College Football Bold Predictions for the 2024-25 Season

Anything can happen on a Saturday in the fall.

Sometimes, it's an FCS program blocking two field goals to upset the No. 5 team in the country. Other times, a kid from Kerrville, Texas, comes out of nowhere to take down Alabama.

Sure, betting on the Heisman Trophy odds favorite can be fun, but not as fun as making college football bold predictions for the 2024-25 season with the chance of hitting on the next Johnny Manziel.

This season, more than any other, is perfect for bold bets with the expanded 12-team playoff giving teams with longer College Football Playoff odds a real chance of making it.

And maybe we'll even see our first winner with longer than 10/1 college football championship odds since Joe Burrow's LSU team.

Bold college football championship bet

Since 2011, every single national champion has had a blue-chip ratio of at least 52%. That means there are only 16 teams in the country who have enough talent on their roster this season to win it all, and the best long shot bet has got to be Oklahoma.

The Sooners' odds are as short as +3500 at our other college football betting sites, but these odds at FanDuel pay an $800 profit on a $10 winning bet. And it's not as if Oklahoma has zero chance of taking home the title as it jumps into the SEC.

Brent Venables' squad has the sixth-highest blue-chip ratio in the country (73%) and is coming off a 10-3 season where it finished 17th in SP+.

The question marks come on offense with former five-star Jackson Arnold taking over at QB for Dillon Gabriel. However, he has the talent around him to thrive with players like Nic Anderson and Deion Burks.

But the bigger reason I think Oklahoma is an interesting long shot is because Venables defense could be really good. It ranks eighth in returning production and is led by preseason All-Americans Danny Stutsman and Billy Bowman Jr.

Don't forget, this team beat Texas in the Red River Rivalry last year.

Best odds: +8000 via FanDuel | Implied probability: 1.23%

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Bold Heisman Trophy bet

It's hard to find a realistic winner in this market with odds longer than +2500. So I'm sticking with my favorite of the Heisman Trophy dark-horse candidates, with a winning $10 bet paying a $250 profit.

While Avery Johnson has just one start to his name, he did shine as the Pop-Tarts Bowl MVP after scoring three touchdowns against NC State.

The former Elite 11 finalist is only 19, but he has a shot at leading Kansas State to the College Football Playoff and putting up some major numbers a long the way.

Recent Heisman history has shown that a QB almost always needs to be mobile to take home the award, and Johnson managed to run for 296 and seven scores in limited action last year.

Even though he only carried the ball 55 times last year, he still finished ranked in the top 50 among QBs in yards per carry after contact (3.07), missed tackles forced (16), and 10-plus-yard runs (14) per PFF.

With a whole season of starting, he might be able to put up similar rushing numbers to last year's winner, Jayden Daniels.

Best odds: +2500 via Caesars | Implied probability: 3.85%

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Bold College Football Playoff bet

Iowa State and Virginia Tech are the two teams that are bold bets to make the College Football Playoff and whom I think could if everything goes right.

The Cyclones have longer odds so I'm going with them, but don't worry I'll get back to the Hokies shortly. 

Sitting second in the country in returning production, this looks like Matt Campbell's best team since Brock Purdy's junior season.

Quarterback Rocco Becht, receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, and running back Abu Sama II comprise one of the top foursomes in the Big 12.

And not only is the Big 12 the most wide open power conference this season, but the Cyclones have a relatively smooth schedule. It ranks 63rd-toughest in the country and doesn't get hard until November.

There's a realistic chance Iowa State is 9-1 prior to playing Utah and Kansas State to close out the regular season. If it can win one of those two, a trip to the Big 12 Championship is certainly possible.

A win there would get the Cyclones into the playoff and turn a $10 bet into a $100 profit.

Best odds: +1000 via DraftKings | Implied probability: 9.09%

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Bold Group of Five College Football Playoff bet

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I believe it will be Liberty, Appalachian State, or Boise State who earns the G5 playoff spot. As such, it didn't feel bold enough backing the Mountaineers at +1000 here – that remains the best value among G5 playoff bets.

So, instead I'm going with a USF team that I'm mighty bullish on because of QB Byrum Brown and head coach Alex Golesh. 

The Bulls were 33rd in the country in PPG in Golesh's first season, thanks to Brown's excelling in his veer-and-shoot offense.

As a redshirt freshman, he was one of only two G5 QBs to have at least 20 big-time throws while registering an adjusted completion rate of over 72% and an ADOT of 10-plus yards. He did that while leading all QBs in rushing yards after contact (723).

USF can compete for the AAC title with a talent like Brown and the 17th-highest returning production in the country.

My biggest concern is that the AAC has too much talent for Memphis, Tulane, UTSA, or USF to make the playoffs. But the Bulls are the best value, with a $10 bet paying a $200 profit.

Best odds: +2000 via FanDuel | Implied probability: 4.76%

Bold power conference winner bet

I've been waxing poetic about this Virginia Tech team all season. The Hokies are my top pick in my college football predictions and best bets for the 2024-25 season to hit the Over on their 8.5 wins, and I can even see them winning the ACC.

They lead the country in returning production and bring back a QB in Kyron Drones that has the potential to be one of the best dual-threats in college football. He's not alone on offense either, with a nasty trio of receivers and a talented running back in Bhayshul Tuten.

But I think Brent Pry's defense could push Virginia Tech over the edge in the ACC. It ranked 42nd in SP+ last year and has All-ACC-level players in Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Dorian Strong, Mansoor Delane, and Aeneas Peebles.

