2015 College Football Picks & Predictions: National Title Favorites and Top Contenders

2015 College Football Picks & Predictions: National Title Favorites and Top Contenders: The start of the 2015 college football season is less than a month away, and if the second year of the College Football Playoff system is anything like the first, then we are for an exciting season. Last year, the Ohio State Buckeyes snuck into the playoff and ultimately took the title, and while Urban Meyer’s bunch is among the teams that should be serious title threats for the second year in a row, there are also plenty of talented teams waiting to make the leap and claim the 2015 national championship. Check out our top NCAA Title favorites and contenders below plus be sure to get our top 2015 College Football picks and predictions against the spread this 2015 season from our top handicappers.

2015 College Football Picks & Predictions: National Title Favorites and Top Contenders

The Favorites

The defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes return just about every player from their title-winning squad, including a Heisman frontrunner in RB Ezekiel Elliott and the potential No. 1 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft in DE Joey Bosa. They also have an embarrassment of riches at the quarterback position, and one of the QBs, Braxton Miller, is converting to wide receiver. They have by far the most talent on both sides of the ball in the Big Ten, and the Buckeyes should enter the postseason undefeated.

If not for blowing a late lead against Baylor, the TCU Horned Frogs make the College Football Playoff last year and very easily could have been national champs. Instead, 10 starters are back for one of the country’s most powerful offenses, including star QB Trevone Boykin, and no team is going to play with a bigger chip on its shoulder. TCU will host Baylor this time around, and the Horned Frogs should be able to complete the flawless regular season that barely escaped them one year ago.

While there are questions at the quarterback position and a big hole at wide receiver with the departure of Amari Cooper to the NFL, this year’s Alabama Crimson Tide team might be built more like the title-winning teams of recent years. Armed with elite offensive and defensive linemen, Nick Saban’s bunch should be dominant in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Meanwhile, Derrick Henry the type of power back that will allow the Crimson Tide to control the clock and wear down opponents. Watch out for Alabama.

Other Contenders

Replacing Heisman-winning QB Marcus Mariota isn’t ideal, but the Oregon Ducks landed Vernon Adams as a transfer from Eastern Washington, and Adams is very familiar with Oregon’s up-tempo, spread attack. More importantly, Adams will be surrounded by plenty of speedy weapons on offense, and Oregon’s offense has been unstoppable with a number of different names under center over the last decade. There just aren’t many teams that can keep pace with the Ducks.

A brutal schedule that features two teams I’ve already touched on in this article, Ohio State and Oregon, certainly doesn’t help the Michigan State Spartans, but if they can manage to split those two games, they should still reach the College Football Playoff. A stingy, hard-hitting defense has becomes the Spartans’ calling card, but veteran QB Connor Cook is back to lead a surprisingly potent offense. This team is balanced and experienced and won’t be intimidated by any opponent.

Although QB Seth Russell has to replace QB Bryce Petty under center, the Baylor Bears returns just about everyone else from an offense that was the best in the country in just about every category. Perhaps more importantly, Baylor’s defense should be as strong as it has ever been under head coach Art Briles. A cake out-of-conference schedule will force the Bears to run the table, but if they can outlast TCU for the second year in a row, Baylor should run past everyone else and claim a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Get more 2015 College Football betting odds for the 2015 season updated daily on NSAwins.com including updated odds to win the 2016 National Championship.