them a boost, but perhaps not enough to warrant the record produced so far and the Washington Commanders could make the points count as a road underdog on Thursday Night Football.

Week 10 will see a desperate Washington arrive in Gotham and that could be enough to inspire the upset in a game where they do match up well with the favourite.

MY PICKS: Washington Commanders + 2.5 Points @ 1.83 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Week 9: 4-0, + 3.80 Units (4 Units Staked, + 95% Yield)

Week 8: 4-2, + 1.72 Units (6 Units Staked, + 28.67% Yield)

Week 7: 4-1, + 2.73 Units (5 Units Staked, + 54.60% Yield)

Week 6: 2-4, - 1.95 Units (6 Units Staked, - 32.50% Yield)

Week 5: 2-2, - 0.14 Units (4 Units Staked, - 3.50% Yield)

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)

WTA Finals Day 5 Picks 2026 (Thursday 12th November)

There are going to be changes to the format for the WTA Finals next year, but if the reports are to be believed, it feels like a mistake is going to be made.

It has already been confirmed that the WTA Finals will be reduced to five days and that indicates that the rumoured format of inviting the top 16 into the end of year Championship and playing a Knock Out tournament is the plan.

This was the original format for the WTA Finals, but the Group Stage feels like a more unique end to the season, even if some players cannot quite get their head around a pretty simple situation.

Yes, some permutations can get a little funky, but in the main it is pretty straight-forward and also feels like a stronger way to sell tickets knowing the top players will all be guaranteed at least three matches. The Knock Out format used all year is not likely to have the same impact, but the WTA Tour is obviously being urged to make some changes and that is the direction they are choosing to travel.

The opening four days could not have gone much better for the Tennis Picks thanks to two solid returns on Day 4.

Group 1 is going to be played to a conclusion on Thursday with two Semi Final spots to be decided over the next two days in Indian Wells.

Picks can be read below and there is a link that can be used to join the selections, which will result in a few beers for the writer. You can follow that through here and then onto the Day 5 selections.

Coco Gauff - 4.5 games v Marta Kostyuk: This is the kind of handicap number that Coco Gauff will struggle to cover considering her tendency to get dragged into tough matches.

Some of that is down to the poor service numbers that can be produced and it was partly to blame for the straight sets loss to Linda Noskova, which leaves her place in the Semi Final looking shaky.

Coco Gauff has made it clear to the reporters that she feels the situation is strange that she could win a match and still exit a tournament, but the Group Stage format is pretty clear from the opening of this event. The irony is that Gauff won the 2024 WTA Finals having lost her third match in the Group, but edging out Iga Swiatek on the tie-breakers despite the Polish player winning her last match.

All the American can do on Thursday is win her match and hope that the other falls her way.

Lose and she is out so Coco Gauff can at least focus on what she needs to do against an already eliminated Marta Kostyuk.

The latter has been struggling with a wrist issue and was beaten pretty comfortably by Coco Gauff when they played in Cincinnati in the lead up to the US Open. Both players have had issues with the second serve, but Gauff has shown she can produce a bit more consistency on the return of serve and that may be key, especially if Marta Kostyuk is already thinking ahead to giving her wrist some recovery time before the 2027 season begins.

It is a big spread, but Coco Gauff may have enough to edge past the number.

Jessica Pegula-Linda Noskova over 22.5 games: If Coco Gauff has been beaten earlier in the day, these two players will enter the court knowing both are playing in the Semi Final on Saturday.

However, a Coco Gauff win will put a lot of pressure on Jessica Pegula who will have to win the match to earn her place in the final four, despite losing the first match in the Group.

You may think all of the motivation is on the side of the American, but Linda Noskova may still want to top this section and avoid having to face Mirra Andreeva in the Semi Final. In order to do that, the Wimbledon Champion will have to win at least a set and Noskova has to believe she is good enough to do that considering the level she has been producing in Indian Wells.

The serve has been a huge weapon for Linda Noskova and she has only allowed six Break Points in the opening two matches as she has seen off both Marta Kostyuk and Coco Gauff. It has allowed the 21 year old to take aim at the return and there has been nothing wrong with this side of her tennis, which will give Linda Noskova a lot of confidence to take into the 2027 season, not to mention how she will be feeling this week.

She has won three of the four previous matches between these players, including on the grass in Berlin ahead of the success at Wimbledon, but the last three matches have all gone the distance.

