College Football National Championship Odds
The college football season kicks off this weekend, leaving you only a few days to get a futures bets in on the national championship before the first games.
Heading into the new season, the favorite to win the college football national championship at Bovada Sportsbook is the Alabama Crimson Tide at +175. Alabama is a contender for the national title every season and has won three titles since the College Football Playoff system was introduced in 2014.
Alabama (ho-hum) favored to win national championship
Alabama does have some holes to fill on offense this season following the departure of running back Brian Robinson and wide receivers Jameson Williams and John Metchie III. Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Bryce Young returns and will look to running back Jahmyr Gibbs and wide receiver Jermaine Burton to fill in the gaps.
Following the Crimson Tide on the national championship futures are the Ohio State Buckeyes at +300. Ohio State has its own Heisman contender in quarterback C.J. Stroud. Also like Alabama, the Buckeyes lost some top talent to the draft in wide receivers Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson but have Jaxon Smith-Njigba primed to put up big numbers this season. In last year’s Rose Bowl, Smith-Njigba grabbed the spotlight from the absent Olave and Wilson to haul in 15 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns.
Defending champs have major holes to plug on defense
The defending national champs show up on the odds next with the Georgia Bulldogs checking in at +400. In last year’s title game, Georgia defeated Alabama 33-18 as a 3-point favorite to snap a seven-game losing streak against the Tide. Georgia boasted one of the toughest defenses in the nation last season, but it could be difficult to reach those heights again after five defensive players were taken in the first round of the NFL draft. Also departing Georgia was running back James Cook and wide receiver George Pickens.
The Clemson Tigers at +1000 and the USC Trojans at +2000 make up the rest of the top five on the national title futures.
Uiagalelei has plenty to prove as Tigers’ quarterback
It was a disappointing season for the Tigers last year as they did not win the ACC title and failed to qualify for the College Football Playoff. Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei had an up-and-down season in his first year as starter and could be on a short leash with freshman Cade Klubnik breathing down his neck.
USC pilfered the transfer portal in the offseason, bringing in quarterback Caleb Williams, running back Travis Dye and wide receivers Jordan Addison and Mario Williams. USC also coaxed head coach Lincoln Riley away from Oklahoma. The Trojans should put up a ton of points but could live or die behind what looks to be a shaky defense.