College Football Playoff Odds and Preview: Alabama Heavily Favored

• The College Football Playoff was announced on Sunday, and the early betting lines are available
• #1 Alabama is heavily favored to win it all
• Odds project Clemson/Alabama IV, and we’re not even mad

After a long year of college football, and more than one howling controversy, the 2019 College Football Playoff has finally been announced. Perennial playoff teams Alabama and Clemson are joined by Oklahoma (in their third appearance) and Notre Dame in their first.

2019 College Football Playoff Odds

You can also see the full odds history at our National Championship odds tracker.

These odds have Alabama as a huge favorite, since they’re the one-seed (playing Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl) and since they’ve gone undefeated against a tough schedule. They’re also one of the most dominant programs in the history of college football.

Notre Dame and Oklahoma are both double-digit underdogs and will need a small collection of miracles to win the title.

Notre Dame and Oklahoma are thought to be outside shots. They’re both double-digit underdogs in their games against Clemson and Alabama, and will need a small collection of miracles to win the title.

Alabama vs Oklahoma: Orange Bowl Odds

Incredible that a Playoff team is a -660 favorite against another Playoff team, but that’s just how dominant Alabama has been this year.

How Alabama Wins the Orange Bowl

If the Tide stick to their 2018 script of playing explosive offense and stifling defense, they should win this game in a rout.

Oklahoma’s defense is… glitchy. It’s been better since Mike Stoops got fired, but it has never been great. Alabama’s offense probably has a few too many weapons for Oklahoma to keep up with, and if things go south the Tide can just swap quarterbacks and see if the Sooners did their homework. Georgia wasn’t prepared for Jalen Hurts in the SEC Championship (or Tua in last year’s title game), and Georgia’s defense is much better than Oklahoma’s.

Jalen Hurts with the comeback story of the year ? pic.twitter.com/s3CGP79DQz

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 2, 2018

Basically, if the chalk holds, Alabama will win this game, the next one, and then a national title or two after that. The Tide losing will require some manner of disaster.

How Oklahoma Wins the Orange Bowl

It’s more interesting to think about how Oklahoma could win this game. Firstly, they’ll need Alabama to play the glitchy, ineffective offense they brought out in the SEC Championship game. Oklahoma isn’t on the same planet as Georgia defensively, but maybe Tua Tagovailoa (who is having ankle surgery this week) will be somewhat hampered.

Kyler Murray would have 100 speed in NCAA Football (RIP) pic.twitter.com/1UJmVNz4oY

— Barstool Sports (@barstooltweetss) October 6, 2018

From there you’re just relying on Kyler Murray and the Oklahoma offenses’ ability to cause problems for Alabama. All the teams that have given Alabama trouble historically have done it with mobile, dynamic quarterbacks, and Kyler Murray is certainly that. If he can throw a wrench in the Alabama defense’s machinations, Oklahoma will have a chance.

Interestingly, this game will feature the two favorites to win the Heisman Trophy. Which of them will bring a statue to the Orange Bowl?

Clemson vs Notre Dame: Cotton Bowl Odds

This game is interesting because both teams have worked through a schedule that (in most years) would have been a murderer’s row. Both played Florida State. Notre Dame played USC and Virginia Tech. Clemson got Louisville at home.

Each of those teams was a shell of its former self in 2018. We thus don’t know a whole lot about either of these teams, since their best wins came so early in the season. Clemson beat Texas A&M 28-26 back when it was impossible to know what that meant. Notre Dame beat Michigan in the first big game of the season, while we were all watching Auburn/Washington.

How Clemson Wins the Cotton Bowl

It’s hard not to see this game proceeding much like the 2013 National Championship game, in which an undefeated Notre Dame was completely outclassed by its powerhouse opponent. Ian Book has never seen a defensive line like this one, and won’t be able to rely on Notre Dame’s excellent offensive line. The best offense this Notre Dame team has seen so far is probably Syracuse’s.

315-pound Christian Wilkins getting midair at the goal line… That’s scary.pic.twitter.com/wwCw9tZB19

— Sporting News (@sportingnews) November 25, 2018

I don’t have much else to say about this incredible team, so the above is a video of Christian Wilkins doing a flip for a touchdown.

How Notre Dame Wins the Cotton Bowl

The Irish can win, however, if their offensive line is really that good. They’ll need to control the ball, limit the amount of clock Clemson gets, and keep the least-touted quarterback in the Playoff out of trouble if they’re going to have any hope.

Captain, @smustipher53, has been named a finalist for the @rimingtontrophy. Awarded to the top center in college football.#GoIrish ☘️ #uNDefeated pic.twitter.com/bGAz49g3uW

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 3, 2018

Incidentally, you should know that the Irish have been sportsbook killers under quarterback Ian Book. They went 6-2 ATS in their last eight games, and could very well cover this spread.