College football’s expanded playoff is offering programs hope, but who will settle for simply getting their foot in the door and who will kick it in?
Just a few days away from Saturday’s kickoff of the 2024 college football season, here’s a look at three teams with serious national title aspirations.
In the new 12-team College Football Playoff, depth will play a major factor.
Teams will need to win three or four games in the playoffs to hoist the championship trophy, which means successfully holding up against elite competition for nearly a month.
To do this, championship contenders need a host of key reserves who are capable of contributing when it matters most.
That’s why Oregon is a great value at +750.
The Ducks have the fifth-highest Blue Chip Ratio in the country with 76 percent of the roster comprised of four- and five-star recruits, according to CBS Sports’ Bud Elliott.
Not only do the Ducks have three preseason All-Americans, nine All-Big Ten selections and a Heisman frontrunner, but they’re loaded in the two-deep.
This is particularly true in the trenches, where Oregon has signed 11 blue-chip recruits along the defensive line over the past two recruiting cycles.
This gives the Ducks the ability to hold up against the likes of Georgia and Ohio State.
It doesn’t hurt that quarterback Dillon Gabriel is a perfect fit for Oregon’s offense.
The hyper-accurate lefty carved up Big 12 defenses last season at Oklahoma (69.3% completion rate) and his supporting cast is better this season in Eugene.
Given the addition of Evan Stewart in the portal and the emergence of Jordan James at running back, this could be the nation’s most potent offense.
Mississippi (16/1, Caesars)
The self-proclaimed “Portal King” signed the nation’s top transfer class by a country mile.
Twenty-five new players arrived on campus and nearly one-third were blue-chip recruits.
The biggest impact of Lane Kiffin’s talent infusion will be felt on the defensive line, with Texas A&M transfer Walter Nolen sliding into a starting role at tackle and Princely Umanmielen (Florida) wreaking havoc on the edge.
The pair have All-SEC ceilings.
The defense improved in Pete Golding’s first season as coordinator, and if it takes a step forward, the Rebels are capable of winning the school’s first national championship since the early 1960s.
Returning on offense is Heisman candidate Jaxson Dart, who has an embarrassment of riches on the perimeter.
Tre Harris, Jordan Watkins and South Carolina transfer Juice Wells are joined by Caden Prieskorn at tight end, forming the most complete and experienced receiving corps in the SEC.
In the new division-less SEC, Ole Miss avoids Alabama and Texas and the Rebels get to host Georgia on Nov. 9.
At nearly double the odds of conference neighbor Texas, this team presents too much value to pass up at 16/1.
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Virginia Tech (300/1, bet365)
We’ll close things out with a long shot that has more experience than virtually any other team in the country.
Fifteen starters, both specialists and the same core coaching staff (HC, OC, DC) return to Blacksburg.
Kyron Drones is an uber-efficient dual-threat passer who finished with a 17:3 touchdown-to-interception ratio and a penchant for taking games over with his legs.
In four of his 11 starts last fall, Drones either eclipsed the century mark on the ground or scored two touchdowns rushing.
On defense, the Hokies “No Fly Zone” secondary, which gave up the nation’s fourth-fewest yards in 2023, welcomes back three starters.
It’s not quite Beamer Ball, but there is something special brewing at VT for the first time in nearly 15 years.
In a watered-down ACC, it’s not so crazy to picture the Hokies snagging a conference title and a bye into the CFP quarterfinals.
