Nevada
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.
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).
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.
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.
Recommendation: San Jose State -6.5 (-115, FanDuel).
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.
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.
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.
Nevada
2025 worst year for home sales in Southern Nevada since 2007, report says
Home prices in Southern Nevada dropped from record highs to end 2025 and less homes sold last year compared with 2024.
Approximately 28,498 existing homes sold in the region last year, which is down almost 9 percent from the 31,305 homes that sold in 2024, according to trade association Las Vegas Realtors, which pulls its data from the Multiple Listing Service. This is the lowest number of homes sold in a year in Southern Nevada since 2007 right before the Great Recession.
The median sale price for a house sold in Southern Nevada in December was approximately $470,000, a 3.9 percent drop from November, according to LVR. By the end of December, LVR reported 6,396 single-family homes listed for sale without any sort of offer. That’s up 28.8 percent from one year earlier.
Despite a down year in sales, the local market did end on a high note.
George Kypreos, president of Las Vegas Realtors, said he is optimistic the housing market could turn around this year. The LVR report noted that home sales in Southern Nevada have seen “peaks and valleys” in recent years, generally declining since 2021 when a record 50,010 properties sold.
“Although it was a relatively slow year for home sales, we’re seeing some encouraging signs heading into the new year,” said Kypreos in a statement. “Buyer activity locally and nationally is starting to improve. Home prices have been fairly stable, and mortgage interest rates ended the year lower than they were the previous year. Most trends are pointing to a more balanced housing market in 2026.”
Freddie Mac currently has the average price for a 30-year fixed-term mortgage rate at 6.1 percent. That mortgage rate has not gone below 6 percent since 2022.
The all-time high median home sale price in Southern Nevada was broken multiple times last year, and currently sits at $488,995 which was last set in November while the condo and townhome market has dropped substantially from an all-time high that was set in October of 2024 ($315,000) to $275,000 to end 2025.
Major residential real estate brokerages are mixed as to where the market will head this year as Zillow, Redfin and Realtor.com have all put out their 2026 projections, and they expect a similar market to 2025. Mortgage rates aren’t expected to drop enough next year to unlock the country’s housing market, new builds will continue to lag, and prices will remain relatively elevated.
Realtor.com said in its report that it predicts a “steadier” housing market next year and a slight shift to a more balanced market. Redfin’s report says 2026 will be the year of the “great housing reset,” which means the start of a yearslong period of “gradual increases in home sales and normalization of prices as affordability gradually improves.”
Finally, Zillow said the housing market should “warm up” in 2026 with “buyers seeing a bit more breathing room and sellers benefiting from price stability and more consistent demand.”
Contact Patrick Blennerhassett at pblennerhassett@reviewjournal.com.
Nevada
A snowmobiler dies after an avalanche in California’s Sierra Nevada
TRUCKEE, Calif. — An avalanche in California’s Sierra Nevada on Monday buried a snowmobiler in snow and killed him, authorities said.
Rescuers responded after a 911 call around 2:20 p.m. reported a possible avalanche near Johnson Peak and Castle Peak in Truckee.
The snowmobiler was initially reported missing but then was found under the snow several minutes later, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Fellow recreationists found him but he didn’t survive despite lifesaving efforts, according to the statement.
Emergency personnel were working to safely extract the victim late Monday and to confirm no others were buried.
The sheriff’s office said more avalanches could occur and recommended that people avoid the area.
Each winter, 25 to 30 people die in avalanches in the U.S., according to the National Avalanche Center. The center’s current map shows high risk spots in Utah and Washington and areas of considerable risk in California, Colorado, Idaho and Wyoming.
Nevada
Who is No. 1 in the 1st Nevada Preps winter sports rankings?
Nevada Preps Winter Sports Rankings
Records through Sunday
Boys basketball
Class 5A
1. Liberty (10-5)
2. Democracy Prep (9-6)
3. Coronado (5-6)
4. Bishop Gorman (9-7)
5. Desert Pines (11-4)
Class 4A
1. Clark (8-5)
2. Las Vegas High (10-4)
3. Losee (7-5)
4. Faith Lutheran (11-5)
5. Shadow Ridge (11-4)
Class 3A
1. Virgin Valley (9-2)
2. The Meadows (9-5)
3. Boulder City (9-5)
4. GV Christian (8-6)
5. Pahrump Valley (5-7)
Games to watch
All games at 6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted
Tuesday
Losee at Las Vegas
Faith Lutheran at Liberty
Wednesday
Bishop Gorman at Desert Pines
Virgin Valley at The Meadows
Thursday
Coronado at Mojave
Clark at Durango
Friday
Desert Pines at Las Vegas
Virgin Valley at Boulder City
Saturday
Big City Showdown at Coronado
Liberty vs. Desert Pines, 4:30 p.m.
Bishop Gorman vs. Coronado, 8 p.m.
Girls basketball
Class 5A
1. Bishop Gorman (11-1)
2. Democracy Prep (7-4)
3. Centennial (6-3)
4. Liberty (10-7)
5. Shadow Ridge (3-4)
Class 4A
1. Mojave (9-4)
2. Mater East (10-4)
3. Losee (14-5)
4. Del Sol (13-3)
5. Cimarron-Memorial (9-2)
Class 3A
1. Virgin Valley (6-5)
2. Boulder City (8-6)
3. Moapa Valley (8-4)
4. Coral Academy (7-4)
5. Pahrump Valley (4-7)
Games to watch
All games at 6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted
Wednesday
Faith Lutheran at Shadow Ridge
Centennial at Liberty
Mojave at Desert Oasis
Thursday
Sierra Vista at Cimarron-Memorial, 5 p.m.
Friday
Mater East at Desert Oasis
Virgin Valley at Boulder City
Saturday
Big City Showdown at Coronado
Bishop Gorman vs. Centennial, 6:15 p.m.
Flag football
Class 5A
1. Desert Oasis (8-0)
2. Shadow Ridge (10-1)
3. Arbor View (10-1)
4. Palo Verde (10-3)
5. Liberty (6-2)
Class 4A
1. Virgin Valley (5-3)
2. Sierra Vista (5-2)
3. Mater East (6-3)
4. Clark (7-4)
5. Spring Valley (5-2)
Games to watch
All games at 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Palo Verde at Desert Oasis
Coronado at Bishop Gorman
SECTA at Arbor View
Friday
Shadow Ridge at Palo Verde
Canyon Springs at Arbor View
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