2013 Record: 3-9

2014 Las Vegas Season Win Total: 5.5*

2014 Season Win Total Picks NCAA Football: 'Under'

The Tigers struggled through their first season after moving up from Conference USA to the American Athletic. They are just 12-48 in their last 60 games in the past five years, but if this year's group can find a way to win on the road they could be a surprise bowl team come December.

Memphis has seven starters back on offense, including physically gifted sophomore quarterback Paxton Lynch and some key skill players. Memphis also has eight of 10 starters back on a senior-laden defense that allowed just 24.6 points per game while finishing No. 12 in the nation against the rush.

The Tigers lost four games by a touchdown or less last year, including tight contests against powerhouse Central Florida and Louisville squads. They could've won either of those games if their No. 110-ranked offense could've given them absolutely anything.

The problem this season is that most of Memphis' winnable games are on the road. After a home contest against Middle Tennessee on Sept. 20 the Tigers have to play five of the next seven games on the road. And at one stretch from Sept. 6 to Oct. 4 they have to travel to play UCLA, Mississippi and Cincinnati. That will take a physical and mental toll on this group.

This is a much better Memphis team. But I can't commit to a program that has won an average of 2.4 games a year for the past half-decade breaking through and winning six games this year. I would play this number 'under'.

2014 Memphis Tigers Schedule

DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET) Location Result

Sat, Aug 30th, 2014 Austin Peay 07:00 PM Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium

Sat, Sep 6th, 2014 at UCLA 10:00 PM Rose Bowl

Sat, Sep 20th, 2014 Middle Tennessee TBA Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium

Sat, Sep 27th, 2014 at Ole Miss TBA Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Holli

Sat, Oct 4th, 2014 at Cincinnati TBA Nippert Stadium

Sat, Oct 11th, 2014 Houston TBA Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium

Sat, Oct 25th, 2014 at SMU TBA Gerald J. Ford Stadium

Fri, Oct 31st, 2014 Tulsa 08:00 PM Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium

Fri, Nov 7th, 2014 at Temple 07:30 PM Lincoln Financial Field

Sat, Nov 15th, 2014 at Tulane TBA Yulman Stadium

Sat, Nov 22nd, 2014 TBA Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium

Sat, Nov 29th, 2014 Connecticut TBA Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium

All Times EST

*Season Win Total Odds from Raphael Esparza. Esparza was a Las Vegas sportsbook manager for 13 years at some of the largest books on The Strip. He is a proven oddsmaker and this is his projected total.

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).

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