BetQL Editors' Picks to Win 2023 College Football National Championship

College Football National Championship Picks

Dan Karpuc: North Carolina, +10000 at BetRivers
Going with Georgia (-117 consensus) or Ohio State (+234 consensus) makes complete sense and I won’t knock anyone for doing it. However, looking at different situations and the presumed potential of certain sleepers is a lot more fun. Let’s take a look at the No. 15 North Carolina Tar Heels. Not only did they already punch their ticket into the ACC Championship Game against No. 10 Clemson, but they’re 9-1 and get opportunities against Georgia Tech and No. 16 N.C. State to close out the regular season before that meeting with the Tigers. The Tar Heels have averaged 40.1 points per game under legendary head coach Mack Brown and redshirt freshman quarterback Drake Maye is putting up some insane numbers. Now firmly in the Heisman conversation, Maye has completed 70.1% of his passes for 3,412 yards, 34 touchdowns and three interceptions and has also rushed 133 times for 584 additional yards and five more scores on the ground. Star wideout Josh Downs (74 receptions, 847 yards, 11 TD) is a matchup nightmare and this team will be able to score with anyone. Are the odds of them ending up in the CFP extremely high? No… they need to win out for sure and get some help in front of them. But, if they end up in that final four grouping, their explosive offense could give them an opportunity to pull off an upset or two to win it all. At 100/1, this is worth a sprinkle right now.

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Brad Pinkerton: Tennessee +2000 at FanDuel
This play is more about finding value now and having a profitable cash-out option later if/when No. 5 Tennessee slips into the CFP, which is exactly what I think will happen. Tennessee doesn't control its own destiny like, say, No. 4 TCU does, but I do think the Vols have an easier path to a CFP spot. Undefeated TCU still has to face Baylor (6-4) on the road before hosting Iowa State (4-6) and then playing in the Big 12 title game. No. 3 Michigan has to fight No. 2 Ohio State on the road, so one of those teams is taking an L and helping Tennessee's cause. And then there's No. 1 Georgia, which likely won't lose before the CFP, but at least has to face No. 7 LSU in the SEC title game. Meanwhile, Tennessee only has very winnable road games at South Carolina (6-4) and Vanderbilt (4-6) remaining before the postseason. That's it -- win out and Tennessee is poised to snatch a CFP spot from anyone who slips up, maybe even including Michigan, at which point the Vols' odds to win the championship will likely be cut in half. There's definitely good value on TCU (+2500 at BetMGM) in the CFP driver's seat, but I think Tennessee, if given the chance, is a stronger national title contender if you want to ride this ticket to the finish.

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Lucy Burdge: Ohio State, +240 at Caesars

I’m sticking with my original pick of Ohio State to win the national championship after how they’ve been playing throughout this season. The Buckeyes are 10-0 and in second place in the Big Ten East after a 56-14 win over Indiana in which C.J. Stroud threw for 297 yards and five touchdowns. I’m rolling with them to keep their success going and win it all this season.

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