By Chris Havlicek Contributor
Updated 1/12/24 4:06am ET
The betting world is often a good indication of a major sports story’s impact, and we are seeing that with the surprising retirement of coaching legend Nick Saban.
Alabama’s championship odds increased at all sportsbooks. At FanDuel, the Crimson Tide moved from +600 to +1000. Additionally, their SEC odds also increased, while shifting Georgia from +380 favorite to +250.
The most notable conference adjustment came for Ole Miss, which plummeted from +2600 to +1200. The Rebels figure to challenge the Tide in the SEC West and the division winner gets an automatic berth to the conference title game. However, they do not face each other this coming regular season.
FanDuel also posted a win total of 9.5 (out of 12 regular season games). Bama typically has a betting line of 10.5, 11 or 11.5. This means the oddsmakers project either two or three losses. The Tide last lost three regular season games in 2010.
CFP Championship Favorites (Pre-announcement odds):
- Georgia +300 (was +450)
- Ohio State +600 (was+700)
- Texas +750 (was +900)
- Alabama +1000 (was +600)
- Oregon +1200 (was +1400)
A relatively new NCAA rule allows recruits and players a 30-day window to transfer schools, if a head coach leaves the program. Five-star WR Ryan Williams immediately de-committed, citing the coach’s departure as a direct reason for his decision. Other could follow.
The Tide’s 2024 non-conference schedule includes road trips to Wisconsin and Oklahoma. Their SEC schedule includes games against Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, LSU and Auburn.
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