2024 College Football Conference Championship Opening Lines
What do the early betting markets say about the 2024 college football conference championship favorites?
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SEC Conference Championship 2024-25
Georgia+200
Texas+250
Mississippi+650
Tennessee+900
Alabama+900
LSU+1000
Missouri+1100
Texas A&M+2200
Oklahoma+5000
Auburn+5000
Kentucky+8000
South Carolina+9000
Florida+10000
Arkansas+12500
Mississippi State+20000
Vanderbilt+25000
**
The markets strongly favor Georgia and Texas to win the league and if the two meet in the conference title game, the loser misses out on the first round bye and a likely #1 or #2 seed but gets the inside track on the tasty 5 seed (which faces the non P4 conference champ, followed by the weakest ACC or Big12 champion).
There’s a notable tier drop off until the next tranche of Ole Miss, Tennessee, Bama, LSU and Mizzou.
Just months ago, few expected to see Ole Miss with better odds to win the league than Alabama and LSU.
In fact, Alabama at +900 is a number we haven’t seen since Nick Saban‘s first year in Tuscaloosa.
Missouri could represent the best value at +1100. Before you object, look at the schedule please.
If you like Vandy to shock the world a mere $10 will win you $2500. What a bargain!
Big 10 Conference Championship 2024-25
Ohio State+130
Oregon+225
Michigan+450
Penn State+600
USC+2000
Iowa+3300
Maryland+5000
Washington+5000
Nebraska+7500
Wisconsin+8000
UCLA+8000
Michigan State+12500
Illinois+12500
Northwestern+15000
Purdue+20000
Minnesota+20000
Indiana+25000
Like Alabama, Michigan’s fortunes have declined with the loss of an all-time head coach in Jim Harbaugh while the ascendant offseason Buckeyes continue to dominate NIL player acquisition and retention. If the Chip Kelly and Will Howard experiment works on offense, they are your clear Big 10 champion and a strong playoff team.
Oregon hosts Ohio State and journeys to Ann Arbor. That’s it. That’s their season. Dillon Gabriel has deep flaws (there’s a reason he’s still playing college ball and not a NFL draft declaration) but he’s the most experienced and productive quarterback in college football.
The Big 10 gets mediocre pretty fast past the big names up top, but a resurgent Wisconsin or Nebraska would help the league immensely.
Of course, another portal window opens in April and the chairs may all be shuffled again.
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What do y’all think?
