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NCAA Football

Marshall Thundering Herd 2015 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2015-2016 Football Previews (C-USA) – Thundering Herd

The Marshall Thundering Herd were starting to raise some eyebrows within the BCS Playoff Committee in 2014. They were not just beating opponents, but rather trashing them by nearly 30 points a game. The only thing keeping the Thundering Herd out of any sort of high ranking was their lack of schedule.

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NCAA Football

Oregon Ducks 2015 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Picks

2015-2016 Football Previews (Pac-12) – Ducks

For the first time since Mark Helfrich took over the Oregon Ducks football program, the team from Eugene will be forced to usher in a new era behind center this season. Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota has taken his talents to the NFL, which means the team originally known as The Webfoots will have a brand new look to them — although don’t expect the system to change with their star quarterback no longer on the roster.

NCAA Football Gambling Lines

Pac-12 Lines

Pac-12 2015-2016 College Football Preview – Oregon Ducks

Head Coach: Mark Helfrich
2014 Record: 13-2
Odds to Win College Football Championship (from Bovada): 20/1
Odds to win Pac-12 (from GTbets): 5/2
Season Win Total (from 5Dimes): 9.5

If the Ducks have become known for anything over the past few years, it’s their blinding speed and their ‘next man up’ mentality. That means this team won’t change much about their offensive approach just because Mariota is gone, and it also means there’s a good chance we see success in the soggy Pacific Northwest regardless of who takes snaps from behind center.

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The question, of course, is: How much success? If we’re being honest here, Oregon fans have been spoiled over the past six seasons. Since Chip Kelly took over in 2009, this group has become a perennial contender. Two National Championship appearances (including one last season), three Rose Bowls (including one last season) a Fiesta Bowl and an Alamo Bowl make up this team’s resume.

During that stretch, the Ducks have lost a mere 11 games. So again, we ask: How much success can the Duks find in this new era, and can they avoid coming own to earth for the first time in years?

Team Strengths

You can’t start talking about the Ducks’ strengths without diving a bit deeper into their offensive system. Call it gimmicky if you want; this group has established an identity on offense, and it’s the system that it runs that has led to so much success.

The ‘Blur’ offense is designed to tire defenses. It’s as simple as that. No other team in the country pushes the pace like the Ducks, and few other teams are able to combine the passing and running game to create the ultimate threat.

Last season, the Ducks were 10th in the nation in passing yards with 312.5 yards per contest. On the ground, the were 22nd, compiling 234.5 yards each week.

Those numbers led to the team scoring an impressive 45.4 points per contest, which was fourth in the nation.

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Although we’ll stick with the notion that Oregon won’t change much about the offense with Mariota gone, there’s one player who could force this team to hit the ground harder this season: Royce Freeman. As a true freshman, the 5’11”, 230-pound back was named a Freshman All-American, led the Pac-12 in touchdowns scored and tied 12th nationally in rushing touchdowns.

The skill positions as a whole contain an embarrassment of riches, but look for Freeman to establish himself as one of the better tailbacks in the country this season.

Team Weaknesses

Fair or not, we’re putting quarterback as a weakness until proven otherwise.

Chances are, the Ducks do not have the next Mariota on their roster. Although that’s really saying more about the Heisman Trophy winner than the incumbent pieces, we simply don’t know what Jeff Lockie or transfer Vernon Adams will do when facing Pac-12 competition on a week-to-week basis.

Making matters even more complicated, Davis is still having transfer issues coming in from Eastern Washington. That’s an issue he and the Ducks need to figure out as soon as possible, otherwise the battle at QB loses its luster and Lockie walks into the spot without any semblance of competition.

Defensively, this team is young in the secondary. This is going to cause a problem not just for the corners themselves, but for the linebacking core.

The Ducks were hardly aggressive rushing the ball last season, and the team has said it will look to be more aggressive in that area this year. But the linebackers must also drop back on occasion as a crutch for the young secondary.

Oregon needs to find the perfect balance there, otherwise, the defense that gave up just 23.6 points last season could see a dip in production in that department.

Oregon Ducks 2015-2016 Prediction: 9-3

The Oregon Ducks are going to have a good season. In fact, they’re probably going to have a very good season.

