The Clemson Tigers emerged as a force in college football a year ago with 14 wins en route to their first ACC conference title in four years and a berth in the College Football Playoff. The Tigers now are preparing for the upcoming season perched as -125 favorites to win OVER 10.5 games at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Clemson came up short in its clash with Alabama in the National Championship Game, dropping a 45-40 decision, but approach the new season trailing only the Crimson Tide on the 2017 CFP National Championship odds, sitting alongside the Ohio State Buckeyes at +750.
The Tigers have joined Alabama as one of the few true college football powerhouses during coach Dabo Swinney’s tenure, winning at least 11 games in three of the past four seasons, and are one of just four teams sporting a win total reaching into double digits.
The 2014 national champion Florida State Seminoles closely trail Clemson with a win total pegged at 10.0, with the OVER favored with -125 odds.
The youthful Seminoles went through somewhat of a rebuild in 2015, finishing second to Clemson in the ACC Atlantic Division, but still amassed a 6-2 conference record and finished 10-3 overall following a disappointing 38-24 loss to Houston in the Peach Bowl.
The Oklahoma Sooners, who powered their way to a CFP berth on the strength of a 7-0 stretch run last year, face high expectations, with the Big 12 conference champions also sporting a win total of 10.0 but with the UNDER favored with -125 odds.
The surprise on the win totals board is then the Tennessee Volunteers, who join the Sooners and Seminoles at 10.0 but are a -165 bet to fall short of that number.
The Volunteers are expected to be a rising power in the SEC this season after recording their first winning season against conference opponents in eight years, going 5-3 and winning six of their final seven overall. Their sole loss during that stretch came against Alabama, who failed to cover as 14 1/2-point chalk in a 19-14 home victory.
Surprisingly, the defending national champion Crimson Tide, winners of 14 games overall in 2015, do not sport a double-digit win total at the sportsbooks. Alabama gets ready to defend its crown with a win total of just 9.5, but are -150 chalk to go OVER that number and extend their streak of seasons with at least 10 wins to nine.
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
