Hitting a college football underdog bet is one of the best feelings! Our CFB underdog betting report, we break down just how often these long shots come through and how profitable they've been throughout the season. If you love a good upset or just want to know where the value has been—we've got you covered.
College Football Underdog Records
Dog SU
Dog ATS
10-Pt Dog SU
10-Pt Dog ATS
220-649 (-$14751.35)
436-416-17 (-$1858.29)
46-387 (-$15722.0)
228-200-5 (+$782.86)
Betting college football underdogs outright in 2024? Brutal. 'Dogs went 220-649 SU, burning $14,751 along the way. But ATS, things got brighter with underdogs finishing nearly even (436-416-17). However, double-digit underdogs were practically hopeless straight-up, winning just 46 games and down over $15K. But, they were sneaky against the spread by covering 53.3% of those large spreads to pocket a $782 profit. It doesn't take a genius to figure out this lesson—avoid the 'dogs moneylines but give them the points, especially the big ones!
Last season, Toledo and Bowling Green were quietly killing it as underdogs, each going 3-0 ATS with average win margins over 17 points. Meanwhile, South Carolina was a menace on the road, going 3-0 ATS with an average win margin of +19.7—including impressive covers against Kentucky and Alabama in 2024.
Betting on college football can be daunting with all the conferences and teams, but one great way to get started is to have a ride-or-die strategy, like betting on the underdogs.
It’s easy and profitable, and all you need are the basics of sports betting. In your college football sportsbook, you’ll find odds that can be listed as American odds (-500), fractional odds (1/5) or decimal odds (1.20). We use American style here, but you can often swap between formats at any book.
Those odds are then used to help you gauge and value the different kinds of bets. Here’s an example of a moneyline bet (using American odds), where you would just have to pick the straight-up (SU) Sportsbook of the contest:
Ohio State Buckeyes -130 Michigan Wolverines +240
In this case, Ohio State is the favorite, paying out $100 in profit for every $130 you bet. Michigan is the underdog, as shown by the plus (+) sign, paying out a higher amount if the Wolverines were to upset the Buckeyes.
College Football Underdog Betting: Against The Spread
Team
SU Underdog Record
SU Underdog Profits
ATS Underdog Record
ATS Underdog Profits
NIU
2-2
+$1930.0
3-1
+$165.15
Vanderbilt
4-5
+$1625.0
7-2
+$436.75
Syracuse
5-2
+$915.0
5-2
+$246.65
Kennesaw State
2-10
+$870.0
5-7
-$245.45
BYU
4-1
+$735.0
4-1
+$264.4
Michigan
2-4
+$710.0
3-3
-$27.27
Georgia State
2-5
+$675.0
2-3-2
-$118.18
Memphis
2-0
+$645.0
2-0
+$181.82
St. Francis-PA
1-1
+$600.0
1-1
-$9.09
Georgia Southern
5-2
+$590.91
6-1
+$437.56
Sam Houston State
3-2
+$485.0
3-2
+$77.06
Arizona State
4-2
+$480.0
4-2
+$159.69
Illinois
4-3
+$460.0
5-2
+$254.55
Toledo
2-0
+$430.0
2-0
+$181.82
Navy
3-2
+$425.0
3-2
+$68.78
Old Dominion
4-4
+$415.24
5-3
+$150.6
Houston
3-7
+$415.0
5-5
-$41.12
Buffalo
3-4
+$405.24
3-4
-$122.94
Texas Tech
2-2
+$385.0
3-1
+$172.73
Rutgers
4-2
+$380.0
4-1-1
+$263.64
Monmouth-New Jersey
1-0
+$375.0
1-0
+$90.91
Louisiana-Monroe
3-7
+$365.0
4-6
-$232.03
James Madison
1-0
+$333.0
1-0
+$90.91
SMU
2-0
+$320.0
2-0
+$181.82
UNLV
2-1
+$315.0
2-1
+$77.87
Colorado
2-2
+$310.0
3-1
+$164.83
Georgia
2-0
+$290.0
2-0
+$177.87
Wyoming
3-7
+$275.0
6-4
+$149.79
South Alabama
2-2
+$260.0
2-2
-$22.13
South Carolina
3-3
+$240.0
5-1
+$363.21
Stanford
2-9
+$230.0
4-6-1
-$236.36
Florida
4-5
+$225.0
6-3
+$241.51
Georgia Tech
2-4
+$220.0
3-3
-$27.27
Boston College
2-5
+$220.0
5-2
+$258.88
Rice
3-5
+$200.0
4-3-1
+$67.97
Washington State
2-1
+$200.0
2-1
+$81.82
Louisiana-Lafayette
2-1
+$195.0
2-1
+$86.15
Marshall
3-3
+$155.0
5-0-1
+$458.88
Duke
4-3
+$145.24
5-1-1
+$356.47
Idaho
1-1
+$140.0
2-0
+$181.82
TCU
2-1
+$140.0
2-1
+$90.91
Oregon
1-0
+$135.0
1-0
+$86.96
Notre Dame
1-0
+$125.0
1-0
+$86.96
Kentucky
1-4
+$125.0
4-1
+$263.64
Iowa State
1-0
+$120.0
1-0
+$100.0
West Virginia
4-5
+$110.0
4-5
-$140.31
Louisville
1-2
+$110.0
1-2
-$109.09
Ole Miss
1-0
+$110.0
1-0
+$90.91
Southern Utah
1-1
+$100.0
1-1
-$9.09
Alabama
1-0
+$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Utah
2-3
+$70.91
4-1
+$268.35
Oklahoma
2-5
+$45.24
3-4
-$127.27
Kansas
3-3
+$45.0
4-2
+$172.3