It just won’t be to the standard we’ve seen them have in the recent past.

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The Ducks will likely go either 8-4 or 9-3 in regular-season play. A respectable number for any program, but not quite what this program has grown accustomed to over the past six years.

Oregon Ducks 2015 Football Schedule

  • Sat, Sept 5 vs. Eastern Washington
  • Sat, Sept. 12 @ Michigan State
  • Sat, Sept. 19 vs. Georgia State
  • Sat, Sept. 26 vs. Utah
  • Sat, Oct. 3 @ Colorado
  • Sat, Oct. 10 vs. Washington State
  • Sat, Oct. 17 @ Washington
  • Thur, Oct. 29 @ Arizona State
  • Sat, Nov. 7 vs. California
  • Sat, Nov. 14 @ Stanford
  • Sat, Nov. 21 vs. USC
  • Fri, Nov. 27 vs. Oregon State

Check out our Updated College Football Odds.*Conference Games

And…as always click to view our top cappers COLLEGE FOOTBALL daily plays CLICK HERE!

The 2015 College futures betting season is here in full force! If you like to bet on NCAA football, you are in the best possible place for online betting. CappersPicks.com has NCAAF odds up on a ton of futures, and you will also find College football lines up for early games as well.

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NCAA Football

UCLA Bruins 2015 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Picks

2015-2016 Football Previews (Pac-12) – Bruins

The UCLA Bruins are set to enter the 2015 NCAA Football season as its fourth year under head coach Jim Mora. Since going 9-5 in his first year as the lead man back in 2012, Mora has compiled back-to-back 10-win seasons, which have resulted in victories in the Sun Bowl in 2013 and the Alamo Bowl in 2014.

NCAA Football Gambling Lines

Pac-12 Lines

Pac-12 2015-2016 College Football Preview – UCLA Bruins

Head Coach: Jim Mora
2014 Record: 10-3
Odds to Win College Football Championship (from Bovada): 40/1
Odds to win Pac-12 (from GTbets): 11/2
Season Win Total (from 5Dimes): 9.5

The truth is that Mora has a roster in place that is capable of not only exceeding that 10-win mark, but also winning a Pac-12 title. There are certainly questions on the depth chart (most notably quarterback), but a strong defense should help make up the difference if there’s  hangover following the loss of Brett Hundley.

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Team Strengths

Few teams across the country can say that they’re returning 17 of 22 starters this season. That’s a feat all in its own, but considering how successful UCLA was last year, continuity shouldn’t skip a beat entering the new year.

As for one starter who is not returning, we turn our attention to Brett Hundley. The stellar man behind center has departed for the NFL, and will now be learning behind Arron Rodgers with the Green Bay Packers.

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Typically, when a player of Hundley’s caliber bolts a program, that position instantly becomes a weakness. But we’re going to take a leap of faith here, as the Bruins have quite the contingency in place.

The nation’s top recruit at QB, Josh Rosen, will likely take the place of Hundley. There are no guarantees he’ll be as good advertised, but if you’re going to lose someone like Hundley, you wants (actually, need) a replacement who can step in right away, and Rosen seems to be that guy.

He’s also lucky to have the Pac-12’s leader in rushing yards on his side, Paul Perkins.

Defensively, this squad is also looking to make up for the loss of key components, as Erick Kendricks, Anthony Jefferson and Owa Odighizuwa have all left for the NFL. But again, the now-incumbent pieces are nothing to scoff at.

Despite the losses, depth may be at an all-time high when it comes to talent, as Myles Jack is set to move inside, and both Deon Hollins and Takkarist McKinley will help bolster the pass defense following strong finishes to the 2014 season.

Team Weaknesses

Sticking with the defense, we’d be remiss to skip over the fact that there’s a bit of a question mark in the secondary. It’s true that Jaleel Wadood brings a ton of potential to the table, but potential is only a positive thing if it’s fully utilized.

The Bruins must establish a pass rush early in the season to set Wadood and Co. up for success. Wadood is undersized as a sophomore, so any confidence the team can get him early could go a long way.

