US Open Day 6 Tennis Picks 2026 (Friday 4th September)

The US Open continues into the Third Round over the next couple of days and the tournament is back on track after the rain delays earlier in the week.

Another potentially wet week is coming up, but two courts with a roof should make sure the tournament is completed on time and without too much impact on the schedule of the Singles players hoping to pick up titles next weekend.

Frances Tiafoe - 1.5 sets v Valentin Vacherot: Despite two 2026 Grand Slam Champions still being involved in the draw at the US Open, there is still a feeling that the Men's tournament remains wide open.

Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev will be the favourites with the layers, but a number of players have to be competing in New York City filled with belief that they can become a Major Champion.

Both of those players mentioned will receive plenty of support, but the American audience is always ready to get behind the home players and Frances Tiafoe is about as popular as any of his compatriots. The World Number 12 reached the Final at the Cincinnati Masters and has managed to come through the opening two Rounds at the US Open by winning some key points at critical times.

He will appreciate winning the Second Round match in straight sets having needed all five sets to come through the opening match and Frances Tiafoe is comfortable in this setting where his best Grand Slam results have been produced. Two Semi Final runs and a Quarter Final in between will give Frances Tiafoe plenty of confidence even if his 2025 US Open ended at this Third Round stage.

Frances Tiafoe will grind for everything he earns and he will need to dig in against Valentin Vacherot who has produced some solid hard court numbers in the previous two years.

Injury has been a factor in the slight slide out of the top 20 in the World Rankings, but Valentin Vacherot has won a couple of matches at the US Open to pick up some vital Ranking Points ahead of a big defence of the Shanghai Masters title won last year. This run has been relatively unexpected considering Vacherot had lost his opening match at both Montreal and Cincinnati and he is going to have to find a way to get himself into return games to see if he can put pressure on the home player.

Valentin Vacherot's two wins in this tournament have been against players Ranked 84 and 73 and this is a big step up compared to that level of opponent.

He has a serve that can cause problems for any opponent as everyone found out in Shanghai last year, but Frances Tiafoe can battle and dig and eventually he should have enough to move through in three or four sets in this Third Round match.

Jiri Lehecka - 1.5 sets v Stefanos Tsitsipas: Earlier this season, Jiri Lehecka reached the Miami Masters Final, but he has not had a lot of consistent success on the hard courts in 2026. Even in the build up to the US Open, Jiri Lehecka reached the Fourth Round in Montreal and was beaten in the Third Round in Cincinnati, but the World Number 19 has won his two matches in New York City without being pushed too hard.

With that said, Jiri Lehecka will know that the next opponent may be Ranked outside of the top 50, but one who has reached the Semi Final on three different occasions at the Australian Open.

Unfortunately for Stefanos Tsitsipas, his hard court Grand Slam level at the US Open is considerably poorer than the one he has managed to put together in Melbourne, and reaching the Third Round is as good as it has gotten in New York City.

He is back in the Third Round after an upset over Arthur Fils and then being able to back that up by beating Lloyd Harris in the Second Round. Stefanos Tsitsipas is another who had been struggling for consistent form in the build up to the US Open, although his issues have been season-long which has contributed to the slip down the World Rankings.

Both Jiri Lehecka and Stefanos Tsitsipas are going to be well aware that they need to serve well in this match- this has been the basis of any hard court success they have had this season.

However, the key to the outcome of this match is whether Stefanos Tsitsipas can maintain a solid return game, which has been a struggle all year. The win over Arthur Fils will give him confidence, but Tsitsipas has only broken in 13% of return games played against top 50 Ranked opponents on the hard courts before this tournament began.

Jiri Lehecka has an aggressive return game and he should have the edge on the return, while the last two meetings between these two players were back in 2024 when Stefanos Tsitsipas was Ranked considerably higher.

Those Rankings have flipped now and Jiri Lehecka will take confidence from having won the previous two matches against Stefanos Tsitsipas and doing so in pretty dominant style.

Pressure will have ramped up with a place in the second week on the line, but Jiri Lehecka can find a way to edge through some tight sets and eventually move into the Fourth Round with a win in three or four sets.

Carlos Alcaraz - 7.5 games v Yibing Wu: It is never going to be easy facing someone who has such a big game as Jaime Faria and Yibing Wu will know exactly how Carlos Alcaraz was feeling seeing as he lost a Second Qualifying Round match against Faria at the Cincinnati Masters.

The defending Champion took a bit of time to find his feet, but he cruised through the next three sets having dropped the opener and Carlos Alcaraz looks about as good as could be hoped after the long layoff from the Tour.

He will also be pretty happy that this little section of the draw has opened up and Carlos Alcaraz is going to be a big favourite to win this Third Round match. Playing at a high level at a Grand Slam event is something we have become very accustomed to seeing from the Spaniard and he has won the last two hard court Majors and that will give Alcaraz real aura any time he steps onto the court.

Yibing Wu has won back to back matches in straight sets, which will have given him a huge amount of confidence, although he will note that this is a significantly tougher challenge than those faced in the previous two Rounds. Neither opponent beaten has been Ranked inside the top 70, although both above Wu himself, and now the World Number 113 has to step up and take on a multiple time Slam Winner.

He had shown little form ahead of the US Open with a Second Round run in a Challenger event and then failing to Qualify for the Cincinnati Masters. An opening Round defeat in Winston Salem has just underlined where Yibing Wu is with his tennis and it is going to take a special effort to keep this one competitive.

Some heart can be taken from the fact that Yibing Wu pushed Carlos Alcaraz when they met at the Shanghai Masters in 2024, but there will be a different intensity about meeting the World Number 3 in a Grand Slam event.

Yibing Wu has struggled to earn breaks of serve when facing some of the top players on the Tour on the hard courts and his own serve. has not been nearly as effective as he would have hoped.

Over this format, you have to believe Carlos Alcaraz can turn the screw as he has been able to do in the Second Round and he may just find the breaks needed to secure a cover of this handicap mark set.

MY PICKS: Frances Tiafoe - 1.5 Sets @ 2.10 William Hill (2 Units)

Jiri Lehecka - 1.5 Sets @ 2.00 William Hill (2 Units)

Carlos Alcaraz - 7.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)

Alexander Bublik-Tommy Paul Over 39.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Elina Svitolina - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Karolina Muchova - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Diana Shnaider - 2.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)

US Open Update: 14-7, + 8.76 Units (42 Units Staked, + 20.86% Yield)

European Tour 12- Czech Darts Open Day 1 Picks (Friday 4th September)

Another European Tour success for Ross Smith will have made up for a disappointing couple of efforts in the World Series events played in Australia and New Zealand and this is a player who has big ambitions to join the elite players of the PDC Tour much more regularly next season.

Earning a spot in the Premier League will not be easy, but there are some opportunities coming up in which the players can impress as the Majors round out the calendar year.

Before we get to that, there is another European Tour event to be played this week at the Czech Darts Open and this is a big event that has both Luke Littler and Luke Humphries involved.

Those two are amongst sixteen Seeds that will join the event on Day 2, but the First Round has to be completed before that can happen.

