College Football Championship Contenders to Pretenders?

Zack Cook
Host · Writer
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Oregon Ducks
There's been a strange vibe watching the Oregon Ducks through two weeks, who some thought should have been listed as the favorite to win the national championship to begin the year. Led by Heisman candidate Dillon Gabriel, the Ducks' offense has lacked an explosive element, which is concerning when you factor in how talented this wide receiver room is. Dan Lanning has proven to be a good coach, but the expectations are at an all-time high this year. Can he dig the Ducks out of their early-season slumber? He better hope he can before the Ducks clash with Ohio State on October 12.
CFB National Championship Odds Shift: +750 -->+1100
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
What a rollercoaster ride it's been to start the 2024 regular season for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Marcus Freeman and company picked up a monster road victory in Week 1 against Texas A&M. Guess how they followed that up? The Fighting Irish dropped their Week 2 matchup at home to Northern Illinois as monster favorites. Talk about a massive letdown spot for this group. Just when you think the Fighting Irish are figuring things out, they lay an egg in a spot where they have to win. As a result, their national title odds have taken a massive hit, knowing they play as an Independent program, making it even more of an uphill challenge to qualify for the 12-team College Football Playoff.
CFB National Championship Odds Shift: +1600 -->+10000
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines haven't had the start to the season they'd like after winning the national championship last year. Quarterback play has been suspect at best, and their defense couldn't compete with Texas' offenses in their Week 2 embarrassing home loss. We're confident their defense is better than they showed vs. Texas, but we still have significant concerns about their offense. The Wolverines will have a difficult time scoring points against the elite in the Big Ten, and that's a problem for their national title odds in 2024.
CFB National Championship Odds Shift: Opened at +800 -->+3000 --> +12000
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LSU Tigers
The LSU Tigers have been a strange team to follow this season through two weeks. It's a small sample size, but the Tigers haven't found a way to hit their stride with a talented roster. The Tigers were upset in Week 1 against USC and followed that up with a mediocre performance against a low-quality opponent in Nicholls. Garrett Nussmeier had expectations to be a Heisman quarterback, and although his numbers look strong, we're still looking for a little more. The Tigers need to get their act together before they start the daunting task of competing in the SEC.
CFB National Championship Odds Shift: Opened at +1500 -->+3500 -->+5000
Florida State Seminoles
It would be an understatement to say it's been a disastrous start to the season for Mike Norvell and the Florida State Seminoles. DJ Uiagalelei hasn't worked as a transfer quarterback, and the Seminoles dropped their first two games to Georgia Tech and Boston College. After a perfect season last year before their bowl game loss to Georgia, the Seminoles came into 2024 with a regrouped attitude and one where they believed they could contend and win the ACC. Sorry to say it, Seminoles fans, but that won't happen.
CFB National Championship Odds Shift: Opened at +2000 -->+6000 -->+60000
Clemson Tigers
The Clemson Tigers rolled into their Week 1 matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs with high expectations. That didn't last long. The Bulldogs took it to the Tigers in the second half and left Mercedes Benz Stadium with a convincing 34-3 victory. Although the Tigers bounced back in Week 2, it's hard to have a ton of confidence in Dabo Swinney leading this program against some of the top teams in the country right now. The Tigers remain in the mix for the ACC title, but we'll keep an eye on them as potential frauds.
CFB National Championship Odds Shift: Opened at +2000 -->+5000 -->+6000
Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.
Check out The Smylie Show on SportsGrid
Oregon Ducks
There's been a strange vibe watching the Oregon Ducks through two weeks, who some thought should have been listed as the favorite to win the national championship to begin the year. Led by Heisman candidate Dillon Gabriel, the Ducks' offense has lacked an explosive element, which is concerning when you factor in how talented this wide receiver room is. Dan Lanning has proven to be a good coach, but the expectations are at an all-time high this year. Can he dig the Ducks out of their early-season slumber? He better hope he can before the Ducks clash with Ohio State on October 12.
CFB National Championship Odds Shift: +750 -->+1100
