LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — College football is finally here, but the season will look a lot different from year's past. We now have an unprecedented 12-team College Football Playoff, and now some long shot bets of the past seem realistic.
You have the usual Ohio State (-650), Georgia (-600) and Oregon (-300) as the most likely teams to make the playoff.
But you also have some schools like Ole Miss (-130) and Penn State (-140) as favorites to get in.
Jay Kornegay with Westgate Superbook says fans are putting their money on teams even further down the list.
"We're getting a lot of action on teams that we normally don't see a lot of attention on," Kornegay said. "Teams like Missouri (+175), Tennessee (+170), Utah (+200) and Kansas State (+250). Those second tier teams are getting a lot of tickets on them mainly because the change of format."
As for the Mountain West, Boise State is tied for the best odds of any group of five schools to make the playoff at +400.
The next highest Mountain West team is Fresno State at +2000 and the UNLV Rebels at +4000.
"Those three big teams...we've certainly seen a lot more tickets on them than we've ever seen before," Kornegay said. "I know there's a lot of optimism in Las Vegas about our Rebels. And there should be. They have a chance. They really do have a shot. When was the last time we've been able to say that? Maybe never. I'm sure they have the same feeling in Fresno and Boise as well."
For UNLV linebacker Jackson Woodard, it's not a matter of if, but when they will be in the playoff.
"The standard Is a championship," Woodard said. "I think that bar has even risen. The standard has even risen. We're ready to go. We're ready to attack."
Week 1 of the college football season kicks off this weekend.
The UNLV Rebels will begin on the road taking on Houston this Saturday at 4 p.m.
