I certainly hope everyone and their family are healthy. That's the most important thing right now. Who knows what the next few months will bring, but with plenty of time on our hands right now, let's take a look at some of the best potential college football plays for the upcoming season -- if, of course, the season remains constructed as it currently is.
Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook.
Conference title best bets
Clemson Tigers to win the ACC (-600)
Yes, you're tying up a good chunk of money for a while, but who is going to beat them in the ACC? Who can say for sure which team is coming out of the Coastal? North Carolina will certainly be a trendy pick, but I'd sure want better than 7-1 odds. Miami appears to have its QB situation remedied for at least this season, but there are still plenty of questions surrounding the Canes. Clemson does go to Doak Campbell early in the year, but is Mike Norvell capable of pulling the upset with a Florida State team that has lost to Clemson 59-10 and 45-14 the past two years?
Since the 2017 loss at Syracuse, the Tigers have won 22 straight ACC games by an average of 32.8 PPG, with just three decided by less than 14 points; Clemson has more ACC wins by seven TD (five) in that span. Between the close call at UNC last year and the way things went in the second half of the title game, expect a driven, focused Tigers squad this year. The ACC is under Clemson's ownership until further notice.
Iowa State Cyclones to win the Big 12 (10-1)
I can't shake the Cyclones, even as they thoroughly disappointed me in their bowl game this year. At some point, you would think, Iowa State should get a little positive regression in close game luck. Over the past four years, the Cyclones are 6-11 in games decided by six points or fewer and are minus-13 in turnover margin in those games. And in 12 games decided by a field goal or less, they are 4-8 with a minus-7 turnover margin. It certainly does seem like a habit, no? But I don't think the Big 12 is as easy as Oklahoma and everybody else. Iowa State has to go to Stillwater and Austin, but the Cyclones do host the Sooners. QB Brock Purdy is back, and Iowa State was young in a lot of key positions. There's a good chance this is the year Iowa State reaches the Big 12 title game.
Ohio State Buckeyes to win the Big Ten (-140)
A look at the Buckeyes' schedule offers only one real danger, at least as it appears right now: at Penn State on Oct. 24. Win that, and it's basically a lock the Buckeyes will again be in Indy. And even a loss there doesn't eliminate Ohio State, as Penn State still has road games at Michigan, Indiana and Nebraska.
The addition of Trey Sermon at RB addresses a need, and while the defense loses a lot of talent, Ohio State is simply a program that reloads. I'd lay the -140, and one could even be in a nice hedge position in the Big Ten title game if they so choose. Or even lay the -140 and play Penn State on the ML in their showdown at Beaver Stadium. There's a chance you could win both.
Don't play USC Trojans at +250 to win the Pac-12
One team I wouldn't play -- especially at the price -- is USC. This price on the Trojans is comically short. Yeah, I get the South is wide open and a team with three losses could wind up in Vegas, but that's around the price USC could be in the Pac-12 title game if it were to reach it. By the way, who would have thought only two teams -- Arizona and Colorado -- would have longer odds to win the conference than Stanford? How the mighty have fallen.
I think Oregon is the best team in the Pac-12. The Ducks get most of their difficult Pac-12 games at Autzen, and I'm not sold the loss of Justin Herbert is going to have as dire an effect on Oregon's offense as some think. Joe Moorhead should relish the opportunity to be a coordinator once again. But only getting +200 doesn't scream to run out and bet it.
Georgia Bulldogs to win SEC (+350)
This could be the season for the Bulldogs if QB Jamie Newman and the new offensive staff come together. Sure, there are some holes to fill on the offensive line -- which UGA should be able to do -- and they need a wide receiver or two to complement George Pickens, but the legs of Newman should be a big deal this season. Now, maybe the Bulldogs go to Tuscaloosa early in the season and lose. But there's a good chance a win over Florida would put them right back in Atlanta and a potential rematch with the Tide.
I don't think I'd want to back LSU at 8-1. There are too many critical losses on the field and within the coaching staff to expect a repeat of last season's dominant offensive explosion. Texas A&M's big-game struggles to break through are troubling, and the Aggies have to go to both Alabama and Auburn and also play the Tide and LSU in consecutive weeks to end the season. Just imagine if they had to beat Alabama, LSU and Georgia in consecutive weeks. If I were holding Alabama +125 and Georgia +350, I'd feel pretty good about that position.