Air Force
3-5
+$35.0
4-4
-$44.26
Tennessee
1-1
+$35.0
1-1
-$13.04
Clemson
1-1
+$15.0
1-1
-$9.09
Ohio
3-3
+$5.24
4-2
+$163.64
NC State
2-4
-$5.0
3-3
-$27.27
Army
1-1
-$9.09
1-1
-$9.09
Baylor
2-3
-$15.0
3-2
+$77.06
California
1-4
-$25.0
3-2
+$72.73
LA Tech
1-4
-$25.0
5-0
+$454.55
Appalachian State
2-4
-$35.0
3-3
-$31.22
Arkansas
2-6
-$35.0
5-3
+$159.69
Hawaii
2-6
-$40.0
4-3-1
+$67.97
LSU
1-2
-$40.0
1-2
-$109.09
Oregon State
1-4
-$50.0
2-3
-$118.18
USC
1-2
-$50.0
2-1
+$81.82
Coastal Carolina
3-4
-$54.76
3-4
-$127.27
North Carolina
1-2
-$60.0
1-2
-$109.09
UCLA
3-7
-$65.0
6-4
+$150.17
Auburn
2-3
-$75.0
3-2
+$72.73
New Mexico
2-5
-$75.0
4-3
+$72.3
East Carolina
2-3
-$80.0
3-2
+$77.06
UCF
1-2
-$80.0
2-1
+$86.15
Jacksonville State
1-2
-$85.0
1-2
-$109.09
WKU
2-3
-$85.0
3-2
+$72.73
Bowling Green
1-2
-$90.0
3-0
+$272.73
North Dakota
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
New Hampshire
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Norfolk State
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Wofford
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
North Alabama
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
North Carolina A&T
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Northern Colorado
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
William & Mary
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
North Dakota State
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
North Carolina Central
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Northern Arizona
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Samford
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Western Carolina
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Tarleton
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
VMI
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
UC Davis
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Towson
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
The Citadel
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Villanova
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Texas Southern
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Texas A&M-Commerce
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Texas A&M
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Tennessee-Martin
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Stony Brook
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Prairie View
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Stephen F. Austin
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Southern Illinois
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Southeast Missouri State
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
South Dakota
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$95.24
South Carolina State
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Weber State
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Robert Morris
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Richmond
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Rhode Island
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
South Dakota State
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Abilene Christian
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Youngstown State
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Lehigh
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Lamar
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Lafayette
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Elon
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Central Arkansas
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Kansas State
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Charleston Southern
0-1
-$100.0
0-0-1
+$0.0
Jackson State
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Iowa
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Indiana State
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Indiana
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Illinois State
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Idaho State
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Howard
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Colgate
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Delaware State
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Holy Cross
