Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza 9/1/2015

by Doc's Sports - 9/1/2015

It is that time of the year again with college football starting this week and the NFL getting underway next week. In this week's discussion with Doc's Sports expert handicapper Raphael Esparza, we see if he can tip us off as to which Top 25 college team might need to be put on upset alert right out of the gate.

For the past eight years the former Vegas Sports Informer has been a key member of Doc's handicapping team. He first built his reputation as an expert handicapper during a long and successful career in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry that included a run as the Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria. Since his retirement from the sportsbook industry in 2013, Raphael spends all of his time as the owner and operator of one of the top sports investment services in town. The following is this week's conversation

Doc's Sports: Detroit made the playoffs last season, and both the Chicago Bears and the Minnesota Vikings appear to be headed in the right direction, but has any team done enough to dethrone the Green Bay Packers as perennial favorites to win the NFC North?

RE: There is quite a bit of talk about Minnesota making a run this year behind Teddy Bridgewater and Adrian Peterson, but this is still Green Bay's division to lose. The loss of Jordy Nelson hurts, but as long as Aaron Rodgers stays healthy the Packers' passing offense will be just fine.

Doc's Sports: Looking ahead to Week 1 of the college football schedule, can you give us one top-ranked program that could struggle to get a win in their season opener?

RE: There is quite a bit of early action on Texas upsetting Notre Dame this week. However, the possible straight up upset on my board would probably be BYU over Nebraska, especially if the Cougars can put some early points on the board and make the Cornhuskers play from behind.

Doc's Sports: Most sportbooks in town have the SEC favored to produce this year's college football champion. If you had to bet on one of the five power conferences right now to produce a national champ in 2015, which one would it be?

RE: I would go with the better value in the Big 12's odds for this prop. Both TCU and Baylor appear to be on a collision course with one another right up until that showdown at the end of the regular season, and both of these teams are more than capable of winning a national title this year.

Doc's Sports :Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has yet to name his starting quarterback for this Saturday's season opener. If you had to bet on which Buckeyes quarterback gets the start against Virginia Tech, would you go with JT Barrett or Cardale Jones?

RE: It is hard to believe how tight they have been able to keep the quarterback situation under wraps this close to the start of the regular season, but if I had to bet on one or the other I would go with Cardale Jones. It is hard to ignore the three-game run he went on last season to help the Buckeyes win the national title.

Doc's Sports: Professional Tennis' US Open gets underway this week. We have already talked about Serena Williams' chance to win the women's Grand Slam, but who do you like on the men's side of the bracket for this year's tournament?

RE: The obvious choices would be Andy Murray or Novak Djokovic. You could even throw Rafael Nadal into the mix if he can stay healthy, but I am going with Roger Federer as a sentimental favorite. It also helps that he is coming into this tournament in excellent form after beating both Murray and Djokovic last week in Cincinnati.

Click here to visit Raphael Esparza's Insider's Page at Doc's Sports for more information on his amazingly-profitable sports handicapping picks. Also, get $60 worth of Esparza's member's picks absolutely free - no obligation, no sales people - you don't even have to enter credit card information. You can use this $60 credit for any sport Esparza handicaps. Click here for $60 worth of free picks from Raphael Esparza .

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