College Football: Betting guide for the 2013 season

Jan 8, 2013; Fort Lauderdale FL, USA; The coaches trophy which was awarded to the Alabama Crimson Tide was on display during head coach Nick Saban winning coach press conference at Harbor Beach Marriott Resort /

Pete Fitzsimmons is a writer for FanSided partner BroJackson.com. For more great content, head on over to Bro Jackson and check out Pete’s work.

The gambling off-season is almost over. It spans from the time Lebron collects his mini Larry O’Brien MVP trophy to that weird Thursday in August where some MAC teams start the college football season off. But fear not, the devastatingly painful 10-week stretch is coming to an end. Try as I might, I just cannot bring myself to wager on regular season baseball. It’s just too depressing, and no one else does it. I’ve tried to, but man alive is it awful to wager on a Padres/Rockies tilt when I really should be outside crushing tall boys in nature.

It’s time to dip our toes into the wading pool of college football futures. Take a peek at the major conferences, get our gambling chubby going. August is a great month, with everything coming to a head as the head umpire’s whistle blows prompting 11 soon-to-be brain damaged warriors running full steam at 11 other warriors returning the favor of promised violence. And we get to gamble on it. Sweet Mamacita. As Yakov Smirnov once said (100,000 times), “America, what a country”!

SEC

Kentucky (Under 4.5). I know I know this is a low number and not a sexy bet, but this one is the one I feel most comfortable with. Kentucky’s problem is an absolutely brutal schedule. That and a bottom half team. If we give them the three wins against Western Kentucky (not a lock), Miami of Ohio (pretty good chance for a win), and Alabama St. (they better win that one), Kentucky still needs to pull of two more wins against Louisville or the mighty SEC. I also see this team totally going off the rails after facing Florida, at South Carolina, and Alabama in consecutive weeks. This team isn’t going 5-7. They’ll go 2-0, and it will scare you, because any team can go 3-7 right? No. Take the under.

Big Ten

Illinois (Under 3.5). I’m a real negative nelly here. I was tempted to take the under on OSU at 11, but the odds still aren’t good enough there (-170). OSU is not going undefeated again. But will they lose 2? Probably not. That is where we feed on the downtrodden. Besides Miami OH and SIU (neither are locks), there’s not a win on their schedule. If they happen to lose opening day to Southern Illinois, we are looking a possible one-win team. Every beatable Big Ten opponent they play on the road. Coach Tim Beckman was a mistake from the beginning and it will continue this year. Nathan Sheelhaase has shown flashes, but that was years ago. Aim low.

Pac 12

Colorado (Under 3.5). I couldn’t believe this was this high. There isn’t a win on their schedule if it breaks right let alone four wins. I’m making this my official lock of the preseason win totals. New coach Mike MacIntyre is somewhat of a miracle worker turning around the San Jose St. team from the brink of cancelling the program to a top 25 ranking, but that was with his own recruits in the WAC. Some of the most diverse football is played in the PAC 12 and that hasn’t included the team in Boulder. This is still a rudderless ship shoved out to sea by Dan Hawkins years ago. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will a four-win season.

Big 12

Baylor (Over 8). I love these guys. An absolute scoring machine. Here’s my thinking on this wager. The Bears aren’t going to win less than eight games. The should start the season 6-1 (lose at Kansas St.) and then they’ll need to win three of the next five against tough competition, but I have faith in a high flying offense in college ball. Especially in the Big 12 were defense has gone to die over the last few years. I’m not totally sold that they will win nine, but I like them to get eight easy, and then take my chances on getting my money back. Baylor’s got a good thing working down in Waco. Nick Florence is the real deal.

ACC

Syracuse (Over 4.5). Sure they lost their excellent head coach to NFL oblivion in Buffalo. Sure they lost their all world quarterback to the NFL as well. But 4.5 wins? Have you seen their schedule, and the ACC for that matter? Assuming they split their first four games (which they will), can this team go 3-5 in the ACC ? You bet. They get Wake Forest, Boston College, and Pittsburgh all in the dome. There is too much winning pedigree on this team regardless of their huge loses to the NFL. They’ll win five. I’m not totally sold on Clemson and Florida St. Combined they play down to the competition every year. I wouldn’t be surprised if Syracuse had a shot to knock one of them off this year.

Bonus Bet:

Boise St. (under 10). Never bet against Boise, right? Wrong. After years of trying to beef up their non conference schedule in order to be taken serious, Boise has a serious problem with the in conference schedule. They play Washington, Utah St., Fresno St., BYU, and San Diego St. all on the road. They would need to go 4-1 against those teams for you to cash. It’s not going to happen. Like the Baylor bet, I’m not 100 percent convinced they’ll win nine, but I know they aren’t going 11-1. Both of those bets are appetizing to me, because there is no hook. A push every now and again isn’t a terrible thing.

Have fun at the window this year. Mahalo.

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