College Football Playoff odds following new rankings: Michigan and Alabama move up, Washington drops back
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The latest College Football Playoff rankings have been released, and here’s how the top six shook out ahead of Championship Weekend:
- 1: Georgia
- 2: Michigan
- 3: Washington
- 4: Florida State
- 5: Oregon
- 6: Ohio State
Michigan beat Ohio State for a third straight season thanks to a game-sealing interception with under a minute left in the game.
Michigan is now favored to win the National Championship thanks to its Big Ten Championship matchup against Iowa. The Hawkeyes are 10-2 on the year with a defense that surrenders the fourth-fewest points in FBS.
However, Iowa’s offense is one of the worst in power five. The unit’s 18 points-per-game average is 10th-worst in the nation, making Michigan a 23-point favorite on Saturday - the largest spread of Championship Weekend.
The Wolverines having the easiest path to the College Football Playoff is why Big Blue holds top National Championship odds.
Washington eeked out a three-point win over Washington State last week, resulting in another odds decline for the Huskies. Oregon, Texas, and Alabama each have one loss and hold better odds than the Huskies.
This is due to the nature in which Washington earned a flawless regular-season record. Kalen DeBoer’s team has won six of its last eight games by one possession, a few of which came against far inferior opponents that the Huskies should’ve easily beaten.
Washington is also a 9.5-point underdog vs. Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship despite topping the Ducks 36-33 in Week 7. Oregon has been unstoppable in the second half of the season and appears to be one of the most complete teams in college football.
The Huskies’ undefeated record earned them a spot in the fresh CFP rankings, but Oreogn’s expected Pac-12 Championship victory gives the Ducks top-three odds to win the National Championship.
Alabama snuck out of Jordan-Hare Stadium with a victory thanks to an unbelievable game-winning touchdown on 4th-and-31 as time dwindled in the fourth quarter. The narrow win didn’t hurt the Crimson Tide’s National Championship odds, as Alabama and Texas are neck-and-neck across each sportsbook.
While a victory over Georgia in the SEC Championship would give the Tide a major boost, it wouldn’t guarantee a playoff spot.
Texas’ Week 2 victory at Bryant-Denny Stadium gives the Longhorns the upper hand, leaving it to the CFP committee to decide who makes the final four if each team wins on Saturday. Beating UGA would be more impressive than Texas topping Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship, creating a tough call for CFP decision-makers on selection Sunday.
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