My top 5 irrational superstitions when betting college football

I light a candle at 9 a.m. ET on every Saturday of the college football season. Choosing hints of pumpkin over an aroma like lilac has nothing to do with Rutgers covering 28 points, but it's important to trick your mind into thinking you're starting the week off right.

Whether you're a sharp, a square, a recreational bettor, an occasional parlay player, or anywhere in between, I guarantee that you, too, have at least one superstition when throwing down wagers. So, as college football nears, here are my top five irrational superstitions.

Never bet an 'over' with Beth Mowins on the call

I want to preface this by saying that Beth Mowins is a legitimate star, and that her broadcasting career is nothing short of elite.

I'm also convinced that the college football production team scans through totals every week and hands off the lowest to Mowins. It wouldn't be a Saturday in the fall without her calling a Big Ten slogfest with a combined score that finishes right around 18.6 points. If I bet the "over" on Northwestern-Iowa and the first thing I hear on television is Mowins bellowing out, "And here come the Wildcats," I'm immediately looking to live bet the "under."

Meanwhile, Oklahoma is beating Baylor 52-48 in the second quarter and Gus Johnson is over there having the time of his life. Someone please give a couple of Pac-12 barn burners to Mowins this season. She deserves something other than 3-yard nosedives from the fullback.

Always check Oregon's jersey

Have you ever caught a pregame warmup for a matchup you're betting and noticed that one team is trotting out with chrome helmets? Bettors don't understand that these are worth an additional three points; you simply can't lose with chrome crowns.

Just kidding, but when it comes to Oregon, I swear the team's 17,832 different jersey combinations all have a different result. So, I've made a color code you can follow this season:

All apple green: Win by 30; possibly 40
Black: A recipe for red-zone interceptions; likely an "under" play
White jerseys with silver wings: Are they at home? Bet the "over." Are they on the road? Hard pass.
Yellow: "Over" it is.
Any sort of pink accent: Undecided due to sample size

Never, ever watch an 'under' bet

If a psychic read me a tarot card that said every single game on Saturday would go under the total, I'd get outside and spend the day away from my TV.

Meanwhile, there are actual people out there who watch their "under" bets! What I do in the rare case of betting an "under" is set an alarm for every 45 minutes, check the score, see that it's 21-7 midway through the first despite no offensive touchdowns, and then immediately start vacuuming or doing other odd household chores to turn my attention elsewhere. Whenever you can lose a bet eight minutes into a game, you have to do it.

"Don't worry, the tempo will slow down," I say to myself.

Narrator: "There were a combined 117 points."

"It was the right play," I insist.

Always fade Lee Corso

Fading the public is a lazy strategy; the house can't win every game. But you better believe that when I'm holding an Alabama ticket and I see Corso on "College GameDay" insisting that some middle-tier SEC program like Florida is "ready for this one" and will "put the Crimson Tide to the test" while doing the Gator clap, I chalk up that win seven hours in advance. There's no point in even watching the game. Thanks for the free money.

Believe every 'Pac-12 After Dark' game will go over the total

It's 8 p.m. and the slate is winding down. I'm looking at an extremely solid 2-9 record for the day and already thinking about doubling down on the New Orleans Saints in 12 hours. But wait - isn't there another game on tonight?

Ah, yes. Oregon State-Arizona at 11 p.m. I know there's no shot at breaking even, so why bother? But no, I don't want the night to end. This could be where the tide turns. So, I'll start trying to convince any possible acquaintance I know that we're playing the "over."

"I don't know, I seriously think we're in for a shootout. In Tucscon? Roof closed? They're going to be chucking the ball left and right. You know what - I think I love it. Both teams went under last weekend; these two teams went over the total back when they played in 2004. It could be the lock of our lifetime."

There's nothing quite like following that up with a 10-7 halftime score, complete with six punts from the opposing 39-yard line.

(Disclaimer: Please do not irrationally wager money based on the broadcast team, jersey colors, if a game is on TV, or if the candle scent is not ideal.)

Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.