Betting on college football isn’t just about crunching stats or picking the higher-ranked team.  Handicapping (a fancy term for analyzing and picking games) often comes down to understanding the context of a matchup. This means looking at factors beyond the box score – things like coaching style, offensive/defensive schemes, travel challenges, and motivational angles. In this article, we’ll break down some not-so-obvious strategies that beginner and intermediate bettors can use to get an edge. We’ll keep it casual and practical, with real examples to bring it to life.   Coaching Styles and Why They Matter Ever notice how some coaches love to run up the score, while others get a lead and then basically “park the bus”? Coaching tendencies can have a huge impact on your bets. A coach’s philosophy – aggressive vs. conservative – will influence how a game plays out against the spread or the total.   Aggressive Coaches: These are the ones who go for...

College football crowds can exceed 100,000 fans, creating an electric atmosphere. Betting on these games adds even more excitement, letting you test your predictions on Saturday showdowns. If you’re new to college football betting, don’t worry – this friendly guide will explain the basics (point spreads, moneylines, and totals) and highlight what makes betting on college games unique. We’ll also cover how college betting differs from the NFL (think wider point spreads and David vs. Goliath matchups) and share simple tips to spot value, even when one team looks like a powerhouse and the other an underdog. College Football Betting 101: The Basics Before diving into the quirks of NCAA football, it’s important to understand the core bet types. The three most common ways to bet on a college football game are: Point Spread: This is a handicap to level the playing field between a favorite and an underdog. The sportsbook sets a margin of victory (the “spread”) that...

2024 Pac 2/Independent Preview Regular Season Win Totals (via DraftKings) Notre Dame: 10 Over -115 Under -105 Washington State: 7.5 Over -120 Under +100 Oregon State: 7.5 Over +110 Under -130 Connecticut: 4.5 Over -130 Under +110 Massachusetts: 3.5 Over -125 Under +105 Coaching Changes Oregon State: Jonathan Smith Out ~ Trent Bray In Notre Dame Fighting Irish 10-3 ~ 9-3-1 ATS ~ 9-4-0 O/U Returning Starters ~ Offense 6/Defense 9 Another year, another year of high expectations for Notre Dame. Double-digit wins in six of the last seven seasons while cracking the AP Top 10 in each of those seven seasons has brought the Fighting Irish nothing more than three top five finishes. Notre Dame has made the CFP twice, in 2018 and 2020, only to get blown out in the Semifinals both times and of late, early and mid-season losses have put a wrench in their plans. A controversial loss to Ohio St. after a 4-0 start was a stinger but then a 13-point loss at Louisville was unexpected and they were...

2024 Sun Belt Conference Preview Regular Season Win Totals and SBC Championship Odds (via DraftKings) Appalachian State: 8 Over -130 Under +110/+275 SBC Winner Texas State: 8 Over -135 Under +115/+400 SBC Winner James Madison: 8 Over -130 Under +110/+750 SBC Winner Louisiana: 7.5 Over -140 Under +120/+600 SBC Winner Coastal Carolina: 6.5 Over +115 Under -135/+1,600 SBC Winner South Alabama: 6.5 Over -150 Under +125/+850 SBC Winner Troy: 6.5 Over +100 Under -120/+1,500 SBC Winner Marshall: 6 Over +110 Under -130/+1,600 SBC Winner Arkansas State: 5.5 Over -170 Under +140/+1,500 SBC Winner Georgia Southern: 5.5 Over +120 Under -140/+2,200 SBC Winner Georgia State: 4.5 Over +130 Under -155/+5,000 SBC Winner Old Dominion: 4.5 Over +120 Under -140/+3,000 SBC Winner Southern Miss: 4.5 Over +150 Under -185/+4,000 SBC Winner Louisiana-Monroe: 2.5 Over +135 Under -160/+40,000 SBC Winner Coaching Changes Georgia State: Shawn Elliott Out ~ Dell McGee In South Alabama: Kane Wommack Out ~ Major...

