Setting the over-Under Win Total for Every College Football Team in 2012

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Now that the recruiting period is behind us, college football fans begin the long wait. Soon spring practice will come and go and the summer months will leave fans longing for the sound of pads colliding. 

Last year, a lot of teams had their ups and downs. Some met their season expectations while others saw a promising start go down the drain. 

With the season still months away, here is a look at how teams did last year and a look at an over-under of the amount of wins teams can shoot for in 2012. 

Wake Forest

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Wake Forest got out of the gates hot last year and started off 5-2 and were looking like a team that could turn some heads in the ACC. Unfortunately, the season took a wrong turn and they finished the season 6-7. 

In 2012, the Demon Deacons should be able to keep things together at the end of the year and be more of a factor in the ACC outlook.

Over/Under: 7

Boston College

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In 2011, Boston College managed to only win four games but they did start to turn things around after a 1-6 start.

While the talent has not gotten much better, Boston College should manage to do better in their out of conference schedule a pick up a win or two more.

Over/Under: 5 

Georgia Tech

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6-0 followed by 2-5 was not the way that Paul Johnson expected the Yellow Jackets 2011 season to end up going.

In 2012, Georgia Tech may not have the same type of collapse that they experienced this past year but eight wins may be as good as it gets for this team.

Over/Under: 8

Duke

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Early in 2011, Duke was showing some promise after winning three straight games and being above .500. Despite the brief bright spot, the Blue Devils finished the year 3-9.

While David Cutcliffe is doing as good as he can at Duke, the Blue Devils just do not attract enough talent to be competitive.

Over/Under: 4

North Carolina

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In 2011, North Carolina, despite firing Butch Davis a month before the start of the season, still managed to find their way into a bowl game and finished the season at 7-6.

This year, Larry Fedora is taking over at North Carolina and while there is the potential for him to do a great job, it will take him a couple of years to get things going.

Over/Under: 6

Virginia

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Mike London and Virginia are looking at 2012 as an opportunity to prove that this past year was not a fluke. Last year, the Cavaliers went 8-5 and had a shot to go to the ACC title game. 

With quarterback Michael Rocco back under center, Virginia is in good hands and should improve upon last years record.

Over/Under: 9

Virginia Tech

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Frank Beamer led ball clubs always find a way to be near the top of the ACC standings and last year was no different. Virginia Tech went 11-3 last year but had a disappointing end to their season in the Sugar Bowl.

With talent up and down their roster, the Hokies should have no problem putting together another 10 win season 

Over/Under: 10

Miami

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The inability to find consistency last year was something that killed the Hurricanes and ended up leading to their 6-6 season.

Al Golden appears to be the right guy for the job down in Miami but will need to do better in 2012. Last year the Hurricanes longest winning streak was two games and if they hope to compete in the ACC that will need to change.

Over/Under: 7

Florida State

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Florida State is an interesting team but is always hard to predict how they will handle the course of a season. In 2011, the Seminoles were expected to be a force in the ACC and a potential title contender. 

In 2012, all of the talent is still there and Florida State fans certainly hope that this is the year that the team lives up to their potential. 

Over/Under: 10

Maryland

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Randy Edsall will be in his second year in 2012 and Danny O'Brien will be in his junior season. While last year Maryland only managed a 2-10 season, it would be hard to believe that they could not do better this year.

Over/Under: 5

Clemson

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Despite hitting the 10 win mark last year, the Tigers season felt much like a disappointment rather than a success. Clemson jumped out to an outstanding start but stumbled down the stretch.

With much of their talent coming from underclassmen, the Tigers should be back in full force and will the experience from 2011 to draw from.

Over/Under: 11

NC State

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Tom O'Brien and NC State survived 2011 due to the fact that they could fall back on Mike Glennon and it made the transition from Russell Wilson extremely easy.

In 2012, the transition will continue but the wins may not.

Over/Under: 6

Oregon

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During the offseason, Oregon has gone through a lot of change with the departure of LaMichael James and Darron Thomas. While the schedule is certainly more forgiving than last year, USC will be stronger than it has been over the past three seasons.

