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2025-26 College Football National Championship Odds, Predictions and Best Bets

Brady Trettenero

By Brady Trettenero in College Football

Published:


Penn State Nittany Lions teammates Drew Allar and Dvon J-Thomas celebrate
Penn State Nittany Lions teammates Drew Allar (15) and Dvon J-Thomas (91) celebrate their 31-14 win over the Boise State Broncos in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on Dec. 31, 2024.
  • College football national championship odds show Ohio State and Texas as co-favorites
  • Penn State and LSU offer the best value among contenders with proven quarterbacks
  • Read below for our best CFB championship bets before the season kicks off

The 2025 college football season starts in just over a month, and betting markets are already moving on national championship futures. After analyzing odds from a variety of sportsbooks, we’ve made our early predictions for the CFB title race.

Ohio State, Texas and Georgia are priced as the top college football national championship favorites. However, all these teams have question marks at the most important position. And yes, that includes Texas and Arch Manning, despite some ready to crown the sophomore the Heisman winner.

The table below displays the top 25 national championship favorites. Underneath the table, find our two best CFB national title bets, plus a +4000 longshot.

2025-26 CFP National Championship Odds

TeamOdds
Ohio State+500
Texas+550
Georgia+700
Penn State+750
Clemson+1000
Alabama+1100
Oregon+1100
Notre Dame+1200
LSU+1800
Michigan+2500
Florida+4000
Miami FL+4000
Texas A&M+4500
Ole Miss+4500
Tennessee+6000
South Carolina+6000
Oklahoma+6500
Auburn+7000
Kansas State+10000
Indiana+10000
USC+10000
Texas Tech+10000
Arizona State+10000
Louisville+10000
Utah+11000

Odds as of July 25 at DraftKings Sportsbook. Browse top US betting sites for college football. Championship game scheduled for Monday, January 19th, 2026.

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Ohio State won it all last season but has drifted to +500 after losing several important players. Texas sits at +550, giving them a 15.4% implied probability to win the title. The Longhorns lost in the semi-final last season and now begin the Arch Manning era.

The tight odds at the top show no clear favorite, which creates value opportunities down the board.

CFB Predictions: Experience Wins Championships

Best Bet: Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State has its best championship odds since at least 2001, and there’s good reason for it. The Nittany Lions return Drew Allar at quarterback, who’s won 23 games as a starter over the past two seasons. That’s tied for second-most in the country.

One bettor already dropped $200,000 on Penn State at +750. That bet would pay out $1.5 million if the Lions win it all.

What makes Penn State special? They return both a 3,000-yard passer and two 1,000-yard rushers in Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Not since Oklahoma in 2009 has an FBS program brought back that much production at quarterback and running back.

Key Penn State Returning Stars

PlayerPosition2024 Production
Drew AllarQB3,000+ yards, 23 wins
Nicholas SingletonRB1,000+ yards
Kaytron AllenRB1,000+ yards
Zane DurantDL14 TFLs
Dani Dennis-SuttonEdge8.5 sacks

The defense looks nasty, too. Zane Durant led all interior linemen nationally with 14 tackles for loss. Dani Dennis-Sutton ranked among the top-2 returning edge rushers after posting 8.5 sacks.

New defensive coordinator Jim Knowles comes over from Ohio State with his blitz-heavy schemes. Coach James Franklin calls this “the best combination of personnel that we’ve had since I’ve been there.”

At +750, Penn State offers real value with a proven quarterback and elite talent across the board.

  • CFB Championship Bet: Penn State (+750)

Best Bet: LSU Tigers

LSU sits at +1800, which feels way too high for a team with this much firepower. The Tigers return Garrett Nussmeier at quarterback, who threw for over 4,000 yards last season after Jayden Daniels left for the NFL.

Brian Kelly says this is the best roster he’s had in Baton Rouge. That’s saying something, considering what this program can do with elite quarterback play.

The Tigers brought in the top-ranked transfer portal class to fill holes. They’ve got a deep receiver room with 7+ players who can make plays. Caden Durham returns at running back after showing flashes as a true freshman while dealing with injuries.

If Harold Perkins Jr. returns to his dominant freshman form, this defense goes from good to great. An elite defense with Nussmeier running the offense gives LSU a real shot at the title.

The schedule includes tough road games at Clemson, Alabama, and Oklahoma. But LSU gets Florida, Texas A&M, and Arkansas at home in Death Valley. At +1800, you’re getting serious value on a team built to win now.

  • CFB Championship Pick: LSU (+1800)

Longshot Special: Miami Hurricanes (+4000)

Miami offers massive value at +4000 after landing Carson Beck from Georgia. Beck threw for over 7,400 yards and 52 touchdowns while going 24-3 as a starter the past two seasons. Despite recovering from elbow surgery, he’s potentially the best quarterback in the ACC when healthy.

YouTube video

The Hurricanes return Mark Fletcher at running back (5.2 yards per carry) and completely revamped their defensive staff. Mario Cristobal brought in defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman and three other new assistants to unlock elite talents like Rueben Bain and Xavier Lucas.

At 40-to-1 odds, Miami’s worth a small play with proven quarterback talent and major defensive upgrades.

Teams to Avoid: The Unproven QB Problem

The chalk picks share one glaring issue – major question marks at quarterback.

Texas (+550) is riding the Arch Manning hype train. He’s already the Heisman favorite at +650 despite throwing fewer than 100 college passes. The Longhorns lost their top three receivers and have multiple offensive line departures. That’s a lot to ask from a true sophomore.

Ohio State (+500) faces a three-way quarterback battle between Julian Sayin, Lincoln Kienholz, and true freshman Tavien St. Clair. None have proven they can handle Big Ten warfare. Replacing a championship QB while losing your entire starting defensive line is far from ideal.

Georgia (+700) lost Carson Beck to Miami and will start a freshman quarterback in the SEC. No matter how talented, throwing a freshman into conference play without proper seasoning is asking for trouble.

Alabama (+1100) starts Ty Simpson at quarterback after three years on the bench. The former five-star recruit has thrown just 29 passes in his career. He’s a pocket passer replacing Milroe’s dual-threat style, which might fit Ryan Grubb’s system better. Still, we’re skeptical he can deliver against more experienced QBs in the big moments.

Final National Championship Predictions

College football’s expanded 12-team playoff means you don’t need perfection; just proven quarterback play when it matters. Penn State at +750 and LSU at +1800 have the best mix of value and championship pieces. Miami at +4000 is worth a flier with Beck under center.

Skip the overhyped favorites with unproven quarterbacks. In college football, experience at the most important position usually beats raw talent. Bet accordingly.

Brady Trettenero
Brady Trettenero

Lead NHL & NCAAF Editor

Brady is the lead NHL and College Football editor at Sports Betting Dime, where he specializes in betting odds and data-driven analysis. Brady has over 10 years experience working in sports media, with work published by outlets such as ESPN, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and Fox Sports.

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