The College football season is not that far off anymore and is set to begin less than two weeks from now. The campaign will kick off on August 28 and promises to be an exciting one, especially considering how the COVID-19 pandemic forced a shutdown last year.
Of course, this is the time to make your college football predictions, probably even past it. But there’s still plenty of time to get your wagers in. Betting on one’s alma mater is probably one of the most common approaches but it’s not always the wisest way to go.
Fortunately for fans looking to place bets on college football futures, SportsLine has come up with some recommendations as it pertains to win totals heading into next season. The predictions are based on thousands of regular-season simulations. This is quite clearly a better way to go as emotions can really get in the way when it comes to getting the most value for your money in the betting space.
You could find all of SportsLine’s predictions here but we’re only going to touch on the two best unders and overs. The list is pretty extensive and informative and will likely go a long way in making the best bet choices.
So, let’s get right to it and start with two of the best unders, followed by a pair of the best overs.
Akron under 2.5 wins (-160)
Projected Record: 1.7-10.3
Akron has posted an embarrassing 1-17 over the course of the last two seasons. Their only win came last season when they played Bowling Green – a team that finished 0-5 – at home. They’re likely to get another win at home in the upcoming term as they have to play FCS Bryant at home, yet it’s pretty difficult to see them winning another two games.
The simulation has Akron vs. Bowling down as evenly matched, however, Bowling Green will be at home this season. The data has Akron to win less than 10 percent of their other 10 games although having quarterback Nato Nelson return should see to some improvement. While the MAC has a number of top teams heading into the season, Akron and Bowling Green are bottom feeders and, where the former is concerned, there’s not much confidence to be gained from going into Week 1 against Auburn and Week 2 against Ohio State.
Appalachian State under 9 wins (-110)
Projected Record: 8.3-3.7
This team wins at least nine games every season – that has been the case since 2015 – but there’s a good chance that the under pushes if it doesn’t hit. Shawn Clark became App State’s third coach in the last three seasons and led the team to a 9-3 record. He did have the luxury of third-year starter Zac Thomas at his disposal, though.
They went 8-3 in the regular season, with single-digit victories against Georgia Southern and Georgia State. The Mountaineers will have road fixtures to play against Miami, Louisiana, and Georgia State and also have to face Coastal Carolina and Marshall.
While App State has had a pretty formidable roster over the last few years, losing Thomas is a big blow. Former Clemson and Duke quarterback Chase Brice seems like he could start for the team but there are worries over his touchdown-interception ratio. The team could go 9-3 or 8-4 again but 10 wins look out of their reach and an under 9 is considered to be a pretty safe bet.
BYU over 6.5 wins (-130)
Projected Record: 9-3
BYU lost Zach Wilson to the NFL, as expected, with the QB getting selected as the second overall pick by the New York Jets. It’s still a bit surprising that the line is at 6.5 wins. The team’s defense, which ranked 4th in the country at 15.3 OPPG, was the reason behind the success they saw last season. And they still boast a mean D heading into this one, with a remarkable LB group leading the way.
The offense could struggle without Wilson, and that they lost a few offensive linemen is also expected to hurt, yet they’ve brought back a number of key players such as running back Tyler Allgeier and three of their top leading receivers from last term. Jaren Hall looks favored to pick up from Wilson but there are a number of players who could be given the starting job if things don’t work out on that front.
Arkansas State over 3.5 wins (-160)
Projected Record: 5.2-6.8
Arkansas State hasn’t posted less than four victories since 2004 and it isn’t expected that they will do so this year. Butch Jones has taken over as coach and has a pretty great reputation. Jones was unable to reach the heights expected at Tennessee but did coach the Vols to nine-win seasons in two of his last three terms in charge.
He should come to Arkansas a better product, having spent the last few campaigns as part of Nick Saban’s staff in Alabama.
The Red Wolves have also added a few Power Five transfers over the summer and are set to welcome quarterback Layne Hatcher and running back Marcel Murray back. They should be good for at least four games.