While the 2024 college football season is still some time away, spring football has people excited for the future and what their teams can be next season.
Year after year, we have crazy seasons happen with huge names making a run and, at times, like in 2022, surprises such as TCU, who make a run to the National Championship. Once upon a time, it was Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers making that surprise run, which helped develop Clemson into the powerhouse program it is today. In the wild world of college football, especially with the rapid change we’ve seen in the sport and everything surrounding it, anything can happen.
With Clemson’s spring game behind us and others preparing for theirs, we took an early look at the current National Championship odds for many teams competing for the big one. Take a look at the 15 teams with the best odds below via FanDuel Sportsbook.
Odds: +300
Georgia to the surprise of none, heads into the season as the favorites. With the near consensus top head coach in football and a roster littered with talent, including a veteran quarterback, there are no doubts Georgia belongs here.
Odds: +450
It’s somewhat wild that the Buckeyes haven’t won a National Championship since 2014 with the talent they’ve had. I know 2014 isn’t that long ago, but the Buckeyes have had some of the best talent imaginable over the past decade. They should almost eternally be in the conversation, but I have serious doubts that head coach Ryan Day can win the big one. They haven’t won the Big Ten since 2020!
Odds: +700
Last season, I thought people were too early on the Texas calls and feel like I was right there. They never struck me as a serious National Championship contender. This season is different however. The talent is there and the field feels a lot more wide open this time around. They could make a long awaited return in 2024.
Odds: +850
Complete transparency here… I have no idea how to feel about Oregon in 2024. Dan Lanning is one of the top coaches in college football and made a huge statement staying with the Ducks and committing himself to the program. They are one of my most interesting teams to watch next season, mainly because I have no idea what to expect. According to these betting lines, at least, they should be very good.
Odds: +1300
It’s a new era for the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Kalen DeBoer era. I felt this was a strong signing for the Crimson Tide, with only Dan Lanning being a guy I assumed would be a better fit for that program. It feels weird seeing them in the +1000 range, but there are a lot of moving pieces here. Like Oregon, I’m wildly curious about how this team will look in 2024.
Odds: +1500
I see LSU as a three to four loss team in 2024. There’s a huge loss of talent on the offensive side of the ball, and I don’t see this defense drastically turning things around from last season, even with a new defensive coordinator and one of the best defenders in college football, Harold Perkins. I’m simply not this high on the Tigers.
Odds: +1500
If they still had Quinshon Judkins, I’d say absolutely. Without Judkins, I’m a bit shocked to see Ole Miss this high. I suppose this is a testament to how good of a coach Lane Kiffin is? Or maybe they’re expecting a massive year from starting quarterback Jaxon Dart? I don’t hate this line by any means, just a bit shocking considering they lost the best player on the roster.
Odds: +2000
I’ll keep this one short and sweet. Michigan will not repeat as National Champions. They lost far too much, and Ohio State is leaps and bounds better than the Wolverines heading into the 2024 season.
Odds: +2200
Does Penn State still have James Franklin as its head coach? Yes. Does that mean they’ll choke in every truly big matchup? Absolutely. Don’t overthink this one. While I don’t hate Penn State by any means, they clearly don’t have a head coach who can lead them to the promised land. If they make me look stupid, so be it!
Odds: +2200
Sam Hartman wasn’t the answer for the Fighting Irish last season, but could Riley Leonard be the answer this season? At the end of the day, I believe this offense doesn’t have enough firepower to make a run, but Leonard is also a stud and a completely different player than Hartman. This team will be an intriguing watch in 2024, and I’ve got a feeling we’ll know right away whether they can be a legitimate contender or not.
Odds: +2800
Florida State’s ranking ahead of Clemson feels like a bet on Mike Norvell. Florida State lost a ridiculous amount of talent from last year’s team, and I’m not sure if they have the tools to replace all of that production. Norvell is a great coach, and the ACC is more or less wide open. Personally, I’d have them a touch below Clemson.
Odds: +3000
Clemson heads into this season like they did in 2023… A whole lot of potential, but questions surrounding whether they’ll live up to that potential. If Cade Klubnik takes the next step under center and Garrett Riley unlocks this offense in year two like he did for TCU in 2022, considering how open the ACC is, these odds could be a massive steal. While I don’t think Clemson should be a favorite by any means, I do think they should have better odds to win it all. Clemson has a lot to prove this season.
Odds: +3000
Remember when Tennessee was a “dark horse” in 2023 to make a run? Yeah, me too. I didn’t buy it and was happy to see I made the right call there. That being said, Tennessee should 100% be in this range of teams because of that. They’re a solid team with a good coach and recruiting well of late. I’m just never truly sold on the Volunteers and that’s not changing in 2024.
Odds: +3500
Mizzou was an awesome story last season and one of my favorite teams to watch. Losing star running back Corey Shrader is huge, but there’s something about this program right now that feels special. I’m not going to say they’re a dark horse necessarily, but with the new 12-team playoff, don’t be surprised if you see them playing in it!
Odds: +4000
For those who know me, they know I love Mike Elko. An excellent hire for the Aggies, I believe Elko is the right guy to get Texas A&M back on track. Even so, it won’t be this year. It’s too early and Elko needs some time to rebuild this program. Expect them to contend down the line, but not this season.