2013 Record: 5-7

2014 Las Vegas Season Win Total: 5.0

2014 Season Win Total Picks NCAA Football: 'Over'

Odds courtesy of 5Dimes.

The Hoosiers were THAT close to reaching their second bowl game in the past 20 years last season, coming up just one game short of postseason eligibility. They will give it a go again this year against a schedule that is far less forgiving than last year's slate.

Indiana was No. 9 in the nation in offense, No. 16 in scoring and No. 17 in passing last year. They can nearly score at will and welcome back eight starters for this campaign. The Hoosiers also have nine starters back on defense. But that's not a positive considering the outfit was No. 120 in total defense and No. 114 in scoring.

If Indiana is going to a bowl game this year they will have to earn it. They will be 3-2 at worst when they enter the heart of league play. Home games against Penn State and Purdue and a road game at Rutgers offer the Hoosiers their best odds of winning. That means that a home game against Big Ten newcomer Maryland on Sept. 27 will be the key, swing game for IU this year.

The margin of error for the Hoosiers is too small. Their offense is going to make things interesting. And they may be able to spring an upset of a team like Michigan. But unless the defense shows massive improvement and unless they open the season 4-1 then things need to go almost perfectly for the Hoosiers to get to six wins.

I'd say Indiana is 50-50 to hit six wins. So this wager is all about the number. If you can get 5.0 then I think it is worth a shot at the 'over' because five wins is a 'push'. But if your book were only offering 5.5 as the total then I would think twice and may even look 'under'.

2014 Indiana Hoosiers Schedule

DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET) Location Result

Sat, Aug 30th, 2014 Indiana State TBA Memorial Stadium

Sat, Sep 13th, 2014 at Bowling Green 12:00 PM Doyt Perry Stadium

Sat, Sep 20th, 2014 at Missouri TBA Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium

Sat, Sep 27th, 2014 Maryland TBA Memorial Stadium

Sat, Oct 4th, 2014 North Texas TBA Memorial Stadium

Sat, Oct 11th, 2014 at Iowa 12:00 PM Kinnick Stadium

Sat, Oct 18th, 2014 Michigan State 03:30 PM Memorial Stadium

Sat, Nov 1st, 2014 at Michigan 03:30 PM Michigan Stadium

Sat, Nov 8th, 2014 Penn State TBA Memorial Stadium

Sat, Nov 15th, 2014 at Rutgers TBA High Point Solutions Stadium

Sat, Nov 22nd, 2014 at Ohio State TBA Ohio Stadium

Sat, Nov 29th, 2014 Purdue TBA Memorial Stadium

All Times EST

Robert Ferringo was the top football handicapper in the country last year, earning nearly $8,000 in total football profit in 2013-14 and posting one of the best seasons in America. He hit 62.1 percent for the entire NFL season (95-58) and was amazing down the stretch, closing with 11 of 14 winning NFL weeks and 12 of 15 overall winning football weeks. Robert has posted 3 of 4 winning football seasons, 6 of 7 winning NFL seasons, 30 of 44 winning football months, and 6 of 7 winning NFL preseasons. Also, Robert's proprietary KING College Football Betting System posted another winning season (now 2-for-2) and is 83-58 over the last two years (58.9 percent).

We are offering new clients $60 in free college football picks for Robert Ferringo or any Advisory Board handicapper of your choosing. Also, get free college football picks - updated daily - by clicking here.

Read more articles by Robert Ferringo