2024 Southeastern Conference Preview Regular Season Win Totals and SEC Championship Odds (via DraftKings) Georgia: 10.5 Over -125 Under +105/+190 SEC Winner Texas: 10.5 Over +150 Under -180/+320 SEC Winner Ole Miss: 9.5 Over -115 Under -105/+650 SEC Winner Alabama: 9.5 Over +120 Under -140/+750 SEC Winner LSU: 9 Over -120 Under +100/+1,000 SEC Winner Missouri: 9.5 Over +135 Under -160/+1,800 SEC Winner Tennessee: 8.5 Over -170 Under +145/+1,600 SEC Winner Texas A&M: 8.5 Over -120 Under +100/+1,400 SEC Winner Auburn: 7.5 Over +125 Under -145/+6,000 SEC Winner Oklahoma: 7.5 Over -120 Under +100/+3,000 SEC Winner Kentucky: 6.5 Over -115 Under -105/+10,000 SEC Winner Arkansas: 4.5 Over -110 Under -110/+25,000 SEC Winner Florida: 4.5 Over -155 Under +130/+12,000 SEC Winner South Carolina: 5.5 Over -115 Under -105/+12,000 SEC Winner Mississippi State: 4 Over -150 Under +130/+40,000 SEC Winner Vanderbilt: 3 Over -125 Under +105/+100,000 SEC Winner Coaching Changes Alabama: Nick Saban...

2024 Mountain West Conference Preview Regular Season Win Totals and MWC Championship Odds (via DraftKings) Boise State: 9 Over -150 Under +120/-110 MWC Winner Fresno State: 8 Over +110 Under -140/+475 MWC Winner UNLV: 7.5 Over +125 Under -160/+550 MWC Winner Colorado State: 6 Over -140 Under +110/+1,200 MWC Winner Air Force: 6.5 Over -140 Under +110/+1,100 MWC Winner Wyoming: 6.5 Over +100 Under -130/+1,400 MWC Winner San Jose State: 5 Over +120 Under -150/+5,000 MWC Winner Utah State: 5 Over -125 Under -105/+3,000 MWC Winner Hawaii: 5 Over -130 Under +100/+5,000 MWC Winner San Diego State: 5.5 Over +105 Under -135/+2,800 MWC Winner Nevada: 2.5 Over -120 Under -110/+30,000 MWC Winner New Mexico: 2 Over -120 Under -110/+35,000 MWC Winner Coaching Changes Boise St.: Andy Avalos Out ~ Spencer Danielson In New Mexico: Danny Gonzalez Out ~ Bronco Mendenhall In San Diego St.: Brady Hoke Out ~ Sean Lewis In San Jose St.: Brent Brennen Out ~ Ken Niumatalolo In Nevada: Ken Wilson Out ~...

Mid-American Conference Preview Regular Season Win Totals and MAC Championship Odds (via DraftKings) Miami (OH): 8 Over +100 Under -120/+250 MAC Winner Toledo: 8.5 Over +120 Under -140/+280 MAC Winner Bowling Green: 6.5 Over +110 Under -130/+700 MAC Winner Northern Illinois: 6.5 Over -120 Under +100/+650 MAC Winner Ohio: 6.5 Over +130 Under -155/+1,000 MAC Winner Western Michigan: 6.5 Over -120 Under +100/+650 MAC Winner Buffalo: 5 Over -125 Under +105/+3,500 MAC Winner Central Michigan: 5.5 Over -150 Under +125/+1,400 MAC Winner Ball State: 4 Over -110 Under -110/+3,500 MAC Winner Eastern Michigan 4.5 Over -135 Under +115/+3,000 MAC Winner Akron: 3.5 Over +105 Under -125/+6,000 MAC Winner Kent State: 2.5 Over -150 Under +125/+25,000 MAC Winner Coaching Changes Buffalo: Maurice Linguist Out ~ Pete Lembo In Miami (OH) RedHawks 11-3 ~ 7-1 MAC ~ 9-3-0 ATS ~ 5-7-0 O/U Returning Starters ~ Offense 6/Defense 6 Miami was coming off a very average run where it had gone 12 straight...

