We finally made it guys. This weekend we will get to watch (semi) real college football. The best way to get juiced up for the college football season is by laying down some action. Every week I am going to be bringing my best bets to the people so we can all get rich together. Hopefully I can bring winners every week, but what I can guarantee is that you will be heavy in the positives if you bet all my futures. I am the (self) proclaimed futures king, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. I will lay out my futures resume from this past year if you don’t have faith yet: Patrick Reed to win the Masters, Francesco Molinari to win the Open, Liverpool to win the Champions League which set me up for a perfect hedge situation, Loyola Chicago to win their region (laid after their first win), Villanova to win the National Championship (at the beginning of the season), and Justify in all three legs of the Triple Crown. Let’s just say it was a very lucrative year betting futures and my college football futures aren’t gonna be any different.
DISCLAIMER: These aren’t my picks to win the conference/national title. These are the best bets based on value. I’m going to run through my best bets to win the conference and my favorite win totals, then at the end I will give my national implication best bets.
ACC
Let’s be real, this is Clemson’s conference. It pains me to say it, but they are going to cruise through the ACC. They are currently -250 to win the conference which I refuse to lay anything on. If anything, you should be laying your money on them to win the National Championship, it’s the only real value. However, if you want a dark horse ACC pick I have some money on Virginia Tech +800 to win the conference. I am very low on Miami this year and I think Virginia Tech has a good shot at winning the Coastal which would set them up with a matchup against Clemson in the ACC title game, then anything can happen. So, don’t go overboard, but I love the value on VA Tech.
Win Totals: Miami u9.5 wins- I see major regression from last year and a tough schedule for Miami.
Wake Forest o6.5 wins- they have one of the best WRs in the country and if they survive the first couple games without their QB Kendall Hinton, they will walk to 7 wins.
BIG 10
I think the Big 10 is the hardest conference to bet. Wisconsin should cruise in the West, but the East is stacked. With Michigan’s QB situation and inability to win the big one, the Urban Meyer situation, Michigan State, and Penn State, any of those teams could win the East. I think all of those teams are going to beat each other up and Wisconsin is going to come out on top, so I’m taking Wisconsin +200 to win the conference and also putting some backup money on Michigan State +650 to win the conference.
Win Totals: Nebraska u6.5 wins- Scott Frost did not get hired to win right away. It will take time for him to implement his system and for the players to adjust.
With the way the East is set up this year, I am staying away from any other win totals in the Big 10. It is going to be an absolute mess this season.
Big 12
Four of the five power conferences have a favorite at minus money to win the conference. It is very frustrating for bettors because you have to go against all logic and reason to find some value. But the Big 12 is not a place I am looking for value. I LOVE Oklahoma this season. I think Kyler Murray is going to be a stud and they are still returning a ton of talent from last year. I am taking Oklahoma -110 to win the Big 12. I am not afraid of Will Grier and WVU as they have probably the toughest schedule in the Big 12. I like Texas this year, but don’t think they have enough to win it all.
Win Totals: Baylor o5.5 wins- I also LOVE this bet. Baylor has a very favorable Big 12 schedule and I see them winning potentially 7 games this year. I see them starting off the season 4-0 then grinding out a couple good wins in Big 12 play. Lay big on this win total.
Pac 12
Another conference with a heavy, heavy favorite. And another conference where I think you have no choice but to lay that money. Washington is an awesome team. I think Oregon is their only competition in the North as I am very low on Stanford. Then, I don’t care if it’s USC, Arizona, or anyone else, I have Washington -130 to win the Pac 12.
Win Totals: Stanford u8.5 wins– Obviously Bryce Love is a stud but Stanford has a brutal schedule. They have Southern Cal week two, which I have down as a loss, then they have to play AT Oregon and AT Notre Dame back to back weeks, then end the season on the road against Washington, Cal, and UCLA three of the last four weeks. Stanford is a good team, but they don’t make it through that schedule with nine wins.
Utah o7 wins– I really like this Utah team. They get Washington, USC, Arizona, and Oregon all at home and their non-conference schedule is pretty weak. I like Utah to win seven at the worst, which would at least get you a push, but I really think they can win eight and upset some big teams in the PAC 12.
