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College football season is less than a month away, and the buzz is starting to build. For bettors, that means looking at the odds and evaluating some of the best teams to place your cold hard cash on.
With a major shake-up coming to the conference structure of NCAA football, this might be one of the last seasons where we have a true Power 5 conference structure, so there should be plenty of interest in who will take home the titles.
We’ve put together this piece with the favorites for each conference, as compiled by the oddsmakers of many of the top sports betting apps in the country.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
ACC – Clemson (-120)
No surprise here. Dabo Swinney’s squad won 6 of the previous 7 ACC titles before their streak was snapped last season.
But there’s plenty of reason to believe they’ll be back on top. Defending champion Pitt is expected to take a step back following QB Kenny Pickett’s departure for the NFL. The Tigers will no doubt be entering this season with a renewed vigor, looking to reclaim their top spot.
Runner-up: Miami (+550)
Big Ten – Ohio State (-215)
Similar to Clemson, Ohio State is looking to reclaim its spot atop the Big Ten following a shocking loss to rival Michigan in last season’s Big Ten Championship.
Previous to that, the Buckeyes had been Big Ten champions for 4 straight seasons. Behind the arm of projected Heisman contender and the top prospect in next year’s NFL Draft, C.J. Stroud, THE Ohio State is bookmakers’ favorite to get the top spot back and the heaviest favorite of all conference winners.
Runner-up: Michigan (+600)
Big 12 – Oklahoma (+200)
Despite the departure of Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma is still looking like the favorite to win the Big 12, albeit by a narrow margin.
With a new head coach and quarterback to bring in, it’s actually a bit surprising to see them favored here. They finished third last season and are working with a new system that they will have to integrate.
At this point in the preseason, reputation means a lot, so this might be a good pick to fade if you think other contenders like Oklahoma State, Texas, or defending champion Baylor can knock off the Sooners
Runner-up: Texas (+280)
Pac-12 – USC (+220)
The Pac-12 narrowest race on the books, with no clear favorite. USC is favored here, despite finishing a paltry 4-8 last season.
But, this USC team will look a whole helluva lot different than last year’s. With the hiring of Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley, along with his OU QB Caleb Williams, the Trojans are looking to bounce back in a major way and return to their winning ways.
Runner-up: Utah (+250)
SEC – Alabama (-145)
The Power 5’s strongest conference plays host to last season’s two National Championship finalists.
Last season Alabama won the conference last season, but the victory felt hollow after losing to the Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff National Championship game. This year, the Crimson Tide are looking to win their 8th SEC Championship in 11 seasons under Nick Saban. However, the ultimate prize remains the National Championship game.
Runner-up: Georgia (+155)
