Oddsmakers have released win totals for the 2016 college football season.
I’ll take a look at each power conference and pick the teams with the best chances to earn the over and the under. Here’s my look at two teams in the Big 12 destined for the over in 2016.
Texas Longhorns, over/under 6.5Â (-110 over/-110 under)
The Longhorns schedule is a disaster. Texas faces Notre Dame, California and Oklahoma State…before the Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma in Week 5. It eases up a bit after that, but the Longhorns are going to have to be good out of the gate to reach the over.
That shouldn’t be a problem for the Longhorns. In college football, it’s all about the coach. And despite the recent troubles in Texas, Charlie Strong is a solid recruiter and coach. And in his third season at the helm that should show up on the field. The Longhorns will go up-tempo and will feature talent all over the field. There will be future pros all over the field for the Longhorns, and the nation will get a first-hand glimpse at that talent in the first few weeks.
Expect a different product this season for the Longhorns. The defense will be much improved and watch out for freshman quarterback Shane Buechele. He will likely start right away and be a difference-maker in the new-look offense.
I was all over Oklahoma State in the over last season in the Big 12. I expect the Longhorns to have the same kind of effort toward the over this season. If you’re only picking a few over/unders this season in college football, make sure to have Texas on the list. — Over
Kansas Jayhawks, over/under 1.5 (-110 over/-110 under)
Last year I didn’t take the bait of an over/under of 1.5 wins for the Jayhawks. I booked the under and came out a happy man.
This year, though, I’m not buying into the under, especially with two home games to open the season against Rhode Island and Ohio. The Bobcats aren’t horrible, so that might be a lost cause, but how good can Rhode Island really be? I can’t imagine Lamar Odom is in good enough health to utilize his former Rhode Island basketball talents on the gridiron.
So I’m giving the Jayhawks a victory in that contest, and then I’m just assuming they can garner another victory. They can’t possibly be any worse in Dave Beaty’s second season, so they could sneak away with a Big 12 win at home possibly against Iowa State.
Look for Kansas to get two victories, with possibly the over achieved in the season’s first two weeks. — Over