Jessica Pegula may not be able to match the power coming from the other side of the court, but she can match the intensity and that gives her a fighting spirit that has to be respected.

You'd have to give Linda Noskova the edge considering the superior serving performance so far this week, but Jessica Pegula can find a way to at least force a deciding set.

A straight sets win for either would make it tough to believe they can cover this total games line mark set, but there is every chance this is the fourth time in a row that these players will have to go the distance and backing an over is the call.

MY PICKS: Coco Gauff - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Jessica Pegula-Linda Noskova Over 22.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

WTA Finals: 5-1, + 3.43 Units (6 Units Staked, + 57.17% Yield)

WTA Finals Day 4 Picks 2026 (Wednesday 11th November)

One Semi Finalist has been confirmed and another player has already been dumped out of the WTA Finals, although all involved in Group 1 have to complete another match.

Group 2 takes over on Wednesday with the second round robin of matches and the Picks can be read below.

Elina Svitolina v Karolina Muchova: The most one-sided defeat in the opening round robin of matches at the WTA Finals was suffered by Elina Svitolina, but an opportunity to recover remains in front of her.

It makes the Finals a unique tournament compared to the rest on the calendar, even if some players are not enamoured by the format, and Elina Svitolina will feel she can still move through to the Semi Final with two wins.

Both the Ukrainian and Karolina Muchova are looking to bounce back from opening straight sets defeats, and any win will keep them alive in the tournament.

Karolina Muchova had her chances against Aryna Sabalenka and will definitely feel more regret with that in mind, and it should be noted that these two top 7 Ranked players both had limited impact on the Asian swing after the US Open. Both can also feel disappointed with Third Round defeats at the last Grand Slam of the season, while Muchova may feel she has a slight mental edge having beaten Elina Svitolina earlier this season and for the first time on the Tour.

It was a victory earned in a clay court tournament, but the last meeting on the hard courts came in Miami in 2025 and ended in a three set win for Elina Svitolina.

This does feel like a match that may go the distance and the season numbers put together by the pair have been very similar.

However, you have to feel that Elina Svitolina may have a bit more in the tank after falling away in the second set in her opening match and this head to head has been one she has enjoyed. The two will both believe they can serve well enough to put the other under pressure and it is Svitolina who has created the majority of Break Points in the previous two meetings on the Tour.

At the end of the long season, one more big effort is needed by Svitolina and Karolina Muchova and it may be the former who edges through.

Mirra Andreeva v Aryna Sabalenka: Twelve months ago, Aryna Sabalenka would have been entering the WTA Finals as the best player on the Tour, but it has been a difficult 2026 all around.

The reality is that Sabalenka will judge success and failure on the impact at the Grand Slams and coming up short at both the Australian Open and US Open will have hurt. Losing both Finals to the new World Number 1 stung and Aryna Sabalenka had relatively disappointing showings at the French Open and Wimbledon.

Unsurprisingly, rumours suggest big changes are being made in the Coaching department and that may take some time to bed in.

Aryna Sabalenka still had enough to beat Karolina Muchova in the opening match here at the WTA Finals and she did win the title in Indian Wells earlier in the season, which will give her a lot of confidence.

However, the performance in the opening match was far from convincing and young talent Mirra Andreeva looked much stronger when breezing past Elina Svitolina in her opening match.

This is the first time these two are facing one another in 2026, which is a surprise, and the first time since Mirra Andreeva upset Aryna Sabalenka in a hard court Final in March 2025... Which was played right here in Indian Wells.

Prior to that, Sabalenka had won two very comfortable hard court matches against this opponent earlier in that season, but Mirra Andreeva has looked in more convincing form since the end of the US Open and that could show up in this match.

In that short time period, Mirra Andreeva has been serving as well as Aryna Sabalenka, but it is the World Number 3 who has been a lot more convincing on the return of serve. That could make the difference if Sabalenka shows the nerves she did at key times in the win over Karolina Muchova and Mirra Andreeva has been playing at a level that will see her exploit any vulnerabilities a lot better than most.

If this match had been played even a couple of months ago in the hard court run towards the US Open, Aryna Sabalenka would have been a stronger favourite.

However, the form has slumped and Mirra Andreeva may do enough to book her place in the Semi Final of this tournament before the final match in the Group is played later in the week.

MY PICKS: Elina Svitolina @ 2.25 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Mirra Andreeva @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

WTA Finals: 3-1, + 1.27 Units (4 Units Staked, + 31.75% Yield)

WTA Finals Day 3 Tennis Picks 2026 (Tuesday 10th November)

The opening Group matches are in the books, but the losing four from Sunday/Monday are far from eliminated just yet.

