NFL Week 15 Picks 2020 (December 17-21)

Week 15 of the NFL season has been split over a number of days and this is another pivotal week with some big games to come with the regular season winding down.

The majority of games will be played on Sunday, but we have two Saturday evening offerings too for those who want to watch some Football around the College Football Championship Games and the big Boxing fight in Texas.

Buffalo Bills @ Denver Broncos Pick: Anyone under the age of 25 years old will not really remember too many times the New England Patriots were not dominating the AFC East and getting into a position to earn a very high Seed in the PlayOffs. It is not the case in 2020 as the departure of Tom Brady has left the Patriots short, but the Buffalo Bills are more than just exploiting a vacuum of power left behind.

At 10-3 the Bills are on the brink of winning the AFC East for the first time since 1995, but they look like a team that will more than just make up the numbers in the PlayOffs. Their win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday means the Bills have already shown the rest of the AFC that they are now built to have successes in January and perhaps even beyond then.

This is never an easy place to play, but the Denver Broncos will already be analysing the roster for the 2021 season as they struggle with their 5-8 record. A big question for John Elway is whether he still believes Drew Lock is capable of becoming the franchise Quarter Back for the Broncos who have never really found a replacement for Peyton Manning since he retired as Super Bowl Champion.

Drew Lock has really struggled for consistency and he is going to be challenged in this one, especially if the Buffalo Secondary continue to show the kind of improvement they have in recent weeks. For much of the season the Bills have struggled on this side of the ball which was a surprise considering Sean McDermott's Defensive background, but they look to have turned a corner and could make the Broncos one-dimensional here.

The Buffalo Defensive Line has been the key for the successful performances on this side of the ball and they have been able to clamp down on the run to make teams one-dimensional against them. It isn't just the yards per carry that has been restricted, but the Bills have held teams to under 70 yards per game on the ground on average across their last three starts and they will feel it is important to be stout up front in this one.

Stopping Denver from running the ball will mean there is more pressure on Drew Lock at Quarter Back but he has been inaccurate and that has led to mistakes being made. You would think Lock could have some success through the air in this one, but the pressure will ramp up if Denver are playing from behind and I think Lock could be baited into a couple of Interceptions which is an area Buffalo have been excelling in of late.

It could be a huge problem for the Broncos if Buffalo are able to pick up from where they left off against a better Pittsburgh Defense than the one they are going to be seeing on Saturday. The Steelers are banged up, but so are Denver and Josh Allen looks to have recovered from a blip in the middle of the season to get back to throwing the ball very well.

I think Allen could be a real threat with his legs in this one, while both Devin Singletary and Zack Moss should be able to rip off some big yards against the banged up Denver Defensive Line who have struggled to contain the run. That is only going to open things up down the field with injuries and suspension decimating the Broncos Secondary too and I expect Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley and Gabriel Davis to all have successes in this one.

Make no mistake this is a big spread for any road team to cover, but the Bills are playing with confidence and can almost wrap up the Division with a win on the road. While the spot is not ideal off a big win over Pittsburgh and with two Divisional games to come, Buffalo can also make a statement to the rest of the AFC who will be watching in a prime time Saturday slot days before Christmas.

The Broncos have been much tougher to beat at Mile High where the conditions can wear out visitors, but Buffalo are 10-4-2 against the spread in their last sixteen games on the road. As long as they can avoid any mistakes, Buffalo should be able to pull away for a big win here and I will look for them to cover this mark.

Carolina Panthers @ Green Bay Packers Pick: Things are quite clear for the Green Bay Packers with three games left in the 2020 regular season and that is they will receive the Bye from the NFC if they can win all those they have left to play. Anything less will open the door for one of their rivals to take the one and only Bye spot that is going to be given to the top Seed in each Conference and I do think that Bye is going to be very, very important this season.

The Packers are at 10-3 and have won three games in a row and they will be favourites to win their final three games. First up is the Carolina Panthers who have been very competitive even if a 4-9 record would not suggest that.

Last week they were hit with a Covid-19 outbreak that may have limited their time in preparation for the latest loss to the Denver Broncos, but I expect the Panthers to be much better all around with an additional week to get ready for this game. The Panthers also look like they will match up well with the Packers on the Offensive side of the ball and that is going to give them a chance to at least remain competitive.

For much of the season they have been able to do that even without Christian McCaffrey and I have no doubt that the best option for Carolina is to keep the Running Back on the sidelines until the 2021 season now. Mike Davis will get the majority of carries in this one, but the Panthers Offensive Line have played well even without their star Running Back behind them and that should be important here.

The Packers Defensive Line have not been able to clamp down on the run much this season and I do think Carolina can punish them on the ground which will be important for two reasons. Of course staying in front of the chains will be important for any team, but it will also keep Aaron Rodgers and the powerful Green Bay Offense freezing on the sidelines as Carolina prolong drives.

Being in front of the chains is important for the passing game as that is one area the Green Bay Packers Defensive unit have improved with injuries clearing up. For the most part Teddy Bridgewater is someone who will look after the ball and make good decisions when throwing, while he also has some decent Receivers who the Quarter Back can target in the short passing game.

The Panthers should be able to have some Offensive success, but stopping the Green Bay Packers is going to be a huge challenge for them. Last week they allowed Drew Lock to have a lot of success, but Aaron Rodgers and the Packers passing game is considerably better than the one the Denver Broncos run out on the field and that should see Rodgers have another big game.

It may all be on the Rodgers arm because the Carolina Defensive Line have actually stiffened up to stop the run- Aaron Jones will still be a big threat catching the ball out of the backfield, but him and Jamaal Williams have not really been able to establish the run in recent games as the banged up Green Bay Offensive Line have not opened big holes.

Having Aaron Rodgers does mean teams focus on stopping the pass which will give the Running Backs a chance, but I do think the Quarter Back will be key to the outcome for the Green Bay Packers. He should have a very big game and Aaron Rodgers is definitely getting the most out of the Receivers not called Davante Adams.

It would be a huge upset if Green Bay are not able to win the game, but Carolina are 5-0 against the spread in their last five as the road underdog and they are getting more than a Touchdown start here. The Panthers are 7-1 against the spread in their last eight as the underdog overall too which has to be respected.

Green Bay are 6-2 against the spread in their last eight as the home favourite, but I think the Panthers might be worth backing to find a backdoor cover at least.

Chicago Bears @ Minnesota Vikings Pick: There is one extra place in the NFL PlayOffs for both Conferences this season, but the loser of this Week 15 NFC North Divisional battle is likely going to know that their 2020 year is over. Both the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings are at 6-7 with three games to play and I don't think 8-8 is going to cut it in the NFC this season so a defeat is likely to be curtains for the season.

In Week 14 the Chicago Bears showed some heart and resiliency to beat the Houston Texans and they may have just turned things around at the right time. It feels an age ago that the Bears were 5-1, but six losses in a row looked to have finished the Matt Nagy era in Chicago.

However that win may have just saved the Head Coach and Quarter Back Mitchell Trubisky who lost his starting job earlier this season. I don't think anyone associated with the Bears really believe Trubisky is the long-term answer at the position, but if he can take Chicago back into the PlayOffs and perhaps even reach the Divisional Round there may be some willing to give him a bit more time to establish his spot leading the team.