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Grambling State
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Furman
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Fordham
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
East Tennessee State
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Morgan State
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Campbell
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$95.24
LIU
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Lindenwood
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
McNeese State
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Missouri State
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Alabama A&M
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Albany-NY
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Maine
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Austin Peay
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Mercer
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Eastern Washington
0-1
-$100.0
0-1
-$100.0
Cal Poly
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Bucknell
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Boise State
0-1
-$100.0
1-0
+$90.91
Michigan State
2-6
-$115.0
4-4
-$32.03
Maryland
2-5
-$150.0
3-4
-$122.94
Minnesota
1-4
-$150.0
3-1-1
+$177.06
Charlotte
2-6
-$164.0
4-4
-$32.03
Missouri
1-3
-$165.0
2-2
-$13.85
UTSA
1-4
-$175.0
2-3
-$113.85
Pittsburgh
2-4
-$195.0
3-3
-$22.94
Eastern Kentucky
0-2
-$200.0
0-2
-$200.0
Eastern Illinois
0-2
-$200.0
1-1
-$9.09
Tennessee Tech
0-2
-$200.0
2-0
+$186.15
Bethune-Cookman
0-2
-$200.0
1-1
-$9.09
Duquesne
0-2
-$200.0
0-2
-$200.0
Western Illinois
0-2
-$200.0
0-2
-$200.0
Central Connecticut State
0-2
-$200.0
1-1
-$9.09
Chattanooga
0-2
-$200.0
1-1
-$9.09
Wagner
0-2
-$200.0
1-1
-$9.09
Tulane
0-2
-$200.0
1-1
-$9.09
Virginia Tech
0-2
-$200.0
1-1
-$9.09
Alcorn State
0-2
-$200.0
0-2
-$200.0
Murray State
0-2
-$200.0
0-2
-$200.0
Florida A&M
0-2
-$200.0
1-1
-$9.09
Houston Baptist
0-2
-$200.0
0-2
-$200.0
Nicholls State
0-2
-$200.0
1-1
-$9.09
Merrimack
0-2
-$200.0
1-1
-$9.09
Northern Iowa
0-2
-$200.0
0-2
-$200.0
Penn State
0-2
-$200.0
0-2
-$200.0
Portland State
0-2
-$200.0
1-1
-$13.04
Sacramento State
0-2
-$200.0
1-1
-$9.09
Northwestern State
0-2
-$200.0
1-1
-$9.09
Gardner-Webb
0-2
-$200.0
2-0
+$181.82
Southeastern Louisiana
0-2
-$200.0
0-2
-$200.0
Troy
2-6
-$230.0
4-4
-$36.36
Arizona
1-5
-$240.0
1-5
-$413.04
Florida International (FIU)
2-5
-$245.0
6-1
+$441.51
Northwestern
2-7
-$245.0
3-6
-$322.94
San Jose State
2-5
-$255.0
3-4
-$130.84
Virginia
1-5
-$260.0
3-3
-$26.89
Arkansas State
2-5
-$265.0
3-4
-$127.27
Eastern Michigan
2-5
-$270.0
4-3
+$72.3
Miami-OH
1-4
-$280.0
2-3
-$118.18
New Mexico State
2-8
-$285.0
5-5
-$53.35
North Texas
1-5
-$320.0
2-4
-$213.85
UTEP
2-7
-$365.0
4-5
-$136.36
Cincinnati
1-5
-$390.0
1-4-1
-$309.09
Washington
1-5
-$390.0
1-5
-$409.09
Nebraska
0-4
-$400.0
1-2-1
-$109.09
Fresno State
0-4
-$400.0
2-2
-$18.18
Colorado State
0-4
-$400.0
1-3
-$209.09
UCONN
0-4
-$400.0
2-2
-$18.18
USF
1-5
-$404.76
2-4
-$218.18
Akron
2-8
-$410.0
5-5
-$41.12
Tulsa
2-8
-$420.0
4-6
-$235.98
Nevada
2-8
-$420.0
5-4-1
+$54.93
Western Michigan
0-5
-$500.0
1-4
-$309.09
Central Michigan
1-7
-$515.0
4-3-1
+$63.64
Wake Forest
1-7
-$545.0
2-5-1
-$313.85
Ball State
1-9
-$550.0
6-4
+$145.46
Utah State
1-7
-$585.0
3-4-1
-$127.27
UAB
1-8
-$590.0
3-6
-$327.27
Wisconsin
1-7
-$595.0
2-6
-$413.85
Middle Tennessee
1-8
-$695.0
2-7
-$518.18
Florida State
0-7
-$700.0
2-5
-$318.18
Oklahoma State
0-7
-$700.0
1-6
-$504.76
Temple
1-9
-$700.0
4-6
-$232.03
San Diego State
1-8
-$700.0
4-5
-$136.36
Florida Atlantic
1-8
-$704.76
3-6
-$327.27
Massachusetts
0-9
-$900.0
5-3-1
+$158.88
Mississippi State
0-9
-$900.0
5-4
+$63.21
Purdue
0-10
-$1000.0
2-8
-$622.13
Kent State
0-11
-$1100.0
3-8
-$527.27
Southern Miss
0-11
-$1100.0
3-8
-$522.94
While betting moneyline or straight up can be very profitable for the upsets, you can always lean on spread betting if you don’t want to hope for a massive upset.
In spread wagering, the underdog is given a set number of points that they can’t lose by (or they can win outright), whereas the favorite has to win by a certain amount. Here’s an example:
LSU Tigers -7.5 (must win by eight or more points) Alabama Crimson Tide +7.5 (can lose by seven or fewer points, or win)