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Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State ranked 1 through 3 atop the updated 2018 College Football Power Rankings Wednesday, just a few weeks before the start of the new season. Likewise, these teams appeared in those very same positions among the odds to win the 2019 College Football Championship.
Alabama shouldn't be any surprise on top, where they sit every year at this time.
"The runaway favorites in the SEC, the defending champion Crimson Tide could have one of their most explosive offenses in years with tons of depth at running back and receiver, led by Damien Harris. The question is: Who plays quarterback? Whether it's Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen Hurts or some combination of the two, Nick Saban's squad should put up points. The defense, however, could be a relative work in progress with four new starters in the secondary and already a major loss at linebacker (Terrell Lewis). But don't expect anyone to feel sorry for Saban's latest collection of five-stars." -- Alex Scarborough, ESPN.com.
The Crimson Tide's odds of winning the Championship were at 2/1.
Georgia, Washington, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Penn State, Miami and Auburn made up the remaining top 10 of the 2018 College Football Power Rankings.
Wisconsin (25-1 odds) was thrown out of the mix here when it came to the odds, with Oklahoma, Penn State and Michigan having shorter odds.
From ESPN.com: “Paul Chryst has won at least 10 games in each of his three seasons coaching his alma mater, and there's no reason to expect any less in 2018. Wisconsin's offense returns a couple of All-America candidates on the line, some promising young receivers and perhaps the country's best workhorse running back, Jonathan Taylor. More than half of last year's starting defense is gone, but the Badgers have a long track record of success with plugging in new players on that side of the ball without taking a step backward. The big question in Madison this year is if they can get over the hump and win more than the West Division.”
Noteworthy, is that despite the oddsmakers being big on Michigan, the College Football rankings have them 12th. Their odds of winning the College Football Championship were set at 16-1.
From ESPN.com: “Shea Patterson is one of four quarterbacks to transfer to Ann Arbor since Jim Harbaugh arrived four years ago. The Wolverines are optimistic he'll be a difference-maker, but sorting out the offensive line is a bigger piece of the puzzle to improving on offense this year. The defense, led by Rashan Gary and Devin Bush, is loaded with playmakers from front to back and gives Michigan a chance to win every game it plays. As running back Karan Higdon said at Big Ten media days, it's a "don't talk about it, be about it" year after three seasons of the Wolverines losing to their top rivals.”
Notre Dame topped Michigan in the rankings.
Below Michigan came Michigan State, followed by Stanford, Virginia Tech, USC, Mississippi State, FSU, Boise State and West Virginia.
Rounding out the rankings we had TCU, Texas, Oregon, USF and South Carolina.
- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
