The 2024 college football season has just begun, but the bookies are already reshuffling their preseason odds as every game progresses. The first game of the season took place in Dublin, Ireland as the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets stunned the number ten-ranked Florida State Seminoles to win the Aer Lingus Classic. Then, the Floridians were once again beaten, this time in convincing fashion at the hands of Boston College to lose their ranking altogether.
Across the opening weeks of the campaign, there have been plenty of other shocking results, but most of the big boys remain untouched. Here are the bookies’ favorites to emerge victorious this season, and the players that are key to their hopes.
Georgia Bulldogs
The Georgia Bulldogs have become powerhouses in the NCAA in recent years, reaching back-to-back championship games in 2021 and 2022, winning both of them. Their first triumph came as an underdog third seed, as they knocked off the top seed Alabama Crimson Tide by 33 points to 18 to claim the crown. A year later, they successfully went back to back as they thumped the TCU Horned Frogs 65-7 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Last season, the Tide had their revenge, eliminating the Bulldogs in the SEC Championship game with a stunning 27-24 victory. This season, it is Georgia who are the favorites once again, with Bovada’s football betting odds pricing them as short as +275 to claim a third title in four seasons.
Their start to the 2024 season has been nothing short of spectacular. Maintaining a 41-game regular-season winning streak, the Bulldogs have not allowed a single touchdown so far this term, reeling off crushing victories in their two season openers. They firstly thumped Tennessee Tech 48-3 at Sanford Stadium, before destroying the 22-ranked Clemson by 34 points to three.
With a formidable defense and an offense that can overpower opponents, Georgia is a team everyone has their eyes on. Quarterback Carson Beck is in his fourth and final year with the college, and after winning the championship in his first two years, he is hoping to bow out with not only a third title but also the Heisman as well. The bookies make him a +750 second favorite for the honor behind Dillon Gabriel, and if his side continues similarly, it will be hard to bet against the senior from bowing out in style.
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Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State is another team that has been a perennial big gun in recent years however, they remain without a national championship since the inaugural College Football Playoff game in 2015. Back then, they soundly defeated the Oregon Ducks, but haven’t been able to climb to the summit of the NCAA in the years since.
They went close in 2021, with Justin Fields leading them back to the championship game. But, unfortunately for him, the combination of Mac Jones and Nick Saban was too much to handle, ultimately losing out 52-24.
Last term, they were downed in their Bowl Game, losing to the number nine-ranked Missouri Tigers. But this season, they have hit the ground running as they attempt to put that defeat behind them. The Buckeyes have dispatched their first two opponents with ease, demonstrating a blend of offensive efficiency and defensive solidity.
They have conceded just two field goals in their last two games while posting up well over a century of points of their own, and they look to be one of the teams to beat in 2024.
Transfer quarterback Will Howard has seamlessly integrated into the team, proving to be a key asset alongside standout freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith. Ohio State’s experienced defense has been impenetrable thus far – minus two field goals from Akron’s Garrison Smith – setting the stage for a promising Big Ten campaign. Their depth and talent look set to make them a formidable adversary as they push for another title, a championship the bookies say they have a +350 chance of winning.
Texas Longhorns
The Texas Longhorns have re-emerged as a top contender in recent years, reaching the playoff semifinals last season for the first time since the playoffs revamp. Steve Sarkisian led the school to its first conference championship since 2009, but a first national championship since 2005 remains elusive. They were defeated by the Washington Huskies last term, and now they are on the hunt to go one better than they managed in 2023.
The Longhorns have hit the ground running, picking up emphatic victories to secure their spot as the number two-ranked team in the country and +500 third favorite with the bookies. Their emphatic victory against the reigning champion Michigan Wolverines on week one ended the nation’s longest winning streak and has bolstered Texas’ championship aspirations.
Quarterback Quinn Ewers has been instrumental to their success, showcasing an elite arm that has left defenses scrambling. He threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns in that victory against the reigning champions, as well as another 260 yards and three more touchdowns in a 52-0 drubbing of the Colorado State Rams.
With a powerful offensive line and a strategic approach that capitalizes on their strengths, Texas is proving it belongs among the elite, but whether they can take that next step remains to be seen.
