The 2021 college football season kicks things off on the final Saturday in August with a limited schedule of games. Just about every Division IA (FBS) team will be in action the following week. This also marks the start of this year’s race to the 2021 national title.
It may be a new year of college football, but some things remain the same such as the top five favorites to win this year’s national championship. Using the recently adjusted betting odds at BetOnline online sportsbook, here is the shortlist of favorites:
- Alabama Crimson Tide +260
- Clemson Tigers +450
- Oklahoma Sooners +600
- Georgia Bulldogs +650
- Ohio State Buckeyes +675
Any of these five elite powers have the capability to make that long run to the top of the list as the best college football team this season. Based in the SEC, Alabama comes in as the defending champion.
The Tide’s NCAAF futures odds to win their conference championship are set at -165 as the top favorites. Georgia is next on that list as +200 second-favorites to win the SEC. Since these two teams will not play one another during the 2021 regular season, they will most likely face one another in early December with the conference championship on the line.
Alabama’s projected win total is set at 11.5, with the betting favoring the UNDER at -140. The betting odds for a perfect 12-0 run through the regular-season schedule are set at +110.
The Bulldogs’ projected wins for the season are 10.5, with -135 betting odds favoring the OVER. The odds that Georgia loses at least two games are +105.
The third team on the list to win this year’s SEC title is the Texas A&M Aggies at +1000. They play in the highly competitive SEC West to drain some value from those odds. The Aggies’ odds to win the 2021 national title are set at +2500, which is seventh on the list. The SEC’s Florida Gators are next at +2800, along with the LSU Tigers.
Moving to Clemson’s odds to win another ACC title this year, the Tigers have been opened as heavy -600 favorites. Next on that NCAAF futures board is the North Carolina Tar Heels at +625 odds. They are followed by the Miami Hurricanes at +850 before the odd start to expand rapidly.
Clemson’s win total for the season has been set at 11.5 with -125 odds for the UNDER and -105 odds for a perfect 12-0 run.
Oklahoma is at the top of the list to win the Big 12 as a -200 favorite, with Iowa State (+375) and Texas (+450) filling out the list of the top three contenders.
The Sooners have a total win projection of 11 with -120 odds favoring the OVER. The odds that Oklahoma loses at least two games are set at -110.
Moving to the Big Ten, Ohio State remains the team to beat as a -210 conference favorite. The Wisconsin Badgers are next as +550 second-favorites, followed by the Penn State Nittany Lions at +900 betting odds.
The Buckeyes’ win total is set at 11 games with -120 betting odds favoring a perfect 12-0 run through the regular season. The odds for UNDER 11 wins are -110.
Betting outside the Top 5 when it comes to NCAAF championship futures would have to be considered a high-risk bet with a very low probability of winning.
You cannot go wrong going chalk on Alabama at +260. Stretching the odds to +675 for Ohio State is another high-value play.
