College Football 2010 – ACC Championship Odds

Who’s ready for some college football? Around the country, fans are salivating, as the season is weeks away, and the football betting odds have been released. And with kickoff right around the corner, it’s never too early to get in your wagers.

Today let’s look at the college odds, on who’ll win the ACC Conference Championship.

Miami (+240): Is “The U,” back? The football betting odds seem to indicate so, as the Miami Hurricanes open the season as favorites in this conference.

Head coach Randy Shannon welcomes back an explosive offense that features arguably this league’s best quarterback, in Jacory Harris. As a sophomore, Harris was phenomenal, throwing for 3,352 yards and 24 touchdowns, although his 17 interceptions need to be improved upon. Harris has a deep wide receiving group around him, led by Leonard Hankerson (45 catches), Laron Byrd (33) and Travis Benjamin (29). Allen Bailey anchors a defense which returns eight starters.

As was the case last year, the Canes open with a tough schedule, as they’ll play at Ohio State and Pittsburgh out of conference, and then Clemson and Florida State to open ACC play. After that though, the schedule is manageable with tough remaining games against North Carolina and Virginia Tech at home.

With depth and experience at key positions, there’s a reason that Miami is the favorite in this conference.

Florida State (+250): There is plenty of optimism around a Florida State offense which returns nine starters. But can this once proud progam win an ACC Championship with an inexperienced defense and a new coach?

We’ll find out as the Seminoles begin life after Bobby Bowden in Year One of the Jimbo Fisher era.

Luckily for Fisher, he returns a boatload of talent on offense, including senior quarterback Christian Ponder (14 touchdowns and 2,717 yards before a separated shoulder ended his season) and an offensive line which brings back all five starters.

While the defense is young, they do return All-American in waiting Greg Reid at cornerback, not to mention two of high school football’s top recruits last spring: Linebacker Jeff Luc and cornerback LaMarcus Joyner.

Virginia Tech (+400): The football betting odds do little justice to maybe the most talented team in this conference, the Virginia Tech Hokies.

Virginia Tech returns senior Tyrod Taylor under center, the best duel threat quarterback in this conference. Not that he’ll need to run much, as Ryan Williams returns after a 1,655 yard freshman season and Darren Evans comes back after a knee injury sidelined him for all of 2009. In 2008 he was a 1000 yard rusher himself.

The Hokies also have the benefit of a manageable ACC schedule, with Miami and North Carolina at home, while avoiding ACC Atlantic favorites the Florida State Seminoles.

Virginia Tech was the ACC champion in 2008, and there’s no reason to think they can’t make it two titles in three years.

North Carolina (+475): If you’re a believer that defense wins championships, than the North Carolina Tar Heels are the only wager to make in the football betting odds. They return eight seniors on the defensive side of the ball, including an astounding five that could be first round NFL Draft picks next spring.

However, there are two points of contention for making the Tar Heels your bet.

First, it is unknown what will become of superstar linebacker Quan Sturdivant, who was arrested over this past weekend for marijuana possession. Secondly, this offense was abysmal last year, as quarterback T.J. Yates threw more interceptions (15) than touchdowns (14). There is a belief that redshirt freshman Bryn Renner might end up with the starting job before long.

As for the rest of the conference…

If you’re looking for a long shot in the college football betting odds, here are the odds on the remaining teams in the ACC.

Clemson (+700)

Boston College (+800)

Georgia Tech (+900)

Maryland (+5000)