College Football Playoff Futures: Georgia, Alabama Among The Favorites

The Georgia Bulldogs have been crowned champions for many months now and while they’re the favorite to repeat in the College Football Playoff futures, there are many other programs looking to make some noise this upcoming season. To be clear, four teams make the CFP Playoff, but we’ll be discussing here who could ultimately win the National Championship, which is scheduled for Monday, January 8th at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Georgia Bulldogs

Can Georgia really pull off a three-peat? I mean, it is possible, but they’ve lost a bunch of players to the NFL as per usual. Regardless, the Bulldogs are a +200 favorite at Bodog to lift the grand prize once again. QB Stetson Bennett is gone, which is probably their biggest loss, while star defender Jalen Carter also departed for the pro level, among others. That being said, head coach Kirby Smart is great at replenishing the talent pool. The QB1 battle is between Carson Beck and Brock Vandagriff, two highly sought-after recruits. Oh, and tight end Brock Bowers returns, who was Bennett’s top target in 2022. Expect him to play a big part. The defense is also solid. Georgia should be one of the last teams standing, especially with a favorable schedule.

Alabama Crimson Tide

Bama is an absolute powerhouse but they failed to live up to expectations last season, missing out on the College Football Playoff. There is no reason to panic though because Nick Saban only has the top recruiting class in the entire country heading to Tuscaloosa. With Bryce Young gone, the starting job at QB could get very interesting after Tyler Buchner transferred from Notre Dame. He’ll battle it out with Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson. On the defensive side of the ball, a whopping 10 5-star recruits come in. Perhaps Will Anderson won’t be missed too much.

Ohio State Buckeyes

Just like last year, the Buckeyes have quite the offense, even though CJ Stroud is no longer around. TreVeyon Henderson returns to anchor the backfield, while Marvin Harrison Jr, possibly the best wideout in the country, figures to be a key figure out wide for Kyle McCord, who is taking over the play-calling duties at QB. Remember, Ohio State was in the CFP Semifinal last year and pushed Georgia to the absolute brink. If the offense clicks again, the sky is the limit. 

Michigan Wolverines

Never count out Jim Harbaugh and Michigan. Out of all the aforementioned teams, the Wolverines lost the fewest number of players to the NFL. JJ McCarthy is back ready to wreak havoc at quarterback, while Blake Corum, one of the top running backs in the nation, recovers from ACL surgery and will be huge for Michigan. Don’t forget about Donovan Edwards either, which gives Harbaugh a scary backfield duo. Defensively, the roster looks very similar as well. Prices at +1000 at most football betting sites, it would be foolish to sleep on the Wolverines. If Harbaugh is still around, they’re a contender.

USC Trojans

When your QB is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, you have a chance to be in the College Football Playoff and maybe even the National Championship. Caleb Williams put up eye-popping numbers in 2022 and just based on his production alone, the Pac-12 standouts should be in the mix when it’s all said and done. USC landed some intriguing players in the transfer portal and we know Lincoln Riley is a terrific coach. The Trojans are worth a look.