Alabama. Clemson. Georgia. College football fans are well aware of the most popular championship picks entering the 2018 season. They're familiar with Auburn and Miami, Oklahoma and Penn State, Washington and Wisconsin.

Those aren't the only schools capable of excellence, though. While inclusion doesn't guarantee anything, if any program beyond the accepted favorites emerges as a surprise contender, it's likely coming from this group.

With a few exceptions, teams listed with +3,000 odds or worse to win the 2018-19 national championship, per OddsShark, were considered. Notre Dame, Stanford and USC aren't flying under any radars.

And while we love Group of Five teams, if an undefeated UCF couldn't be a contender in 2017, it's simply not going to happen this year, either.

Florida State Seminoles

The season-ending knee injury to Deondre Francois derailed Florida State's 2017 before it could start. Now, the Seminoles are a distant thought behind three-time reigning ACC champ Clemson.

Could new coach Willie Taggart make this a one-year turnaround?

FSU's offensive line may struggle, but running back Cam Akers is the type of talent who creates his own yards and thrives. Plus, if Taggart's quick-hitting system catches on, Francois or James Blackman could atone for the weakness up front.

The defense has elite potential with ends Brian Burns and Joshua Kaindoh, as well as cornerback Levonta Taylor. That unit could propel the Seminoles to a 6-0 record with victories over respected yet flawed ACC teams in Virginia Tech, Louisville and Miami. From there, contention is a matter of beating Clemson.

Easier said than done? Most definitely. But possible, nonetheless.

Iowa Hawkeyes

Theoretically, the Hawkeyes are a couple of favorable bounces away from competing. During their 12-2 season in 2015, they had a 5-1 record in one-possession games. Over the last two seasons, both 8-5 squads have posted a 3-3 mark in such contests.

Perhaps this is the season Iowa gets a perfect series of breaks.

The Hawkeyes' most challenging road games are Penn State (Oct. 27) and Purdue (Nov. 3), and they avoid each of Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State in crossover play. Iowa State (Sept. 8), Wisconsin (Sept. 22) and Northwestern (Nov. 10) all travel to Iowa City.

Nate Stanley returns after throwing 26 touchdowns and only six interceptions, and the defense returns plenty of experience on the line and in the secondary. Combine that returning production with a friendly schedule, and the Hawkeyes at least have an evident path to contention.

Michigan State Spartans

One of the nation's more underappreciated quarterbacks, Brian Lewerke has the potential to skyrocket on NFL draft boards in 2018.

During his first season as the full-time starter, Lewerke posted 2,793 yards and 20 touchdowns with only seven interceptions. He also picked up 559 yards and five scores on the ground, tallying the second-most offense yards (3,357) in MSU history.

Not only do the Spartans return most of their offensive line and top skill-position players, nearly the entire defense is back. They lost Demetrius Cooper and Chris Frey, but that's about it.

Michigan State must navigate road trips to Arizona State and Penn State plus home dates opposite Michigan and Ohio State. But with a 2-1 mark against the latter three, the Spartans could be positioned to appear in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Oregon Ducks

In the eight games Justin Herbert started last season, Oregon went 6-2. When he missed action due to a broken collarbone, the Ducks were 1-4. His health is paramount to the their success, and head coach Mario Cristobal knows it.

"We have invested extra time and effort into our offensive line, making sure we can protect that much longer, that much better, keep his jersey clean," Cristobal said, per Kevin Danna of Pac-12.com.

If that happens, Oregon will boast an offense capable of hiding a defense that—while significantly improved since Jim Leavitt arrived—is prone to a couple of poor performances.

The Ducks face a harmless nonconference slate before a three-game stretch that includes Stanford and Washington. Both contests are at home, but Herbert and Co. can only afford one loss in those showdowns in order to be a contender.

South Carolina Gamecocks

We'll know quickly whether South Carolina is a genuine threat. Will Muschamp's team hosts Georgia in Week 2, and it's hard to envision the Bulldogs coughing up the SEC East without a loss in Columbia.

Maybe, just maybe, the Gamecocks can take advantage of the timing and stun a reloading UGA defense.

From there, the schedule is manageable. South Carolina doesn't play any of Alabama, Auburn, LSU or Mississippi State in crossover action. Yes, a season-ending trip to Clemson is daunting, but the team could hardly have a more favorable SEC slate.

But, again, it hinges on the result of the Sep. 8 clash with Georgia.

Texas Longhorns

Sam Ehlinger or Shane Buechele? Tom Herman and Co. are looking for fall camp to determine the answer at quarterback. No matter the winner, hopefully injuries don't dictate the position again.

Because if one of them locks down the job, Texas' defense should be a fine complement. Every unit has at least three experienced players returning—including All-Big 12 corner Kris Boyd—from a defense that ranked second in the Big 12 last season.

The opening half of the campaign will be challenging, though. In a four-week stretch beginning Sep. 15, the Longhorns host USC and TCU then travel to Kansas State and Oklahoma. The season opener at Maryland shouldn't be discounted, either.

Quarterback play will shape Texas' success—or lack there of. But the question isn't whether the Longhorns have the talent; it's all about whether they'll execute.

Virginia Tech Hokies

How could Virginia Tech possibly survive an attrition-filled offseason? The Hokies lost three potential starters on defense after having six defenders sign contracts with NFL teams.

Well, despite a brief scare, Josh Jackson will be under center. And in the ACC, a reliable quarterback can provide a huge boost.

If he can propel Virginia Tech past FSU on Labor Day—though that's a big if—the team should reach 4-0. The next three outings are against William & Mary, East Carolina and Old Dominion. Entering the bulk of conference play, the revamped defense should be far more knowledgeable.

The remaining slate is exceptionally home-friendly. Notre Dame, recent nemesis Georgia Tech, Boston College and rivals Miami and Virginia all travel to Lane Stadium.

While there's a fair bit of pressure on Jackson, the schedule sets up well enough to give the Hokies time to learn after the opener.

West Virginia Mountaineers

With this high-powered offense, West Virginia should never be overlooked. The issue is the schedule might be too difficult to survive.

The Mountaineers meet each of Tennessee, North Carolina State, Texas Tech, Iowa State, Texas and Oklahoma State away from Morgantown. While none of those rosters are considered elite, that's a legitimately tough group of mid-tier teams.

Oh, and then there's TCU and Oklahoma in November. Not easy!

However, in the 10 healthy games Will Grier played last season, West Virginia averaged 513.9 yards and 39 points. During that split, the only three losses happened against ranked opponents.

Depth on defense is a potential worry, and a couple of letdowns will likely remove the Mountaineers from the Big 12 picture. But if this offense consistently plays up to its potential, West Virginia will always have a chance.

All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from NCAA.com, cfbstats.com or B/R research. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.