Don’t Sleep On These College Football Sleeper Candidates

If you’re excited about the upcoming 2016 college football season and you’re looking for some team that could exceed everyone’s expectations en route to a positive SU and ATS campaign this coming season, then look no further. This expert college football betting lines analysis on five sleeper candidates that could surprise is just what the doctor ordered!

Don’t Sleep On These College Football Sleeper Candidates

   

Houston 60/1

After going 13-1 SU and 9-5 ATS in 2015, the sky is the limit for the explosive Houston Cougars and gifted quarterback Greg Ward Jr. in 2016. Seven starters return on the offensive side of the ball, including Ward Jr., a player that joined Clemson’s Deshaun Watson as the only two quarterbacks in the country to throw for at least 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards last season. I think the Cougars are primed for another excellent season, both on the field and against their season-long ATS odds in 2016. Houston is 14-1 SU in its last 15 games and a bankroll-boosting 9-4 ATS in its last 13 games.

Stanford 40/1

The Cardinal need to break in a new quarterback after losing longtime starter Kevin Hogan, but Stanford can turn to a player that I believe is the best all-around performer in all of college football in gifted running back/wide receiver/returner Christian McCaffery. The son of former NFL star Ed McCaffery, set the NCAA single-season all-purpose record last season with 3,864 total yards, including a school-record 2,109 rushing yards. Stanford went 10-4 ATS a year ago and look like they’re going to have another winning ATS season in 2016 if you ask me.

BYU 500/1

The Cougars (9-4 SU, 8-5 ATS) have seven returning starters from an offense that ranked 40th in scoring nationally (33.6 ppg), including gifted quarterback Tanner Magnum, a player that became an instant star as a freshman by passing for 3,377 yards and 23 touchdowns while leading the Cougars to a pair of thrilling come-from-behind wins over Nebraska and Boise State with last-minute TD passes in his first two games. BYU will have a new head coach in 2016 as new head coach Kalani Sitake takes over at his alma mater for longtime head coach Bronco Mendenhall, but the Cougars could surprise in a big way with eight returning starters back on defense in 2016.

Northwestern 500/1

Northwestern (10-3 SU, 8-5 ATS) won a surprising 10 games last season, mostly because they routinely shut down their opponents b finishing 12th in points allowed 18.6 ppg). If the Wildcats can see some improvement out of quarterback Clayton Thorson in his second season as a starter, they could surprise for the second straight season.

Temple 1000/1

Temple (10-4 SU, 9-5 ATS) is one of my favorite ‘sleepers’ in all of college football after winning 10 games a year ago while averaging a respectable 29.7 points per game (60th) and allowing just 20.0 points per game defensively to finish a stellar 17th nationally. The Owls have seen returning starters on offense, including quarterback P.J. Walker and gifted running back Jahad Thomas, a player that rushed for 1,262 yards and 17 touchdowns a year ago. More importantly, the Owls have a great head coach in Vern Rhule that is probably as good as anyone right now.