The 2024 college football season is less than two weeks away, and the first US LBM Coaches Poll of the season is still fresh in our minds. The Georgia Bulldogs , just a year removed from being back-to-back national champions, unsurprisingly open the season ranked No. 1. Meanwhile, last year's champions, the Michigan Wolverines , open ranked No. 8 after losing head coach Jim Harbaugh to the Los Angeles Chargers .
There are numerous questions that need to be answered, and, as is the case with every team, injuries, internal conflicts, and other unpredictable factors will play huge roles in how teams actually perform when the regular season comes around. With that said though, here are the ten schools with the best odds of winning this year's national championship. All odds via BetMGM .
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NCAA Preseason championship odds:
1) Georgia, +300
One of the biggest knocks against Georgia last year was the lackluster strength of schedule. That is totally made up for in 2024. Clemson, Texas, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Alabama, all of these schools and more are on the Bulldogs' schedule this season.
Take that how you will. If you believe Georgia can overcome a myriad of difficult games as they've done in years past, then taking them at +300 is a steal. However, if they lose even two of these games, their chances at a national title are drastically lower.
2) Ohio State, +325
The Ohio State Buckeyes made numerous massive improvements through the transfer portal this offseason, adding instant-impact players like Will Howard, Quinshon Judkins, and Caleb Downs. Given Ohio State's tremendous odds, there's reason to be excited if you're a Buckeyes fan. However, this is still a team that has lost to Michigan three years running. Until they can prove capable of overcoming teams of that caliber, this isn't a program that should instill much confidence.
3) Oregon, +700
The loss of Bo Nix to the NFL is a huge blow to this program, but most of the quarterback's weapons are returning, including Tez Johnson, the program's all-time single-season leader in receptions. Oregon also lost star offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson to the draft as well, meaning there are a lot of question marks surrounding that team in Eugene heading into the season. However, if the defense can build off of what they accomplished a season ago, then a national championship isn't out of the realm of possibility.
4) Texas, +800
Quinn Ewers is returning, but practically no one else from that stellar offense last season is. Xavier Worthy, Jonathan Brooks, Adonai Mitchell, all of them are gone, but Texas did very well to refuel in the transfer portal this year. Receivers Isaiah Bond of Alabama, Matthew Golden of Houston, Silas Bolden of Oregon State, and tight end Amari Niblack of Alabama have all joined up to give Ewers some stellar talent to throw to. If they can mesh, the Longhorns could contend in Year 1 in the SEC.
T-5) Alabama, +1500
No Nick Saban. No problem? Well, maybe not. The Alabama defense will still be great, and the team's passing attack will surely be top-notch. Under Kalen DeBoer last year though, Washington was a very inefficient rushing team, averaging only 4.3 yards per carry. Alabama's bread and butter is tough-nosed, ground game football, and if Alabama cannot improve from where they were last season, then a loss in the semifinals might be the ceiling for this team yet again.
T-5) Ole Miss, +1500
Jaxson Dart's return to Oxford bodes well for Ole Miss' shot at a national title. Dart was one of the most efficient passers in the country last season, and even added eight touchdowns on the ground. He'll surely be the epicenter of what should be a dynamic offense.
T-7) LSU, +2000
Even with a Heisman winner at quarterback, LSU never really contended for a national title last season. By that logic, LSU should face similar struggles or greater in 2024, especially with star receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. out of the fold as well. However, there seems to be a lot of confidence in these Tigers from the coaching staff. Head coach Brian Kelly has expressed immense confidence in Kyren Lacy to take over for Nabers and Thomas, and the offensive line looks like it will be a strong point for this team. Sure, they'll be battling with Georgia, Alabama, and now Texas, but there's a lot to like about this squad, especially at their current odds.
T-7) Penn State, +2000
Can Penn State beat Ohio State and Michigan? If so, the Nittany Lions will have a great shot at a national title. If not, they have no shot at a national title. 2024 might be a little different though. Even if Penn State manages to take down both the Buckeyes and Wolverines, they still have USC and Washington on their schedule. Such a tough midseason stretch does not bode much confidence in their title odds.
T-7) Notre Dame, +2000
For such an esteemed program, Notre Dame has taken more than a few lickings since 2010. The 2020 CFP saw Notre Dame get blown out by Alabama 31-14. They lost to Clemson 30-3 to end the 2018 season. They lost to Bama again in the BCS championship in 2012, and that game wasn't close at all either.
Despite their reputation, Notre Dame has been unable to establish itself as a title contender. While the 12-team playoff will certainly help them reach those marquee games against top competitors, this is a program that has done nothing but lose important contests and being ranked in the top-ten in odds seems like a stretch.
T-10) Michigan, +2500
Michigan's key to success will be quarterback Alex Orji. He's more mobile than J.J. McCarthy, but if he can't make the easy throws that McCarthy was so good at completing, this team won't get very far.
T-10) Florida State, +2500
This is a team that had reality hit them like a sledgehammer at the end of last season. Now, they are playing with chips on their shoulders, trying to prove that they still would have been competitive in the CFP if Jordan Travis had been healthy.
Is that the truth? Maybe. Maybe not, but this is a team that should once again be the best in the ACC, and that alone should put them in a great spot to snag a playoff berth.
When does the college football season start?
Week 0 kicks off on August 24, with a multitude of games, including:
- Florida State vs. Georgia Tech (in Dublin, Ireland), 12 p.m. ET | ESPN
- SMU at Nevada, 8 p.m. ET | CBS Sports
- McNeese at Tarleton State, 2:30 p.m. ET | ESPN2
- Montana State at New Mexico, 4 p.m. ET | FS1
- North Alabama vs. Southeast Missouri State (in Montgomery, Alabama), 7 p.m. ET | ESPN
- Norfolk State vs. Florida A&M (in Atlanta, Georgia), 7:30 p.m. | ABC
Week 1 of the college football season will take place between Thursday, August 29 and Monday, September 2. The first round of the College Football Playoff is set for the week of December 21, with the championship scheduled for January 20.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College football national championship odds: Which teams have the best preseason odds?
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