Clemson Opens as 2021 CFP National Championship Favorite; Ohio State Next at +255 Odds

• Clemson (+250) has opened as the favorite to win the 2021 CFP
• Ohio State (+255) has the second-best odds
• Which team offers the best early value for next season?

Clemson has opened as the favorites in the 2021 National Championship odds. The Tigers won a fifth straight ACC Title and made it to the championship game for a second straight season before losing to Joe Burrow and LSU.

Ohio State has opened as close second favorites after a stellar season in which they captured their third straight Big 10 Title and returned to the CFP for the first time since 2016.

Which team is the best early bet to win a title in 2021?

2021 National Championship Odds

Odds taken Jan. 13

Clemson Favored to Bounce Back

Clemson has opened as +250 favorites to win the 2021 National Championship. This isn’t much of a surprise considering Trevor Lawrence will be returning for his junior season and the Tigers will once again have a favorable schedule in the ACC.

Lawrence is the projected first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and a big reason to consider laying down early money on Clemson. The talented QB is 29-1 as a starter in his college career, with his lone loss coming against a historically good LSU team in this year’s title game on Monday night.

Lawrence and the Tigers will be hungry for a title run and to re-start their winning streak next season.

Clemson is expected to lose some key players of their own to the NFL Draft, including LB/S Isaiah Simmons, WR Tee Higgins and RB Travis Etienne, but Dabo Swinney and his staff have the top ranked recruiting class in the country heading into next season to keep the pipeline stocked.

Buckeyes Close Behind

The Buckeyes (+255) have the second-best odds behind Clemson. While DE Chase Young, RB J.K. Dobbins and CB Jeff Okudah have all declared for the NFL Draft, Heisman runner-up Justin Fields will be returning at quarterback.

Ryan Day will also be back as head coach after an incredible first year in which he led the team to an undefeated regular-season record.

After a 13-1 record, a Big Ten Championship and a College Football Playoff appearance, Ryan Day is named the first-year head coach of the year by the FWAA. https://t.co/oh7RijfZgA

— Eleven Warriors (@11W) January 13, 2020

Ohio State has to navigate a tougher schedule than Clemson playing in the Big 10, but this is a powerhouse team that blew out opponents all season, leading the nation in total defense and scoring offense and suffering a very tight loss to the Tigers in the CFP semi-final.

The lethal tandem of Fields and Day is reason to consider betting the Buckeyes. They also have plenty of additional talent returning, including receivers Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, and backs Master Teague and Demario McCall.

Early Longshots With Value?

Ohio State and Clemson deserve to be favored after the seasons they had, but should you lay some early money down on a darkhorse? LSU was listed around +5000 to win a championship at this time last year, so capitalizing on early title odds can be key.

Biggest futures bet @SuperBookUSA had to pay out was $1,650 wager on #LSU to win title at 60-1 odds.

Bet was placed back in March 2019 and won $99,000.

— Ben Fawkes (@BFawkesESPN) January 14, 2020

Florida (+2000) is one team that could find their way into the CFP picture next season. Quarterback Kyle Trask will be back for his senior season after a stellar junior season in which he threw for 2,941 yards and 25 TD passes with just seven interceptions. He’ll have two of Florida’s top players back alongside him in TE Kyle Pitts and WR Trevon Grimes.

With Georgia losing QB Jake Fromm and RB D’Andre Swift to the Draft, the Gators could take over the SEC East next year, especially considering they have a very easy non-conference schedule.

Oregon is also a team to watch after they dominated Utah in the Pac-12 title game and took down Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

Betting Analysis

Clemson may have lost to LSU in the National Championship game, but they are still the team to beat entering next season. Lawrence is going to motivated to close out his college career in winning fashion, and he’ll have two of his favorite receiver targets returning in Justyn Ross and Amari Rodgers.

My way, way too early preseason Top 25 plus next 5 in 2020 for @Stadium (I’m sure no one will disagree at all)https://t.co/wfVjPCe1aU

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) January 14, 2020

Ohio State is going to have another strong team, but Clemson’s favorable ACC schedule gives them the edge. The Big 10 has a few rising teams, and the Buckeyes also have to face emerging Pac-12 powerhouse Oregon in the early goings of the season.

The Ducks and Gators are two of my favorite darkhorses for next season, but it’s hard to bet against Clemson when you consider their dominance in the ACC and Lawrence returning.

Pick: Clemson (+250)