Dark Horse College Football National Championship Contenders

Stoney Keeley takes a look at six teams outside of the blue blood bubble that could make some noise in the College Football Playoff race this season.

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Yes! Finally! I slipped up on my SEC previews this year and ran out of time before getting them all done, but otherwise, my college football summer content plan will soon be complete. All I have to do is take my annual look at college football teams outside of that Alabama/Georgia/Clemson/Ohio State bubble that have the ingredients to go on a National Championship threatening run should they put ’em all together. This year feels like there are more teams in this column than usual – I think we’re in store for a hell of a season with a crowded field of contenders. Now, inevitably, I’m sure it’ll still be those same four teams left standing, but where’s the fun in that? I can think of six teams with longer National Championship odds that I like as my dark horse bets as the season starts *for real* this weekend.

Dark Horse National Championship Contenders

Utah: +8000 – I don’t think this Utah team is going to be beating the brakes off of Alabama or anything, but I think this is THE season for the Utes after a 10-win campaign saw them win the Pac-12 and get to the Rose Bowl last year. They’re returning a ton of talent and experience from that team, and they have all the pieces to go on an undefeated run to the College Football Playoff. I’m as high as high can get on Utah this season.

Wisconsin: +10000 – Look at their division! Outside of a road trip to Ohio State in October, what game are you looking at on this schedule and thinking of as an automatic loss? We know what we’re going to get with Badgers football. It’s one of the most consistent brands in all of college football, and they look poised to do it again this season: pound the ball and beat the hell out of you. At +10000, it’s worth rolling the dice and hoping they can win the Big Ten Championship and get into the playoffs.

LSU: +10000 – Personally, I think it’s going to take a bit of time for this program to jell under Brian Kelly, but he’s among the best head coaches in the game, and this Tigers roster is so totally overloaded with talent that when they get it together, they’re going to be incredibly dangerous. Why not take the +10000 and see if they can put the pieces together right out of the gate?

Arkansas: +15000 – If you’ve been keeping up with my work here on SoBros Network and listening to the College Football Roundup this season so far, then you already know that I’ve bought in on the Razorbacks. I think they have the second best quarterback in the SEC in KJ Jefferson, and they have the best coaching triumvirate at the top between Sam Pittman, Kendal Briles, and Barry Odom. Much like I said this could be THE season for Utah, I think it could be THE season for Arkansas too.

NC State: +15000 – This one’s about the path to the title for me because that schedule looks like a cakewalk. This Wolfpack team is deep and talented with a good head coach in Dave Doeren, one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Devin Leary, a solid offensive line and receiving corps, and a defense that has bought in. This team, whether folks are admitting it or not, has a damn good shot at making the playoffs if they can upset Clemson for the second year in a row. They look better than any other team in the ACC, and I’d even argue that they’re more complete than Clemson too.

Baylor: +15000 – The Bears have long odds, and perhaps for good reason. Outside of hosting Oklahoma State on October 1st, all of their big conference games are on the road. But, man – look at the job Dave Aranda did in building out the trenches, and getting back to basics, so to speak. This is a Baylor team that won’t beat itself, and that gives them a shot in every game. It would be hard to top last season’s Big 12 Championship and Sugar Bowl Championship, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see this Baylor team get right back, and maybe even a little further just because of how they play the game under Aranda.

That’s about as far as I’m willing to go with National Championship dark horses, but if you want an astronomical dart throw, look at the Northwestern Wildcats currently sitting at +100000, and ask yourselves, “what if the Nebraska team really is as good as we thought they’d be and Northwestern has just lapped them? what if Northwestern did get things right on offense and they’re about to go on a run at a Big Ten title?” HMMMMMM….just something to think about when a dollar bet would pay off a thousand!

If you haven’t already, be sure to go subscribe to the College Football Roundup Podcast, on which Steven McCash and myself break down all the action from the college football world and look ahead to the week to come. 

Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley

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