- College football national championship odds have now been updated for the 12-team CFP.
- Ohio State remains the championship favorite, even after losing to Indiana in the Big Ten title game.
- The market is showing major separation between the top five teams and the bottom seven.
- Teams with a first-round bye went 0-4 in last year's inaugural 12-team playoff.
Welcome to the College Football Playoff. After three months of games, rivalries, conference championships, and everything else, there are 12 teams left standing in the hunt for this season’s national championship.
Some of them, like Ohio State and Georgia, are perennial contenders who once again find themselves in position for a deep playoff run.Â
Other teams … well, they might still need a lot of help.
BetMGM continues to provide single-game college football odds, as well as national championship futures.Â
I break down the latter futures market for prospective bettors below.Â
College Football National Championship Odds 2025-26
| Team | Championship Odds | BetMGM Opening Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | +450 | |
| Indiana | +10000 | |
| Georgia | +600 | |
| Oregon | +700 | |
| Texas Tech | +15000 | |
| Texas A&M | +3000 | |
| Miami (FL) | +3500 | |
| Alabama | +1200 | |
| Ole Miss | +2500 | |
| Oklahoma | +7000 | |
| Tulane | +15000 | |
| JMU | +100000 |
College Football National Championship Prediction
Based on the current futures market, the Ohio State Buckeyes have an implied 30.8% chance to win the national championship.
College Football Playoff Odds: Breaking Down the Field of 12
The initial futures market has a clear break between the top five teams and the bottom seven. Keen observers will note there are structural reasons for this.Â
Ohio State, Indiana, Georgia, and Texas Tech all have first-round byes and are automatically three wins away from the national championship.
Oregon, the No. 5 seed, is priced shorter than Texas Tech at +800. Oregon has arguably the best path of any team, drawing Sun Belt champion James Madison in the first round and then the Red Raiders in the quarterfinal.
They’d play a rematch against Indiana in the semifinals – assuming the Hoosiers get that far.
Last year’s bracket wasn’t kind to teams that sat idle through December, with the top four seeds all losing in the first games. The national semifinals were No. 5 Texas vs. No. 8 Ohio State and No. 6 Penn State against No. 7 Notre Dame.Â
If that rust-over-rest trend continues this year, the value would clearly be on the midrange teams.Â
Texas A&M is 17-to-1 despite being undefeated until the very end of November. Their path includes a home game against Miami and a pseudo-home game against Ohio State at the Cotton Bowl.
Could Oklahoma’s championship defense contain Indiana in a second-round game? At 50-to-1, it could be worth a buy.Â
Alabama has been hurt and played poorly in the final weeks of the season, and no one should get too cute with a futures bet on Tulane or JMU. But there are potentially valuable betting options in the midrange, if you believe the bye teams will struggle again once they finally take the field after the Christmas holiday.
College Football National Championship History (CFP Era)
| Season | Champion | Runner-Up | Championship Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Ohio State | Notre Dame | 34-23 |
| 2023 | Michigan | Washington | 34-13 |
| 2022 | Georgia | TCU | 65-7 |
| 2021 | Georgia | Alabama | 33-18 |
| 2020 | Alabama | Ohio State | 52-24 |
| 2019 | LSU | Clemson | 42-25 |
| 2018 | Clemson | Alabama | 44-16 |
| 2017 | Alabama | Georgia | 26-23 |
| 2016 | Clemson | Alabama | 35-31 |
| 2015 | Alabama | Clemson | 45-40 |
| 2014 | Ohio State | Oregon | 42-20 |
How To Bet on College Football Futures
College football betting doesn’t stop when the games end in January. You can bet on futures throughout the offseason!
As teams are holding spring practice, adding players from the transfer portal, and releasing depth charts, you can view updated online sports betting odds for a variety of markets, including national championship odds, win totals, and conference champion odds.
If you don’t have an account, register today with BetMGM’s welcome offer. Once you have an account, check for daily sports betting promos.
The content provided in this blog is intended for entertainment purposes only. All views and opinions expressed are the authors and reflect their individual perspectives on sports, betting, and related topics. This content should not be considered professional betting advice or the official views of BetMGM LLC. Please gamble responsibly. If you or someone you know is experiencing issues related to gambling, seek help from a licensed health professional. This blog is not liable for any losses, damages, or consequences resulting from betting activities.
