Pinnacle +7 -104 BET365 +7 -110 SportsInteraction +7 -110 BetOnline +7 -110 Bookmaker +7 -110

Posted at 10:30 AM EST. 

EDMONTON +7 over Winnipeg

9:45 PM EST. As we’ve seen this entire year, the oddsmakers were scrambling again this week to post the right number on this game. When it first came out early in the week, at least two reputable outfits posted Winnipeg as a ridiculous 6-point favorite. Two days later, that number came out at other joints at -4 and thus, adjustments were made at all sportsbooks. As luck would have it for the first outfits that put up a bad number, the noon-hour news of starting QB Trevor Harris being transferred to the injured list with neck and head concerns came just prior to the team’s Day 3 practice and six hours prior to the business side of the organization announcing at the end of the business day that they’ll require proof of at least one vaccination to be able to get into the game.

As soon as that news came out, the efficient market swarmed like a pack of hyenas, thus driving the price back up past its original number of -6. We are now the beneficiaries of what we’ll still call a ridiculous number, inspired by Edmonton being without its starting QB. To that we say big deal, as Harris was brutal last week, he’s been brutal in more than a few quarters this year and when a key player goes down, the rest of the team gets a little extra motivation because everyone writes them off.

The Bombers, meanwhile, arrived here with all sorts of swagger looking to improve to 6-1 for the first time since 2011 when they reached the Grey Cup and since 1984 when they won it. Winnipeg has scored the most points (136) and allowed the fewest (76) in the CFL this season for a plus-60 differential. They’ve scored 16 touchdowns and given up six, have a touchdown ratio of plus 12 and have allowed the fewest fourth-quarter points with three. We’re not going to go into all the details of Winnipeg’s very average wins this season but we we will say we grabbed them when they were underpriced the past two weeks against the garbage Riders from Saskatchewan and now we are quick to sell them because they are grossly overpriced again. 

As for Edmonton’s new QB, say hello to Taylor Cornelius, who was quarterback at Oklahoma State in college and as a pro for a handful of games in the XFL for rookie head coach Jaime Elizondo as offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Vipers. 

Cornelius was an unheralded recruit out of high school with one offer, from West Texas A&M. For most of his collegiate career, Cornelius was a backup, behind Oklahoma State's most decorated quarterback: Mason Rudolph. In 2014, Cornelius enrolled at Oklahoma State University and walked on to the football team. In 2017, Cornelius was awarded a football scholarship by the Oklahoma State University coaching staff.  He was seldom used until his fifth and final year of eligibility, where he led the Cowboys to a 7–6 season. His receivers included Bilitnikoff Award finalist Tylan Wallace, and former 5-star recruit and LSU transfer Tyron Johnson; who helped the Cornelius to a top 10 national ranking in passing touchdowns, passing yards, passing yards per game, points responsible for, points responsible for per game, and total offense.

At the beginning of the 2018 season, head coach Mike Gundy made it clear that Cornelius would be the starting quarterback over transfer Dru Brown and true freshman Spencer Sanders. In the first game of the season, Cornelius led the Cowboys to a 58–17 win over the Missouri State Bears, a game in which he threw for 300 yards and 5 touchdowns. His first real test came on September 15 in a game against the 17th ranked Boise State Broncos. Cornelius threw for 243 yards and 1 touchdown while adding the game-sealing touchdown on the ground. The Cowboys sat at 4-3 when the Texas Longhorns came to Stillwater. Cornelius shined on national TV, throwing for 321 yards and 3 touchdowns and adding 2 more rushing touchdowns en route to a 38–35 win. Two weeks later, the Cowboys went on the road to Norman, Oklahoma to take on the Oklahoma Sooners in the yearly Bedlam Series. Cornelius went toe-to-toe with future number 1 overall pick Kyler Murray. He threw for a Bedlam school record and third-most in Oklahoma State single game history; 501 yards and 3 touchdowns. On the last offensive play of the game, Cornelius underthrew star wideout Tylan Wallace, ending any upset bid the Cowboys had going. The very next week on November 17, the 9th ranked West Virginia Mountaineers visited Stillwater for the final home game of the year. On Senior Day, Cornelius led Oklahoma State to a come from behind upset victory over the Mountaineers, out-dueling Will Grier. He threw for 338 yards and 5 touchdowns and had 106 yards rushing and 1 rushing touchdown. This is widely considered to be his greatest game as a Cowboy. After a season finale loss against TCU, Cornelius led the Cowboys to the Liberty Bowl against Drew Lock and the Missouri Tigers. 

He ended his 2018 redshirt senior season with 3,978 yards and 32 passing touchdowns, both ranked in the top 10 nationally. Cornelius is tied for second in single season touchdowns accounted for with 1988 Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders, both behind 2018's Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner and former Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback, Mason Rudolph. Cornelius holds spots inside the top 10 of the Oklahoma State Football record books in the following: single game passing yards (501) and touchdowns (5), single season passing yards (3,978) and touchdowns (32), and career passing yards (4,198) and passing touchdowns (32).

Taylor Cornelius is 6’5” tall, has a golden arm and is getting a shot on a big field. We saw Calgary’s Jake Maier, another rookie QB with a golden arm, absolutely thrive in a similar spot. Now throw in seven points in a game the Elks can and likely will win outright and we have ourselves a great value bet. 

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