Odds to Win the 2018-19 College Football National Championship

Alabama answered the “Yeah, but they haven’t been tested yet” critics with a resounding win over the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge last week and followed it up with a shutout this week. Alabama’s odds hold steady entering Week 12 at -265.

There’s plenty of Alabama haters out there who blame Alabama’s schedule and the James Carville SEC bias theory for why Alabama is the top team in the nation. But there’s a simple fact: nobody can touch them on the football field.

Clemson +450

The one team that might be able to put a crimp into a perfect season for the Crimson Tide is Dabo Swinney’s Clemson Tigers. The Tigers are crushing opponents since Trevor Lawrence has taken over full time at QB. Clemson has the No. 5 scoring offense and the No. 2 scoring defense in the FBS and will be a formidable opponent if it can earn a matchup with ’Bama.

Does it Make Sense to Bet On Anyone Else? 

It’s tough. Clemson and Alabama have set themselves apart from the crowd and I think Notre Dame, while a nice story, isn’t nearly at the level of the top two schools. I don’t like the Irish at +650 at all. 

In fact, I prefer Michigan at +650, but to be honest, I wouldn’t bet on either to upend the two front-runners. I’ll give Michigan credit, though. The Wolverines looked really good against Penn State as Trace McSorley was essentially a non-factor in that game. 

Maybe the smartest play, if you want to fade Alabama, is a field bet against them, which can be found at some books. 

Below you can find the full odds table for the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship:

Odds as of November 12 at Bovada

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Alabama answered the “Yeah, but they haven’t been tested yet” critics with a resounding win over the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge on Saturday night. With the win, the Crimson Tide took their odds to win the national championship to a season-low -265. 

There’s plenty of Alabama haters out there who blame Alabama’s schedule and the James Carville SEC bias theory for why Alabama is the top team in the nation. But there’s a simple fact: nobody can touch them on the football field.

Clemson +500

The one team that might be able to put a crimp into a perfect season for the Crimson Tide is Dabo Swinney’s Clemson Tigers. The Tigers are crushing opponents since Trevor Lawrence has taken over full time at QB. Clemson has both the No. 4 scoring offense and the No. 4 scoring defense in the FBS and will be a formidable opponent if it can earn a matchup with ’Bama.

Does it Make Sense to Bet On Anyone Else? 

It’s tough. Clemson and Alabama have set themselves apart from the crowd and I think Notre Dame, while a nice story, isn’t nearly at the level of the top two schools. I don’t like the Irish at +550 at all. 

In fact, I prefer Michigan at +650, but to be honest, I wouldn’t bet on either to upend the two front-runners. I’ll give Michigan credit, though. The Wolverines looked really good against Penn State as Trace McSorley was essentially a non-factor in that game. 

Maybe the smartest play, if you want to fade Alabama, is a field bet against them, which can be found at some books. 

Below you can find the full odds table for the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship:

Odds as of November 6 at Bovada

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Things are settling in as we enter Week 10 of the college football season and await the Top 25 College Football Playoff announcement this week. There was very little movement at the top of the odds table from Week 9 to Week 10 with the top six unchanged except for Clemson moving from +550 to +600 and Georgia going from +1400 to +1600. 

LSU +2500

The LSU Tigers are no doubt a victim of their conference schedule on this board. As the No. 4 team in the FBS, one would think that they’d be closer to the other favorites, but they’re entering Week 10 (when they host Alabama) at +2500 to win the national championship. 

If you’re super confident in the Tigers and think they can upend the Crimson Tide this week, get in on them before the game as their odds would shrink on the heels of a win ... or would they? Even with a loss, Alabama is going to find its way into the playoff and it’s tough to see another team from the SEC West getting the nod. 

Don’t Forget About Clemson

The No. 2-ranked Tigers kind of fell off the radar after the Kelly Bryant/Trevor Lawrence controversy and a narrow win over Texas A&M. However, since Lawrence has taken over the No. 1 role at QB, Clemson is steamrolling the opposition and looking good for an undefeated season. 

The Tigers boast RB Travis Etienne and his 14 rushing TDs in support of Lawrence’s 11 TD passes in his past five outings. If you’re looking for a team that might at least be in the dance with a chance to win it, Clemson at +550 isn’t a terrible bet. 

Here’s the rest of the odds to win the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship:

Odds as of October 30 at Bovada

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The field of 130 FBS teams that you could bet on in August has been whittled down to 21 after eight weeks of play in the NCAA. Alabama remains the odds-on favorite to win the College Football Playoff for the third time in the last four years.