This could be something of a shoot out as the Bears will be taking on a Minnesota Vikings team who have been banged up Defensively, but who have continued to be competitive in games even if they are 2-2 across their last four starts. The blow out loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would have hurt, but Kirk Cousins and the Offensive unit could have a bounce back performance at the very least.

That will mainly be down to Dalvin Cook at Running Back who has had some big games against tough Defensive Lines through the course of the 2020 season. This is another big challenge for Cook and it is important for the Vikings to find a way to get their best player established on the ground to try and ease the pressure on Kirk Cousins at Quarter Back.

He could be an important player catching the ball out of the backfield too, but if the Bears are able to clamp down on Cook on the ground it will mean Minnesota throwing from third and relatively long. The Chicago Secondary have given up some big plays through the air in recent games, but the pass rush is still a huge strength for the Bears and I am not sure the Vikings Offensive Line can stand up in protection if Cousins needs time to throw down the field.

If the Vikings are running the ball well, it will mean Cousins is able to employ play-action passes and he has some decent Receiving options in veteran Adam Thielen and hot prospect Justin Jefferson. That should mean Minnesota have a chance to move the chains, but Chicago have to believe containing Dalvin Cook will make the Vikings a touch predictable and there have also been some kicking problems for Minnesota which may see drives end without points.

Enough has been seen from Minnesota to believe they will have some Offensive successes though and it will be up to Mitchell Trubisky and the Chicago Offensive unit to match them if they are going to earn the 'upset' on the road. One aspect that Trubisky has really helped is in the running game with an ability to make plays with his legs meaning eyes in the backfield can sometimes move away from David Montgomery who has been playing well.

The entire Chicago Offensive Line should be given some credit for the big gains that the team have been ripping off in recent games and they do look more than capable of establishing the run against this Minnesota Defensive Line. Injuries have just seen the team worn down up front and the Vikings don't get a lot of pressure on the Quarter Back when they have dropped back to throw and I think that is going to help the Bears move the ball effectively.

Mitchell Trubisky can be hard to trust, but he has a good Receiving corps and being in third and manageable spots should just make things more comfortable for him. The Vikings are banged up across the levels in their Defensive unit and I think that should mean Trubisky is able to keep this close and perhaps earn the victory for his team.

While the Vikings are favoured, their last two wins have come by a combined four points and I do think the Bears look good with the points they are receiving in this one.

The Bears have revenge on their mind after losing by 6 points at home earlier this season, but they are 5-2 against the spread in the last seven in this Division rivalry.

Minnesota have won six games this season, but they are 2-6 against the spread in their last eight as the favourite and they are 1-6 against the spread in their last seven as the home favourite. I do think the Bears match up better against the Vikings with Mitchell Trubisky at Quarter Back rather than Nick Foles, while I think the Bears pass rush may still be able to stall a couple more drives than their Vikings counterparts and I do like the road team with the points.

MY PICKS: Buffalo Bills - 5.5 Points @ 1.95 William Hill (2 Units)

Carolina Panthers + 7.5 Points @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Chicago Bears + 3 Points @ 1.86 William Hill (2 Units)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

New England Patriots + 1.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Tennessee Titans - 9.5 Points @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Seattle Seahawks - 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Kansas City Chiefs - 3 Points @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

College Football Week 16 Picks 2020 (December 19th)

The Championship Week in College Football is one of the best, even when we have waited a little longer to see it.

It's really the only benefit of being home at the moment with no plans in place for the weekend, although I would so much rather be out watching games with friends.

Ohio State Buckeyes vs Northwestern Wildcats Pick: The Big Ten had to change the rules regarding their Championship Game to ensure the Ohio State Buckeyes were able to play in it this weekend. The Buckeyes did not reach the minimum of six Conference games that had been set out as their own program and many others in the Big Ten have been adversely affected by the Covid-19 outbreaks that we have seen in College Football.

However a big decision was made to make sure the Ohio State Buckeyes were able to play in the Championship Game and most of the other teams in the Conference accepted it was the right decision. They are the only unbeaten team in the Big Ten with a 5-0 record and that includes being the only team to knock off the Indiana Hoosiers who would played the Conference Championship Game if the rules had not been changed.

The Buckeyes will feel remaining unbeaten and being a Conference Champion will mean they will have earned their place in the College Football PlayOffs, but style points are clearly important to them. They have not played since blowing out the Michigan State Spartans early this month and talk of a 'blow out' will not have been lost on the Northwestern Wildcats who are the surprising opponents for Ohio State in Indianapolis.

The Wildcats finished 6-1 in the Big Ten West and wins over Iowa and Wisconsin means they have to be respected. The surprising loss to the Michigan State Spartans has ended Northwestern's chances of perhaps sneaking into the College Football PlayOff even if they do end up being Big Ten Champions.

It is the Defensive foundation which has given Northwestern the kind of successes they have enjoyed in 2020, but this is going to be a huge test for them on both sides of the ball.

Not often will the Wildcats have faced an Offensive unit like the Ohio State Buckeyes who are well rested and really motivated to show they belong in the top four of College Football. For much of the season the Northwestern Defensive Line has been stout for the underdog, but there have been one or two signs that they are perhaps wearing down and Northwestern are not as rested as Ohio State having been scheduled to play against Illinois last week.

A Running Back by Committee approach has not affected the Buckeyes and they should be able to establish the ground game in this one thanks to a powerful Offensive Line who will be playing at the next level. It is also impossible for the Wildcats to lean towards the line of scrimmage and leave spaces for Justin Fields to attack down the field.

Justin Fields is likely to go to the NFL as the second Quarter Back selected behind Trevor Lawrence, but he will be looking to show he perhaps deserves to be the Number 1 Pick Overall. He has not been as protected as he would like when it comes to passing down the field, but Northwestern have not really generated much of a pass rush of late and they will be looking for the Secondary to win their battles.

This Secondary deserves a lot of respect and may be the reason that Northwestern are able to be competitive in the Championship Game, but it is a big ask to shut down Fields and the passing game for the entire sixty minutes on the field. Add in the potential for Ohio State to rip off some big gains on the ground and it is going to be up to the Wildcats Offensive unit to make the plays to stay with the favourites.

Northwestern are likely to employ a methodical approach to their Offense in a bid to fatigue the Ohio State Defense, while also cooling Justin Fields and company down by keeping them on the sidelines.

On paper they don't seem to match up very well with the Buckeyes and that has to be a concern for the underdog- Northwestern like to establish the run, but the Ohio State Defensive Line has been very good up front, while the Buckeyes Secondary have given up big plays at times.

However, I am not sure that Peyton Ramsey and the Northwestern passing game is good enough to make plays consistently in this Championship Game. If the Wildcats are made a little predictable in their play-calling, Ramsey could find himself under pressure from the pass rush and there is a feeling that a turnover or two will really swing this game towards Ohio State who should be looking to pour it on for as long as possible.

Ultimately I think that is going to be the reason the Buckeyes are able to pull clear and win this game while covering the mark.

I do have to respect how well Northwestern have played this season and the upsets they have pulled to take their place in Indianapolis. They have some solid trends too, but Ohio State are no slouches and the feeling is that their Offensive power is going to force Northwestern to play keep up on the scoreboard which may lead to some mistakes in a big Buckeyes win.