Another area to keep an eye on is the kicking game. Ka’imi Fairbairn made 13 of his final 14 field goals last season, and that’s huge for this kid’s confidence — not to mention the team’s confidence in him. The truth is, though, we’re going to need to see similar production to start the year to believe this is legitimate. He’s taken plenty of criticism over the years, and while we can’t ignore his late-season improvement from 2014, we need to see consistency before our eyes before we can believe it’s here for good.

Same goes for the punting game. Matt Mengel was forced to see game time without much experience. The hope here is that he’s more comfortable at this point in the process.

UCLA Bruins 2015-2016 Prediction: 9-3

Whether or not UCLA is able to finish over the projected 9.5 wins will likely come down to the final game of the season — a contest against the rival USC Trojans.

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If the Bruins are able to take down USC, chalk this team up for another 10-win season. However, with only 12 games on the schedule (instead of 13) and the Trojans looking to be much improved, a nine-win showing won’t be completely unexpected.

The Arizona, Arizona State, Stanford stretch during the season’s second quarter will help determine how ready the new quarterback is to take over and chase double-digit wins this year.

UCLA Bruins 2015 Football Schedule

  • Sat, Sept 5 vs. UVA
  • Sat, Sept. 12 @ UNLV
  • Sat, Sept. 19 vs. BYU
  • Sat, Sept. 26 @ Arizona
  • Sat, Oct. 3 vs. Arizona State
  • Sat, Oct. 15 @ Stanford
  • Sat, Oct. 22 vs. California
  • Thur, Oct. 31 vs. Colorado
  • Sat, Nov. 7 @ Oregon State
  • Sat, Nov. 14 vs. Washington State
  • Sat, Nov. 21 @ Utah
  • Fri, Nov. 28 @ USC

Check out our Updated College Football Odds.

And…as always click to view our top cappers COLLEGE FOOTBALL daily plays CLICK HERE!

The 2015 College futures betting season is here in full force! If you like to bet on NCAA football, you are in the best possible place for online betting. CappersPicks.com has NCAAF odds up on a ton of futures, and you will also find College football lines up for early games as well.

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USC Trojans 2015 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Picks

2015-2016 Football Previews (Pac-12) – Trojans

The USC Trojans are set to enter the 2015-16 NCAA Football season with high expectations. We’ve seen this from them before in recent years, but there’s reason to believe that this is the time they live up to those lofty predictions.

NCAA Football Gambling Lines

Pac-12 Lines

Pac-12 2015-2016 College Football Preview – USC Trojans

Head Coach: Steve Sarkisian
2014 Record: 9-4
Odds to Win College Football Championship (from Bovada): 16/1
Odds to win Pac-12 (from GTbets): 9/5
Season Win Total (from 5Dimes): 8.5

At this point in the offseason, with spring camp behind us, the Trojans are a top-five team in terms of 2016 National Championship odds. They’re fifth at 16/1 odds, placing them behind only the Ohio State Buckeyes (3/1), Alabama Crimson Tide (15/2), Auburn Tigers (9/1) and TCU Horned Frogs (10/1).

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Last season, USC went 9-4, with their losses coming against Boston College, Arizona State, No. 19 Utah and No. 9 UCLA. They did win impressive contests against No. 13 Stanford and No. 10 Arizona, and they capped off the year with a barn-burning 45-42 victory against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the National University Holiday Bowl.

Team Strengths

The Trojans have the luxury of bringing back 14 starters from last year’s squad. Continuity won’t be tough to come by on this roster, but the one to focus on first is quarterback Cody Kessler.

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Led by Kessler, this group has a chance to be one of the most potent offenses in the nation. In his junior year last season, Kessler completed nearly 70 percent of his passes. he also tossed for 39 touchdowns to just five interceptions.

Along with Kessler, USC has one of the best receiving core-offensive line combos in the country. Nelson Agholor has left, but JuJu Smith, who was a Freshman All-American last season, will be a new No. 1 option. There’s also Steven Mitchell, and Adoree’ Jackson — another Freshman All-American.

Javorius Allen leaves a hole at running back after leaving, but the team hopes to use Justin Davis and Tre Madden as a tandem replacement.

As for that offensive line, it could very well be the deepest and strongest aspect of this roster. Needless to say, Kessler and crew will have plenty of protection in the backfield.

