by Darren Moore
CFB National Championship Betting Odds
The NCAA Division I FBS football season in 2021 may have begun on August 28, 2021 with a shortened ‘Week Zero’ but the bulk of FBS teams start on Labor Day weekend (3-6 September) when the new CFB college season officially starts.
Bet on College Football: Game Odds // Futures
Alabama Favorites for a Repeat
The defending national champions, Alabama Crimson Tide go into the new college football season as the favorites at odds of +250 with the leading US sportsbook Bovada to successfully defend the CFP National Championship.
However, coach Nick Saban has to replace a number of key players who went as first-round picks in the 2021 NFL Draft …
- Running Back (RB) Najee Harris
- Quarterback (QB) Mac Jones
- Offensive Tackle (OT) Alex Leatherwood
- Heisman Trophy winner Wide Receiver (WR) DeVonta Smith
- Cornerback (CB) Patrick Surtain II
- Wide Receiver (WR) Jaylen Waddle
That certainly doesn’t help Alabama’s task, but history shows that they invariably manage to recruit talented players to replace those that have left and this season is no exception.
Mac Jones has been replaced at quarterback with Bryce Young, while the likes of John Metchie, Brian Robinson, Evan Neal, Jase McClellan, Rydell Williams, Josh Jobe and Malachi Moore can ensure that the Crimson Tide are again the team to beat in the National Championship this season.
Clemson Tigers Second Favorites
The Clemson Tigers are next up in the college football futures with Bovada at odds of +375 at the time of writing. The Tigers also have some seriously big shoes to fill, having lost the generational QB Trevor Lawrence and RB Travis Etienne to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Although they will clearly miss Lawrence, there are high hopes for QB D.J. Uiagalelei and he will have plenty of options as to who to throw to in the likes of Justyn Ross and Braden Galloway.
In addition, the Clemson defense still features several players capable of stepping up to the NFL, although it can certainly be argued that the offensive line isn’t at the level of some of their rivals.
Georgia Bulldogs
Next in the CFB betting outright winner market at +550 are the Georgia Bulldogs.
The key player for the Bulldogs is QB JT Daniels (a potential Heisman Trophy candidate), but Georgia are no one-man team and possess a very talented offensive line and have history in terms of their defensive strength.
Coach Kirby Smart has a talented roster at his disposal and the Bulldogs have to be seen as genuine title contenders.
They face a very challenging season opener against the Clemson Tigers, but their schedule thereafter shouldn’t present them with too many problems.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes are rated at odds of +600 with Bovada to be crowned CFP National champions. The Buckeyes lost their star QB Justin Fields to the Chicago Bears, but the expectations are that they have a more than capable QB replacement in C.J. Stroud (and there is plenty of depth at QB on the Buckeyes’ roster if necessary).
There are some defensive doubts about the Buckeyes, but they can count upon a very strong offensive line, featuring RB Master Teague III, WR Chris Olave (a possible alternative option to a QB as a Heisman Trophy winner), Tight End (TE) Jeremy Ruckert and WR Garrett Wilson.
Oklahoma Sooners
The last of the teams challenging at the top of the betting market are the Oklahoma Sooners at betting odds of +700.
The Sooners hopes center upon their budding superstar at QB in Heisman Trophy favorite Spencer Rattler, coupled with a deep pool of high-quality receivers.
The other big positive is that third-year defensive coordinator Alex Grinch has brought about improvements to what has long been Oklahoma’s Achilles heel, with the likes of Delarrin Turner-Yell, Pat Fields, Woodi Washington, Jaden Davis and DJ Graham looking good enough to hold up against most opposition.
CFB Championship Winner Odds
The current CFB betting odds with Bovada to win the CFP National Championship are listed below. Yet again, it’s the same-old teams at the top of the market.
NCAA College Football 2021: Week 1 Games
Wednesday, Sept. 1
UAB vs. Jacksonville State (Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala.) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
Thursday, Sept. 2
Houston Baptist at New Mexico | 8 p.m.
