Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports With an outstanding incoming recruiting class, Michigan has the second-best odds behind Alabama for this year’s college football crown. “The Wolverines, though, have seen their odds recently jump. Michigan now has 7 to 1 odds to win it all, with Clemson, Florida State and Ohio State trailing Jim Harbaugh’s program with 8 to 1 odds.” -Andrew Holleran, College Spun Despite the Alabama Crimson Tide remaining the overall favorite to win the third College Football Playoff this season, the Michigan Wolverines are creeping up as the next-best option. According to updated ratings from the Las Vegas SuperBook, Alabama has 5 to 1 odds of winning their second-straight national title. Ohio State is very much in the hunt, however, sitting at 8 to 1 odds to win it all this season. Even with the loss of a dozen starters from last year’s team, which finished at 12-1 and capped the season with a Fiesta Bowl win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the Buckeyes return quarterback J.T. Barrett, and still have Urban Meyer running the show. The most obvious test for Ohio State early in the season will be their matchup at Oklahoma. A win could lend significant credibility to the young Buckeye squad, but the game is early enough on the calendar that a loss would not knock the Buckeyes out of the playoff hunt altogether. Nick Saban’s squad returns a number of key contributors from last season, along with a top recruiting class, all of which places the Tide in prime position for a repeat. While Jim Harbaugh’s team is unproven, with an untested quarterback and key losses on defense, they have a relatively easy non-conference schedule which could help them to gain the necessary experience early in the season to carry them through to the…
Continue Reading: Vegas continues to like Michigan to win the Big Ten this season
