Clemson Early Favorite to Win 2020 NCAA Football Championship
Trevor Lawrence and the Clemson Tigers are the early favorites to win the 2020 College Football Championshipe. Lawrence is considered the best returning quarterback, so it makes sense to see Clemson favored.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are right on their heels, however, as they return quarterback Justin Fields. So the oddsmakers are definitely placing some importance on the QB position and who is coming back.
Alabama is third in the odds and it's hard to count out Nick Saban, especially after a season in which the Crimson Tide didn't make the playoffs. How the Tide fares could well be determined by Mac Jones. But he will have tough competition for the starting spot. Still, the Tide need to be better defensively.
Fellow SEC team Georgia is No. 4 and the Bulldogs were the winner's of the Jamie Newman sweepstakes and he's a dual threat who should fit right in. Georgia will look to accommodate him as much as possible. You don't waste a talent like Newman and the kid can play.
Rounding out the top five are the LSU Tigers, who will be without Burrow and a few other talented players.
Here are the odds from 5Dimes as of Feb. 15:
[table id=13 /]
With the Florida Gators at No. 6, that gives the SEC four of the top six choices, leaving little doubt which conference is the toughest. Some power ratings were ranking the Big 12 Conference right there, but the LSU game against Oklahoma should have settled that question.
Other teams with solid returning quarterbacks are getting some respect, starting with the Texas Longhorns, who are No. 10 at 40-to-1 odds. Sam Ehlinger is a great college quarterback, but some things he does may not carry over to the NFL. He's a big kid and likes to run, but that will come to an end in the pros.
The North Carolina Tar Heels have a good returning QB in Sam Howell. He has a rocket of an arm and good pro potential if he keeps developing.
Minnesota is another 100-to-1 shot and the Gophers return Tanner Morgan and the main reason Iowa State is listed at 100-to-1 odds in the return of Brock Purdy.
The top five teams return some great players but also lost some. It's the ability to replace those that keeps them near the top. Whichever team sees its younger players perform, will go a long way to becoming the next college football champion.