For FrontPage Bets
It’s nothing new for Alabama to be rolling in another top-tier recruiting class while escorting a slew of All-SEC stars to the NFL draft red carpet.
The reloaded Crimson Tide enters spring training as a prohibitive favorite to finish the 2022 season as national champions.
Alabama retains Heisman Trophy centerpiece Bryce Young and snapped up Georgia transfer Jermaine Burton, a wide receiver set to cushion the loss of Jameson Williams and John Metchie III.
At +225, DraftKings has Alabama ahead of reigning national champions Georgia (+275) and a second division led by Ohio State (+550), Clemson (+1200) and USC (+2500).
The college football playoffs become yet another testament to the SEC’s dominance, as the committee recently agreed to retain the semifinals and finals as the structure for determining the national champion for at least another four years. This decision came after months of discussions about expanding the field to six, eight or 12 teams.
Who stays in January?
It’s arguable that Georgia has lost more talent on and off the field than Alabama. In addition to the frontline defensive starters, the Bulldogs are replacing defensive coordinator Dan Lanning (now Oregon head coach).
After a 14-1 title season, Georgia opens against Oregon and has a tough schedule. As is often the case in the SEC, getting to SoFi Stadium for the January 2023 CFP championship game could boil down to beating Alabama.
Texas A&M (+2500 at DraftKings) is the other SEC team in the book’s top 10 for 2022-23 title odds.
Ohio State is considered to be the best choice for attaining the CFP among the non-SEC schools. Losses to Michigan and Oregon were the blemishes on the Buckeyes’ tally in 2021, but another team with high scoring and depth will surely be fighting for more than Big Ten dominance.
USC (+2500) is a longshot that’s getting more attention over Oklahoma with the addition of quarterback Caleb Williams and head coach Lincoln Riley. Williams snatched the QB job from Spencer Rattler last season but Norman shot through right behind Riley.
Williams can be a Heisman finalist if all goes well for the Trojans. But Young is expected to be the favorite to take home the trophy in consecutive seasons. Only Ohio State’s Archie Griffin has won the Heisman in consecutive years.
Buckeyes quarterback CJ Stroud had 44 TD passes last season and if the Buckeyes can lead the table, he’ll be in New York as a possible favorite.
If you’re looking to get off the board – official Heisman Trophy odds are released in August by most regulated sportsbooks – these are a few names to discover.
Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen finished the 2021 season with 100-yard rushing efforts in 10 straight games.
Stroud’s number one target after Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave leave is Jaxon Smith-Njigba, he of the 347-yard Rose Bowl show.
Louisville’s Malik Cunningham could be Lamar Jackson Lite for the Cardinals and make some video game endeavors in 2021.
Nebraska kept Scott Frost, but athletic director Trev Alberts publicly admitted his coach had come back on a lower salary with a buyout number halved. This is the type of dish served to a coach after a 3-9 season.
Does the Jim Harbaugh-like move work for Alberts like it did in Michigan?
The results suggest Frost could be one of the first coaching changes of the season in 2022. If not, the November schedule in Michigan (November 12), vs. Wisconsin (November 19) and in Iowa (November 25) could seal Frost’s fate.
Herman Edwards put together a retirement community for NFL coaches in Tempe, but investigators at the NCAA are also circling. Arizona State lost Jayden Daniels to the transfer portal in February.
This is a massive offseason loss. Edwards is barely .500 in the Pac-12 at 17-14 and that job will have a large pool of interested candidates if Edwards can’t win in 2022.
Georgia Tech easily explained the early failure – Geoff Collins tackled an archaic system and option and modernized the entire Atlanta ship. The rebuild looks more like a teardown three years later with a total of nine wins.
If Collins doesn’t make a bowl game in 2022, he’s a prime target for a pink slip.
gambling problem? There is help. Call 1-800-522-4700 or visit the National Council on Problem Gambling for help.