Come January, it wouldn’t be to anyone’s surprise if Alabama and Clemson square off for the CFP National Championship for the fourth straight season. The college football betting odds have the Tigers as +150 favorites to repeat as national title winners while the Crimson Tide are right behind them on the futures board at +200.
So, should NCAA football bettors bother looking elsewhere for CFP value? If you think Clemson or Alabama come up short in 2019-20, these live long shots below may be your top wager to win the national championship.
Oklahoma Sooners +1,600
The Sooners are once again the class of the Big 12 and would you know it: former championship-winning quarterback Jalen Hurts is under center after transferring to Oklahoma this offseason and falling under the graduate student rule, which means he doesn’t have to sit a season.
The Sooners have had success with transfer QBs coming in and lightning the country on fire with Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray the past two seasons. And Oklahoma has the offense around Hurts to help him make a run at a CFP berth. The Sooners have a dynamic rushing tandem of Trey Sermon and Kennedy Brooks, as well as a game-breaking receiver in CeeDee Lamb. If the defense finds new life under new coordinator Alex Grinch, OU is at least a threat to make the Final Four playoff.
Oregon Ducks +6,000
The Ducks have the benefit of having the top quarterback prospect in the country slinging the rock once again. Senior Justin Herbert elected to forego the riches of the pros and return to Eugene, coming off a 2018 campaign in which he passed for 3,151 yards and 29 touchdowns. Herbert has one of the best offensive lines in the county protecting his back as well as opening space for a solid rushing attack, led by halfbacks Travis Dye and CJ Verdell.
Much like Oklahoma, Oregon’s stop unit has some work to do if it’s going to crack the national title game. The Ducks were rolled by opposing rushers and had some fundamental flaws that kept them from being mentioned among the country’s elite. They too have a new defensive coordinator in Andy Avalos, who plans on bringing the heat with a speedy aggressive attack.
Michigan State Spartans +20,000
You want value? Michigan State has it in spades. Not only are the Spartans getting little love from the bookmakers, but they’re odds to win the CFP National Championship are further skewed because Ohio State and Michigan get all the love in the Big Ten. The Spartans are just as dangerous as those rival programs, boasting one of the best defensive units in the country. Plenty of starters return to East Lansing for a team that ranked No. 1 versus the run, budging for only 78 yards per game.
Offensively, MSU is steady with the reliable arm of Brian Lewerke back under center. The Spartans’ scoring attack was hobbled by multiple injuries last season (including a shoulder injury to Lewerke), so an improvement on their 18.7 points per game is expected. Michigan State lacks a true playmaker on that side of the field, but with the defensive not giving up much, Mark Dantonio won’t be asking the world of his skill players.
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