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  • New Mexico State vs. UMass odds, spread, line: 2023 college football picks, Week 0 predictions by proven model

    New Mexico State vs. UMass odds, spread, line: 2023 college football picks, Week 0 predictions by proven model

    Week 0 of the 2023 college football season provides an appetizer for the barrage of gridiron action to come. On Saturday, seven games are on tap across the FBS landscape, including a matchup between the UMass Minutemen and the New Mexico State Aggies. The non-conference battle takes place at Aggie Memorial Stadium in Las Cruces. UMass looks to improve on a 1-11 showing in 2022, while New Mexico State aims to reach another bowl game after a 7-6 campaign last season.

    For this game, SportsLine consensus lists the Aggies as 7-point favorites for this 7 p.m. ET kickoff. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 45 in the latest UMass vs. New Mexico State odds. Before locking in any New Mexico State vs. UMass picks, you need to see the college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer simulation model.

    The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.

    Now, the model has set its sights on UMass vs. New Mexico State and just locked in its picks and CFB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several college football odds and betting lines for UMass vs. New Mexico State:

    UMass vs. New Mexico State spread: New Mexico State -7 UMass vs. New Mexico State over/under: 45 points UMass vs. New Mexico State money line: NMSU -268, UMass +216UMASS: The Minutemen were 5-7 against the spread in 2022 NMSU: The Aggies were 8-5 against the spread in 2022 UMass vs. New Mexico State picks: See picks at…

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  • Amid Anders Carlson’s continued ups and downs, Mason Crosby eyes return for 17th season

    Amid Anders Carlson’s continued ups and downs, Mason Crosby eyes return for 17th season

    On the same day rookie kicker Anders Carlson missed a couple field goals at Packers practice, Mason Crosby made it clear he wants to return for a 17th season. The 38-year-old free agent posted a video to his Twitter on Thursday, showing he still has something left in the tank if a team needs a veteran kicker in 2023. 

    After 16 years in Green Bay, Crosby was not re-signed following a season in which he didn’t have the same kicking power as before. However, Crosby attributed this to the effects of a knee surgery he underwent in July of 2022.

    It wasn’t necessarily Crosby’s leg that caused the team go in a different direction. There were also salary cap implications to keeping an accomplished franchise kicker, and Green Bay wanted to start a new chapter with younger players.

    So, they used a sixth-round draft pick on a cheaper, 25-year-old replacement in Anders Carlson. That marked the start of a roller coaster ride that still hasn’t ended.

    Carlson has been unable to make field goals consistently throughout training camp and the preseason, but the team was prepared to deal with ups and downs of having a young kicker.

    But with the start of the regular season a little over three weeks away, Carlson still looks shaky. The team needs a stable kicker in 2023 and Crosby is a potential option as long as he remains unsigned.

    For now, all signs point toward Green Bay sticking with Carlson, but that could change when the kicks and points start to count.

    Story originally appeared on Packers Wire

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  • LSU football star Maason Smith won’t play vs. Florida State

    LSU football star Maason Smith won’t play vs. Florida State

    BATON ROUGE, La. — LSU football defensive tackle Maason Smith will not be available to play in the Tigers’ season opener against Florida State in Orlando on Sept. 3, according to The (Baton Rouge) Advocate.

    Smith will be suspended for one game after the NCAA determined that he had received an “improper benefit,” despite cooperating in the investigation, according to the report.

    The improper benefit took place before the start of NIL, according to the report, as Smith could have been suspended for a game last season for the offense had he not torn his ACL in the first game of the year.

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    When broached with the subject, an LSU spokesperson declined to comment.

    Smith tore his ACL on the opening drive of LSU’s season opener against the Seminoles in New Orleans last season. This year’s rematch against Florida State was supposed to be Smith’s return to the field.

    With Smith out of the lineup, LSU will have to rely on veteran defensive tackle Jacobian Guillory and transfers Jordan Jefferson and Jalen Lee.

    Guillory is entering his fourth season with the Tigers. Jefferson transferred from West Virginia and Lee transferred from Florida this past offseason.

