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Nevada vs. San Jose State, Arkansas State vs. South Alabama picks: CFB odds, predictions

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Nevada vs. San Jose State, Arkansas State vs. South Alabama picks: CFB odds, predictions


Now that paycheck games are largely behind the Group of Five teams, it’s time to identify a few schools flying under the national radar in college football.

This week I’m setting my sights on star passers who are primed to tear up the Mountain West and Sun Belt conferences.

Nevada at San Jose State (7:30 p.m. ET, truTV/Max)

Non-public teams have a better chance of ending a season as a gambling darling, compared to, say, an Alabama or Notre Dame.

You’re not paying a premium for the helmet, so to speak, when you back a team like San Jose State.

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The Spartans are 4-0 ATS this season, easily covering by an average margin of 10.8 points per game.

So why are sportsbooks still hanging generous numbers when SJSU plays?

Well, there was reasonable skepticism surrounding the SJSU program just a month ago.

Brent Brennan was one of the last coaches to nab a major job during the offseason, leaving SJSU in the lurch late in the process.

AD Jeff Konya turned to Ken Niumatalolo, a proven winner at the Naval Academy (109 wins, 10 bowl bids).

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But a big question remained: What kind of offense would the option-centric Niumatalolo implement in the Bay Area?

He quickly put that concern to rest by hiring Craig Stutzmann as his coordinator.

Stutzmann’s “Spread n’ Shred” offense has been a revelation.

Nick Nash, SJSU’s go-to receiver, leads the nation in receptions and receiving touchdowns.

And you’d never know that Niumatalolo coached up triple-option quarterbacks for two decades in Annapolis when you watch Emmett Brown spin it.

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The undersized sophomore is thriving, averaging more than 320 passing yards per game with a stellar 13-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

This might be the last week to play the Spartans before the secret is out on this MWC contender.

Nevada will put up a good fight, but Brendon Lewis will likely wilt in a shootout when facing SJSU’s pressure defense.

The Spartans rank 30th in both pass-rushing grade and defensive havoc.

I expect a few costly turnovers from Lewis in a comfortable win for the Spartans.

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Recommendation: San Jose State -6.5 (-115, FanDuel).

Wolf Pack quarterback Brendon Lewis throws a pass during Nevada’s 27-0 loss to Minnesota on Sept. 14, 2024. Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Arkansas State at South Alabama (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

This game features two up-tempo offenses with dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks who are facing defenses ranked in the bottom 20 of the FBS.

Casual observers might see two inconsistent offenses, but there are simple explanations for that.

In the case of Arkansas State, it has drawn two elite Power Four defenses in the past two weeks (Michigan, Iowa State).

South Alabama, likewise, played on the road in Death Valley last week and was manhandled by LSU.

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Additionally, USA played a game earlier in the season with star quarterback Gio Lopez sidelined with turf toe.


Betting on College Football?


When Lopez and Arkansas State’s Jaylen Raynor are operating against lousy G5 defenses, they fill up the stat sheet.

In games against Central Arkansas and Tulsa, Raynor performed like an all-SBC quarterback, racking up 694 total yards and five total touchdowns.

With the exception of the LSU game, Lopez has accounted for three or more touchdowns in each of his starts this season, guiding South Alabama to a scoring average of 57.6 points per game across those three games.

He’s flanked in the backfield by Fluff Bothwell, one of the best-kept secrets in college football.

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The breakout freshman is averaging more than 8 yards per carry and will be running into a lifeless ASU defense that ranks 130th in tackling, per Pro Football Focus.

Recommendation: Over 61 total points (-110, Caesars).


Why Trust New York Post Betting

Mike Calabrese is a handicapper for the New York Post, with a sharp focus on college sports. His betting advice often centers around situational spots, including travel, rest and altitude disparities.



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Oregon lands commitment from Nevada punter

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Oregon lands commitment from Nevada punter


Oregon has found its next Australian punter.

Bailey Ettridge, who averaged 44.66 yards on 47 punts at Nevada this season, committed to transfer to the Ducks on Sunday. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.

From Lara, Australia, Ettridge had 15 punts over 50 yards and 18 inside opponents’ 20-yard lines this season. He also had two carries for 26 yards, both of which converted fourth downs.

Ettridge replaces James Ferguson-Reynolds, who is averaging 41.64 yards on 33 punts for UO this season. Ferguson-Reynolds and Ross James are both out of eligibility after the season.

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Ettridge is the first scholarship transfer to Oregon this offseason and his addition gives the Ducks 81 projected scholarship players in 2026. He is the lone punter presently on the roster.



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‘Winnemucca Day’ helps fuel Backus, Wolf Pack to 58-40 win over Utah State

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‘Winnemucca Day’ helps fuel Backus, Wolf Pack to 58-40 win over Utah State


RENO, Nev. (Nevada Athletics) – Nevada Women’s Basketball returned to Lawlor for the first game of 2026, hosting Utah State.

The Pack picked up its first conference win of the season with the 58-40 victory over the Aggies.

Freshmen showed out for the Pack (5-9, 1-3 MW) with Skylar Durley nearly recording a double-double, dropping 12 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Britain Backus had five points to go along with two rebounds and a season high four steals.

Junior Izzy Sullivan also had an impactful game with 17 points, going 6-for-11 from the paint and grabbing five boards. She also knocked down Nevada’s only two makes from beyond the arc, putting her within one for 100 career threes.

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The Pack opened up scoring the first four points, setting the tone for the game. It was a close battle through the first 10 as Utah State (6-7, 2-2 MW) closed the gap to one.

However, Nevada never let them in front for the entire 40 minutes.

Nevada turned up the pressure in the second quarter, holding Utah State to a shooting drought for over four minutes. Meanwhile, a 5-0 scoring run pushed the Pack to a 10-point lead.

For the entire first 20, Nevada held Utah State to just 26.7 percent from the floor and only nine percent from the arc, going only 1-for-11.

For the Pack offense, it shot 48 percent from the paint. Nevada fell into a slump coming out of the break, only scoring eight points.

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It was the only quarter where the Pack was outscored.

The fourth quarter saw the Pack get back into rhythm with a 6-0 run and forcing the Aggies into another long scoring drought of just under four and a half minutes.

Durley had a layup and jumper to help with securing the win.

Nevada will remain at home to face Wyoming on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

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EDITORIAL: Nevada’s House Democrats oppose permitting reform

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EDITORIAL: Nevada’s House Democrats oppose permitting reform


Politicians of both parties have promised to fix the nation’s broken permitting system. But those promises have not been kept, and the status quo prevails: longer timelines, higher costs and a regulatory maze that makes it nearly impossible to build major projects on schedule.

Last week, the House finally cut through the fog by passing the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act. As Jeff Luse reported for Reason, the legislation is the clearest chance in years to overhaul a system that has spun out of control.

Notably, virtually every House Democrat — including Reps. Dina Titus, Susie Lee and Steven Horsford from Nevada — opted for the current regulatory morass.

The proposal addressed problems with the National Environmental Policy Act, which passed in the 1970s to promote transparency, but has grown into an anchor that drags down public and private investment. Mr. Luse notes that even after Congress streamlined the act in 2021, the average environmental impact statement takes 2.4 years to complete. That number speaks for itself and does not reflect the many reviews that stretch far beyond that already unreasonable timeline.

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The SPEED Act tackles these failures head on. It would codify recent Supreme Court guidance, expand the projects that do not require exhaustive review and set real expectations for federal agencies that too often slow-walk approvals. Most important, it puts long-overdue limits on litigation. Mr. Luse highlights the absurdity of the current six-year window for filing a lawsuit under the Environmental Policy Act. Between 2013 and 2022, these lawsuits delayed projects an average of 4.2 years.

While opponents insist the bill would silence communities, Mr. Luse notes that NEPA already includes multiple public hearings and comment periods. Also, the vast majority of lawsuits are not filed by members of the people who live near the projects. According to the Breakthrough Institute, 72 percent of NEPA lawsuits over the past decade came from national nonprofits. Only 16 percent were filed by local communities. The SPEED Act does not shut out the public. It reins in well-funded groups that can afford to stall projects indefinitely.

Some Democrats claim the bill panders to fossil fuel companies, while some Republicans fear it will accelerate renewable projects. As Mr. Luse explains, NEPA bottlenecks have held back wind, solar and transmission lines as often as they have slowed oil and gas. That is why the original SPEED Act won support from green energy groups and traditional energy producers.

Permitting reform is overdue, and lawmakers claim to understand that endless red tape hurts economic growth and environmental progress alike. The SPEED Act is the strongest permitting reform proposal in years. The Senate should approve it.

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