As the 2024 NCAAF season edges closer to the post-season campaign, the favorites to be crowned national champions are becoming clearer and clearer.
The usual candidates are once again in the mix to earn the title of national champion for the current season, with the Michigan Wolverines claiming a win over the Washington Huskies to prevent the Georgia Bulldogs from claiming three championships in a row.
But who are the real favorites to enter the playoffs and then go all the way to the title? We'll take a look at the teams and provide you with our best free NCAAF betting picks to try and earn you some extra cash while you enjoy the action on the field.
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NCAAF Championship 2024/25 format explained
This year will be the first with the expanded College Football Playoff, which moves from four teams to 12, opening the door for those that don’t win their conference championship or suffer multiple losses to remain in the mix in a positive change for the fans.
In addition to that, The Power 5 conferences are now the Power 4 after most Pac-12 schools joined the ACC, Big Ten, or Big 12 to add more big games between top sides to the calendar in the regular season.
The championship game will take place on January 20th 2025 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
NCAAF Championship 2024/25 favorites
Below you'll find a list of favorites to win the NCAAF Championship in 2024/25.
Georgia Bulldogs - (+285)
The Bulldogs are the favorites to win the National Championship for a third time in four seasons, and for good reason.
After massively underperforming and missing out on the College Football Playoff last year, Kirby Smart’s squad brings in the nation’s top recruiting class and a handful of impact transfers, including running back Trevor Etienne from Florida.
Quarterback Carson Beck, who threw for nearly 4,000 yards last season, returns for his senior year and is one of the players considered to be in the running for the Heisman Trophy this season.
Georgia has a difficult schedule including neutral-site games against Clemson and Florida and road dates at Alabama and Texas in 2024. However, this roster is deep and probably the most balanced in the country, which gives them the perfect platform to get the job done once again. The Bulldogs will open the season as the No. 1 team in the country and are a great value play at +285, considering the prices of the other teams in the running.
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Ohio State Buckeyes - (+400)
The Buckeyes saw a huge change in their roster after the departures of 2023 Biletnikoff winner Marvin Harrison Jr. and quarterback Kyle McCord, who transferred to Syracuse. However, Ryan Day’s squad brings in top-10 recruiting and transfer classes to try and replace them, and it should go a long way towards replacing the talent that moved on.
In the offense, Kansas State transfer Will Howard is expected to take over under center, while former Ole Miss RB Quinshon Judkins will give the Buckeyes’ backfield a dynamic one-two punch with TreVeyon Henderson. The defense should also continue to improve in Year 3 under DC Jim Knowles, so they clearly have enough to go all the way.
The 12-team playoff is another positive for Ohio State, whose path to the National Championship had been blocked by Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan the last three seasons. Ohio State will expect to benefit from Harbaugh returning to the NFL and multiple Big Ten teams likely reaching the College Football Playoff in the conference’s 18-team setup.
Ohio State’s schedule features challenging tests on the road at Oregon and Penn State, but the Buckeyes will be favored in all eight home games, including their date with arch-rival Michigan Wolverines late in November. The problem with this bet is that they're far too close in odds to Georgia, who are much better positioned to claim the title this season.
They may be worth a small bet, but at these prices you're better off just going with Georgia.
Oregon Ducks - (+1100)
The Ducks would’ve made it to the playoffs last season if the expanded format had been in play, but two three-point losses to Washington denied Dan Lanning’s squad a chance at a National Championship.
They have reacted to that disappointment by bringing in top-three recruiting and transfer classes that should have the Ducks contending in their first season in the Big Ten. Oklahoma transfer Dillon Gabriel is set to replace Heisman Trophy finalist Bo Nix under center, and an often vulnerable defense should be much improved after making several additions during the off-season.
Oregon also got a decent draw with its schedule, getting Ohio State and Washington at home and avoiding Penn State. As long as Gabriel can stay healthy, this team is a legitimate threat to win the National Championship. At massive odds at +1100, the play looks like backing Georgia and also covering with a bit of money on Oregon because the value is so good.
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