    Koki Riley covers LSU sports for The Daily Advertiser. Email him at kriley@theadvertiser.com and follow him on Twitter at @KokiRiley

    This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU’s Maason Smith suspended for Florida State game, per report

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  • Aaron Rodgers on ‘Hard Knocks’ tracker: Jets QB praises Garrett Wilson, won’t throw to WRs he doesn’t trust

    Aaron Rodgers on ‘Hard Knocks’ tracker: Jets QB praises Garrett Wilson, won’t throw to WRs he doesn’t trust

    Getty Images

    Aaron Rodgers is set to take his first preseason snaps in five years when the Jets play the Giants this Saturday. In the meantime, the star quarterback returned to TV on Tuesday for Episode 3 of “Hard Knocks,” HBO and NFL Films’ annual training camp series.

    As expected, Rodgers remained a focal point of the program, even as the spotlight briefly turned to Dalvin Cook’s arrival, joint-practice fights with the Buccaneers and bottom-of-the-depth-chart competitions.

    Here’s a roundup of A-Rod’s most notable moments from the latest episode:

    Friend and former Packers teammate Randall Cobb confirmed what we all could’ve guessed about Rodgers, telling Jets wideouts after an uneven practice that if the QB doesn’t trust a receiver, he won’t throw him the ball. “He does not like throwing interceptions,” Cobb said with dire seriousness, urging his colleagues to sharpen their fundamentals.Several fights broke out at joint practice with the Buccaneers, all of which were extinguished without much incident. Rodgers played up the nonsensical nature of the scuffles, joking during the action that he’s “too old for this.”Former Jets receiver Braylon Edwards visited practice and asked for Rodgers’ thoughts on new No. 1 target Garrett Wilson. The response: “Special. He’s so f—ing quick. He gets out of his breaks so quick. He’s special. (And the) best part is he’s a good dude. He’s a good kid. He cares about it.” Stock up for No. 17 once again.It’s been clear since the first episode that Rodgers and 2021 first-round QB Zach Wilson are quickly becoming pals. The latest evidence: Rodgers teasing Wilson for his game-day headbands, which the latter insisted are not…..

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  • Jordan Travis’ long, agonizing crawl toward success has expectations soaring at Florida State

    Jordan Travis’ long, agonizing crawl toward success has expectations soaring at Florida State

    The whirlwind hit Jordan Travis right between the eyes — the ones he could barely keep open the early morning of Feb. 6. When Florida State’s quarterback pulled into his driveway at 4:30 a.m., the exhaustion weighed on him like a 300-pound defensive lineman.

    In the space of less than 40 hours he had been whisked cross country in a private plane to the Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona — courtesy of an NIL benefactor — rubbing elbows with celebrities and athletes before flying right back to Tallahassee, Florida, in time for … what?

    “Sociological Theory,” Travis recalled of that first-thing-Monday class. “It’s a tough class, especially to sit through.”

    So he didn’t. The leader of the Seminoles’ breakthrough 2022 season — a Heisman Trophy hopeful and tireless worker aiming to lead one of the best stories of the season — deserved to sleep in this once.

    He couldn’t be blamed.

    Already holder of a bachelor degree when he graduated last May with Jameis Winston (among others), Travis had earned the trip. It was a brief glimpse at the NFL’s biggest party after turning around FSU and his own career last season.

    He couldn’t be excused, either.

    “I had to do bear crawls,” Travis told CBS Sports of his punishment for missing class.

    The quarterback smiled the whole time as he crawled length of the field and back at the command of coach Mike Norvell. It was Travis’ way of telling his coach that nothing would break him.

    “I irritate [Norvell] a little bit because I’m always smiling,” Travis recalled. “He doesn’t watch many people do bear crawls. But he wanted to watch me. I just sat there with a smile on my face every single yard I did.”

    Norvell got it. He knew what was happening but still needed to enforce the accountability factor. If he…

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  • 8 studs from Chiefs win vs. Cardinals in preseason Week 2

    8 studs from Chiefs win vs. Cardinals in preseason Week 2

    The Kansas City Chiefs secured their first win of the 2023 preseason against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, managing to redeem themselves after suffering a heartbreaking loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 1.

    While the preseason victory won’t count toward their effort to get back to the Super Bowl, the progress that Kansas City made against Arizona is sure to help the Chiefs as the regular season inches closer.

    Several of the team’s lesser-known players stood out in the fantastic effort against Arizona and may have helped their case to earn a roster spot ahead of the NFL’s cut day later in August.

