NCAAF National Championship Odds: Georgia Favored Over Alabama

Midway through the college football season, we start to see the top teams really separate themselves from the pack. The Georgia Bulldogs have done just that as they sit atop the oddsboard after another convincing win.

Online sportsbook BetOnline Sportsbook has updated the 2022 national championship odds, making Georgia the favorite at +120. The Bulldogs are followed by Alabama at +240, Ohio State at +800, Oklahoma at +1200 and Cincinnati at +2000 to round out the top five on the board.

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2021-22 College Football National Championship Odds

Odds as of October 18 at BetOnline Sportsbook

New to the college football scene and reading college football championship odds? Check out our handy college football betting guide to help you get in the action. Also, keep an eye on our College Football Odds page for the latest up-to-date betting lines.

The NCAAF National Championship Betting Favorites

Two teams have separated themselves from the pack midway through the season. The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide are well ahead of the rest in the latest odds.

Georgia (+120)

The Georgia Bulldogs continue to be awfully impressive week in and week out in the 2021-22 college football campaign. They opened the season with a gritty win on the road at Clemson and haven’t looked back, winning all six of their games and accumulating a college football-best +223 point differential. 

The Bulldogs defense has been incredible, giving up a ridiculous 46 points in seven games (6.5 points per game). That includes two shutout wins over a stretch of the last four weeks during which the Bulldogs have outscored opponents 163-23.

There is no time for the Bulldogs to let up as they face a significant challenge this upcoming week on the road against a now unranked Florida Gators team. The Bulldogs look like the best team in the country right now, so they should cruise to the SEC championship game where they will likely face Alabama.

Alabama (+240)

Alabama doesn’t lose many games, so it is always a shock to see the Crimson Tide fall, but this one was especially shocking.

Just last week, ’Bama traveled to Texas A&M to take on the Aggies as an 18.5-point favorite. If the Tide score 38 points in a game, you’re going to expect them to win that game 99.9 percent of the time. Well, this was that 0.1 percent. Alabama’s defense got absolutely torched by the Aggies, surrendering 41 points en route to a 41-38 loss.

Alabama bounced back in a big way on the road against a decent Mississippi State team, winning convincingly 49-9 behind Heisman Trophy front-runner Bryce Young, who threw for 348 yards and four touchdowns.

Alabama is back in a playoff spot as the No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes went down against Purdue. The Crimson Tide are going to have a great opportunity to get right back up near the top in their last two weeks of the season when they face Arkansas and Auburn.

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College Football Championship Odds: Value Picks

Although there are plenty of options for you to lay your money on to win the title, there are two schools in particular that have my attention. 

Ohio State (+800)

After a disappointing early-season loss to the Oregon Ducks, the Buckeyes have bounced back and played outstanding football. They are 4-0 since that loss with a point differential of +161.

Quarterback CJ Stroud has been a major key to their success, putting his name right back in the discussion for the Heisman Trophy. Stroud now has 18 touchdowns and just three interceptions on the season and sits third in the Heisman odds (+800) at Bovada.

Another aspect of the Buckeyes game that has gotten progressively better is the defense, which looked out of sorts early in the season, allowing 31 and 35 points in the opening two weeks. Since then, the defense has allowed just 57 points in four games (14.25 points per game).

The Buckeyes still have an opportunity to make the College Football Playoff with games remaining against Penn State, Michigan and Michigan State. It may come down to the last game of the season when they head to the Big House to take on the Wolverines.

This is a very good Buckeyes team. If they can squeak into the playoffs, they could make a serious run at a championship.

Cincinnati (+2000)

The Cincinnati Bearcats have shocked a lot of people this season, going 6-0 to start the year and looking incredibly impressive while doing it. The Bearcats haven’t just beaten opponents but have destroyed them, and have a statement win in Week 4 at Notre Dame. The Bearcats are firing on all cylinders and have an impressive +179 point differential thus far.

The play of stud quarterback Desmond Ridder has been central to the Bearcats’ success. Ridder, tied for fourth in Heisman odds at +1200, is making it look easy through six games with 1,444 passing yards and 13 touchdown passes against just two interceptions. If Ridder can continue to play at this level, the Bearcats could make some noise.

Cincinnati’s defense has also been a key factor. The defense has been outstanding, giving up only 13.7 points per game.

Only one game on Cincinnati’s remaining schedule suggests it could be challenging, which is a contest against the 21st-ranked SMU Mustangs. The Bearcats will likely be favored in every game the rest of the way, and if they can continue to take care of business, they could be a massive threat come playoff time.

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College Football Championship Odds: Sleeper Pick

Michigan (+3000)

Michigan began the year as an unranked team, but after six straight wins, the Wolverines are looking like a serious threat to contend for a national championship.

The Wolverines were on their bye this week after facing a scare in their previous game in Week 6 when they traveled to Nebraska for a contest that many people thought had upset written all over it. The Cornhuskers were playing solid ball and had lost to Oklahoma and Michigan State by just a single score. This was a game the Wolverines would likely have lost in the past, but it was a different story this time.

The Wolverines will have ample opportunity to make the playoffs as they close their season against Ohio State, Wisconsin and Iowa. If Michigan can keep playing at this level and continues to win games, the team has a great chance to challenge for a natty. At +3000, there is great value on the Wolverines!

What Is A Futures Bet For NCAA Football Teams?

When it comes to big events for any sport, you can bet months in advance. In this case, a futures bet is a wager made on which team will win the national championship. Each week, oddsmakers will update the odds to reflect how a squad is doing. If a team is plagued with injuries, their chances of making it to the final game slim down. A surging squad will see their odds skyrocket.

Understanding College Football Championship Odds

When you go to a college football sportsbook, you’ll see the betting lines laid out like this:

Unlike a traditional straight-up bet where there’s a clear favorite marked by the minus sign (-), ‘Bama is the fave since they have the lowest odds. The rest are considered underdogs.

If you believe that LSU has the greatest odds of winning the championship, and you bet $50 on them, you’d get a payout of $275 – your original $50 is returned along with your winnings of $225. On the other hand, if you’re looking at Georgia and think they’re going to turn it around and win it all, that same $50 would give you $750 – you get your $50 back, plus your prize of $700. Our odds calculating tool will show you how much you’d win based on the odds and amount bet.

When you see futures odds that you like, it’s best to jump on them early. As mentioned above, betting sites will adjust the odds as we get closer to bowl season and teams move up and down in the standings.