College Football

College football betting division odds: Ohio State a massive favorite

Division odds in May!

By Bud Elliott May 7, 2013, 7:35pm EDT

Very early odds for the college football season are starting to trickle out. College football fans have already seen Alabama open as a favorite of more than three touchdowns over Virginia Tech.

Now odds for the division have come out at Olympic Sportsbook for the SEC, Big Ten and ACC.

SEC

East
South Carolina +150
Georgia +150
Florida +300
Missouri +800
Tennessee +1000
Vanderbilt +1200
Kentucky +1500

This could raise some eyebrows. All three favorites in the East bring back a lot of talent, and have a lot of questions -- most of them on the defensive size. Georgia, the defending East champ, must replace the majority of its defensive starters. Florida must replace a lot of defensive talent, and South Carolina also lost some underrated defenders.

The reason Florida is third here? Home-road splits. The Gators must travel to Columbia and Baton Rouge this year, while playing Georgia at a neutral site.

Vanderbilt still doesn't get respect, with Missouri and Tennessee favored over the Commodores.

West
Alabama -200
LSU +300
Texas A&M +350
Ole Miss +1000
Mississippi State +1500
Arkansas +1500
Auburn +1800

The defending national champion is a definitive favorite to win the West, and will be heavily favored to repeat as national champs. I am a bit surprised to see LSU over Texas A&M, but the margin is negligible. No other team is given a serious shot.

B1G

Leaders
Ohio State -800
Wisconsin +300
Purdue +1000
Illinois +1200
Indiana +1500

Is this even worth discussing? There probably won't be a bigger favorite to win a division in a major conference. The Buckeyes were a perfect 12-0 last year, Penn State is ineligible, and Wisconsin is going through a coaching change.

Legends
Michigan State +200
Michigan +250
Nebraska +250
Northwestern +500
Iowa +500
Minnesota +800

Vegas has no idea. None. All teams between 3/1 and 9/1.

Michigan seems to be getting most of the hype in the polls, and the Spartans had quite the down year last year. But perhaps that "down year" says something about the quality of program Mark Dantonio has built in East Lansing. And Bo Pelini's teams always compete.

ACC

Atlantic Division
Clemson -135
Florida State -120
North Carolina State +800
Boston College +1500
Syracuse +2500
Wake Forest +2500
Maryland +5000

From Tomahawk Nation:

Florida State is the defending conference champion, but hasn't won at Clemson since 2001, losing five straight. The Seminoles also lost a ton from their 2012 squad, including 11 draft picks, a school record.

The other teams in the division are an enormous underdog. N.C. State comes in at +800, while no other Atlantic Division team is at less than +1500! Maryland, which at time last year was playing a linebacker at QB, is at +5000!

Coastal Division
Miami +110
North Carolina +185
Virginia Tech +300
Georgia Tech +500
Pittsburgh +1200
Virginia +1500
Duke +3000

Four teams at 6/1 or less. Vegas really isn't sure of itself.

It's hard to not like the Hurricanes or Tar Heels, though, and they are the favorites early on. Miami returns at least 18 starters, and even more contributors, from a 2012 squad that went 7-5. North Carolina returns less, but teams often take a leap in their second year under a new head coach, as the Tar Heels will look to do under Larry Fedora.

What are you thoughts on these early lines? Which will change, and by how much?