Out of those four players, Jessica Pegula has given herself the best of chances by winning a set in her defeat to Coco Gauff, but all of the players in Indian Wells know they have two more matches to play and winning both would give them a very realistic chance of making it through to the Semi Final this weekend.

Motivation can be tough to find at the end of a long season with the players unexpectedly back in the United States rather than Saudi Arabia like last season when huge prize money had been on offer. However, the WTA Finals remains a big event and those who had little impact on the Asian swing will be looking to lay down a marker that may give them early momentum to take into the 2027 season.

While we have a large majority of the very best WTA players at Indian Wells for the tournament, it has been a controversial few days around the event.

First was the issue with the hot mics picking up conversations players were having on the practice courts, which had also been broadcasted live without the knowledge of said players or teams, but that has been followed by a broadcaster who failed to switch off the microphone and had disparaging comments about Aryna Sabalenka make the airwaves.

None of this is a good look for the WTA Tour and you can only imagine the upset it has caused.

It has been a positive start to the WTA Finals for the Tennis Picks and it gives us something to build upon.

For those looking to sign up and play, this is an affiliate link that has been provided and will mean the writer being given a very small commission when using the link and playing with the firm. You can join by hitting here and perhaps play the Day 3 Picks from Indian Wells, which can be read below.

Jessica Pegula - 2.5 games v Marta Kostyuk: Both of these players will know they need to step up their levels if they are going to make it out of the Group and both have little momentum following disappointing efforts during the Asian swing following the US Open.

Out of the two players, Jessica Pegula has the more consistent level on a hard court, but Marta Kostyuk will take a great amount of confidence from the fact she secured two one-sided wins over the American this season and one of those was on a hard court.

That victory came all the way back in January when building up to the Australian Open, and a long season may be catching up with Kostyuk, who has entered the WTA Finals as a replacement for Elena Rybakina. The late notice may have contributed to the opening loss to Linda Noskova, bit it is a defeat that means Marta Kostyuk has lost five matches in a row.

She can take some encouragement from the fact that Jessica Pegula has lost three in a row following her own opening Group match defeat to Coco Gauff.

However, Jessica Pegula is a comfortable player on the US hard courts and that may give her the edge in her bid to bounce back and remain on track for a spot in the last four.

Linda Noskova-Coco Gauff over 22.5 games: One of the strongest reasons it is hard to back Coco Gauff to win matches with any degree of comfort is the fact that so many of her matches go three sets.

Over the last twelve months, almost 37% of her matches have needed to go the distance- it says plenty about her character that she can force deciders, but also that the American can struggle to maintain a level that can see her pus through when leading by a set.

It was more of the same in the opening match of the WTA Finals as Coco Gauff dropped the second set in a tie-breaker before pushing clear and beating compatriot Jessica Pegula.

She has already had a three set match against Linda Noskova this season, although that was on the clay courts and it was the Wimbledon Champion who came through with a victory. In two previous hard court matches, Gauff has been a relatively comfortable winner, but those were played back in 2023 when a then 18 year old Noskova was still pushing her way up the World Rankings.

There has been nothing wrong with the development of Linda Noskova's tennis in the last year and the crushing win over Marta Kostyuk puts her in a good position in this Group.

In September, Linda Noskova reached the US Open Quarter Final to follow up the maiden Grand Slam success at Wimbledon, but both of these players suffered Fourth Round losses in Beijing in the sole tournament played since the last Grand Slam of the season. Linda Noskova has had successes in Billie Jean King Cup settings, but this is a tough match up for the young Czech player, who will need to serve well to keep Coco Gauff at bay.

Seeing Linda Noskova win a set would not be a surprise, but the handicap mark is one that is low enough to believe Coco Gauff could still cover in a winning effort, much like she did in the win over Jessica Pegula.

Respect has also got to be given to Linda Noskova for reaching the Semi Final here earlier in the season, but the World Number 4 may have enough in the locker to come through.

However, another three setter cannot be ruled out and backing this match to go over the total games line may be the best approach to take.

MY PICKS: Jessica Pegula - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Linda Noskova-Coco Gauff Over 22.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

WTA Finals: 2-0, + 1.44 Units (2 Units Staked, + 72% Yield)

WTA Finals Day 2 Tennis Picks 2026 (Sunday 8th November)

The World Number 1 going into 2027 will not be involved at the WTA Finals after a late withdrawal, but Elena Rybakina can be very happy with her 2026 season.

