FiveDimes recently released over/under regular season win totals for college football teams.
Here is an early-season look at the Florida State Seminoles in the ACC.
Over/Under
FiveDimes has Florida State at 9.5 wins. Last year, the Seminoles went 12-0 in the regular season. The line features a more favorable over to betters at +100, while the under is at -140.
The upside
It’s surprising that oddsmakers have the over juiced so much for Florida State when the over/under is still in single digits. The Seminoles have gone the last two seasons undefeated, and although they lose several stars off those teams, including quarterback Jameis Winston, the talent pool is definitely not dried up by any means.
And Notre Dame transfer quarterback Everett Golson should provide stability at the quarterback spot as long as he earns the starting nod.
Defensively, the Seminoles should be in better shape than the offense in the beginning. The defense did lose some players to the draft, but key contributors will come back, alongside highly touted newcomers.
Injuries have become a main concern on the defensive side of the ball, so if Florida State can avoid being bitten by the injury bug, the Seminoles will likely lean on the defense, especially in the early going.
In addition to having plenty of talent, the schedule sets up nicely for the most part. Florida State can likely count on wins against Texas State, South Florida, Wake Forest, Boston College, Syracuse, North Carolina State and Chattanooga.
That’s a good start to getting to 10 wins.
The downside
Top contributors in the passing game and the offensive line are gone from last year’s unit. The passing game took a big hit last year without Kelvin Benjamin, so who knows what to expect this year without a Hesiman trophy winning quarterback and the top two weapons from last year.
The holes in the offensive line should worry gamblers just as much if not more.
The good sign for gamblers is that Miami at home on Oct. 10 represents the first test of the season, allowing the Seminoles to get four games under their belts before matching up with a team that has the capability of beating them.
From that point forward, the schedule does have a few more difficult contests, with a home game against Louisville, and road contests against Georgia Tech, Clemson and Florida.
The verdict
Florida State will be good again this year. The experience won’t be as strong as in years past, but the limited expectations may help the young Seminoles along this season.
To get to the double-digit win plateau, the Seminoles better be good, since the schedule features plenty of opportunities to lose on the road.
The Yellow Jackets proved in last year’s ACC title game that they could move the ball against the Seminoles and Clemson has the talent to keep up with the Seminoles. And the Tigers may have a taste of revenge on their tongues for being left out of the ACC title game the past two years thanks to undefeated seasons by Florida State.
The last game of the season won’t be easy either, since it’s a rivalry game and the Gators are looking to restore some pride in their program.
There are worries, but Florida State can navigate this schedule with two losses. There are likely four toss-ups, with one likely win and seven guarantees. If the Seminoles can win two of those four toss-ups, then bettors can cash in on the over.
Punch that ticket with the over and be ready to cash in at season’s end.
