2024-25 College Football Championship Odds and Predictions

Industry’s Best

Handicapping Membership

Get Free Trial

The 2024-25 College Football Bowl Season is underway, which means we’re inching closer to deciding the National Champion. As we all know by now, the College Football Playoffs has increased from four to 12 teams. However, even with the increase of teams, there was still plenty of controversy over schools left out.

The College Football Playoffs officially get underway on Friday, December 20. The four opening round games will take place on that weekend. The Quarterfinal rounds will be held on December 31 and January 1, 2025.  

The two Semifinal matchups are scheduled for Thursday, January 9 and Friday, January 10, 2025. The 2024-25 College Football Championship game will be held on Monay, January 20, live from the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

Now that we have the full 12-team field set for the CFP, we can take a look at the latest College Football odds, CFP prop bets and make our 2024-25 College Football Championship predictions.

2024-25 College Football Championship Odds

The following College Football Championship odds are courtesy of ScoresandStats:

The Oregon Ducks and Texas Longhorns are neck-and-neck as the betting favorites to win the National Title. The Clemson Tigers are considered the biggest longshot to win the NCAAF Championship.

Interestingly, the Georgia Bulldogs are the odds-on favorite to make the Championship Game. They edged out Oregon and Texas.

The biggest surprise to me, in regards to the betting lines, is that the Penn State Nittany Lions are almost even with Texas for being the odds-on favorites to make the Semifinal Round.

2024-25 College Football Playoff Teams

Before we make our College Football Picks for these various Championship prop bets, let’s take a look at each of the CFP teams, how they got here, and some key stats. Odds are courtesy of BetUS.

Oregon Ducks

• Championship: (+355)
• Title Game: Y (+185)/N (-225)    
• Semifinals: Y (-135)/N (+105)

The Oregon Ducks made quite the impression in their Big Ten debut season. Not only did they go unbeaten in conference play, which included beating Ohio State, but they also defeated Penn State to win the Big Ten Conference Championship.

The Ducks are the #1 seed in the country and the Playoffs as well. They will have a first-round bye before taking on the winner of Tennessee vs. Ohio State. It’s possible we get a rematch between the Ducks and Buckeyes, which would be thrilling for the CFP considering their first matchup came down to a last-minute FG.

When you think of Oregon, you think offense. And, that applies to this year’s team as well. The Ducks are 7^th in the nation for scoring (36.9 ppg), 12^th in total yards (446.8 ypg), and sixth in third down conversion (49.66%).

However, they have a top-notch defense as well. The Ducks only allow 18.1 ppg (9^th), 309 total yards per game (11), and just 176.3 passing yards per game (10^th).

Oregon is the most balanced team in the game. It’s going to take a perfect game from one of the other teams to take down the Ducks in the Playoffs.

Texas Longhorns

• Championship: (+360)
• Title Game: Y (+190)/N (-230)    
• Semifinals: Y (-210)/N (+170)

If there’s one team that has a shot at upending the Ducks, it would be Texas. The Longhorns have a comparable offense as they score 33.6 ppg and put up 445.3 total ypg. However, Texas’ defense is better. In fact, the Longhorns have one of the best defenses in the sport.

Texas ranks 2^nd in points allowed (12.5 ppg), yards allowed (249.8), and passing yards (143.1 ypg). They are also Top 15 in many other defensive categories.

With that said, Texas plays Clemson in the opening round of the Playoffs after falling short against Georgia in the SEC Championship game. The Longhorns lost in OT versus the Bulldogs. Georgia also beat Texas earlier in the season.  

If Texas can bet by the Tigers, they will face Arizona State in the Quarterfinals. If all goes well, Texas could face Oregon in the Semifinals, which would be an incredible matchup. Also, don’t rule out a potential trilogy game versus Georgia in the Championship. The Longhorns would love to get revenge.

Georgia Bulldogs

• Championship: (+500)
• Title Game: Y (+160)/N (-300)    
• Semifinals: Y (-140)/N (+110)

Speaking of the Georgia Bulldogs, they rallied to turn their season around after dropping two games during the regular season. The Bulldogs were able to close out the season with wins over Tennessee and Texas in the SEC title game. They also beat Clemson in the beginning of the season to give them three victories over current CFP teams.

Georgia has a first-round bye due to winning the SEC. They will play the winner of Indiana vs. Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. If they can win their QF matchup, then the Bulldogs could face Boise State, Penn State or SMU in the Semifinal Round. You would have to think that Georgia is favored in any of those matchups.

