Updated conference title odds see usual suspects remain heavy favorites

By Zach BarnettMar 30, 2020, 1:44 PM EDT

Until we’re told otherwise, college football will play a 2020 season, and so the sports books are still offering odds on the upcoming season.

One one offshore sports book release its updated conference-by-conference odds on Monday, which saw the usual suspects atop most conferences. Clemson in particular is a massive favorite to win a sixth straight ACC title, with bettors required to place $600 down to win $100 on the Tigers.

Oklahoma is again favored to win the Big 12, Ohio State to win the Big Ten, Boise State to win the Mountain West, Oregon to win the Pac-12 and Appalachian State to win the Sun Belt. Alabama is listed as a slight favorite to win the SEC once again, as is UCF in the American.

American

Central Florida              5/4
Memphis                       9/4
Cincinnati                      3/1
Navy                             14/1
SMU                             14/1
Houston                        16/1
Temple                         25/1
Tulane                           28/1
South Florida                50/1
Tulsa                            80/1
East Carolina                 100/1

ACC

Clemson                       1/6
Miami (FL)                     15/2
North Carolina               10/1
Virginia Tech                 12/1
Florida State                 16/1
Virginia                         20/1
Louisville                      28/1
Pittsburgh                     28/1
Wake Forest                 40/1
NC State                       50/1
Duke                            66/1
Syracuse                      66/1
Boston College             80/1
Georgia Tech                250/1

Big Ten

Ohio State                    4/9
Michigan                       7/2
Wisconsin                     9/1
Penn State                    10/1
Iowa                             16/1
Nebraska                      16/1
Minnesota                     25/1
Michigan State              33/1
Indiana                          40/1
Illinois                           50/1
Maryland                       50/1
Northwestern                 50/1
Purdue                          50/1
Rutgers                         250/1

Big 12

Oklahoma                     4/5
Texas                           3/2
Oklahoma State            6/1
Iowa State                    12/1
Baylor                           16/1
West Virginia                 16/1
Kansas State                25/1
TCU                              28/1
Texas Tech                   40/1
Kansas                         100/1

Conference USA

Western Kentucky         2/1
Florida Atlantic              3/1
UAB                             4/1
Louisiana Tech              11/2
Marshall                        11/2
Southern Miss               6/1
Middle Tennessee          25/1
Charlotte                       28/1
Florida International       28/1
North Texas                  40/1
Rice                              66/1
Old Dominion                100/1
UTSA                            100/1
UTEP                            150/1

MAC

Ohio                             13/4
Buffalo                         4/1
Central Michigan           4/1
Ball State                      6/1
Miami (OH)                    8/1
Toledo                          8/1
Western Michigan          8/1
Kent State                     12/1
Eastern Michigan          16/1
Northern Illinois             20/1
Akron                           100/1
Bowling Green               100/1

Mountain West

Boise State                   1/2
San Diego State            13/4
Air Force                       9/2
Utah State                    12/1
Colorado State              14/1
Wyoming                      25/1
Fresno State                 28/1
Hawaii                           28/1
Nevada                         50/1
San Jose State              50/1
UNLV                            66/1
New Mexico                  150/1

Pac-12

Oregon                         5/2
USC                             11/4
Washington                   3/1
UCLA                            4/1
Utah                             9/2
Arizona State                14/1
California                      20/1
Stanford                       20/1
Arizona                         25/1
Colorado                      80/1
Oregon State                80/1

SEC

Alabama                       5/6
Louisiana State             11/4
Georgia                        3/1
Florida                          6/1
Auburn                          14/1
Texas A&M                   16/1
Tennessee                    66/1
Kentucky                      100/1
Mississippi State           100/1
Missouri                        100/1
Ole Miss                       100/1
South Carolina              100/1
Arkansas                      250/1
Vanderbilt                     250/1

Sun Belt

App State                     1/2
Louisiana-Lafayette       9/4
Arkansas State              14/1
Troy                              14/1
Georgia Southern          16/1
Georgia State                22/1
Coastal Carolina            25/1
UL-Monroe                    40/1
South Alabama             50/1
Texas State                  66/1

Georgia extends contract for AD Josh Brooks, plans two new football practice fields

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 9:14 PM EDT

Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

ATHENS, Ga. – On the heels of a second straight national football championship, Georgia has rewarded athletic director Josh Brooks a contract extension that ties him to the Bulldogs through at least 2029.

