Joe Skipper / Associated Press
Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016 | 12:02 p.m.
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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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