Ohio State are the bookmakers’ favourites to regain the National Championship next season, following reports that the College Football Playoffs will retain the 12-team format for at least one more year.
The Buckeyes won the inaugural 12-man playoff at the end of the 2024/25 season, beating Notre Dame in the final, but their quest for back-to-back championships was ended on New Year’s Eve as they were beaten 24-14 by Miami in the Cotton Bowl Classic.
They have retained some of their key offensive talent for next season, including Julian Sayin, Bo Jackson and Jeremiah Smith, but will need to reload on defense having lost talent to the NFL and the transfer portal. Despite all of this Ryan Day will have an elite roster to work with in 2026, and as a result Ohio State head up the College Football outright betting at odds of 13/2 with bet365.
Newly-minted national champions Indiana are considered one of the Buckeyes’ biggest threats at 7/1 despite the impending departure of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza to the NFL.
Curt Cignetti has done an outstanding job in turning around this programme over the past couple of years, and that has given the bookmakers confidence that the Hoosiers are capable of challenging for back-to-back titles despite some key talent departing.
Joining Indiana at sevens are Notre Dame, who missed out on the College Football Playoffs last season in controversial fashion. The Fighting Irish appeared to be playoff bound until the committee leapfrogged them with Miami for the final rankings. The Hurricanes’ win on opening weekend swung the committee in their favour, and Notre Dame responded by withdrawing from appearing in any Bowl games.
They are expected to be a leading contender in 2026 though, with the bookmakers favouring them slightly ahead of Arch Manning and his Texas team-mates, at 15/2, and the 9/2 Oregon Ducks who were blown out by Indiana in the playoffs.
Georgia and LSU will be looking to bounce back from disappointing 2025 campaigns, and are priced at 10/1 and 12/ respectively, while the Texas duo of Texas Tech and Texas A&M are priced at 16/1 at this time.
Alabama are a 20/1 spot, having been demolished by Indiana in last season’s playoffs, and they are joined on that price by Miami, who upset Texas A&M and Ohio State on their way to the National Championship Game, which they narrowly lost to Indiana after taking the Hoosiers right to the wire.
College Football Odds – Outright
13/2 Ohio State
7/1 Indiana
7/1 Notre Dame
15/2 Texas
9/1 Oregon
10/1 Georgia
12/1 LSU
14/1 Texas Tech
16/1 Texas A&M
20/1 Alabama
20/1 Miami FL
30/1 USC
30/1 Oklahoma
40/1 Michigan
40/1 Ole Miss
* Odds correct at 15:20 GMT on 23/2/2026