The spring season is a rough time for online NCAAF betting fans. Apart from the fact that the college football season is on hiatus, the NFL is also enjoying its offseason. Which means that none of us can look forward to cracking a cold one on the weekends. But in the meantime, there is still plenty of work to be done in order to make next season’s bet on college football even more auspicious.
One of the most profitable lines sportsbook offer for college football are futures lines. Apart from keeping up with the latest recruitment news, as well as finding out which players are moving onto the NFL or graduating, one of the most beneficial things players can stay informed on is the schedule.
Unlike college basketball where teams have several opportunities to prove themselves, the short schedule that college football teams are faced with places a considerable amount of importance on each and every game. With the current college football playoff system in place, teams need a solid performance during the regular season in order to be able to compete for the national title. With that in mind, knowing which schools have the easiest schedules ahead of them makes predicting a national champion much easier.
So, let’s take a look at the schools sportsbooks think have the highest probability of winning it all next year, and then see which of those programs face the easier schedule.
– ONLINE NCAAF BETTING ODDS TO WIN NATINOAL CHAMPIONSHIP –
Alabama Crimson Tide +220
Florida State Seminoles +685
Ohio State Buckeyes +610
Oklahoma Sooners +910
USC Trojans +860
Despite winning the title last season, Clemson has failed to convince the bookies that they’ll find success during the 2017 season. Nevertheless, of all the teams listed above, the Crimson Tide has the best odds, yet the toughest schedule.
The sportsbook odds likely have taken into consideration the fact that Bama has 11 returning starters as well as an excellent recruiting class, but other than that they have a pretty difficult road ahead of them. The Tide opens the season with a tough game against Florida State and halfway through the season they’ll have to contend against Texas A&M, Arkansas, Tennessee, and LSU. Oh, and they’ll have to finish the season with a trip to archrival Auburn.
Besides the Tide, the Buckeyes also face a pretty challenging schedule. The young Buckeyes will be looking to avenge the 31-0 spanking they suffered at the Fiesta Bowl, but they’ll have to earn a shot at redemption. Ohio State opens the season with a game against Indiana before facing Oklahoma at home. Four games against Nebraska, Penn State, Iowa, and Michigan State respectively will determine if the Buckeyes can make the playoffs again.
The Seminoles are next on the list due to the fact that they open the season by facing Alabama. Then they’ll face ACC rival Miami on Sept. 16th and a couple of weeks later the Seminoles will have to contend with Louisville and Heisman winner Lamar Jackson.
The Sooners have the next toughest schedule (which means that USC has the easiest schedule of the above listed online NCAAF betting favorites). On Sept. 9th Oklahoma will travel to Ohio State to face off with the Buckeyes. Soon after the Sooners will face Baylor, Bedlam, and Oklahoma State, followed by games against TCU and West Virginia in November.
