Spring camps are finally concluded, and with those wrapping up, Vegas has gotten around to issuing preliminary conference odds for the 2021 College Football season.
As usual, odds from Josh Barton at SportsBetting.ag, and our analysis will follow:
ACC
Clemson 1/8
North Carolina 7/1
Miami Florida 8/1
Florida State 25/1
Louisville 33/1
Virginia Tech 33/1
Wake Forest 33/1
Pittsburgh 40/1
Boston College 50/1
Georgia Tech 50/1
NC State 50/1
Virginia 50/1
Duke 200/1
Syracuse 200/1
Do you like sure things? Well, do I have a Clemson team to sell you.
The ACC may be getting better, but Louisville and Florida State are still in the midst of a steep rebuild. NC State is getting off the mat and simply will not have the firepower. You can say the same about Tech (both of them). And BC is intriguing, but the talent deficiency is far too much. UNC will be a trendy pick, but c’mon, it’s Mack Brown — name the last big game he won? He’s John Cooper with a Southern drawl. And Miami are poorly-coached quitting chumps with an illusory defense and have lost their two best players. The U in Da U stands for underachieving.
Alas, Clemson is the call. The ACC may be good-ish again one day. That time is not now. And, even at 1 to 8, this is still worth throwing a few hundred bucks at. Clemson isn’t going to lose.
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Big 12
Oklahoma 1/1
Texas 3/1
Iowa State 4/1
Oklahoma State 10/1
TCU 14/1
West Virginia 22/1
Kansas State 28/1
Baylor 50/1
Texas Tech 50/1
Kansas 150/1
Texas is finally going to have competent coaching. And they do have the second-most talent in the conference. The difference is on defense, though. And OU’s defense is simply better than what the Horns will field this season. Throw in an experienced Spencer Rattler, system continuity, a talent gap in their favor, and more recent success, and Oklahoma is it. The Sooners are a playoff team; Alex Grinch (DC) has been worth every penny.
Iowa State is perhaps too low on these odds. The Cyclones aren’t going away. They, like the Sooners, have a salty defense, a battle-hardened QB, and a strong running game. If you want an upset pick, sure, take ISU at 4/1.
Big Ten
Ohio State 1/2
Wisconsin 8/1
Michigan 9/1
Penn State 9/1
Iowa 11/1
Indiana 12/1
Nebraska 14/1
Northwestern 14/1
Minnesota 20/1
Michigan State 50/1
Purdue 50/1
Rutgers 50/1
Maryland 80/1
Illinois 100/1
There’s no point in even analyzing this one. Ohio State is going to absolutely run away with the Big 10. Iowa may prove a defensive tussle, assuming the Hawkeyes get to Indianapolis. But the schedule is manageable — road trips to Michigan, Indiana, Minnesota, and Nebraska. The biggest regular season test for OSU appears to be out of conference, when the Ducks come to town. Like Oklahoma, this is a playoff team.
Don’t put your money anywhere else. At 1/2 , OSU is very good value for a sure thing.
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Pac-12
Oregon 2/1
USC 3/1
Washington 4/1
Arizona State 5/1
Utah 10/1
UCLA 12/1
Stanford 16/1
California 20/1
Colorado 22/1
Washington State 28/1
Oregon State 40/1
Arizona 66/1
I don’t trust Mario Cristobal for one instance; even less do I trust Clay Helton at USC. The Ducks will be much improved after seeing OU have the most sit-outs last season to the ‘Rona, and the Trojans always have talent. But I’m going to go way outside of the Coast. I’m going with Arizona State at 5/1. The Sun Devils have spent a lot of the last three years accumulating talent, learning a pro system, and becoming respectable again. If you spot Herm Edwards a dumb decision, he has made a living in the P12 converting those to wins. And, if there’s anything we know, it’s that the Pac 12 has the worst coaching of any major conference.
Why not? It’s just money — take ASU.
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SEC
Alabama 1/1
Georgia 2/1
Texas A&M 9/1
Florida 12/1
LSU 12/1
Auburn 18/1
Ole Miss 18/1
Missouri 28/1
Tennessee 28/1
Kentucky 50/1
Arkansas 66/1
Mississippi State 66/1
South Carolina 200/1
Vanderbilt 500/1
Alabama is favored for a reason. That said, there has simply been way, way too much turnover at the coaching positions and on offense. Though Alabama has more talent and the GOAT in their corner, I don’t like the Tide’s odds to be twice as good as Georgia’s. The Bulldogs have a softer landing, almost as much talent, and a laughable schedule. If Kirby can stay out of their way and if UGA has found someone to catch passes, the Bulldogs seem the smarter money to me.
Upsets? Nah. This is the SEC, baby...and Auburn fired the one guy who occasionally had his teams playing well above their heads.
Poll
Who will finish second in the SEC West?
This poll is closed
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6%
Alabama
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0%
Auburn
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2%
Arkansas
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13%
Ole Miss
-
0%
Mississippi State
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64%
Texas A&M
-
11%
LSU