Her rivals will be looking for a big week in Indian Wells to lay down the marker for the upcoming season with the Australian Open set to begin in a little over two months time.

The opening Group has begun the round robin on Sunday, but the other section gets underway on Monday with two more matches to be played.

Aryna Sabalenka - 2.5 game v Karolina Muchova: The World Number 1 spot in 2026 has already been given to Elena Rybakina, but Aryna Sabalenka will be the highest Seed entering the WTA Finals.

She will need a solid tournament to finish as the World Number 2 and win the biggest title of the season having come up disappointingly short at Grand Slam level over the last eleven months.

Aryna Sabalenka has shown little form in the build up to this tournament in Indian Wells, but won the WTA 1000 event played here earlier this season. Four top 16 wins were produced in that winning run and Sabalenka is opening up this Group Stage with a match against an opponent who is making her debut in the WTA Finals after a strong season.

Karolina Muchova did pick up an injury at Wimbledon, which impacted her over the last three months, but she did reach a career best World Number 6 spot after that run in SW19. A Quarter Final run in Beijing was followed by a relatively early loss in Wuhan, but Muchova may struggle to have an impact on the Sabalenka game if the latter is playing anywhere near her best.

Earlier this season, Aryna Sabalenka beat Karolina Muchova on the hard courts in the build up to the Australian Open and the enjoyment of playing in surroundings where she has thrived before should help the Belarusian come through with a solid opening win.

Mirra Andreeva - 2.5 games v Elina Svitolina: Off court issues and a statement that partly blamed the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war for the break up of her marriage can only fuel the motivation for Elina Svitolina that much more at the WTA Finals.

She is facing two players that she will not shake hands with and Svitolina has always produced her best against those with Russian backgrounds.

That includes beating Mirra Andreeva in straight sets at the Australian Open earlier this year, but the younger player has moved up to World Number 3 since then and won the French Open, her first Slam, since the pair last met.

Mirra Andreeva should also take plenty of confidence from having beaten Elina Svitolina at Indian Wells in 2025 and the court tends to be a slower hard court, although overall conditions keeps the speed pretty high.

She did lose early in Indian Wells back in March, but Mirra Andreeva reached the Final in Beijing in the lead up to her first appearance at the WTA Finals.

You have to respect the fact that Elina Svitolina was a Quarter Finalist in Indian Wells and reached that round in a couple of tournaments played in the Asian swing as the season wound down over the last month. 

However, that may not be enough to get the better of Mirra Andreeva in this opening Group match, although the youngster has to beat a top 10 Ranked opponent on the surface for the first time in 2026.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (1 Unit)

Mirra Andreeva - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (1 Unit)

Season 2026: 261-217, + 15.51 Units (715 Units Staked, + 2.17% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2026- Joshua Buatsi vs Willy Hutchinson II (Saturday 7th November)

Despite the security issues in Saudi Arabia and Riyadh in particular, one of the biggest names in the Boxing world returned to the ring last weekend for what was hoped to be one more big run.

Canelo Alvarez showed all of his veteran knowledge and some of the skills that helped him reach the top of the sport and he was a very comfortable winner against Christian Mbilli.

He was expected to be win, but Mbilli was hoping to give Canelo a lot more problems than he managed and Canelo Alvarez is back in a position where he can take on the big money fights in 2027.

Where can he go next? There has to be a real feeling within his camp that a rematch with Terence Crawford to avenge one of the losses suffered would be the target and Bud seems to be teasing a return. There are some questions about how much money the Saudis are still willing to invest in the sport, but Canelo remains one of the very biggest names in the Boxing world and that likely means they will be willing to push the boat a little further.

Others also impressed on the card, but it was all about Canelo Alvarez and the Boxing headlines were dominated by the Mexican legend.

The one surprise last Saturday was the card is not being run on United States timing with the main event starting in the early afternoon for those on the East Coast and lunchtime on the West Coast.

British Boxing fans will be a little intrigued by that fact considering Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua is still operating as an event that will be run with an early hours of the morning ring walk for the main event. That is partly down to the broadcaster with the card last weekend operating under the DAZN banner and Fury-AJ being backed by Netflix, but it still made little sense when you factor in Canelo Alvarez being a much bigger name in North America compared with the two British Heavyweights.

