NCAA Football: Oklahoma State at Texas Christian
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The 2023 college football season marks the end of an era as the sport moves toward significant conference expansion in 2024. When USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington join the Big Ten and Texas and Oklahoma join the SEC next season, winning will only get more difficult in the top leagues.

Georgia, for now, has a cushy setup playing in the relatively benign SEC East. Next season, however, there is no Vanderbilt on Georgia's schedule; instead, there is a trip to Texas. The difference will be stark for a program like Iowa as well. The Hawkeyes have just one more season to enjoy life in the manageable Big Ten West before they can expect an uptick in strength of schedule as the power leagues scrap divisions to accommodate the additions.

As currently constructed, the 2024 Big Ten slate calls for Iowa to play at USC while Northwestern drops off the slate. Don't be surprised if teams like the Bulldogs and Hawkeyes have lower projected win totals in the years to come.

For now, though, it's full speed ahead on the 2023 season. Preseason camps are in full swing and Week 0 is action is less than two weeks away. A season ago, these recommendations provided a nice return for those who followed them as we went 3-0 with two pushes. So let's jump in again and take a look at the best season win total bets in college football.

Odds and win totals courtesy of SportsLine concensus

Ohio State over 10.5 wins (+100)

Ohio State will likely be favored every week -- often by double-digits -- until it travels to Michigan to close the regular season. Games at Notre Dame, vs. Penn State and at Wisconsin won't be cakewalks, but everything else should play out in the Buckeyes' favor. No matter who wins the quarterback battle between Kyle McCord and Devin Brown, they will have the nation's best skill talent at their disposal. Defensively, the Buckeyes are set for another step forward under second-year coordinator Jim Knowles. Ohio State has reached 11 regular-season victories in eight of the past 10 regular seasons (excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign). Expect them to do so again.

Kentucky over 7 wins (-140)

Kentucky has reached seven regular-season wins in the past five non-pandemic seasons. That's excellent push insurance. Offensive coordinator Liam Coen is back after a one-year stint in the NFL with the Rams. He was the architect of Kentucky's excellent 2021 offense and has a great quarterback to work with in NC State transfer Devin Leary. While Alabama is on the schedule from the SEC West, it's easy to see the Wildcats starting 5-0 against Ball State, Eastern Kentucky, Akron, Vanderbilt and Florida. They also get a bye before hosting a Tennessee team that will be coming off a trip to Alabama. The only things we can still count on in this world are death, taxes and Kentucky winning at least seven games under Mark Stoops.

Minnesota under 7 wins (-120)

Minnesota has gone 8-4 in back-to-back regular seasons, but this schedule is significantly more challenging and there are personnel questions to answer. The Gophers' all-time leading rusher, Mo Ibrahim, is gone, and so is veteran quarterback Tanner Morgan. The defensive front is lacking star power and will struggle to replicate last year's impressive numbers because of the schedule. After crushing a downtrodden Colorado team in nonconference play the past two seasons, Minnesota must play at North Carolina instead. From the Big Ten East, the Gophers are faced with battles against Michigan and Ohio State after missing both in 2022.

Iowa over 8.5 wins (-115)

The Hawkeyes finished 7-5 last regular season with losses to Ohio State and Michigan. Neither are on the schedule this year. Iowa also lost to Iowa State last season for the first time since 2014. With the Cyclones looking uncertain at quarterback for this year's early season Cy-Hawk battle, Iowa has an excellent chance to recoup a victory there. The Hawkeyes figure to be stingy defensively, per usual, and the offense has nowhere to go but up. With Michigan transfer Cade McNamara in at quarterback and the offensive line poised for improvement, Iowa should at least have a pulse on offense. That will be enough to carry the Hawkeyes to nine victories against this slate.

Oklahoma State over 6.5 wins (-105)

There are questions to answer from a roster standpoint. But looking at the schedule you realize it might not matter. Oklahoma State's marquee nonconference game is against an Arizona State team that is in rebuilding mode under first-year coach Kenny Dillingham. In Big 12 play, the Pokes enjoy five home games, miss Texas and get to play all four incoming members. While it's surprising the Cowboys seem all-in on former Texas Tech starter and Michigan benchwarmer Alan Bowman at quarterback, 19th-year coach Mike Gundy generally produces high-performers at the position. Gundy hasn't had a losing season since his first year on the job, and it's highly improbable that changes in 2023 with such an advantageous schedule.