2025-26 CFP Futures Odds: Clemson a Popular Offseason Play
College Football Playoff championship odds for 2025-26 are perking up, with just two weeks until the season opens.
Texas and Ohio State lead the way in 2025-26 College Football Playoff futures odds. But a lot can happen between now and Jan. 19, when the title game is played in Miami.
Below are current CFP odds from an array of operators. And to get the most out of your college football bets, use our Fanatics Sportsbook promo.
(Feature image: Ken Ruinard/Imagn Images)
National Championship Winner Odds
2025-26 College Football Playoff Odds
Texas On Top
UPDATE SUNDAY, AUG. 10: In mid-June, Texas and Ohio State were +500 co-favorites in BetMGM's College Football Playoff odds. Texas is still +500, but is now the solo favorite, with Ohio State the +525 second choice.
A $300,000 bet will have that effect. A BetMGM customer put that hefty six-figure play on Texas +500, which would net $1.5 million. Even without that wager, the Longhorns have been a popular play so far.
"It's been a lot of Texas money coming in, almost twice as much in handle as Ohio State," BetMGM trading manager Seamus Magee said of moving the Longhorns to the lone favorite. "Texas is now a team we'd like to avoid seeing win the national championship, one of the three biggest liabilities."
On the flip side, BetMGM's risk room wouldn't mind a Buckeyes repeat title at all, at this point.
"We're in a nice position with Ohio State," Magee said. "The Buckeyes have the second-most tickets and third-most handle. But the big bet on Texas puts us in a good spot on Ohio State, as we stand here today."
Penn State, the +700 co-third choice with Georgia, took a $200,000 wager at +750 to win the title. And it came from that same customer who made the $300,000 Texas bet. The Penn State play would also profit $1.5 million with a Nittany Lions championship.
Dollars on Dabo
UPDATE SUNDAY, AUG. 10: The first few years of the CFP, Clemson was a mainstay. From 2015-16 through 2020-21, the Tigers made six straight CFP appearances and won two national titles.
But Dabo Swinney's squad failed to get in during the 2021-22/2022-23/2023-24 seasons. In 2024-25, with the expansion to 12 teams, Clemson qualified, but fell to Texas 38-24 in the first round.
This year, early bettors seem to think there's something to the Tigers' chances in College Football Playoff odds. Clemson opened +2000, stood at +1300 in mid-June and is now all the way into the +900 co-fifth choice with Oregon.
"Clemson has taken the second-most handle and third-most tickets. There's a lot of love for Dabo's squad, and the Tigers are a liability for the book," Magee said.
Among the wagers on Clemson: $115,000 at +1300 to win it all, which would profit $1.495 million. And just like those Texas and Penn State bets, the same customer made the Clemson play. So that bettor is in for $615,000 total, to collect ostensibly $1.5 million if one of those three wins the national title.
Flying Under The Radar
UPDATE SUNDAY, AUG. 10: It's not often that an oddsmaker rates a Mid-American Conference outfit as an under-the-radar team in College Football Playoff futures odds. But mid-summer, Magee is doing just that.
"If anyone is looking for a Group of 5 team that might make some noise this season, I'm a big fan of what's happening in Buffalo right now," Magee said. "I think the Bulls have a great shot to win the MAC this year and possibly even win 10 games."
Buffalo went 9-4 last season, winning its last five games. That included a 26-7 rout of Liberty in the Bahamas Bowl. At the moment, BetMGM doesn't have the Bulls listed in odds to win the CFP. But Buffalo is available in odds to make the 12-team CFP field, at +4000.
As was the case in mid-June, Magee remains keen on USC, despite its rough 2024-25 campaign. Minus Caleb Williams, the Trojans went far further backwards than expected, going 7-6. And that seventh win didn't come until a 35-31 Las Vegas Bowl victory over Texas A&M.
Southern Cal opened +8000 in BetMGM's CFP championship odds and is now out to +10000 (100/1).
"I still think USC has a very high ceiling this year, evident with the popularity of the Trojans in the futures market," Magee said. "I'm still high on Auburn, too. N.C. State I still think comes down to how they do in their first six games, before their trip to South Bend against Notre Dame."
Auburn opened +6000 and has spent all summer at +6600. North Carolina State opened +15000 and is now a +30000 long shot.
Magee noted one more under-the-radar outfit.
