Even though the college football establishment won’t admit it, there are only a select few programs that have the potential to win a national championship. Winning it all requires a few things to fall into a school’s favor: 1. You must belong to a major conference (Pac-10, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, Big East, SEC). 2. You must start the season ranked among the top 15 teams in the country in the preseason. 3. An occasional loss is OK, but it better come early in the season and against stiff competition.

So by applying this filter to the college football scene, we are down to a list of about 60 out of the 120-plus teams that compete at the Division I level. According to the futures odds listed on vegasinsider.com, here are some wagers to consider:

HEAVY FAVORITES

USC (3/1): The Trojans are akin to the early 1990s Florida State teams where they hover in the top five every week of every season, every year. No team puts more individual talent on the field than USC. A Sept. 13 home game against perennial powerhouse Ohio State (listed with 8/1 odds) will be the true test.

Florida (5/1): The Gators return the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner with Tim Tebow at quarterback. Florida might average 45 points per game or more throughout the season, but it plays in the nation’s most difficult conference in the SEC. Wicked road dates at Tennessee (Sept. 20) and a neutral-site game against Georgia (Nov. 1) in Jacksonville are serious roadblocks.

Oklahoma (6/1): Oklahoma plays the easiest schedule of the Division I heavyweights and will walk into the Red River Shootout vs. Texas on Oct. 11 a lock to be 5-0. All of the Sooners’ toughest games (Kansas on Oct. 18; Nebraska Nov. 11; Texas Tech Nov. 22) are at home.

POSSIBLE CONTENDERS

Clemson Tigers (20/1): Touted by many college football gurus as coach Tommy Bowden’s best Clemson team, the Tigers play a manageable schedule with six of their first seven games at home in Death Valley. Quarterback Cullen Harper was named the preseason ACC Player of the Year.

LSU (25/1): Pretty good odds for the defending national champions, but watch out — LSU opens on Aug. 30 against Appalachian State. Those pesky Mountaineers were a D-IAA team that scored the upset of the century last year when they beat the No. 5 Michigan Wolverines at home.

And if none of these lines seem appetizing, why not bet with the field?

Many sports books are accepting “field bets” where a gambler can get 40/1 odds for any team to win the national championship not named USC, Florida, Oklahoma, Georgia, Ohio State, Missouri, Texas, West Virginia, Clemson, Auburn, Virginia Tech, Kansas, LSU, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Arizona State or California.

Chuck Blount | 210SA contributor