College football fans will have to wait until September before the real action kicks off, but the previews start here! Read on for a run-through of the main contenders and where you should be looking for your Fantasy Football and betting picks.
THE MAIN CONTENDERS
Alabama
The Crimson Tide were the last team standing in the National Championship last season after an epic duel with Clemson, but they’ve got every chance of backing up that performance. They’ve suffered personnel loses, but expect them to re-tool efficiently and rely on that resolute defence in the tricky early weeks.
TCU
With a tough schedule, Oklahoma may slip this season and TCU could capitalize. They’ve made some astute signings and there is talk that the class of 2016 could be their best ever.
Defence will remain their strong suit. Linebackers Travin Howard, Ty Summers and Montrel Wilson are back, as is 2014 sack leader James McFarland. There’s healthy competition between Kenny Hill and Foster Sawyer for the quarterback berth, and receivers Ty Slanina and Deanté Gray return. The Horned Frogs could take some stopping in 2016/17
Houston
Tom Herman set a high standard in his first season, but Houston look strong enough to build on a 13-1 record and have a great chance of coming into the play-off picture if they can brush aside Louisville and Oklahoma in non-conference clashes.
Louisville
Few teams finished last season with more momentum than the Cardinals, and Bobby Petrino’s team should be able to keep that going, thanks to a massive sixteen returning starters and the rising talent of the formidable Lamar Jackson.
Fantasy PicksÂ
Getting the best Fantasy Football picks is all about concentrating on the right teams. In SEC West, that means Alabama, and in the East, it has to be Tennessee and Georgia. In the ACC Atlantic, focus on Florida State, Clemson and Louisville, and in the Coastal, stick with Miami and Pitt, where James Conner is a standout. If you’re looking for offensive firepower to boost your Fantasy team, the Big 12 is the place to find it, and in the Pac-12 you’ll want to have Oregon’s Royce Freeman and Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey on your side.
Betting Picks
There are plenty of opportunities to make your college football knowledge pay by betting online. If you want to do a bit of extra research before placing a bet, then looking online for a live betting guide is a wise choice.
So which teams offer the best value this season?
At 20-1 Notre Dame looks good. The team has some defensive gaps to fill, but has a very helpful schedule. Florida State also has to be on your shortlist. No other team has more returning starters and if they can overcome Clemson in Tallahassee again, the Seminoles look a great bet to go all the way to the College Football Play-Offs.
Love them or loathe them, the play-offs have added extra spice to the college football year, and whether you’re watching the games live, running your Fantasy Football side or betting on the match-ups, the 2016/17 season promises to be one of the most exciting ever.