Joshua Buatsi vs Willy Hutchinson II

A little over two years have passed since Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchinson met in a fight that was won by the former thanks to two Knock Downs and eventually winning a Split Decision.

Both have 'only' had two fights in the time between the first bout and this rematch, but Joshua Buatsi has split his two, while Willy Hutchinson has won both.

Some believe that momentum will give Willy Hutchinson the chance to earn revenge, while picking up the vacant WBC World Title in this Light Heavyweight Division.

However, it is perhaps overlooking the fact that Joshua Buatsi has been in with Callum Smith (loss) and Zach Parker (win), while Willy Hutchinson has beaten both Mark Jeffers and Ezra Taylor. If you switched the fighters around and had them face the opponent the other has, you could make a real case for Joshua Buatsi being unbeaten and Willy Hutchinson have a split record, at best, and that has to be factored in.

Joshua Buatsi has more miles on the clock having been in tougher fights and he did not look that impressive in the win over Zach Parker.

It was a close fight that may have gone another way, but motivation to win a World Title has to inspire Buatsi, who may not have this opportunity again.

That is not to say that Willy Hutchinson is not motivated, but at 28 years old, you'd feel he would have another chance, although losing to Buatsi for a second time may also suggest he has found his ceiling in the professional game.

Joshua Buatsi did look a little short of his very best in the narrow win over Parker and he will need to be better, but you have to believe there is one more big night in his as he looks to become a full World Champion. He will know he has the power to hurt Willy Hutchinson, which can give any fighter confidence, and Joshua Buatsi may feel this is a drop down a level from the likes of Callum Smith.

Having a bit more time to move past the huge battle he had with Smith could help and Joshua Buatsi may be worth backing as the underdog.

Willy Hutchinson should be respected and may feel he has learned plenty from that first fight with Buatsi, but he has not been operating at the same level and that may yet show up in the main event in Manchester on Saturday night.

There is a very solid support card for the night at the AO Arena and Jack Rafferty is ready to continue pushing his career up to the World level.

The IBO World Title is on the line when he faces Hovhannes Martirosyan, but winning is all about improving the Ranking with some of the bigger organisations in what is a loaded Welterweight Division.

Later in the year two of the World Titles will be Unified, but Jack Rafferty is 31 years old and needs to start making a real move.

His opponent is older and was Stopped by Pierce O'Leary when he fought as an unbeaten fighter in March 2024, but he is coming up in weight and Jack Rafferty can follow the Stoppage win over Ekow Essuman by giving the home fans something to celebrate.

Another local fighter, Bradley Rea, would have seen the blueprint from Willy Hutchinson as to how to get the better of Ezra Taylor and can do the same.

And at Featherweight, the British Title is on the line- it should be a defence for Gully Powar, but he was not given the deserved Decision in Wales earlier in the year.

He is the away fighter again, this time against once beaten Zak Miller, but the 29 year old has been out of the ring for more than a year and is going to be pushed to his limit by a relentless Powar.

That may be enough after what should be a competitive first half of the fight, but Gully Powar can maintain his level of output and Zak Miller is almost certainly going to tire having been out of the ring for as long as he has.

Sadly for UK fight fans, a decision has to be made whether to watch that card in Manchester or the latest Zuffa Boxing offering in London.

The main event between Chris Billam-Smith and Cheavon Clarke has leaned on the amateur history between the pair, but the former has reached a much higher level as a professional and that should show.

These two had two very good fights on the same card in Bournemouth in June and they could pick up from where they left off in this Ten Rounder.

Chris Billam-Smith has always been quite easy to find, while Cheavon Clarke showed his resiliency by getting off the floor twice and then Stopping Jack Massey.

They should gel well, but Billam-Smith may have seen some cracks in the Clarke resistance and he has the power to make through he goes through the gears and forces the Stoppage.

The previously mentioned Zach Parker is on the undercard and is an underdog when facing Umar Dzambekov, but that looks a closer contest to call and the British fighter may earn the upset.

There has been some controversy in Denzel Bentley's decision to sign with Zuffa Boxing, especially as he had to drop his WBO World Title.

His first outing under a new promoter is taking on Shane Mosley Jr and the struggles to make weight makes it difficult to believe in the 35 year old.

An upset win over Serhii Bohachuk has given Mosley Jr this opportunity, and Denzel Bentley has to be a little careful if he is going to mark his debut with a win. 