Georgia’s defense wasn’t as elite as in recent years when they won the National Championship. However, their offense has improved some. Most notably, they’re 13^th in the nation in passing at 280.7 yards per game. For the Bulldogs to have a real shot at winning the championship again, they will need Carson Beck 100% healthy. He sustained an arm injury in the SEC title game.

Ohio State Buckeyes  

• Championship: (+550)
• Title Game: Y (+300)/N (-400)    
• Semifinals: Y (+150)/N (-180)

The Buckeyes would’ve played in the Big Ten title game versus Oregon if they didn’t get tripped up by their bitter rival Michigan Wolverines at the end of the season. This opened up the door for Penn State to play in the conference title game despite the Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions a month prior.

For the Buckeyes, they open up against Tennessee at home and should be able to dispatch the Volunteers and move on to a rematch versus the Ducks in the Quarterfinal Round. This would be an exciting matchup for the sport and fans alike.

Ohio State probably offers the best betting value to win the National Championship. It’s surprising that they’re being overlooked as much as they are. The Buckeyes have a defense that’s very comparable to Texas.

In fact, some would argue that Ohio State’s defense is better considering they’re #1 in points allowed (10.9 ppg), total yards allowed (241.5 ypg), and red zone touchdowns (55.17%). Let’s not forget that the Buckeyes lost to Oregon by one point. A Playoff rematch versus the Ducks could vindicate Ohio State and put them closer to a championship.

Penn State Nittany Lions

• Championship: (+700)
• Title Game: Y (+205)/N (-265)    
• Semifinals: Y (-200)/N (+160)

Penn State put themselves in the conversation to make the Playoffs early in the season despite many critics questioning their schedule. And, the two best teams that PSU faced this year, they lost to in Oregon and Ohio State.

With that said, the Nittany Lions have the second highest odds to make the Semifinals. PSU plays SMU in the opening round at Beaver Stadium, which many pundits feel they will win. In the Quarterfinals, PSU would face Boise State. That’s my two favorite teams playing against each other. Yes, it hurts my heart to type that.

One would think that Penn State is favored to beat Boise State despite the Broncos being the higher seed and having the Heisman runner up.

For PSU to advance further in the Playoffs, they will need to lean on their strengths: run the ball and play solid defense.

Penn State was 16^th in the country at 202.2 rushing yards per game. And, they had a Top 10 defense for most major categories like points, total yards, and rushing yards allowed. If things go according to the odds, PSU could see Georgia in the Semifinals.

With the Bulldogs facing uncertainty over their QB Carson Beck, PSU could have a decent chance at the Championship game provided they could beat SMU and Boise State, then the winner of most likely Georgia vs. Notre Dame. That’s a lot of “ifs” but oddsmakers like them to get to the Semifinals more than any other team except for Texas.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

• Championship: (+700)
• Title Game: Y (+375)/N (-550)
• Semifinals: Y (+155)/N (-190

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish really didn’t deserve to make the College Football Playoffs if you are examining their body of work this season. Their lone loss came against Northern Illinois in one of the biggest upsets of the year. Their most notable wins were against middle of the pack teams like the Aggies, Trojans, Navy, Army and Louisville.

Yet, The Fighting Irish are favored to beat Indiana in the opening round of the Playoffs. If they get by the Hoosiers, then they will face the Bulldogs. If Georgia plays without their QB Beck, Notre Dame would have a decent shot at winning.

Now, just because I’m not impressed with their resume, it doesn’t mean that they don’t have a talented team. Notre Dame is third in the country scoring 39.8 ppg. They have the 11^th best rushing attack at 224.8 ypg. Defensively, they allow just 13.6 ppg (3^rd), 296.8 total yards per game (7^th), and 157.9 passing yards per game (3).

So, this team does have talent on both sides of the ball. And, they also have a favorable draw if Georgia is without their starting QB. Will there be some luck for the Irish in the Playoffs?

Tennessee Volunteers

• Championship: (+2500)
• Title Game: Y (+1400)/N (-7000)
• Semifinals: Y (+700)/N (-1400)

The Tennessee Vols have the same record (10-2) as the Buckeyes do, but they’re considered a sizable underdog despite their success in the SEC this season. However, a questionable loss against Arkansas really hurt their chances of earning a spot in the SEC title game. Not to mention, Georgia beat tham by two touchdowns.