Two Sessions are to be played on Friday and there are some very good names in action as they bid to join the Seeded players in the Second Round.

Last week proved to be a decent tournament for the Darts Picks, but the key is to build momentum between now and the World Championships and try and get the 2026 season turned around.

Joe Cullen - 1.5 legs v Stephen Burton: The disappointment of exiting the last European Tour event in a whitewash defeat should have subsided and Joe Cullen can begin another tournament with a victory in the First Round.

He got the better of Adam Leek last week and Cullen is playing an opponent who has been struggling for any consistency on the floor.

Of course you have to credit Stephen Burton for Qualifying for the Czech Darts Open, but he has lost six of his last seven matches played in the Players Championship events. That will have dented some of the confidence and this is a First Round match that feels all about Joe Cullen and the attitude he brings to the stage.

If that is right, Joe Cullen should have enough to earn his place amongst the Seeds, much like he did last week.

Luke Woodhouse - 1.5 legs v Connor Scutt: No one needs to be reminded of how good Connor Scutt can be on his day, but he had a miserable time on the European Tour last week.

That makes it six losses in the last eight matches played and Connor Scutt was not able to get anything going on the stage in Budapest.

Moving to the Czech Darts Open may give Scutt the change of scenery he needs, but he will also know he will have to be a lot better to compete with Luke Woodhouse.

A European Tour title has been won by Luke Woodhouse this season and he lost a very high quality match last week to Rob Cross. He will be well aware that similar levels will lead to a lot more wins than losses going forward and he may have too much for Connor Scutt who is battling to move through his slump in form.

Beau Greaves to win & most 180s v Daryl Gurney: The winner of this First Round match is going to be facing Luke Humphries in the Second Round on Saturday.

So many will be hoping that Beau Greaves is the player who is facing the World Number 2, but the layers are also anticipating her getting the better of Daryl Gurney on current form.

Beau Greaves is a very good maximum hitter and produced a strong average in losing to Rob Cross last week, and that is the kind of level that can be too much for Daryl Gurney to handle.

The Northern Irishman is going to be highly motivated knowing he is the underdog and he handled the occasion just well enough to edge past Greaves at the World Championship. That was won over a longer format, while Daryl Gurney has not been in the kind of form to believe he will be able to recover from a slow start in this First Round match.

An early defeat last week in Hungary will have hurt and Beau Greaves is capable of completing the Match Double on her path through to the Second Round.

MY PICKS: Joe Cullen - 1.5 Legs @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Woodhouse - 1.5 Legs @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Beau Greaves to Win & Most 180s @ 2.50 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 122-152, - 17.20 Units (271 Units Staked, - 6.35% Yield)

US Open Tennis Day 12 Picks 2025 (Thursday 4th September)

The last four days of the US Open begin with the spotlight on the final four women with both Semi Final matches scheduled for the night session.

They will then have a day of rest before the Final on Saturday and it will be the men who play the two Semi Final matches on Friday before the last Grand Slam of the season is completed at the end of the weekend.

Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 games v Jessica Pegula: Twelve months ago, Aryna Sabalenka vs Jessica Pegula was the US Open Final and they meet again in New York City, albeit a Round earlier than in 2024.

Out of the two players, Jessica Pegula has been more impressive in her run to the Semi Final, but this has been a tough match up for in recent meetings against the World Number 1 and that is hard to ignore.

The Final was a tight, competitive battle ending 7-5, 7-5, but Aryna Sabalenka was a more comfortable winner in the Miami Final earlier this year. She dominated the number of Break Points created in that latter Final and the top Seed is very comfortable in New York City, even if the fans are likely to be firmly behind the American player.

Jessica Pegula has been serving very well in her run to the Semi Final and that is going to be important for her in this match.

She has to try and keep the pressure on Aryna Sabalenka and not be forced into a position where the World Number 4 has to attack what is a big serve.

The expectation is that Jessica Pegula will have some returning success considering the slightly underwhelming performances we have seen from Aryna Sabalenka in this tournament. Having a walkover in the Quarter Final may mean Sabalenka needs a bit more time to just settle down, and the feeling is that the first set is going to be another tight, competitive battle and four of the last five sets played between these two players have all ended 7-5.

However, it should be noted that Aryna Sabalenka has won all of those sets and she can do the same here, while then taking a similar route to the title win in Miami to cover this big mark.

Naomi Osaka-Amanda Anisimova over 21.5 games: There is so much to admire about the performances of both Naomi Osaka and Amanda Anisimova during this US Open and the winner is going to be very deserving of a place in the Final on Saturday.

After reaching the Wimbledon Final, Amanda Anisimova has to be given credit for backing that up and having such a strong run at her home Grand Slam tournament.

She was crushed without a winning a game in that Wimbledon Final, but Amanda Anisimova my have exorcised any demons by getting revenge on Iga Swiatek in the Quarter Final in New York City. The World Number 9 has long been seen as a player with a huge amount of potential, and Anisimova is now making sure she is fulfilling some of that through her performances at the Majors.

Naomi Osaka is a two time former Australian Open and US Open Champion and is looking to complete a 100% conversion of rate at Major tournaments when reaching the Quarter Final- she has won all of the Grand Slams in which she has reached the last eight and Osaka will certainly feel good about moving through the Quarter Final without needing a deciding set.

Both of these players are serving effectively and that is going to be key to the outcome of this Semi Final.

It does feel like Naomi Osaka has a very slight edge when it comes to the serve and that may ultimately prove to be the difference in this match up.

Dismissing the chances of Amanda Anisimova will be a mistake, especially with the confidence she would have picked up in London and backed up here in New York City.

However, the American is going to have to serve really well to keep the pressure on Naomi Osaka, a player who has been playing with a lot of confidence of her own following the run to the Montreal Final last month.

It would not be a huge surprise if this is a match that needs at least one tie-breaker and there is every chance that both players can find a hot streak within a set to push this into a decider. The lean may be with Naomi Osaka, but the overriding feeling is that this could be a match that surpasses the total line set.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Naomi Osaka-Amanda Anisimova Over 21.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (2 Units)

US Open Update: 24-16, + 7.86 Units (79 Units Staked, + 9.95% Yield)

US Open Tennis Day 10 Picks 2024 (Wednesday 4th September)

The US Open continues to roll through into the business end of the event and Day 10 is all about the remaining Quarter Final matches.

There have been some quality matches throughout this tournament and hopefully more to come, with some winners in the book.

Jannik Sinner - 1.5 sets v Daniil Medvedev: There are eight players left in the men's tournament at the US Open as we reach the Quarter Final stage of the 2024 event, but these two players might be the favourites to reach the Final if they had not had the misfortune of running into one another now.

Daniil Medvedev has regularly reached the Final of the two hard court Grand Slam tournaments played during the year, and he is also a former US Open Champion.

Jannik Sinner is not only the World Number 1, but he is the current Australian Open Champion having come from two sets down to beat Daniil Medvedev in the Final right at the start of the season.

It is a victory that continued Sinner's recent domination of this match up, although it was Medvedev who won when the two met at Wimbledon in July. On that day Daniil Medvedev came through in five sets, although Sinner fans will feel that their man was not at 100% and so can turn things back around in his favour.

