Ricky Dimon
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Who knows if football seasons in either college or the pros will take place this fall? Right now, though, they at least have a fighting chance. If the coronavirus is going to let any sport off the hook easy (relatively speaking, of course), it’s football. While spring football in the college ranks has been axed and next month’s NFL Draft will be without fans, the games do not begin until September (hopefully). Baseball, basketball, and hockey, on the other hand, have already been plagued by cancellations. The NBA and NHL seasons are in real jeopardy and the 2020 MLB campaign at best will start extremely late.
If a full slate of action takes place on the college gridiron, Clemson is once again expected to be one of the leaders of the pack. The Tigers are favored to win the College Football Playoff and quarterback Trevor Lawrence has every reason to find himself in Heisman Trophy contention.
Let’s take a look at some of the future odds.
National Championship
Clemson +275
Ohio State +350
Alabama +550
Georgia +900
LSU +1000
Clemson has played in each of the last five College Football Playoffs, reaching the championship game on four occasions and triumphing twice. With Lawrence—a rising junior—back for one more season, the Tigers are expected to be at or near the top. Ohio State, which lost to Clemson in the semifinals this past season, is still led by Justin Fields (the Heisman Trophy favorite). SEC rivals LSU, Alabama, and Georgia all lost their quarterbacks, but the Crimson Tide will appoint Mac Jones as Tua Tagovailoa’s successor (Jones has already seen plenty of playing time due to Tagovailoa’s 2019 injury) and the Bulldogs landed Wake Forest transfer Jamie Newman to replace Jake Fromm.
Heisman Trophy
Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State +450
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson +475
Spencer Rattler, QB, Oklahoma +1000
Sam Ehlinger, QB, Texas +1200
Jamie Newman, QB, Georgia +1400
Fields fled Georgia when he failed to beat out Jake Fromm for the starting job in 2018. UGA’s loss was Ohio State’s gain, as the sophomore accounted for 51 total touchdowns (41 passing) compared to only three interceptions. He led the Buckeyes to the College Football Playoff before losing to Lawrence and company in a Fiesta Bowl thriller. Newman is expected to make an instant impact at Georgia, while Rattler and Ehlinger are potential newcomers to the Heisman party. Death, taxes, and Oklahoma’s starting QB being in Heisman Trophy contention are the three certainties of life, so Rattler is clearly in a good situation. As for non-quarterbacks, Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard has the best odds at +1600.