Team Weaknesses

The Trojans will have to deal with the loss of one of the best defensive ends in the country in All-American Leonard Williams — as well as the team’s leading tackler Hayes Pullard. USC isn’t without talent on that end of the field, but it’s never easy to replace a core cog from within your system.

Another area of question is at placekicker. New guys Matt Boermeester and Alex Wood will both compete for the position, but it’s tough to say who will land the job for Week 1.

The other area we’re going to consider a weakness is a bit more subjective, and it may be a bit unfair, but we’re going to hit it anyway.

This team has not lived up to expectations the way fans and boosters would like to see. The program has recovered about as well as it can following the down years as a result of NCAA violations, but we just can’t completely count them as favorites until we see them avoid losses to less-talented programs.

USC Trojans 2015-2016 Prediction: 10-2

With fall football camp nearing, USC is pegged at a projected season win total of 8.5. I know we haven’t seen an elite Trojans squad hit the field in quite some time, but that number seems low, even given any negative speculation.

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Arizona State, Oregon, (possibly) Stanford and UCLA look like the biggest chances for USC to either prove themselves or walk away with losses this season. Assuming the team doesn’t drop any contests against lower-level opponents, you’re probably looking at a nine- or 10-win program this year.

USC Trojans 2015 Football Schedule

  • Sat, Sept 5 vs. Arkansas State
  • Sat, Sept. 12 vs. Idaho
  • Sat, Sept. 19 vs. Stanford
  • Sat, Sept. 26 @ Arizona State
  • Thu, Oct. 8 vs. Washington
  • Sat, Oct. 17 @ Notre Dame
  • Sat, Oct. 24 vs. Utah
  • Sat, Oct. 31 @ California
  • Sat, Nov. 7 vs. Arizona
  • Fri, Nov. 13 @ Colorado
  • Sat, Nov. 21 @ Oregon
  • Fri, Nov. 28 vs. UCLA

Check out our Updated College Football Odds.

And…as always click to view our top cappers COLLEGE FOOTBALL daily plays CLICK HERE!

The 2015 College futures betting season is here in full force! If you like to bet on NCAA football, you are in the best possible place for online betting. CappersPicks.com has NCAAF odds up on a ton of futures, and you will also find College football lines up for early games as well.

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Arizona State Sun Devils 2015 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Picks

2015-2016 Football Previews (Pac-12) – Sun Devils

The Arizona State Sun Devils have won 10 games in each of the last two college football seasons. They have also finished as a top-25 program in both years with head coach Todd Graham leading the way.

NCAA Football Gambling Lines

Pac-12 Lines

Pac-12 2015-2016 College Football Preview – Arizona State

Head Coach: Todd Graham
2014 Record: 10-3
Odds to Win College Football Championship (from Bovada): 66/1
Odds to win Pac-12 (from GTbets): 8/1
Season Win Total (from 5Dimes): 8.5

At this point in the offseason, with spring camp behind us, the Sun Devils are a top-25 team in terms of 2016 National Championship odds.

They’re 21st at 66/1 odds, placing them between the Florida Gators (66/1) — 22nd — and Arkansas Razorbacks (50/1) — 20th.

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Even including a few losses on both offense and defense, ASU is likely to contend for top-dog honors in the Pac-12 South once again. Mike Bercovici could very well have a breakout year in his first campaign as starting quarterback, and the defense should aggressive with seven starters returning to action.

Team Strengths

Typically, replacing a starting quarterback — especially one who played three years in that role — would result in the position becoming a weakness.

We’re not going to fall into that trap here.

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Arizona State is lucky enough to have Bercovici, who played quite well when given the opportunity last season. He’s not going to come in as a wide-eyed newbie; he showed that he can play well with his big arm last season, even if he’s not quite the runner that Taylor Kelly proved to be during his tenure with the program.

In his time on the field last season, Bercovici completed his tosses to the tune of 61.8 percent completion. He also threw for 12 touchdown, while throwing for just four interceptions in his 186 attempts.

Despite the confidence this team has in Bercovici, don’t be shocked to see the Sun Devils utilize a strong group of running backs more than they’re used to. Demario Richard, Kalen Ballage and Gump Hayes will help make life easier on Bercovici as he transitions into his new role.

