2026 College Football Best Preseason Bets, CFP Sleepers & Win Totals

<p>College Football&#39;s fastest-rising analyst William Patteson is joined by Professional College Football Handicapper John Hodge, better known as “Hodgie in the Desert,” for the debut episode of The Coverboys, an honest, unsponsored gambling show on The PatteFacts Podcast Network. Hodge brings years of experience handicapping College Football to the table as the duo starts things off by diving into the 2026 National Championship picture and why the preseason AP Poll might not be the best place to look when trying to find a champion. Only two of the last 26 preseason AP No. 1 teams have gone on to win it all, while 16 of the last 19 National Champions entered the season with top-six championship odds. Patteson and Hodge break down this year’s favorites before giving their early futures picks, with Notre Dame, Oregon, Texas and longshot Texas Tech among the teams to watch.The duo then pivots to the College Football Playoff and tries to determine which teams from last season’s field will make their way back in 2026. After eight teams from the 2024 CFP failed to return the following season, Patteson and Hodge discuss how much turnover they expect this time around and identify potential newcomers and sleepers across the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Big 12 and Group of Six.As things roll on, The Coverboys go conference-by-conference to identify some of the most improved teams in College Football and where there could be value in the win-total market. Air Force, Virginia Tech, Clemson, Auburn, Kansas State and Oklahoma State highlight the early discussion before the debut episode winds down in the Big Ten with Penn State, UCLA and Maryland.No sponsors influencing the picks and no pretending every bet is a lock. The Coverboys brings together Patteson’s College Football analysis and Hodgie in the Desert’s professional handicapping experience to break down the numbers, find the value and give their actual opinions throughout the 2026 College Football season.Follow The PatteFacts: A College Football Show wherever you get your content!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepattefactsX/Twitter: https://x.com/ThePatteFacts Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/19It1auDbpFA0QwcphDZfd?si=6e532676279644e1 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pattefacts-a-college-football-show/id1630719589</p>