Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Betting odds favor Clemson to win next year’s national championship

Orange Bowl

Joe Skipper / Associated Press

Clemson wide receiver Hunter Renfrow (13) runs for a touchdown during the second half of the Orange Bowl NCAA college football semifinal playoff game against Oklahoma, Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015, in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney vowed his team would return to the national championship in the future after last night’s 45-40 loss to Alabama in the game.

The odds are behind his proclamation. Clemson opened as the favorite to win the 2016-2017 college football title Tuesday at William Hill sports books.

The Tigers sit at the top of the future betting board at odds of 6-to-1, narrowly edging Alabama at 7-to-1. It’s the first time in six years — since Auburn won the BCS national championship in 2010 — that the defending national champion isn’t the favorite to repeat.

A quick look at the teams’ depth charts goes a long way in explaining. Twelve of the 22 players making up Alabama’s first-string this season were seniors, as opposed to only five starters from Clemson exhausting their eligibility.

Both teams will endure a rash of underclassmen declaring for the NFL Draft. Alabama running back and Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry is expected to be among them, but second Heisman runner-up and Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson will not be. A true sophomore this season, Watson must play one more season of college football after setting a championship game record with 478 total yards in the loss to Alabama.

Watson’s victim in the college football playoff semifinals, Oklahoma, falls in behind Alabama and Clemson at 10-to-1 odds.

The Crimson Tide opened as an 8-to-1 third choice at this time last year before completing their fourth championship season in the last seven years. The Tigers nearly became a somewhat long-shot champion after posting at 20-to-1 odds.

Check below for full odds to win the 2016-2017 college football national championship.

Clemson — 6-to-1

Alabama — 7-to-1

Oklahoma — 10-to-1

Baylor — 12-to-1

Stanford — 15-to-1

Michigan — 15-to-1

Ohio State — 15-to-1

Notre Dame — 15-to-1

Florida State — 15-to-1

Tennessee — 15-to-1

LSU — 20-to-1

Ole Miss — 30-to-1

Oregon — 30-to-1

Iowa — 30-to-1

USC — 30-to-1

Houston — 30-to-1

Florida — 30-to-1

Michigan State — 30-to-1

North Carolina — 40-to-1

TCU — 40-to-1

UCLA — 40-to-1

Oklahoma State — 40-to-1

Louisville — 40-to-1

Georgia — 50-to-1

Utah — 50-to-1

Arkansas — 50-to-1

Washington — 75-to-1

Auburn — 75-to-1

Miami — 75-to-1

Wisconsin — 75-to-1

Northwestern — 100-to-1

West Virginia — 100-to-1

Washington State — 100-to-1

Texas A&M — 100-to-1

Arizona State — 100-to-1

Nebraska — 100-to-1

Texas — 150-to-1

Mississippi State — 150-to-1

Arizona — 150-to-1

Virginia Tech — 200-to-1

Texas Tech — 200-to-1

Penn State — 250-to-1

Missouri — 250-to-1

BYU — 250-to-1

Pittsburgh —300-to-1

San Diego State — 300-to-1

Georgia Tech — 300-to-1

Boise State — 300-to-1

California — 300-to-1

Field — 100-to-1

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.

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