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Can ACC Newcomers Cal, SMU Defy College Football Betting Odds?
Most of the attention will be on Florida State and Clemson, who are expected to battle it out for ACC supremacy a season after an undefeated Florida State team was left out of the College Football Playoff field. That will not happen again during the 2024 season with the CFP expanding from four to 12 games. Both the Seminoles and Tigers having a chance to make it into the playoff bracket.
The college football odds project Miami as a team that might step up and keep FSU and Clemson from dominating the ACC. However, there are bound to be some teams flying under the radar that could shake things up.
Florida State (+280), Clemson (+300) and Miami (+400) are the top ACC contenders heading into the 2024 season. Newcomer Cal is in the middle of the pack at +5000 while Stanford has some work to do at +50000 in the ACC championship odds.
When it comes to underdog picks to make some noise in the ACC race, we are considering teams with odds of +1000, so that takes Miami, Louisville and North Carolina State off the table.
Here’s some information to consider when making college football predictions in the ACC.
Cal Among Top Underdogs in ACC Debut Season
California was pretty active in the transfer portal as only Louisville brought in more transfers than the Bears among ACC teams. However, any discussion of the 2024 Cal Bears should start with running back Jaydn Ott. He went from rushing for 897 yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman to putting up 1,315 yards and 12 TDs in 2023. He is also a threat catching the ball.
With transfers coming in from Ohio State, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, LSU and Texas A&M, reinforcements are coming. Iowa State cornerback and Utah receiver Mikey Matthews are the highest-rated incoming transfers. Losing leading tackler Kaleb Elarms-Orr to TCU is a big blow.
Eight of the incoming transfers are either offensive or defensive linemen.
A Week 2 non-conference matchup with Auburn should get the Bears ready for the rigors of the ACC schedule.
With the first two conference games coming against Florida State and Miami, it shouldn’t take long to see where the Bears sit in the ACC pecking order as the sportsbook odds should have Cal as underdogs in both matchups.
There are nine teams with shorter ACC title odds than Cal at +5000 and it won’t be a surprise to see the Bears finish ahead of some of those teams.
Syracuse Boosts Odds by Avoid Some ACC Heavyweights
Syracuse joins Georgia Tech as the only ACC team not to play Florida State and Clemson during the regular season. And with the first two ACC games coming against Georgia Tech and Stanford, there is a chance for the Orange to build up some confidence in the early going under first-year coach Fran Brown.
Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord opened some eyes when he left for Syracuse. Can he do the same when he drops back to pass?
Brown comes to Syracuse from Georgia and he brought some former SEC recruits with him. LSU cornerback Duce Chestnut, Alabama defensive lineman Isaiah Hastings and Georgia receiver Zeed Haynes are among the new additions.
Texas A&M edge rusher Fadil Diggs could make an immediate impact chasing down quarterbacks as Syracuse could be a team to watch. The Orange are priced at +4000 to win the ACC.
After posting a winning record against the college football spread in the previous three seasons, Syracuse slumped to a 5-7-1 ATS mark in 2023. Don’t be surprised to see the Orange deliver once again during the 2024 campaign.
Can SMU Continue ATS Success in ACC?
After winning the American Athletic Conference title in 2023, SMU makes the jump to the ACC.
After throwing just 55 passes in his first two seasons at SMU, Preston Stone had nearly 3,200 passing yards with 28 touchdowns and six interceptions despite missing the last two games.
Keep an eye on Stone as he is currently listed by the NCAA football lines at +12000 to win the Heisman Trophy.
SMU’s Preston Stone doesn’t shy away from pushing the ball downfield and has some flashy ball placement.
His 30 big-time throws last season are the second-most among all returning QBs. His 13.6 ADOT was second-highest among all QBs in the country in 2023. pic.twitter.com/K1QyiFNKh5
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) July 1, 2024
He has some help coming with SMU adding Oregon receiver Ashton Cozart, Oklahoma offensive tackler Savion Byrd and Miami receiver Jahfari Harvey.
The defense line should be bolstered by the arrival of Georgia’s Jonathan Jefferson and Arkansas’ 350-pound Anthony Booker.
Something to consider for those who bet online: SMU was 7-4 against the spread as a favorite last season.
After opening the season with a pair of cupcakes on the schedule, SMU prepares for the ACC by meeting BYU and TCU to wrap up non-conference play. SMU is seventh at +1600 in the ACC championship odds.
Questions of the Day
Which ACC team performed the best against the spread during the 2023 season?
Virginia was 8-4 against the spread followed by Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech at 8-5.
What is the first game featuring a team from the ACC this season?
Florida State is a 13½-point favorite against Georgia Tech on Aug. 24 in a game being played in Dublin.
