It was a wild and controversial weekend of college football to set up the seedings for the 2025-26 CFP.
The new No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers were the big winners thanks to their win over Ohio State, but many are not happy that Notre Dame is out and Alabama got to stay at No. 9 despite losing badly to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.
We’ll see if it leads to any further tweaking next year, but let’s look at the latest college football championship odds now that the final playoff standings are set in stone for the top 12 teams.
2025-26 College Football Playoff Odds
Contenders & Sleepers
Ohio State Buckeyes (+250)
Despite slipping to No. 2, the Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1) are still the odds-on favorites to repeat as national champions. Their No. 1 defense held a hot Indiana offense to just 13 points, and they have yet to allow more than 16 points all season while winning every game but the Texas game by 18-plus points.
Should the Buckeyes have to face the Hoosiers again, they were very close in yards and equal in first downs with them in Saturday night’s game. They just had some untimely bad play calls and missed a short, game-tying field goal.
With last year’s championship fresh on coach Ryan Day’s mind, his Buckeyes are a solid bet to repeat, but they may not be the best value right now based on current odds. Their lack of scoring against schools like Texas and Indiana, as well as the lack of close-game execution, is a legitimate concern as they could trip up this year in a tight one against a competent opponent.
Indiana Hoosiers (+400)
As Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said this season, look him up on Google as he just wins.
He’s taken Indiana from a 3-9 record in 2023 to records of 11-2 and 13-0 these last two years. He’s helped quarterback Fernando Mendoza to become a Heisman Trophy favorite, and he’s got an explosive offense and the No. 2 scoring defense in the nation.
The No. 1 Hoosiers have the top seed and are the 2nd-highest odds to win the championship. They beat Ohio State, but it’s also true they’ve had some close calls this year with Iowa, Penn State, and Oregon, so it wouldn’t be a shock to see them upset in the tournament.
But if you believe in Cignetti and Mendoza, then it’s hard to point to a better coach/quarterback pairing in the tournament right now. They could ride this 13-0 wave through the tournament to a championship.
Georgia Bulldogs (+800)
You can’t disrespect the team that wins the SEC, especially when it’s a 2-time national champion coach like Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs (12-1).
The No. 3 seed in the CFP, Georgia’s history was poor against Alabama, but Smart’s team avenged their only loss of 2025 with a resounding 28-7 victory in Saturday’s SEC Championship Game. Just pure domination from start to finish.
The Bulldogs lost in the Sugar Bowl to Notre Dame last year, but then-backup quarterback Gunner Stockton got some good experience in a big bowl game. He’s been very good this year and just threw for 3 touchdowns on 20-of-26 passing against Alabama. Throw in Smart’s formidable defense, and the Bulldogs are a team to like if you’re going to back the SEC to win another championship.
Texas Tech Red Raiders (+1100)
The best dark horse to win it all right now is the No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders (12-1), who won the Big 12 in dominant fashion this year. Texas Tech has been the best bet in college football this season, posting a 12-1 ATS record with an average margin of victory of 31.5 points (highest in NCAA).
They’ve beaten the spread by an average of +10.4 points per game, trailing only Indiana (+11.2) and Vanderbilt (+10.7) this season. Texas Tech is elite on both sides of the ball, ranked No. 3 in the nation in scoring offense and No. 3 in scoring defense.
Their only loss was in October at Arizona State, a game where they allowed a season-high 26 points and scored a season-low 22 points after giving up a game-winning touchdown in the last 0:40 seconds.
The Red Raiders are a good value at these odds, but keep in mind their strength of schedule is just 59th in the nation, as they haven’t been tested by any elite teams from the SEC or Big Ten, as they will be on their way to winning a championship.
Start a Sportsbook Account
The best thing you can do if you want to make a wager on a game or bet on a future on your college football conference winner predictions is to open a sports betting account. Grab a helmet and get in the game!
Remember, one account works, but opening accounts at multiple sportsbooks allows you to shop for the sharpest lines and the best odds. This is what the pros do, and it’s what recreational gamblers should do as well to get the best chance of winning.
As for these national championship candidates listed above, there is no time like the present to get down, so open your account at Caesars or BetMGM and lock it in while you still can at this price.
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*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