Last years 12 win total may be as good as it gets for the Ducks but it will all depend on how Bryan Bennett does in the starting quarterback role.

Over/Under: 11

Cal

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Last years 7-6 record was a result of Cal being unable to win any of their games against the more talented teams in the Pac-12. The Bears were able to win game out of conference and cleaned up against the bottom half of the conference. Expect the same in 2012.

Over/Under: 7

Oregon State

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Since losing the Rodgers brothers, Oregon State has fallen off of the Pac-12 map and has been towards the bottom of the conference for the past two seasons. 

This year, Mike Riley should help the Beavers rebound strong from a three win season and could get them back to competing for a bowl game.

Over/Under: 5

Stanford

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The Andrew Luck era is over and Stanford fans are starting to brace themselves for the aftermath of losing one of the schools best college football players.

While Stanford should still be competitive, the loss of Luck will loom big and cause them to struggle against teams like Oregon, USC, Cal and others.

Over/Under: 7

Washington

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Seems like the past few seasons, the college football world has been waiting for the Huskies to take a step towards becoming on the conferences elite and yet they have failed to find a way to do so. 

Keith Price is back as the teams starting quarterback and the Huskies should once again be explosive but the defense will be the question mark.

Over/Under: 8

Washington State

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Despite a 4-8 season in 2011, Washington State has plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the upcoming season.

In 2012, the Cougars will have a healthy Jeff Tuel back under center and have brought in Mike Leach to take over as the programs head coach.

Over/Under: 5

USC

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During 2011, USC went 10-2, won on the road against Oregon and would have represented the Pac-12 South if not for their infraction penalties with the NCAA. 

In 2012, the penalties are off Matt Barkley is back as a senior. With upcoming season, expectations are sky high and so is the over-under.

Over/Under: 11

UCLA

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The good news for UCLA last year was that USC was finishing up their postseason band and could not represent the Pac-12 south in the conference title game. This meant UCLA got a shot and also had their bowl request approved. The result of all of this was a 6-8 final record.

Jim Mora is now the head coach and while it may not show this year, UCLA appears to be in good hands.

Over/Under: 6

Utah

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Utah's first season in the Pac-12 started out rough but as the season went on, the Utes found their rhythm and finished the year 8-5. 

This year, Utah should be prepared for the struggles that conference play brings and may be the team that threatens USC for the division title. 

Over/Under: 8

Colorado

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Unlike Utah, Colorado's first year in the Pac-12 did not go as well and they ended up finishing the season with a 3-10 record. Again unlike Utah, Colorado doesn't appear to have the talent to turn things around this year and could be in store for another rough fall.

Over/Under: 4

Arizona State

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Arizona State was suppose to have the talent to run away with the Pac-12 South last year and that's the way it got started but the second half of the year was a disaster that eventually led to a coaching switch. 

With Brock Osweiler back at quarterback, there is no reason that the Sun Devils cannot surpass their 2011 win total of six.

Over/Under: 7

Arizona

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With Mike Stoops out and Rich Rodriguez in, a new era has begun for the Wildcats program but it will not start out well. While last years 4-8 record may have been rough for fans to go through, they will be transitioning to Rodriguez's offense and will struggle to get back to the same record.

Over/Under: 5

Louisville

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Last year a 7-5 record earned Louisville a piece of the Big East conference title. Despite the share of the title, Louisville struggled on defense as they were in the top 20 for points allowed.

This year, getting another piece of that title will be difficult as some players were lost from last years team making the defense even worse.

Over/Under: 6

Cincinnati

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Cincinnati put together a strong effort last year and it earned them a piece of the Big East title but not a trip to a BCS bowl game. With Zach Collaros gone now, the window for success may have closed for a few years as the Bearcats look for an answer under center.

Over/Under: 7

West Virginia

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A 10-3 season with a Big East title was capped off last year by a monster win over Clemson in the Orange Bowl. With many of their weapons back and a slightly easier out of conference schedule, the Mountaineers should be in good shape in 2012.

Over/Under: 11

Connecticut

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After a surprising Big East crown in 2010, the Huskies fell flat in 2011 and had a rough season from start to finish. Connecticut finished 5-7 last year and may do even worse in 2012.

