College football football win totals: Over/under bets for every Pac-12 team
By Nick Villano
College football win totals are out for every Pac-12 football team. This is how you should bet the over or under for the win totals for every Pac-12 team.
The Pac-12 doesn’t get as much love as the SEC, Big Ten or even the Big 12 when it comes to national coverage. It likely has a lot to do with playing on the west coast, with some of their big matchup starting at 9-10 p.m. in New York, Boston and other of the U.S. major cities. Still, there are some instances where the Pac 12 has fallen below expectations more than other conferences.
In years past, it was one of the most competitive divisions in all of college football. However, it’s been four years since any Pac-12 team made the College Football Playoff when Washington snuck in as the No. 4 seed in the 2016 season. In fact, the Pac-12 has only been in the Playoff once since it’s existence.
When looking at college football win totals for the Pac-12 one must expect the teams in the division to give each other a few losses. No matter how bad some of the teams look like on paper, they could beat one of the best in the conference. UCLA started the downfall of Washington State and Arizona State knocked Oregon out of National Championship contention. It’s probably the most fun conference, but also the most frustrating. With that said, that could make it a conference to make money on.
All football win totals come from Caesar’s Sportsbook.
College football win totals for every Pac-12 North team
California – 8.5
Under: This one seems high to us. Cal football could have a really, really good offense in 2020. Quarterback Chase Garbers returns to an offense that has just about everyone returning. They set a school record of just 13 offensive turnovers just one year after having 31. I don’t see it as being sustainable. Garbers played more than one half in just seven games. Plus, they have an interesting schedule with TCU and UNLV on their non-conference schedule. There are too many things that can go wrong for us to go over on a high number like this.
Oregon – 9.5
Under: Oregon is the one team I’m really taking a look at this season. They are looking to replace Justin Herbert, who could be a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft. The issue is they thought it was a done deal that Tyler Shough was going to be the starter, but that is now in question with Anthony Brown transferring from Boston College. I do not like a team with a quarterback competition with summer practices in question. Honestly, this is one I might steer clear of, but with an insane non-conference schedule, this might not be the year to bet the over. Ohio State is a likely loss, then add in Hawaii the weekend after and that could put the Ducks on their heels going into Pac-12 play.
Oregon State – 5.5
Under: Alright, it seems really unlikely this many teams are going under in the Pac 12, right? Well, it’s been seven years since the Beavers were bowl-eligible, and this year’s team has to play Oklahoma in the non-conference schedule. They also have to play Colorado State, which they should win but is far from a rollover. Their offense is fine, with a lot of returning starters, but it’s nothing to go home about.
Oregon State football schedule
Stanford – 5.5
Over: Stanford’s schedule is always wild because they play a lot of their non-conference schedule in the middle of the season. This season, they have to play Notre Dame on Oct. 10 and BYU on Nov. 28. Stanford was awful last season, winning just four games all season and missing a bowl game for the first time in over a decade. Jim Harbaugh was coach the last time they missed a bowl. Now, they’re trying to turn things around with quickness. I see them becoming bowl eligible again, however not terribly competitive like they once were.
Washington – 8.5
Under: The Pac 12 really piled on the hot commodities for non-conference opponents this year. The Washington Huskies start their season with the Michigan Wolverines. This team has a lot of returning starters, but Jacob Eason is not one of them, as the quarterback declared for the NFL Draft. They also have a new head coach in Jimmy Lake after Chris Petersen surprisingly retired. Washington is just too volatile to put into the over column.
Washington State – 6
Over: With a light schedule to start the season, they could come out of the first month of the season 4-0. That means they’d need just two wins after already building momentum for their season. The Cougars had to replace head coach Mike Leach, but Nick Rolovich is a very good successor. Some of their hardest games are at home, so they seem primed for an upset win or two.
Washington State football schedule
College football win totals for every Pac-12 South team
Arizona – 4.5
Over: This seems criminally low for the Arizona Wildcats. Wildcat fans are excited for quarterback Grant Gunnell. Hawaii and Texas Tech are interesting matchups in the non-conference part, but neither is close to unbeatable. Arizona will ride the quarterback until the wheels fall off. Khalil Tate leaving won’t hurt too bad because it seemed like it didn’t fit the system, but Gunnell was recruited for this system. And they just need five wins? Feels like the biggest lock of the conference.
Arizona State – 8
Over: The Arizona State Sun Devils were the surprise of the Pac 12 last season, winning eight games and beating Oregon along the way. Jayden Daniels led the team as a freshman, and it wasn’t without some normal growing pains. However, he showed promise towards the end of the season on a three-game winning streak. There’s not a ton of depth behind him, and I don’t like this bet either way because asking for a nine-win season is a lot, but I like this team overall and think they can win most of their conference games.
Arizona State football schedule
Colorado – 3
Over: Three wins are such a low number for a Power 5 school but Colorado had a miserable offseason after Mel Tucker left to take the Michigan State coaching job. It will be the first season under Karl Dorrell, who returns to the Pac 12 after a head coaching stint with UCLA more than a decade ago. He had varied success with the Bruins program. This season, he has to win one conference game to push (they’ll beat Colorado State and Fresno State, but they aren’t beating Texas A&M). I think it’s a safe bet they’ll at least push, and with this few wins prediction, over is the better bet.
UCLA – 5.5
Under: Chip Kelly runs a complicated offense that usually puts a damper on his defense because they are on the field a lot. Losing a lot of time in the offseason is going to hurt his team more than most, and it could lead to his demise. The schedule is not terribly hard but this is just not a bowl team.
USC – 8
Under: USC vs. Alabama was once a dream matchup. Now, it’s probably going to be as one-sided as just about any of them. They end the season with Notre Dame, who could be another really good team. That means the Trojans likely have to win eight of nine of their Pac-12 games just to win this bet. They’ve done it once since Pete Carroll left. The math just isn’t there for the Trojans, and that’s why the under is a safe bet.
Utah – 8.5
Over: Many expect the Utah Utes to take a major step back after they had one of their best chances to make the College Football Playoff ever. They have to totally revamp the defense, only returning two starters. On offense, they do have seven returning starters, but they have to replace quarterback Tyler Huntley. The Utes lost important spring practices to decide between Jake Bentley and Cameron Rising. The season starts with their huge rivalry against BYU. If they survive that game, they will likely be 3-0 going into a road matchup with Cal. I still see this as one of the best teams in the division, and the stories of their demise have been greatly exaggerated.
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