College Football 2023: Two Value Bets to Win Coach of the Year

Image ©Since 1986 the American Heart Association has presented the Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award which is named after the legendary Alabama football coach.

✍️ Written by :

Ty Bronicel

🗓 Updated :

Sep 2nd 2023

Since 1986 the American Heart Association has presented the Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award which is named after the legendary Alabama football coach.

This differs from the The Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year Award but the winners from year to year have almost mirrored each other.

Anyhow, would it shock you that you can wager on this year’s outcome?

It shouldn’t because you can.

You and your fellow wagering neighbor are looking for the next TCU.

Sonny Dykes guided the Horned Frogs all the way to the title game last season.

Sure, they got bulldozed by the Bulldogs in that championship game but Dykes deservedly was awarded Coach of the Year honors, by both the AP and the AHA.

So, what do we think about this season? But, also, what do we think about the trophy bearing too strong of a resemblance to Freddy Krueger?

Maybe that’s why Satan – I’m sorry, Nick SABAN – has won it twice.

Oh, I tease. That was for Georgia and LSU fans and the rest of y’all.

Well, if Georgia completes a three-peat – and I think the Bulldogs will, unless it’s Florida State – then Kirby Smart should be named National Coach of the Year.

But let’s say another team surprises like TCU did last season. Those two would be the aforementioned Seminoles with head coach Mike Norvell and a sleeper, but yet wide-awake, angry Beavers team at Oregon State, led by head coach Jonathan Smith.

The Beavs were 10-3 last season and, granted, they got crushed by Utah, but they damn near beat USC and Washington. They also upset rival Oregon and then kicked the crap out of Florida 30-3 in the Las Vegas Bowl.

They’re good and they bring back a lot of talent as well as former Clemson QB/transer DJ Uiagalelei who will become a star in small-town Corvallis, which is one of the friendliest, chill college campuses in the country.

Renovated stadium too. Plus, this realignment BS … You do not want to play the Beavers this season, especially at the renovated Reser Stadium which will be raucous for every home game.

Smith has a losing record (26-31) at OSU, but he’s turned this program around. The Beavers have won 17 games in the past two seasons and I think they’re getting to at least 9 or 10 wins this season.

Could be your next surprise TCU.

As far as Florida State, I just dig this team. Their recruiting class and transfers will provide major additions. We’ll find out if LSU is the real deal against them.

I’m going FSU. All in on the Seminoles as you can read here.

Mike Norvell is 18-16 at Florida State and 56-31 overall in his seven seasons as a head coach. Here are his results:

2016 – Memphis – 8-5

2017 – Memphis – 10-3

2018 – Memphis – 8-6

2019 – Memphis 12-1

2020 – Florida State – 3-6

2021 – Florida State – 5-7

2022 – Florida State – 10-3

Pretty clear he can turn a program around and he’s doing it in Tallahassee.

He’s got a dynamite QB and Heisman Trophy dark horse in Jordan Travis.

Let’s now look at the current odds I’m using from DraftKings Sportsbook, one of our favorite sports betting sites, including FanDuel Sportsbook, BetMGM and many more.