National Championship Odds: Betting favorites to win College Football Playoff after Week 11
The College Football Playoff race has opened up after an upset-driven Week 11 turned the country on its head. The odds in Vegas now reflect Saturday’s shocking outcomes.
Following what proved to be another important week for teams in and around the CFP bubble, there still appear to be a handful of teams to have separated themselves from the pack at the top. Here’s how FanDuel Sportsbooks’ odds have taken shape entering a pivotal Week 12 slate.
Ohio State +300
Ohio State took another step on Saturday in its quest to secure its spot in the Big Ten Championship game for a potential redemption match against Oregon next month. Defeating Purdue 45-0, the Buckeyes now enter an important stretch of their regular season.
The Buckeyes should get through Northwestern with no issue, but the Nov. 23 home game against undefeated Indiana will be a deciding factor in the Big Ten Championship race. If Ohio State doesn’t beat the Hoosiers, the best Ohio State can be ranked is 5-8 and host a home playoff game in the first round — making their path to the national championship game even more difficult.
Oregon +420
Oregon is the No. 1 team in the country, and has a win over Ohio State head-to-head — but Vegas still favors the Buckeyes over the Ducks. Whether fans agree with that or not, it seems bettors are more comfortable putting their money on Ohio State at the moment.
Of course, the College Football Playoff committee doesn’t entertain the happenings in Vegas, so as long as Oregon remains undefeated fans can rest assured their Ducks will be the nation’s top-ranked team come Tuesday. At 10-0, a first-round bye is Oregon’s to lose at this point in the season.
Texas +450
Texas has appeared to separate itself from the pack as the SEC’s best shot at making the College Football Playoff given there is still much football to be played this regular season.
Dominating Florida 49-17 in Week 11, the Longhorns have appeared to find their rhythm after suffering defeat to Georgia at home in October. Given that Georgia was ranked ahead of the Longhorns before their loss on Saturday, they benefit from the Bulldogs’ loss despite having lost to Georgia themselves as they continue to win.
Georgia +750
Despite Georgia’s 28-10 loss to Ole Miss on the road Saturday, there appears to still be confidence in the Bulldogs to finish well in the College Football Playoff race. They take on Tennessee on Saturday, which is now a must-win game for the Bulldogs.
However, a victory would put Georgia right back into the SEC Championship picture with a chance to play for a first-round bye as one of the most attractive two-loss teams in the country.
Alabama +850
Alabama won the de facto College Football Playoff elimination matchup against LSU in Baton Rouge on Saturday — and did so handily. In turn, the Crimson Tide has the fifth-best odds to win a national championship under first-year head coach Kalen DeBoer.
The Crimson Tide benefits from playing Mercer, Oklahoma and Auburn, games they should be favored in, for the rest of the regular season. An SEC Championship berth is not out of the question for the Crimson Tide just yet, and Alabama can run the table across those three weeks their chances at a CFP berth are almost guaranteed with or without a trip to Atlanta.
Ole Miss +950
Ole Miss inserted itself back into the College Football Playoff victory after its shocking three-score victory over the Georgia Bulldogs in Oxford. Losing against a 3-6 Kentucky team at home in September is most likely what’s holding many from holding the Rebels in higher regard.
However, Ole Miss will be idle in Week 12, allowing them to regroup after the massive victory. They’ll look to finish out the season strong against both Florida and Mississippi State before setting their sights on the postseason.
Top 10
- 1
CFP 12-Team Bracket set
Controversy is HERE
- 2Hot
Bowl Matchup Tracker
CFP and full bowl game slate
- 3New
CFP Broadcast Teams
ESPN announces CFP booth assignments
- 4
Kirby Smart airs it out
'It makes no sense'
- 5
Bryan Harsin
Former Auburn HC to return to sideline
Penn State +2000
Penn State will likely be ranked within the top four in Tuesday’s College Football Playoff Top 25 rankings thanks to Georgia and Miami’s losses during Week 11. However, the Nittany Lions’ odds in Vegas don’t reflect how the committee views them.
While that doesn’t mean PSU is getting a first-round bye — they need to win the Big Ten Championship to do that — they appear to be held in high regard inside the committee war room. That could make Penn State a sleeper pick for fans with the odds being unfavorable to their Nittany Lions.
Notre Dame +2000
Notre Dame is playing its best football at the perfect time as the Fighting Irish head into Week 12 with an 8-1 record having won its last seven games. That includes beating both (previously undefeated) Navy and Florida State 103-17 across its last two times out.
The Irish can’t have a first-round bye in the playoff due to having no conference affiliation, which makes their chances to win the national championship one game harder if they were to enter the postseason at 11-1.
Tennessee +2500
Tennessee can greatly increase their national championship odds with a win over Georgia during Week 12. Already boasting a win over Alabama earlier this season, the only thing holding the Vols back is their early October loss on the road at four-loss Arkansas.
However, a loss against the Bulldogs wouldn’t end their hopes of winning a championship. A Tennessee loss means Alabama, Georgia, and the Vols would have all beaten each other. That means an at-large bid is still on the table without an SEC Championship if Tennessee finishes the regular season on a high note.
Indiana +2500
The Hoosiers’ odds aren’t the best because they still have to play Ohio State before the end of the regular season. After all, Indiana‘s undefeated start to the season has been rewarded by the College Football selection committee, so even if they have one loss heading into the postseason the Hoosiers could be a sleeper team that finishes in the 5-12 range.
The win is extra important considering Indiana doesn’t have a win over a ranked opponent this season. Beating the Buckeyes and getting a shot against Oregon in the Big Ten Championship game would almost ensure a playoff berth in Curt Cignetti’s first year in Bloomington.
Others Receiving National Championship Odds
Below are the rest of the odds for teams to win the national championship, courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Miami +3500
Clemson +5500
SMU +5500
Colorado +7000
BYU +10000
Boise State +13000
Texas A&M +15000
Iowa State +23000
LSU +30000
Kansas State +30000
Tulane +50000
South Carolina +50000
Army +60000
Louisville +80000