When it comes to the national title picture for 2023, there is no clear-cut favorite. There are a number of teams that could be cutting down the net in April.
When it comes to which teams are worth betting on as the season starts, there are several teams with longer odds that are worth taking a peek at.
UCLA, +1700
Mick Cronin’s first two seasons in Westwood were as strong as could be expected. But success at UCLA is typically measured by a run in the late 1960s and 70s that will likely never be replicated.
Still, if the Bruins are going to live up to their outsized legacy, UCLA is going to need returning starters Jaime Jaguez Jr. and Tyger Campbell, who both earned all-Pac 12 honors last season, to help bring the young players up to snuff.
UCLA brought in a pair of five-star recruits with freshman point guard Amari Bailey and center Adem Bona. While news of UCLA’s transition to the Big Ten in a few years sent shockwaves through the sporting world, it shouldn’t impact the Bruins much in the short term.
UCLA is still one of the favorites to win the PAC-12 this season and should be able to build off its Sweet 16 appearance from last season once the postseason rolls around.
Texas, +2000
Year 1 under Chris Beard saw Texas advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Now, the Longhorns will be bringing back their two leading scorers to help support an excellent recruiting class.
Timmy Allen averaged 12.1 points per game after transferring in from Utah last season, while Marcus Carr, who came in from Minnesota, put up 11.4 points per game. That duo gives Texas a solid foundation to build on.
The challenge for Texas will be to find a way to stay healthy through what should be another difficult season in the Big 12. Kansas and Baylor are once again the favorites to win the conference. Texas Tech and TCU were both good last season and are hoping to contend again.
The experience Texas gains along the way could help toughen the Longhorns up for the tournament.
Michigan, +3500
The Wolverines were able to fight off the roller-coaster fell to last season and earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Once Michigan was in, the Wolverines did damage, winning two games to reach the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive year under Juan Howard.
The Wolverines will return Hunter Dickinson, who averaged 18.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game last season. Michigan also benefitted from bringing in Princeton transfer Jaelin Llewellyn, who averaged 15.7 points per game for the Tigers last season.
Michigan is a program that has been knocking on the door of a national championship for the past few seasons. While it will be a difficult climb, taking on the Wolverines at such a large number isn’t a bad bet.
Tyler Vaysman
Tyler has a true passion for sports, DFS & sports betting in particular. Combine his love for sports with his journalistic background and you have a great guy to cover the latest industry news. He also enjoys disc golf, fishing, and traveling in his free time.
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