From the form shown in New York City, it is very easy to understand that feeling and Jannik Sinner looks to be fighting through any outside pressure felt when it was disclosed he had been cleared for failing a drug test earlier this year. It was only announced last month that any issue had been faced by the Italian, but the fans have not really gotten involved in his matches as may have been expected.

They have learned to love to hate Daniil Medvedev, which will not bother the World Number 5 at all, but the likelihood is that Sinner is going to be allowed to play his tennis. Even if the fans are supporting his opponent, the win over Tommy Paul in the Fourth Round underlines the feeling that Sinner is a man on a mission.

The numbers suggest Daniil Medvedev is growing into the US Open, where he has beaten the likes of Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz in big matches before. However, it should also be pointed out that he has not won a match against any opponent inside the top 30 at the US Open in this current run and this is a big step upwards.

Jannik Sinner is the Cincinnati Champion and playing at a really solid level right now, while the serve is proving to be a big weapon for the World Number 1. The matches in Grand Slams this season have been close and competitive and both have lasted five sets, but this time Sinner may just have the qualities to not only get past Daniil Medvedev without going the distance, but also to win the US Open to ensure he is holder of both hard court Grand Slam titles before entering 2025.

Karolina Muchova - 3.5 games v Beatriz Haddad Maia: The play was to back Naomi Osaka to get the better of Karolina Muchova when the two met in the Second Round of the US Open, but the latter won that match and has grown from strength to strength.

There were moments in the win over Naomi Osaka that it looked like the match would turn, especially when down three Set Points in the second set, but Karolina Muchova held herself together much better than the former US Open Champion did.

It has all changed in the last couple of wins with Karolina Muchova dominating those matches and the numbers reflect that.

Despite an injury hit year, Karolina Muchova looks to have found her best form at the right time and it is going to take some effort to stop her run at the US Open.

Next up is Beatriz Haddad Maia who had not shown a lot of form in the lead up to the US Open before reaching the Final in Cleveland days before the final Grand Slam of the season was set to begin. The layers were not convinced that this was a turning point for the Brazilian, but she has looked a confident player in New York City and Haddad Maia has come through four matches pretty impressively.

The win over Caroline Wozniacki in the Fourth Round was a bit tighter, but Beatriz Haddad Maia won and that will give her confidence. She will believe her year on the Tour means she is perhaps used to the bigger stage a bit more than Karolina Muchova, who is dealing with the additional pressure of expectation, and that may just give the World Number 21 some hope.

However, this has not been the best match up for Beatriz Haddad Maia previously and this is something that Karolina Muchova will have noted.

They have played twice on the hard courts before, in 2022 and 2023, and it is Karolina Muchova who has won both matches and with something to spare. Her style is a tough one to deal with and Muchova looks like a player looking to make up for missing a number of months on the Tour and the feeling is she can book her place in the US Open Semi Final with a quality win.

MY PICKS: Jannik Sinner - 1.5 Sets @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Karolina Muchova - 3.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

US Open Update: 24-15, + 11.06 Units (78 Units Staked, + 14.18% Yield)

US Open Tennis Day 8 Picks 2023 (September 4th)

This has been an incredibly tough tournament to predict as far as the Tennis Picks have gone, but there is still an opportunity for a strong end to the US Open as we complete the Quarter Final line up on Monday.

The quality of matches should be increasing at this stage of any Grand Slam, but there are also a number of more surprising names left in the draw as the upsets ee

Alexander Zverev-Jannik Sinner over 38.5 games: It feels wrong to have a match of this quality in the Fourth Round of a Grand Slam, but Alexander Zverev and Jannik Sinner have to stay focused on what matters rather what is to come.

While both have shown they have the quality of tennis to win Grand Slam titles, Alexander Zverev and Jannik Sinner have been operating under the large cloud cast by the top two players in the world on the men's side of the draw. The German has voiced some of his frustration with the media, who have been hoping for the Djokovic-Alcaraz Final, and Alexander Zverev will want to throw a spanner in the works having gotten closer to his form he was displaying before the injury suffered at the French Open in June 2022.

He rolled through the the final two sets in a four set win over Grigor Dimitrov in the Third Round and Alexander Zverev has shown some decent form since the end of Wimbledon. A run to the Semi Final at the Cincinnati Masters will have boosted the confidence of a former US Open Runner Up and Zverev will know has beaten Jannik Sinner in each of their last three meetings, including at this Grand Slam two years ago.

However, it should be noted that Jannik Sinner was the lower Ranked player in each of the four professional matches against Alexander Zverev and those roles are switched ahead of this good looking Fourth Round match.

The Italian made harder work of Stan Wawrinka than was expected, but he still came through in four sets and Jannik Sinner has dropped just a single set in the tournament. He has to have some concern about the poorer serving numbers in the win over Wawrinka and it will be very important for Jannik Sinner to produce better in this one considering how well Alexander Zverev has returned throughout the tournament.

Jannik Sinner is an aggressive player and that can sometimes work against him on his own return and there are going to be plenty out there willing to back Zverev for the upset.

In their two previous hard court matches, the German has been able to contain Sinner behind his strong serving and that has paved the way for scoreboard pressure to build up on the latter. It is certainly going to be something that Alexander Zverev will look to do in this Fourth Round match and getting plenty of first serves in play will make him very dangerous.

Alexander Zverev has won all five sets played against Jannik Sinner on the hard courts, but this one is expected to be much more competitive and it would be a surprise if we do not need at least four sets to separate these top players.

If they are serving as well as they can, the sets should be competitive and the two players can combine to surpass this total games line set for the contest.

Daniil Medvedev - 1.5 sets v Alex De Minaur: Reaching the second week of a Grand Slam event has been challenging for Alex De Minaur, but he is back at that stage at the US Open and will be looking for only his second ever Quarter Final run at this level.

The only previous one also came at the US Open in 2020, but this looks a very tough match on paper, even if the Australian has won his last two matches against Daniil Medvedev.

The former US Open Champion continues to have a lot of fun with getting into it with the crowd at Flushing Meadows and it certainly feels like a situation where Daniil Medvedev enjoys being a 'villain'. He has not been at his absolute best through the first week, but Medvedev is playing some decent tennis and is still expecting himself to be the biggest threat to the top two names in the men's draw.

Daniil Medvedev was pushed harder than perhaps the scoreboard suggests in his Third Round win over Sebastian Baez, but he has been returning very well at the US Open and that is expected to be a key to the outcome of this match.

He will be well aware that he has lost his last two matches against Alex De Minaur, and will also recognise that the Australian has been very impressive in his last two wins, but Daniil Medvedev will be confident in his return game being good enough to put De Minaur under pressure.

Alex De Minaur has a decent record against top 10 opponents on the hard courts in 2023 with five wins and just three losses, while he has not dropped his serve in the last two matches played. The draw has not been a bad one, but the manner of the win over Nicolas Jarry can only have been a boost for Alex De Minaur and his team and those last two matches against Daniil Medvedev both ending in wins for the lower Ranked player has to give him a spring in his step ahead of this match for a place in the Quarter Final.

