NCAAF

• Louisville 20 UCF 14
  • UCF -5.5 felt like a trap. Yet I took it. Credit to Louisville, though. Malik Cunningham was brutal last week, but he showed why he’s one of the ACC’s top quarterbacks in this contest. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the roster isn’t full of Malik Cunninghams, so it’ll be difficult to contend in the ACC. With that said, I wouldn’t be shocked if Louisville made things interesting next Friday versus Florida State.
  • UCF is a perennially overrated program. The team’s actual talent and production never matches overall public perception. The Knights can easily compete in the American, but reality will hit the program hard when it migrates to the Big 12 next year.
• Boise State 31 New Mexico 14
  • The Broncos suffered a disappointing defeat last week at the hands of Oregon State, so this was certainly a get right game for Boise State. One big concern remains though: the struggles of Hank Bachmeier. Boise State won’t win the Mountain West if this type of play keeps up.

MLB

• Cubs 4 Giants 2
  • I don’t know what type of discussions the Cubs had regarding Drew Smyly around the trade deadline, but it would’ve been smart for the Cubs and contending clubs to agree to a deal. The starter has been excellent of late, and after winning this game, Smyly holds a 3.57 ERA.
• Pirates 8 Cardinals 2
  • Roansy Conteras has been a nice under the radar story for the Pirates. Cheap and controllable starting pitchers are absolute gems for small-market organizations, so Conteras should be a keeper for Pittsburgh.
• Orioles 3 Red Sox 2
  • The Orioles aren’t dead yet. Top prospect Gunnar Henderson is a small reason why. Going 2-3 with two RBIs in this contest, Henderson has given Baltimore an undeniable spark since being promoted.
• Rays 4 Yankees 2
  • For awhile, it seemed unfathomable that anyone would catch the Yankees in the AL East. Well, look now. After this win, Tampa Bay sits just 3.5 games back of New York. The Rays probably won’t complete the job and pass the Yankees, but I wouldn’t rule it out. The season, after all, still has around four weeks remaining. That’s plenty of games.
• Reds 8 Brewers 2
  • Nick Lodolo might be special. It’s rare to find rookies these days that can go deep into ballgames, but the Reds’ starter fits the bill. Lodolo threw eight innings of two-run ball in this contest, and struck out 11 Brewers.