August has arrived, and the return of college football is almost upon us. Last season, the Georgia Bulldogs were victorious in winning the national championship, beating Alabama 33-18. Both those teams secured plenty of wins throughout the regular season, and that’s what the focus is going to be here as we zone in on team win totals. While it’s typically easy to look into the totals for the big teams, I’ve opted to assess some of the smaller Power 5 colleges in an effort to eke out some extra value. So without further ado, let’s dive in to which teams’ win totals provide the best bets for the 2022 college football season.
Read our College Football National Championship preview, including a +8000 longshot
Nebraska Cornhuskers under 7.5 wins (-110)
It might be a surprise to some to see Nebraska’s line set at 7.5 wins, given the Cornhuskers went 1-8 in conference play and 3-9 overall last season. Part of that is to do with the fact that 8 of Nebraska’s 9 losses came by just one possession, and every defeat was by single digits. However, sportsbooks seem to have overcompensated for that unlucky season and that presents some value on the under.
Nebraska added quarterback Casey Thompson over the summer, a transfer out of Texas, but there remain a number of question marks over the signal-caller’s ability. He lost his starting job in the last two games of the season last year and it awaits to be seen whether he can bounce back from his difficult year. They also added some receivers via the transfer portal, but a totally revamped offense can sometimes backfire given it may take the team a couple of weeks to gel on the field.
What really works against Nebraska this season, though, is how tough their schedule will be. Oklahoma and Purdue will at the very least push the Cornhuskers close, while the end of the season is where Nebraska could be in trouble. They will run the gauntlet against Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa, all of which look set to be strong programs this season.
Nebraska should improve on their record from last season, but getting to 8 wins could be too much for them to handle. Take the under on the Cornhuskers’ win total.
Vanderbilt Commodores over 2.5 wins (-140)
It has to be said that Vanderbilt’s offense was woeful last season, but the Commodores look an intriguing team this year and I believe they can secure at least 3 wins. Granted, they averaged 16 points per game last season which isn’t going to cut it at this level, but they do have a very experienced offensive line that can help them have more success in moving the ball down the field. It awaits to be seen whether Mike Wright or Ken Seals will start at quarterback, but both look to be solid prospects that can get a tune out of this Vandy offense. The Commodores also return plenty of talent on defense which should see them tighten things up a bit.
What is really intriguing about Vanderbilt though is their schedule. To start the season, they take on Hawaii, Elon, Wake Forest and Northern Illinois. While Wake Forest is a strong team, the other three are very beatable and the Commodores will like their chances of getting some early wins on the board. With the improvements on offense and extra experience on defense, don’t rule out Vanderbilt starting the season strong.
Get our Heisman Trophy best bets for the upcoming season.
Kansas Jayhawks over 2.5 wins (-135)
Kansas is a notorious bottom-feeder when it comes to college football, but there were signs at the end of last season that the Jayhawks were beginning to turn a corner. They secured a shock 57-56 win over Texas before respectable close losses to TCU and West Virginia, and there’s every chance Kansas builds off that momentum.
Quarterback Jalon Daniels is returning for another season alongside a number of his offensive playmakers, which should allow them to build off their rapport and chemistry from last year. In addition, the Jayhawks added a number of pieces on defense via the transfer portal and there’s every chance that this Kansas team could be the most competitive its been in a while.
The Jayhawks open the season against Tennessee Tech, which poses a great opportunity for Kansas to get an early win on the board and build some confidence. Not too long after that, they have another winnable game against Duke. It awaits to be seen how good this Kansas team can be, but based on what we saw at the end of last season and the way their summer has gone, they have every right to feel good about themselves entering the 2022 season. Take the Jayhawks to secure at least 3 wins this season.
At Pickswise we offer free expert College Football Picks and College Football Predictions for all games in the Power Five conferences and the top 25 teams outside of Power five, including our College Football Parlay picks each week.