We are inching closer to the Crimson Tide’s first true test of the season, in Week 10 at LSU. To this point, their toughest test was a 22-point victory over Texas A&M, a team not even found among the top 21 favorites to win the national championship. 

Notre Dame +650

The Fighting Irish are getting college football fans fired up as they take a 7-0 record into their Week 9 game vs Navy in San Diego. Notre Dame is the No. 3 team in this week’s AP poll and is also at No. 3 on the national championship odds table.

There is a path to an undefeated regular season for the Irish as they’ve picked up wins over ranked Michigan and Stanford, with an important win over Pitt along the way. There are no more ranked teams on their schedule but they do play some teams that could sneak up and bite them. 

Value in Michigan at +1200? 

The Wolverines are certainly a love ’em or hate ’em team, but are they potentially the best-positioned long shot to knock off Alabama in a playoff game? Jim Harbaugh’s charges have the top pass defense in the league and could make life difficult in a potential playoff game vs Tua Tagovailoa. 

Michigan is sixth in the nation at 14.4 points against per game and has beaten ranked teams in back-to-back weeks. A game against Ohio State on November 24 looms large, especially with the Buckeyes dropping a game to Purdue last week.

Here’s the rest of the odds to win the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship:

Odds as of October 23 at Bovada

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Alabama remains the betting favorite to win the 2019 NCAA College Football Playoff National Championship at -185 entering Week 8. At some books, you can bet the field at +120 vs ’Bama, which is probably the smartest play to bet against the faves. Michigan, which moved to +1200 this week after a dominating performance vs Wisconsin, and Clemson (+650) might provide the best defensive threat vs the Crimson Tide. 

Fighting Irish Keep Fighting

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish just keep winning and have improved their odds to +950 from their preseason odds of +4000. Notre Dame is 7-0 and could quite possibly win out and force its way into the playoff. The Irish already have a win over No. 6 Michigan and Notre Dame is a lucrative program for the NCAA. You can’t win if you’re not in, and Notre Dame could very well be in. 

Georgia Tumbles to +1600

Georgia and LSU went in opposite directions on the odds table after the Tigers’ win over the Bulldogs in Week 7. Georgia went from +750 to +1600 while LSU jumped from +10000 to +3000. LSU has a tough schedule ahead in the SEC but looks like a team capable of hanging with Alabama. I wonder, though, even if the Tigers beat Alabama, would they get into the playoff? 

Here’s the rest of the odds to win the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship:

Odds as of October 16 at Bovada

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Some things stayed very much the same while some things changed significantly on the odds table after Week 6 in the NCAA. A couple of upset wins propelled teams up the board while some schools, like Oklahoma, saw their chances plummet. 

Roll Tide

Firstly, yes, Alabama is still the favorite to win the College Football Playoff National Championship (-200), and, honestly, it’s hard to find an argument to bet on anyone else. The Crimson Tide continue to dominate opponents and likely won’t get any sort of challenge until November 3 at LSU.

Alabama trounced Arkansas by 34 points, although it is interesting to note that the Tide haven’t covered the spread for three consecutive games, potentially bringing them back into a reasonable range this week.

Biggest Movers

Oklahoma fired its defensive coordinator hours after a last-second loss to Texas in the Red River Showdown as its odds to win the national championship moved from +2000 to +4500. With the win, the Longhorns jumped from +8500 to +4000. 

Previously fifth-ranked LSU lost to Florida, sending its odds from +4000 to +10000. Now with two losses and Alabama and Georgia still on the schedule, it doesn’t look very good for the Tigers. 

The Michigan State Spartans dropped the furthest on the odds table, bottoming out at +100000 after sitting at +10000 a week ago. The Spartans lost to Northwestern by 10 on the weekend and line up against No. 8 Penn State this week. 

Here’s the rest of the odds to win the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship:

Odds as of October 9 at Bovada

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The Alabama Crimson Tide continued their dominance of college football by dispatching the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns 56-14 in Week 5 and their odds to win the national championship moved from -115 to -125 in the process. Alabama doesn’t play a ranked team until LSU on November 3, so expect this trend to continue for the next month. 

Notre Dame and Central Florida See Odds Improve

Two teams that fans love to love were the biggest climbers on the oddsboard after Week 5. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are now the sixth-ranked team in the nation and their odds to win the national championship moved to +1500 with a three-touchdown win over the Stanford Cardinal (more on them in a moment).

