Despite the college football season being up in the air, a great gambler continues to study and evaluate. The AAC as a Group of 5 conference is even more up in the air, but we still need to examine the Vegas win totals and my expectations for each. I also highlight three prospects on each team that have the most intriguing NFL potential.
Cincinnati Bearcats: Vegas Win Total- 8.5
This team won 11 games last season and head coach, Luke Fickell has this team rolling and ready for another double digit win season. Fickell turned down Power-5 jobs and a big reason has to be that he believes this team can reach the next level after winning 11 games in back-to-back seasons. Nebraska, Memphis & UCF are not going to be fun games on the schedule, but they should be able to go 1-2 against that trio and still hit this over confidently. This already impressive defense returns ten starters and Fickell has taken the recruiting up a notch. Prediction: Over 8.5
Top Prospects:
James Wiggins, S, 6-0, 205 pounds, Sr.: Wiggins is the forgotten man as far as preseason draft hype goes, but the All-AAC selection checks a ton of boxes you look for in an early-round safety selection. His 2019 season was lost due to an injury, but he will remind scouts of his potential in 2020.
James Smith, P, 6-5, 232 pounds, Sr.: Smith had a disappointing 2019 season after his net punting average fell from 44.3 yards to 41 yards in 2019, but he is still one of the top punters in college football. The All-AAC selection will be looking to return to his Ray Guy Award finalist form.
Gerrid Doaks, RB, 6-0, 230 pounds, Sr.: It is crazy to think Doaks was actually slated to be the starter in 2018, but due to injuries and the emergence of Michael Warren II, Doaks was forced to take a backseat. Doaks is now 100% and will be a name to watch after gaining 526 yards and five touchdowns last season.