Iowa State Cyclones vs Oklahoma Sooners Pick: The Big 12 Championship Game is a rematch between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Oklahoma Sooners- in early October the Cyclones were able to upset the Sooners as a 7.5 point underdog and so they won't be that surprised that Vegas believes Oklahoma are the right favourites in the Championship Game too.

It has been yet another stunning season for the Cyclones under the guidance of Matt Campbell and I have no doubt that the Head Coach will be garnering attention from some of the biggest schools in College Football. When Campbell arrived as Head Coach, the Cyclones had one winning season in ten seasons and had been 8-28 in their previous three seasons.

After finishing 3-9 in 2016, Iowa State have won at least seven games in three seasons in a row and they have already produced eight wins in 2020. The College Football PlayOff is perhaps beyond them barring some stunning results in the final week of the regular season, but Iowa State are making history and a win on Saturday would mean a first Conference Championship since 1912 (not a typo) and the first that they have ever won outright.

That is remarkable and a lot of credit has to be given to Matt Campbell, his staff and the players who have bought into the culture.

Beating the Oklahoma Sooners for a second time will be a big challenge though with the Sooners much improved since their first meeting and riding a six game winning run while also being well rested having not played since early December.

Spencer Rattler didn't play badly that day, but he has shown improvement in each passing week and will believe he can lead the Offensive unit to more points. More encouraging for the Quarter Back is that the Oklahoma Sooners have rediscovered their running game after Rhamondre Stevenson returned from a ban and finding the balance on the Offensive side of the ball is very important for the Sooners.

They are going up against a very good Cyclones Defensive unit that has continued to shut down Big 12 Offenses throughout the season. Since beating Oklahoma, only one team has scored more than 24 points against the Cyclones and even Baylor only managed 31 which will always give Iowa State a chance.

Personally I am not sure that Iowa State can slow down the much improved Sooners, while there is going to be a challenge for Brock Purdy and the Cyclones Offensive unit to match their output from their regular season meeting. On that day Iowa State scored 37 points and they found a really good balance Offensively, but now they are facing a Sooners Defensive unit that has come on leaps and bounds since then.

The Oklahoma Defensive Line has been able to shut down the ground game and that has forced teams to try and throw the ball against a much improved Secondary. Brock Purdy may have some success doing so, but the Quarter Back is still sometimes susceptible to getting into a rut within a game and it would mean a huge test for Purdy to show the scouts at the next level that he could make it as a pro too.

I expect Pudry to have some success, but he is likely to be under immense pressure from the Oklahoma pass rush which has come alive in recent games. While the Cyclones Offensive Line have controlled the line of scrimmage and kept Purdy upright, any feeling the team is becoming one-dimensional Offensively is going to give Oklahoma a significant edge.

Games between these schools have been highly competitive in recent years, and that has to be noted, but I do think the revenge factor and the experience Oklahoma have in dealing with the entire week of a Championship Game will give them an edge here.

I am a big fan of Matt Campbell and what he has achieved with the Cyclones, and in general they have been a very good underdog to back in recent seasons. However, Iowa State are 0-4 against the spread in their last four as the underdog on a neutral field and Oklahoma have just been rolling of late which may give them a narrow edge.

As long as the spread is below the converted Touchdown mark I do think the Sooners can be backed to earn a revenge win in the Championship Game.

Texas A&M Aggies @ Tennessee Volunteers Pick: The current College Football PlayOff Rankings have the Texas A&M Aggies just outside the top four and that is perhaps not a big surprise when you think they are 7-1 and the sole defeat has come against the Alabama Crimson Tide. Add in the fact that the Aggies have beaten the Florida Gators this season, the SEC East Division Winner and Championship Game opponent for Alabama, and the fans may feel there is still an outside chance of the Aggies playing a PlayOff Game later this month/early next month.

For Texas A&M there is no control of earning that spot- the feeling is that if Clemson and Ohio State are able to win their Championship Games this weekend then it will be Alabama, those two teams and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish that may be selected for the PlayOffs.

However a defeat for either of those two teams and the Aggies will be looking to put on a big performance in Week 16 to show they are perhaps the team that should be allowed into the PlayOff despite not having a Conference title and not even an appearance in the Conference Championship Game to fall back upon.

We have seen that happen previously so there has to be a focus for the Aggies that brings out another big performance- at worst a big win in Week 16 will give them a chance to play in a big Bowl Game this season and underline the progress made under Head Coach Jimbo Fisher.

The Aggies have beaten Florida since losing to Alabama and they have won their last five games since the victory over the Gators by double digits. They have to respect the fact that the 3-6 Tennessee Volunteers have not really capitulated even though the season has not gone the way they would have liked, and Defensively there have been plenty of positives to take for the underdog.

Tennessee's Defensive Line have just been able to clamp down on the run in their most recent games, but shutting down the Aggies on the ground has been too much for most teams this season. Kellen Mond will also have a chance to show off his arm in this one having relied on the ground game and the Defensive unit to win games in recent starts, but the Quarter Back has had a strong season and the Tennessee Secondary has allowed some decent gains to be made through the air.

The dual-threat ability of Mond will make it more difficult to control him and the feeling is that the Aggies are going to want to beat the Tennessee Volunteers by more than the 13 points that Florida managed earlier this month. Tennessee are also preparing to face a highly-motivated Texas A&M team who will want to showcase their talent for any PlayOff Committee members that may be tuning in and that will be a big challenge for the Volunteers.

The Volunteers are a team that seem to rely on being able to run the ball to open everything else up Offensively, but they are not going to find much room on the ground against the Aggies Defensive Line. All season the Texas A&M Defensive Line has prided themselves on being able to slow the run and force teams to try and beat them through the air and I think they will be stout up front against the Volunteers too.

Forcing teams to become one-dimensional has really benefited the Aggies Secondary, which has played well for much of the season but who have been producing eye-catching numbers in their most recent wins. The Aggies pass rush should be able to get the best of the Tennessee Offensive Line too and I think that will be key to perhaps seeing either of Tennessee's Quarter Backs struggle for consistency through the air.

I think that will be important to stalling a couple of drives and helping Texas A&M pull away in this game. They have covered in their last four games as the road favourite, while Tennessee are just 4-9 against the spread in their last thirteen as the home underdog.

These teams don't play often so there is not a deep rivalry there and that should mean the extra motivation for the road team helps them clear out another strong win and with a cover too.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Clemson Tigers Pick: The ACC decided they would invite the Notre Dame Fighting Irish into the Conference for this season after Covid-19 disrupted so many in College Football. It could not have worked out better for them with the Fighting Irish going unbeaten in the regular season to take their place in the Championship Game.

One of their nine wins came against the Clemson Tigers in what was a classic regular season game, but the ACC also got their wish to have the two teams paired up in the Championship Game in Week 16.

It is also a testimony to the quality of the Conference that the Tigers and Fighting Irish are both within the top four of the penultimate College Football PlayOff Rankings and both could easily be involved in the final four too. The main road to that happening is the Clemson Tigers winning this ACC Championship Game and the Committee deciding both teams deserve their place in the PlayOff, although you would find it hard to make a case for the Tigers if this is repeat not revenge on Saturday.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish won by 7 points in Overtime when they met in the regular season, but the spread is bigger for the Championship Game. No one will be confused as to why with Trevor Lawrence ready to compete for Clemson and the consensus Number 1 Pick in the next NFL Draft is worth the few more points that the Tigers are having to lay here.