Defensively, the strength here is the back seven. The Sun Devils have the ability to rotate linebackers seamlessly.

Team Weaknesses

If there’s any concern on the defensive side of the ball, it’s a lack of a dynamic pass rusher up front. J.C. recruit Davon Durant was supposed to be the backer in Arizona State’s system, but he’s been suspended indefinitely because of an arrest for allegations of domestic abuse.

Back on offense, the Sun Devils have to replace both starting tackles. There’s also concern that the wide receiver position won’t be able to recover following the loss of Jaelen Strong, who has gone to the NFL.

Cameron Smith is also going to miss the entire season after knee surgery, meaning D.J. Foster, a full-time slot receiver now, will be the team’s newest quarterback’s main target.

Arizona State Sun Devils 2015-2016 Prediction: 9-3

As strong as ASU could end up being next season, chances are, they’re going to finish just short of a Pac-12 South title. Those honors are likely going to end up with the USC Trojans — assuming Southern California doesn’t choke away the lofty expectations bestowed upon them this season.

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ASU’s schedule is a bit daunting, especially early in the season. The team opens against Texas A&M in Houston, but three of their first four conference games are against USC at home, at UCLA and at Utah.

Three of their final five games are at home, but a second-place finish seems most likely at this point in the process.

Arizona State Sun Devils 2015 Football Schedule

  • Sat, Sept 5 vs. Texas A&M
  • Sat, Sept. 12 vs. Cal Poly
  • Fri, Sept. 18 vs. New Mexico
  • Sat, Sept. 26 vs. USC
  • Sat, Oct. 3 @ UCLA
  • Sat, Oct. 10 vs. Colorado
  • Sat, Oct. 17 @ Utah
  • Thu, Oct. 29 vs. Oregon
  • Sat, Nov. 7 @ Washington State
  • Sat, Nov. 14 @ Washington
  • Sat, Nov. 21 vs. Arizona
  • Fri, Nov. 28 @ California

Check out our Updated College Football Odds.

And…as always click to view our top cappers COLLEGE FOOTBALL daily plays CLICK HERE!

The 2015 College futures betting season is here in full force! If you like to bet on NCAA football, you are in the best possible place for online betting. CappersPicks.com has NCAAF odds up on a ton of futures, and you will also find College football lines up for early games as well.

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East Carolina Pirates 2015 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2015-2016 Football Previews (AAC)- Pirates

The Pirates have developed a reputation as a bit of a giant killer over the years taking down ACC teams with some regularity.

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NCAA Football

Cincinnati Bearcats 2015 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2015-2016 Football Previews (AAC) – Bearcats

Cincinnati has become one of the most consistent college football programs in the country. They may not be playoff-level good, but they have won at least eight games in every season since 2006, save one, and have been able to do so despite the fact they keep losing their coaches to bigger programs.

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NCAA Football

Iowa Hawkeyes 2015 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2015-2016 Football Previews (Big Ten)- Hawkeyes

The Iowa Hawkeyes are always one of the toughest teams to predict before the start of the season. It seems that when Iowa is highly touted before the year begins, it falls flat and disappoints. When everyone is overlooking the Hawkeyes, they often rise up and become a contender in the Big Ten.

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Nebraska Cornhuskers 2015 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Picks

2015-2016 Football Previews (Big Ten) – Cornhuskers

Bo Pelini could get this Nebraska Cornhuskers team to nine wins on a regular basis, but they just couldn’t get over the hump under his tutelage. Combine that problem with some of his antics that turned off the fan base, and Nebraska has a new coach.

NCAA Football Gambling Lines

Big 10 Lines

Big Ten 2015-2016 College Football Preview – Nebraska Cornhuskers

Head Coach: Mike Riley
2014 Record: 9-4
Odds to Win College Football Championship (from BetOnline): +10,000
Odds to win Big Ten (from BetOnline): +1,600
Season Win Total (from 5Dimes): 8

Mike Riley did a nice job at Oregon State, but expectations were never all that high there. It’s a whole different story at Nebraska.

Nebraska fans aren’t about to settle for anything less than titles, and they haven’t had any of those lately. Riley will install a new pro-style offense, which is going to be interesting since Nebraska has been a run-heavy team for so long.

