As the relaunch of the FootballScoop Podcast continues, the expectation today was to supply our faithful listeners (and readers) with the staff's predictions for college football teams most likely to exceed their Las Vegas-projected win totals.
And, of course, to single out some teams that we think are in jeopardy of not reaching those Vegas benchmarks.
Strictly for entertainment purposes, of course.
Somehow, however, Zach Barnett -- in true Vegas style -- opted for the buffet.
FootballScoop's long-running columnist is casting doubts, if not aspersions, on Josh Heupel's Tennessee Vols, Marcus Freeman's Notre Dame Fighting Irish and, to an extent, Steve Sarkisian's Texas Longhorns.
Predicting teams NOT to reach their Vegas-formulated win benchmarks is OK. The Vols are widely projected at 8.5 wins, Notre Dame at 10.5 and Texas at 9.5.
Barnett, as does the rest of the staff, also has teams he expects to easily surpass their win totals.
But it's his contention that Texas will lose on the road to Kentucky or Mississippi State (we don't think he said both, but can't be sure because we were in various states of shock) that prompted visible and visceral reactions.
Meanwhile, FootballScoop President Scott Roussel and our resident coach, as well as master of graphics and content, Doug Samuels, are both riding the Big Ten's considerable 2024 success with their projection for this year's Big Ten darling that will exceed what Vegas has projected.
That team is Illinois, with Samuels supplying the following:
"I'd like my OVER team on the record as Illinois," Samuels said. "Continuity on the coaching staff, one of the best secondary coaches in the country in Corey Parker and the return of Luke Altmeyer at quarterback combined with everyone overlooking the Illini and talking about Nebraska as the Big Ten's surprise team will have (Bret) Bielema's squad hungry for the over of 7.5 wins."
That other squad referenced? Nebraska?
Yeah, that's a team projected in this podcast to fall flat of its 7.5-win projection.
Elsewhere, there's little confidence in Pat Narduzzi's Pitt Panthers. They lost their final six games a year ago, including a heinous bowl loss, and still need to show considerable strides of offensive improvement under Kade Bell. They're projected again as a middling team -- 6.5 wins.
But one more program that might be a nice pick to hit its over-wins projection? San Diego State.
As noted on the podcast, the Aztecs return 10 starters on defense, a total of seven all-conference players and also have added key transfer pieces at several spots, including former Michigan backup-quarterback Jayden Denegal and offensive lineman Kalan Ellis, who earned starting experience last year on Fran Brown's 10-win Syracuse team.
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