Updated College Football Conference Championship Odds – Best Bets and Longshot Picks Ahead of Week 0

• The 2021 College Football season begins on Saturday, August 28th
• Updated Conference Championship odds have been released ahead of kickoff
• See the best bets and longshot picks in the story below

The 2021 College Football season is set to begin on Saturday, August 28th with Week 0. Updated Conference Championship odds have been released ahead of kickoff.

Odds for every FBS conference can be found routinely updated in the College Football Conference Championship odds. Ohio State is -220 favorites to win a fifth consecutive Big 10 title, while Utah and TCU are intriguing longshots in their respective conferences.

Here are four conference championship bets to consider before the 2021 CFB season officially gets underway.

2021 Big Ten Conference Championship Odds

 All odds as of August 24th at FanDuel.

Buckeyes Own Big Ten Conference

Ohio State is available at -220 to win a fifth consecutive Big Ten championship in 2021. The Buckeyes have gone 34-2 against conference opponents over the last four years. Despite losing QB Justin Fields to the NFL, Ohio State returns plenty of talent on both sides of the ball. Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson lead a dynamic receiving group, while five-star freshman Jack Sawyer arrives to an already dominant defensive line.

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Ohio State owns the conference until proven otherwise. The reason the Buckeyes aren’t heavier favorites is due to inexperience at the quarterback position. CJ Stroud has been named the starter for the opener and has talent around him to make his transition seamless. Coach Ryan Day recruits better than any of his opponents and runs the program like a well-oiled machine.

Ohio State is expected to be favored in every game this season and will be more motivated than ever after a blowout loss to Alabama in the National Championship game. Considering no team has emerged as a legit threat to the Buckeyes in the Big 10, bet Ohio State before their odds lengthen throughout the year.

• Pick: Ohio State to Win Big Ten (-220)

Pac-12 Conference Championship Odds

Utes Undervalued in Pac-12 Odds

Oregon and Washington are the two teams getting the most attention in the Pac-12 odds, but Utah shouldn’t be slept on. The Utes return 10 starters on defense and landed Baylor transfer Charlie Brewer at quarterback. Utah led the Pac-12 in rushing defense last season but struggled offensively under QB Jake Bentley. During four years at Baylor, the newcomer Brewer threw for 9,700 yards and 65 TDs with 28 interceptions.

Charlie Brewer has been named the starting QB for Utah.

He beat out Cameron Rising, who will be the backup QB. pic.twitter.com/R7GCQliJGD

— Brendan Moore (@bmoorecfb) August 23, 2021

A big reason to consider Utah as a Pac-12 longshot is their schedule. The Utes only have to play four conference road games and get two of their top opponents in Oregon and Arizona State at home. Their non-conference schedule is also lackluster, highlighted by a matchup against a BYU team that suffered major turnover. Kyle Whittingham is a very reliable coach and has led his team to two conference title appearances in the past three years.

• Pick: Utah to Win Pac-12 (+600)

Big 12 Conference Championship Odds

TCU is Big 12 Sleeper

Oklahoma is rightfully favored to win another Big 12 Title in 2021, but don’t discount TCU. The Horned Frogs are primed to make some noise this season after a 6-4 campaign in 2020. Gary Patterson’s team returns 18 starters in 2021, including dual-threat pivot Max Duggan. The mobile quarterback took a big step forward last season, throwing for 1,795 yards and 10 TDs while rushing for an additional 526 yards and 10 scores.

Manning Max 😤 pic.twitter.com/0mydOjosSW

— TCU Football (@TCUFootball) August 5, 2021

It’ll be hard for any Big-12 team to unseat Oklahoma considering the Sooners are in the National Championship discussion, but there’s a path for TCU. If the Horned Frogs want a shot at the title game, they’ll need to beat Texas and Iowa State. TCU is 7-2 against the Longhorns since joining the Big 12 and came within three points of the Cyclones in 2020. The Horned Frogs always have one of the conference’s top defenses and are worthy of a longshot wager in 2021.

• Pick: TCU to Win Big 12 (+1200)

AAC Championship Odds

Watch Out for Mustangs in AAC

The SMU Mustangs are being undervalued in the AAC Conference odds as they prepare for a season without veteran starting QB Shane Buechele. Despite the key departure, there’s reason to believe in Sonny Dykes’ squad in 2021. The Mustangs return standout running back Ulysses Bentley IV and landed Oklahoma transfer Tanner Mordecai at QB. Defensively, SMU return nine starters and hired Jim Leavitt as their new coordinator.

Expecting big things from Ulysses Bentley!

🧨🔥💪🏾pic.twitter.com/BhB35my4CW

— Full-Time Dame 💰 (@DP_NFL) August 17, 2021

SMU is 17-6 over the past two seasons and have the talent to make a run in 2021. They land a fairly easy non-conference schedule and get one of their toughest opponents in UCF at home. If either the Knights or Bearcats stumble this year, the Mustangs are the best bet to take that spot in the title game.

The Mustangs averaged almost 40 points per game in 2020 and return their top three wide receivers alongside OU transfer TE Grant Calcaterra. With an electric offense led by AAC Rookie of the Year Ulysses Bentley IV and an experienced defense, SMU winning the AAC is one of the better longshots bets you can make.

Pick: SMU to Win AAC (+2500)