2025 CFP Title Odds: Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State Open as Favorites to Win

Despite failing to reach the College Football Playoff this past season, the Georgia Bulldogs are the early favorites to win the 2024-25 national championship.

According to betting lines released by DraftKings Sportsbook, Georgia is the odds-on favorite at +450, followed by Alabama (+600), Ohio State (+800), Texas (+900) and reigning national champion Michigan (+1,000):

DraftKings Sportsbook @DKSportsbook

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After winning back-to-back national titles in 2021 and 2022, Georgia fell just short of the CFP field in 2023 due to a loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. The Bulldogs took out their frustrations on Florida State in the Orange Bowl, crushing the Seminoles 63-3 in a statement win.

The Bulldogs went 29-1 over the course of the 2021 and 2022 seasons combined, and head coach Kirby Smart had established them as the dominant program in college football.

They looked to be precisely that for most of the 2023 season as well, entering the SEC title game with a perfect record, but a narrow loss to Alabama proved to be a fatal blow to their CFP hopes.

With both Michigan and Washington undefeated, and Texas and Alabama as one-loss teams with strong résumés, the Bulldogs were left outside the top four.

One slip-up will not be enough to keep the Bulldogs out of the CFP next season in all likelihood, as the field is expanding from four teams to 12 teams.

While that will arguably take some of the drama out of late-season contests, including conference championship games, it will ensure that teams with a legitimate chance to win a national title have the opportunity to do so.

Although the Bulldogs weren't in the CFP field this past season, it is fair to wonder if they would have been a tougher challenge for Michigan in the National Championship Game than Washington was.

The Wolverines were a clearly superior team to the Huskies in a 34-13 victory, but that may not have been the case against a talented Georgia squad.

That isn't to say Washington didn't earn its spot, as it was an undefeated Pac-12 champion, but things could have been different with more top-end teams in the field.

While the Bulldogs are set to lose some key players to the 2024 NFL draft, including tight end Brock Bowers, wide receiver Ladd McConkey, offensive tackle Amarius Mims and cornerback Kamari Lassiter, they will also return some stars.

Quarterback Carson Beck, defensive end Chaz Chambliss and defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse are just a few of the major contributors who have committed to staying in school for the 2024 season.

Beck's return is likely the biggest factor in the Bulldogs being national title favorites, as he impressed during his first season as a starter in 2023, completing 72.4 percent of his passes for 3,941 yards, 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions, while also rushing for four scores.

Georgia will have some stiff competition within its own conference, including an Alabama team returning starting quarterback Jalen Milroe, but the Bulldogs are shaping up to be the team to beat nonetheless.