Over/Under: 4

South Florida

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One of the most disappointing teams of last year was South Florida. The Bulls got out of the gates quick by beating Notre Dame on the road  and starting the year 4-0 only to win one more game the rest of the way.

This year, B J Daniels is back and the Bulls should compete for the conference title.

Over/Under: 8

Rutgers

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After a 9-4 season, Rutgers believed they had something to build on and spring them forward into the 2012 season but with the loss of Greg Schiano, the program is heading for a setback that could start as soon as this season.

Over/Under: 7

Pittsburgh

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If not for some easy games against Maine and Buffalo to start the season, Pitt would not have even headed to a bowl game last year. The Panthers continue to struggle on offense and until they can put some points up on the board, they will continue to be mediocre.

Over/Under: 6

Syracuse

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After jumping out to a 5-2 start, Syracuse crumbled down the stretch, losing their next five games and failing to become bowl eligible.

If the Orange hope to be more successful in 2012, they have to find a way to get out of the bottom quarter of teams in terms of points scored.

Over/Under: 5

Oklahoma

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While 10-3 may seem like a great year, it is not what Sooner fans or players had envisioned for the 2011 season.

This year, Landry Jones is back and so are the expectations for Oklahoma. With a strong defense, the Sooners should be on top of the conference after losing out to Oklahoma State last year.

Over/Under: 11

Oklahoma State

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Last year, Oklahoma State had an arguement to be in the BCS national title and finished the season with a 12-1 record. This year, the Cowboys may find it hard to have an argument to be in a bowl game as their dynamic duo of Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon are gone.

Over/Under: 7

Texas

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After an eight win season, the biggest question that Texas is not use to having is who are they going to start at quarterback. Last year,  both David Ash and Case McCoy saw starting time and should battle it out during spring ball this year.

Over/Under: 8

Texas Tech

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A win in Norman last year helped put Texas Tech back on the national radar but also drew attention to the program right as they would drop their last five games and fail to make a bowl game.

While last year may have ended poorly, the Red Raiders quarterback Seth Doege is back and should help Texas Tech improve and make a bowl game in 2012.

Over/Under: 8

TCU

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After an 11-2 season, TCU makes the move this year to the Big 12 and it will be extremely interesting to see how well the Horned Frogs can transition to a higher level of play.

While they do have talent all over the field and should feast on some of the lesser teams in conference, it may take TCU a year or two to get their legs under them.

Over/Under: 8

Baylor

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Baylor fans may just want to put games from last year on during this fall because transitioning to a team without Robert Griffin III will be a rough reality for the Bears.

Last year, Griffin helped Baylor win 10 games but without his playmaking abilities, the Bears will really struggle in 2012.

Over/Under: 7

Iowa State

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Iowa State pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the season last year as they defeated the undefeated Oklahoma Sooners. Much like Texas Tech, Iowa State failed to capitalize on that momentum and lost their remaining games.

While last years 6-7 season may have felt like a disappointment, six wins may be as good as it gets in 2012.

Over/Under: 6

Kansas

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After a 2-0 start last year, Kansas dropped 10 straight to finish the year off at 2-10. The Jayhawks are bad in all phases of the game right now but with new head coach Charlie Weis in control, they should find a way to get things turned around.

Over/Under: 4

Kansas State

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Bill Snyder and Kansas State turned a lot of heads last year as they went 10-3 and looked extremely impressive all year long. With the majority of that team back in the fold for 2012, look for the Wildcats to continue to challenge Oklahoma for the conference title.

Over/Under: 9

Illinois

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Last year was a roller coaster for Illinois as they started off the season 6-0, only to drop six straight and then win their bowl game against UCLA.

Illinois did lose some key players from the defense and could take a further step back in 2012.

Over/Under: 5

Nebraska

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After one season in the Big 10, Bo Pelini and Nebraska found success and went 9-4 last year. This year, they have the experience from last years run to try and close the deal and win the Legends division and head to the Big 10 title game.

