The college football season is here, and the bookmakers believe that seven teams have separated themselves from the pack when it comes to winning the national championship.
The bookies at bet365 Sportsbook have installed Ohio State and Notre Dame as co-favorites at +600 odds, but there are five other teams right behind them: Indiana (+750), Texas (+750), Oregon (+750), Georgia (+850) and Miami (11/1).
Two other teams, LSU and Texas A&M, check in at 18/1, while Texas Tech will start the campaign at 20/1.
Alabama (22/1), Ole Miss (25/1), and Oklahoma (25/1) are the only other teams below 30/1.
Top of the board: Notre Dame (+650, BetMGM)
Notre Dame all the same boxes as Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, Georgia and Texas, plus another very important one: The Fighting Irish have the cushiest schedule of any title contender.
While their peers in the SEC and Big Ten will need to navigate a war of attrition, the path for Marcus Freeman’s side is straightforward: Take care of business and the Irish should be set up to make another deep run in the 12-team playoff.
And it’s not just the schedule or the chip-on-the-shoulder motivation that makes Notre Dame a legitimate threat this season. The Irish have a Heisman favorite at quarterback, a ton of skill and depth at their skill positions and a defense that should be among the best in college football.
It’s a short number, but there is a good chance the Irish remain at the top of the board throughout the entire campaign.
The SEC is going to be a gauntlet, but there’s no true juggernaut like there has been in previous eras.
Georgia is the cream of the crop on paper, but the Bulldogs have struggled to get over the hump against elite competition in recent seasons.
That could be the case again in 2026, leaving the door open for a gatecrasher like LSU.
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Lane Kiffin’s arrival has completely changed the mood in Baton Rouge, but it’s the Tigers defense that really makes them a threat.
Blake Baker has turned LSU into a defensive force since his arrival, and now he’ll have a Kiffin-run offense to support him. It’s a dream partnership.
We’ll know right away if LSU is the goods. The Bayou Bengals open against Clemson, pay a visit to Kiffin’s old team, Ole Miss, in Week 3 and then play Texas A&M in Week 4.
It’s a big ask, but if the Tigers clear these early hurdles they will be half this price.
Long shot: Utah (120/1, Fanatics Sportsbook)
Indiana was 100/1 at this time last season, so we’ll take one shot way down the board.
There is reason to be skeptical of the Utes after long-time head coach Kyle Whittingham bolted for Michigan, but the culture he built should remain intact under his former right-hand man Morgan Scalley.
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It’s no sure thing that Scalley will succeed, but his transition to the top job will be made easier thanks to a pretty soft schedule and the return of Devon Dampier at quarterback.
Utah’s toughest test won’t come until Week 11 when they host BYU, but the Utes are projected to be a favorite in their eight games before that, so they could essentially clinch a spot in the Big 12 Championship with a win in “The Holy War.”
It’s asking a lot, but that’s why the price is so high.
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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