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How long will it take the team to get accustomed to the new style of play? Can Nebraska fans be patient as Riley puts his mark on the team?

Team Strengths

Nebraska has a really strong defensive line. Even with Randy Gregory gone, I think there’s a good chance this group will be even better than they were a year ago. Maliek Collins has the skillset to be a star for this team in 2015. The Cornhuskers return seven of their top eight on the defensive front. Look for Nebraska to get a lot out of this group.

Nebraska has some good receivers that should fit well into Mike Riley’s game plan on offense. De’Mornay Pierson-El has speed to burn, and he’ll definitely be getting the ball to run the fly sweep in this offense. Jordan Westerkamp averaged 17 yards per reception last year, and I believe he is underrated by most people.

The Nebraska secondary has a ton of experience, and that will be key going up against some of the best quarterbacks in the country inside Big Ten play.

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This group should be one of the best secondaries in the conference.

Team Weaknesses

Tommy Armstrong isn’t an accurate passer, and I don’t think he’ll be a good fit for Riley’s system. Armstrong completed 53 percent of his passes last year. Armstrong is a good scrambler, but his legs will likely be used less in the new system. There isn’t much depth behind Armstrong either. I think Nebraska will have disappointing production from the quarterback spot this season.

Anytime you lose a running back the caliber of Ameer Abdullah you are going to drop off in a big way in production. Terrell Newby and Adam Taylor will likely share time at the running back spot this year. While those guys aren’t bad players, I don’t see them thriving in a pro-style offense.

Nebraska lost a lot of talent from the linebacker spot. Leading tackler Zaire Anderson (103 tackles last season) is gone as well as Trevor Roach (63 tackles last year). The Cornhuskers are relying on a lot of inexperienced guys at this position.

Nebraska Cornhuskers 2015-2016 Prediction: 7-6

I expect Nebraska to stay under its season win total this year. Learning a brand new system can be hard, and all of these offensive guys have no prior work with the pro style offense of Mike Riley.

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Riley needs to get guys who better fit his system to be successful. Nebraska won’t be a bad team, but I do think it’ll fall short of expectations.

Nebraska Cornhuskers 2015 Football Schedule

Regular Season
Date Time vs
9/5/15 TBD BYU
9/12/15 8:00 PM ET USA
9/19/15 3:30 PM ET @MIA
9/26/15 TBD SOMIS
10/3/15 TBD @ILL
10/10/15 TBD WIS
10/17/15 TBD @MINN
10/24/15 TBD NW
10/31/15 TBD @PUR
11/7/15 TBD MSU
11/14/15 TBD @RUTG
11/27/15 TBD IOWA

The 2015 College futures betting season is here in full force! If you like to bet on NCAA football, you are in the best possible place for online betting. CappersPicks.com has NCAAF odds up on a ton of futures, and you will also find College football lines up for early games as well.

And…as always click to view our top cappers COLLEGE FOOTBALL daily plays CLICK HERE!

Check out our Updated College Football Odds.

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UCF Knights 2015 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2015-2016 Football Previews (AAC) – Knights

The AAC still has to be considered a mishmash league full of teams that wanted to go bigger (defectors from Conference USA) or didn’t get invited to the prom (Power 5). The UCF Knights probably fall into both camps, but there is no disputing that George O’Leary knows how to win and has in Orlando.

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Wisconsin Badgers 2015 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2015-2016 Football Previews (Big Ten) – Badgers

The Wisconsin Badgers unexpectedly saw Head Coach Gary Andersen leave at the end of last season. Paul Chryst, who has been a coordinator at Wisconsin in the past, returns to be the top man this season.

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Purdue Boilermakers 2015 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2015-2016 Football Previews (Big Ten) – Boilermakers

I feel like Darrell Hazell has had the deck stacked against him at Purdue. Purdue has gone 1-11 and 3-9 in his first two years at the school. They have won only one Big Ten Conference game during those two seasons (last year at Illinois).

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Minnesota Golden Gophers 2015 NCAA Football Odds & Predictions

2015-2016 Football Previews (Big Ten)- Golden Gophers

I simply can’t say enough about the job Jerry Kill has done with this Minnesota team over the last few seasons.

