College Football Football Futures

Who will win the College Football Playoff (CFP)? This can be hard to predict before the first game is played. Will it be the Alabama Crimson Tide? The LSU Tigers? What about the Florida Gators or Oregon Ducks? Will this be Michigan’s year? Is the Ohio State going to be the winner? You may not have a crystal ball but that doesn’t mean you can’t make smart picks on college football futures.

Our futures page shows you what the odds are for each team to win it all. Below we’ll break down what this type of bet entails, how to read odds, and the criteria oddsmakers use to set the odds.

What is a Futures Bet?

A college football futures bet is a wager you make on events that will happen in time. Generally, you would make this type of bet before the season begins to get the best odds. However, you can make futures bets at any time prior to the start of a title game. The majority of futures bets for NCAA football deal with the CFP, Bowl games, the National Championship game, and the Heisman Trophy.

When oddsmakers set the odds, they look at a myriad of factors such as:

Previous Performance

Bookmakers look to a team’s past performance to decide how they could do this season. Note the word “could.” This isn’t an exact science and a squad that faltered in 2019 could prove to be a force to be reckoned with in 2020. However, it’s usually safe to say that strong squads remain strong if the same people are involved.

Personnel and Player Changes

As we mentioned above, great teams are generally great for years until there’s a major personnel change. If a team’s star player has graduated or gone off to play in the NFL, that will affect their overall performance if the replacement player isn’t seasoned enough. Additionally, coaching changes will also play a role in how a squad does on the field. New coaches need time to find their style. For instance, a coach who goes from working as the offensive coordinator for UCLA to Stanford will need time to adjust to the pro-style offense of the Cardinal from the spread offense used by the Bruins.

Rankings

In August, the AP Poll and the Coaches’ Poll are released to display a ranking of the 25 top NCAA teams. Let’s say Syracuse is ranked No. 1 overall and Texas A&M is in last place - oddsmakers will look at these numbers when setting the futures odds. The CFP poll is released midway through the season after week nine to show which squads will be involved in the four-team playoff which determines the College Football Playoff National Champion. Betting sites will adjust the odds accordingly to accommodate the new rankings.

Schedule

Some teams have a tough calendar ahead of them, while for others it’s more lax. Futures odds will reflect that because sportsbooks will look at potential game outcomes. For instance, if Texas A&M is facing teams that are ranked higher four weeks in a row, this will be taken into consideration. On the other hand, if Penn State’s itinerary sees them playing a few squads that aren’t ranked, this too will be measured.

NCAA Football Futures

On this page you’ll see a table that lists each team in alphabetical order along with their national championship odds. We list their opening odds and then odds from different top-rated sportsbooks. For instance, Texas Christian (TCU) shows +12500.

Underneath, we have tables for each conference and each team’s odds of winning. For example, you’ll see Oklahoma at -125 to take the Big 12 or Auburn at +2500 to take the SEC.

Although some betting sites will feature the same odds for each team, others will differ depending on how oddsmakers evaluate each squad using the criteria we mentioned above. Some sportsbooks will put more emphasis on rankings whereas others will rely heavily on schedule to set their odds.

Reading Futures Odds

At the sportsbook, odds will look something like this:

Clemson -300

Mississippi +800

Let’s say you were going to bet $50 on Ole Miss’ odds to win. A winning bet would get you a payout of $450 – your original $50 comes back along with your prize of $400.

On the other hand, that same $50 winning bet on Clemson would only get you $66.67 – you get your $50 back plus your winnings of $16.67.

As with any betting type, there are plus (+) and minus (-) signs. Teams with a + before their odds are the riskier bet but come with higher returns. Squads with a – before their odds have less risk and lower yields.

If a team is dominant and ranked in the top five, it may have short CFP odds. A slumping team stuck with a tough schedule, paired with injuries galore, may have long-shot odds. If the No. 1-ranked team is +280 to win the title, it means that a $100 stake returns a $280 profit is that team wins it all. However, a slumping 0-5 team may be +2500 and would pay a huge $2,500 profit as a long shot on a $100 wager.

Our Odds Calculator can help you figure out how much you’d win based on how much you wish to bet.

Heisman Trophy Odds

One of the NCAA’s coveted awards, odds to win the Heisman are available at most online betting sites. The first was awarded in 1935 and has gone to greats like Ernie Davis, Steve Spurrier, Bo Jackson, and Tony Dorsett. Notre Dame, Ohio State and Oklahoma are tied with seven winners each. Archie Griffin is the only person to win back-to-back trophies. Plus, the majority of winners are quarterbacks or running backs in their senior year of college, so take that into consideration when betting Heisman odds.

When you make your futures bets for college football, try and get in on a team or Heisman-bound player early to get the best odds. But, remember that top ranked squads won’t yield as much of a profit if they win.

The only downside to futures bet is that they tie up your money during the entire season. As long as you budget accordingly, your bankroll should be able to withstand this type of wager leaving you with enough capital left over to make moneyline, totals and point spread bets on NCAA football games throughout the season.