The Vols best win of the year was against Alabama. And they rode their strong defense to do so. The Vols are 4^th in points allowed (14.9), 6^th in yards allowed (282.9 ypg), 3rd down conversions (31.58%), eight in rushing yards allowed (101.9 ypg), and 15^th against the pass (181 ypg).

Unfortunately, they open up against an Ohio State team that is better on paper and on the field. If they can get lucky to pull off the upset, then they face Oregon. It’s too much for Tennessee to be taken as a real contender. I would avoid the Vols for these CFP odds, especially since they won’t even get out of the first round.

SMU Mustangs

• Championship: (+4000)
• Title Game: Y (+1400)/N (-7000)
• Semifinals: Y (+400)/N (-600)

The SMU Mustangs came three points shy of winning the ACC Championship. They made a furious rally versus Clemson but the Tigers hit the game winning field goal to take the conference title.

Some pundits thought that with the loss, the Mustangs would not make the Playoffs. However, the CFP committee still felt that SMU deserved to be in over teams like Alabama and Miami.

You have to give SMU their props for a fantastic debut season in the ACC. Unfortunately, they will play their toughest game of the year when they head to State College to battle Penn State. If they can somehow pull off the upset, they will then have to play Boise State.

As fun as it was to watch SMU and their #8 scoring offense (36.8 ppg) this season, going on the road to PSU and possibly at the Fiesta Bowl versus Boise State, is too much for this team to overcome. The Mustangs lost to BYU and Clemson this year. I believe Penn State and Boise State are better than both of those teams. I would avoid any CFP wagers on SMU.

Indiana Hoosiers

• Championship: (+4000)
• Title Game: Y (+1600)/N (-8000)
• Semifinals: Y (+650)/N (-1200)

If there’s one team that didn’t earn a spot in the Playoffs based on their schedule, it’s definitely Indiana. The Hoosiers did not beat one ranked team this year. They were then blown out by 23 points against Ohio State in the second to last game of the regular season.

Indiana has the #2 scoring offense at 40.3 ppg. They also have the #6 scoring defense at 15.7 ppg. However, when they played an elite team, the Hoosiers were blown out.

Indiana was a fun story in the Big Ten this year, but that’s all it is – a story. The reality is that this team isn’t good enough to make it to the Semifinals. I don’t even see them getting past Notre Dame in the opening round. Avoid the Hoosiers for any and all of the CFP prop bets.

Boise State Broncos   

• Championship: (+5000)
• Title Game: Y (+1600)/N (-8000)
• Semifinals: Y (+300)/N (-400)

Along with Penn State, the Boise State Broncos are my favorite team. It hurts my soul that these two will end up playing each other in the Quarterfinals.

When looking at these odds, it’s clear that sportsbooks are not giving Boise State any respect. The Broncos were a last-minute FG away from being undefeated on the season. Their only loss came at Oregon by the score of 37 to 34.  

Boise State would go on to win their next 11 games in a row, which included the Mountain West Championship. They also earned the 3^rd seed in the Playoffs and a first round Bye.

The Broncos feature Ashton Jeanty who should’ve won the Heisman Trophy Award. It was a shame the voters were lost in they hype of Colorado’s Hunter because Jeanty had the second greatest season by a running back in the history of the sport.

Hunter was impressive as a two-way player, but he wasn’t even the best at WR or DB. In fact, some would argue he wasn’t even the best on his own team. In fact, if you put Hunter on the Broncos, they wouldn’t have even made the MWC title game. But if Colorado had Jeanty, they would’ve won the Big 12 and be a Top 5 team in the country.

Boise State is being grossly overlooked by the oddsmakers, so don’t fall into that trap. The Broncos have the 4^th best scoring offense in the league (37.7 ppg), 6^th in total yards (458.6 ypg), and 6^th in rushing (242.9 ypg).

Their biggest weakness is the defensive side of the ball. Most notably against the pass. Yet, they can stop the run and run the ball themselves. These are ingredients for Playoff football.

Look for Jeanty to lead the Broncos in the CFP. Can they stampede the competition and shock the bookies?

Arizona State Sun Devils

• Championship: (+5000)
• Title Game: Y (+2000)/N (-10000)
• Semifinals: Y (+300)/N (-400)

Like Oregon and SMU, the Arizona State Sun Devils had a great inaugural season in their new conference – the Big 12. The Sun Devils ended up winning the Big 12 Championship by defeating Iowa State. This earned them the #3 seed and a first-round bye.