Two years ago Clemson did blow out the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in a Bowl Game, but I do think this may be the best edition of the Fighting Irish under Brian Kelly despite some big achievements under this Head Coach. The Tigers have only played twice since losing to the Fighting Irish, but they have blown out both opponents which will give them confidence to take into this Championship Game. However, Lawrence can't expect to have an easy day with the Fighting Irish Defensive unit continuing to play at a high level.

I do think there have been a couple of signs that a long season may have helped wear down the Fighting Irish Defense, but not enough to believe they won't be competitive. They have had a couple of weeks to get healthy and bring in the right game plan to try and slow the Clemson Offensive unit down and that has to be respected.

In saying that, Travis Etienne looks unlikely to be bottled up to the extent the Fighting Irish did when these teams met in the regular season. The Running Back only had 28 yards on the ground despite being handed the ball 18 times, but that may have been down to Trevor Lawrence's absence and Notre Dame looking for the backup Quarter Back DJ Uiagalelei to trt and beat them.

To be fair to Uiagalelei he had a very good game in the first meeting between the teams and I expect Clemson to have a bit more balance this time. Trevor Lawrence is also capable of moving the chains with his legs if the space does open up in front of him and he is throwing in a Secondary which has allowed some big plays through the air.

I expect the Tigers Offensive Line to protect their Quarter Back and I do think Lawrence will show off his talents to those watching from the NFL (hello New York).

No one is going to doubt that the Tigers could pile up the points as they did when they played Notre Dame in the regular season, but the Fighting Irish have to be confident in Ian Book at Quarter Back to give themselves a chance too. There is no doubting the talent of a player who has given the NFL scouts plenty of positives to think about, but, like Clemson, Notre Dame have to run the ball effectively if they are going to have the balance to keep the Tigers guessing.

When they met in November, Notre Dame were able to establish the run very effectively and it may have been the key to the win on the day. They will look to do that again and winning at the line of scrimmage will just open up the playbook, especially as the Clemson Secondary have not played as well as they would have liked or been expected to.

It is hard to really know for sure how the running game will develop, but you have to feel the Fighting Irish can have some success on the ground. That should mean Ian Book is able to have another decent showing against a Defensive unit he produced over 300 yards when these two teams last met.

Turnovers are also going to be important, but I do think Notre Dame have to be respected with the points they are being given.

I haven nothing but respect for Clemson who may still be the best team in College Football, and both teams are very well Coached which should mean they very much prepared for whatever they see on the Football field on Saturday. Both are also strong teams on neutral field and I do think this is going to be a very competitive game which should mean the amount of points that are being offered to Notre Dame are enough to at least mean they are the right side to back.

Illinois Fighting Illini @ Penn State Nittany Lions Pick: They opened the season with a stunning five consecutive losses, but the Penn State Nittany Lions are finally motoring and will be looking to end the regular season with a flourish. A fourth win in a row may be good enough to earn a decent Bowl Game after it was announced that the usual eligibility that is required will be ignored this season.

The Nittany Lions are big favourites when hosting the Illinois Fighting Illini who have fired Lovie Smith after a 2-5 record in 2020.

College Football is different to the professional ranks in that players could easily be looking ahead to the break and not playing for their futures in the same way the pros would be. The Illinois Fighting Illini may be wondering about the direction the school will take, but for most players that won't be something they concern themselves about and it could be easy for them to down tools.

Illinois have lost back to back games by double digits and they do not match up very well with the Penn State Nittany Lions Defensive unit which makes it hard to see them scoring a lot of points in this game. The Fighting Illini will be looking to establish the run, but in recent games the Nittany Lions Defensive Line have really knuckled down up front and that will force the road underdog to try and move the ball through the air.

There will be times Illinois will have success on the ground, but it will only be effective as long as they remain in the game. When they will look to step back and throw the ball, they will be throwing into the Penn State Secondary which have held their last three opponents to under 200 passing yards on average.

All in all the Nittany Lions will believe they can restrict Illinois who have scored thirty-one points in their last two games.

That should give Penn State a real chance to push forward and score enough points to win the game and cover the mark here. The Illinois Defensive Line have really struggled to stop the run in their most recent games as the team have worn down over a long 2020 season and this team might be struggling both mentally and physically.

It will be important for the Nittany Lions to establish the run as the rest of the Offensive unit can bounce off of that- they have shown enough in recent games to believe they can do that and stay in front of the chains no matter who is playing at Quarter Back. Last week the Nittany Lions decided they would give their entire Quarter Back unit some experience during their comfortable win over the Michigan State Spartans, and they will have the same opportunity in Week 16 as long as they establish the ground game and move into a strong position in the game.

You have to credit the numbers produced by the Illinois Secondary, but some of that is down to the fact they have struggled to stop the run and so teams have decided they don't need to throw the ball as much as they may usually. Penn State have found a comfortable balance Offensively which should be on display here and I think that will give them a chance to move the ball up and down the field with some consistency.

Head Coach James Franklin will want his team to finish with a big win and that may lead to a decent Bowl Game being offered to them. It could be important momentum to take into the 2021 season and I like the Nittany Lions to win and cover despite the fact they have not been the best home favourite to back in recent times.

If this game had been played a few weeks ago I may even have liked Illinois to stay within the number, but Penn State should be more motivated than Illinois who have lost their Head Coach and I will look for the favourite to get on top of the number.

Alabama Crimson Tide vs Florida Gators Pick: It has been a difficult season for everyone involved in College Football, but the Alabama Crimson Tide have rolled with the punches and crushed their way into another SEC Championship Game. Even an upset is not likely to keep Alabama out of the final four in the College Football PlayOff, but Nick Saban won't be allowing his team to coast as they look for a Championship win and motor their way into the PlayOffs as the favourites to win it all.

Some are suggesting this may be the best Crimson Tide team we have seen Nick Saban Coaching and that is a testimony to the dominance they have displayed throughout the course of the season. Nothing has stopped Alabama steam-rolling teams and only the Mississippi Rebels have even made life a little awkward for this team.

A couple of weeks ago you would have perhaps been more bullish on the Florida Gators and their chances of upsetting the Crimson Tide, but the defeat to the LSU Tigers in Week 15 would have hurt. It has definitely ended the Gators chances of making the College Football PlayOffs even if they are able to beat Alabama, but there is still a big motivation for the team to take home the SEC Championship.

Narrow losses to the Texas A&M Aggies and the LSU Tigers don't look great for the chances of Florida to get the better of the Alabama juggernaut though. Those same two teams were beaten by Alabama by 28 and 38 points respectively and it will be up to Florida to try and bridge what looks to be a pretty big gap.

Offensively there have been some positives for the Florida Gators throughout the season, but they have not often come up against a team like the Crimson Tide. Over the last few weeks the Crimson Tide have really ramped up their play on that side of the ball and the Alabama Defensive Line will be controlling the line of scrimmage.