    Check out which Chiefs put together the best performance against the Cardinals on Saturday:

    (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images)

    Smith-Marsette led Kansas City in yards per reception after grabbing four passes for 92 yards and a touchdown against Arizona. His upside as a returner on special teams may force the Chiefs’ hand to keep him on the 53-man roster after his standout performance on offense. With another big day against the Browns this week, he could be a lock to make the team.

    Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

    Christiansen managed to lead the Chiefs in tackles for a second-straight week and was flying around the field at State Farm Stadium as he helped Kansas City dominate the Cardinals’ offense. He has proven to be an active member of the defense when he is on the field and should be considered the front-runner to earn a spot as a depth linebacker on the Chiefs’ roster in 2023.

    (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)

    Buechele’s preseason excellence is approaching legendary status, and he has managed to push veteran Blaine Gabbert for the Chiefs’ backup quarterback role next season. He ended his day against the Cardinals with 105 yards on a perfect 10-for10 passing. This performance may have been his best ever.

    (John Cordes/AP Images for Panini)

    Bootle is a sneaky-solid member of the Chiefs’ secondary and needed a showing like the one he put together against Arizona…

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  • Shawn Bowman has the potential to add another dimension to the Rutgers football offense

    Shawn Bowman has the potential to add another dimension to the Rutgers football offense

    PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Shawn Bowman could certainly become an important piece for the Rutgers football offense. A transfer portal addition, Bowman has the size and strength Rutgers is lacking at the tight end position. He also has a strong experience level as well as good production at his previous stop.

    All of which points towards Bowman potentially being able to help an offense that struggled to move the ball last year.

    The outlook on the 6-foot-5 and 263-pound Bowman is positive as his build and skillset should enhance a position group that is talented but lacking in depth. Outside of senior Johnny Langan, there isn’t a proven or reliable tight end at this level.

    Bowman certainly has experience. While at Maine, he became one of the most versatile tight ends in the FCS. Last season, Bowman had career-highs in receptions (30), receiving yards (455) and touchdowns (5).

    At Boston College, Bowman had three catches for 34 yards and a touchdown last season in a loss for Maine.

    Following Saturday’s scrimmage, Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano talked about Bowman’s addition and what it has meant this summer during camp.

    “He’s a big guy. He’s a strong physical player,” Schiano said after the scrimmage.

    “He’s got good, really good hands. I think Shawn’s gonna help us in several ways.”

    Bowman and Langan give Rutgers two solid options at tight end, options that should be able to help in terms of blocking but also receiving.

    When asked his thoughts on the offense following Saturday’s scrimmage, the second of summer, Schiano seemed a bit more upbeat and positive.

    “Improved and then we went in and tried to do a couple of different things,” Schiano said.

    “And I thought defensively we played better today than we did the first scrimmage. So, thought it was a pretty stout defensive effort. Our offense slugged it out…

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  • Bijan Robinson debut: A look at how the Falcons rookie running back fared in first preseason game

    Bijan Robinson debut: A look at how the Falcons rookie running back fared in first preseason game

    USATSI

    The Atlanta Falcons took Bijan Robinson with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and since then, people have been waiting his first time on the field. Well, the day has come, and on Friday night the rookie saw playing time in the Falcons’ preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

    Here is a look at his first carry in a Falcons uniform:

    In his highly anticipated debut, he had four carries for 20 yards and a 6-yard reception, doing it all in one drive. 

    The 21-year-old has a lot of hype surrounding him this season and currently occupies the top spot for best odds to win Offensive Rookie of the Year at +300, according to Caesars Sportsbook.

    Ahead of the game, head coach Arthur Smith confirmed that Robinson would take the field. 

    “We’re not going to go crazy, we just need the reps. We need to get our bread-and-butter concepts in there and he’ll see his tracks. We’re not going to sit there and show everything but we need to execute well,” Smith said leading up to the matchup against the Bengals (via ESPN).

    “I’m really excited,” Robinson said ahead of his first NFL appearance. “Shoot, even last week, it was super fun just to support my teammates and be the best teammate I can be.”

    Smith said this is another step for Robinson and making the transition with him from college to the league, something the running back admits is a drastic change.

    “We’re not going to show everything with him. He just needs to get his feet wet,” Smith said, adding that Robinson is handling the attention he’s been getting in a mature way.

    Robinson finished with 3,410 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns at Texas, with his career best in those categories…

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