As we inch closer and closer to the start of a new college football season, we et little morsels of gambling goodness dropped in front of us like a bread crumb trail leading us to the first kickoffs of the new year. Award watch lists are one thing, but gambling numbers are something else. Just the other day we got to look over a number of win totals to review.
5Dimes set the over/under numbers for a good number of schools this fall, and Kegs ‘n Eggs shared them with the public. You can review the full list available to see if your school is listed (Florida State is not, for example), but here are five you can probably feel pretty good about, keeping in mind these numbers are strictly based on the regular season.
BYU: 8.5 (Over -160, Under +120)
BYU has won eight game sin each of the past two seasons, but this 2014 season looks to be a tad more difficult than you might think. To beat the over, BYU is going to probably need to get off to a good start. That would mean winning games at Texas and at home against a talented Houston team. BYU also plays Utah State, at Boise State and at UCF. Can BYU win nine games? Yes, probably, but if you have to go one way on this the under seems like a safer bet.
Maryland: 7.5 (Over +100, Under -140)
Maryland joins the Big Ten this season and will be placed in the same division as Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan and Penn State. The Terps may have the most talented group of wide receivers in the conference, but getting to eight wins looks to be a tall order in 2014. Maryland has non-conference games against West Virginia and Syracuse as well, and neither of those games should be considered automatic wins by any stretch of the imagination. The Under seems safe, as the numbers surely indicate.
Miami: 7.5 (Over -160, Under +120)
Miami won nine games last season but the Hurricanes could have some quarterback issues facing them in 2014. Miami gets road games at Louisville and Nebraska in September, not to mention division games with Duke and Georgia Tech. Cincinnati could also be a challenge in non-conference play and the Hurricnaes have a rough stretch in the second half of the season including a Thursday night game at Virginia Tech and home games against UNC, Florida State and Pittsburgh. There may only be three sure wins on this schedule, and just getting to eight is going to be a battle. That over seems risky, and I am as big an Al Golden fan you may find.
Nebraska: 7.5 (Over -130, Under -110)
Nebraksa could very well be entering October with five wins with games against Northwestern, Rutgers, Purdue and Minnesota all still to be played. Personally, this over seems almost too easy to hit, but this is Nebraska we are talking about. Even if the Huskers take a loss in September, or two, getting to eight wins should be realistic given the track record (at least eight regular season wins each season since 2008).
Helmet sticker to Kegs ‘n Eggs.