Stopping the run and turning Florida into a one-dimensional Offense will make life very difficult for Kyle Trask, although his numbers have remained strong. Unfortunately for Trask he will be put under immense pressure from the Alabama pass rush whenever he is obvious passing downs and distance and the Offensive Line have yet to really offer enough protection to believe they can hold Alabama off.

There will be some drives that Kyle Trask is able to produce some strong throws to move the chains, but ultimately I think the Crimson Tide will end up creating some big plays from the Defensive Line which will stall drives. That is going to put some pressure on the Gators Defense which has not played to the same level as the Offense and that may lead to a big win for the Crimson Tide.

Mac Jones has showed off plenty of talent from the Quarter Back position and the Alabama Crimson Tide have worn down opponents before crushing them. There have been some positive signs from the Gators, but I really don't see many teams beating the Alabama Offensive Line which should mean the run is established and the Quarter Back is in front of the chains for much of the game.

The Gators gave up some big gains on the ground in both of their losses this season and this Crimson Tide Offensive Line is the best they would have faced.

Over the course of the season Florida's Secondary have allowed some big plays to be hit through the air too and I would expect Jones to be playing from third and manageable spots. That will allow him to demonstrate his talent to those watching from the NFL and I expect Alabama to get into a groove Offensively even if they perhaps make a slow start.

Wearing down the Gators and forcing some errant throws on the other side of the ball should mean the Crimson Tide are in a position to pull clear in the SEC Championship Game.

Good teams win, great teams cover and Alabama have done that in their last seven games as they have literally become a manifestation of 'Roll Tide'.

The Gators are 2-6 against the spread in their last eight games when set as the underdog on a neutral field. They should be competitive for a while, but I think Alabama will begin to wear down Florida and that should see them win and cover yet again in 2020.

MY PICKS: Ohio State Buckeyes - 17.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Oklahoma Sooners - 5.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Texas A&M Aggies - 13.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Notre Dame Fighting Irish + 10.5 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Penn State Nittany Lions - 15.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Alabama Crimson Tide - 16.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2020 (December 19-21)

A power cut in the area has meant I have not been able to write out as full a post as I might have been considering.

Add in the short turn between the two rounds of Premier League fixtures and this is a week in which there is not much thinking time for those of us playing the Fantasy Football game, although I am coming off a decent week.

More on that down the page.

Crystal Palace v Liverpool Pick: There may be one or two fatigued players in both the Crystal Palace and Liverpool camps after putting in big shifts on Wednesday night.

Both were rewarded for the efforts which should be a boost for the players, but this is another tough game.

On paper you would have Liverpool as favourites having won on their last 6 visits to this part of South London and they will be coming off the late winner over Tottenham Hotspur to give the team a shot of confidence in the arm. They are unbeaten in 6 overall and in their last 7 away games in all competitions, while Crystal Palace will be missing the fans that did help drag them back into the game with Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday.

However it is hard to ignore the fact that Liverpool are far from firing on all cylinders at the moment and they were perhaps a little fortunate to win on Wednesday. Defensively they are still giving up some big chances and they have drawn their last 4 away games by the same 1-1 scoreline.

Take away the draw with Manchester City and those have come at Brighton and Fulham in the Premier League and at Midtjylland in the Champions League and it would not be harsh to say all four of those home teams arguably deserved to win.

Losing Christian Benteke is a blow for Crystal Palace, but they have pace in the final third and will challenge this Liverpool team. The counter attack could be dangerous and Crystal Palace have outperformed the last three Premier League opponents since losing to Newcastle United.

Roy Hodgson should have Crystal Palace organised and hard to beat and they should create one or two good chances to hurt Liverpool.

The recent head to head is a concern, but I would not be massively surprised if Crystal Palace can get a result here. Liverpool are playing like Champions at home, but they have not been at their very best on their travels and this is not a team scoring or creating a high amount of chances at the moment.

If there is any tiredness in the Liverpool squad, Crystal Palace have the skilful players and the pace to hurt them and I will be looking for the home team to surprise some.

Southampton v Manchester City Pick: How many would have predicted Southampton would be higher than Manchester City in the Premier League table when this fixture was going to be played after the schedule was released? Just days before Christmas that is where the two clubs find themselves and it says quite a bit about both.

While Southampton are clearly overachieving and producing some big results, Manchester City are underachieving as they sit in mid-table and 8 points behind the leaders.

Both earned 1-1 draws during the week, but there is no doubt that that result would have been more acceptable to Southampton at kick off than Manchester City.

On first glance you do have to feel that Manchester City are plenty short to win here and they are playing a Southampton team who are dangerous from set pieces. That has to be a big concern for Pep Guardiola, but his team have largely defended well since the 2-5 home loss to Leicester City and they will note that Southampton have not been creating a hatful of chances of late.

Southampton do find a way to score goals though and with Danny Ings, Che Adams, James Ward-Prowse and Theo Walcott all showing good form the home team are going to be dangerous.

However not many teams have created a lot of big opportunities against Manchester City and I do think that will encourage the visitors. A lack of clinical edge has been costly for Manchester City, but they have earned 5 clean sheets in their last 6 away games in all competitions, while West Brom became the first team since mid-November to score against them.

Manchester City have not been scoring a lot of goals themselves as they have perhaps focused on earning the balance between attack and defence, although they do create more chances than Southampton who look to be overachieving in the final third.

Goals have tended to flow when these two teams have met of late, but that has largely been the case at the Etihad Stadium. At St Mary's 3 of the last 4 have seen one of the teams fail to find the back of the net and that looks a pretty big price this weekend.

The home team have been keeping plenty of clean sheets and the same can be said for Manchester City so a tight game could be in the offing here. One goal may be enough to steal away the points and I do think both managers will be respectable of the other to not ask their team to take too many unnecessary risks here.

Everton v Arsenal Pick: There can't have been many times over the years that Arsenal would have been pleased to end a home game with Southampton having earned a single point. Another sending off didn't help their cause, but Mikel Arteta will also just be pleased to see Arsenal end a miserable run of form.

The manager will still need a win to ease the pressure which has been building for some time as Arsenal have slipped back towards the relegation zone.

No one will really believe that Arsenal are going to be in a relegation battle, but that doesn't mean Mikel Arteta can continue to see his side struggle to earn results.

Now they have to visit one of the few Football grounds that are still allowed to have at least 2000 fans in attendance and Everton have been flying over the last week. Wins over Chelsea and Leicester City will have given the players confidence, but the clean sheets in both wins will only further that belief and Everton will be expecting to win a game like this one.

They have been playing some strong attacking football even with the injuries they are dealing with and I do think that will be something we see on Saturday afternoon. The onus is on Everton, but they have been creating some strong chances in recent games and could have easily beaten Burnley which would have meant having 4 wins from the last 5 Premier League games.

If they had been on that kind of run I would have expected Everton to be a stronger price than what we see, but I can't ignore how poorly Arsenal have been playing. Defensively they have looked vulnerable, but Mikel Arteta's system has not created a lot of chances either and I think Everton will edge to the three points.

Newcastle United v Fulham Pick: Two teams in the bottom six of the current Premier League table meet on Saturday night, although Newcastle United will be happy with the 17 points they have earned compared with the 9 earned by Fulham.

