2026 College Football National Championship Betting Odds: Ohio State Favored, Oregon, Texas, Georgia

The Ohio State Buckeyes beat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the College Football Playoff National Championship on Jan. 20, and the betting odds for the 2025-26 title have already been released. The Oregon Ducks trail only Ohio State with the second-best odds. The Texas Longhorns and Georgia Bulldogs are tied with Oregon.

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Cody Simon (0) celebrates a sack during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ohio State Buckeyes beat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the National Championship Game as the season reaches its end, and the betting odds for the 2025-26 College Football Playoff's winner have already been released. Ohio State is the current leader at +450, while the Oregon Ducks and Texas Longhorns are tied at +650, the second-best odds to win the title.

Ohio State is favored to beat Notre Dame on Monday with the spread set at 8.5 points, and oddsmakers believe that the Buckeyes have what it takes to win consecutive national championships under coach Ryan Day.

Behind Ohio State is Oregon and Texas, and both teams will feature a new starting quarterback in the 2025 regular season. The Ducks are expected to replace quarterback Dillon Gabriel with Dante Moore. Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers officially declared for the NFL Draft, giving Arch Manning his chance to lead the offense.

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Cody Simon (0) celebrates a sack during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Georgia is close behind at +700. Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck transferred to Miami instead of entering the NFL Draft, leaving Georgia coach Kirby Smart with a decision to make. Will Gunner Stockton start for the Bulldogs in 2025?

Oregon's offense will return wide receiver Evan Stewart and tight end Kenyon Sadiq, but the Ducks will lose valuable starters to the NFL Draft like offensive tackles Josh Conerly Jr. and Ajani Cornelius, wide receiver Tez Johnson, and tight end Terrance Ferguson. On defense, Oregon will be without defensive linemen Jordan Burch, Derrick Harmon, and Jamaree Caldwell, cornerback Jabbar Muhammad, and linebacker Jeffrey Bassa.

Still, the oddsmakers have faith in Ducks coach Dan Lanning to lead his team back into the College Football Playoff.

Oregon is bringing in nine total transfers from the portal: running back Makhi Hughes (Tulane), wide receiver Malik Benson (Florida State), and tight end Jamari Johnson (Louisville), offensive linemen Isaiah World (Nevada), Emmanuel Pregnon (USC), and Alex Harkey (Texas State), as well as safety Dillon Thieneman (Purdue), defensive lineman Bear Alexander (USC), and cornerback Theran Johnson (Northwestern).

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At Texas, star quarterback Arch Manning is expected to lead coach Steve Sarkisian's offense with the Longhorns. The highly anticipated prospect has some experience filling in for an injured Ewers during the season, but Texas only used Manning as a rushing threat in the later part of the season. In limited action, Manning threw for 939 yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions with an additional four rushing touchdowns.

In addition to Ewers, fellow key Longhorns have entered the NFL Draft, like offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. as well as wide receivers Isaiah Bond and Matthew Golden. On defense, Texas will be returning linebacker Colin Simmons, linebacker Trey Moore, and cornerback Malik Muhammad.

Kirby Smart's Bulldogs will be replacing NFL Draft talents like offensive lineman Tate Ratledge, EDGE Mykel Williams, linebacker Jalon Walker, and safety Malaki Starks, but several Georgia players are returning as well: defensive lineman Christen Miller, cornerback Daylen Everette, tight end Oscar Delp and wide receiver Dillon Bell.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart takes the field with his team before the start of the SEC championship game against Texas in Atlanta, on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. / Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Still, the odds favor the current depth and recruiting level of Georgia, Texas, and Oregon to place them behind Ohio State as favorites to win the 2026 National Championship. Behind the Bulldogs, Longhorns, and Ducks are the Penn State Nittany Lions with odds of +850 in 2026. As for the Fighting Irish, they have the fourth-best odds and are tied with Alabama at + 1400.

Penn State will return starting quarterback Drew Allar as well as running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, yet Nittany Lions coach James Franklin's team is still behind conference foes in Ohio State and Oregon, according to oddsmakers in Las Vegas.

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