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Alabama has had a chance to enjoy its College Football Playoff National Championship.
The Alabama Crimson Tide are favored to repeat as national champions next season despite the losses of several key components to this year’s title.
The usual suspects are among those favored to win the 2022 college football championship. There are also a few interesting longshots. Here’s a look at the field.
Check out our picks to win the 2021 Heisman Trophy.
Alabama’s to Lose
The last team to repeat as national champions was, of course, Alabama which did it in 2011 and 2012. Head coach Nick Saban’s team was so dominant last season that its closest game was a 17-point victory over SEC rival Georgia.
Alabama will lose Heisman Trophy winning wide receiver DeVonta Smith, RB Najee Harris, and QB Mac Jones from the nation’s most explosive offense. The Tide will also lose offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian who is the new head coach at Texas.
Saban will bring in five 5-star recruits and 15 4-stars in this year’s recruiting class. Bryce Young, the No. 2 recruit in the nation in last year’s class, will likely take over at quarterback. Alabama will simply reload and that is why they are listed at +300 and favored to win next season’s title.
The Usual Suspects
If you’re think you’re experiencing déjà vu, don’t worry. You are. The Clemson Tigers have played in the last six straight College Football Playoffs and is listed at +350 to win it all for the third time in six seasons. Head coach Dabo Swinney has his program in pretty much the same mode as Saban.
The Tigers will reload starting with D.J. Uiagalelei at quarterback. The sophomore filled in admirably for Trevor Lawrence, the likely No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL draft, last season when he was out due to COVID.
Clemson has won the last six straight ACC titles and that is unlikely to change this season. Like Clemson in the ACC, the same is true in Columbus where Ohio State will reload and win another Big Ten title. The Buckeyes, who lost in the national championship game last year, have played in four of the seven CFPs thus far. They are listed at +400 to win next season.
The other “usual” is perennial Big 12 champion Oklahoma Sooners, which is listed at +800. The Sooners will return a wealth of talent that includes QB Spencer Rattler who helped guide Oklahoma to eight straight wins to close the season.
College Football Betting Lines
Longshots
Most of the first ten college football teams on the board are from the SEC. That’s no surprise as the league consistently gets the nation’s best recruits.
The biggest challenge to Alabama in the conference will likely come from Georgia (+1000). The Bulldogs return QB J.T. Daniels and RB Zamir White who led Georgia with 779 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns. Florida, winners of the SEC East last season, loses much of their record-setting offense, including QB Kyle Trask and TE Kyle Pitts. The Gators are listed at +4000 for the national championship.
In the SEC West, LSU (+2500) and Texas A&M (+3300) appear to be the biggest threats to Alabama’s dominance of the division. Auburn will have a new head coach in Bryan Harsin and will look to rebuild.
The one big longshot that could surprise some people next season is Iowa State. The Cyclones beat Oklahoma and Texas last season while finishing 9-3. Head coach Matt Campbell’s team lost to the Sooners in the conference championship game, but Iowa State returns most of their roster including QB Brock Purdy and RB Breece Hall who rushed for 1,572 yards and 21 touchdowns last season. Iowa State would pay off big at +5000 to win it all next season.
