College football betting is particularly susceptible to the swings and biases of media coverage and public opinion.
Unlike the NFL, which is set up to constantly drag teams up or down toward the mean, college football is designed as an unfair game. Some programs have eight-figure budgets and attract elite recruits; other programs languish in total obscurity for decades at a time.
It's no surprise, then, that some programs are routinely underrated or overrated over the years.
Those reasons can differ from program to program – especially when dealing with overrated teams – but the top-level takeaway is always the same. Regardless of rationale, avoid overrated teams at all costs.