College Football: Top 25, Win Totals, Playoff Odds, Players to Watch, and Key Early Season Games

This weekend marks the start of the 2024 college football season. In the time since Michigan capped off a perfect season with a national championship, a few schools have shifted conferences and plenty of institutions of higher learning have added payroll to their books in the form of new coaches, big-name transfers, and highly touted freshmen.

Nobody has added bigger names than Ohio State. It is championship or bust for Head Coach Ryan Day! However, allow me to introduce the Buckeyes to the New Boss…same as the Old Boss. The Georgia Bulldogs still reign atop many a preseason poll and for good reason. Kirby Smart’s squad is again loaded.

It would shock no one if Georgia and Ohio State meet in Atlanta and play for the national title on January 20, 2025.

There are of course other competitors for the crown though including familiar contenders including Oregon and Alabama. There are new faces though like Ole Miss looking to crash the party. With the playoff expanding to 12 teams, the battle for a postseason berth will last deep into the season.

Lets dive into the poll as constructed by the NBC Sports Bet team of college football experts including Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports), Eric Froton (@CFFroton), and Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas).

*odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook.

Georgia.png

1 – Georgia Bulldogs

2024 Projected Win Total: 10.5 | Odds to Make the Playoff: -600

Names to Know: QB Carson Beck, S Malaki Starks

Early Season Measuring Stick: 9/28 @ Alabama

First Game: 8/31 vs. Clemson | Spread: Bulldogs -14 | Total: 49.5

Ohio State Buckeyes Primary Logo

2 – Ohio State Buckeyes

2024 Projected Win Total: 10.5 | Odds to Make the Playoff: -750

Names to Know: QB Will Howard, RB TreVeyon Henderson

Early Season Measuring Stick: 10/12 @ Oregon

First Game: 8/31 vs. Akron | Spread: Buckeyes -50.5 | Total: 58.5

Oregon.png

3 – Oregon Ducks

2024…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/college-football-top-25-win-031112885.html

Author : NBC Sports

Publish date : 2024-08-23 03:11:12

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.