On Tuesday, the votes were tabulated and we have a winner. The Oregon Ducks are the No. 1 team in the first set of College Football Playoff rankings.
That was not a surprise, nor was Ohio State at No. 2. But this year, things are different, and because Ohio State is not the leader of the Big Ten, they do not get a first-round bye. Instead, Ohio State would drop to No. 5 in the playoff bracket and have to play a first-round game.
Of course, all of this is temporary. These are the rankings today, and not necessarily what we will see when the playoff is ready to begin.
College Football Playoff Top-12
No. 1 Oregon (9-0)
The Ducks first season in the Big Ten is a huge success, and the toughest games on their schedule are all behind them. They play Maryland (-25), Wisconsin (-13), and Washington (-19.5) before what might be a rematch against Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship.
No. 2 Ohio State (7-1)
The Buckeyes only blemish is that one-point loss in Eugene, and they are hoping to have the chance to avenge it in the conference championship game. But they will have to get past Indiana to do it, which is on the schedule for November 23. Then, a week later, they will host Michigan.
Ohio State, currently slated No. 5 in the bracket, is +330 favorites to win the national championship.
No. 3 Georgia (7-1)
Georgia is the current No. 2 seed in the bracket (meaning they get a first-round bye) and the Bulldogs are tied with Oregon as the second-betting favorite to win the national championship, paying +425. They are at Mississippi this week, and only favored by 2.5 points. Then they are home to Tennessee, where they are 16.5-point favorites.
No. 4 Miami (9-0)
Miami is the three-seed. They get a first-round bye, and there is every reason to think that they can finish the season undefeated. They are double-digit favorites at Georgia Tech this weekend, then they finish against unranked Wake Forest and Syracuse. At the moment, the ACC Championship Game would feature Miami and SMU.
The Hurricanes are paying -190 to win the conference and +1200 to win the national championship.
No. 5 Texas (7-1)
If Texas was still in the Big 12, they would have a first-round bye. Instead, they exist in a crowded SEC, and that bumps them to sixth in the bracket and a first-round game against Alabama. However, Texas can still get into an SEC Championship Game, and they can still move into the top of the bracket and get that first-round bye.
Still on the schedule are Florida, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Texas A&M, and the Longhorns are big favorites in all of them.
No. 6 Penn State (7-1)
Penn State just lost at home to Ohio State, but they don’t have to play Indiana or Michigan this year, making their path to the College Football Playoff fairly certain. The Nittany Lions are paying -350 to be in the 12-team bracket, and they are +2000 to win the whole thing.
No. 7 Tennessee (7-1)
Tennessee isn’t out of the SEC Championship Game race. They get Mississippi State this week, and then Georgia the week after. A win over the Bulldogs and they are in charge of their own destiny. All they have to do is win in Athens for the first time since 2016.
No. 8 Indiana (9-0)
The forgotten undefeated team in the Big Ten is Indiana, who haven’t just beaten everyone they have played, they have beaten everyone by at least two touchdowns. They have an average margin of victory of 31 points, and this week at home against Michigan, they are 14-point favorites.
No. 9 BYU (8-0)
BYU is unbeaten, but behind five teams with losses in the first released rankings. But as the leader of the Big 12, they are currently in line for a first-round bye and the No. 4 slot in the bracket. This Saturday, they have a big test at Utah, where they are four-point favorites.
No. 10 Notre Dame (7-1)
Notre Dame is the 10th-ranked team in CFP, and they are currently slated to play at Penn State in the first round. They are currently the only at-large team that doesn’t play in the Big Ten or SEC. Still to come on the schedule are games against Florida State, Virginia, Army (No. 25 in the CFP rankings), and USC.
No. 11 Alabama (6-2)
Alabama is currently heading to Texas for the first round, but they, too, still have a path to the SEC Championship Game. It’s not a clear path, needing to win out and have Georgia lose, plus get a Texas or Texas A&M loss that isn’t a loss to each other. So don’t bet on Alabama winning the SEC – those odds are +2000 – but they are a good bet (-150) to make the playoff.
No. 12 Boise State (7-1)
We have respect for Boise State from the College Football Playoff committee, as well as the bookmakers. They are -250 to make the CFP, and they are heavy 24-point favorites this week against Nevada. San Jose State, Wyoming, and Oregon St. close out their season, and they will be favored in all of those games as well.
In the bracket, Boise State currently plays at Ohio State in the first round.
With over 25 years of experience as a distinguished sports writer for renowned platforms such as Fox Sports and ESPN, Kyle Garlett is a sports betting specialist who has been at the forefront of documenting the global surge in sports betting and online gaming. Based in Denver, Colorado, Kyle hosts an NFL betting YouTube show and podcast. Kyle also has two sports books published by HarperCollins.
Kyle graduated the Azusa Pacific University in 1996 with a B.A. Degree in Communication and Journalism.