The defeat in Canada last month will be the one that could really play a factor in this Fourth Round match, but Daniil Medvedev will expect himself to be better than he was that day. Even though he did not perform to the level he would have wanted, Medvedev played two competitive sets thanks to his return and this part of his tennis is going to be very important.

There is no doubt that Alex De Minaur will feel he can get enough balls back in play to make this awkward for Daniil Medvedev, but the former Champion might just be able to bite down at the most crucial of moments and earn a victory without the need for a final set decider.

Andrey Rublev - 1.5 sets v Jack Draper: There is a huge amount of faith in the ability of Jack Draper and he is seen as a player with a lot of potential that could be fulfilled, although much will depend on how healthy he can remain in his career.

Injuries have been an issue early on, but Draper will still be growing and those issues may be better handled going forward.

It is the hope for Draper and his team and his run at the US Open underlines what can be achieved when he is healthy and firing on the court. A lefty serve gives Draper an edge, and he has made good use of that shot in his career, while the British player has a decent return game too and all of this bodes well for him.

He will need all of those tools if he is going to earn the upset over Andrey Rublev who is looking to reach yet another Grand Slam Quarter Final. Andrey Rublev has done that eight times before at Majors, including at the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year, although he is still looking to breakthrough for a first Semi Final.

Those pressures will be on his shoulders after this match, but the focus has to be on the opponent in front of him. Andrey Rublev has beaten Jack Draper twice before on the Tour with one of those victories being on the hard courts in the United States, and the higher Ranked player has to know that he is going to need to serve very well to just keep Draper from building up some steam.

Both players are strong servers, but the consistency has to be with Andrey Rublev, while Jack Draper's numbers have just dropped in each of the last three Rounds. As the opponent quality has picked up, Jack Draper will likely know that anything less than his best serving day could see him put under immense pressure by Andrey Rublev, who tends to beat those he is expected to more often than not.

You can never rule out someone with the talent Jack Draper clearly has, but Rublev is playing really well at the tournament and his serving numbers have been solid. If he can maintain that form, he may just have enough to win this match in three or four sets.

MY PICKS: Alexander Zverev-Jannik Sinner Over 38.5 Games @ 1.75 Coral (2 Units)

Daniil Medvedev - 1.5 Sets @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Andrey Rublev - 1.5 Sets @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Marketa Vondrousova - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Jessica Pegula - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Aryna Sabalenka - 4.5 Games @ 1.90 Bet365 (2 Units)

US Open Update: 26-31, - 19.94 Units (114 Units Staked, - 17.49% Yield)

US Open Tennis Day 6 Picks 2021 (September 4th)

The line up for the second week of the US Open is going to be completed on Saturday with the remainder of the Third Round matches scheduled to be played on Day 6 of the tournament.

There are some really good matches scheduled for the day and the women's tournament in particular looks like it could produce some brilliant tennis in the final Grand Slam of the season.

Novak Djokovic - 9.5 games v Kei Nishikori: There is no doubting that this is a massive spread for a Third Round match at a Grand Slam event, but Novak Djokovic has regularly gotten the better of Kei Nishikori and many of the wins have come in dominant fashion. One of those came in Tokyo at the Olympic Games in July when Djokovic lost just two games in a straight sets win over the home player and the early form at the US Open suggests the World Number 1 is feeling pretty good about his tennis.

Novak Djokovic has not played since the Olympic Games where he lost his last two matches and missed out on a Medal, but history can still be made as he looks to complete the calendar Grand Slam. This is arguably the toughest of the tournaments to win at the end of a long season as injuries pile up, but Djokovic has looked really good in the first two Rounds and his level over recent years makes him the hard court player to beat.

It should be noted that Novak Djokovic has not always produced his best at the US Open, but it would have been very difficult to beat him last year and it was only his own petulance that saw him exit the tournament. You have to imagine that is not likely to be repeated in New York City in 2021 and Novak Djokovic won't be intimidated by the match up against an opponent he has beaten in seventeen of the nineteen previous matches.

The mental obstacle is as big as the physical obstacle that Kei Nishikori is going to have to overcome in this Third Round match. After withdrawing from the Cincinnati Masters, Kei Nishikori was perhaps going to be vulnerable in the first two Rounds in New York City as he battles with his own fitness, but he has shown enough to think he is going to be ready to compete even in this hard match up.

Kei Nishikori has needed nine sets and over six and a half hours on the court and that is not ideal preparation for facing someone like Novak Djokovic. He was a touch fortunate to beat Mackenzie McDonald in four hours and five sets in the Second Round and Kei Nishikori is going to have to serve a lot more effectively if he is going to give Novak Djokovic something to think about in this one.

Previous meetings have suggested it is unlikely to be the case for Kei Nishikori who has won just 55% of the service points played against Novak Djokovic and been broken in 39% of service games played. Those numbers take a leap in favour of Djokovic when only considering their hard court matches and Novak Djokovic won 58% of the return points played against Kei Nishikori when they met at the Olympic Games in July.

I don't think the match will be a blow out in the same manner as that match, but Novak Djokovic can find the breaks of serve he needs to produce a one-sided victory and he can cover a massive mark on his way to the second week in New York City again.

Matteo Berrettini - 1.5 sets v Ilya Ivashka: With very little tennis played since reaching the Wimbledon Final and only suffering an early exit in the sole tournament between the third and fourth Grand Slam of the season, some may be wondering whether Matteo Berrettini is going to be able to perform at his best in New York City. He has looked pretty good in the first two Rounds, but the Italian needed four sets to win his Second Round match and the level moves up significantly in the Third Round.

After wins over Jeremy Chardy and Corentin Moutet, Matteo Berrettini will be facing Ilya Ivashka in the Third Round having beaten this opponent in the Fourth Round at Wimbledon. The win in SW19 was impressive, but Ilya Ivashka is on a roll with straight sets wins in the first two Rounds at the US Open and the Belarusian has to be feeling like he will be much more competitive this time around.

The match at Wimbledon was dominated by Matteo Berrettini who broke serve six times and was not troubled in the slightest as he brushed Ilya Ivashka aside. However, this time Ivashka will be heading into the match on a eight match winning run having won the title in Winston Salem last week and he has only dropped a single set in that time too.

Ilya Ivashka won in dominant fashion in Winston Salem which has to be respected, but I do think this is a much tougher test for him. His record against top 50 Ranked opponents on the hard courts over the last twelve months underlines the point and his numbers take a significant hit on both the serve and return.

We haven't seen much of Matteo Berrettini since the Wimbledon Final, but he has been playing well on the hard courts over the last two years and he is a former Semi Finalist at the US Open. His serve is a potent weapon and it is one that can keep the Italian in every match he plays, while he has become a player that is capable of beating all those he is expected to beat with the numbers backing that up.

A serve that can see Matteo Berrettini rattle through his service games only puts pressure on his opponents and over the last twelve months he has put some really strong performances together when facing players outside the top 50 of the World Rankings on the hard courts. This is another of those matches and even a slightly less than fully fit Matteo Berrettini should have the serving numbers to keep Ilya Ivashka under pressure and eventually crack the lower Ranked player.

