2015 college football odds: 5Dimes sets over/under for Hoosiers at 6 wins

Yesterday, online sportsbook 5 Dimes released over/under win totals for the 2015 college football season. The sportsbook has placed Indiana's win total at 6 games for next season, setting the line at +140 if the Hoosiers go over six wins, and at -180 for IU to win less than six. Thus, despite a lofty win total for a program that has rarely achieved that in recent years, 5Dimes is telling bettors that they must bet $180 in order to win $100 if they don't think IU will reach six victories.

Looking at the Hoosiers' schedule for next season, it's quite possible to find six victories on paper. The non-conference schedule seems manageable, and if they sweep these opponents, they'll be sitting pretty at 4-0 heading into conference play. Then win the Bucket for a third straight year, and that's only one more win out of seven other conference games that they need to win.

Sounds easy, right? Wait, this is Indiana football - it's never easy. However, with win totals ahead of teams like Minnesota, Maryland, and yes, Purdue, the Hoosiers at least have some confidence from this sportsbook that their fortunes might change on the gridiron this fall. And at +140 odds for IU to go 7-5 or better, it might even be a worthwhile investment if you're bullish on a big senior season from Nate Sudfeld.

Here are the full Big Ten over/under win totals, as well as the odds for betting either the over or the under for each team.

Looking at the B1G odds, here are the three bets I like best on this board:

Minnesota (Over 5.5, -150) - This may be cheating because it's the third-lowest payout on the board. But despite losing offensive weapons in David Cobb and Maxx Williams, the Golden Gophers should do enough to make a bowl game this year. Other than an opening weekend date with TCU, Minnesota's non-conference schedule seems reasonable. And if the B1G West is as mediocre as it was last year, finding at least three conference wins shouldn't be hard for Jerry Kill's squad. Oh god, the B1G West is going to end up with a five-way tie for first place at 4-4 in conference play, isn't it?

Maryland (Over 4.5, -120) - I'm not saying that the Terps are going to have a great season, but they should do enough to get to a bowl game, even in the crowded B1G East. Randy Edsall seems intent on turning Maryland into east coast Iowa, a team that does enough to get to 7-8 wins most years but never is a threat for conference contention. Thus, that strategy should be worth more than 4.5 wins on the year. The Terps open their season with three games that sound like sure victories, and then take on WVU, who they lost to on a last-second field goal last year. Throw in a home game against Indiana, who they crushed in Bloomington last year, as well as a chance to avenge last season's Rutgers loss, and that's 5-6 possible wins right there for the Terps.

Michigan (Under 7.5, +100) - The way Michigan fans have talked about Jim Harbaugh, you'd think the Wolverines won't lose another game for the next decade. But man, that early-season schedule is a bruiser. Utah crushed the Wolverines in the Big House last year; now Michigan has to travel to SLC to play them. Michigan also has scheduled BYU for early in the season - ask Texas how that turned out for them. Oregon State will not be a cakewalk either. And once B1G play starts, rivals Ohio State and MSU will be out for blood as well. So getting to eight wins may be tough for Michigan, especially if they struggle in non-conference play. Before his string of success, Nick Saban struggled in his first year at Alabama. Harbaugh may suffer similar growing pains in his inaugural year in Ann Arbor.