Temple at Rutgers | 6:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network
Long Island University at FIU | 7 p.m. | ESPN3
Boise State at UCF | 7 p.m. | ESPN
Western Illinois at Ball State | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Wagner at Buffalo | 7 p.m. | ESPN3
The Citadel at No. 22 Coastal Carolina | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Weber State at No. 24 Utah | 7:30 p.m. | Pac-12 Network
South Florida at NC State | 7:30 p.m. | ACC Network
East Carolina vs. Appalachian State (Bank of America Stadium, in Charlotte N.C.)| 7:30 p.m. | ESPNU
UC Davis at Tulsa | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Bowling Green at Tennessee | 8 p.m. | SEC Network
UT Martin at Western Kentucky | 8 p.m. | ESPN+
No. 4 Ohio State at Minnesota | 8 p.m. | FOX
Eastern Washington at UNLV | 10 p.m. | Stadium
Southern Utah at No. 25 Arizona State | 10:30 p.m. | Pac-12 Network
Friday, Sept. 3
No. 10 North Carolina at Virginia Tech | 6 p.m. | ESPN
Duke at Charlotte | 7 p.m. | CBSSN
Old Dominion at Wake Forest | 7 p.m. | ACC Network
St. Francis (PA) at Eastern Michigan | 7 p.m. | ESPN3
South Dakota at Kansas | 8 p.m. | ESPN+
Michigan State at Northwestern | 9 p.m. | ESPN
Northern Colorado at Colorado | 9 p.m. | Pac-12 Network
South Dakota State at Colorado State | 9 p.m. | FS1
Saturday, Sept. 4
UL Monroe at Kentucky | 12 p.m. | SEC Network
Colgate at Boston College | 12 p.m. | ACC Network
Western Michigan at Michigan | 12 p.m. | ESPN
No. 19 Penn State at No. 12 Wisconsin | 12 p.m. | FOX
Holy Cross at UConn | 12 p.m. | CBSSN
Stanford vs. Kansas State (AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas) | 12 p.m. | FS1
No. 2 Oklahoma at Tulane | 12 p.m. | ABC
Army at Georgia State | 12 p.m. | ESPNU
Fordham at Nebraska | 12 p.m. | Big Ten Network
Rice at Arkansas | 2 p.m. | SEC Network+
Fresno State at No. 11 Oregon | 2 p.m. | Pac-12 Network
Lafayette at Air Force | 2 p.m. | Stadium
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 14 Miami (Florida) (Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia) | 3:30 p.m. | ABC
Marshall at Navy | 3:30 p.m. | CBSSN
No. 17 Indiana at No. 18 Iowa | 3:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network
West Virginia at Maryland | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN
Northern Iowa at No. 7 Iowa State | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Miami (Ohio) at No. 8 Cincinnati | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Louisiana Tech at Mississippi State | 4 p.m. | ESPNU
Central Michigan at Missouri | 4 p.m. | SEC Network
UMass at Pitt | 4 p.m. | ACC Network
Montana State at Wyoming | 4 p.m.
No. 23 Louisiana at No. 21 Texas | 4:30 p.m. | FOX
San Jose State at No. 15 USC | 5 p.m. | Pac-12 Network
Campbell at Liberty | 6 p.m. | ESPN3
Gardner-Webb at Georgia Southern | 6 p.m. | ESPN3
Akron at Auburn | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Eastern Illinois at South Carolina | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Monmouth at Middle Tennessee | 7 p.m. | ESPN3
Syracuse at Ohio | 7 p.m. | CBSSN
Oregon State at Purdue | 7 p.m. | FS1
Texas Tech vs. Houston (NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas) | 7 p.m. | ESPN
Missouri State at Oklahoma State | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Baylor at Texas State | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Nicholls at Memphis | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Abilene Christian at SMU | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Norfolk State at Toledo | 7 p.m. | ESPN3
Central Arkansas at Arkansas State | 7 p.m. | ESPN3
Southern at Troy | 7 p.m. | ESPN3
FAU at No. 13 Florida | 7:30 p.m. | SEC Network
No. 3 Clemson vs. No. 5 Georgia (Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.) | 7:30 p.m. | ABC
Northwestern State at North Texas | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN3
UTSA at Illinois | 7:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network
Northern Illinois at Georgia Tech | 7:30 p.m. | ACC Network
William & Mary at Virginia | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN3
Kent State at No. 6 Texas A&M | 8 p.m. | ESPNU
East Tennessee State at Vanderbilt | 8 p.m. | SEC Network+
Southern Miss at South Alabama | 8 p.m. | ESPN+
Duquesne at TCU | 8 p.m. | ESPN+
Montana at No. 20 Washington | 8 p.m. | Pac-12 Network
No. 16 LSU at UCLA | 8:30 p.m. | FOX
Bethune-Cookman at UTEP | 9 p.m. | ESPN3
Nevada at Cal | 10:30 p.m. | FS1
BYU vs. Arizona (Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada) | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN
New Mexico State at San Diego State | 10:30 p.m. | CBSSN
Utah State at Washington State | 11 p.m. | Pac-12 Network
Portland State at Hawai’i | 12 a.m.
Sunday, Sept. 5
No. 9 Notre Dame at Florida State | 7:30 p.m. | ABC
Monday, Sept. 6
Louisville vs. Ole Miss (Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia) | 8 p.m. | ESPN
Bet on College Football: Game Odds // Futures
* CFB betting odds were correct at last update. All CFB odds are subject to changes.
Darren lives & breathes sports betting and is always sniffing out his next value bet. His favourite sports to bet on are the NFL, horse racing and UFC but he will bet on anything if he thinks the odds are favourable.
