The US Open odds are updated following Maria Sharapova getting shocked by teenage prodigy Melanie Oudin. Rafael Nadal is 6/1, Andy Roddic 11/1, well behind Roger Federer at even money.
The golf odds are updated for the Deutsche Bank Championship with Tiger Woods at 5/1 on the morning line Sunday.
Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Rebels and Tigers meet on the gridiron, the Red Sox play the White Sox, and the Padres try to grab a win in Los Angeles.
Colliding on the gridiron . . .
The LSU vs. Washington game ended with the Huskies covering, VA Tech football comes up short against Alabama as does Maryland football against California. The best college football handicappers continue to roll.
The college football slate provides two contests on Sunday, with Colorado State at Colorado, and No. 8 Mississippi at Memphis. The oddsmakers like the Buffaloes in that first contest, pegging them as 10-point home favorites (with a total of 51.5 points). Meanwhile, the ranked Rebels are big 17-point favorites in their matchup with the Tigers on Sunday afternoon. That total sits at 54.5 points.
As well, there’s a single Canadian Football League game on the schedule for Sunday, with Winnipeg at Saskatchewan. The Roughriders sit at 4-4 straight-up and 5-3 against-the-spread on the season, and they’re 7-point home favorites for Sunday (with a total of 51). The Bombers are 3-5 SU and 5-3 ATS on the season.
Meeting up on the diamond . . .
Jon Lester (11-7, 3.58 ERA) will take on John Danks (12-8, 3.82 ERA) on Sunday afternoon as the Red Sox continue their series in Chicago. Lefthander Lester beat the Rays in his last outing, giving up just two earned runs over six innings of work; Boston is 4-0 in Lester’s last four starts. Lefthander Danks fell to the Twins in his last outing, surrendering three earned runs over seven innings. Danks beat the Red Sox back on August 27, allowing two runs over six innings.
Also on the American League schedule for Sunday: Minnesota at Cleveland, the Yankees at Toronto, Texas at Baltimore, the Angels at Kansas City, Seattle at Oakland, and Detroit at Tampa Bay. Edwin Jackson (11-6, 3.09 ERA) will get the ball for the Tigers against his former team; righthander Jackson beat the Indians last time out and has won three of his last four starts. The Rays will counter with righthander Wade Davis, who will be making his Major League debut on Sunday.
Over in the National League, the Sunday night matchup has San Diego at Los Angeles, with Tim Stauffer (3-6, 3.76 ERA) taking on Hiroki Kuroda (5-5, 4.08 ERA). Righthander Stauffer is coming off back-to-back wins over the Nationals and Braves, surrendering just four earned runs over 11 2-3 innings in those outings. Righthander Kuroda is slated to return from the DL for Sunday’s start; Kuroda last pitched August 15 vs. the D-Backs, allowing one run in five innings.
Rounding out Sunday’s NL slate: the Cubs at the Mets, St. Louis at Pittsburgh, Florida at Washington, Philadelphia at Houston, San Francisco at Milwaukee, Arizona at Colorado, and Cincinnati at Atlanta. The Reds’ Johnny Cueto (9-10, 4.51 ERA) takes on the Braves’ Tim Hudson (1-0, 3.38 ERA) in that matchup. Righthander Cueto beat the Pirates in his last start (one run over five innings), while righthander Hudson beat the Marlins last time out in his ’09 season debut.
Tipping off on the hardwood . . .
There are two WNBA games on the schedule for Sunday, with Chicago at Detroit and Washington at Indiana. The East-leading Fever were beaten 70-63 by Detroit on Friday night, with guard Katie Douglas missing the game with a sprained ankle. The Mystics fell 92-86 to Chicago in their Friday contest. The Fever and Mystics last met in Indiana back on August 2, with the Fever pulling out an 87-79 road win. Douglas poured in a game-high 24 points in that victory.
Roaring around the track . . .
Finally, the drivers of the Sprint Cup Series return to the track on Sunday night in the Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Jimmie Johnson, who won a pair of Atlanta races in 2007, is pegged as the 5/1 Vegas favorite to take the checkered flag on Sunday. Kyle Busch is next on that list at 7/1 odds, with Mark Martin sitting at 15/2, and points leader Tony Stewart at 8/1. Kurt Busch (12/1) won the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta back in March. Carl Edwards (10/1) is the defending champion. The 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup begins in two weeks.