Where has the time gone? Believe it or not, we’re already in Week 10 of the college football campaign and just a month away from bowl season, and being this far in the year isn’t the only thing monumental thing about the 10th week either. In the betting odds, we’ve also been given a new favorite to win the national championship.
According to online sportsbook BetOnline, the Alabama Crimson Tide (shocker) are the new king of the oddsboard placed at +250, Their counterpart who has been tied with them all season, the Clemson Tigers (who were actually the favorites last week), are now behind the Tide in second place at +275 odds, while another power in the Ohio State Buckeyes are tied with them at obviously that same figure. In the No. 4 position, the LSU Tigers take that spot at +450, while the Georgia Bulldogs round out the top five in fifth at +1400.
Beginning the rest of the top 10 are the Oklahoma Sooners at +1800 odds in sixth place, while the Penn State Nittany Lions come in the No. 7 position at +2500. In a tie for the eighth position come the Oregon Ducks and Florida Gators at +5000. Rounding out the top 10 for us are the Baylor Bears at +10000 odds.
As I’ve previously mentioned, Alabama and Clemson have been in a tie in the odds pretty much the whole season, with Clemson actually taking the favorite tag last week at +215. However, with them dipping to +275, the Crimson Tide have overtaken that spot with their +250 mark.
In the latest odds, it’s business as usual with Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, and LSU all in the top four and in that order. However, in the latest AP Top 25 Poll, it’s absolute chaos with LSU actually taking the No. 1 spot over both the Crimson Tide and Clemson. When the smoke had settled with the voters and computers, it was LSU who would actually end up on top, just two points over Alabama with a total of 1,476 points. To put how huge this is as well with the margin, the last time two teams would be this close would be back on October 5, 2014 when No. 1 Florida State and No. 2 Auburn were separated by only two points.
However, despite LSU taking the top spot in the AP Top 25 poll, their mark in the odds would stay exactly the same at +450, and this is also in despite of them securing a 23-20 victory over No. 11 Auburn. On top of that, the Tigers also have the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy in Joe Burrow. It seems to be that LSU has all of the tools in place for a national championship season, but they’ll be massively tested on November 9 when they take on Alabama, and in Tuscaloosa at that. And if everything holds up, it’s looking like it will be a matchup between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country. With that being said, everything should hold up to give us that meeting, with each LSU, Alabama, Ohio State, and Penn State all off this weekend.
Let’s break down the favorites to win the 2019 NCAA College Football national championship, review the betting odds, and then afterwards, I’ll be giving you my prediction (and long shot pick) for who I have winning the title in the College Football Playoff. Who do you have as your national champion? After you read and get your advice from me, you can then place your bets over at one of the best football betting sites.
The Alabama Crimson Tide have had a, well, Alabama Crimson Tide kind of season in 2019. In typical fashion, they’ve launched to an 8-0 overall undefeated record, while placing 5-0 in SEC conference play. Throughout the season, it’s literally been a steamroll-fest for the Crimson Tide in every game. Just check out their form throughout the campaign: Arkansas (W 48-7), Tennessee (W 35-13), Texas A&M (W 47-28), Mississippi (W 59-31), Southern Miss (W 49-7), South Carolina (W 47-23), New Mexico State (W 62-10), Duke (W 42-3) … If this isn’t a national championship team, then I don’t know what is. And honestly, I have no earthly idea what’s going on with the AP Top 25 Poll, because the way I’m seeing it, Bama deserves the top spot in both their poll and in the betting odds. This should be your national champion in 2019.
Clemson has also gotten off to an 8-0 undefeated start, while marking at 6-0 in the ACC conference. However, even though the vast majority of their victories on the schedule are steamrolling wins, the slim 21-20 triumph over North Carolina would hurt their image a bit to the voters, computers and sportsbooks. But man, it had to be a tough call for the oddsmakers to put the Tigers in second place, because when you review the rest of their schedule, it’s been utter domination for Clemson — similar to Alabama: Boston College (W 59-7), Louisville (W 45-10), Florida State (W 45-14), Charlotte (W 52-10), Syracuse (W 41-6), Texas A&M (W 24-10), Georgia Tech (W 52-14) … I still think the Tigers are an extraordinarily great team, yes, but when you compare them to the Crimson Tide, you feel like that it might be Alabama’s year in 2019. They’re too strong, and I’m not sure if this season’s Tigers can hang with them.
With or without Urban Meyer, it seems like the Ohio State University Buckeyes football program is destined for greatness. Like Alabama, it’s been domination all year long with nothing but blowouts on Ohio State’s schedule, and unlike Clemson, there’s been zero struggles. There’s a reason why this team is tied second in the odds with the defending champions, because they deserve it. View the poundings yourself: Florida Atlantic (W 45-21), Cincinnati (W 42-0), Indiana (W 51-10), Miami OH (W 76-5), Nebraska (W 48-7), Michigan State (W 34-10), Northwestern (W 52-3), Wisconsin (W 38-7). You could make the argument that the Buckeyes could easily take sole possession of the second spot in the odds over Clemson with how their performance has been this season. It’s been a bit more flash for Ohio State.