"Another team that's starting to get my attention is Oklahoma," he said. "The Sooners have a gauntlet of a schedule this season. But they upgraded at QB with [transfer] John Mateer, and they bring Mateer's offensive coordinator [Ben Arbuckle] over from Washington State.
"This is probably the best roster Brent Venables has had at OU."
Oklahoma is at least heading the right direction in College Football Playoff championship odds. The Sooners opened +7000, were at +6600 in late May and are now +5000, among the top 20 teams on the CFP odds board.
Colorado Buffa-low
UPDATE SUNDAY, AUG. 10: The past two seasons, BetMGM and most other sportsbooks were drowning in Colorado national championship bets. The public betting masses couldn't get enough of coach Deion Sanders and the Buffs in College Football Playoff odds.
With Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter now on to the NFL, there's not nearly as much buzz on the Buffaloes. Colorado opened +15000, was still +15000 in mid-June and slid out to +25000 (250/1) by mid-July.
"Action has definitely cooled on Colorado compared with years past. But again, I think they're an intriguing team," Magee said. "Kaidon Salter at QB and a much improved offensive line through the portal could see the Buffaloes surprise some people, outside of the state of Colorado, of course."
Salter transferred to Colorado from Liberty, stepping into the void left by Shedeur Sanders.
"It doesn't take a lot for people to become interested in Coach Prime and Colorado. So we'll see how they start the season and if action picks up on them again."
Opening National Championship Odds
Listed below are the January's opening odds to win the 2025-26 National Championship
- Ohio State +450
- Texas +550
- Georgia +600
- Oregon +700
- Penn State +850
- Notre Dame +1200
- Alabama +1200
- Clemson +2000
- LSU +2000
- Tennessee +2000
- Texas A&M +3000
Odds Provided by BetMGM and subject to change.
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College Football Playoff Format
Last season, the College Football Playoff went from four teams to 12 teams, and it will again be 12 teams for the 2025-26 season.
The field of 12 is comprised of six conference champions, plus the six highest-ranked other teams. The rankings will again be determined by the College Football Playoff committee.
College Football Playoff Schedule
Here is the bowl schedule for the 2025-26 College Football Playoff.
First round (Dec. 19-20) — On campus
- Friday, Dec. 19: One game
- Saturday, Dec. 20: Three games
Quarterfinals (Dec. 31-Jan. 1)
- Wednesday, Dec. 31: Cotton Bowl
- Thursday, Jan. 1: Orange Bowl (early afternoon)
- Thursday, Jan. 1: Rose Bowl (late afternoon)
- Thursday, Jan. 1: Sugar Bowl (primetime)
Semifinals (Jan. 8-9)
- Thursday, Jan. 8: Fiesta Bowl
- Friday, Jan. 9: Peach Bowl
CFP National Championship
- Monday, Jan. 19, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
How To Read College Football Playoff Futures Odds
Over 133 schools are looking for a chance to earn a trip to the 2025-26 College Football Playoff.
Let's look at an example. Ohio State is the +500 co-favorite to win the national championship. That means a $100 wager would yield a $500 profit if the Buckeyes win the title.
How To Bet On College Football Futures
American football is the most popular game among bettors in the United States, and a large portion of that interest is from college football. Analyzing futures odds and predicting which school will become the champion every season continues to receive attention at the betting counter.
Check out our online sportsbook directory to find the best and most secure places to make college football bets, as well as exclusive sportsbook offers. You can also use our Caesars sportsbook promo code to unlock potential bonus bets.
College Football Futures can be bet on throughout the year. As with any betting market, there are wagering peaks and valleys. After each season ends in January, oddsmakers send out their opening futures for the following season.
The main market is for the NCAA Division 1 Football Bowl Subdivision. There are more than 125 teams divided into 10 conferences, and a group of independent schools, including Notre Dame.
Some sportsbooks set college football futures on every school eligible to win the championship. But other operators keep the list at 50 teams or even fewer, since some lower-tier schools don’t have a competitive chance. The Future Odds market doesn’t receive as much attention in the spring, but interest tends to pick up in the summer and in the first couple weeks of the regular season.
Interest tends to heighten again as conference championship weekend draws near. And betting on College Football Playoff futures odds really picks up after the 12-team field is set.
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NCAAF Popular Futures Odds
- Heisman Trophy
- College Football Playoff
- Win Totals
- SEC Championship
- Big Ten Championship
- Big 12 Championship
- American Championship
- MWC Championship
- Sun Belt Championship
- CUSA Championship
- MAC Championship
Most Popular Betting Odds
