College Football Conference Winners Best Bets

College Football is back! We get an appetizer this weekend, but the entrée is coming. Before we get there, we can get some last-minute future bets in. Conference realignment has been a hot topic over the last several seasons. This year we have the most massive turnover in the biggest conferences. Let’s get into my College Football Conference Winners!

With this realignment comes a ton of uncertainty which adds value in the future markets. Another adjustment is that every conference. but the Sun Belt is division-less. There is turnover everywhere from coaches to players, so we have even more opportunities to take longer shots.

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College Football Conference Winners Best Bets

Clemson To Win ACC (+375)

Love him or hate him, Dabo wins. Look no further than fans calling (literally) for his job after his first single-digit win season in nearly 15 years. His views on the portal and NIL are outdated and inexcusable, but he and his staff develop players as well as any program.

The defense is among the best in the country, and despite some secondary questions, it should be elite yet again. Can the offense help them out? The jury is still out on Klubnik, but the talent is elevated this year.

It’s the second year in Riley’s system, and he should make massive improvements. He gets the best group of receivers Clemson has had in quite some time and an offensive line that returns four starters.

This bet cashes if Klubnik improves slightly. He does not have to be a Heisman candidate but more of a game manager like JJ McCarthy was for Michigan. The schedule of defenses is tough for the first month but as they get into the heart of conference play, it weakens significantly.

There is no SMU or Miami on the schedule, and they get NC State and Louisville at home. The matchup with Florida State is on the road, and it will not be easy, but the Noles are facing a ton of turnover. That will be the only game they will not be favored, and even with a loss, I expect the Tigers to avenge that in Charlotte as ACC champions.

Oregon To Win Big 10 (+220)

Oregon is the best team in the Big Ten. Ohio State has several questions about key positions that are Oregon’s strengths. Another advantage the Ducks have is that they get the matchup with the Buckeyes at home. Oregon also has a significant schedule advantage—they dodge three of the top five power-rated teams and draw Michigan in a rebuilding year.

The other contenders’ schedules are less ideal, which gives the Ducks the higher floor. I have them favored by over two touchdowns in every game but two. No other team in the country has that type of schedule.

The defensive line is weaker after losing four of its top five, but the improved secondary should help it progress. The secondary has a chance to be one of the best in the nation, and if the defensive line takes a step forward with some new pieces, this defense could touch the top 10 level.

The offense speaks for itself, and even with Gabriel’s injury history, Dante Moore will be fine in Will Stein’s system. Not to mention, the secondaries on the schedule outside of Michigan and Ohio St are projected to be well below average. Expect to see the Ducks in Indianapolis in December.

Kansas State To Win Big 12 (+440)

The Big 12 is filled with parody, but I think there are only two contenders at the top. Kansas State does have some turnover at offensive coordinator and quarterback, but Klieman is a hell of a coach. He’s been consistent throughout his tenure, and all signs point to this being one of his best teams.

The loss of Will Howard may seem like a big loss, but if you ask a Wildcat fan, they will tell you Avery Johnson is an upgrade. His dual-threat ability was on full display as a backup. He had 12 total touchdowns and finished the year as the Pop-Tarts Bowl MVP. I expect this to be a smooth transition for Johnson despite replacing three offensive linemen and having a new playcaller.

Johnson’s passing must improve to prevent the defense from stacking the box. He’ll need a receiver to emerge alongside Jayce Brown, but their schedule of defenses is not overly difficult, so they will have time.

Defensively, they bring back seven starters, most of them on the back end. The staff is high on their defensive line, albeit they are young and unproven. We should expect an improvement from their top 60 unit due to their schedule of opposing offenses being a bit down.

I love their schedule and how it sets up. They don’t play Utah, and they get three of the top six power-rated teams in Manhattan. Facing the four bottom power-rated teams also helps. They won’t be an underdog in any game this year, and even if they drop a few games, they can still get to the championship game.