Being at home should be an advantage for Newcastle United, but they have been as inconsistent here as anywhere so far this season.

Simply put you can't really know for sure which Newcastle United team will turn up from game to game.

One thing I do know is that they can't be as poor as they were at Leeds United during the week and I expect a reaction from them. The Magpies have not won consecutive home games in the Premier League since December 2019 though and last time out they did manage to just about edge past West Brom here.

They are favourites to do the same against Fulham, but the visitors are much improved in recent games. Scott Parker has some pace to use in the wide areas and up front and it has led to a number of chances being created, although Fulham have not had the clinical touch the manager would have liked to have seen.

With the defensive issues that Newcastle United have had, I do think Fulham can create chances here. They didn't do a lot of attacking at Manchester City, but Fulham have created chances at Sheffield United and West Ham United before cracking through for a first away win at Leicester City.

I expect they will create chances here, but Fulham have yet to be truly secure at the back and that is especially away from home. Newcastle United have scored in 4 of their 6 home games this season, and they have conceded in all of those games, while Fulham have not had an away clean sheet in the League this season.

The last time here it ended goalless and a draw can't be ruled out. However I expect both Newcastle United and Fulham to score at least once in this fixture in what could be a better affair in reality than some may feel it will be on paper.

Brighton v Sheffield United Pick: The results just can't be ignored, but Chris Wilder is still full of belief that he can turn things around for Sheffield United.

He was much happier with the battling display his team produced in their 2-3 home loss to Manchester United on Thursday, but another defeat leaves The Blades in a desperate position.

At this moment not many teams will be expected to drop points to Sheffield United, but I can't have Brighton as a odds on favourite considering they have failed to beat Burnley and West Brom in that spot at the Amex Stadium this season. The home team do feel like they are stronger in the final third, but Brighton have struggled for consistency when it comes to taking those chances and they are plenty short here.

You can't really trust Sheffield United at either end of the pitch though and so I will just take a watching brief here.

Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City Pick: This may be a clash between two of the current top four, but the erratic form of Leicester City makes it hard to see them in that light. Another home loss during the week has once again dented the momentum Leicester City had picked up and they do look a team that is hard to trust.

Playing away from home should suit Leicester City who have some quality and pace on the counter attack which makes them very effective on their travels. That has already led to a big win at Manchester City and Leicester City will believe they can snap their poor run against this opponent too.

However it isn't too difficult to predict how Leicester City are going to want to get after Tottenham Hotspur and I expect Jose Mourinho to set up to make sure those counter attack situations are not very frequent in the match.

The manager will also be looking to do the same against Brendan Rodgers' system and so far Tottenham Hotspur have largely been clinical enough to make it work. In the last couple of games they have been creating more chances though which is encouraging and Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed playing in this Stadium where they have won 6 in a row and been scoring a lot of goals.

They've been clinical with the chances but with Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane in their current form there is little to believe it will change.

And as good as Leicester City were in beating Manchester City, they did need three Penalties that day and also had a naive defensive performance to exploit. I just don't think Tottenham Hotspur will be as generous and Leicester City were comfortably dismissed in their defeat at Anfield last month.

The first goal is likely to be huge in this, but I think Tottenham Hotspur have shown better all around form than Leicester City and they can bounce back from the defeats both suffered during the week.

Manchester United v Leeds United Pick: This is a huge game on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League as two old rivals finally meet in a League fixture for the first time in over sixteen years.

There is never going to be any love between Manchester United and Leeds United, but the atmosphere will not be the same without the fans. Last weekend a methodical and slow Manchester derby was allowed to drift without any encouragement from the stands, but I don't think Marcelo Bielsa will allow this fixture to be anything but an open one.

Leeds United have been a real boost to the Premier League thanks to their manager and the style of football he insists they play. This is a team who have come up from the Championship though and that means some of the team is perhaps not ready to really compete at this level and maybe some would argue that the manager needs to be more pragmatic with his requirements than he has been.

I don't think Bielsa will ever change to please others though and it has meant Leeds United have created chances in every game they have played. Unfortunately for them, it has also meant Leeds United have been ripe for the counter attack and the likes of Leicester City and Crystal Palace have exposed spaces left behind.

If Manchester United's display on Thursday night is anything to go by, this is a team capable of exploiting gaps too.

Marcus Rashford, Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes, Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial impressed as an attacking unit in the 2-3 win at Sheffield United and they should have spaces to attack here. Under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Manchester United have been very good going forward on the counter attack when teams overcommit and I think they are going to be able to take advantage of Leeds United.

In 4 of 13 League games played this season, Leeds United have conceded at least three times and that has to be a worry. Liverpool, Leicester City and Chelsea are some of the leading teams who were able to hit that number and I do think Manchester United have some momentum behind them with quiet talk that a Premier League title challenge may be within their grasp.

Games like this will tell us plenty about their title chances, but I think the players will be appreciative of the kind of space Leeds United will leave them. I expect the visitors to cause problems for the Manchester United backline too, but my feeling is that the home team will be able to come through a high-scoring game with another three points on the board.

West Brom v Aston Villa Pick: Sam Allardyce is finally back in the Premier League as West Brom turn to the manager who has regularly gotten clubs out of the bottom three in the Division.

It has been a while since we have seen him, but Allardyce takes over as West Brom manager from Slaven Bilic despite the fact they earned a 1-1 draw at Manchester City during the week. He should be given some funds to turn the fortunes around in January, but before that Sam Allardyce has to get the best out of his current squad with plenty of football to be played before the transfer window opens.

Aston Villa will have been frustrated with their goalless draw with Burnley on Thursday, but it was poor finishing which cost them. The side created a lot of good chances, hit the woodwork multiple times, but were also guilty of failing to hit the target on enough occasions.

They have been better away from home, but Aston Villa look a short price to win here.

A boost of a new voice in the dressing room could inspire the home team, but this looks like a derby game that could go any number of ways.

Burnley v Wolves Pick: If you were going to pick the Premier League that is most likely to finish goalless this weekend I am sure a large number of people would pick this fixture as being the one.

Both Burnley and Wolves have had some solid results over the last week, but neither is the most productive in front of goal.

That has to mean we are in line to see a tight, competitive fixture where the two defences are likely to be on top and I think the layers have gotten on top of this match. Backing there being few goals is a short price and I do think you can make a case for all three results.

Like a couple of other fixtures, this one might actually give us better indications of where these two teams are ahead of the very busy Christmas week and it is one where I will not be expecting a lot of big chances for either team.

Wolves are off a big win over Chelsea which will have given the team confidence, but they are erratic at the moment and the absence of Raul Jimenez is a blow.

It would be no surprise if a single goal wins this one.

Chelsea v West Ham United Pick: I have to admit I have been very impressed with the level that West Ham United have largely produced this season and they are a team who have given the best teams a lot of problems.

Both Liverpool and Manchester United had to come from behind to beat them, while West Ham United led Manchester City before being pegged back for a draw. They have also visited Tottenham Hotspur and recovered from 3-0 down to earn a draw and this is a team who have pace in the final third and produce a real threat from every set piece they earn around the opposition box.

It is going to be an area that David Moyes will be looking for his team to exploit, but defensively there are still some vulnerabilities in this West Ham United team. While those performances I have mentioned deserve respect, teams have been able to create some good chances in front of goal against them and Crystal Palace had the better of the opportunities in the 1-1 draw at the London Stadium on Wednesday.

