2025 College Football National Championship Odds and Predictions

Author ImageAuthor: | Last Updated: September 2025
national championship odds

Top teams from the Big 10 and SEC crowd the early-season National Championship odds. The Big 10 has won back-to-back national titles, but the SEC has dominated college football for more than a decade. Teams from the ACC, Big 12, and other conferences are also vying for a shot at the Natty this season.

This guide highlights the latest college football futures for the 2026 National Championship winner. I will break down the odds for the top contenders and give my prediction for this season’s college football National Champion.

Current National Championship Odds

Here are the latest National Championship odds, courtesy of the top college football betting sites.

TeamNational Championship OddsConference
Penn State+550Big 10
Ohio State+600Big 10
Georgia+600SEC
Texas+750SEC
LSU+1000SEC
Clemson+1200ACC
Oregon+1400Big 10
Notre Dame+1500N/A
Alabama+1600SEC
Miami+2800ACC
Auburn+3000SEC
Oklahoma+3000SEC

Bovada’s oddsmakers have Penn State listed as the +550 favorites to win the National Championship this season. The Nittany Lions are closely followed by Ohio State and Georgia, both of which are listed at 6-1 odds.

Texas and LSU round out the top five at +750 and +1000, respectively. Clemson (+1200) has the shortest odds of any team not from the Big 10 or SEC.

Top Contenders

Let’s take a closer look at the top five teams in contention for this season’s National Championship odds.

Penn State (+550)

Penn State opened the season at number two in the AP Top 25, the highest of any Big 10 team. The Nittany Lions looked every bit the second-best team in the country with their 46-11 win over Nevada in Week 1.

Anything can happen in college football, but Penn State only has three teams on its schedule who are currently ranked. The Nittany Lions host Oregon in Week 5. Then, they play Ohio State and Indiana in November.

Other than their game against Ohio State, which Penn State faces in The Horseshoe, the Nittany Lions should be favored over all their opponents this season.

The question, though, is whether James Franklin can get over the hump and win big games. Penn State is 4-20 against Top 10 teams since Franklin took over as the head coach. The Nittany Lions will need to beat multiple Top 10 teams to come out on top in this year’s College Football Playoff.

Ohio State (+600)

Speaking of highly ranked Big 10 teams, the defending National Champion Buckeyes are tied for the second-best odds to win the Natty again this year. Ohio State started the season ranked third, but they beat #1 Texas in the season opener.

The win over the Longhorns has Ohio State poised to take over the top spot in the AP Top 25.

Ohio State’s defense looked championship caliber in their 14-7 win over Texas, but the Buckeyes’ offense needs to improve to make a deep playoff run. On the bright side, Julian Sayin and company have plenty of time to work out their issues moving the ball.

Like Penn State, the Buckeyes only have three opponents left this season who are currently ranked. They play Illinois, Penn State, and end their regular season against Michigan. The Buckeyes have not lost to Penn State since 2016, but they also have not beaten Michigan since 2019.

Georgia (+600)

Big 10 teams are not the only ones with favorable odds to win this year’s National Championship. Georgia has the shortest odds of any team in the SEC, tied with Ohio State at +600.

The Bulldogs started their season in dominant fashion, beating Marshall 45-7. They have another easy opponent in Week 1, Austin Peay, before facing two ranked opponents in Tennessee and Alabama. Georgia also has games scheduled with Ole Miss, Florida, and Texas this year. 

Facing five ranked opponents in the same year is easier said than done. However, going through the gauntlet in the regular season will help Georgia prepare for the tough competition it will face in the postseason.

Texas (+750)

Speaking of Texas, the Longhorns open the season as the top-ranked team in the nation. However, after their 7-14 loss to Ohio State, the Longhorns will drop in the rankings. They should still be one of the top-ranked SEC teams, though.

