College Football Lines: Alabama, Oregon, Ohio State Favored To Go Undefeated, Texas A Strong Candidate As Well
By Ty Duffy
Golden Nugget released its “Game of the Year” lines for some of the biggest college football games next season. Here are a few thoughts.
Roll Tide: Ten lines are up for the Crimson Tide. They are favored by 17 or more in eight of the 10 games. Texas A&M (+6) is the only team within 11 points. LSU (+11.5) is the only other team within 17.
Roll Ducks: Vegas doesn’t perceive much of a drop-off without Chip Kelly. Oregon is favored in all 11 games on the board, by 20 or more points in seven of them. Stanford (+4) in Palo Alto, is the only school within single digits. Arizona (+12) and Washington (+14) on the road are the only other schools within two touchdowns.
(The) Ohio State: Who will keep the Buckeyes from going undefeated for a second straight year? They are favored in every game. The only lines within one score on the road against Northwestern (+8) and Michigan (+6). Purdue (+17) at home. Just throwing it out there.
Texas? Texas. There are reasons to like the Longhorns on paper. Namely the 19 returning starters. Vegas is subscribing to them. Mack Brown’s team is favored in every game listed so far except one. That is a pick’em against Oklahoma.
Notre Dame: Despite losing Everett Golson, the Irish are only underdogs in one of the 11 games on the board (+5.5) at Stanford. Though at Michigan (PK), MSU (+6), Oklahoma (+2), Arizona State (+4) and USC (+5) are all within a touchdown.
Not Favored: Michigan plays two of its three “rivalry” games at home, but is favored in none of them. In addition to being (+6) vs. Ohio State and (PK) vs. Notre Dame, the Wolverines begin as (+3) underdogs at MSU. The Wolverines are also (+3) underdogs heading on the road to Northwestern, which may be the 1st time that has ever happened.
[Photo via USA Today Sports Images]