Ball State Cardinals to win MAC (+800)
Ball State has to go to Buffalo, Miami and Central Michigan but just might have the offense and back seven on defense to pull it off. Factor in the Cardinals went 0-3 last year in games decided by four points or fewer -- including road losses to Western Michigan and Kent State, as well as a home loss to Central Michigan -- and the ingredients for a breakthrough season are there. QB Drew Plitt is back, as is top RB Caleb Huntley, basically the entire OL and leading WR. The LB and DB units should be among the best in the MAC. I think this is worth a play.
Boise State Broncos to win MWC (-225)
Yes, this a steep price, but it probably should be higher. If the Broncos won last year with all the QB issues and a freshman back leading the way, this season could mean trouble for the conference. Yes, there's a road game at Air Force, but win that and it should be smooth sailing with so much of the league in flux, whether its coaching changes or key personnel departures.
Team win totals
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers over 4.5 wins (-135)
The Chanticleers went 5-7 last year and lost four one-score games, including a triple-OT loss at Georgia Southern. They return a ton of production on offense, including leading rusher CJ Marable, and on defense, led by DL Tarron Jackson and his 10 sacks.
A repeat of last year's 5-7 would be good enough to cash. That would assume wins vs. Duquesne, South Alabama, Arkansas State, Georgia Southern and at Texas State. There are also winnable games at Eastern Michigan and Kansas.
Arizona Wildcats under 4.5 (+135)
Gone are QB Khalil Tate and RB J.J. Taylor. The defense was one of the worst, not only in the Power 5, but all of the FBS (103rd in expected points added). The Cats went 4-8 last year with wins vs. Texas Tech and UCLA. This year Arizona has to visit both Lubbock and Pasadena, likely against improved versions of those teams. There's a good chance they go 0-for-the-road in the Pac-12; they draw USC, Oregon and Arizona State in Tucson.
They should start 2-0 with wins over Hawaii and Portland State, although former ASU head coach Todd Graham would love to beat his old Pac-12 rival. But even a 2-0 start means three more wins have to be found, and those will be hard to come by.
Old Dominion Monarchs over 3 (+120)
The Monarchs were one of the worst offensive teams in the country last year. On the season, they threw five TD passes, and leading rusher Kesean Strong had 353 yards. Despite all of that, ODU lost three one-score games, and the defense hung in there until the last couple of games.
New coach Ricky Rahne is one of the best young offensive minds out there and should help improve that unit. It's tough to assume anything with a team that went 1-11 last year, but there is a chance ODU could have three wins by Oct. 17 (games vs. Hampton, FIU, Middle Tennessee, at UConn, at UTSA).
Purdue Boilermakers over 5 (-105)
There were few teams bitten by the injury bug last year, including the Boilermakers in last year's 4-8 campaign. But with receivers Rondale Moore and David Bell back on offense and experienced gained in other key positions during last year's struggles, Purdue could bounce back in a big way this year.
A 6-0 start is possible, and there is also a home game vs. Northwestern in October. Minnesota could regress this year, and both Wisconsin and Iowa visit West Lafayette. I'd be very surprised if Jeff Brohm's team didn't win six games this year.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons under 7 (+145)
You'll be hard-pressed to find many offenses that lost as much production as the Demon Deacons. Gone are QB Jamie Newman (transfer), leading rusher Cade Carney and three of the top four WRs. Dave Clawson has done a great job in Winston Salem, but expecting eight wins -- which is what it would take to beat you -- seems a little out of reach.
Neutral site game vs. Notre Dame is a probable loss, and road games at Florida State and Louisville are loseable. They aren't beating Clemson. So if the favored scenario holds, Wake would have to run the table to post eight wins, meaning it would have to beat Appalachian State, win at Duke, beat Miami, win at NC State and avoid an upset loss somewhere else. This could very easily push on seven, but at plus money, under is worth a play.
Kansas Jayhawks under 3.5 (-120)
With three wins, including a huge upset at BC and another near huge upset at Texas, Year 1 of the Les Miles era in Lawrence had to be viewed as a success. People were talking about Kansas football in a positive light for the first time in a long time. Now comes the hard part -- taking the next step.
Despite the positives of last year, KU still lost at home to Coastal Carolina (which it visits this year), lost at home to a down West Virginia team and was blown out again by Kansas State. It's basically starting from scratch at QB, and a defense that gained only eight turnovers and didn't have a player with more than 3.5 sacks loses most of whatever impact players it had.
Obviously there's a chance KU could start 3-1 (wins vs. New Hampshire, Boston College and at Coastal Carolina), but even then, the way the Big 12 schedule shakes out (at Baylor, at K-State, at WVU, at Texas Tech, at OU; home vs. Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Texas and TCU), there's a chance KU goes winless in conference play.