The top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs remained +270 betting favorites in college football National Championship odds after hammering Clemson 34-3 to open the season.

Kirby Smart’s team was the clear title favorite after Week 1, well ahead of No. 2 odds choice Ohio State at +450. Texas moved into a tie for third with Oregon at +700 and can take another big step with a victory at Michigan this weekend.

2024 College Football National Championship Odds

Odds as of September 3, 2024 at FanDuel

NCAAF National championship favorites: An Early Statement From Bulldogs

Georgia made a strong statement in Week 1, handing Clemson its worst loss in over a decade. Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck picked up right where he left off in 2023, tossing a pair of TDs. Beck has now thrown for multiple scores in six of his last eight games.

Georgia won back-to-back national championships before being left out of the College Football Playoffs last season following a loss to Alabama in the SEC title game. With an expanded 12-team playoff debuting this season, it looks like the Bulldogs will be very hard to keep out of the title mix once again.

nCAAF National championship contender: Texas Moving Up the Odds Board

The Texas Longhorns certainly looked the part of a national championship contender in their 52-0 rout of Colorado State in Week 1. As a result, the Longhorns’ odds of winning the title shifted slightly from +850 in the preseason to +750 entering Week 2.

Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers threw three touchdowns, breaking in a young receiving corps by connecting with 11 different wideouts. The schedule toughens this week with a trip to Michigan, but many of the key players in last season’s national title run—like coach Jim Harbaugh, quarterback J.J. McCarthy and running back Blake Corum—have moved on. Get out of Ann Arbor, and the Longhorns have some breathing room before back-to-back games against Oklahoma and Georgia in October.

NCAAF National championship long shot: Irish Impress In Early Road Test

It may have gotten lost amid all the big matchups in Week 1, but few teams had a better opener than Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish went to one of the toughest stadiums in America, Kyle Field, and used defense and the running game to pull away from 3-point favorite Texas A&M 23-13.

Notre Dame churned out 200 rushing yards behind a cadre of three backs, picked off Aggies quarterback Conner Weigman twice, and got a steady debut from signal-called Riley Leonard. The Irish remained a +1800 bet to win the national title, that value enhanced by the fact that the Golden Domers don’t face another ranked opponent until November when Florida State visits South Bend.

Last 10 College Football National Champions

The SEC conference has claimed six of the last national titles over the last decade. By the looks of it, sportsbooks do a decent job with their opening odds. Only one program had early odds of +1000 or higher, the Buckeyes in 2014. 

nCAAF Teams with the most national titles

Despite not having hoisted the trophy since 1927, Yale was a wagon, picking up 14 titles by the turn of the 20th century.

In terms of modern-day history, the Tide has been passed the torch as a dynasty. With the help of Nick Saban, Alabama pocketed six championships between 2009 and 2020. 

nCAAF National championship betting trends

How to bet on the college football national championship

When it comes to big events for any sport, you can bet on futures months in advance -- including which team will win the national championship. Each week, oddsmakers will update the odds to reflect how a squad is doing. If a team is plagued with injuries, their chances of making it to the final game slim down. A surging squad will see their odds skyrocket.

When you go to a college football sportsbook, you’ll see the betting lines laid out like this:

Georgia opens as the fave since the Bulldogs have the lowest odds. The Crimson Tide and Buckeyes are considered underdogs.

If you believe that Georgia has the best chance of winning the championship, and you bet $100 on them, you’d get a payout of $275 – your original $100 is returned along with your winnings of $175. Our odds calculating toolwill show you how much you’d win based on the odds and amount bet.

When you see futures odds that you like, it’s best to jump on them early. As mentioned above, betting sites will adjust the odds as we get closer to bowl season and teams move up and down in the standings.