Given that the calendar has long since flipped over to July, we can now say that college football begins next month. The first full week of action begins on August 31, so it really is time to start getting excited about the upcoming season. It’s also time to start thinking about which teams might emerge as conference winners and potential playoff candidates.
There are a lot of conferences to cover, but the reality is that all 4 playoff teams are likely to emerge from the Power 5 Conferences. With that in mind, let’s look at the College Football betting favorites to win each, as well as a potential upset team.
2019 College Football Betting Favorites to Win Each Conference
ACC
It is the Clemson Tigers who are far and away the overwhelming favorites to win the ACC, and for very good reason. They are the defending champions and have, in Trevor Lawrence, arguably the best QB in college football.This is a team, that is always stingy on the defensive side of the football and who also have the offensive prowess to put teams away quickly and efficiently. Miami may be their biggest rivals, but this should not really be close. Clemson all the way.
Big Ten
This is a conference where an upset can happen given how the divisions are aligned. Northwestern came out of nowhere last year to pose a real threat, but don’t expect a repeat of that.Ohio State Buckeyes are the favorites, but they will have a new QB under center, with Justin Fields transferring in from Georgia. Will he fit in right away or will there be some teething troubles? If it’s the latter, that might open the door for Michigan.
Big 12
It is the Oklahoma Sooners who are in as the favorite here, although this is another team with a new QB. Kyler Murray is off to the NFL after a stellar single season, with Jalen Hurts coming into run the offense.
Hurts has a lot of upsides, but can he survive in a conference that has become known for shootouts and little in the way of defense? If the Sooners do stumble, keep an eye out for the Texas Longhorns.
PAC-12
This is a conference that is on a bit of a skid right now, as they failed to send a team to the playoffs last season. The PAC-12 looks as though it is likely to be a 2-horse race this coming season, with the Washington Huskies and the Oregon Ducks the most likely teams to beat in 2019.I don’t really have a lot of faith in either of these teams, but I think that the Ducks might just emerge as champions. Whether that is enough for a playoff berth remains to be seen.
SEC
No prizes for guessing that the Alabama Crimson Tide are once again the preseason favorites in the SEC. They will be reloading once again after losing a ton of players to the draft, but that is a process they have mastered in the Saban era.If there is to be a serious contender to the Tide, it is likely going to come from Georgia, who have come very close to ousting Alabama in each of the last two seasons. Might this be the year when the Bulldogs finally bite?