The athletic association board, wrapping up its annual spring meeting Friday at a resort on Lake Oconee, also announced plans for a new track and field facility that will free up space for two more football practice fields.

Brooks’ new contract will increase his salary to $1.025 million a year, with annual raises of $100,000.

The 42-year-old Brooks, who took over the athletic department in 2021 after Greg McGarity retired, called the Georgia job “a dream for me” and said he hopes to spend the rest of his career in Athens.

“I am extremely grateful,” Brooks said. “I got into this business 20-plus years ago as a student equipment manager. My first job at Louisiana-Monroe was making $20,000 a year in football operations.”

The Georgia board approved a fiscal 2024 budget of $175.2 million, a nearly 8% increase from the most recent budget of $162.2 million and the sign of a prosperous program that is flush with money after its success on the gridiron.

The school received approval to move forward with its preliminary plans for a new track and field facility, which will be built across the street from the complex hosting the soccer and and softball teams.

The current track stadium is located adjacent to the Butts-Mehre athletic facility, which hosts the practice fields and training facilities for the football program.

Georgia lost a chunk of its outdoor fields when it built a new indoor practice facility. After the new track and field stadium is completed, the current space will be converted to two full-length, grass football practice fields at the request of coach Kirby Smart.

“He wants to find efficient ways to practice, and there is a lot of truth to the issues we’ve had with our current practice fields,” Brooks said. “There is a lot of strain on our turf facilities staff to keep that field in great shape when half the day it is getting shade, so that has been a challenge as well. For our football program, it is better to practice on grass fields than (artificial) turf, so to be able to have two side-by-side grass fields is huge. It makes for a much more efficient practice.”

The new track and field complex, which will continue to be named Spec Towns Track, will also include an indoor facility, the first of its kind in the state of Georgia.

Iowa AD Gary Barta announces retirement after 17 years at Big Ten school

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 9:11 PM EDT

Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Iowa athletic director Gary Barta will retire on August 1 after 17 years at the university, the school announced Friday.

Barta, 59, is one of the longest-tenured athletic directors in a Power Five conference. He was hired by Iowa in 2006 after being the AD at Wyoming.

An interim director will be announced next week, Iowa said.

In September, Iowa hired former Ball State athletic director Beth Goetz to be deputy director of athletics and chief operating officer, putting her in position to possibly succeed Barta.

“It has been an absolute privilege and honor to serve in this role the past 17 years,” Barta said in a statement. “This decision didn’t come suddenly, nor did it come without significant thought, discussion, and prayer.”

“That said, I’m confident this is the right time for me and for my family.”

Iowa won four NCAA national team titles and 27 Big Ten team titles during Barta’s tenure. The women’s basketball team is coming off an appearance in the national championship game and the wrestling team is coming off a second-place finish at the NCAA championships.

Barta served as the chairman of the College Football Playoff committee in 2020 and 2021.

He faced heavy criticism over more than $11 million in settlements for lawsuits in recent years alleging racial and sexual discrimination within the athletic department.

Lawsuits filed by former field hockey coach Tracey Griesbaum and associate athletics director Jane Meyer led to a $6.5 million payout.

Iowa had to pay $400,000 as part of a Title IX lawsuit brought by athletes after it cut four sports in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the agreement, Iowa reinstated the women’s swimming and diving program and add another women’s sport.

Iowa added women’s wrestling, the first among Power Five schools to compete this year.

A lawsuit brought by former football players alleging racial discrimination within the program was settled for $4.2 million last March, which prompted state auditor Rob Sand to call for Barta’s ouster.

“Gary Barta’s departure is a long time coming given the four different lawsuits for discrimination that cost Iowa more than $11 million,” Sand posted on Twitter.

The university did not allow taxpayer money to be used for the settlement with the former players.

Barta led Iowa through $380 million of facility upgrades, including renovation of Kinnick Stadium, the construction of a new football facility, a basketball practice facility and a training center for the wrestling teams.

Under Barta, Iowa has had just one head football coach (Kirk Ferentz), women’s basketball coach (Lisa Bluder) and wrestling coach (Tom Brands). All were in place when he arrived.

Barta has also come under scrutiny for allowing Ferentz to employee his son, Brian Ferentz, as offensive coordinator. To comply with the university’s nepotism policy, Brian Ferentz reports to Barta.