The longer this goes the more it may favour Ilya Ivashka if his opponent is having a few fitness issues, but I think Matteo Berrettini will produce the big tennis to get through this in three or four sets.

Lloyd Harris + 1.5 sets v Denis Shapovalov: The conditions in New York City have felt pretty quick this week and with warmer weather it should give the big servers an opportunity for a strong tournament. Two of those will be meeting one another in the Third Round and there are plenty of reasons to back either Lloyd Harris or Denis Shapovalov as they look for a place in the second week of the tournament.

Both of these players are at career best World Ranking marks and a win to reach the second week could be another boost for whichever player is able to progress.

Over the course of the season you have to like the improvements Lloyd Harris has made and he has slightly stronger marks when it comes to percentage of points won behind serve and return compared with Denis Shapovalov. There isn't much to choose between the players on the serve, but Lloyd Harris has also been a little stronger when it comes to forcing the breaks of serve and I do think he is a very live underdog in this Third Round match.

Lloyd Harris has not had the same serene progress through the draw as Denis Shapovalov, but he is an Unseeded player here and that meant having to beat Karen Khachanov in the First Round. The South African barely got through in five sets, but it was an impressive performance in which he created double the break points than the Olympic Silver Medalist and the comfortable win in the Second Round should mean Lloyd Harris is well rested.

Things have been easy for Denis Shapovalov who has basically beaten two clay courters in the first two Rounds. The Canadian needed the confidence boost having had a poor summer on the hard courts with opening losses in Toronto and Cincinnati  and the 22 year old left hander still has some room to improve if he is going to start fulfilling the potential many believe Denis Shapovalov has.

He will feel that his serve gives him a chance, but Denis Shapovalov is inconsistent on the return and that may be where the difference is made between him and Lloyd Harris.

It was the case when the two players met in the Dubai Semi Final earlier this year as Lloyd Harris out-served Denis Shapovalov in a match that lasted over two and a half hours. That one went the distance with Harris moving through having won a tight final set Tie-Breaker and I do think there is every chance that this match will be an incredibly close one too.

I would not be surprised if the total games line is surpassed, but I also think Lloyd Harris is playing the kind of tennis that could see him upset Denis Shapovalov. Backing the South African with the start on the set handicap means he just needs to get to two sets to secure the victory for the selection and I think his return may see Lloyd Harris do that.

Oscar Otte - 1.5 games v Andreas Seppi: After failing to Qualify for the Australian Open, Oscar Otte has had some memorable matches in Grand Slam events already this season having lost in five sets to Alexander Zverev and Andy Murray at Roland Garros and Wimbledon respectively. Once again he Qualified for the main draw with three wins at the US Open, but this time the German Ranked outside the top 100 has taken advantage and produced two upsets.

This section of the draw has opened up thanks to a couple of upsets around him too and Oscar Otte's wins over Lorenzo Sonego and Denis Kudla puts him in a position to reach the second week of a Major for the first time. It would also mean a big boost for the World Ranking which could put Otte into the main draw of future events going forward and this is a big opportunity for him.

At 28 years old Oscar Otte may not get many more chances to crack the top 100 of the World Rankings, although he is set to be given a new career high World Ranking at the end of this tournament. Pressure will exist knowing the opportunity in front of him, but I do think Oscar Otte has been given a kind draw in the Third Round with veteran Andreas Seppi finding his way through.

Not many would have picked Andreas Seppi to beat Marton Fucsovics and Hubert Hurkacz, but the upsets have been earned. The only downside has to be the fact that the Italian has spent almost seven hours on the court to win those matches, while Andreas Seppi had been 1-5 on the hard courts since Wimbledon before his surprising successes in this tournament.

His opponent's performances have been just as unexpected though, but Oscar Otte has momentum behind him with five straight wins having barely played in hard court matches prior to this event. Oscar Otte is clearly enjoying the conditions, but he has to be careful with Andreas Seppi who has an 11-4 record against players outside the top 100 in the World Rankings in hard court matches in 2021.

However, I do think Andreas Seppi has put a lot into this week already and he was a touch fortunate to beat Marton Fucsovics in the First Round. The poor run over the summer means confidence may still not be fully restored and expectation is a little different in this match compared with the first two he has played in Flushing Meadows.

That can create problems and Andreas Seppi has a serve that can be vulnerable, which should encourage an aggressive Oscar Otte in this Third Round encounter.

The match feels like it could be close, but Otte's momentum can see him reach the second week at the expense of the veteran and the performances in the first two matches suggests the German can do that behind a good looking win.

Belinda Bencic - 1.5 games v Jessica Pegula: Winning a big tournament can be the spark that some players need to really begin to fulfil their potential and that is what fans of Belinda Bencic will be feeling ahead of the US Open. The Gold Medal success in Tokyo was followed by a Quarter Final run at the Cincinnati Masters and Belinda Bencic's best Grand Slam performance previously came at the US Open when she was a Semi Finalist in 2019.

The two wins this week have been very strong, but Belinda Bencic will know the tournament is only going to get tougher the deeper she heads into the draw. This is a player that has been a little inconsistent on the hard courts which have prevented the Swiss Miss from really becoming a feature of the business end of the biggest events played on the Tour, but the performances over the last few weeks are hugely encouraging.

Belinda Bencic will need to be at her best against the much improved Jessica Pegula who will also be boosted by the home crowd. The American is at her career best World Ranking and she has won all four sets in New York City with just nine games given away, while Jessica Pegula reached the Semi Final in Montreal in the preparation for the final Grand Slam of the season.

She also reached the Quarter Final at the Australian Open earlier this season and Jessica Pegula will have revenge on her mind having lost to Belinda Bencic in Tokyo.

That was a disappointing defeat for Jessica Pegula who was out-played, while her results have been a touch more inconsistent in the second half of the season compared with the hot start she made to the 2021 campaign. The hard courts should suit her tennis, but Belinda Bencic is playing at a high level right now and the feeling is that the higher Ranked player can frank the win she produced in Tokyo.

Conditions are different here, but Belinda Bencic looks comfortable and I do think she is serving as well she has on the Tour. That is going to be a key to the outcome of the match with Bencic's return always a threat and I think she will be able to do enough to move through to the Fourth Round with a confidence boosting win over a solid American opponent.

MY PICKS: Novak Djokovic - 9.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Matteo Berrettini - 1.5 Sets @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Lloyd Harris + 1.5 Sets @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Oscar Otte - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Belinda Bencic - 1.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Iga Swiatek @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Shelby Rogers + 6.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Karolina Pliskova - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Bianca Andreescu - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

US Open Update: 17-17, - 5.68 Units (68 Units Staked, - 8.35% Yield)

College Football Week 1 Picks 2021 (September 2-6)

Last season was a difficult one for many sports and it was no different for those involved in College Football.

Firstly it was expected that the season would be cancelled before some Conferences began to think about Spring Football rather than Autumn Football we are all used to. At the end of it all shortened schedules were put together to play in the usual slot for the season, but postponements and Covid outbreaks was part of the norm and it meant an inconsistent season for many schools.

It also made things very difficult when it came to making any Picks from the weekly schedules and it was a season in which I took a watching brief for large parts of it.

