The Top 5 College Football National Championship Dark Horses

NC State Wolfpack

National Championship Odds: +10000

Head coach Dave Doeren has led the NC State Wolfpack to Top-25 finishes in each of the past two seasons, but he could be saving his best for the upcoming campaign.

Even though the Wolfpack features several new starters on offense, it doesn't limit their championship potential. The team poached three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year Grayson McCall from the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, continuing the legacy of top-tier quarterbacks. His job will be made easier by the presence of Jordan Waters in the backfield and the return of Kevin Concepcion to the Wolfpack's aerial attack. 

Defense was NC State's strength last year, and it only looks stronger in 2024. A light conference schedule bolsters their ACC Championship Game odds, giving them an unobstructed path to the CFP and promising odds for the National Championship.

Penn State Nittany Lions

National Championship Odds: +2000

Over the past two seasons, all four of the Penn State Nittany Lions' losses came against the Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Relocked and reloaded for 2024, the Nittany Lions are poised to upset the balance of the Big Ten and the College Football Playoff. 

Penn State is ready to compete on both sides of the football. Drew Allar trots out a familiar offensive attack featuring most of its top performers from last year. The two-headed running back attack of Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton returns for another campaign, and as usual, the Nittany Lions feature a plethora of skilled pass-catchers. But there's nothing transfer WR Julian Fleming would like more than sticking it to his old teammates in a Week 10 battle against the Buckeyes. 

At +2000, Penn State is on the edge of being considered a dark horse. But that's plenty of value for our liking. This is another team that should see their odds improve week after week until we get to the CFP. Put it off as long as you'd like, but the Nittany Lions are ready to roar this season. 

Utah Utes

National Championship Odds: +6000

We're living in a brave new college football world. After the Pac-12 disbanded, we're left with four major conferences and a 12-team playoff field. The Utah Utes can wield some of that unfamiliarity to their advantage as they embark on their Big 12 journey. 

Entering the season as the 12th-ranked team in the country, expectations are high for the Utes. Cameron Rising returns after missing all of last season for medical reasons. The former First Team All-Pac-12 quarterback has a career 64.9% completion percentage, earning Pac-12 Championship MVP honors following the Utes Championship run in 2022, his second straight conference championship under the helm for the Utes. 

Rising has a championship pedigree. Utah could catch everyone off guard with their stout defensive unit and a team-friendly schedule this season.

Missouri Tigers

National Championship Odds: +4000

The Missouri Tigers have a Cody Schrader-sized hole in their backfield, but that doesn't limit their championship aspirations in 2024. The Tigers enter the campaign as the 11th-ranked team in the country, ready to take on the wide-open SEC field. 

Granted, the usual SEC suspects sit ahead of Mizzou on the futures board, but the Tigers are ready to make the giant leap this season. Brady Cook is back for his senior season in Columbia, surrounded by all of his favorite targets from 2023. Luther Burden III should see his draft stock soar, building off last season's 1,212-yard effort. Likewise, Theo Wease Jr. and Mookie Cooper are back in the fold, rounding out the SEC's best wide receivers trio.

Defensively, the Tigers can improve on their impressive finish to last season, in which they had the fourth-best total defense in the SEC. 

While the Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide continue earning the lion's share of betting money, Missouri is among the few teams that could knock both programs off their stride. Get on the Tigers now while the odds are still in your favor.

NC State Wolfpack

National Championship Odds: +10000

Head coach Dave Doeren has led the NC State Wolfpack to Top-25 finishes in each of the past two seasons, but he could be saving his best for the upcoming campaign.

Even though the Wolfpack features several new starters on offense, it doesn't limit their championship potential. The team poached three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year Grayson McCall from the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, continuing the legacy of top-tier quarterbacks. His job will be made easier by the presence of Jordan Waters in the backfield and the return of Kevin Concepcion to the Wolfpack's aerial attack. 

Defense was NC State's strength last year, and it only looks stronger in 2024. A light conference schedule bolsters their ACC Championship Game odds, giving them an unobstructed path to the CFP and promising odds for the National Championship.