What Oddsmakers Anticipate About Alabama and 2023 College Football Season

Projected wins and early odds for each Power 5 conference make it clear that the Crimson Tide is again on the short list of title contenders.

Christopher Walsh | May 11, 2023

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Alabama Crimson Tide

There's a curious thing going on with oddsmakers and the 2023 college football season, especially when it comes to the Alabama Crimson Tide. They obviously have faith that Nick Saban is going to have another top-notch team, but have no idea how exactly it'll come together.

SI Sportsbook has Alabama among the strong national title contenders, which makes sense because every game played over the last decade has arguably had championship consequences. Granted, the Crimson Tide suffered two regular-season losses last year, but was still within a whisker of making the College Football Playoff.

Coming off back-to-back national titles, Georgia is considered the betting favorite at +220 to win again next season. Alabama and Ohio State are right behind the Bulldogs, both at +550 to win next year's championship. After that there's a bit of a drop-off with Michigan +900, and Florida, LSU and USC all at +1400.

Per BetOnline, the initial over/under on Alabama wins during the regular season is 10½, the exact same as a year ago.

However, if you look at Heisman Trophy odds, or position lists ranking the best playmakers, Crimson Tide players can barely be found. Someone has to take the snaps, take handoffs and make receptions, just no one's exactly sure who that will be both at the beginning of the season, or obviously the end. With a quarterback competition continuing into the fall, and a deep stable of players at running back and wide receiver, even the staunchest of fans aren't sure who will be Alabama's best playmakers in 2023.

Here's a breakdown of the Power 5 conferences, both in terms of wins and chances of winning the league this season. For a comparison, the top independent, Notre Dame, has an over/under of nine wins.

Opening Odds by Conference

SEC

Wins

Alabama 10½
Arkansas 7½
Auburn 6½
Florida 5½
Georgia 11½
Kentucky 6½
LSU 9½
Mississippi State 6½
Missouri 6½
Ole Miss 7½
South Carolina 6½
Tennessee 9
Texas A&M 7½
Vanderbilt 3½

Odds to win SEC

Georgia 1/1 (+100)
Alabama 2/1 (+200)
LSU 21/4 (+525)
Tennessee 14/1 (+1400)
Texas A&M 14/1 (+1400)
Mississippi 33/1 (+3300)
Auburn 75/1 (+7500)
Florida 75/1 (+7500)
Mississippi State 75/1 (+7500)
Arkansas 80/1 (+8000)
Kentucky 80/1 (+8000)
Missouri 80/1 (+8000)
South Carolina 80/1 (+8000)
Vanderbilt 100/1 (+10000)

ACC

Wins

Boston College 5½
Clemson 9½
Duke 6½
Florida State 10
Georgia Tech 4½
Louisville 7½
Miami 7½
North Carolina 8½
North Carolina State 6½
Pittsburgh 6½
Syracuse 6½
Virginia 3½
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest 6

Odds to win ACC

Florida State 8/5 (+160)
Clemson 19/10 (+190)
North Carolina 6/1 (+600)
Louisville 10/1 (+1000)
NC State 12/1 (+1200)
Miami 18/1 (+1800)
Pittsburgh 22/1 (+2200)
Duke 33/1 (+3300)
Wake Forest 40/1 (+4000)
Syracuse 50/1 (+5000)
Boston College 100/1 (+10000)
Georgia Tech 100/1 (+10000)
Virginia 100/1 (+10000)
Virginia Tech 100/1 (+10000)

Big Ten

Wins

Illinois 6½
Indiana 3½
Iowa 5½
Maryland 7
Michigan 10½
Michigan State 5½
Minnesota 6½
Nebraska 6
Northwestern 3½
Ohio State 10½
Penn State 9½
Purdue 5½
Rutgers 4½
Wisconsin 9

Odds to win Big Ten

Ohio State 8/5 (+160)
Michigan 9/5 (+180)
Penn State 6/1 (+600)
Wisconsin 13/2 (+650)
Iowa 11/1 (+1100)
Minnesota 28/1 (+2800)
Maryland 40/1 (+4000)
Illinois 50/1 (+5000)
Nebraska 50/1 (+5000)
Michigan State 75/1 (+7500)
Indiana 100/1 (+10000)
Northwestern 100/1 (+10000)
Purdue 100/1 (+10000)
Rutgers 100/1 (+10000)

Big 12

Wins

Baylor 7½
BYU 6
Central Florida 6½
Cincinnati 4½
Houston 4½
Iowa State 5½
Kansas 6½
Kansas State 8½
Oklahoma 9½
Oklahoma State 6½
TCU 7½
Texas 9½
Texas Tech 7½
West Virginia 4½

Odds to win Big 12

Texas 11/10 (+110)
Oklahoma 3/1 (+300)
Kansas State 5/1 (+500)
Texas Tech 10/1 (+1000)
Baylor 16/1 (+1600)
TCU 16/1 (+1600)
Iowa State 33/1 (+3300)
Kansas 40/1 (+4000)
Oklahoma State 40/1 (+4000)
Cincinnati 50/1 (+5000)
UCF 50/1 (+5000)
West Virginia 66/1 (+6600)
Houston 75/1 (+7500)
BYU 100/1 (+10000)

Pac 12

Wins

Arizona 5½
Arizona State 5
California 4½
Colorado 3½
Oregon 9½
Oregon State 8
Stanford 3
UCLA 8½
USC 9½
Utah 8½
Washington 9
Washington State 6½

Odds to win the Pac 12

USC 2/1 (+200)
Oregon 13/4 (+325)
Washington 13/4 (+325)
Utah 5/1 (+500)
Oregon State 8/1 (+800)
UCLA 16/1 (+1600)
Washington State 25/1 (+2500)
Colorado 33/1 (+3300)
Arizona 75/1 (+7500)
Arizona State 75/1 (+7500)
California 75/1 (+7500)
Stanford 100/1 (+10000)

Pac 12

Wins

Arizona 5½
Arizona State 5
California 4½
Colorado 3½
Oregon 9½
Oregon State 8
Stanford 3
UCLA 8½
USC 9½
Utah 8½
Washington 9
Washington State 6½

Odds to win the Pac 12

Published May 11, 2023

CHRISTOPHER WALSH

Christopher Walsh is the founder and publisher of BamaCentral, which first published in 2018. He's covered the Crimson Tide since 2004, and is the author of 26 books including Decade of Dominance, 100 Things Crimson Tide Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, Nick Saban vs. College Football, and Bama Dynasty: The Crimson Tide's Road to College Football Immortality. He's an eight-time honoree of Football Writers Association of America awards and three-time winner of the Herby Kirby Memorial Award, the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s highest writing honor for story of the year. In 2022, he was named one of the 50 Legends of the ASWA. Previous beats include the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks. Originally from Minnesota and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, he currently resides in Tuscaloosa.