If the Hokies can overcome Florida State, Clemson, and Miami, a $10 winning bet pays a $100 profit.

Best odds:  +1000 via BetMGM | Implied probability: 9.09%

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Bold G5 conference winner bet

Finding a G5 program with longer than 7/1 odds that could actually win its conference is near impossible. And I love Bowling Green's potential in the MAC too much to pass on backing the Falcons.

Coming off Scott Loeffler's best season as head coach (7-6), Bowling Green is well positioned to win the MAC – which hasn't had a back-to-back winner in over a decade.

The MAC Championship odds of four of the last five winners have been +700 or longer, and the Falcons have two legit playmakers on offense (Terion Stewart, Harold Fannin Jr.) and a veteran QB (Connor Bazelak).

If Stewart can stay healthy, he's got the potential to be the MAC Offensive Player of the Year – he was top five in the country last season in yards per carry after contact (4.81).

With Jordan Oladokun, Joseph Sipp Jr., and Dontrez Brown back, it could be one of the best defenses in the MAC, too. A $10 winning bet on the Falcons pays a $70 profit.

Best odds: +700 via bet365 | Implied probability: 12.50%

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Bold Doak Walker bet

Since betting on Boise State's Ashton Jeanty at +1200 to win the Doak Walker wasn't bold enough, here's the biggest sleeper in the country at running back.

In his first season as UCF's full-time starter last year, RJ Harvey ran for 1,416 yards and 16 touchdowns. He was second in the country to only Ollie Gordon II in 15-yard-plus runs (26) and was sixth in missed tackles forced (74).

Playing in Gus Malzahn's offense, Harvey will again have a heavy workload. It should only help his case that Arkansas transfer KJ Jefferson is set to start at QB – which could open up the run game further. 

A $10 winning bet on Harvey pays a $500 profit.

Best odds: +5000 via DraftKings | Implied probability: 1.96%

Bold Biletnikoff bet

Already my b est bet to lead the ACC in receiving yards, I think Kevin Concepcion might be the smartest play for the Biletnikoff outside of the obvious.

Winning it over Missouri's Luther Burden and Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan night seem impossible, but Concepcion managed 1,159 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns as a true freshman.

He did it with dreadful quarterback play, too, and his 839 receiving yards accounted for 33.2% of NC State's passing yards. Now, he has Coastal Carolina transfer Grayson McCall and his 10,005 passing yards.

If Concepcion can beat out Burden and McMillan, a $10 bet pays a $350 profit. 

Best odds: +3500 via DraftKings | Implied probability: 2.78%

Bold Mackey bet

On the surface, it might seem crazy to bet on a Group of Five tight end to beat out the likes of Colston Loveland and Caden Prieskorn. But the Mackey has gone to a G5 player in two of the last five seasons (Trey McBride, Harrison Bryant).

And Fannin isn't just any ol' G5 tight end, he's one of the best in recent memory and could be a top 100 draft pick come April.

He was first in yards per route run (2.62), third in YA C per receptions (9.2), and seventh in receiving yards (623) among all tight ends last year.

With Brock Bowers in the NFL, Fannin could win it, and I almost can't believe his odds are this long. A $10 winning bet on Fannin pays $1,250.

Best odds: +12500 via bet365 | Implied probability: 0.79%

Bold regular season passing yards leader bet

The top two players in passing yards from last season are gone, and almost every returning QB that was top 15 has +2000 or shorter odds to lead the country.

That's why it's so strange that Brayden Schager's odds are this long – they pay a $330 profit on a $10 winning bet – because he was 14th in passing yards last season (3,542) and is the only returning QB who threw over 501 passes (525).

In Timmy Chang's run-and-shoot, Schager will likely lead the country in attempts, and the third-year starter should improve upon his completion percentage (63.2%) and YPA (6.7).

If he does, it's more likely than not that he'll at least finish top five in the country in passing yards.

Best odds: +3300 via bet365 | Implied probability: 2.94%

Bold FCS championship bet

Since 2011, only two teams other than North Dakota State and South Dakota State have won the FCS championship. Both those teams, James Madison and Sam Houston State, are now in the FBS.

While I expect the Jackrabbits to three-peat and believe the Bison to be their only true challenger, there's real value in betting on South Dakota. 

The Coyotes went 10-2 in FCS play last season, with their only two losses coming to SDSU and NDSU. This is head coach Bob Nielson's best team yet, with 10 starters back on offense, including quarterback Aidan Bouman and receiver Carter Bell.

If a few things go their way, maybe the Coyotes could do it. If they do, a $10 bet pays a $160 profit.

Best odds: +1600 via bet365 | Implied probability: 5.88%

Bold 2025 NFL Draft No. 1 pick bet

The 2025 NFL Draft odds are littered with quarterbacks and defensive players, but there are three noticeable absences. Michigan's Will Johnson and Mason Graham, and Penn State's Abdul Carter.

While Johnson is ranked No. 1 on the Athletic's Dane Brugler's initial big board, a defensive back hasn't gone with the first pick in the draft since 1956. And a defensive tackle, like Graham, hasn't gone with the top pick since 1994.

When it's not a QB, it's usually an edge rusher. And Carter is making the move from off-ball linebacker to the edge this season after finishing third in the country in pass rush win rate last season (24.8%).

I'm not sure why Carter's odds are this long, he's Brugler's top edge prospect and viewed as a likely top 10 pick by most. If he does go No. 1, a $10 bet pays a $500 profit.

Best odds: +5000 via FanDuel | Implied probability: 1.96%

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