The Most Overrated College Football Teams (According to Science)

Miami head coach Mario Cristobal talks with the media at the team's NCAA college football media day, Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Coral Gables, Fla. Cristobal isn't the only coach who came home to Miami. The Hurricanes have no shortage of assistants and analysts with deep Miami ties who signed on to join Cristobal's first staff at his alma mater.
(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
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College football betting is particularly susceptible to the swings and biases of media coverage and public opinion.

Unlike the NFL, which is set up to constantly drag teams up or down toward the mean, college football is designed as an unfair game. Some programs have eight-figure budgets and attract elite recruits; other programs languish in total obscurity for decades at a time.

It’s no surprise, then, that some programs are routinely underrated or overrated over the years.

Those reasons can differ from program to program – especially when dealing with overrated teams – but the top-level takeaway is always the same. Regardless of rationale, avoid overrated teams at all costs.

Here are some of the most overrated college football teams from the last decade, as evaluated by the NCAA football point spread market. For the most part, these teams all have ROI of -15% or worse in spread markets dating back to 2018, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned PASPA.

Most Overrated College Football Teams

TeamATS Record
New Mexico25-49-1
UL Monroe30-48
Stanford27-45-3
UMass28-41-2
Akron30-43-1
Michigan State30-43-3
Wisconsin32-44-1
Washington31-43-1
Purdue33-44
Maryland31-42
Georgia Tech33-44-1
Southern Miss33-44
UCF34-44
Florida Atlantic32-42-3
NC State34-4
Kent State31-41-1
Middle Tennessee34-43
Bowling Green32-40-1
Western Michigan33-41

College football betting doesn’t stop when the games end in January. You can bet on futures throughout the offseason!

As teams are holding spring practice, adding players from the transfer portal, and releasing depth charts, you can view updated online sports betting odds for a variety of markets, including national championship odds, win totals, and conference champion odds.

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About the Author Read More @chaseakiddy

Chase Kiddy is a senior writer for BetMGM who primarily covers college sports. He takes two things very seriously: board games and Las Vegas picks contests. He has previously written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports.

Chase Kiddy is a senior writer for BetMGM who primarily covers college sports. He takes two things very seriously: board games and Las Vegas picks contests. He has previously written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports.