The regular season in college football only runs a dozen games, and since (at least for now) the playoff structure for FBS teams only contains four schools, each regular season game carries significant weight with the seeding committee. Getting to ten wins is an accomplishment that often puts teams in contention for a conference championship and a plum bowl bid.
Let’s look at some schools with the college football odds that can stack up 10 or more wins this season.
NCAA News: Which Teams Can Get to 10 Wins in 2021?
The Elite: Clemson and Alabama
Clemson opens at home against Georgia. After that, things get very easy for the Tigers. Their non-conference games also include a home date with South Carolina State, a visit from Connecticut and a trip to South Carolina to end the season. Their toughest conference games include visits to North Carolina State and Louisville. If Clemson can’t get to 11 wins, even with a loss to Georgia, they would likely miss the College Football Playoff.
Alabama also opens with an interesting Power 5 interconference game, playing Miami (FL) at a neutral site. Their other non-conference games are home contests against Mercer, Southern Mississippi and New Mexico State. In conference play, they have to visit Texas A&M and Mississippi State, as well as Florida, but again, this is a team that should skate to 10 wins with relative ease.
Winners with Flaws: Georgia, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Cincinnati, Miami
Georgia as a nice skate after their matchup with Clemson. Their crossover SEC games feature a home date with Arkansas and a trip to Auburn. The real challenge for the Bulldogs will come against Florida, as they should meet for the SEC East, but Georgia as their bye week before they see Florida. Their other non-conference opponents are UAB, Charleston Southern and Georgia Tech — all winnable games.
Oklahoma starts with three very winnable non-conference games, visiting Tulane before returning home to face Western Carolina and Nebraska, in a rematch of a storied rivalry — but a game that the Sooners should dominate. In Big 12 play, the Sooners will have targets on their backs each week because of their desire to leave for the SEC, but it shouldn’t matter enough for the Sooners to lose games.
North Carolina starts with a tough trip to Virginia Tech but then has an easier road, with a visit from Georgia State before ACC play resumes. The Tar Heels do visit Notre Dame and North Carolina State, but if they can win two of these three tough dates, ten wins should not be a sweat.
Cincinnati has two tough non-conference dates — at Indiana and at Notre Dame. They also host UCF and Tulsa in AAC play, all of which could be tough for the Bearcats to win. A win over the Hoosiers makes things a lot easier for Cincinnati to get there. Quarterback Desmond Ridder returns to lead the offense, which will need to do a better job on chunk plays in 2021. The defense was ironclad last year and should be much the same in 2021.
Miami actually starts with a couple of interesting games, playing Alabama in Atlanta and then hosting Appalachian State and Michigan State, two teams that have gritty reputations. Then comes a visit from CCSU before ACC play begins. In ACC competition the Hurricanes visit North Carolina and Florida State, and they get N.C. State and Georgia Tech at home. All told, the Hurricanes should get to ten wins — especially if they want to earn that reputation they have for a national championship sleeper squad.
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