Over/Under: 9

Indiana

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It would be hard to believe that things could not get better after a 1-11 season but that is the situation that the Hoosiers find themselves in this coming season. With the lack of talent and overall strength of the Big 10, a repeat performance is not out of the question.

Over/Under: 2

Iowa

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Last year, the Hawkeyes very quietly went 7-6 and had their season finish out with a loss to Oklahoma in the Insight Bowl.

With the amount of talent in the Big 10 this year, Iowa will truly struggle to separate from the middle of the pack.

Over/Under: 7

Northwestern

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After a four game winning streak towards the end of 2011 made Northwestern bowl eligible, the Wildcats failed to a win a bowl game once again. This year, Dan Persa is gone and the Wildcats offense will need some restructuring before they get back on track.

Over/Under: 5

Purdue

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Don't look now but with Ohio State under a one year post season band, Wisconsin in transition with their coaching staff and Penn State still dealing with off the field issues, the Boilermakers could be the team to come out of the Leaders division.

Over/Under: 7

Michigan

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When the 2011 season came to an end, the Michigan Wolverines were 11-2 and exceeded even the most optimistic Michigan fans expectations.

With Denard Robinson back at Michigan this year, the Wolverines will look to make the Big 10 title game but will likely run into a problem with Nebraska and Michigan State.

Over/Under: 9

Michigan State

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Despite losing some senior leadership at the end of the 2011 season, Michigan State is going to return a strong defense that should provide the Spartans with a leg up in their division. If the offense can develop according to plan, Michigan State could finish what they started last year and win the Big 10.

Over/Under: 10

Penn State

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Last year, Penn State but the distractions to the side and managed to finish up the season 9-4. Now, Penn State will begin their offseason with a new head coach, a new system and who knows what the results will be.

Over/Under: 8

Ohio State

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After a 6-7 season, Ohio State went out and brought in Urban Meyer to help right the ship. While the Buckeyes are facing a postseason band this year, Meyer will immediately get things turned around and have Ohio State ready for 2013.

Over/Under: 8

Wisconsin

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For the past two years, Wisconsin has shown up in the Rose Bowl with high hopes, only to leave without the taste of victory. This year, the coaching staff is in transition and the recruiting class was a disaster.

With all of that said, Wisconsin still has Montee Ball and an amazing run game and could challenge for a third trip to the Rose Bowl.

Over/Under: 9

Minnesota

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Last years season was full of setbacks and distractions for Minnesota and it showed as the Gophers finished the season 3-9. While there is not a ton of talent on the roster, they should be able to do better than last year but not by much.

Over/Under: 4

Alabama

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Despite not winning the SEC title, Alabama found a way to get into the BCS National Championship and finished the job with a win over LSU. This year, the Tide return a ton of talent as usual and should look to push last years 12 win total.

Over/Under: 12

Auburn

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Now two years after losing Cam Newton, Auburn will be looking to find that explosion they had in 2010. Gene Chizik did a nice job of putting together an eight win season last year but with rival Alabama collecting another national title, eight wins will not be acceptable in 2012.

Over/Under: 9

Arkansas

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In 2011, Arkansas was poised for a great season but ran into LSU and Alabama and could not find an answer for either. This year, Tyler Wilson is back under center, Knile Davis will be healthy and the Hogs could make a serious run in the SEC.

Over/Under: 11

Texas A&M

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Last year, Texas A&M watched second half leads disappear on a regular basis. This year, the Aggies are heading to the SEC where things will be even more difficult.

While they may not blow as many second half leads, they will likely not improve on their win total in their first year in the SEC.

Over/Under: 7 

Missouri

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The other team joining the SEC this year is going to be the Missouri Tigers. Missouri posted a 8-5 record last year and found success with James Franklin at quarterback.

Despite the return of Franklin under center, expect a step back for the Tigers in their first year in the SEC.

Over/Under: 6

Florida

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Since Tim Tebow left Florida, the Gators have been unable to find the same level of success that they had become use to. Now with Chris Rainey and John Brantley gone, the Gators will look for answers during the spring.

