College Football

Playoffs or not, Cardinals fight to end

FRIDAY

Brigham Young (+3¹/₂) over Washington (Fight Hunger Bowl): BYU lost at Virginia, to Utah, at Wisconsin and got jobbed by referees in South Bend. Now it catches Washington with former head coach Steve Sarkisian having vamoosed (off to Southern Cal), on a grass field Washington doesn’t relish. Cougars focus well for bowls and are deadly when catching points. BYU (+3) wins outright, for one unit.

SUNDAY

CARDINALS (pick) over 49ers: 49ers’ narrow Monday night escape leaves Cardinals behind the eight ball, needing to win and for the Saints to somehow lose to the Bucs. But longtime Wildcat favorite Bruce Arians deserves Coach of the Year look. Earlier in San Francisco, Cards gave 49ers a scare, despite four turnovers. Cards beat Seattle last week on the road. Jim Harbaugh will be playing not to lose. Arians will be going for the throat. Cards (pick) ride momentum, for one unit.

LAST WEEK: 1-1. Cowboys always bad lay at Washington, especially with lousy defense (Redskins, plus one unit). Chicago mental edge lost once Packers and Lions went down (Bears, minus one unit).

SEASON: 19-13-2.

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