The AP Top 25 poll has been released, meaning college football is right around the corner. However, according to the odds to win the college football National Championship, the poll should look slightly different.
The top sports betting apps have NCAAF odds for each team to win the National Championship. A wide range of factors determine these odds, but roster talent, key players, strength of schedule, etc., all play into how sportsbooks set the prices. While the AP voters may also use these factors, the betting odds are a better indicator of a team’s strength.
Here, we re-rank the CFB top 25, according to odds to win the National Championship.
Read more: Best College Football Betting Sites | Heisman Trophy Odds
College Football Top 25, Ranked Based on Betting Odds
We have re-ranked the Top 25 based on the CFB championship odds from FanDuel, BetMGM, and Caesars Sportsbook. Each sports betting app has different odds and teams in their top 25, so checking out each sportsbook is crucial to getting the best odds for your wager.
Here is the official Top 25 re-rank based on the NCAAF betting odds.
Teams With Best Odds to Win National Championship
As we can see from the table above, the Georgia Bulldogs are favored to win their third-straight national championship, and the voters agree. Inside the initial top-four, each sportsbook is in line that the correct order is:
- Georgia
- Alabama
- Ohio State
- Michigan
However, the AP voters feel differently, as they have Michigan ranked ahead of Ohio State, and Alabama ranked fourth.
The voters use what they have seen on the field (sometimes) to rank the teams, while futures odds are based on the probability of winning the national title.
While Michigan has beaten Ohio State in two-straight seasons, Ohio State recruits at a higher level, so the roster talent is among the best in the nation. Michigan also gets top recruits to come to Ann Arbor, but the Wolverines also like to recruit lower-level ‘gems’ and build their classes through strength in numbers.
Outside the top four, the betting odds mostly agree with the voters about the teams ranked 5-10 but have them in a different order. Teams like LSU, USC, Penn State, Florida State, Clemson, and Texas round out the top 10.
Biggest Differences Between Oddsmakers, AP Voters
Not only are a few teams in wildly different spots in our championship odds re-rank, but there are a few teams not ranked in the AP Top 25 that oddsmakers would put on that list.
Regarding the biggest differences, Texas A&M has the 11th shortest odds at Caesars, but the Aggies are just 23rd in the AP Top 25. Texas A&M’s roster talent ranks highly after securing the No. 1 recruiting class in 2022. Last season may have been a disaster for the Aggies, but the roster is a year older, and they brought in a new offensive coordinator in Bobby Petrino.
Each sportsbook places a few new teams in our CFB Top 25 re-rank. At FanDuel, UCLA is in the mix, ranking 24th. Caesars Sportsbook has Florida and Louisville in its top 25, and BetMGM‘s top 25 includes Auburn, UCLA, and Miami (FL),
Tulane does not make any sportsbook’s lists, while North Carolina misses the top of Caesars’ oddsboard, and Oregon State, and Iowa are on the outside looking in at BetMGM.
Conference previews: SEC odds | Big 10 odds | Pac 12 odds | ACC odds | Big 12 odds
Did the AP Poll Get It Right?
For the most part, the AP Poll did a decent job ranking the top 25 compared to the betting odds. A few teams are flipped in places they probably should not be. They say that “Vegas always knows,” but it’s difficult for anyone to predict what happens when both teams get on the field.
Over the last two seasons, Ohio State has been favored against Michigan in both matchups, and they lost both games. Although Ohio State is the more talented team, according to recruiting rankings, the Buckeyes are breaking in a new quarterback in Kyle McCord, and you cannot put odds on what a rivalry game means to each team.
Toward the end of the AP Poll, things can get a little weird, but the sportswriters did a nice job ranking the teams.
Where To Bet on NCAAF Championship Odds
We have got you covered if you need help finding where to bet on college football championship odds. Here, we list our favorite sports betting apps to bet on NCAAF odds.
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