2023 College Football National Championship Odds

Is there a better day to bet than the day a College Football National Championship is getting crowned?

Well, it depends on your taste, but if you like College Football, this is your big event.

The two best teams in the nation go head-to-head to see who reigns supreme at the collegiate level.

It also serves as a chance to say goodbye on a high for players who declare for the NFL Draft. It’s high stakes, high tension, high-level competition.

National Championship Betting Odds Explained

To get to the National Championship Game, the teams first have to endure the regular season and be able to get into the College Football Playoffs.

Only Division I teams can opt to get into the postseason. Out of them all, only four teams get to the playoffs, the winners of the semifinals advance to the National Championship game.

Entering the CFP is a tough task in its own right. To enter, a 13-member committee picks and seeds the four teams. The system to choose who enters is a Plus-One system.

The semifinal games take part in a six major bowl games rotation.

The Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Sugar Bowl are the usual hosts of the CFP Semifinals.

These games are played on New Year’s Day. The National Championship game takes place on the first Monday, usually a week after the semifinals. Before we get into the teams favored to be here and pushing for the title, let’s see the selection process.

Out of the 13 members in the committee, there is one athletic director from each of the five biggest conferences.

These are the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC.

The other people in the boardroom are former coaches, players, athletic directors, and administrators. The last spot goes to a retired member from the media.

Every week during the second half of the regular season, the committee releases a top 25 ranking. The top four teams come in order for the playoffs.

Among the criteria used, the strength of the schedule is one of the most relevant ones.

Conference championships, team records, and head-to-head results are taken into account. Other points like injuries and weather are minimal, but also a part of the selection process.

As a fun fact, 24 out of the 28 teams selected for the CFP have been undefeated or have one loss at best but were conference champions in the Power Five.

The Favorites

Georgia – Even without looking at the odds, it’s easy to guess who the bookies’ favorites are this season.

That’s right; many expect the Georgia Bulldogs to achieve a historic three-peat, something that hasn’t been done since the 1930s!

It’s easy to see why Georgia is the favorite. The Bulldogs dominated college football proceedings in 2022, achieving an 8-0 conference record and a 15-0 overall record, bettering their 14-1 record from the previous year.

If that wasn’t enough, their 65-7 blowout victory against TCU in the title game was the perfect way to cap off such an incredible season.

Despite being favorites, the Bulldogs have to deal with a lot of reshuffling, with many players declaring for the NFL draft.

The most notable losses are QB Stetson Bennett, who set the record for passing yards in a single season last year, and Jalen Carter, a 5-star recruit and the potential no. 1 draft pick in the NFL.

But head coach Kirby Smart has been at the helm for so long and can deal with such departures. Plus, a high-level program like Georgia boasts a top-tier scouting department, so top-rated players will always come and go.

If you believe in the hype and want to back the Bulldogs to go back-to-back-to-back, you can get them at odds of +240 before the season starts.

Alabama – While the Crimson Tide weren’t at their best in the 2022 season, such a storied program is always expected to be in the mix when it comes to winning the National Championship.

They may have missed out on the playoffs last year, but Nick Saban will be hoping to make amends in his 17th season coaching the program.

The Tide ended the 2022 season with an 11-2 overall record and a 6-2 mark in conference play, which was severely below expectations, and this also meant that they missed out on the SEC Championship Game in ’22.

Tomy Rees is the team’s new offensive coordinator, while Kevin Steele is the new defensive coordinator after Pete Golding left for Ole Miss. However, Steele has had various coaching stints at Bama before.

But the most significant loss is undoubtedly Bryce Young, who’ll be hoping to be the no. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

The QB was influential for Alabama, particularly in 2021 when he led them to the National Championship game, winning the Heisman trophy in the process.

Still, we think that things will tick for Nick Saban this time round, and at the least we expect for Alabama to top the SEC West and qualify for the playoffs.

If you think that the Tide can win the title under Saban once again, they are available at odds of +500.

Ohio State – While the National Championship game was a truly one-sided affair, the same can’t be said about the Peach Bowl. Ohio State lost 42-41 to Georgia’s rampaging team, but the loss was compounded by the Buckeyes’ last-second field goal attempt that sailed wide.

The rest, as they say, is history.

They are third favorites behind Alabama and Georgia in many sportsbooks, averaging odds of around +750. But to win the National Championship, the team will need to improve in many areas.