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Northwestern 2015 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2015-2016 Football Previews (Big Ten)- Wildcats

Northwestern battled through a bunch of injuries and finished a disappointing 5-7 last year. The Wildcats have finished with a sub .500 record in three of the past four seasons.

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Connecticut Huskies 2015 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2015-2016 Football Previews (AAC) – Huskies

Between 2003 and 2010, the Huskies were one of the more underrated programs in America. Under coach Randy Edsall they won eight or nine games in six of eight seasons, and were considered a threat in the then Big East. Edsall’s greatest skill was the ability to develop players that could compete in that league and ultimately in the NFL.

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Penn State Nittany Lions NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2015-2016 Football Previews (Big Ten)- Nittany Lions

Penn State was definitely hit hard by the probation and penalties put on them by the NCAA from the Sandusky scandal, but I think the Nittany Lions have stayed on their feet better than most believed they would.

NCAA Football Gambling Lines

Big 10 Lines

Big Ten 2015-2016 College Football Preview – Penn State Nittany Lions
Head Coach: James Franklin
2014 Record: 7-6
Odds to Win College Football Championship (from BetOnline): +10,000
Odds to win Big Ten (from BetOnline): +2,500
Season Win Total (from 5Dimes): 8

James Franklin did a really nice job in his first year with the team last season. Franklin proved in his time at Vanderbilt that he could maximize his talent, and I think over time he’ll prove to be a great hire for the Nittany Lions.

Penn State now has 83 scholarship players, so the depth problems they have had in the past few years shouldn’t be there this season. Penn State returns 15 starters (8 offense and 7 defense) and the Nittany Lions expectations are definitely moving higher.

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Do they have the team to be a surprise contender, or are they a year or two away?

Team Strengths:

Christian Hackenberg has taken a lot of heat during his time at Penn State, but I’m convinced he’s still a good quarterback. Just about every program wanted him coming out of high school, and the skillset is still there. What has the problem been so far for Hackenberg? The offensive line in front of him has been a catastrophe, and that hasn’t allowed Hackenberg to show off his skills. With an improved line this year, look for Hackenberg to be much better.

Penn State has a tremendous group of wide receivers. The Nittany Lions have a nice combination of possessions receivers as well as downfield threats. I expect the line and quarterback play to be better this year, and that means guys like DaeSean Hamilton and Geno Lewis will shine. Chris Godwin is a very good sophomore who could have a breakout season also.

The entire defense could be seen as a strength, but I think the strongest unit is the Penn State secondary. Six of their top eight guys return from a unit that was very good last year. Remember, Ohio State had a lot of trouble moving the ball (especially through the air) on Penn State last year.

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The Nittany Lions secondary is elite.

Team Weaknesses:

The running game is a weakness for Penn State. Penn State averaged 2.9 yards per carry last year which is just atrocious. They should be better this year, but it is still a weak spot. Akeel Lynch shows signs of being a good back, but the consistency hasn’t been there yet.

The offensive line should be better, but it is still one of the weaker parts of this team. Since they have been so bad the last two years, this is a unit that will have to prove it before I can rate them highly at all. Opponents sacked Hackenberg a stunning 44 times last year! If they don’t improve in a big way, Penn State will struggle.

Penn State Nittany Lions 2015-2016 Prediction: 10-3

I’m calling for a big improvement this year from Penn State. Their schedule is one of the easiest in the Big Ten. While I don’t see them winning at Michigan State or Ohio State, the Nittany Lions have a lot of very winnable games at home this year. I really like the Nittany Lions season win total over.

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They are a notch below Ohio State and Michigan State, but Penn State is quickly improving.

Penn State Nittany Lions 2015 College Football Schedule

Regular Season
Date Time vs
9/5/15 TBD @TEM
9/12/15 TBD BUFF
9/19/15 8:00 PM ET RUTG
9/26/15 TBD SDSU
10/3/15 TBD ARMY
10/10/15 12:00 PM ET IND
10/17/15 8:00 PM ET @OSU
10/24/15 TBD @MD
10/31/15 TBD ILL
11/7/15 TBD @NW
11/21/15 TBD MICH
11/28/15 TBD @MSU

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