Cantor gaming has released their college football season win totals for the upcoming season — a sure sign that the college football season is just around the corner. Hallelujah! Here are five totals that stand out as particularly interesting upon first glance with some odds and predictions for betting:

Michigan (8.5)

If you have read anything I have written about Michigan over the years then you won’t be surprised that I am bullish on my Wolverines and like the “over” here. More significantly, I think there is a good chance that this number goes up a little bit, so if you like them like I do you might want to take it here while you still can.

They unquestionably have a tougher schedule than last year, but they are also in the second year under Brady Hoke, and have more talent this time around. Alabama is a tough opener, but they are well positioned to go at least 3-1 in conference play. Five conference games are fairly easy wins for them. That means they should only have to beat Michigan State, Nebraska, or Ohio State to top this total — and that’s if they can’t pull off the upset over Alabama.

With a senior QB at the helm I’d be optimistic even if I didn’t bleed Maize and Blue.

Stanford (7.5)

It’s easy to be negative about Stanford since they lost all-world QB Andrew Luck and a whole lot of other talent. Make no mistake, though — this is a team that is built to last now.

They have three solid quarterbacks fighting to start, an outstanding running back in Stepfan Taylor, and a boatload of promising youngsters. They looked surprisingly strong in their spring game, so they are definitely moving forward into this new era.

I see seven wins I feel confident about without looking too hard, and there is no reason they can’t be competitive in any others other than perhaps their trip to Oregon. They have a very good shot at going over.

UCLA (5.5)

I’m not crazy about the hiring of Jim Mora Jr., but he has one massive thing going for him — he’s not Rick Neuheisel. The former coach was a total disaster and he had sunk this team into ugly depths. Mora has aggressively worked to change the culture already, and he has brought some swagger back through recruiting.

This team is still a few years away from where it should be — if everything goes well for the program for once — but the Bruins should be more competitive than they have been given the pieces they do have.

They play eight opponents they could be competitive against — Rice, Houston, Oregon State, Colorado, Utah, Arizona State, Arizona, and Washington State. Six wins there — or five there and a steal somewhere else — certainly seems reasonable.

Oklahoma (9.5)

I throw this one in here only because if you like them you might want to hold off. The number is posted right now in a way I don’t remember ever seeing — the over is at 9.5 (-190). If they posted it that high then they will likely move it up soon, so if you like them you could probably wait to sacrifice the half a game for a much better price.

With Landry Jones back and mountains of talent on board this is a Top-5 team, and if the Sooners can harness their potential they easily have 10 wins in them. Of course, harnessing their potential has been easier said than done for Oklahoma recently.

Penn State (6.5)

I never would have guessed a few months ago that I would be reasonably bullish about the Nittany Lions, but I am. They should have a massive number of distractions working against them. Somehow, though, they are putting together a pretty darned solid 2013 recruiting class. That won’t help this year, of course, but the surprising success is a clear sign that new coach Bill O’Brien is doing a very good job of communicating his message. If it’s working in the living rooms then it is likely working in the locker room as well.

There have been issues with coaching here for a while, so the change is probably refreshing. There are some talented pieces here, too — though they do need to find someone who can look even remotely like a quarterback. Their nonconference schedule is mercifully soft, and it should be good for at least three wins if O’Brien is ready. Illinois, Northwestern, Iowa, Purdue, and Indiana are conference opponents they don’t need to be intimidated by, either.

If they can find a way to believe in themselves and their new coach then seven or eight wins is fully achievable — and would have to be viewed as a massive victory given what they have been through.

College Football Season Win Totals from Cantor Gaming

Duke               3.5
Pittsburgh        7.5
Rutgers           7.5
Miami              6.5
Louisville         8.5
Virginia            6.5
Illinois              6.5
N.C. State       7.5
Penn State      6.5
Georgia Tech  7.5
Iowa                7.5
North Carolina 7.5
Nebraska        8.5
Clemson          8.5
Michigan State 8.5
Virginia Tech   9.5
Michigan         8.5
Florida State    10.5
Wisconsin        8.5
Kansas State   7.5
Ohio State       8.5
Oklahoma State 8.5
Ole Miss          3.5
TCU                8.5
Kentucky         4.5
West Virginia   8.5
Vanderbilt        5.5
Texas              8.5
Texas A&M     7.5
Oklahoma       9.5
Auburn                        7.5
Cincinnati        7.5
Missouri           7.5
Tennessee      7.5
Mississippi State         7.5
Florida             7.5
South Carolina            8.5
Arkansas         8.5
LSU                 10.5
Alabama          10.5
Arizona State  5.5
Washington State        5.5
UCLA              5.5
California         6.5
Washington     7.5
Stanford          7.5
Oregon            10.5
USC                10.5
UNLV              2.5
Nevada           8.5
Navy               7.5
Notre Dame    8.5
BYU                8.5
Boise State      9.5

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