Three of the top-five teams are from the SEC
With less than 100 days until the start of college football season, the offseason has been anything but quiet.
From name, image and likeness confusion and drama, to the unraveling of some college football conference divisions, to the transfer portal, to the Jimbo Fisher and Nick Saban dust-up … there’s plenty to talk about as we head into summer workouts and preseason polls and rankings.
So with 13 weeks until kickoff, FrontPageBets is taking a look at the favorites to win the 2022 College Football Playoff national championship.
It’s never too early …
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings)
Alabama +200
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Alabama is the favorite to win the national championship. Under Saban, Alabama has won six national championships.
And now, once again, Saban’s Crimson Tide head into 2022 as the team to beat, +200 to win it all.
And for good reason. Alabama, which won the SEC Championship before losing to Georgia in the national title game, returns Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Bryce Young, as well as linebacker Will Anderson.
Anderson, who is considered by many as the best defensive player in the country, anchors a defense that returns eight starters. Watch out.
Georgia +340
The Georgia Bulldogs are right behind the team it beat in January in the title game, sitting at +340.
Georgia beat Alabama, 33-18, on Jan. 10 in Indianapolis to give the Bulldogs their first title since 1980.
Even though the Dawgs had a record five defensive players selected in the first round -- and 15 overall -- in April’s NFL Draft, they're just reloading.Â
Young talent will need to step up defensively, but offensively Georgia should be able to play through any growing pains with quarterback Stetson Bennett returning, as well as freshman of the year Brock Bowers back a tight end.
Ohio State +450
The Buckeyes missed out on the College Football Playoff last season after losing to Michigan in the regular-season finale, but rebounded to beat Utah in a thrilling Rose Bowl. Not that that was much of a consolation prize.
Now they return for the 2022 season with a solid corps of returning players, namely quarterback C.J. Stroud, running back TreVeyon Henderson and wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Anything less than a Big Ten championship and a spot in the playoffs would be a disappointment for fourth-year coach Ryan Day and the Buckeyes.
Clemson +1200
For the first time since 2014, Clemson didn’t appear in the College Football Playoffs, finishing with a 10-3 record in 2021 and a Cheez-It Bowl win over Iowa State.
The Tigers will look to rebound this season with all eyes on returning starting quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei.
Last year, the once potent Clemson offense was second-to-last in the ACC in total yards per game (359.2) and ninth in points (26.3). But the Tigers’ defense should be among the nation’s best once again, coming off a season where they finished second nationally in scoring defense, giving up an average of just 14.9 points per game, and eighth in total defense (305.5 ypg).
Texas A&M +2800
You may have heard that Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies landed the top recruiting class in the nation this offseason. If you didn’t, Saban went on a little rant about it last week. And Jimbo fired back.
Regardless of the finger pointing, barbs, jabs and burns, the fact remains Texas A&M will be good this year.
The Aggies didn’t live up to expectations in 2021, but did knock off No. 1 Alabama. The two face off this season on Oct. 8 in Tuscaloosa, which is setting up for the game that could determine the SEC West title and a chance to play in the conference championship. (Not to mention must-see TV when the two coaches meet for the postgame handshake.)
To get there, A&M will rely on quarterback Max Johnson, who transferred in the offseason from LSU, where he was the starter. With an improved defense, the Aggies will challenge Alabama, and the rest of the conference.
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Mike Szvetitz is the General Manager and Content Director for FrontPageBets.com. Szvetitz is a 22-year veteran reporter and editor, including serving 17 years as a sports editor in Florida, Alabama and Virginia, covering everything from preps to pros. His "View From The Lazy Boy" column won multiple state and national awards. He can be reached at mszvetitz@timesdispatch.com.