2024 Conference USA Conference Preview Regular Season Win Totals and C-USA Championship Odds (via DraftKings) Liberty: 10.5 Over -125 Under +105/-200 C-USA Winner Jacksonville State: 7.5 Over -135 Under +115/+550 C-USA Winner Western Kentucky: 7.5 Over -120 Under +100/+450 C-USA Winner FIU: 4.5 Over +125 Under -150/+10,000 C-USA Winner Louisiana Tech: 5 Over +105 Under -125/+2,500 C-USA Winner Middle Tennessee: 5 Over -115 Under -105/+3,000 C-USA Winner New Mexico State: 4.5 Over +125 Under -150/+7,500 C-USA Winner Sam Houston: 4.5 Over -125 Under +105/+1,800 C-USA Winner UTEP: 4 Over -125 Under +105/+6,000 C-USA Winner Kennesaw State: 2.5 Over +100 Under -120/+30,000 C-USA Winner Coaching Changes Middle Tennessee: Rick Stockstill Out ~ Derek Mason In New Mexico State: Jerry Kill Out ~ Tony Sanchez In UTEP: Dana Dimel Out ~ Scotty Walden In Liberty Flames 13-1 ~ 8-0 C-USA ~ 8-4-0 ATS ~ 7-5-0 O/U Returning Starters ~ Offense 6/Defense 8 Liberty entered the FBS in 2018 and it has...

2024 Big 10 Conference Preview Regular Season Win Totals and Big 10 Championship Odds (via DraftKings) Ohio State: 10.5 Over -150 Under +125/+155 Big 10 Winner Oregon: 10.5 Over +100 Under -120/+200 Big 10 Winner Penn State: 10.5 Over +140 Under -165/+500 Big 10 Winner Michigan: 9 Over +115 Under -135/+700 Big 10 Winner Iowa: 8 Over -135 Under +115/+3,500 Big 10 Winner Nebraska: 7.5 Over -125 Under +105/+5,500 Big 10 Winner USC: 7.5 Over +105 Under -125/+2,000 Big 10 Winner Washington: 6.5 Over -105 Under -115/+8,000 Big 10 Winner Maryland: 6.5 Over +100 Under -130/+10,000 Big 10 Winner Rutgers: 6 Over -140 Under +120/+12,000 Big 10 Winner Wisconsin: 7 Over +120 Under -140/+6,500 Big 10 Winner Illinois: 5.5 Over +105 Under -125/+20,000 Big 10 Winner Indiana: 5.5 Over -135 Under +115/+20,000 Big 10 Winner Northwestern: 4.5 Over -120 Under +100/+20,000 Big 10 Winner UCLA: 5 Over +115 Under -135/+15,000 Big 10 Winner Michigan State: 5 Over -105 Under -115/+20,000 Big 10 Winner...

2024 Big 12 Conference Preview Regular Season Win Totals and Big 12 Championship Odds (via DraftKings) Kansas State: 9.5 Over +125 Under -150/+380 Big 12 Winner Utah: 9.5 Over -145 Under +125/+320 Big 12 Winner Kansas: 8 Over -135 Under +115/+950 Big 12 Winner Arizona: 7.5 Over -115 Under -105/+1,100 Big 12 Winner Iowa State: 7.5 Over -120 Under +100/+950 Big 12 Winner Oklahoma State: 8 Over -130 Under +110/+750 Big 12 Winner TCU: 7.5 Over +125 Under -150/+1,800 Big 12 Winner Texas Tech: 7.5 Over -105 Under -115/+1,400 Big 12 Winner UCF: 7.5 Over -125 Under +105/+900 Big 12 Winner West Virginia: 6.5 Over -130 Under +110/+1,800 Big 12 Winner Baylor: 5.5 Over +100 Under -120/+6,000 Big 12 Winner Cincinnati: 5 Over -160 Under +135/+8,000 Big 12 Winner Colorado: 5.5 Over -135 Under +115/+2,800 Big 12 Winner Arizona State: 4.5 Over +140 Under -170/+10,000 Big 12 Winner BYU: 4.5 Over +105 Under -125/+12,000 Big 12 Winner Houston: 3.5 Over -160 Under +135/+11,000 Big 12 Winner Coaching...