MY PICKS: Joshua Buatsi to Win @ 2.25 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Jack Rafferty to Win Between 5-8 @ 2.87 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Bradley Rea to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 3.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Chris Billam-Smith to Win By KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.25 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Boxing 2026: 29-49, - 11.93 Units (124 Units Staked, - 9.62% Yield)

College Football Week 10 Picks 2026 (Saturday 7th November)

Week 9 proved to be a solid one for the College Football Picks, but that is hopefully the start of a positive run and not an exception to a season long rule.

Big games are scheduled across the board in Week 10 of the season after the College Football Rankings were released and the jockeying towards the Playoff Bracket begins.

November is always a massive month in College Football and 2026 is proving to be no different as the big Conference games begin to separate the contenders from the pretenders.

Iowa State Cyclones @ Baylor Bears Pick: Five of the Big 12 have been given a top twenty-five Ranking, but it is very difficult to make a case for more than one team from this Conference being invited into the College Football Playoff Bracket.

After nine weeks of College Football action, only one of the Big 12 teams has an unbeaten record, and teams like the Baylor Bears (5-3) are almost certainly eliminated from contention. The Bears have a 3-2 record within the Conference and the motivation has to be trying to push past a number of rivals and earn a spot in the Championship Game, while they are also a win away from earning Bowl eligibility even that is not going to be in the Playoffs.

Back to back losses and finishing with a losing record in three of the last four years meant Baylor decided to fire Head Coach Dave Aranda after a Week 8 defeat. There would have been some concerns that the team may lose focus, but the crushing win over the UCF Knights last time out has give Baylor some momentum as they return home.

This week the Bears are facing the Iowa State Cyclones (4-4) who are 2-3 in the Big 12 in Head Coach Jimmy Rogers' first season after long-time Head Coach Matt Campbell departed for Penn State.

Matt Campbell has raised the levels at Iowa State and they finished with winning records in eight of the last nine seasons, which clearly impressed bigger schools. Last season the Cyclones finished with an 8-4 record, while they won narrowly in Week 9 to keep them on track for another winning season having previously lost three of four games.

They are unsurprisingly a work in progress under a new Head Coach and the Cyclones may not match up very well with the Baylor Bears on either side of the ball in this Big 12 game.

The Cyclones would love to lean on the Offensive Line and pound the ball, which in turn will keep the stronger Baylor Offensive unit on the sidelines. However, the Bears Defensive Line have prided themselves by playing the run as they have all season and they will certainly look to force the road team to look to the air behind the arm of Jaylen Raynor.

The Quarter Back did have over 300 passing yards with 3 Touchdowns in the win over the Oklahoma State Cowboys and that will give him confidence, but Jaylen Raynor has been inconsistent. If he can use the momentum from last week, Raynor should have success throwing against this Baylor Secondary, although he will also need to be aware of the ability of the Defensive Backs to step up front of throws.

Playing from behind the chains would also mean Jaylen Raynor will need the Offensive Line to find a way to cool what has been a fierce Baylor pass rush, one that has helped force mistakes that the Secondary have exploited.

Running the ball should be more comfortable for the Baylor Bears if you are solely focused on the performance of the Cyclones Defensive Line, but it should be stated that Baylor have simply not been able to run the ball well all season. So while you would expect them to have one of their better games up front, the reality is that the Bears will go as far as Quarter Back DJ Lagway can take them.

It did not quite work out for Lagway with the Florida Gators, but he has been comfortable playing in a Conference where Quarter Backs have tended to pile up big numbers. In his two seasons with the Gators, DJ Lagway did have 28 passing Touchdowns, but added 23 Interceptions, and that makes the season he is putting together feel like a big uptick from previous form.

DJ Lagway has 16 passing Touchdowns for the Bears and just 4 Interceptions, and his recent form suggests the Quarter Back is about to become the latest to attack this Iowa State Secondary with real success. The Cyclones have been allowing far too many passing yards, while the lack of pass rush pressure has allowed the opposition Quarter Back the time needed to make the throws wherever they want.

This should be a game in which Baylor are capable of moving the ball with some consistency and that should put them in a position where they can snap a two game losing run to Iowa State.

The last two road games played by Iowa State have ended in blowout defeats and this has the makings of being another in Week 10 of the 2026 season.

Cincinnati Bearcats @ Houston Cougars Pick: They have been given a Number 17 Ranking by the College Football Playoff Committee and that means the Houston Cougars (6-2) can return from the Bye Week with plenty to play for. The Big 12 is unlikely to be sending multiple teams to the College Football Playoff, but the Houston Cougars have a 3-2 record in the Conference and that means they are on track to at least earn a spot in the Championship Game and give themselves an opportunity to impress the decision makers.

