CJ Stroud

  • Ohio State once again saw their College Football National Championship odds shorten and also saw quarterback C.J. Stroud become the outright favorite to win the Heisman Trophy with -130 odds.
  • The matchup between Alabama and Tennessee is going to greatly influence College Football betting odds after Week Seven, meaning betting on either team or their quarterbacks should be done before the week.
  • Other large odds shifts this week included the Texas Longhorn, Washington Huskies, and the LSU Tigers.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – For the fourth straight week, the Ohio State Buckeyes have seen their odds to win the National Championship shorten while other top contenders such as the Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide continue to see their odds get longer.

Examining each team’s betting odds over the past four weeks indicates just how significant the changes are at the top of Bovada‘s odds board.

College Football Favorites by Week

Team Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7
Ohio State +300 +225 +200 +180
Georgia +180 +175 +210 +220
Alabama +200 +200 +220 +260

Ohio State’s Dominance Continues

Following Ohio State’s dominant 49-20 victory over Michigan State on Saturday, college football sportsbooks are continuing to buy in on the Ryan Day-led team.

It is not just the Buckeye’s National Championship odds that have grown shorter, as star quarterback C.J. Stroud is now an outright favorite for the Heisman Trophy with -130 odds.

Stroud went from +175 before the week to -130 after the victory, with his closest competition now Caleb Williams of USC with +1000 odds.

Ohio State has a bye week this week, meaning it may be wise to wait until after Week Seven’s games before betting on the Buckeyes to win the National Championship or Stroud to win the Heisman Trophy.

Waiting to bet may provide larger payouts because the matchup between Alabama and Tennessee this week is likely going to shoot one of the teams up the odds boards and lengthen the Buckeye’s National Championship Odds.

Alabama vs Tennessee Affecting College Football Futures

College Gameday is traveling to Rocky Top for the Alabama vs Tennessee game this week for good reason, as both teams are ranked inside the top six of the latest AP Poll.

The long-term gambling implications of this game are massive, as this will be both teams’ toughest test of the season.

It is unknown if Jalen Milroe or Bryce Young will be quarterbacking the Crimson Tide, but legal sports betting sites do not seem to care as Alabama has opened the week as a 7.5-point favorite.

7.5-point favorite status is a new feeling for Nick Saban and company, as Alabama has yet to be favored by any less than 17 points all season. This relatively close spread is of historical importance in this rivalry as the last time Alabama was favored by less than two touchdowns versus the Volunteers was in 2008.

Tennessee saw their National Championship odds shorten from +6000 before Week Six to +4000 before Week Seven, and a victory over Alabama would surely reduce payouts on Tennessee dramatically.

The same can be said for Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker’s Heisman Trophy odds, as he has the third shortest odds in the country right now at +1200.

Other Large College Football National Championship Line Shifts

Outside of Ohio State, Georgia, and Alabama, several notable line shifts occurred this weekend:

  • Largest Shortening of Odds: Texas went from +40000 before their Week Six 49-0 victory over Oklahoma to +20000 to win the National Championship. The return of Quinn Ewers and the dominance of their defense surely caught the eye of oddsmakers.
  • Largest Lengthening of Odds: Two teams saw their odds elongate by at least 80000 this past weekend: LSU and Washington. Both schools went from +20000 before Week Six to +100000 currently.
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