Indiana 2018 Betting Preview: Road Schedule, Defensive Turnover Spell Trouble
Mike Granse-USA TODAY Sports. Pictured: Devonte Williams
Indiana 2018 Betting Odds
- To win the National Title: +200000
- To win the Big Ten: +8000
- To win the Big Ten East: +4300
- Win Total: 5 (over -130, under +100)
Always shop for the best line.
Indiana 2018 Schedule, Betting Odds
The Action Network Projected Wins: 5.7
Bet To Watch
Indiana Win Total Under 5 +100
Indiana football has become relevant with recent trips to the Pinstripe and Foster Farms bowls. But after a brutal exit for previous head coach Kevin Wilson in 2016, Indiana promoted defensive coordinator Tom Allen. He flipped the script and turned the Indiana defense around, while the offense sputtered. It was typically the opposite under Wilson.
And it's safe to say Wilson, now Ohio State's offensive coordinator, didn't hold any offense back in last year's opening game against his former assistant.
Indiana's numbers on defense last year weren't bad, ranking 26th in S&P+ on defense and 10th overall in Adjusted Sack Rate. But like I said, the Hoosiers' offense is another story.
Mike DeBord came in as offensive coordinator from Tennessee. DeBord put up some decent efficiency metrics in his time at Knoxville, but last year was nowhere close in Bloomington. Indiana was 97th offensively in S&P+, and ranked 115th in efficiency and 116th in explosiveness. Those numbers must change, since the Hoosiers' defense doesn't return a whole lot and won't be as big a strength.
Every Big Ten school is upgrading its coaches. Jeff Brohm, Scott Frost, P.J. Fleck and Kirk Ferentz all bring proven track records of overachievement. Allen and offensive coordinator DeBord have their work cut out for them.
Indiana also covered on the road in 2017 just once. Road trips this year include must-wins against FIU, Rutgers and Minnesota.
We're going against the Hoosiers and taking Under 5 wins. The strength of Indiana football, its defense, will not be there to slow any explosiveness down in 2018.
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What else you need to know about Indiana
The opening game against FIU may have value on Indiana -10. While Indiana loses a ton of experience on defense (126th in returning production), Florida International has lost returning production across the board, ranking 126th overall. I have this game projected at Indiana -16, while S&P+ makes this Hoosiers -12.5.
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