Houston Cougars Given Intriguing Odds to Win NCAA Title
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With a 21-2 record and only one loss during Big 12 conference play, the No. 8 Houston Cougars have once again established themselves as a dominant force in the world of college basketball. With a freshman class that continues to improve and several veteran defenders, Kelvin Sampson's program once again has national championship expectations.
Only a month remains before college basketball officially receives an NCAA Tournament Bracket. While some programs around the country are fighting just to participate in March Madness, others, like the Cougars, are looking to solidify their positions as No.1 seeds.
Current National Champion Betting Odds via FanDuel
- 1. Arizona Wildcats (+420)
- 2. Michigan Wolverines (+550)
- 3. Duke Blue Devils (+650)
- 4. Houston Cougars (+950)
- 5. Illinois Fighting Illini (+1200)
- 6. Florida Gators (+1400)
- 7. UConn Huskies (+1700)
- 8. Iowa State Cyclones (+1800)
- 9. Kansas Jayhawks (+2000)
- 10. Nebraska Cornhuskers (+2500)
While were still multiple months away from crowning a national champion, it's never too early to track where the oddsmakers stand. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Houston currently has the fourth highest odds to win the national championship behind No. 1 Arizona, No. 2 Michigan, and No. 4 Duke.
Respect Runs Deep for the Cougars
It's no secret that the Houston Cougars have remained an elite college basketball program for the past several years. Sampson's squad has reached the Sweet-16 in every season since 2020, cementing themselves as a consistent presence in the tournament's final rounds. Across those five years, the Cougars have also made appearances in the Elite-8, Final Four, and most recently, the national championship.
Despite being ranked No. 8 in the country, the Cougars have received some of the highest odds to win it all. While some of that confidence stems from how each program is expected to fare in the tournament seeding, Houston's odds also reflect a belief in its ability to play their best basketball late in the season.
Coog Nation has already experienced that growth with this year's freshmen class. Guard Kingston Flemings and forward Chris Cenac Jr. have both become staples in Houston's starting five.
While Flemings has been scoring at an elite level all season, he's shown significant growth on the defensive side of the court. Cenac Jr., on the other hand, continues to get more consistent as the season goes on, with six double-digit performances in Houston's last nine games.
Houston's upcoming conference matchups against Utah and Kansas State are certainly on the more favorable side, but what awaits them afterwards is a gauntlet that very few teams in the country would be able to get through unscathed.
On Feb. 16, the Cougars will travel to take on the No. 7-ranked Iowa State Cyclones, followed by a home matchup against the undefeated No. 1-ranked Arizona Wildcats. Shortly after, Sampson's program will head to Lawrence, Kansas, to play in one of the most hostile environments in college basketball. While the No. 11-ranked Kansas Jayhawks struggled at the beginning of the season, they appear to be playing their best basketball with seven straight wins in Big 12 play.
Depending on how the Cougars fare in their next five matchups, their odds to win the national championship could see significant movement. One things for sure. If Houston continues to improve, they'll be tough to eliminate for any of the top programs in college basketball.
