With the CFP expanding to a 12-team bracket, a loss or two doesn't automatically snatch away playoff opportunities. This college football season, we'll prepare to see some programs we don't normally see play past November.
At -3500, the Oregon Ducks claim the top of the College Football Playoff odds, still clasping onto an undefeated record ahead of Week 9.
Odds To Make The college football Playoff
| Team | Odds To Make CFP |
|---|---|
| Oregon Ducks | -3500 |
| Georgia Bulldogs | -1700 |
| Texas Longhorns | -850 |
| Ohio State Buckeyes | -700 |
| Penn State Nittany Lions | -600 |
| Miami (FL) Hurricanes | -340 |
| Clemson Tigers | -185 |
| Tennessee Volunteers | -185 |
| Notre Dame Fighting Irish | -155 |
| Iowa State Cyclones | -135 |
| Alabama Crimson Tide | -110 |
| Boise State Broncos | -110 |
Odds as of October 21, 2024 at FanDuel
Oregon still undefeated and undisputed
The Ducks were always considered a force to be reckoned with. Yet, they entered as +130 home underdogs against Ohio State; inevitably proving the oddsmakers wrong with the exhilarating 32-31 win in Week 7. Now, Oregon continues trekking on as one of 10 undefeated teams this season.
The defense is standing steady, allowing 311.3 YPG (ranked 18th). Meanwhile, Dillon Gabriel is taking his leadership to the next level by completing 77% of his passes across 2,080 yards.
Oregon's schedule gets much easier with only the big reputations of Michigan and Washington ahead. But, those programs are no longer anything to panic about.
value pick: boise state (-110)
Shortening from it previous +125 odds, Boise State is making a statement week after week. Ashton Jeanty, a Heisman Trophy front-runner, in the College Football Playoff must happen. The nation is drooling over the junior, whose swiftly packed up 1,248 rushing yards, averaging 9.9 yards per carry, and 17 touchdowns. He's finding all the gaps and is quite literally the sole reason why the Broncos average college football's second-best 279.4 rushing YPG.
Honestly, the rest of his team isn't failing him, either. Maddux Madsen has nearly 1,300 passing yards and has shown success connecting with Cameron Camper and Matt Lauter in the endzone. They may have an easier schedule to round out the year that could potentially question their playoff position. However, that 37-34 effort against Oregon speaks volumes on Boise State's ability to keep up at least.
When Is the College Football Playoff
We will get an extra week of bowl season this year with the College Football Playoff expanding from four to 12 teams. Previously, we would crown a national champion the second weekend of January. Now we will see the semifinals, Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl Classic, in that second weekend with the National Championship game taking place a week later, this year at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
| Round | Bowl | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| First round | N/A | Dec. 20, 8:00 pm ET | TBD |
| First Round | N/A | Dec. 21, 12:00 pm ET | TBD |
| First Round | N/A | Dec. 21, 4:00 pm ET | TBD |
| First Round | N/A | Dec. 21, 8:00 pm ET | TBD |
| Quarterfinals | Fiesta Bowl | Dec. 31, 7:30 pm ET | State Farm Stadium |
| Quarterfinals | Peach Bowl | Jan. 1, 1:00 pm ET | Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
| Quarterfinals | Rose Bowl | Jan. 1, 5:00 pm ET | Rose Bowl |
| Quarterfinals | Sugar Bowl | Jan. 1, 8:45 pm ET | Caesars Superdome |
| Semifinals | Orange Bowl | Jan. 9, 7:30 pm ET | Hard Rock Stadium |
| Semifinals | Cotton Bowl Classic | Jan. 10, 7:30 pm ET | AT&T Stadium |
| Championship | National Championship | Jan. 20, 7:30 pm ET | Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
How To Read College Football Playoff Odds
At any sportsbook, you’ll see College Football Playoff (CFP) odds listed like so:
Alabama Crimson Tide: YES -260, NO +200
If you’re looking at Alabama’s odds to make it to the postseason at -260 and decided to bet $100 on them, you’d get a payout of $138.46 – your original $100 is returned along with your winnings of $38.46. On the other hand, if you think they will not make the playoffs at +200, that same $100 would get you $300 – you get your $100 back coupled with your prize of $200. Our odds calculator will tell you what you’d win based on the odds and amount bet.
Some sportsbooks only have YES odds to make the college football playoff, especially as we get deeper into the season.
What Is A Futures Bet On NCAA Football?
When you wager on a team’s postseason chances, it’s called a futures bet. This is a bet on events that will happen in time. It can be said that all sports betting is on events that have yet to occur; however, futures can be made weeks or months in advance instead of prior to game day. You could take Clemson to miss the CFP before college football season even starts.
Oddsmakers will adjust the lines as more games are played and teams rise and fall in the standings. We suggest jumping on odds early, so you don’t miss out on great lines. If you wait until closer to bowl season, you could be stuck with odds that don’t have any value.