Whether Chelsea are in the right frame of mind to take advantage has to be the question as they also have to deal with the mental hurdle of having lost both League games to West Ham United last season.

The consecutive losses to Everton and Wolves has just taken away some of the momentum Chelsea seemingly had built up and they have only won 1 of their last 3 at Stamford Bridge. However this is a team with quality in the attacking areas and Frank Lampard will feel his side were a little unlucky not to have more earned more points than they did in visits to Everton and Wolves.

It will be important to make a good start to this fixture to just ease any tension the players may be feeling. Chelsea are missing some key attacking players and there are one or two players who are not in the kind of form Frank Lampard would have been hoping to see going into the busy Christmas period.

In saying that I do think Chelsea create enough to believe they can do the same against this West Ham United defence.

It would not be a massive surprise if West Ham United play their part in this one especially with their recent head to head meaning they have only lost 1 of their last 6 against this London rival. I am just not convinced The Hammers can defend well enough to contain a Chelsea team who had been scoring plenty of goals here and I think the home side will be able to produce enough in the final third to cover the Handicap.

MY PICKS: Crystal Palace + 1.25 Asian Handicap

Southampton-Manchester City Both Teams to Score- NO

Everton - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Newcastle United-Fulham Both Teams to Score

Tottenham Hotspur - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Manchester United & Over 1.5 Total Goals

Chelsea - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Fantasy Football GameWeek 14

Last week I was fortunate enough to bring in Marcus Rashford who was handed the Captaincy to give my team the best possible week, although Ollie Watkins continues to frustrate me.

With the Blank GameWeek and Double GameWeek announced for early January there are a couple of ways to approach it, but the power cut I mentioned at the top of the page means I am going to have more thoughts about that in the next Weekend thread ahead of GameWeek 15.

I do have one transfer to use this weekend and I am considering upgrading my second goalkeeper while keeping Alex McCarthy who does have a good looking Double GameWeek coming up. However Southampton have some difficult games before that and I do think it is possible to bring in someone like Nick Pope or Aaron Ramsdale who look to have the best games coming up over the next few weeks.

The latter may be the choice for those who don't want to use their Free Hit Chip to cover the Blank GameWeek coming up as Sheffield United won't be receiving a free week, but it is hard to trust Sheffield United on their current form. They also are getting a lot of saves out of Aaron Ramsdale at the moment which limits his appeal.

I will have a think right up until the Saturday deadline as I look to make sure my team is ready to keep the positive vibes going after cracking at least 57 points in four GWs in a row.

Boxing Picks 2020- Canelo Alvarez vs Callum Smith (December 19th)

While no one is going to dispute that Sporting events are not the same without the crowds surging in anticipation for what they are about to see, the Boxing world has rightly decided they cannot allow 2020 to slip through the cracks.

It has been a difficult year for everyone and that is the same for Boxers who fight for their living and so had to take pay cuts to ensure they were able to bring home some bacon.

Credit has to be given to those who have decided to not only get back in the ring, but to take on the big bouts that would usually have filled big Stadiums and ensured a heftier pay cheque. Those will return and hopefully sooner than later, but for now we continue to see some top quality Boxing being put together.

There have already been some decent announcements for January and we will then be looking forward to some very good fights in the first half of 2021 when the crowds may begin to slowly return. That should pave the way for a very good second half of the year and I am looking forward to at least attending one, and possibly two, mega fights which are surely going to come together over the next twelve months.

Before we think about 2021 and the kind of fights we would all love to see, we do have a couple of solid cards to close 2020.

Unsurprisingly interest in a potential third bout between Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez is still very high and both of those big names are fighting on back to back nights. Don't be surprise that DAZN have decided to place GGG in that slot before Canelo Alvarez so the obvious call out can be made and that still looks like a big fight that will intrigue the masses.

I am expecting Golovkin to clear his mandatory, but Canelo is in a serious fight against Callum Smith, a fighter I have long rated pretty highly. The only disappointment I have in Smith is that he has not really built on his WBSS win in the manner I would have hoped as he has continued to wait for the big fights, but he remains King at 168 and this is a proper test for Canelo.

Saturday looks to have a couple of decent cards for us to enjoy, but the action begins on Friday and those who have signed up for DAZN should get plenty of value for money over the next couple of days.

John Ryder vs Mike Guy

The last time we saw John Ryder in the ring was when he was being harshly treated by the judges in a losing effort to Callum Smith.

Instead of perhaps fighting Canelo Alvarez for the 168 Titles, John Ryder returns to the ring the night before and is looking to 'shake off the rust' having been out of action for almost thirteen months.

There was a hope that Ryder may be able to earn a big fight to end 2020, but instead he will have to wait until 2021 as long as he can remain focused on Mike Guy. The American has a 1-2-5 record, but he has shown himself to be durable and hard to break down and that should mean John Ryder is able to put a few Rounds in the bank here.

'The Gorilla' from London had won four in a row since a Split Decision defeat to Rocky Fielding before being handed a Unanimous defeat by Callum Smith, but John Ryder, and many others, felt he had done enough to win that fight against the top fighter in the Super Middleweight Division. All four of his wins came by Stoppage and John Ryder was only pushed past the Fifth Round once so it is perhaps no surprise than many feel he is going to become the second man to stop Mike Guy.

However it should be noted that that sole stoppage came against Sergey Derevyanchenko in the Eighth Round and Mike Guy has gone the distance with heavy handed Kazakhstani Ali Akhmedov. Unbeaten Junior Younan is another who has been taken the distance by Mike Guy despite a strong Knock Out percentage.

You have to wonder how much Mike Guy has left in the tank at 39 years old, but he is a crafty veteran and he may just force John Ryder to have to get a few Rounds in here. There is a chance the additional two Rounds that this fight is scheduled for could see Ryder produce some late fireworks, but I would be a little surprised if he can win this one early at the same time.

If John Ryder is fully focused on the task at hand he may get Mike Guy out of there, but I do think the extended lay off could see him ease his way into the fight. The American has shown enough durability to believe he could get to the scorecards, but I can't rule out a late stoppage for the British fighter and the best approach may be looking for the fight to at least get into the second half of the scheduled Ten Rounds.

Ali Akhmedov vs Carlos Gongora

The aforementioned Ali Akhmedov is the chief support to compatriot and friend Gennady Golovkin on Friday evening and he will be looking to pick up a vacant IBO Super Middleweight Title.

He is up against another unbeaten fighter in Carlos Gongora, although you do have to wonder about the level of competition that the Ecuadorian has faced. There is no doubting that the punch power has been evident, but Gongora has largely been operating a pretty average level and this is a huge step up for him.

Ali Akhmedov has won eleven straight fights against opponents with a winning record and four of those have come against unbeaten opponents. No one will dispute the power of Akhmedov who has stopped twelve of his sixteen previous opponents and I do think this is the kind of showcase fight where most will expect his opponent to stand right in front of him and try and trade off.

That should give the favourite a chance to impress and I do think he is going to close the show on this latest fight pretty early.

I believe he will be the more skilful and his power is likely to be telling as Gongora tries to fight fire with fire.