Over/Under: 8

Georgia

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Last year, Georgia bounced back from a 0-2 start to finish the year 10-2 and head to the SEC title game and a bowl game. While the Bulldogs lost both, the offense looks like it will be good to go for 2012 and will give Georgia a shot at returning for another crack at the conference title.

Over/Under: 10

Kentucky

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While Joker Phillips is doing his best at Kentucky, the Wildcats are and always will be a basketball school and it shows with their inability to grab key recruits. 

Last year the Wildcats won five game and a repeat performance may be as good as it gets in 2012.

Over/Under: 5

LSU

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Last year ended with disappointment as the LSU Tigers went 13-0, won the SEC title game and ended up losing to Alabama, a team they had already beaten on the road.

While LSU did lose some pro prospects, they tend to reload and not rebuild.

Over/Under: 10

Mississippi State

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Dan Mullen has done a great job of accomplishing one of his goals which was beating Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl. One thing he has yet to do is move Mississippi State forward and help them be a true competitor in the SEC.

Last year the Bulldogs won seven games and based on the SEC landscape, expect more of the same.

Over/Under: 7

South Carolina

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Last year had both its ups and downs for South Carolina but ultimately the result was good for the program. 

This year Marcus Lattimore will be healthy and Connor Shaw will return for his first full year, which should result in a serious run at winning the SEC East.

Over/Under: 11

Ole Miss

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Ole Miss has quickly fallen to the bottom of the SEC and last year's 2-10 record was further evidence of that. While the easy thing would be to say it cannot get much worse, two teams enter the SEC this year that are better than the Rebels and it continues to move them down a peg.

Over/Under: 3

Vanderbilt

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James Franklin has done a great job of elevating Vanderbilt to the middle of the pack in the SEC. Last year, Franklin helped them become bowl eligible and finish with a 6-7 record.

Look for Franklin to push his program to the next level and finish the 2012 season with an extra win.

Over/Under: 7

Tennessee

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After a 5-7 season last year, this is a critical year for Derek Dooley and the Tennessee Volunteers. With Tyler Bray back at quarterback and a lot of young talent all over the field, there is no reason that Tennessee should not be bowl eligible at the end of the 2012 season.

Over/Under: 7

Notre Dame

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Seems like every year is the year that the Irish will be back and for a while now Notre Dame has fallen flat on their lofty expectations.

This year, the talent continues to be there in South Bend but the question will be if they can finally live up to the expectations.

Over/Under: 8

BYU

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Things started out rough for BYU as the dropped two games in September and were 1-2 early on. Quickly things got turned around and the Cougars improved to 10-3 and ended up having a good season.

The schedule should be a bit more forgiving which should allow the Cougars to get off to a much better start in 2012.

Over/Under: 10

Navy

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Navy is continually a competitive team but this past season a six game losing streak caused them to miss out on a bowl game and sent their season south.

This year the option attack will be back and the hope is to once again become bowl eligible.

Over/Under: 6

Army

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Much like Navy, Army was coming off of a bowl eligible season and had high expectations for the 2011 season. Those hopes quickly diminished and the Black Knights finished the season with a 3-9 overall record. 

This year, Army will be back it again and will the schedule isn't too challenging, the talent level may prevent them from returning to a bowl.

Over/Under: 5

Southern Miss

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Despite already being 10-2 at that point, Southern Miss did not start to turn heads until they upset undefeated Houston in the Conference USA title game. 

Hopefully those memories will last as the Golden Eagles lost both their head coach and starting quarterback and are in for a step back this year.

Over/Under: 7

Marshall

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Marshall did a great job of rallying late last year as their final two wins sent them to a bowl game which they also won, giving them a final record of 7-6. This year, the Thundering Herd must find a way to improve on the offensive side of the ball in order for them to be bowl eligible again.

Over/Under: 6

East Carolina

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After a 5-7 finish to 2011, the East Carolina Pirates can at least look forward to an easier schedule as last year they had to start off against South Carolina and Virginia Tech. 

With an easier starting schedule, the Pirates should be able to not only get back into a bowl game but get around the seven win mark.

