Who Are the Favorites to Get Into the College Football Playoff?

In what will be the final season (for now) in its current four-team format, the College Football Playoff is perpetually among the most nationally debated topics.

With the season approaching, one of the numerous college football markets you can sink your teeth into at FanDuel Sportsbook is the odds to make the College Football Playoff. Spoiler alert: three of the four teams from last year's CFP currently lead the way for 2023.

Let's peruse the list of top contenders and their respective CFP qualification odds for the upcoming season.

All college football odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

*Denotes 2022 CFP qualifier

Georgia Bulldogs

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: -210

After an undefeated 2022 season resulted in their second consecutive national title, Georgia and head coach Kirby Smart are looking to join extremely rare company in the coming campaign. The last -- and only -- occurrence of a school three-peating as college football national champions was the Minnesota Golden Gophers from 1934 to 1936. Georgia has the shortest odds (-210) to qualify for the 2023-24 CFP, although they have some big shoes to fill with all the talent they've lost from their last two squads.

Ohio State Buckeyes

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +115

Under head coach Ryan Day, the Buckeyes have regularly showcased high-flying offenses. Last year, Ohio State went 11-1 through the regular season, and their year ended at the hands of eventual champion Georgia in a thrilling game in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Worth mentioning: the Buckeyes head into the upcoming season as the top team in the country going by to ESPN's College Football Power Index (CFPI).

Michigan Wolverines

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +125

Headed for their ninth season with head coach Jim Harbaugh at the helm, the Wolverines are looking to qualify for the College Football Playoff for the third year in a row. Per Pro Football Focus, Michigan boasts the country's best offensive line for the upcoming season. The program appears to be in a really solid place, and the block "M" should be in for another season as one of the best teams in the nation.

Alabama Crimson Tide

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +155

Multiple seasons have gone by without head coach Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide winning a national title, which feels sort of odd. Regardless, 'Bama missed last year's CFP for only the second time since its inception. In 2023, ESPN's CFPI has the Tide ranked second in the nation, but, per usual, they'll have to contend with a stout SEC West.

USC Trojans

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +230

As a California native, if I had a dollar every time someone told me "the Trojans are back," I'd have a financially lucrative side hustle. However, those people may be right. Guided by head coach Lincoln Riley and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams -- who is a +500 favorite to repeat, per the Heisman odds at FanDuel Sportsbook -- USC is the top team on the West Coast. Additionally, PFF has the Trojans' O-line ranked as the seventh-best in the nation. Will USC's defense be good enough for the Trojans to be legit title contenders? That's the question.

Texas Longhorns

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +320

Similarly to the Trojans, Texas is a powerhouse brand that has been looking to return to the glory days for some time now. After an up-and-down 2022 season, head coach Steve Sarkisian seems to have more talent in Austin than he's had in previous years. A month before the season begins, ESPN's CFPI has Texas ranked as the fifth-best squad in the country and the top team in the Big 12. Like Southern Cal, the Longhorns have never qualified for the CFP in its current iteration.

Rounding out the Top 10

• Clemson Tigers (+320)
• Florida State Seminoles (+380)
• LSU Tigers (+430)
• Penn State Nittany Lions (+440)

Longer Shots

• Washington Huskies +650)
• Oregon Ducks (+650)
• Oklahoma Sooners (+700)
• Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+750)
• Utah Utes (+1000)
• Texas A&M Aggies (+1200)
• Wisconsin Badgers (+1200)
• Tennessee Volunteers (+1300)
• Kansas State Wildcats (+1600)
• North Carolina Tar Heels (+1900)
• Iowa Hawkeyes (+2500)
• Oregon State Beavers (+2500)
• Texas Tech Red Raiders (+2800)

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.