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After a lengthy battle for Alabama’s starting QB job, Jalen Milroe has been named QB1, edging out Tyler Buchner and Ty Simpson.

To this point, Nick Saban has been tight-lipped about the entirety of the Crimson Tide’s depth chart to keep players focused on a Week 1 matchup with Middle Tennessee. But ESPN reports that Milroe will start under center vs. the Blue Raiders on Saturday afternoon.

Read below to learn how the move impacts Alabama’s College Football Playoff National Championship odds. For the best Crimson Tide betting futures, check out our 2023 Alabama odds preview.

How Jalen Milroe could affect Alabama’s National Championship odds market

In the immediate aftermath of news leaking regarding Milroe winning the Crimson Tide’s QB competition, Alabama’s National Championship odds remain steady. The Tide have the second-shortest odds to win it all, trailing the back-to-back champion Georgia Bulldogs.

But how Saban’s offense transitions to Milroe under center will certainly cause fluctuation in the National Championship odds market. With Bryce Young out of Tuscaloosa and now with the Carolina Panthers, Alabama can’t rely as heavily on its passing attack.

Milroe is extremely athletic and can absorb hits, thanks to his 6-foot-2, 220-pound frame. The Katy, Texas native isn’t a stellar passer, and in eight games last season, threw for 297 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions.

But Milroe excels as a runner, gaining 263 yards and a touchdown with his feet. The 20-year-old averaged an impressive 8.5 yards per carry.

This has led Saban to reconfigure Alabama’s offense back to a run-first scheme. Even with a more prolific passer in Young, Saban admitted to becoming too pass-reliant in 2022.

Jalen Milroe Heisman odds after being named Crimson Tide’s starting QB (+4000 or better)

Expect to see the Crimson Tide play a physical style of offense this season, with Milroe leading the way.

Senior RBs Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams will get most of the touches from the backfield. Last season, behind starter Jahmyr Gibbs, McClellan and Williams combined for 905 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Alabama isn’t the only school transitioning to a new starting QB, as Georgia is working Carson Beck into Kirby Smart’s system. In Columbus, Kyle McCord is QB1 for Ohio State.

This means three of the top four schools with the best odds to win the National Championship are leaning on first-year starters. The only returning starter is Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy.

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