Over/Under: 7

Houston

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Life without Case Keenum is about to begin at Houston and it will be a long way from the 13-1 run that he took them on last year. Along with losing Keenum, Houston is also losing head coach Kevin Sumlin and will need some time to get things back to the success they had in 2011.

Over/Under: 7

Memphis

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If you are looking for good news after a 2-10 season, it has to be that Memphis had a freshman starting at quarterback and Taylor Reed is back for his second season. 

In order to take a step forward, the Tigers must find a way to score more and improve defensively. So in other words, they need a lot of help.

Over/Under: 2

Rice

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Rice is facing a good news/bad news scenario after their 4-8 season in 2011. The bad news is that senior leader Nick Fanuzzi is gone and the Owls will miss his leadership. The good news is that they can now focus on quarterback Taylor McHargue.

Over/Under: 4

SMU

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Over the past few seasons, SMU has continued to get stronger and stronger and with the step back that Houston is likely to take, the Mustangs have an opportunity to make some noise in Conference USA.

While last year the Mustangs went 8-5, look for them to continue to improve.

Over/Under: 9

Tulane

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2011 was a rough year for the Tulane Green Wave. They finished the year at 2-10 and were among the worst offenses and defenses in the nation.

In order for Tulane to make any improvement, they have to find a way to improve on both sides of the ball but that is still going to take more time.

Over/Under: 2

Tulsa

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Despite the loss to BYU in the Armed Forces Bowl, Tulsa still finished the year at 8-5 and were one of the better offenses in Conference USA. 

While they did get back wide receiver Bryan Burnham, G.J. Kinne has graduated and they will have a huge hole to fill.

Over/Under: 5

UCF

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In 2011, UCF went 5-7 but have a promising outlook on the upcoming season. At the end of the year, UCF finished with a top 10 defense but struggled to put up points. Both Jeff Godfrey and Latavius Murray will be back in the backfield and should push the Knights into bowl contention. 

Over/Under: 6 

UAB

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UAB fluttered towards the bottom of Conference USA last year and finished the season with a 3-9 record and left a lot of room for improvement. 

With quarterback Jonathan Perry back, the UAB offense has a chance to be better but the defense may still be in need of a ton of work.

Over/Under: 3

UTEP

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With two games remaining, UTEP had hit the 5-5 mark and appeared to have a solid shot at becoming bowl eligible. Unfortunately for the Miners, they dropped their last two games and the main reason was their poor defense. 

Based on the returning starters and last years performance, the Miners defense will once again be the reason this team struggle to hit the six win mark.

Over/Under: 5

Akron

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When a team is in the bottom five for both offense and defensive points allowed in the nation, the result is that team going 1-11 and getting the one win may be more than expected.

With the deficiencies all over the field, the Zips are in for another rough season in 2012.

Over/Under: 1

Bowling Green

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After a 3-1 start to the 2011 season, it appeared that Bowling Green was on their way to becoming bowl eligible but ultimately the defense let them down and the Falcons finished 5-7.

This year key players return, including starting quarterback Matt Schilz and the Falcons should finish what they started last year.

Over/Under: 6

Buffalo

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The Turner Gill era is a distant memory for Bulls fans as the Buffalo program continues to struggle to match the success that Gill had.

After a 3-9 season, Buffalo needs help all over the field and will struggle to do any better than they did last year.

Over/Under: 3

Ball State

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While the offense certainly made Ball State competitive, it was not enough to put the Cardinals over the top and into a bowl game.

Ball State found themselves at 6-4 with two games remaining last year but gave up 86 total points and ended the year at 6-6. 

If the Cardinals can improve on the defensive side of the ball, Ball State will be a much improved team.

Over/Under: 6

Eastern Michigan

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Ron English has taken Eastern Michigan from a team that would win or two games to a team that won six games last year and turned some heads around the MAC.

Based on the growth English has shown with the Eagles, it is hard to believe he can elevate them any more but that is what people said the last two years.

Over/Under: 5

Central Michigan

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A pattern developed during the Central Michigan season as they would win one game and then lose three. This pattern resulted in a 3-9 final record and leaves fans with a feeling of something has to change. 

That something that needs to change, like for most failing teams, is the Chippewas need to improve offensively and defensively and that is still a couple years away. 

