The 2023 college football season is over, which means it’s time to look at next season and some potential longshots to put a sprinkle of money on to win the title. Remember, next year the playoffs will feature 12 teams, giving more squads a shot at the crown.
If you are going to have some money tied down until next January, it better be for a team whose stock will only get higher as the offseason continues. There will not be any favorites in this article, because to me their price is not worth the wait. These are the championship sleepers for the 2024 season/
2024 College Football National Championship Sleepers
Ole Miss
(16/1, DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook)
Lane Kiffin is absolutely killing it in the transfer portal taking players from several other SEC schools including South Carolina (WR Antwane Wells Jr.), Texas A&M (DT Walter Nolen) and Florida (DE Princely Umanmielen). Getting Jaxson Dart back for another season is huge to help offset the loss of running back Quinshon Judkins who left for Ohio State. Schedule-wise, they should go 4-0 outside SEC play with their toughest road trip being to LSU or Florida. They get Oklahoma and Georgia at home and have a late bye which will help refresh them down the stretch.
Tennessee
(50/1, BetMGM)
The Vols got to see a glimpse of the future with Nico Iamaleava under center in the team’s easy win over Iowa in the Citrus Bowl. He seems to fit the offense a little bit better than Milton did and will have a great group of WRs including Squirrel White, Bru McCoy as well as Tulane transfer Chris Brazzell II. The secondary lost about six players to the portal so the defense is an issue, but there’s plenty of time to add talent before the season begins. They play at Oklahoma and Georgia in SEC play while getting to host Alabama. The nonconference slate should produce four wins.
Missouri
(60/1, BetRivers)
The Tigers beat Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl and have a ton of momentum entering 2024. Eli Drinkwitz has Brady Cook and Luther Burden returning on offense and Georgia State running back Marcus Carroll comes in to replace Cody Schrader. The defense has to replace two of the best corners in the conference, but Toriano Pride Jr. comes over from Georgia to help. Missouri doesn’t leave home the first month of the season and then has a bye before their first road game at Texas A&M. The Tigers toughest SEC games are at Alabama and at home against Oklahoma, but they also get a bye week in between them. This team should get 10 or 11 wins and will be a factor in the playoffs.
Utah
(80/1, FanDuel Sportsbook, BetMGM and BetRivers)
I have the utmost respect for Kyle Whittingham, who I believe is one of the best coaches in America. The Utes had the most injury problems last year, so we never really saw them at full strength once. There are still some decisions to be made by key players on the roster, but the team brings back most of its offensive line and potentially eight starters on defense. Year one in the Big 12 has them hosting Arizona, TCU and Iowa State with their toughest trips being to Oklahoma State and UCF.
Virginia Tech
(500/1, FanDuel Sportsbook)
The Hokies bring back every single starter on an offense that figured things out toward the end of the season. The defense has a few a holes to plug, but they added three defensive tackles from the portal with one of them being Duke’s Aeneas Peebles. Their secondary figures to be strong once again with Mansoor Delane and Dorian Strong back. Virginia Tech’s toughest road trips are to Syracuse and Miami with home games against Clemson and UVA. If you think this is too rich, then consider them to make or win the ACC title game when that future comes out.