Most are not offering much in terms of pricing for this one, but I do think there may be some value in looking for the fight to finish under the Total Rounds line set here as Ali Akhmedov looks to show his ability off to a wider audience on a card headlined by a popular fighter.

Gennadiy Golovkin vs Kamil Szeremeta

This is a mandatory Title defence that Gennadiy Golovkin was keen to get out of the way in 2020 and we would have likely seen it much earlier in the year if not for the pandemic that postponed so much of life for so many.

As soon as Canelo Alvarez made it clear that any trilogy fight with GGG would have to wait until 2021 at least, Gennadiy Golovkin was quick to arrange this bout and it goes on the night before Canelo Alvarez.

Make no mistake about it, Gennadiy Golovkin will be looking to make a statement and try and get people talking about his potential bout with Canelo Alvarez. He may have banned all talk about Canelo in the lead up to this fight, but it will be looming large in the mind and I do expect the Champion to really look to show there is plenty left in the tank.

Some have questioned that after a labouring win over Sergey Derevyanchenko, but the Ukrainian has given many fits and stylistically would have been a tough fight for Golovkin.

I simply don't think that will be the case on Friday as Number 1 contender Kamil Szeremeta looks to upset the odds. The Polish fighter is unbeaten in twenty-one, but there is very little that stands out on his resume and it does feel this may be a European level fighter.

When you go up against someone like GGG, you do want the power to at least give him something to think about, but Szeremeta has five stoppages in his wins. Everyone can pop, but I don't think he will make Golovkin take a backwards step and this may see the favourite run right through him.

Over the last three years we have seen Gennadiy Golovkin involved in some tough fights with Daniel Jacobs, Canelo (twice) and Derevyancheno, but all three of those opponents are levels above Kamil Szeremeta. During that time GGG has wiped out Vanes Martirosyan in Two Rounds and Steve Rolls in Four Rounds and he does look like he is in the shape to do the same to an opponent who won't really have enough to keep Golovkin at bay.

I would be extremely surprised if we get to the second half of this fight barring GGG really having lost a step- in fact I think Golovkin makes a big statement twenty-four hours before we next see Canelo Alvarez and he does that by clearing his mandatory at some point within the first Four Rounds.

Gilberto Ramirez vs Alfonso Lopez

It may not be on the card headed up by Gennadiy Golovkin, but Gilberto Ramirez is back on his own promotion for the first time in eighteen months.

There is a serious danger that the 40-0 Ramirez is going to be wasting his prime years as he continues to operate around a couple of tough Divisions, but has not really pushed on to take on the very elite.

His wins over Jesse Hart are decent, but both were very close and Ramirez has to look at 2021 as the year when he really looks to take on some of the best Light Heavyweights out there. He has already spoken about Dmitry Bivol being a potential opponent, but Ramirez has a bout here to shake off some of the ring rust that may have developed in his time out of the ring.

Gilberto Ramirez is taking on a veteran in Alfonso Lopez who may only have three defeats on his resume, but who has not really taken on anyone of note since fighting Kelly Pavlik back in 2011. Even that was against a faded Pavlik that had lost some of his early aura and ended up in a Majority Decision defeat for Lopez, but Gilberto Ramirez should be fresher and hit plenty hard enough to get through him without too many issues.

There is a NABF Light Heavyweight Title on the line that Alfonso Lopez won in his last fight in November 2019, but this is a big step up for him.

He has shown durability in the past, but Ramirez should be motivated to put on a show and can force the stoppage relatively early.

Jaron Ennis vs Chris van Heerden

It feels like Jaron Ennis has been around a lot longer than his 23 years of age would suggest, but the prospect is ready to take the next step in his development over the next twelve months.

He has called out some of the top names in the 147 Division, but Ennis is well respected within the community and that means most of those know he is high risk-low reward as far as the casual fans may go. Jaron Ennis has been building his name on the PBC cards over the last couple of years and any Boxer who has the Knock Out percentage that Boots carries is going to pick up a strong fan base.

This is another step up for him against a durable veteran Chris van Heerden, although it has been a long time since the South African has stepped into a fight of this magnitude. The defeat to Errol Spence Jr came five years ago and Chris van Heerden has not been very active since then and is also on short notice.

He showed courage before being beaten down by Spence Jr and I think it is going to be another fight where van Heerden has to show his durability if he is going to give Jaron Ennis some Rounds.

The Philadelphian has yet to move past the Sixth Round in his twenty-four professional fights, and I do think Ennis is going to be looking to make a statement and try and get this done quicker than Errol Spence Jr did. The prospect has not really made a big deal about that, but you can't ignore it being an additional motivation for Ennis and I think he is likely to close the show in the mid-Rounds.

the layers feel like it could end very early, but I think backing Ennis to win somewhere just before Errol Spence Jr managed to is the play here.

Canelo Alvarez vs Callum Smith

This is a legit fight for Canelo Alvarez who is finally returning to the ring after getting through a couple of legal disputes with former promoter Golden Boy and television network DAZN.

Ironically he is back on the same platform and he has decided to take on an opponent who many regard to be the very best at the Super Middleweight limit.

Four weeks notice has to be a concern for Smith fans and I do count myself one of those. He is a top fighter, although the fact he has not kicked on from winning the WBSS tournament is a concern.

So is the performance against John Ryder who has similar dimensions to Canelo Alvarez and that may have been the moment when the Mexican superstar decided he would take on this test.

Canelo is off a superb stoppage of Sergey Kovalev, but Callum Smith is expected to have a lot more left in the tank compared with the former Light Heavyweight king. We simply don't really know how good Smith is and I do worry that he won't take advantage of his obvious reach and size compared with Canelo.

It feels like the fight could go a similar way to the Kovalev one in being competitive early as counter punching Alvarez works his way through the gears. My concern for Callum Smith is that I think he will want to sit down on his punches and that means Canelo won't have to stalk him nearly as much as he did against Kovalev and eventually it could lead to some huge body damage.

No one can doubt how strong the Smith brothers are and they are willing to go through the fire to get to where they need to. Callum Smith should show the same, but he may not be able to last much longer than brother Liam who was stopped in the second half of the fight with Canelo a few years ago and in Texas too.

I do believe Callum Smith is the best of the brothers, but I've long felt he would have had to drain himself to make the 168 limit and this could leave him open to the body work especially with little time to really prepare. He has said he has always prepared for Canelo, but the whole fight has been dictated by the favourite and I think he is going to find the power late on to force an end.

There are other factors that also make the stoppage more likely (short notice means fighters prepare 'differently'), but it would be a big surprise if Canelo is able to blitz through a Boxer of the quality of Callum Smith. Instead it may be a wear down effect through the Twelve Rounds with the body work likely to be key as it was when Canelo stopped Rocky Fielding and Callum's brother Liam.

MY PICKS: John Ryder-Mike Guy Over 6.5 Total Rounds @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Ali Akhmedov-Carlos Gongora Under 6.5 Total Rounds @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Gennadiy Golovkin to Win Between 1-4 @ 2.50 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Gilberto Ramirez to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Jaron Ennis to Win Between 5-8 @ 2.62 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Canelo Alvarez to Win Between 7-12 @ 3.30 Paddy Power (2 Units)