Over/Under: 4

Kent State

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While the defense did their best in 2011, being ranked No. 49 in the nation, Kent State's offense was just awful and let them down on multiple occasions.

Quarterback Spencer Keith will be entering another year at quarterback and hopefully he can help them get things turned around.

Over/Under: 4 

Miami (OH)

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Last year Miami of Ohio went 4-8 on the season but there is promised for this year. The defense was strong enough that anytime the offense could put up 28 or more points the Redhawks won. If the offense can provide a few more score, Miami could get things turned around.

Over/Under: 5

Northern Illinois

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In 2011, Northern Illinois went 11-3 and had a breakout season that led to a MAC title. This year, both their starting running back and quarterback are gone and the offense will need some retooling.

While the Huskies will not completely fall off, this will be a down year for the program.

Over/Under: 7

Ohio

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Ohio had a great season last year going 10-3 but did come up short to Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship Game. The good news for the Bobcats is that quarterback Tyler Tettleton is back and should help them get over the top in 2012. 

Over/Under: 11

Temple

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Temple was one of the surprise teams of last year, going 9-4 and having a top 40 offense and the third overall defense in the nation.

To keep that offense going, Bernard Pierce is back and should help the Owls make strides towards another improvement.

Over/Under: 9

Toledo

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After dropping three tough games last September, Toledo ripped through the rest of their schedule while only losing one more game to give them a final record of 9-4.

The good news for Toledo is they have a lot of firepower coming back on offense. Both quarterbacks, Terrance Owens and Austin Dantin, are back and wide receiver Eric Page is back as well.

Over/Under: 9

Western Michigan

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Western Michigan had an up and down season in 2011 and it lead to a 7-6 overall record. While the Broncos did lose some key players to graduation, quarterback Alex Carder is back under center and should help Western Michigan remain competitive. 

Over/Under:6

Boise State

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Boise State may be the most interesting team to keep your eye on during the 2012 season. Last year, led by Kellen Moore, the Broncos went 12-1 but still fell short of their goal of making it to a National Championship.

With Moore gone, it will be interesting to see how Boise State fills the gap he now leaves.

Over/Under: 8

Hawaii

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Last year was a disappointing for Hawaii as they finished the year 6-7 and now have to deal with the loss of quarterback Bryant Moniz to graduation.

While Hawaii is known for being able to put quarterbacks into their system and get results, it will likely take a year to see the wins.

Over/Under: 6 

Air Force

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Air Force was once again bowl eligible in 2011 but came up one point short to Toledo in the Military Bowl. Out of all the service academies, Air Force has found consistency and will continue to in 2012.

If the defense can raise their level of play, they may be able to take advantage of a down year for Boise State.

Over/Under: 8

Fresno State

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Things got bad enough during Fresno State's 4-9 season that long time head coach Pat Hill was fired as the programs head coach. The Bulldogs were on the path a few years ago of being a team like Boise State but never reached that level.

Despite a new coach, Fresno State gets back Derek Carr under center and should be able to at least match last years win total.

Over/Under: 4

Nevada

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Nevada took on a brutal schedule last year and had the end result be a 7-6 overall record. This season, the schedule lets up a little bit, especially out of conference and should allow the Wolf Pack to rebound in 2012.

Over/Under: 8

Colorado State

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After a promising 3-1 start, Colorado State saw the wheels come off and they lost their last eight games. The losing streak showed the Rams that they need help on both sides of the ball. 

While both Pete Thomas and Chris Nwoke are back again in the backfield, Colorado State will need help from an unexpected source in 2012.

Over/Under: 3

New Mexico

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Dead last in points for and second to last in points against were the two things you need to know about New Mexico's 2011 season. With those statistics it may surprise you to know that they did end up winning a game and finishing 1-11.

The good news for the Lobos is Mike Locksley is no longer the head man, which should allow for a fresh feeling around the program.

Over/Under: 1

San Diego State

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After losing head coach Brady Hoke to Michigan, San Diego State stayed afloat and finished with a 8-5 record but did end up losing their bowl game to UL Lafayette.