The Buckeyes failed to make the Big Ten Football Championship Game for the second consecutive season after an 11-2 overall record and 8-1 in Big Ten play.

Now that C.J. Stroud is heading to the NFL, Ryan Day will have to deal with a revamped offensive line, but there are two worthy replacements (Devin Brown and Kyle McCord) who’ll add some intrigue to the Buckeyes’ QB battle.

Michigan – While Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines have their sights set on a Big Ten three-peat, National Glory should be their primary target this season.

A 13-1 overall record and 9-0 in Big Ten play was impressive, but they once again lost in the semi-finals of the playoffs for the 2nd straight season, this time a 51-45 loss vs. TCU in the Fiesta Bowl.

There’s no doubting Michigan’s strength and talents, but beating the elite teams on the big stage is what separates good teams from world-class teams.

But with Jim Harbaugh still at the helm in what will be his 9th season, this may be the year that everything works out.

The last time that the Wolverines were National champs was way back in 1997 (none of their stars were even born then), and if you think this will be their year, they are priced at +1000 on many sportsbooks.

The Contenders

USC – PAC-12 big boys USC had a pretty solid 2022 season. Despite not making the playoffs, they ended the season with an 8-1 conference record and 11-3 record overall.

It was head coach Lincoln Riley’s first season in charge of the Trojans, and he worked his magic again by producing another Heisman trophy winner, this time Caleb Williams.

Riley also led USC to its first Pac-12 Football Championship Game since 2017, though the team lost to Utah 47-24.

They haven’t been National champions since the early 2000s and are priced at +1400 to win it all this season.

Clemson – Undoubtedly, Clemson has been the top dog in the ACC for the past few years. The Tigers have been crowned conference champions in 7 of the last 8 seasons, only missing out in 2021 when Pittsburgh claimed the ACC title.

This will be Coach Dabo Swinney’s 15th full season (16th overall) coaching the program, and he’s led the team to the national title multiple times before.

The last time the Tigers won the National Championship game was in 2018 when they defeated no. 1 ranked Alabama in the championship decider, just as they did two years prior in 2016.

With talents like Cade Klubnik — a potential Heisman Trophy winner — and the addition of TCU’s Garrett Riley as their new offensive coordinator, Clemson should boast one of college football’s top offenses.

The only question is whether this can translate to an elusive national title. The bookies have them at +1600 to make and win the 2024 National Championship Game.

Florida State – Clemson is expected to dominate the ACC conference, but Florida State should be able to go toe to toe with the conference champs this season.

The Seminoles finished the 2022 season with a 5-3 ACC record and a 10-3 record overall, and Jordan Travis — another Heisman Trophy candidate — had his best season yet and is expected to go from strength to strength this year.

If they can keep up their mean defense, which went from conceding 26.5 PPG to 20.6, they could be one of the dark horses for the National Championship, which they last won in 2013.

This will be Mike Norvell’s fourth year coaching the program, and he’ll be aiming to win his first national title as head coach. If you fancy the Seminoles, they are priced at +2000, which could prove to be a steal.

Texas – Much is expected from SEC-bound Texas this season.

This will be Steve Sarkisian’s third year coaching the program, and he’s already shown that he’s the right fit for the project after helping improve the team’s win total in 2022.

So the third time may be the charm when it comes to winning the National Championship. Their odds are +2200, which is reasonable.

The Longhorns also don’t have to deal with many departures, with RB Bijan Robinson the only star player who’s declared for the draft.

Plus, the addition of Arch Manning — a 5-star recruit — means that a lot of eyes will be on Texas, mainly due to the Manning family name more than anything else.

The Longshots

TCU – Despite making the National Championship game last year, TCU isn’t fancied by many bookies. Sure, they were thumped by the Georgia Bulldogs in the decider, but the Horned Frogs still had a magnificent season.

A 9-0 conference record (13-2 overall) is championship-worthy, and despite many players leaving for the NFL draft, we expect head coach Sonny Dykes and his staff to have suitable replacements lined up for the QB, RB, and receiver positions.

TCU is priced at +6000, which is an excellent option if you’re looking for a longshot worth of backing.

North Carolina – The Tar Heels have a potential Heisman winner in QB Drake Maye.

If the signal caller can match or better last season’s total output, North Carolina may be able to beat Clemson to the ACC title and even make the playoffs.

