We do have Monday Night Football, but it’s not the NFL. The FCS football championship will be decided tonight in Nashville. If FCS football isn’t your brand of vodka, we also get a short slate of college hoops action. Today’s schedule required a little deep-sea diving, but we do get our first official SWAC Monday of 2026. Despite the limited slate, we do have three college basketball picks that you’ll want to lock up before the games get started.
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College Basketball Preview, Picks, and Best Bets for January 5
Matt Dewoskin ATS College Basketball Picks Record (Est 11/3/2025)
All Selections: 96-79-2
Perfect 3-0 Cards: 9-49
Nebraska at Ohio State
Start Time: 6:30 PM EST
Nebraska enters this game with a 14-0 overall record and a 1-0 road mark. The Cornhuskers are 7-6-1 overall against the spread and 1-0 ATS on the road.
Ohio State comes into this matchup with a 10-3 overall record and a 7-3 home mark. The Buckeyes are 5-8 overall ATS and 3-5 ATS at home.
The Cornhuskers are one of the hottest teams in the country. They’re undefeated and come in with a number next to their name. So, why is Nebraska catching points. This is a clear case of the line telling us that this is where the Cornhuskers stumble.
Ohio State has won back-to-back games. The Buckeyes beat down Grambling over the holidays and clipped Rutgers in Piscataway, NJ. Nebraska has in-conference wins over Michigan State, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
Ohio State can score points on offense, and they can defend the perimeter. Nebraska won’t find nearly as many open looks from deep in this one. The Buckeyes allow opponents to shoot 29.9% from deep this year. That’s the 38th-best mark in the country. Ohio State is also a top-ten free-throw shooting team in the country. In terms of metrics, Nebraska is the better defensive team, but Ohio State gets to play this on its floor in front of its fans.
There’s no reason for Nebraska to be catching points. The books clearly think this is a spot where they stumble. Lock up Ohio State to win and cover this game.
Best Bet: Ohio State -2.5
Milwaukee at Green Bay
Start Time: 7:00 PM EST
Milwaukee comes into this game with a 7-8 overall record and a 1-7 road mark. The Panthers are 6-8 overall ATS and 3-5 ATS on the road this year.
Green Bay enters this matchup with a 7-8 overall record and a 3-1 home mark. The Phoenix are 7-6 overall ATS and 1-1 ATS at home.
Milwaukee is off back-to-back losses at Wisconsin and at Wright State. The Panthers are 3-1 at in Horizon League play with wins over IPFW, Robert Morris, and Cleveland State.
Green Bay has won three out of its last four. Their most recent loss was a 23-point loss to Campbell in Buies Creek. The Phoenix have in-conference wins over IUPUI and IFPW. They’ve lost to Robert Morris and Wright State.
The last two lines are the handicap. Green Bay is good enough to pick up wins over bottom-half teams in conference, but struggles against the top teams in the Horizon League. Milwaukee is one of the two best teams in the Horizon League, and they’re off two tough losses. Look for the Panthers to come out firing.
Milwaukee has a poor road record, but it tested itself in the non-conference schedule. The Panthers won at Cleveland State, but have losses at Wofford, Indiana, Texas Tech, Wichita State, Akron, Wisconsin, and Wright State. Cleveland State is the worst team they’ve played, but Green Bay is the second-worst team they’ll have faced on the road after today. Lock up Milwaukee to get off the slide and pick up their second road win at Green Bay. The Panthers will win by more than two points.
Best Bet: Milwaukee -2
Pennsylvania at Princeton
Start Time: 7:00 PM EST
Penn enters this game with a 7-6 overall record and a 1-5 road record. The Quakers are 6-6 overall ATS and 3-3 ATS on the road.
Princeton comes into this matchup with a 4-11 record and a 4-1 home mark. The Tigers are 9-4-1 ATS overall and 3-1 ATS at home.
This is the first conference game for both teams. Penn is off a 19-point win over NJIT and Princeton is off a four-point win over Vermont in overtime.
This is a case of an experienced Penn team taking on a younger Princeton team in their first conference game, coming off a big win. This is a classic let-down spot for the team that’s in a bit of a rebuild. If this game were in two months, Princeton might look a bit better laying points. From a historical perspective, Princeton has owned this series for years, but this is a weaker Princeton team and a much stronger Penn team.
Penn is by far the better offensive team. If the Quakers dictate the pace, this game could get out of hand. Princeton can defend the perimeter, but they’ve been a bit soft on the inside. Look for Penn’s experience and shooting to carry them to a cover. Lock up the Quakers with the 3.5 points.
Best Bet: Penn +3.5
The College Basketball Experience
For more analysis on every college basketball game for the 2025-26 season, make sure you tune into The College Basketball Experience. Colby Dant, Moneyline Mac, and Noah Bieniek talk about each game on the entire slate. Listen for input on ATS and moneyline college basketball picks every night!
