The Indiana Hoosiers are on the road to open the college football season on Thursday, taking on the Florida International Panthers. The game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on ESPNu. Currently the college football odds for the game have the Hoosiers favored by almost double digits to pick up the win on the road.
College Football Odds
Indiana -9.5
Total: 61 points
The lines on this game are interesting. Indiana opened as a 4-point favorite and the total was established at 45 points. Both have obviously been blasted through the roof, the 16-point raise in the total is alarming but not totally unexpected.
Indiana was 6-7 last season under Kevin Wilson, the Hoosiers have improved in his five seasons are are looking to continue that this season. Devine Redding will shoulder the load left by tailback Jordan Howard, though Redding did pile up better than 1,00 yards himself on the ground. Nate Sudfeld will certainly be missed at the quarterback position; he tossed for 27 TDs and better than 3,500 yards through the air last season. Indiana piled up 36.5 points per game last season, the only problem was the defense — which gave up better than 37 points per game. The Hoosiers certainly have to get that fixed.
Florida International enters the fourth year under Ron Turner, the former Illinois head coach. The Panthers played only five home games last season, though they did win four of those games. FIU was favored in all four of those victories against less than stellar opponents, the lone loss game against Western Kentucky 63-7.
In last year’s game Indiana picked up a 36-22 victory. FIU led in the fourth quarter but ultimately weren’t able to get the job done.
The Panthers are 5-9 in home openers, Indiana is 8-4 all-time in road openers.
Indiana could struggle in the Florida heat, but the Hoosiers will have arguably the best player on the field in Redding.
Free Pick: Indiana
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