Hopefully 2021 is going to be much more like a usual College Football season and that means proper schedules, non-Conference games and hopefully Championship Games in early December before we get into the Bowl Games and College Football PlayOffs. Things have changed somewhat with the news that Texas and Oklahoma are going to be joining the SEC in the years ahead and the whole landscape of College Football may begin to look a lot different going forward, although for now we are at least going to be looking forward to a strong season.

The PlayOffs are also expecting to be expanded in the coming years, perhaps even as soon as 2022, and Week 1 of the season has put together some really good games that are going to have an impact on the direction of the 2021 year already. I think it will be fun and I do think we will get to know a lot more about the teams even at this early stage of the season.

Predictions in September can look really silly even by the end of the month, but my early feeling is that the four teams that will make up the PlayOffs this season are Oklahoma, Ohio State, Alabama and Clemson.

None of these teams have easy paths to the post-season, but the four Conferences they are competing in look best placed to be offered the four PlayOff places. These are the teams that have to be favoured to come out of those Conferences, although I do think there are number of teams who will feel they can upset their way into the PlayOffs.

It will be a lot of finding out and we will get some separation once the non-Conference schedule is completed. And that is all before the Divisions really get going with some top games to look forward to over the coming months.

Ohio State Buckeyes @ Minnesota Golden Gophers Pick: The 2021 College Football season officially began last weekend, but that was considered Week 0 and Week 1 is when the majority of the teams around the nation get their seasons going. Week 1 begins on Thursday and is played through Sunday and most fans and players will be looking forward to a year in which Covid-19 does not have the same impact as it did in the 2020 season when many teams had to deal with absent players and postponements.

The feeling is that this season there will still be issues, but postponements are not expected to be as frequent as the 2020 season. And with a full schedule expected to be completed, the battle for the College Football PlayOff spots will begin in Week 1 as teams look to make statements to their rivals from around the nation.

In the current format for the College Football PlayOff, I would consider this to be the most meaningful of the regular seasons we see played in the major sports in the United States. One loss can be devastating for teams, even those who have become accustomed to being one of the final four teams and that makes every regular season game feel very important.

If the proposals we have heard about are accepted, the College Football PlayOff will be expanding to twelve teams at some point in the near future and that is going to lessen the importance of some of the regular season contests. This is not ideal for fans, but the big Colleges will be happy with the additional opportunities to play for a National Championship.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are one of the favourites to earn a spot in the final four having fallen just short in their blow out loss in the National Championship Game last season. They are still considered the team to beat in the Big Ten Conference, Head Coach Ryan Day has produced a 20-2 record as Head Coach in his last two full seasons at the helm for the Ohio State Buckeyes, but his team have lost some considerable talent to the NFL this season, including Quarter Back Justin Fields.

The Buckeyes will have eleven starters back with six on the Offense and five on the Defense, but their Quarter Back unit have yet to throw a pass in College Football. There is considerable talent around expected starter CJ Stroud, especially in the Wide Receiver areas, but you do have to wonder if there is going to be some teething problems for a new Quarter Back who will be opening on the road against a Big Ten opponent.

Ohio State were 7-1 last season compared with the Minnesota Golden Gophers 3-4 mark, but the latter were adversely affected by Covid-19 issues throughout the 2020 season. The Golden Gophers had improved their win total in each of the first three years under Head Coach PJ Fleck and won 11 games in 2019 before the setback in 2020, but this is a team returning twenty starters with ten apiece on both sides of the ball.

That is a number that means most are expecting a bounce back year for Minnesota who will be playing in front of their home fans in this opening game. It will certainly be a test for CJ Stroud throwing against an experienced Secondary who are expected to be given some support by an improved Minnesota Defensive Line, although the Buckeyes may lean on their own powerful Offensive Line.

Last season Minnesota really struggled to stop the run and the Buckeyes have shown they can restock their Offensive Line which has lost a couple of members to the NFL since last season. Even then, this is a Ohio State team who have pummelled teams on the ground since Ryan Day took over as Head Coach and being able to move the ball on the ground should just loosen things for CJ Stroud to target Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave who might be the best tandem in the College Football ranks.

I do think even the inexperience of the Quarter Back is not going to prevent the Ohio State Buckeyes from moving the ball and they should score points here. However, I also think the Minnesota Golden Gophers will feel they can have success with Tanner Morgan back at Quarter Back after a stunning 2019 season and with Mohamed Ibrahim running behind one of the stronger Offensive Lines in the nation.

Last season the Buckeyes did have some issues stopping the pass and I think the balance that Minnesota will bring to the field will be crucial for them to move the chains with some success. The Ohio State Defensive Line is not easy to run against and they have plenty of talent to fill up the trenches, but Minnesota may just find some spaces for Ibrahim and that should only help Tanner Morgan.

Ohio State are not really a team you want to oppose under Ryan Day and they are capable of blowing out any team they face, despite losing key players from the team that reached the National Championship Game. While having a 6-3 record against the spread in the last two seasons when set as the road favourite, the Buckeyes do have a big game on deck, perhaps even bigger than this opening Conference game, and that could take away some of the early focus against an under-rated opponent.

The Golden Gophers have plenty of motivation to show that 2020 was nothing more than an aberration for an improving school and that should see this veteran team push the Big Ten favourites.

Minnesota are 10-4 against the spread in their last fourteen games as the underdog and I do think they are being given enough points as the home team to keep this one competitive. The Buckeyes may win, but the upcoming game with Oregon may mean taking some of the pedal off the gas even if they are move up by three scores and that may allow Minnesota to earn the backdoor cover at worst.

South Florida Bulls @ NC State Wolfpack Pick: Like many teams in College Football this season, the NC State Wolfpack and South Florida Bulls are returning a huge amount of starters from the 2020 campaign. The Wolfpack have nineteen returners with nine on Offense and ten on Defense, while the Bulls have eighteen returners split with nine apiece on both sides of the ball.

The difference between the teams is that the Wolfpack will be coming in off an 8-4 season compared with the Bulls who finished 2020 with a 1-8 record, while there is more consistency with the former.

The NC State Wolfpack have a Head Coach in Dave Doeren who is in his ninth year in charge in Raleigh and the expectation for his team is that they could be the closest challengers to the Clemson Tigers in the ACC Atlantic Division. They will host the Tigers later this month so it is imperative for the Wolfpack to make a strong start and build momentum towards that game that could be so pivotal in this Division in deciding which team will be playing in the ACC Championship Game and potential PlayOff implications too.

Devin Leary had a really good start to the 2020 season having thrown eight Touchdown passes with just a couple of Interceptions, but he was injured and missed the majority of the season. It did not stop the Wolfpack from having a strong season, but the return of Leary is a huge boost for NC State even if the Quarter Back admitted it was a difficult challenge emotionally to get back on the field.

The Quarter Back can help the Wolfpack improve on their performance last season, while a more veteran Offensive Line should also pave the way for a stronger effort on the ground than NC State had last season. The Wolfpack only average 3.4 yards per carry, but the Running Back unit is much more experienced and the Offensive Line is also expected to take steps forward which should mean a stronger team all around.