Unsurprisingly, with odds of +10000, they aren’t favored to win the National Championship but could be worth backing later on in the season if things go the right way.

Past College Football National Championship Winners

Year	Winner	Record
2022	Georgia	15-0
2021	Georgia	14-1
2020	Alabama	13-0
2019	LSU	15-0
2018	Clemson	15-0
2017	Alabama	13-1
UCF	13-0
2016	Alabama	14-1
Clemson	14-1
2015	Alabama	14-1
2014	Ohio State	14-1
2013	Florida State	14-0
2012	Alabama	13-1
Notre dame	12-1

National Championship Handicapping

Look guys, handicapping is not an exact science.

But, you can put yourself into a position where you can find an edge on the oddsmakers.

Bet Online On The National Championship Game

Like we said before, this is like Christmas for NCAAF bettors.

Sportsbooks know this, they throw big bonuses where you can boost your bets and win the big bucks without needing to throw the house out of the window.

Large deposits will only multiply your possible winnings while mitigating risks.

By betting online, you also have access to lots and lots of markets, including pre-match, live betting, props, etc.

Last but not least, you can shop lines to find the best college football odds available to make the most of the reward. The best odds, the best payout. Simple.

Coaching Matters A Lot

College Football is a very strategic game.

Yes, you can have a great head coach, but if your talent is limited, there is little to nothing you can do.

However, in the National Championship game, you have the best two programs. Here, coaching is the difference between winning and losing.

There’s a reason Nick Saban, Dabo Sweeney, Lincoln Riley, and others win the big bucks. They can be the difference makers.

So don’t bet without considering what the coaching has looked like along the season.

Resume

Considering the National Championship is the result of a long season, you have a lot of footage to go and study.

The resume matters, the fatigue matters, everything matters.

It’s not the same having to overcome one or two tough matches, than having to endure a tough conference.

Take into consideration the programs that the two finalists faced.

Popular National Championship Bets

As always, remember, this is a massive game in real life, but in the betting world, it pays the same.

So, it’s important for you to analyze and note which betting type is the one you need to choose.

These are some of the most popular ones:

Moneyline

Betting on the moneyline means you are putting your money on the straight-up winner of the game.

The underdogs will get a plus number in the odds, while the favorites will have minus-odds attached to them.

For example, you would look something like this in a sportsbook.

• Alabama -170
• Ohio State +150

What this means is Alabama is the favorite. It implies that you have to lay $170 to win $100. For Ohio State, a $100 wager will win you $150.

In other words, the minus odds are what you need to risk to earn $100. The plus odds are what you’d be winning in a $100 bet.

Point Spread

In this type of bet, you’re betting on a team to win by an expected number of points.

In the case of an underdog, it means they can win or lose by less than the projected points handicapped to the favorite.

Let’s take a look at an example.

• Alabama -5.5 (-110)
• Ohio State +5.5 (-110)

In this case, Alabama is favored to win by 5.5 points. This means that to win the spread, Bama needs to win by six points or more.

Ohio State can win or lose by no more than five points and still cash.

Totals

Known as Over/Under bets. The sportsbook will come with a projected number of points to be scored between both teams.

You, as a totals bettor, will choose if the teams combine to go over or under that number. It looks like this:

• Alabama -5.5 (-110)
• Ohio State +5.5 (-110)
• Totals: 60.5

Don’t be scared to watch the totals be so high. It happens in College Football. Scores are too high compared to the NFL, for example.

Take into consideration the National Championship pits the best two teams. This means usually two prolific attacks are there.

National Championship Betting Strategy

There are some betting strategies you can use to approach the big game to put yourself in a better position to win.

And now, we will present you with some of the strategies to bet on the National Championship game.

Stats Aren’t Everything

This comes hand in hand with our tip before the resumes.

If a team has a lighter schedule on their way to the National Championship game, their stats will look even better than what they might actually be.

If you don’t face top opposition, and you are a top program, of course, you’re going to crush them. So run your analysis to a further point.

Lines Move, Get Going

If you are betting for the favorite, chances are betting early is the best option for you, because this means most bettors will put money on it.

This will make the line get bigger, hence minimizing your chances of winning.

If you bet on the underdog, it’s the opposite.

Wait until sharps shifts the line away from the underdog, buying yourself a margin of more points.