The UCF Knights just continued doing their thing in Week 5 with a 45-14 victory over visiting Pitt to run their record to 4-0 and first place in the AAC West. In the process, their odds to win the national championship jumped from +10000 to +8000.

The Oregon Ducks rebounded from a home loss to Stanford with a double-digit win over Cal and their odds rebounded from +50000 to +20000, although they could be right back to +50000 or worse if they lose to 10th-ranked Washington on Saturday.

Week 5 Spelled Disaster For Some

Stanford suffered its first loss of the season in Week 5 but in the eyes of the oddsmakers it was enough to send the Cardinal’s odds to win the national championship from +4000 to +10000. This loss was more a reflection of the Fighting Irish than the Cardinal, but Bryce Love hasn’t been the dominant difference maker that David Shaw was counting on coming into the season.

Mississippi State tumbled all the way from +8500 to +50000 with its second consecutive loss to a Top 25 team and scoring a combined 13 points in the process. After losing 28-7 to Kentucky in Week 4, the Bulldogs lost 13-6 to the Florida Gators on Saturday. They’ve since been dismissed by oddsmakers.

Here’s the rest of the odds to win the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship:

Odds as of October 2 at Bovada

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The Alabama Crimson Tide are minus-money to win the national championship just four weeks into the 2018 campaign. It’s hard to argue with the oddsmakers here as ’Bama has steamrolled every team that’s had the misfortune of lining up across the field from them. It’s reminiscent of Saturday morning wrestling in the ’80s and ’90s when the stars would have a match against “enhancement talent” and crush them in a minute. Alabama has turned multimillion-dollar NCAA football teams into a bunch of jobbers. 

Very Few Teams Saw Their Odds Increase This Week

Most programs saw their odds get longer from Week 4 to Week 5, but there are a couple of notable teams that have seen their chances actually increase. Ohio State quietly moved into a tie with Clemson at +500 from +650 while Missouri jumped from +30000 to +10000 after dropping a 43-29 decision at home to No. 2 Georgia. 

Some Odds Fell Off a Cliff

While few actually saw their odds increase, a number of schools fell way out of the conversation after Week 4. The biggest drop was Virginia Tech from +5000 to +100000 on the heels of a 14-point loss to Old Dominion. Other notables plummeting down the oddsboard include Wisconsin (+2800 to +5500), Oregon (+7000 to +50000) and Oklahoma State (+10000 to +30000).

Here’s the rest of the odds to win the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship:

Odds as of September 25 at Bovada

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Let’s get serious for a second here. Is anybody going to come close to knocking off the Alabama Crimson Tide this season? Three weeks into the season and the story is not “if” but “by how many” are they going to win. With a dual threat of Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts on offense and a defense that’s allowed 9.33 points per game, it’s their championship to lose at this point. +185 is likely as good as you’re going to get the Crimson Tide, so lock your bets in now. 

Clemson Still Second On the Odds Table

The Tigers lost their No. 2 ranking to Georgia in Week 4, but they’re still second on the odds table at +500 to win the national championship. Clemson barely escaped with a win at College Station in Week 2 but rebounded with a statement win against Georgia Southern. Playing a weaker conference and actually getting into the College Football Playoff to have a chance to win mitigates the near loss to Texas A&M.

Badgers Drop Way Back & Other Misadventures

A loss to BYU in Week 3 has caused Wisconsin’s odds to plummet coming into Week 4. The Badgers were at +1200 going into that game and are +2800 coming out of it. 

File this one under “tough to explain” but the Central Florida Knights saw their odds go from +5000 to +10000 after their game vs NC State was postponed. NC State also moved back from +15000 to +17500.

The Arizona State Sun Devils’ odds and ranking came back to earth after dropping a Week 3 game to San Diego State. A quick one-week trip to the AP Top 25 ended swiftly with the loss, as did their (minuscule) spot in the conversation to win the national championship, from +15000 to +37500.

Here’s the rest of the odds to win the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship:

Odds as of September 18 at Bovada

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The Alabama Crimson Tide remain the favorite to win the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship as they open Week 3 at +210 to repeat as the nation’s top football squad. The top four teams all remain relatively the same with Clemson at +500 and Ohio State and Georgia both at +800, but there has been some movement on the oddsboard in both directions after two weeks of play.

