Coming at you live and direct, the 2023 NCAA football season is nearly upon us and SBS has you covered with a preview report on the top four title contenders. Coming off two consecutive national championships, the Georgia Bulldogs return as the favorite to win the title this year, returning the bulk of their team and are featured as the preseason AP No. 1. Behind them is a familiar SEC power in the Alabama Crimson Tide. Nick Saban’s squad is angling for their first national championship since 2020. Meanwhile in the Big Ten, Ohio State (+750) and Michigan (+900) are positioned as the other big favorites to win a title this year following appearances in the last College Football Playoff. The Buckeyes barely lost to the Bulldogs last season in the Peach Bowl, 42-1, while the Wolverines came up short against TCU in the Fiesta Bowl.
For this article, SBS will be going over what to look for from each contending squad below and also more notes about NCAAF wagering this season.
| NCAAF 2023-24 College Football Championship |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | +240 | +240 | +240 |
| Alabama | +650 | +650 | +650 |
| Ohio State | +750 | +750 | +750 |
| Michigan | +900 | +900 | +900 |
Led by head coach Kirby Smart in his eighth year at the helm of the Bulldogs, Georgia has a squad that is ready to reload and keep the good times going. Noted for its vaunted defense last season, the Bulldogs had five defensive starters drafted in the NFL Draft last season and also will be without steady quarterback Stetson Bennett. Nonetheless, the squad is littered with talent as evidenced by Georgia players dotting all kinds of preseason award watch lists (nine total categories). Moreover, the SEC media poll voted the Bulldogs would win the conference title by 181 votes to Alabama’s 62.
Another squad littered with talent, the Tide will have to replace Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young at quarterback and also All-American linebacker Will Anderson Jr. However, finding new talent has never been a problem for Saban’s teams with the coach regularly fielding some of the best squads of the 21st century. The Tide will feature a handful of preseason All-American players on both sides of the football. This includes three players on the offensive line and defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry (also a talented return specialist). Moreover, Alabama was picked by the media to win the SEC West Division by a slim margin over LSU.
While the Buckeyes might still be smarting from their heartbreaking loss to the national champion Bulldogs, they return one of the best rosters in the country. Similar to the other contenders on this list, Ohio State will feature a new player under center with quarterback C.J. Stroud selected in the first round of the latest NFL Draft. That said, whoever the new quarterback will be (most likely Kyle McCord) will have the luxury of throwing to perhaps the best player in college football in wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. Team captains Tommy Eichenberg (linebacker) and Kourt Williams II (safety) anchor the Ohio State defense.
The last spotlight team on this list, Michigan actually features the most veteran talent at quarterback of any team featured here in signal-caller J.J. McCarthy. The Illinois native is a preseason Heisman Trophy favorite and is coming off an excellent campaign in 2022 that saw him throw for 2,719 yards, 27 combined scores (rushing and passing) to just five interceptions. In addition to the quarterback, running back Blake Corum is one to watch here if he can make a strong return from injury last season. Defensive back Mike Sainristil is one to watch on the defensive side and has been a strong presence for the Wolverines after converting over from wide receiver.
Prediction: While the thought of a three-peat is certainly a daunting one, few squads have been able to slow down Georgia. Until that happens, the Dawgs are the team to beat.
After you are all dialed in regarding the latest updates on the 2023-24 college football season, make sure to check out the great resources that SBS has put together for you. For instance, a page you must bookmark this season is the NCAAF betting sites guide which covers all the recent updates and betting lines for the 2023 regular season. Of course, if you are looking to maximize your wagers, then look no further than our best bonus betting sites breakdown which covers a lot of great offers. This includes a catalog of the latest and greatest welcome bonus offers available. Finally, if you are also uncertain about which payment options are the best fit for you, do not worry as SBS has your back with the payment methods rundown which goes over options from crypto to traditional banking methods.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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