ASU made a furious run at the end of the season with wins over ranked teams: Kansas State, BYU and Iowa State in their last four games. This was a nice turnaround after dropping two games to Texas Tech and Cincinnati. In fact, before the final month of the season, nobody picked ASU to be a contender for the Big 12 title.

They proved their doubters wrong and are in Playoffs with a bye in the opening round. That’s a huge victory for this program. Unfortunately, that’s where it all ends.

Arizona State doesn’t even rank in the Top 15 for any major offensive or defensive statistical category. Their strength is in running the ball as they rank 18^th at 198.8 ypg.

There’s no chance that the Sun Devils beat Texas, provided that the Longhorns get by Clemson. In fact, I don’t give ASU much of a chance to beat Clemson either. Avoid ASU for any of the Playoff prop bets.

Clemson Tigers

• Championship: (+6000)
• Title Game: Y (+2000)/N (-10000)             
• Semifinals: Y (+550)/N (-900)

If it weren’t for winning the ACC Championship game via last second field goal against SMU, the Clemson Tigers would not be in the Playoffs. This is a three-loss team who didn’t beat any ranked teams until the conference title game. They lost to Georgia in the opening week of the season by the score of 34-3.

Granted, the Tigers got better throughout the year, but they’re not a real contender to win the National Title despite their championship experience.

There’s a reason why the oddsmakers have Clemson ranked as the biggest underdogs in the 12-team Playoff field. They would have to upset the Longhorns and Sun Devils just for a shot at the Semifinal Round where they would face the winner of Oregon vs. Ohio State for a chance at the Championship Game.

Clemson has a solid passing offense that ranks 14^th in the country at 275.3 ypg. They also average 34.3 ypg (17^th). But when this team played against elite level defenses like in Georgia and South Carolina, the Tigers averaged just 8.5 ppg and were a shell of themselves. Stay away from Clemson for any of these prop bets.

Which CFP Teams Make The Semifinal Games?

The opening round of the Playoffs will see Texas, Ohio State, Penn State and Notre Dame all win their respective games.

From there, I see Texas crushing Arizona State, Oregon narrowly beating Ohio State, PSU getting by Boise State via last minute FG, and Georgia beating Notre Dame.

If Beck doesn’t play for Georgia, then you could see the Fighting Irish pull out the win. So, keep an eye on his health. Oregon offers the best value considering they have a first round bye, are the top ranked team in the country, and have already beaten Ohio State once this season.

Penn State offers the least value. In fact, I would consider taking Boise State in that Quarterfinal matchup if PSU looks awful against SMU.

Bet: Oregon (-135), Texas (-210), Penn State (-210), and Georgia (-140)

2024-25 College Football Championship Exact Matchup

For this prop bet, we’re picking the exact matchup for the two teams to make the College Football Championship game.

As you can see, there are dozens and dozens of options. We just listed the most realistic possibilities. With that in mind, let’s revisit our final four teams: Texas, Oregon, PSU and Georgia.

I believe that Oregon will beat Texas in probably the best game of the Playoffs. And, I see Georgia defeating Penn State. So, that leaves us with Oregon vs. Georgia for the Championship.

If you want to take a flier on one, look at PSU vs. Texas (+750) or Oregon vs. Boise State (+4500). Georgia’s QB situation could see them lose out at the bottom of the bracket. The winner of PSU vs. BSU could beat Notre Dame or a weakened Bulldogs team.

Bet: Oregon vs. Georgia (+600)

2024-25 College Football Championship Predictions

In the preseason, and beginning of the season, I was riding with Texas to win the National Championship. But two things happened during the season to make me jump off the Longhorns and onto another team.

The first thing that happened to make me change my pick about halfway through the season was the Oregon Ducks beating Ohio State. The Ducks showed that they could be an elite team and played like it for most of the season.

The other thing that made me change my mind was that Texas lost both games against Georgia. They really didn’t beat any elite teams this season. Michigan, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M are all average at best.

More than likely, we see Oregon versus Georgia in the Championship game. And, I believe we’ll see the Ducks hoist the trophy. This team can score with anyone in the sport, and they have enough of a defense to make late stops and win the game. Just ask Boise State, Ohio State and Penn State.

I’m taking Oregon to win the 2024-25 College Football Championship, but would love to see Boise State or Penn State win as both could potentially beat Oregon in a rematch.

Bet: Oregon Ducks (+350)

Recent NCAAF National Title Winners