Notre Dame Moves Into Contention

The Fighting Irish were at +4000 odds to win the national championship entering Week 2 and have rocketed up to join some of the big boys at +1400. Despite QB Brandon Wimbush throwing just one TD pass to four interceptions in the first two weeks, a Week 1 win over Michigan followed up by a win vs Ball State has the independent school sitting at 2-0 as the Irish welcome Vanderbilt this weekend. 

A win over Vanderbilt would set them up nicely at 3-0 before heading to Wake Forest in Week 4, with eyes on being 4-0 when Stanford comes to town at the end of the month. The defense has come up big when it has mattered for Notre Dame, led by junior safety Jalen Elliott, who already has two interceptions and 12 tackles on the young season. 

Underdog Darlings

The Boston College Eagles and Arizona State Sun Devils were the biggest movers of the week. The Eagles jumped from +50000 to +20000 after dispatching their second straight opponent. Another team with Wake Forest on the schedule, BC will be led by impressive running back AJ Dillon into Winston-Salem this weekend looking to improve to 3-0.

Herm Edwards has the Sun Devils rolling. Edwards’ star power and extensive pro football experience has helped the Sun Devils to a 2-0 start and a spot in the AP Top 25 for the first time this season. ASU jumped from +50000 odds to +15000. The Sun Devils’ home victory toppled Michigan State 10 spots to No. 25 in the rankings and sent the Spartans’ odds spiraling as well, from +3500 to +9000.

Here’s a look at the odds to win the College Football Playoff National Championship entering Week 3:

Odds as of September 11 at Bovada

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Alabama remains the favorite to win the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship with the Clemson Tigers in second place on the odds table. 

Alabama is still the +225 fave to win the title game as of September 4, with Clemson (+600), Ohio State (+700), Georgia (+750), Michigan (+1000), Penn State (+1200), Wisconsin (+1600), Auburn (+2200), Oklahoma (+2200), LSU (+2500), and Miami (Florida) (+2500) rounding out the top 10.

Any Reasonable Long Shots Out There? 

Last year’s darlings from Central Florida sit at +8000 after Week 1, up from +25000 last week. Who doesn’t love an underdog? The Knights are playing with a chip on their shoulder and will be looking for some more respect this season. 

Some other schools that make the argument for a punt are TCU (+6600), UCLA (+6600), and Herm Edwards' Arizona State Sun Devils (+50000)

For more college football information, head over to our NCAAF page.

Odds as of September 4 at BetWay

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Alabama football is no stranger to being favored to win the College Football Playoff National Championship, and oddsmakers are united in predicting the Crimson Tide to once again emerge triumphant on college football’s biggest stage in 2018-19.

The Alabama Crimson Tide are the +175 favorites to go all the way in 2018-19.

At Bovada, Alabama was listed as the undisputed +175 faves to win the title game as of June 15, with Clemson (+600), Ohio State (+700), Georgia (+750), Michigan (+1600), Wisconsin (+1600), Washington (+2200), Oklahoma (+2500), Penn State (+2500) and Auburn (+2500) rounding out the top 10.

There have been plenty of odds moves since the book released its updated championship odds after Alabama edged Georgia 26-23 in overtime in the 2017-18 College Football Playoff National Championship. Since then, ’Bama has moved from +275 to +175, while Ohio State (+750 to +700) and Wisconsin (+2200 to +1800) have also seen their odds improve. Plenty of squads have seen their chances worsen, however, as Michigan (+900 to +1600), Penn State (+1100 to +2500), Oklahoma (+1800 to +2500), Auburn (+2000 to +2500), Texas (+2000 to +4500) and Miami (FL) (+2200 to +2800) tumbled down the oddsboard.

Saban’s recruiting dominance paves the way for more ’Bama domination

Since the NCAA switched to its current playoff format in 2014, Alabama has made it to the final on three occasions, winning twice in that span. Master recruiter Nick Saban once again showcased his prowess in luring talented players to Tuscaloosa, as Saban has 13 of the ESPN top 300 players in the nation committed to play for this team in 2018-19. Since 2008, 48.3 percent of five-star recruits who played for Alabama have been drafted in the first round of the NFL draft. It’s easy to see why the Tide continue to be a top choice for young players looking to impress NFL scouts.

Much like college basketball, there’s plenty of parity in college football, so don’t be surprised if a team that’s relatively low on the list makes a run for the College Football Playoff. Here’s a look at Bovada’s full odds for the 2018-19 NCAAF campaign. Which school do you think is offering the most value?

For more college football information, head over to our NCAAF page.

Odds as of June 15 at Bovada