While both offenses and defenses were serviceable, they need to improve on their consistency to have a shot at a better season in 2012.

Over/Under: 7 

Wyoming

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With the exception of their loss to Utah State last year, Wyoming did a great job of beating the teams they were suppose to and finished with a 8-5 record.

This year, Wyoming has the returning talent to do the same thing but needs to find a way to win a game against top talent if they hope to see the program grow.

Over/Under: 8

UNLV

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Once again the trend of a bottom ten offense and defense has resulted in a poor season and UNLV found out first hand as they went 2-10 in 2011.

Very simply, the offense and/or the defense must improve this year for the Rebels to improve on their two wins from last year.

Over/Under: 2

Arkansas State

Arkansas State had a great year last year and finished the year at 10-3. The offense and defense both finished inside the top 35 in the nation and helped them get stronger as the year went on.

Over/Under: 9

Florida Atlantic

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Last year was not good for any Florida Atlantic fan as the team went 1-11 and looked awful from start to finish. Along with replacing their head coach, the Owls must find a way to be more effective on at least one side of the ball.

Over/Under: 1

FIU

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Behind a top 15 defense in the nation, the Florida International Golden Panthers went 8-4 last year but ended up losing to Marshall in their bowl game. 

In 2012, FIU loses their starting quarterback to graduation which not only will cause the offense to struggle more but could place a bigger burden on the defense. 

Over/Under: 6

UL Lafayette

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Going 9-4 and winning their bowl game was a huge step this past year for the Ragin Cajuns. Throughout the year, their offense found ways to carry the load and with quarterback Blaine Gautier back, they should be able to do it again.

Over/Under: 8

UL Monroe

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The one thing that plagued UL Monroe last year was the fact that they could not find a consistency in their effort. During the 2011 season, the Warhawks went 4-8 but failed to get a solid performance out of their offense and defense in the same game.

Over/Under: 3

Middle Tennessee

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The only upside to coming off of a 2-10 season is the fact that Middle Tennessee is returning their starting quarterback Logan Kilgore, who had shown some promise during the 2011 season.

Over/Under: 2

North Texas

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Despite the rough out of conference schedule which saw games against Houston and Alabama, North Texas still found a way to finish the season at 5-7. 

If North Texas can get some improvement out of their defense and continued growth out of returning starting quarterback Derek Thompson, the Mean Green should improve.

Over/Under: 6

Western Kentucky

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After an 0-4 start in 2011, Western Kentucky was looking like things were spiraling out of control quickly but they went 7-1 down the stretch and got things turned around.

Over/Under: 6

Troy

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3-9 is how the 2011 season ended for Troy and both the offense and defense failed to improve enough to push the program forward. In 2012, the Trojans will need an improved effort if they hope to get out of the basement. 

Over/Under: 3

Idaho

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The one focus that Idaho has going into the 2012 season is finding a way to improve the offense and get some more points on the board. In 2011, the Vandals struggled all over the field but have the athletes to be decent on the defensive side of the field.

Over/Under: 3

Louisiana Tech

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Anytime a season starts at 1-4 the thought is that things are going to be a struggle all season long. For the 2011 Bulldogs, they were able to rattle off seven straight wins and got themselves into a bowl game with TCU.

This year, Louisiana Tech will look to recapture the momentum they had at the end of the year and move forward from last years 8-5 finish.

Over/Under: 8

New Mexico State

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4-9 and one of the worst defenses in the nation is the situation that New Mexico State found themselves in last year. While the offense did enough to win last year, they must find a way to keep teams out of the end zone this year.

Over/Under: 4

Utah State

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Utah State grabbed some peoples attention as they almost opened the season with an upset win at Auburn. Overall, the season ended on a fairly average note as the Aggies finished 7-6.

The offense had a strong year and if they continue to perform that way in 2012, things will keep looking up.

Over/Under: 7

San Jose State

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2011 looks like it could be a rough season for San Jose State despite last years 5-7 record. Coming into this season, the Spartans will be replacing both their starting running back and quarterback as both Matt Faulkner and Brandon Rutley graduated.

Over/Under: 4