First Down Kentucky: Friday Futures

Bowl season continues to be one of the most profitable times of the year to wager on college football. Unfortunately, the daily grind has come to a screeching halt. One game remains, leaving us with nothing more than a futures market. My Alabama National Championship wager will not cash, but I can already start placing picks for the first ever title determined by a 12-team CFB Playoff. Here’s an early look at the odds for SEC teams at BetOnline.ag.

Alabama & Georgia 5/1
Texas 9/1
LSU 12/1
Ole Miss 14/1
Tennessee 25/1
Texas A&M 33/1
Oklahoma 40/1
Missouri 50/1
Auburn 100/1
Arkansas & Florida 125/1
Kentucky 200/1
South Carolina 250/1
Mississippi State 500/1
Vanderbilt 1000/1

Heisman Candidates on the Kentucky 2024 Schedule

Based purely on odds alone, Kentucky will play four of the six best teams in the SEC next year. Those teams have star power at quarterback. When you consider how porous the UK pass defense was in 2023 (93rd in passing yards per game, 123rd in success rate), there are reasons to be concerned when they go toe-to-toe with the sport’s best passers. Heisman odds are courtesy of FanDuel, with Kentucky opponents in bold.

Quinn Ewers +750
Jalen Milroe +750
Carson Beck +750
Dillon Gabriel +1000
J.J. McCarthy +1800
Nico Iamaleava +1800
Jackson Arnold +1800
Conner Weigman +1800
Garrett Nussmeier +2000
Jaxson Dart +2000

Interesting NFL Prop Bets

It’s officially incentive season. Even if the playoffs aren’t on the line for every team, plenty are playing for bonuses in week 18. In theory, it provides a window of opportunity in the gambling markets.

Let me be clear — this isn’t some sort of easy cheat code to winning player props. Just because they want to have big games to get bonuses, doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. The other guys are paid to play professionally too. Even so, there are a couple out there that feel like low-hanging fruit.

Kansas City’s Chris Jones is a half-sack away from earning an additional $1.25 million for tallying 10 sacks in a season. The problem is there are no playoff implications for the Chiefs vs. Chargers. Jones did not practice on Thursday either. Sunday morning monitor his status and if he’s in, take a swing at that over sack total.

One person that will suit up on Sunday is Dalton Schultz. The Texans tight end is averaging 3.9 receptions per game. He needs four receptions to earn $250k and he can make it a cool $500k if he catches six passes. The stakes are high in a “win and you’re in” game against the Colts. I’ll ride with Schultz over 4.5 receptions on the FanDuel Sportsbook.

If you would like some more incentive-based props, you can take a closer look here.

Ja’Mori Maclin made it to Kentucky

The new Kentucky wide receiver settled into his new Kentucky home. Yesterday he hit the town for his first meal at The Local Taco, not a bad choice. Don’t worry, he’s already got KSBar and Grille’s wings on the docket. Now he needs your help.

Best pizza spot in town ? 👀

— Ja’Mori Maclin (@routerunner9) January 4, 2024

When will BJ Mayes arrive in Lexington?

Kentucky’s top cornerback target in the transfer portal is on the road. BJ Mayes started an official visit to Arkansas Thursday evening, a day after the University of Kentucky offered. Mayes told Jacob Polacheck that he has a close relationship with the Arkansas defensive staff, but a visit to Kentucky is “in the works.” Hopefully he escapes Fayetteville without committing, giving Kentucky an opportunity to roll the dice this weekend.

Good News for Kentucky

While BJ Mayes was visiting Arkansas, the Razorbacks received a commitment from Marquise Robinson. Kentucky offered the cornerback from South Alabama. Now that he’s off the board, that would be a bad thing for the BBN, right? Not if he’s taking a spot in Fayetteville that was reserved for Mayes. This could be a sign of good news to come for the Wildcats in their recruitment of the UAB cornerback.

Jalen Geiger Visits Tulane

Former Kentucky safety Jalen Geiger spent time with a familiar face this week, Jon Sumrall. Geiger was in New Orleans visiting Tulane’s campus. The Green Wave could provide a nice landing spot for the grad transfer.

Elsewhere around the transfer portal, former Arkansas left tackle Devon Manuel quietly visited Kentucky prior to the early signing period. Nothing materialized and today he landed at Florida. Florida left guard Richie Leonard, a former Kentucky commit, is entering the transfer portal.

The biggest news of the day came from Maryland where Taulia Tagovailoa announced he will leave the school this offseason. Many assumed this was already the plan because his eligibility has expired, but he tells ESPN’s Pete Thamel that he’s filed for a re-instatement waiver with the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility. Taulia burnt his redshirt by taking two extra snaps in a game at Alabama when his brother got injured. He’s playing a sympathy card to get an extra year of college football.

History Lesson with Paul Finebaum

One caller wanted to talk about Richard Nixon on The Paul Finebaum Show. He did not bring enough facts to go toe-to-toe with the Mouth of the South.

Sometimes we talk football…sometimes we give history lessons… pic.twitter.com/XzMwnLH2zs

— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) January 4, 2024