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Well, that was a quick week.

The field of 68 in the NCAA Tournament has already been trimmed down to 16 following the first week of March Madness. Now, the stakes increase even more. Only four wins stand between one remaining team and the title.

The Round of 16 will take place on Thursday, March 28, and Friday, March 29, followed by the Elite 8 on Saturday and Sunday. Final 4 weekend tips off Saturday, April 6 in Minneapolis.

Below are the betting lines for the Sweet 16 matchups at DraftKings Sportsbook, along with futures odds for remaining 16 teams at DraftKings, FanDuel Sportsbook and BetStars in New Jersey.

NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Odds

March Madness Futures Odds

How to watch the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

Thursday, March 28

(1) Gonzaga vs. (4) Florida State 7:09 p.m. ET (CBS)
(2) Tennessee vs. (3) Purdue 7:29 p.m. ET (TBS)
(2) Michigan vs. (3) Texas Tech Approx. 9:39 p.m. ET (CBS)
(1) Virginia vs. (12) Oregon Approx. 9:59 p.m. ET (TBS)

Friday, March 29

(2) Michigan State vs. (3) LSU 7:09 p.m. ET (CBS)
(1) North Carolina vs. (5) Auburn 7:29 p.m. ET (TBS)
(1) Duke vs. (4) Virginia Tech Approx. 9:39 p.m. ET (CBS)
(2) Kentucky vs. (3) Houston Approx. 9:59 p.m. ET (TBS)

Army, Air Force, and Navy compete each year for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. This trophy is awarded to the team that wins the overall series with the service academies. Because Army beat Navy and because Air Force beat Navy — the latter in blowout fashion, by the way — the winner of this game will earn the trophy.

Air Force Falcons vs. Army Black Knights

Saturday, December 19, 2020 – 03:00 PM EST at Michie Stadium

Army’s Bad Situation

Last week, Army played its biggest game of the season against classic rival Navy. Defensively, Army left everything it had on the field in order to produce goal-line stands at the one yard-line and in general in order to shut out Navy. It will naturally be difficult for the Black Knights to avoid an emotional letdown after they generated an emotional high last weekend.

While Army was busy with Navy, the Falcons had a week off. So they have had extra time to prepare for the Black Knights. Motivationally, Air Force has an extra advantage because its players and coaches are well aware of the very disrespectful comments made by Army head coach Jeff Monken. Monken’s rant that Air Force did not want to play Army is classic bulletin board material.

For your college football picks, note that it’s obviously inaccurate to suggest that the Falcons did not want to face the Black Knights. For starters, Monken actually has a losing record against the Falcons. He is 2-4 in his career against them.

Quarterback Situation

The quarterback situation favors Air Force for two reasons: consistency and overall quality. Army has been employing multiple different quarterbacks. This variety generates inconsistency at the position, which makes the offense as a whole less reliable.

In contrast, the Falcon offense is solidly in the hands of Haaziq Daniels. As a passer, Daniels is relatively efficient. Whereas Army’s quarterbacks tend to struggle to complete over 40 percent of their passes, Daniels completes 60 percent. This disparity in ability explains why the Falcons are able to throw the ball at a higher rate than Army. So Air Force has a stronger second dimension to its triple-option offense.

Playmakers

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It’s easier for any quarterback to be more productive when he has a 6'6' target to throw to. Air Force distinguishes itself with the presence of tight end Kyle Patterson, who had received offers from multiple Power 5 programs, including Alabama. Patterson is the team’s leading wide receiver because he combines that size with great athletic ability.

The other top playmaker for Air Force is Kadin Remsberg. He is finally healthy after rushing for 1,000 yards last season. Remsberg is a weapon especially when running outside the tackles. This RB is strong and tough to bring down but also elusive. He cuts well while using his blockers to navigate open running lanes.

Army does not have the kind of studs that Air Force has in its passing game and in its running back, which is important to keep in mind when looking at the NCAAF odds. Their presence helps explain why the Falcons post a much tougher test for Army than Navy. Air Force is averaging 11.2 more points per game than Navy because the Falcons possess superior team speed on offense, have a consistent and competent quarterback, and have difference-making playmakers.

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Army Offense vs. Air Force Defense

For Army, Tyrell Robinson is supposed to be a key playmaker who can accrue a lot of chunk plays. But the Freshman has vanished against stronger competition and he’s done very little in more intense games like the one against Navy.

With its nationally 15th-ranked run defense, Air Force certainly qualifies as tough competition. So Robinson’s shortcomings, plus those of the inefficient passing game, force Army to rely too heavily on low-yardage, grinder-type ball-carriers who are most useful only in short-yardage situations.

Army still has some quicker guys who want to get to the outside. But this much less efficient ground game — that ranks 46 spots behind the Falcons in YPC — won’t challenge Air Force’s consistently strong run defense.

Sweet 16 Gambling Picks 2019

The Verdict

Sweet 16 Gambling Picks 2020

Army will have a tougher time sustaining drives with its dearth of playmakers, with its problems at quarterback, and while facing a strong Air Force run defense. In addition to its match-up edge, Air Force finds itself in a more positive situation that sportsbooks are not accounting for. Feel free to bet the Falcons to win SU or to cover the small spread.

NCAAF Pick: Falcons ML (-140) with Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports Review)