College football betting: Ohio State is bettors’ overwhelming national title choice so far

Ohio State is the favorite national championship choice of bettors so far in 2024 and it’s not even close.

The Buckeyes are getting nearly 25% of national title wagers at BetMGM and those bets make up over 35% of the total money bet on the College Football Playoff winner. Ohio State opened at +700 to win the national title and is now down to +375 because of all that action.

It’s not out of line to say that it’s a national title or bust season for the Buckeyes and coach Ryan Day with all the talent that is in Columbus for the 2024 season. After a disappointing end to the 2023 season that included a loss to Michigan to end the regular season and a loss to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl, Ohio State returned a lot of players and made significant additions through the transfer portal.

After last season’s starting QB Kyle McCord transferred and Devin Brown suffered an injury in the bowl game, Ohio State added former Kansas State QB Will Howard. He’s the presumptive starter and is joined in the backfield by fellow transfer Quinshon Judkins. The former Ole Miss running back rushed for over 2,700 yards in two seasons with the Rebels and will team with TreVeyon Henderson to form the top running back duo in the country.

Though the Buckeyes lost Marvin Harrison Jr. to the NFL draft, WR Emeka Egbuka is back and the team added former Alabama DB Caleb Downs to the defense as Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau are also back for another season.

Ohio State is a close No. 2 favorite to Georgia at +325. The Bulldogs have been the preseason favorite since betting opened and are getting just under 12% of bets and over 16% of the money. Yes, half of the money wagered on the national title winner in the first year of the 12-team playoff is either on Ohio State or Georgia.

The third-most popular team is Texas at +700. The Longhorns are getting 8% of bets and money and bring back QB Quinn Ewers. However, the offense lost RB Jonathon Brooks and WRs Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell to the NFL.

No other teams are at better than +1000 to win the playoff. Oregon is the No. 4 favorite at +1000 and Alabama is at +1400 ahead of Kalen DeBoer’s first season in Tuscaloosa. Overall, five of the top seven favorites for the national title will play football in the SEC in 2024, while the other three of the top eight favorites are all members of the Big Ten. The top favorites outside of the two power conferences are Notre Dame and Florida State at +2500.

National championship favorites

• Georgia (+325)

• Ohio State (+375)

• Texas (+700)

• Oregon (+1000)

• Alabama (+1400)

• LSU (+1600)

• Ole Miss (+1600)

• Michigan (+2000)

• Notre Dame (+2500)

• Florida State (+2500)

• Penn State (+2500)

• Clemson (+3000)

• Tennessee (+3500)

• Missouri (+3500)