Texas and Oregon Could Make A Splash in New Leagues
Will the NCAAF teams new conference odds impact the national title chase?
Will New Arrivals Shake Things Up in the Big Ten, Big 12, or the SEC?
While much of the focus right now is on March Madness, spring football games aren’t far away so it is a good time to look at NCAAF teams’ new conference odds.
The Pac-12 will cease to exist as all the teams except Oregon State and Washington State found new leagues to play in. There were some other teams on the move as well.
It was already going to be a season of change with the College Football Playoff expanding from four teams to 12. However, the latest wave of conference realignment is sure to alter the college football landscape.
When it comes to the NCAAF rankings, Texas has the best NCAAF national championship odds of +700 among the teams landing in a new conference followed by Oregon at +900. USC and Oklahoma are well back at +4000 with Washington, fresh off a run to the national title game, at +7000. Georgia has the best odds at +330 to win the national title followed by Ohio State at +480 so the teams changing conferences won’t have all the fun.
Let’s take a look at the new teams in the four power conferences.
ACC
- 2023 ACC Champion:
Florida State - Top Heisman Candidate: DJ Uiagalelei, Florida State
The top seven teams in the ACC championship odds are returning teams. However, when it comes to the NCAAF teams new conference odds involving the ACC, SMU is at +2200, California comes in at +5000 with Stanford having the longest odds of +50000 to win the ACC title so don’t look for the newcomers to shake things up too much in the ACC.
Clemson and Florida State battled it out for ACC supremacy a season ago and it could be more of the same with the Tigers and the Seminoles both at +260 in the ACC championship odds.
Welcome to the ACC: SMU will be the first of the new ACC teams to hit the field with a game against Nevada on Aug. 24. Stanford opens with TCU on Aug. 30 while Cal meets UC Davis on Aug. 31.
Big Ten
- 2023 Big Ten Champion:
Michigan - Top Heisman Candidate: Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon (+1000)
Oregon is one of the teams that left the Pac-12. Oregon is at +250 in the Big Ten championship odds and that trails only Ohio State. The Ducks are among the teams to watch when it comes to the NCAAF teams’ new conference odds.
Michigan and Penn State are also among the top contenders in the Big Ten once again. After that, USC checks in at +2500 with last year’s College Football Playoff finalist coming in at +5000.
UCLA, which like Michigan has to replace a high-profile head coach, is tied for 10th at +8000 in the Big Ten championship odds.
Welcome to the Big Ten: Oregon will kick off the college football season against Idaho on Aug. 31. On that day, UCLA meets Hawaii while Washington meets Weber State. On Sept. 1, USC has a high-profile matchup with LSU.
Big 12
- 2023 Big 12 Champion:
Texas - Top Heisman Candidate: Noah Fifita, QB, Arizona (+2500)
With Oklahoma and Texas now in the SEC, there might not be a conference with more change at the top.
While Kansas State has the best odds at +330 to win the Big 12, newcomer Utah (+360) isn’t far behind. Arizona comes in fourth at +750.
Colorado will receive more media exposure thanks to walking soundbite Deion Sanders in his second season as Colorado’s head coach. However, the Buffaloes are just 11th in the Big 12 odds with Arizona State coming in at +10000.
Welcome to the Big 12: Utah draws Southern Utah in its 2024 opener on Aug. 29, Stanford meets TCU on Aug. 30 while on Aug. 31, Colorado faces FCS power North Dakota State, Arizona squares off with New Mexico, and Arizona State faces Wyoming.
SEC
- 2023 SEC Champion:
Alabama - Top Heisman Candidate: Carson Beck, QB, Georgia (+800); Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas (+800).
As if the SEC wasn’t already strong enough, the conference added Texas and Oklahoma so buckle up for what could be one heck of an SEC regular season.
Georgia, which came up short in its quest for a third straight national title, leads the way at +200 in the odds to win the SEC followed by Texas at +250.
Returning SEC teams hold down the next six spots led by Ole Miss at +650, a Nick Saban-less Alabama team at +900, LSU (+950), Tennessee (+1000), Missouri (+1200), and Texas A&M (+2000) before Oklahoma checks in at +4500.
When looking at the best college football bets, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is the co-favorite in the Heisman Trophy odds along with Georgia QB Carson Beck.
Welcome to the SEC: The new era begins for both Oklahoma and Texas on Aug. 31 when the Sooners meet Temple and the Longhorns face Colorado State.
For NCAAF betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