Sitting at an undefeated 8-0 overall record (4-0 SEC), I can understand why the AP Top 25 Poll would have the LSU Tigers at the top spot, but over Alabama? I’m not seeing it. Maybe Clemson, but over the Crimson Tide? No, I’m not buying that one. In LSU’s defense though, some of their competition has been hefty, but as a result, their numbers haven’t flashy like Alabama’s. You tell me: Georgia Southern (W 55-3), Texas (W 45-38), Northwestern State (W 65-14), Vanderbilt (W 66-38), Utah State (W 42-6), Florida (W 42-28), Mississippi State (W 36-13), Auburn (W 23-20) … So, are the Tigers the better team than the Crimson Tide? Well, there’s only one way to find this out, and that’s taking place on November 9 in a game between No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama. That will tell the whole story for us right there, there’s no need for more talk.
I’m still trying to figure out how the Georgia Bulldogs lost to the South Carolina Gamecocks a few weeks ago in overtime, 20-17, but hey, it happened. As far as the rest of their schedule is concerned, it’s been nothing but blowout victories and wins over solid schools. Fluke defeats happen, and that may have been what took place with Georgia — a little shocking that it happened at home though. But like I said, the Bulldogs have been on point throughout the rest of the season: Vanderbilt (W 30-6), Murray State (W 63-17), Arkansas State (W 55-0), Notre Dame (W 23-17), Tennessee (W 43-14), Kentucky (W 21-0) … The Georgia Bulldogs are still in this thing as far as the College Football Playoff is concerned, but they need a couple of the undefeateds to drop a game, which explains the distant +1400 odds. Good luck there.
Oh, I bet the Oklahoma Sooners wish they had that Kansas State Wildcats game back, the only contest of the season that they would suffer defeat in and did so in heartbreaking fashion, 48-41. Why? Well, if they had won that game, not only would they still be undefeated, but they would have kept a flashy resume intact. The Sooners have been obliterating competition all season long: Houston (W 49-31), South Dakota (W 70-14), UCLA (W 48-14), Texas Tech (W 55-16), Kansas (W 45-20), Texas (W 34-27), West Virginia (W 52-14). Let’s be honest here, the Sooners were on a clear path all the way to the College Football Playoff, and that KSU loss probably ruined their whole season — such a tough way to go out.
I personally didn’t see it happening, but the Penn State Nittany Lions have been playing some pretty great football en route to an undefeated 8-0 record (5-0 Big Ten). The Lions would get out to an excellent start rolling all over Idaho, 79-7, and never looked back from there: Buffalo (W 45-13), Pittsburgh (W 17-10), Maryland (W 59-0), Purdue (W 35-7), Iowa (W 17-12), Michigan (W 28-21), Michigan State (W 28-7). You have to give Penn State their credit, they’ve been lights out this season. They haven’t been as flashy as an Alabama or Clemson, obviously, but they’ve been playing top-notch football. With that being said, you see the large +2500 odds, right? Upcoming on their schedule, they face off against No. 13 Minnesota and No. 3 Ohio State. Yeah, they should beat the Golden Golphers, but the Buckeyes? Not happening, and that’s why you have the odds that you do.
The Florida Gators have been solid this year placing at 7-1 overall this season, while also taking a 4-1 tally in the SEC conference, though their competition hasn’t exactly been the best other than a win over Auburn. With that being said though, victories are victories: Miami FL (W 24-20), Tennessee-Martin (W 45-0), Kentucky (W 29-21), Tennessee (W 34-3), Towson (W 38-0), Auburn (W 24-13), LSU (L 42-28), South Carolina (W 38-27). The Gators can make a statement this weekend in their contest against the No. 8 Georgia Bulldogs, but with Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and others chasing an undefeated season, it looks like their opportunity to make the College Football Playoff will cease to exist.
The heartbreaking 27-21 loss that the Oregon Ducks suffered to Auburn in the first week of the season becomes even more heartbreaking as the Ducks continue to win. Ever since that game, they’ve went undefeated to secure an overall 7-1 record so far and they place 5-0 in the Pac-12 conference. “Coulda, shoulda, woulda” though, but still, it’s been a pretty impressive resume for Oregon: Nevada (W 77-6), Montana (W 35-3), Stanford (W 21-6), California (W 17-7), Colorado (W 45-3), Washington (W 35-31), Washington State (W 37-35). If Oregon would have clinched the win against Auburn, they’d actually be on a clear path to the College Football Playoff due to the lack of opposition, but with losing to the Tigers, it looks like that will actually kill the Ducks as far as their chances are concerned. That’s what makes that first loss to Auburn so tough, it literally destroyed Oregon’s season from the get-go.
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
