When the College Football Playoff championship game ended, a new reality started to set in: Georgia had won, Alabama had lost and the season had ended.
Amid the many thoughts, a lovely futures-ticket cash (thank you, Georgia!) and the sadness of the offseason setting in, I couldn’t help but look ahead to 2022. As a fan of the sport, as a gambler and as someone who can’t help but obsess over college football, it’s only natural.
The ratings for both the semifinals and championship game once again underwhelmed, largely because the same teams find themselves in these games time and time again. That’s at least one theory, and it’s a good one. If that is indeed the case, well, it seems distinctly possible that the sport will become even more top heavy in 2022 and beyond.
If you could bet Alabama (2/1 at BetMGM), Georgia (5/2) and Ohio State (6/1) vs. the field right now in 2022, what would you do? I know what I would do. I would take those three and not look back. Give me a price, and I will pay it. But until then here are some offseason storylines for bettors to ponder.
Where will QB Caleb Williams land?
The decision, of course, will have a dramatic impact on betting odds, win totals and more. While many, including myself, assume that USC is the likely destination, NIL has changed a lot. If a school can pony up a few million dollars in sponsorship opportunities, it could change everything. As of now, even without a team, Williams is 8/1 at BetMGM to win the Heisman.
Caleb Williams is in the transfer portal. Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesWhat will Jim Harbaugh do?
The buzz at the national championship game was that Harbaugh is seriously considering bolting to the NFL after leading Michigan to the College Football Playoff. Whether that is legitimate or not will be determined in the coming weeks. The Raiders seem like the most likely destination, although they might have company. Michigan, after cutting his pay in half before last year, could also pony up a massive new contract. This one could go either way.
Who will be Georgia’s starting QB next fall?
This one is fascinating on a few fronts. While former walk-on Stetson Bennett led the Bulldogs to a national title, he was noncommittal when asked about his plans to stay with the program or transfer this offseason. (Granted, the emotions of it all were still fresh.) JT Daniels, who was expected to be the starter this year, is still on the roster; as is Brock Vandagriff, the talented true freshman poised to take over. Stay tuned, as there’s intrigue galore.
Stetson Bennett has not yet announced his plans for next year. Getty Images How is Brian Kelly going to assemble a competitive team?
Long term, I like the Kelly hire at LSU even if he isn’t the most likable human. But when you consider how much talent this team lost and how few players the Tigers had for their bowl game, Year 1 under Kelly could be a struggle. LSU will have to get creative with the transfer portal and look for some quick fixes as the program looks for stable ground.
