Betting on college football is an exciting proposition any time of year, but the betting action is at its best during the College Football Playoffs. Since its inception in 2014, the College Football Playoffs have served as a bracket tournament between the top four teams in the country. Recently announced by the CFP selection committee, the four teams taking part in the 2020 College Football Playoffs are:
- #1 Seed – Alabama Crimson Tide (11-0, First in SEC West)
- #2 Seed – Clemson Tigers (10-1, Second in ACC)
- #3 Seed – Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0, First in Big Ten East)
- #4 Seed – Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-1, First in ACC)
These four teams were determined by a selection committee and now have the opportunity to play for a shot at the NCAA Division I FBS National Championship. This playoff format is perfect for those who enjoy betting on college football, as it provides great matchups that fans have been dreaming of throughout the season. For those of you that have been studying the NCAA odds each week, the playoffs provide an opportunity to win some real money before the end of the 2020 college football season.
View the latest Football odds!
Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Preview
Alabama’s inclusion in this year’s College Football Playoffs should come as no surprise after the team put forth yet another dominant season in the SEC. The team finished with a perfect record of 11-0, which is especially impressive when you consider the fact that they played an all-SEC schedule this season as a result of the ongoing pandemic. The Crimson Tide also had an impressive year from a betting standpoint, having gone 8-3 against the spread over the course of the season.
Alabama is led by not one but two Heisman Trophy finalists in quarterback Mac Jones and wide receiver DeVonta Smith. As if that weren’t enough, running back Najee Harris just missed the cut but finished fifth in voting for the prestigious award. The Crimson Tide should have no trouble putting up points with all of this offensive talent, which could explain why they went over the game total set by odds makers in 7 of 11 games so far this season. If you prefer betting on Futures, Alabama should be a popular option as they are the top seed in this year’s College Football Playoffs and currently have -175 odds to win the National Championship.
Clemson Tigers Betting Preview
The Clemson Tigers are the second seed in the 2020 College Football Playoffs, despite the fact they finished second behind Notre Dame in the ACC’s regular season standings. The Tigers have an overall record of 10-1, with their only loss coming at the hands of the Fighting Irish. It’s worth mentioning that Trevor Lawrence, the consensus number one overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft, did not play in that loss to Notre Dame back in early November. It’s also worth mentioning that Clemson was able to avenge that loss with a dominant 34-10 win in the ACC Championship game. All eyes will be on Lawrence when the Tigers take the field, as the young quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist has his eyes set on a second National Championship before taking his talents to the NFL.
Clemson makes for an appealing betting option during these College Football Playoffs, as the team has been dominant when they have their star quarterback in the lineup. While the team boasts an impressive 10-1 over the course of the year, the Tigers haven’t fared as well with the betting community; Clemson is just 5-6 against the spread this season. In terms of Over/Under betting, the Tigers have gone over the key number in just over half of their games this year. As the second seed in this year’s College Football Playoffs, Clemson offers solid value for Futures betting with +210 odds to win this year’s National Championship.
Ohio State Buckeyes Betting Preview
With the Big Ten getting a late start to the season and several games being cancelled due to outbreaks of COVID-19, the Ohio State Buckeyes had the shortest path to this year’s College Football Playoffs. The Buckeyes finished the season with a 6-0 record, which was good enough for first in the Big Ten. Despite playing so few games, Ohio State has impressed at every opportunity and are led by one of the nation’s top quarterbacks in Justin Fields. The Buckeyes have a tough road ahead, starting with a rematch with Clemson following last year’s epic semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.
While Ohio State has looked very strong on the field this year, it seems they are not living up to the high expectations of NCAA odds makers as the team has gone just 3-3 against the spread in 2020. There aren’t many clear betting trends for the 2020 Buckeyes, as the team is also just 3-2-1 this year in Over/Under betting. With that being said, Ohio State could be a very lucrative selection when it comes to Futures betting, as the team’s odds to win this year’s National Championship currently sit at +650.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Betting Preview
This has been a unique year for Notre Dame, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced the school’s football program to join the ACC following 114 years of playing as an independent. It seems like the Fighting Irish didn’t mind their new conference, going 10-1 on their all-ACC schedule. Notre Dame made headlines earlier in the year by defeating Clemson (albeit without their starting quarterback), and they would love a chance to win the 12th National Championship in the program’s illustrious history. Notre Dame’s Ian Book is the all-time winningest quarterback in school history with a record of 30-4, and the Fighting Irish will need him at his best if they want to defy the odds and win it all this year.
View the latest NFL odds!
Notre Dame has historically been a favorite among the betting public, and at times this can have an impact on the point spread and moneyline betting odds. With such passionate fans, they often tend to overlook important betting trends related to the team. In the case of the Fighting Irish, everyone is focusing on their impressive ACC campaign without realizing they went just 5-6 against the spread in 2020. Additionally, Notre Dame’s games went over the total in just 6 of 11 games this season. Futures betting may be the most appealing option for this year’s Notre Dame team, as they currently have +2200 odds to take home the 2020 National Championship.