Conference losses to the Utah Utes and Texas Tech Red Raiders means the Cougars have to overcome some tie-breaker issues, but the team have been able to reset and winning games is all that matters.

Two weeks ago they were being beaten by the Utah Utes and that is something that the Cincinnati Bearcats (5-3) will understand having dropped to 2-3 in Big 12 games after being blown away by the aforementioned Utes in Week 9.

The second half performance will have given the Bearcats some momentum, but they have to find a solution to fix some of the Defensive issues that have been causing problems all season. Both road games have ended in defeat, in different fashion, but Cincinnati can take some belief out of their own Offensive capabilities in their bid for the upset.

As long as they can avoid falling into the hole they dug for themselves in the loss to the Utah Utes, the Bearcats will feel they can retain some balance Offensively and that will give them a chance to keep the chains moving.

Earlier this season the Cougars Defensive Line had played the run really well, but they headed into the Bye Week with some work to do up front and that is where this cover of the spread could be won and lost in Week 10. If the two week break has allowed Houston to fix some problems, they could potentially have more success controlling the Line of Scrimmage and, in turn, find a way to at least make the Bearcats have to pass out of third and long spots.

JC French IV has continued to show off his talent at Quarter Back with another game ending with more than 250 passing yards, but he was baited into a mistake by the Utes last week. Avoiding those will be easier from third and manageable spots, but French IV will need to be aware of this Houston Secondary that has allowed some big passing numbers, but who have also found a consistent ability to step in front of throws and turn the ball over.

Extra possessions can be crucial in these Big 12 games and Houston may feel they can earn those, which will put them in a position to pull away from the Bearcats.

Houston are expected to have a lot of balance in their play-calling with the Bearcats struggling to stop the run and the pass and Conner Weigman is plenty experienced at Quarter Back.

It will start with the run as the Cougars look to keep themselves in front of the chains, but Conner Weigman will be really confident he can dissect this Cincinnati Secondary. Running the ball will mean Weigman can step back and expect to get some time to throw the ball and his season so far has seen the Quarter Back thrown 20 Touchdowns with just 2 Interceptions.

If he can come out of the Bye Week and maintain those standards, Houston should be able to avoid the same mistakes that may blight the Cincinnati Offense and that, ultimately, will give the Cougars a chance to make a statement with a big win.

The Bearcats have won five in a row in this series with an opponent that moved across from the American Conference to the Big 12 and Cincinnati blew out Houston two years ago. Plenty will have changed in College Football in the two years since the teams last played, but you have to imagine Cougars fans have not forgotten and Houston can snap the losing streak in the most emphatic of manners.

Alabama Crimson Tide @ LSU Tigers Pick: The SEC has moved to a nine game Conference schedule and that meant putting teams together who could play 'rivalry games' every year over the next few seasons.

To the surprise of many, the Alabama Crimson Tide (6-2) and LSU Tigers (6-2) were not paired together and the annual meeting that has been played every year since 1964 will not take place in 2027.

That does mean there is more focus on this game in 2026, which is played after both teams had a Bye Week, and the Crimson Tide have a 4-2 record in the SEC, while the Tigers are 3-2. There is plenty on the line with both teams Ranked inside the top 14, but also very much aware that another defeat is going to be very difficult to overcome in their bid to reach the College Football Playoff having already suffered a couple of defeats.

Out of the two teams, the LSU Tigers may feel they have been involved in more competitive defeats and Head Coach Lane Kiffin has to be confident with what his team have shown on both sides of the ball, despite the record.

Both teams will know that the Line of Scrimmage is all important having both struggled to run the ball as expected.

The fact is that the Crimson Tide and Tigers are going to be facing Defensive Lines that will believe they have the edge and all of that points to this game coming down to which of the Quarter Backs has been prepared well enough to help their team win.

You have to give Sam Leavitt the edge over Keelon Russell and that is where the home team can do what is needed to win and, potentially, cover.

Keelon Russell has been playing well enough, but a Quarter Back can only be as good as the Offensive Line allows and there is little doubt that the pass rush pressure has managed to collapse the pocket. This has seen Russell hit often and that has led to mistakes in the passing game, which could be crucial in a game where both Offensive units may not have the consistency, but who could benefit from field position and extra possessions.