SEC
Ahh the SEC. Finally, I feel at home. I love betting the SEC. I know these teams so well that I can always get a pretty good sense for who is going to show up any given week. Obviously, both teams from last year’s Natty are in this conference. The only trouble I see with Alabama is this QB battle, because if you have two QBs you don’t have one, am I right folks?? But really, I could see this creating some division in the Alabama locker room that we haven’t seen in a longggg time. I think the fact that you can get Georgia at +190 is a great deal. It is widely assumed the East is theirs and I think they would only be around a 3-point underdog to Bama in the SEC Championship which doesn’t equal that +190 number. So I say pound that number, then hedge with Bama in the championship game if you’re scared to ride it out. I am also putting half a unit on Auburn +650 to win the SEC. They beat Bama and Georgia last year and I think they have a really good team. If there is any regression in Tuscaloosa, I think Auburn seizes that opportunity and could steal the West again.
Win Totals: LSU u7 wins: I know. I know. LSU has not won less than 8 games since 1999. That is absurd and I am betting heavy against history, but I just can’t see them winning eight. They have a very tough schedule and I love Coach O, but he is on a very short leash. If we see early struggles from LSU, he may be out and then the team would really go downhill.
Auburn o9 wins: Like I said, I love Auburn. I think they win 9 games at the lowest. Obviously they do play Bama and Georgia, but I think Auburn upsets at least one of those two and beats up the rest of the West.
Arkansas u6 wins: Arkansas stinks. Their defense is in absolute shambles and they have a brutal SEC West schedule. No way they make it out with 7 wins or even 6 in my opinion. Also, be ready to pound some overs in these Arkansas games early.
Vanderbilt u5 wins: Another team that really stinks. I don’t think Vanderbilt will win a game in the SEC this year (S/O Tennessee). Sorry Vanderbilt but I love the under 5 here.
South Carolina o7.5 wins: I couldn’t leave my Gamecocks out of the party. South Carolina is returning the most yards of offense in the SEC, including a healthy Deebo Samuel, who was an early Heisman candidate last season. The defense lost a couple big pieces, but I think the D line is improved and I love my Gamecocks this season. Their week two matchup at home against Georgia could make things veryyy interesting in the SEC East. I personally also have some money down on them to make the playoff but that is not something I can advise to the masses.
Group of Five
I don’t have much to say about the group of five conferences but have a couple best bets I’ll just throw out there for the real degenerates.
MAC- Eastern Michigan +700- Maybe I just have Brogan Roback on the brain, but I really like this Eastern Michigan team and a betting preview is not complete without some MACtion. Take this long shot to win the MAC.
Win Totals:
Wyoming o6.5 wins- Josh Allen who?
UTEP u2.5 wins- That’s right UNDER 2.5 wins. I would bet the under if this line was at .5 wins. UTEP is at least a touchdown underdog in every single game this season. I think they can win one game at the very best.
Navy o7 wins- Don’t disrespect the troops. Bet Navy.
National Champions
Georgia +650- This number is just too high. I think they have a great chance of making it back to the Title Game and after last year they want revenge. This is a hungry team with a stud quarterback. (They just have to survive Week Two at Williams-Brice *wink*).
Wisconsin +1700– If you haven’t caught on yet, I love Wisconsin. That O-line, Jonathon Taylor, and the improved Wisconsin defense will set them up to win the B1G. Then, once they hit the playoff, they can play with anyone. It would be unwise to not throw some scratch on the Badgers.
Michigan State +3500- This is my big time long shot. Like I said I think they have a shot to make it out of that deadly Big Ten and if they do they will make the playoff. Once they’re here you can’t count them out. Sparty On.
Heisman
I bet Tua Tagovailoa +1200 right after the National Championship game. Tua is now up to +600, which I would not take at that number to be honest. If Jalen Hurts stay,s there could be some QB controversy and if Tua doesn’t play every game he isn’t going to win the Heisman. I also took Khalil Tate +1400 around the same time who is now at +1000, but I would still take that number if I were you. He is the most electrifying player in college football and has a favorable schedule in the PAC 12. Finally, I would load up on Jonathon Taylor +550. I think him and Bryce Love are both going to have great seasons, but I am high on Wisconsin and low on Stanford as teams which I think will make the difference when it comes to the Heisman trophy.