Surprise. Surprise.

Yesterday, one of the least-important, yet most highly-discussed polls in sports was released: The College Football Coaches Poll. You sitting down? You might want to be, because guess who possesses the No. 1 ranking in Week No. 1? That’s right, Alabama. Georgia, who won it all last year, was not. Okay, so perhaps you could have been standing, or pacing or even driving (not that we recommend it while reading this newsletter). The reaction that followed was the annual predictable yawn that accompanies the shock that Alabama’s has yet again produced a football team that would essentially have to drive its bus off the road before six or seven games in order to not reach the CFB Playoffs. However, there was some mocking of Texas (who somehow got a No. 1 vote), and some questioning as to why the likes of Iowa and Penn State were not included at all. Perhaps most interesting to us, is that poll – for the most part – follows the SuperBook odds to win a national title. Teams 1-4 are the same, but there is a slight departure after that. Most notably, USC jumps ahead about 10 spots according to the oddsmakers. In the poll, the Trojans find themselves at No. 15; if you’re betting on them, they come in at 25/1, good for essentially a No. 5 ranking. Who’s right: The coaches or the bettors? Well, you know which way we lean. 

Camp Notes

There was finally a Joe Burrow sighting at Bengals camp yesterday, some encouraging news for everyone in Cincy to be sure even though Joe Shiesty has yet to be cleared to play. But that’s just one note from around the league as training camps begin to heat up across the entire NFL. On a more sour note, it looks as there’s some concern in New England, as Mac Jones hasn’t been particularly sharp. In Pittsburgh and Carolina, it looks as if the starting quarterback jobs belong to Mitchell Trubisky and Baker Mayfield respectively. In Tampa, Tommy Terrific’s O-line is gaining after the shuffling that took place after center Ryan Jensen went down with a knee injury. And in Denver, Russell Wilson looks like the guy Broncos fans have been wanting. After a couple weeks in, there are even a few teams that have some people concerned. For the best, all-encompassing tour of training camps around the country, we recommend Around the NFL editor Gregg Rosenthal’s breakdown, a 51-point read that leaves no stone unturned. Give that a read before making any big bets heading into the season.

In the Know

1. Juan Soto? Check. So who’s next?
2. Man, oh man, Man U!
3. Your move, LeBron.
4. MLS heats up, but who’s hottest?
5. Checking in on Aaron Judge’s HR pace.

NFL Team-by-Team

Whether you’re into fantasy football, player props or assessing your favorite team’s season win total, we’ve got you covered. From now until the beginning of the football season, the crew at SuperBook Sports will be offering up a betting preview for all 32 NFL teams. We’ll examine every team’s season win total, their odds to make the playoffs or win the Super Bowl, and a player prop or two at which you might want to take a second look. This week we’re starting out east; read carefully and bet accordingly.