Oct 21, 2023; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) celebrates with wide receiver Theo Wease Jr. (1) after scoring a touchdown against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the first half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
- College football season kicks off on Saturday with Week 0, which features a small sampling of FBS games before a full Week 1 schedule next week.
- There’s still time to place bets on your favorite season-long win totals.
- Check out the sections below for our favorite picks for the upcoming college football campaign.
The 2024 college football season kicks off on Saturday with Week 0 action. Though Georgia Tech-Florida State is the only major game on the schedule this week, it will set the stage for next week’s openers for the other FBS programs. As we prepare for a loaded Week 1 slate, there’s still time to get your bets in on team win total futures. Here are the 3 win totals we like best heading into the 2024 campaign.
Ole Miss Over 9.5 Wins (-115 at bet365)
I love everything about Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss squad this year. I think the Rebels are the clear third-best team in the SEC entering 2024. They’ll be poised to hop into the SEC Championship Game if either Texas or Georgia falters in any way.
This offense is led by a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender in QB Jaxson Dart. Tre Harris is a great WR1. The running back room takes a hit without Quinshon Judkins, but the committee of Ulysses Bentley IV, Rashad Amos and Henry Parrish Jr. should be able to replace Judkins’ stats in the aggregate.
I see 10 wins on this schedule easily, with the strong possibility of 11. The only 2 games I’m overly worried about for the Rebels are at LSU on Oct. 12 and vs. Georgia on Nov. 9. This team looks like a Playoff contender, and I’d be surprised if the Rebels weren’t in the field of 12 when all is said and done.
For what it’s worth, betting on the Rebels to make the Playoff has -130 odds on bet365. I don’t think they get into the field of 12 with 9 wins, so take the -115 odds on 10+ wins for Lane Kiffin and company. That’s the better value.
Mizzou Over 9.5 Wins (+140 at bet365)
Full disclosure: I’m a Mizzou graduate and love my alma mater. But I think this is a huge value for the Tigers in 2024. The schedule is… well… a cake walk for the most part.
The Tigers should easily go 4-0 in nonconference play against Murray State, Buffalo, Boston College and UMass. They don’t have to play Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss or LSU during the regular season.
The Tigers’ toughest games will be at Texas A&M, at Alabama and vs. Oklahoma. I think Mizzou can win at least 1 of those tough games. That would lead to 10 wins for Eli Drinkwitz, Brady Cook, Luther Burden III and company.
The defense has some question marks, of course, and the offense needs to replace RB Cody Schrader. But the Tiger offense should be able to put up points alongside any other dynamic offense in college football.
I think Mizzou will challenge for a spot in the Playoff this year. And with such an easy schedule, I’m picking the Tigers to post 10+ victories during the regular season.
Colorado Under 5.5 Wins (+110 at bet365)
Hopefully Coach Prime doesn’t read this, as he doesn’t seem to handle any sort of negativity very well. But I think the Buffaloes start out with a couple of very tough nonconference games.
Hosting North Dakota State out of the FCS ranks is not an easy game, despite the differences between FBS and FCS football. Then heading to Nebraska the following week is a tough road game. The Cornhuskers will be out for revenge after Colorado won 36-14 last year in Boulder.
Even if they win both of those games, it’s still hard to find 4 more victories on the Buffaloes’ schedule this fall. The Big 12 has some good teams. I’m chalking up the Buffs for losses to Kansas State, Utah, Arizona, Kansas and Oklahoma State in Big 12 play, at least. That leaves at Texas Tech, vs. Baylor, at UCF and vs. Cincinnati as the other 4 Big 12 games.
I’m fading Deion Sanders and his squad this year, and my Sports Betting Dime colleague Zach Reger is with me:
Will Colorado go over or under 5.5 wins in 2024? 🤔🦬@zachreger18 dives into their schedule and gives you his prediction 👇 pic.twitter.com/aCZgvxvYrt
— SportsBettingDime (@SBD) August 21, 2024
The fact that the under has + odds at most sportsbooks just goes to show how much the public is buying into Coach Prime’s Colorado squad. However, to me, it seems to be mostly flash and very little substance in Boulder.
Adam is an avid college sports fan, covering both football and basketball. During the summer months, he’s all-in on MLB action, favoring pitcher strikeout parlays.