I expect the Wolfpack will be able to move the ball against the South Florida Bulls Defense even with the expected improvements of the latter compared with 2020. In recent seasons the Bulls Defensive Line has not really been able to contain the run and I do think that will be a key for NC State to find the balance Offensively to keep the chains moving through much of this contest as they look for a big start to the 2021 season.

With Devin Leary and the stronger Offensive Line, the NC State Wolfpack should be successfull Offensively and that is going to put some pressure on the South Florida Bulls to respond. Jeff Scott is in his second season with the Bulls as Head Coach, but his past experiences in the ACC as Offensive Co-Ordinator for Clemson means he should give his players some idea as to how to attack the Wolfpack.

Jeff Scott will see his entire Offense given a boost with Cade Fortin back at Quarter Back who was a former North Carolina Tar Heel. Injury cost him 2020, but Fortin has faced the Wolfpack before and that experience should help as he looks to take advantage of some of the issues NC State had in the Secondary last season.

Experience may make the Wolfpack Secondary stronger, but even then I think this is where teams will have success moving the chains against them, although this game may come down to whether South Florida can stay balanced Offensively. Their Offensive Line struggled last season, but this group is expected to be better and the battle in the trenches with the NC State Defensive Line is going to be a key to the outcome of this game as far as the spread is concerned.

There is a feeling that the Wolfpack's Defensive Line will be able to clamp down on the run better than they did in 2020 and they will be looking to make South Florida reliant on the pass to try and force turnovers and eventually pull clear of this opponent. Even with the improvements made by the road underdog, you would have to favour the Wolfpack to have the edge in the trenches which gives them the edge in the battle to win the game and cover the mark.

NC State are 9-6 against the spread as the home favourite over the last three seasons and they will want to lay down a marker for the 2021 season. They can sometimes be guilty of playing up and down to the level of opponent they are facing, but South Florida are still a team in transition and I think that will see the Wolfpack underline the difference in levels between them at this moment in time.

Jeff Scott has experience of facing the Wolfpack and can give the Bulls an opportunity to move the ball Offensively, but I would expect NC State to show why so many have high hopes for them in 2021 and they can win and cover a very big mark at home.

North Carolina Tar Heels @ Virginia Tech Hokies Pick: Sam Howell is back to lead the North Carolina Tar Heels in the 2021 season and there are big expectations around this team merely because of the starting Quarter Back. Many believe he could be top Draft choice at the position in the NFL in 2022 and Sam Howell is coming in off a season where he had well over 3500 passing yards which came with 30 Touchdown passes and just 7 Interceptions.

The Tar Heels finished with an 8-4 record and they have a 15-10 record in the two seasons since Mack Brown returned as Head Coach. While on the face of things that may not be that impressive, North Carolina were only 5-18 in the two previous seasons before Brown returned as Head Coach and this is a team that many are favouring to win the ACC Coastal Division with eighteen starters back.

Eight of those are on the Offensive side of the ball in the season after North Carolina averaged over 41 points per game, while the Tar Heels had a really strong balance on the Offensive side of the ball which allowed them to thrive. The Tar Heels have lost their top two Running Backs from last season to the NFL, but they have experience with a transfer from Tennessee and the Offensive Line looks very strong the year after paving the way for 5.8 yards per carry.

You have to believe the Tar Heels can have plenty of success against the Virginia Tech Hokies who missed a Bowl Game for the first time in twenty-seven years in 2020 and who had a 5-6 record on the season. Surprisingly Justin Fuente has not paid with his job, while the Hokies have seven starters back on the Defensive side of the ball as they look for big improvements on the numbers from last season.

North Carolina's Offensive Line will look to bully the Virginia Tech Defensive Line that allowed 4.9 yards per carry last season, although the Hokies are also hoping a more experienced Line can at least improve this time around. The key for the Hokies is to try and keep the Sacks coming after a Tar Heels team that allowed too many hits on Sam Howell last season and that pressure up front will be key to slowing down North Carolina when they try and throw against a stronger Secondary than we saw last season too.

Sam Howell and company put up huge numbers against Virginia Tech in their home win last season, but this should be closer with the game being on the road.

The Hokies will feel they can at least make some plays to prevent those same type of numbers being produced in this game, while the Head Coach is confident that Virginia Tech will have a much stronger Offensive team this time around too. There is some experience at Quarter Back, but they are facing a North Carolina team with ten starters back on the Defensive side of the ball and moving the chains against them will be a challenge.

A solid Tar Heels Defensive Line from 2020 is expected to be better in 2021, but Virginia Tech will believe they can win the battle in the trenches and that is going to be a key to the outcome of this game. Easing the pressure on Braxton Burmeister by running the ball effectively is important for Virginia Tech, but perhaps not as much as extending drives and forcing Sam Howell and his powerful Offense to cool off on the sidelines.

Losing Khalil Herbert will hurt Virginia Tech, but the Offensive Line paved the way for 5.6 yards per carry last season and they have a capability of another big year running the ball. That is very important to keep Burmeister from having to throw too many times into a North Carolina Secondary which has big expectations around them and it will be the key to keeping this game competitive.

It should be a fun opening Friday game and I do think both teams are going to have their successes- having the fans back is a big boost for Virginia Tech and I can't ignore the fact that the Tar Heels were 1-3 against the spread as the road favourite in 2020.

North Carolina are dealing with plenty of expectations, but they have struggled in visits to Blacksburg and I think the Hokies are going to thrive as a home underdog to open this season. In recent years Virginia Tech have not played at their best when involved in opening games against top 10 Ranked opponents like they are facing this week.

The feeling is that this is the kind of game that could come down to which of the teams hold the ball last and it should be closer than the 11 point win that North Carolina earned over Virginia Tech last season. Both look improved, but I think the skill players that have moved on to the NFL has hurt North Carolina more than Virginia Tech and taking the points with the home team looks the play here.

Penn State Nittany Lions @ Wisconsin Badgers Pick: After the difficulties of 2020, the 2021 College Football season is opening up with some huge games and this is right amongst them. Both the Penn State Nittany Lions and Wisconsin Badgers are hoping to force their way into the Big Ten Championship Game and that means there will be an ambition to join the College Football PlayOffs at the end of the season and perhaps even compete for a National Championship.

Both of these teams will feel they underachieved last season- Penn State lost their opening five games in 2020 and eventually finished with a 4-5 record, while the Wisconsin Badgers were hit hard by Covid-19 issues through the season and only played seven games, concluding with a 4-3 record after winning their Bowl Game.

The Nittany Lions are bringing back sixteen starters this season and the Badgers bringing back seventeen with both teams having nine starters on the Offensive side of the ball. Penn State do have a new Offensive Co-Ordinator and that may mean there is a learning curve to go through, although having a full Spring together and with plenty of time to work with the team the feeling is that Penn State will be stronger.

James Franklin certainly believes so having guided the Nittany Lions to eleven wins in three of the previous four seasons before the floor fell out in 2020. Much is going to depend on Sean Clifford who had an inconsistent 2020 having thrown 16 Touchdown passes, but with 9 Interceptions, and who lost his starting position at Quarter Back for a game too.

