College Football Sleeper Pick: Horns Up for 2023

College Football Sleeper Pick

The college football season is right around the corner, with "Week 0" kickoff set for Aug. 26. I know, you're excited, and so am I. We are going to see a ton of twists and turns throughout the upcoming season as we always do, and now is the time to take a look at the college football futures market. There is always a lot of value to be found, but the difficult part is finding it.

Below is just one bet that I am intrigued by as we close in on the season. Of course, BetQL will continue to have you covered throughout the season with live college football betting odds, best bets from our NCAAF model, sharp picks, public bets, line movement data, exclusive articles and much more to help you cash more college football bets this season.

Texas Longhorns to make the College Football Playoff (+320, DraftKings)

If you are daring enough, you could take a flier on Texas to win the championship at +2200. I may do that before the season begins, but, for now, I think there is enough value in taking them to make the CFP at +320. After many years, I think this may be the season that Texas finally returns to the national stage and competes with the big boys of modern college football.

The Longhorns haven't won a conference championship since 2009. They haven't had a player selected in the first round of the NFL Draft since 2013. Yet, they are pretty large favorites to win the Big 12 this season at +105. There are quite a few reasons for this, and I think one of the largest is the fact that all of Texas' losses in 2022 came by one possession.

Their biggest challenge will be figuring out a way to win close games. The good news is that a majority of their players will have learned from that experience last year. Texas ranks 19th in FBS in returning offensive production, which means they have a lot of guys returning and gives them an advantage over rebuilding teams.

Also, this is as watered down as we have seen a Big 12 in quite some time. Oklahoma isn't the powerhouse it used to be after Lincoln Riley's departure. Kansas State had a good season in 2022, but are we sure they can repeat that? TCU is sure to drop off after losing a chunk of the roster to the NFL Draft.

Texas will have the deepest skill group in the conference, and it really isn't close. They have two five-star quarterbacks, one of those being highly-touted star Arch Manning, while Quinn Ewers was able to get some experience under his belt last season. However, we all know that success is built from the trenches. Their offensive and defensive lines should also be two of the best in the country, with most of the players returning from those positions. That veteran leadership will be extremely important as the team fights for a spot in the CFP.

Ultimately, the stage seems to be set perfectly for a Texas run in 2023. A big showdown with Alabama early on could give us a glimpse at what the Longhorns really are, and if they manage an upset, that could boost them for the rest of the year. If Texas is in discussion at the end of the season as a realistic choice to be in the CFP, I think the selection committee will have a bit of a bias to put them in there as well. Now is the time to grab Texas at +320 to make the CFP.