College Football National Championship Odds 2026: Favorites Ohio State, Texas Meet Early
The reigning title holder, Ohio State, has emerged as the preseason favorite by the college football national championship odds. The Buckeyes (+500) recently pulled ahead of Texas (+650), their Week 1 opponent, in the futures market.
The top College Football Playoff odds favorites square off from Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Aug. 30 at noon ET (FOX). With Heisman Trophy odds favorite Arch Manning leading the Longhorns and the Buckeyes being the defending champions, the standings could be shaken up immediately.
Georgia (+700) and Penn State (+850) are the only other teams trading at odds shorter than 10/1. Alabama, Clemson, LSU, Notre Dame, and Oregon are also national championship odds contenders, with other programs seen as long shots at our college football betting sites.
📊 Live college football national championship odds 2026
Our 2026 college football national championship odds update in real time based on the odds from our best sports betting apps.
🔮 College football national championship prediction
🐶 Georgia (+700)
📊 Best odds: +700 via FanDuel ($10 to win $70)🔢 Implied probability: 12.50%
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If Georgia fails to win the national championship this season, it will mark a three-year drought for Kirby Smart, which is not what many expected from Nick Saban's protege after he earned his first taste of a title. Injuries derailed the team's championship charge last season, and the Bulldogs went out with a whimper.
However, it's out with the old and in with the new this season in Athens, and the Red and Black appear as hungry as ever. Gunner Stockton and Nate Frazier look to usher in a fresh regime on offense to pair with the often ferocious Georgia defense.
It's hard to find more than a couple of potential losses on the Bulldogs' schedule, so it's safe to assume they'll be in the College Football Playoff once again. If Smart and Co. get to the big dance, all bets are off, which is why I'm taking advantage of Georgia's favorable preseason odds at our best sportsbooks.
📈 College football national championship betting insights
College football betting insights via BetMGM.
Highest ticket percentage
- Texas: 12.1%
- Ohio State: 9.5%
- Clemson: 8.4%
Highest handle percentage
- Texas: 17.3%
- Penn State: 11.1%
- Ohio State: 9.5%
Biggest liability
- Texas
- Clemson
- Penn State
Notable bets
- $300,000 to win $1.5 million on Texas to win the College Football Playoff
- $300,000 to win $1.5 million on Penn State to win the College Football Playoff
- $115,000 to win $1.49 million on Clemson to win the College Football Playoff
🔢 College football national championship opening odds
Odds via DraftKings.
- Ohio State (+450)
- Texas (+500)
- Georgia (+550)
- Oregon (+750)
- Penn State (+900)
- Alabama (+1200)
- Notre Dame (+1600)
- Clemson (+2000)
- LSU (+2000)
- Tennessee (+2000)
- Miami (+2500)
- Ole Miss (+2500)
- Michigan (+3000)
- Texas A&M (+3500)
- South Carolina (+4000)
- Florida (+6000)
- Oklahoma (+7000)
- USC (+7000)
- Auburn (+8000)
- SMU (+8000)
- Arizona State (+9000)
- Kansas State (+9000)
- Colorado (+10000)
- Florida State (+10000)
- Louisville (+10000)
- North Carolina (+10000)
- Iowa State (+12000)
- Utah (+12000)
- BYU (+15000)
- Indiana (+15000)
- Nebraska (+15000)
- Virginia Tech (+15000)
- Arkansas (+20000)
- Boise State (+20000)
- Illinois (+20000)
- Iowa (+20000)
- Missouri (+20000)
- Syracuse (+25000)
- Baylor (+25000)
- Georgia Tech (+25000)
- Kansas (+25000)
- NC State (+25000)
- TCU (+25000)
- Wisconsin (+25000)
- Kentucky (+30000)
- West Virginia (+30000)
💰 College football national championship betting history
| Year | Team | Preseason odds |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ohio State | +325 |
| 2024 | Michigan | +800 |
| 2023 | Georgia | +350 |
| 2022 | Georgia | +600 |
| 2021 | Alabama | +300 |
| 2020 | LSU | +2500 |
| 2019 | Clemson | +400 |
| 2018 | Alabama | +250 |
| 2017 | Clemson | +700 |
| 2016 | Alabama | +700 |
| 2015 | Ohio State | +4000 |
| 2014 | Florida State | +1600 |
❓ College football national championship FAQs
Who is favored to win the 2026 college football championship?
Ohio State is the favorite to win the 2026 college football national championship. The Buckeyes' odds (+500) imply a 16.67% probability that they'll repeat as champions, according to our odds calculator.
Who won the college football championship last year?
The Ohio State Buckeyes won last year's CFP National Championship, defeating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 34-23 in Atlanta.
When will the college football championship be decided?
The 2026 college football national championship will be decided on Monday, Jan. 19.
Where will the college football championship take place?
The 2026 college football national championship will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Who has won the most college football championships?
Yale has won the most college football championships with 18. Alabama ranks second with 16 total victories, and the Crimson Tide's three championships in the college football playoff era also stand as the most.
🏈 College football odds pages
| College Football Championship Odds | SEC Odds | Big 12 Odds | Bowl Season Odds & Info |
| Heisman Trophy Odds | Big Ten Odds | Pac-12 Odds | Bowl game opt-out tracker |
| College Football Playoff Odds | Mountain West Odds | ACC Odds |
💵 Best college football betting sites
Ready to bet on the College Football Playoff National Championship? Check out our best college football betting sites and the best sportsbook promos for the college football season:
- FanDuel Promo Code | Read our FanDuel Review
- DraftKings Promo Code | Read our DraftKings Review
- Hard Rock Bet Promo Code | Read our Hard Rock Bet Review
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