Sean Clifford is hoping to have a bounce back season and he does get to throw to Jahan Dotson for another season after the Wide Receiver decided to return to Penn State rather than move into the NFL Draft. The Nittany Lions are certainly going to need Clifford to be close to his best as he faces an inexperienced Wisconsin Secondary who don't have a lot of stand out names, especially with the Badgers expecting to be strong in the trenches again and able to clamp down on the run.

The Badgers only gave up 3.3 yards per carry last season and they have plenty of returning players on the Defensive Line which should be able to restrict the Penn State rushing Offense. The Nittany Lions Offensive Line did not play up to the level we have come to expect since James Franklin took over as Head Coach in 2020, but they are hoping to bounce back and this battle in the trenches is going to be key for Sean Clifford as he looks to be given more time to make his throws to a good looking Receiving corps.

Paul Chryst will be confident of a stronger season for his Wisconsin team all around too and he will be looking to oversee a seventh straight year with a winning record. The Head Coach has Graham Mertz back at Quarter Back and there is an expectation that we will see a lot more from the highly touted prospect than we did in 2020.

He was not really helped by the Wisconsin Offensive Line who struggled to open the running lanes like we have come to expect, although that Line did give Graham Mertz the time he needed to make plays. The problem was playing from behind the chains, but the Badgers Offensive Line is a lot more experienced this time around and they should be able to bully a Penn State Defensive Line which is considered the weakest part of the Nittany Lions team on this side of the ball.

It will be all important for Wisconsin to impose themselves on this side of the ball as they look to keep the Offense in third and manageable spots and it will be a big part of the outcome of this game. While there are questions about the Penn State Defensive Line, they have not given up more than 4 yards per carry since James Franklin took over in 2014 and I think it will determine which of these good looking teams comes out with a big victory.

Graham Mertz will not really want to be throwing into the Penn State Secondary which is vastly experienced and who held teams to under 200 yards per game through the air. If the Nittany Lions can at least contain the run, they will feel they can get the better of the improved Wisconsin Receiving corps when it comes to the pass and that should give the road team every chance of keeping this one close.

Penn State are 3-1 against the spread as the road underdog since 2017, while Wisconsin are 5-11 against the spread in their last sixteen as the home favourite. The Nittany Lions have covered in the last four between these Big Ten teams and I think a team with something to prove after the difficulties of 2020 can keep this one close on the road.

I really like the look of Wisconsin this season too and this has all of the makings of a really close, competitive contest to open the College Football season before both face tough non-Conference opponents later this month. A Field Goal may separate the two teams at the end of the afternoon and so taking the points on offer with the underdog looks the way to go.

Tulane Green Wave @ Oklahoma Sooners Pick: Hurricane Ida has caused havoc for many everyday folks in the United States over the last few days and so there won't be too many feeling sorry for a school that has had to switch where they play in Week 1. The Tulane Green Wave were going to be hosting the Oklahoma Sooners in New Orleans, but instead they will be travelling to Norman and unsurprisingly the spread has moved accordingly.

Willie Fritz has admitted his team are still very keen to showcase their own talent against one of the top teams in the nation and the Head Coach has to be given a lot of credit for the work he has been doing with the Green Wave. They lost the Bowl Game last year to end the season with a 6-6 record, but in the two previous seasons Tulane had won seven games each time and they are enjoying a productive period in time.

Even with sixteen starters back, the Green Wave may struggle to compete with some of the top teams in the American Athletic Conference and that is largely down to their schedule which is rated as one of the more difficult in College Football. Ten Offensive starters returning should make Tulane dangerous, but there is more upheaval on the Defensive side of the ball and that is a problem when facing a team like the Oklahoma Sooners who will be targeting a return to the College Football PlayOff.

Michael Pratt had 20 Touchdown passes with 8 Interceptions for the Green Wave in 2020 and that came in a season when the Quarter Back was not really expected to start. That means Tulane are really excited about where Pratt can lead them, especially with the consistency around him thanks to the ten starters that will return with their Quarter Back.

Even with all that in mind, it is a big test for the Green Wave who have had to move from New Orleans as the City was faced with Hurricane Ida, while Tulane are also travelling to Norman where the Oklahoma Sooners are returning eight Defensive starters. On the face of things that means an improvement has to be expected, but the Sooners were a really strong Defensive team last season too and I do think it will be very difficult for the Green Wave to move the ball with consistency in this Week 1 game.

Oklahoma should be able to clamp down on the Tulane rushing Offense and even with a couple of key players gone from the Secondary, the Sooners are going to be tough to throw against.

Lincoln Riley took the Sooners to a 9-2 record which means he has improved his time as Head Coach here to 45-8 in his four seasons at the helm in Norman. Anything less than the College Football PlayOffs may be seen as a disappointment for a school that has made its intentions clear to join the SEC in the near future and there is excitement about the growth of Spencer Rattler at Quarter Back who could lead the Sooners to a potential National Championship.

After some teething problems in 2020, Spencer Rattler showcased his talent when helping Oklahoma win eight in a row to finish 9-2 for the season. He had over 3000 passing yards and threw 28 Touchdown passes and 7 Interceptions, but the feeling is that Rattler will improve on those numbers all around over the course of this season.

Seven Offensive starters return for the Sooners and they look like having a top Offensive Line with talented skill players around Spencer Rattler. It is certainly going to be very difficult for the Tulane Green Wave to slow them down and that is mainly because their Defensive Line looks weaker in 2021 and is unlikely to really challenge Oklahoma in the trenches.

With a virtual bye week coming up, Oklahoma may be looking to come out and make a statement for the season and the last time they hosted Tulane they did beat them by 42 points in Norman in 2017. The Defensive unit is likely going to be able to create turnovers and short fields and I do think Oklahoma will be able to score at will with Spencer Rattler looking to underline his status as the Heisman favourite.

In 2018 Tulane were also blown out by the Ohio State Buckeyes as a 30 plus point underdog having failed to cover as a 32 point underdog here in 2017. I do have to be a little concerned that Oklahoma are 1-3 against the spread in their last four favoured by 20 plus points, but this is a team with a huge amount of talent.

They are facing a team that is surprisingly having to travel this week having been scheduled to host Oklahoma, and I do think the Sooners can put their entire focus into this game with Western Carolina next on deck. That should see Spencer Rattler and company rack up some big numbers, while the Defensive unit is good enough to contain the Tulane Offensive output for long enough to cover.

A backdoor cover can never be ruled out in the early weeks of the College Football season with these monster spreads set by the layers, but I like the Sooners as their Quarter Back begins his season that he hopes to culminate with a Heisman Trophy.

MY PICKS: Minnesota Golden Gophers + 14 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

NC State Wolfpack - 19 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Virginia Tech Hokies + 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Penn State Nittany Lions + 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Oklahoma Sooners - 31.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Oregon Ducks - 20.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Indiana Hoosiers + 4 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Cincinnati Bearcats - 22.5 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Alabama Crimson Tide - 19.5 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Mississippi State Bulldogs - 23 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Oregon State Beavers + 7 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Florida Gators - 23.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)