Happy Monday, and happy game week! This is normally when, for entertainment purposes only, I'd let all you wise guys and gals know what the line and spread is on the upcoming BC game. But as is often the case with FBS vs. FCS matchups, BC vs. Maine is off the board, so we don't have lines on the game to share. So, we'll take the opportunity to take a final look before the season starts at one of the futures bets available from our friends at SportsBookReview.com: the odds to win the ACC.
First, the up-to-date odds to win the Atlantic:
FSU +132
Clemson +157
NC State +600
Louisville +720
BC +4500
Syracuse +7000
Wake Forest +7000
FSU remains the favorite, likely bolstered by the knowledge that Dalvin Cook will be available to play. As I feel like pointing out every time I see odds or predictions or rankings from the division, I really don't see what other than geography makes predictions for NC State so much better than they are for BC - but we'll see, I suppose. The other thing that stands out is that the odds predict more wide-open division than has been the case the last few years, Louisvilel might be a nice semi-sleeper pick here.
The last thing that stands out to me, from a BC perspective, is that this reinforces the idea that the Wake and Syracuse games are must-wins in the attempt to cobble together at least 7.
Now on to the Coastal:
Georgia Tech +203
Virginia Tech +203
Miami +565
UNC +750
Pitt +1000
Duke +1300
UVA +4200
Given how wacky the coastal has been in recent years, it's not surprising that it seems to be considered more wide open to begin with; if you check the various books listed at SportsBookReview, you'll note that different books have different orders of finish, with some listing Duke as high as 4th. It's suggested here that Virginia Tech is going to take a big leap from last year; once again, we shall see.
On to the overall odds to win the conference title:
FSU +245
Clemson +300
GT +600
VT +625
LVille +1300
Miami +1500
NC State +1700
UNC +2100
Pitt +3000
Duke +4000
UVA +13500
BC +15000
Syracuse +20000
Wake +20000
You stand to make some good money (invisible, entertainment-purposes-only money, naturally) if you really believe in BC's chances to win the ACC title this year. Will FSU win the crown again? Vegas seems to think so.
Just a few days until we start to find out! Thanks to SportsBookReview.com for keeping the lines up to date to help us understand the experts' predictions for how things are going to go down this year. Keep it here for a look every Monday morning.