The Crimson Tide Offensive Line is going to be under immense pressure to keep the LSU pass rush from out of the backfield and it is going to be difficult for Alabama to move the ball in this big SEC game.

Things feel very different on the other side of the ball where Sam Leavitt may be given a bit more time, even in third and long spots, and that will give the LSU Quarter Back an opportunity to make the plays that are needed. Sam Leavitt has almost 2200 passing yards and has 17 Touchdown passes, but the 8 Interceptions have been the issue, but the Quarter Back has 7 Touchdown passes without a single Interception in the last couple of games since the upset loss to the Kentucky Wildcats.

Respect has to be given to this Crimson Tide Secondary who have been able to make big plays against the pass, but LSU have got to be confident that their experienced Quarter Back can do what is necessary to help his team earn the edge.

It is the Crimson Tide who have won the last three in the series, but the LSU Tigers look ready to turn the tables in front of the home fans.

Georgia Bulldogs @ Mississippi Rebels Pick: There are a cluster of SEC teams who have been Ranked pretty highly in the opening release from the College Football Playoff Committee, but the reality is that these teams will begin to separate out as the weeks tick by heading towards the Championship Game.

The Georgia Bulldogs (7-1) are given the Number 2 Ranking and they are 5-1 in the SEC, but they have a chance to prove they are deserving of the position when visiting the Number 10 Ranked Mississippi Rebels (6-2) who are 4-2 in the Conference.

Another loss could be really damaging for the Rebels and they will have to be aware that they are facing a Georgia team who will not have forgotten losing in the Sugar Bowl Quarter Final last season. That is going to give the Bulldogs motivation after crushing the Florida Gators in Week 9, but playing on the road is always much more challenging and this is a significant challenge for Georgia.

It is the Bulldogs Offensive Line who will be looking to set the standard- they have run the ball effectively all season, but they will also note that they are facing a Mississippi Defensive Line that has been stout up front and particularly strong at home. Recent games has seen the Rebels improve in their ability to slow down the opponent rushing attack and Mississippi have to make sure they can at least stall some drives.

Gunner Stockton did not play well enough in the loss to Auburn before the Georgia Bye Week and he only managed 101 passing yards in the win over the Gators on the return to action. The Quarter Back has had a very good season, but he will hope to be playing out of third and manageable spots on the field instead of having to get the ball moving down the field under pressure from this Rebels pass rush.

There will be some belief Georgia can have success on this side of the ball, but the Defensive unit have something to prove.

You cannot really criticise them for their performances in 2026, but Georgia's team will know they allowed 69 points in two games against the Mississippi Rebels last season and once again will be facing Quarter Back Trinidad Chambliss.

Trinidad Chambliss has piled up the passing yards, but it was the 3 Interceptions thrown against the Texas Longhorns that led to a recent Ole Miss loss and he cannot afford to do that here.

The Rebels have to look to keep the balance Offensively and they will be confident in the performances produced by the Offensive Line when it comes to establishing the run, but most will expect the game to come down to how Trinidad Chambliss handles the Bulldogs once again,

He will note that the Bulldogs Secondary have allowed some Quarter Backs to have considerable success in recent games, and Chambliss has to be happy with the protection that has been offered to him by the Offensive Line. Staying in front of the chains will at least force the Bulldogs pass rush to slow down slightly and that will mean Trinidad Chambliss could have success against this opponent once again.

Avoiding turnovers will be key, but if Trinidad Chambliss can do that, the Mississippi Rebels can keep this one close on the scoreboard in an important game where they can prove to the College Football Playoff Committee that they should be considered for a spot in the Bracket again this season.

MY PICKS: Baylor Bears - 9.5 Points @ 1.81 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Houston Cougars - 10.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

LSU Tigers - 5.5 Points @ 1.80 William Hill (1 Unit)

Mississippi Rebels + 3.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Duke Blue Devils - 4.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Louisville Cardinals - 14.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Texas Tech Red Raiders - 16.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Week 9: 6-3, + 2.13 Units (9 Units Staked, + 23.67% Yield)

Week 8: 2-3, - 1.20 Units (5 Units Staked, - 24% Yield)

Week 7: 3-3, - 0.63 Units (6 Units Staked, - 10.5% Yield)

Week 6: 2-4, - 2.16 Units (6 Units Staked, - 36% Yield)

Week 5: 3-3, - 0.14 Units (6 Units Staked, - 2.33% Yield)

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)