While NFL Week 2 matchups are the hot play of the weekend, it’s only the second week. The playoff portion of the Chase for the Sprint Cup begins Sunday with the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and a former champion will start his quest for a third series title with the checkered flag.

New Hampshire Odds – Sunday, September 20, 2:00 PM ET

Denny Hamlin is the favored driver with NASCAR odds of +600, and his 8.3 average in seven races at New Hampshire is the best among active drivers. The No.11 driver won the New Hampshire summer race back in 2007, and he’s coming off a victory at Richmond, his hometown track. With no Kyle Busch in the Chase, JGR’s efforts will be focused solely on Hamlin’s title bid.

Jeff Gordon has won at New Hampshire three times, and he finished second to Joey Logano in the rain-shortened summer race back in June. The No.24 driver is rated at +700 along with Hendrick teammate (and three-time defending series champion) Jimmie Johnson, and Gordon has four top-10s in his last six races. But his teammate may not be far behind as Johnson led 93 laps in the summer, and he has two wins of his own at New Hampshire. And don’t forget about Mark Martin at +800, as the No.5 driver heads into the Chase as the top seed.

For sports picks outside of the favorites, look at Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick at +1200, and Juan Pablo Montoya at +3000. The older Busch brother has three wins at New Hamsphire, including a 2004 sweep, and he finished third here in the summer. Harvick has been on a roll lately, and has less to lose now that he’s not in the Chase. The No.29 driver won this race back in 2006. Finally, Montoya has been driving conservatively to get into the Chase, and now he can let loose. He finished 12^th here back in June.

However, Tony Stewart comes in at +800, and the No.14 driver has a pair of wins at New Hampshire, although neither has come in the fall. Stewart had a major point advantage before drivers were reseeded for the Chase, and he was the most consistent driver of the season. He’s slumped in recent weeks, but that’s due to experimentation by his team as they were already locked into the Chase. With a 12.2 average in 21 races here that puts him fifth among active drivers, and the motivation to make a statement, go with Tony Stewart in your betting software.

Jeff Garcia has resigned with the Philadelphia Eagles. This appears to be a sign that the injury to starting QB Donovan McNabb may cause him to miss playing time.

Sportsbooks have still not posted a line on the Saints-Eagles.  Check the NFL point spread.

Michigan State plays Notre Dame. The betting odds has the Irish a 10.5 point favorite at Sports Betting Sportsbook and 10 at Bodog.

The Guy Store has tickets to the Spartans and Fighting Irish. Top football betting information is at OffshoreInsiders.com   

The USC-Washington betting line is up and should get out of a circle.  USC QB Matt Barkley “will be okay” according to head coach Pete Carroll. USC is a 20-point favorite at BetUs Sportsbook but shop around as the number varies at the sportsbooks.

Any late-breaking injury information will be posted at Lines-Maker.com  

Utes running back Matt Asiata is questionable, so the ESPN odds on Utah vs. Oregon are in a circle. However, the Ducks of Oregon are -4 at virtually ever sportsbook.

To listen to the broadcast of this as well as all NFL games on Sirius Satellite Radio or buy tickets, check out the Guy Store   

Sports handicappers will have their say Saturday on who covers at OffshoreInsiders.com

This week’s college football odds features a top-20 matchup from the ACC between No.14 Georgia Tech and No.20 Miami, who have lost four in a row to the Yellow Jackets, but are coming off a upset in a big rivalry game.

Georgia Tech vs Clemson odds – Thursday, September 14, 7:30 PM ET

The Yellow Jackets raced out to a 24-0 lead, and had to hold on by the skin of their teeth in a 30-27 win over Clemson. As usual, it was a fierce ground game that carried the Yellow Jackets to victory as they racked up 301 yards on the ground. But how far can they go without a passing game? Josh Nesbitt ran for 91 yards, but he was a brutal 3-of-14 for 83 yards with two picks when he had to drop back. He did make a couple of clutch throws down the stretch, but the triple-option offense works much better if the passing game is involved.

Jacory Harris threw for 386 yards, which was the most by a Miami quarterback against Florida State, as the Hurricanes stunned the Seminoles 38-34 on the road. It stunned everyone but the Hurricanes, who have now won five of their last six trips to Florida State. Miami didn’t have to bother with a ground game as Harris was on fire, and it’s made more impressive by the fact that he had an injured shoulder. But the Hurricanes have a few things to sort out before the Georgia Tech, namely, the run defense. Miami gave up 110 yards against a Florida State that wasn’t even really looking to run much. 

The Hurricanes are 4.5-point favorites at home against the Yellow Jackets, who have beaten Miami in four straight meetings. Even though there aren’t many NFL picks on the field, there’ll still be a lot of talent, particularly on offense, so this should go over the posted total. However, we’re not sold on Miami’s ability to slow down the Georgia Tech triple option, which lit up the Hurricanes to the tune of 472 yards in last year’s 41-23 romp. They may not gain that many on Thursday, but they’ll do enough to get past the Hurricanes. Go with Georgia Tech for an upset in your sports picks on Thursday.