Even with the loss, Texas is listed at +750 to win the National Championship. The expanded playoff ensures that one loss does not derail a team’s title hopes. Also, Arch Manning and company are unlikely to face a defense as tough as Ohio State’s for the rest of the season.

That does not mean Texas will have an easy schedule the rest of the season. The current ranked opponents remaining on their slate this year include Florida, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Texas A&M.

  • Georgia wins the National Championship +600

Sleeper Teams Worth Watching

Betting on sleeper National Championship contenders is the best way to maximize your potential payout. Here are three sleepers I think can make a run at the National Championship this season.

Notre Dame (+1500)

Notre Dame made it to the National Championship game last year but lost to Ohio State. The Fighting Irish also lost their season opener this year, falling 27-24 to Miami.

On the bright side, since Notre Dame is not in a conference, they have a relatively easy path to making the playoffs. Also, losing to a ranked team will not hurt Notre Dame as much as schools like Alabama, which lost to an unranked Florida State.

Texas A&M (+3300)

Texas A&M is listed at 33-1 to win the Natty this season. They face a tough road in the SEC and face the aforementioned Notre Dame.

Despite a tough schedule, the Aggies are a good sleeper pick because of their explosive offense. Sophomore QB Marcel Reed had four passing TDs in Week 1. Wide receivers Mario Craver and KC Concepcion combined for 11 catches, 194 yards, and three TDs in the opener. 

Arizona State (+10000)

Rounding out my list of National Championship sleepers is Arizona State at +10000. The Sun Devils started their 2025 season with a 38-19 win over Northern Arizona. Also, they currently only have two ranked opponents on their schedule, #23 Texas Tech and #22 Iowa State.

Arizona State entered the season as the 11th-ranked team, which would be good enough to make the 12-team playoff. They won the Big 12 last year, and if they do it again, they will earn another automatic bid into the postseason.

How to Bet on the National Championship

You can bet on your National Championship predictions by following these three easy steps.

1. Study the Teams

Before engaging in any NCAA football betting, you should study the teams involved. Researching the contenders is especially important for winning futures wagers that will not be settled for months.

When researching teams, consider their schedule, their chances of making the playoffs, and the experience level of their starters.

The playoffs take place in December and January, so teams in warm-weather cities unsurprisingly struggled in the opening round of last year’s postseason. Coaches with poor records in big games are also risky bets to win the National Championship.

2. Create Your Bovada Account

After completing your research, you will be ready to create your Bovada account. This sportsbook offers competitive lines on multiple NCAA football futures, including the National Championship.

Also, as a new member of Bovada, you can get a 75% deposit match on your first qualifying cryptocurrency deposit.

Bovada is easy to use, and all of its college football odds are conveniently located in the football tab. You can also take advantage of Bovada’s prop builder to wager on your favorite college teams every week of the season.

Learn more by reading our in-depth Bovada review.

3. Place Your College Football Futures Wager

Once your account is created and your deposit hits your account, you can start betting on your National Championship predictions.

Wagering on futures early in the year is the easiest way to secure the highest payout. Also, it allows you to cash out your bet for a profit before the National Championship matchup is even set.

The odds are so high on favorites that you can afford to place smaller wagers and still get a high payout. With that in mind, you can bet smaller amounts on multiple contenders and plan to cash out for profits on multiple tickets come playoff time.

What Are Your National Championship Predictions?

Penn State leads all teams in the latest National Championship odds. However, I think the Georgia Bulldogs (+600) are the better bet to win it all this season.

You can wager on your predictions today by signing up at Bovada. The sportsbook offers National Championship odds on dozens of teams and provides thrilling bonus options for new members to take advantage of.

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About the Author

Shaun Stack is a senior writer at Gambling Nerd. His gambling articles have appeared in the Daily Herald, Space Coast Daily, and NJ 101.5. He’s a football betting expert, a Survivor fan, and a skilled blackjack gambler. Shaun is a native of Kansas City but now lives in Pennsylvania and follows the Pittsburgh Steelers religiously.