10 games played, by sport.
MLB The marquee game tonight is Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees, with the Yankees favored at home and a division bragging-rights edge on the line as New York tries to lock down its record before October. Keep an eye on Chicago Cubs at San Diego Padres too, a tight NL matchup where either bullpen going to the pen too early could open the door for a walk-off. Right now Chicago White Sox are actually out-hitting the Astros in Houston, so if the White Sox starter can work into the sixth and the heart of the order keeps working counts for OBP, this one could sneak up as the sleeper of the night.
MLS The marquee game tonight is St. Louis CITY SC visiting Red Bull New York, with St. Louis favored on the road as they push their playoff positioning against a New York side that needs points at home to keep pace. If St. Louis can find the net early and lock down a clean sheet, they walk away with a statement result; if not, expect a tight draw with New York pressing for a late winner in stoppage time. Keep an eye out for a sitter or two in the box, since these MLS sides don't always convert their best through balls.
NCAA Football Thursday night's headliner is North Texas Mean Green at Tulsa Golden Hurricane, with Tulsa trying to keep pace at 3-1 against a North Texas team that's a slight 1.5-point favorite on the road, and the total sitting at 57.5 suggests both offenses expect to move the ball rather than get bogged down at the line of scrimmage. Earlier in the night, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at New Mexico State Aggies is more of a survive-and-advance game between two 1-3 teams, with New Mexico State a modest 2.5-point home favorite. Neither game screams smashmouth defense, so expect some garbage-time stats piling up if either side pulls away in the red zone.
NFL Thursday night's marquee game is a rare 2-1 versus 2-1 AFC North showdown as the Pittsburgh Steelers head to Huntington Bank Field to take on the Cleveland Browns, with Pittsburgh favored by 2.5 and the over/under sitting at 38.5. Division bragging rights and an early tiebreaker edge are on the line, and with a total that low, expect a smashmouth, time-of-possession battle at the line of scrimmage rather than a shootout. Watch for whichever defense forces a third-and-long stop in the red zone, since neither offense figures to move the ball easily against these two units.
NHL The marquee game tonight is Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers, a Metropolitan Division tilt to open the season with the Flyers favored at home and the total sitting at 6.5, so expect some fireworks if either power play gets rolling early. Also keep an eye on New York Islanders at Toronto Maple Leafs, where the Maple Leafs are trying to shake off an opening loss and will need their penalty kill sharp to avoid another slow start. If either game reaches the third with a one-goal margin, watch for a team to pull the goalie late for the extra attacker, hunting for a snipe top shelf to force overtime.
WNBA The marquee matchup tonight is Atlanta Dream at Washington Mystics, with the Dream favored as they push for playoff seeding against a scrappy Mystics squad that won't back down at home. Later, Golden State Valkyries take their buckets on the road to face the Dallas Wings in a game that could swing playoff positioning either way. Circle Thursday's Indiana Fever at Las Vegas Aces clash too, where the defending contenders will look to put on an absolute clinic in the paint against a Fever team hungry for an upset dagger.