College Football National Championship Predictions & Odds: Is Arch Manning the Longhorns’ Savior?

• The Texas Longhorns' starting quarterback in 2025-26 will be the highly anticipated Arch Manning. 

• The Ohio State Buckeyes lost 14 players to the 2025 NFL Draft and will have former five-star quarterback, Julian Sayin, under center. 

• The Georgia Bulldogs will have Gunner Stockton under center, along with new wide receiver and USC transfer Zachariah Branch.

The Ohio State Buckeyes became the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff champions, and now, in the 2025-26 season, they’ll look to win their third title in the College Football Playoff era. However, it’ll be without some key talent as 14 players were selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. 

See the current odds for the 2025-26 national champion below.

NCAAF Championship Odds

All odds below are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Click on the odds in the table below to head to FanDuel Sportsbook and place your bets: Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins.

NCAAF Championship Predictions

The 2025-26 college football season begins on Saturday, August 23. The headline matchup includes the Iowa State Cyclones and Kansas State Wildcats, live from Dublin, Ireland. 

Regarding predictions, it's hard to overlook the Longhorns, who are atop the odds at +550. This season, they’ll have Arch Manning as their full-time starting quarterback. In brief action last season while Quinn Ewers was injured, he completed 67.8% of his passes for 939 yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions, and added 108 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. 

Here are some other notable contenders to consider when placing futures bets on who will win the national championship:

• Ohio State Buckeyes (+600): Tied with the Longhorns, the Buckeyes will have Julian Sayin, a former five-star recruit, as their starter. He’ll have excellent receivers like Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith to throw the ball to. 

• Penn State Nittany Lions (+750): A season ago, they were one game away from making the national championship, and now, all eyes are on quarterback Drew Allar. He took massive steps from 2023-24 to 2024-25. If he can remain consistent and continue to utilize his talents, such as a massive arm, the Nittany Lions will be a formidable foe. 

• LSU Tigers (+1700): Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is considered by many to be the favorite for the QB1 spot in the 2026 NFL Draft class, whether or not Manning declares. He has several talented receivers at his disposal, including Nic Anderson, Barion Brown, and Aaron Anderson.

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NCAAF Championship Winner - My Pick

Penn State Nittany Lions (+750) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Allar may have lost his top weapon in tight end Tyler Warren to the NFL, but the team added some replacements in Devonte Ross (transferred from Troy) and Kyron Hudson (transferred from USC) to play wide receiver. In addition to Allar returning, the Nittany Lions have their two-headed backfield of Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. They were one game away a season ago, and this is the year Allar puts it all together, wins a championship, and heads off to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

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How to Bet on the NCAAF Championship

To wager on the NCAAF championship, head to your chosen sportsbook's "Futures" section. Futures markets allow you to wager on events that'll resolve sometimes months later, depending on when the wager is made, such as the national championship. These markets are available before and during the season, with odds shifting based on how the team plays, injuries, how other teams are playing, and more. 

In addition to betting directly on the national title winner, you can indirectly support your prediction by wagering on related markets, such as conference championship futures, win totals, or individual game bets (e.g., moneyline, point spread, and totals).

For example, suppose you believe Penn State will win the national championship. You could wager on their games, their projected win total, and the "Futures" market for them to win the Big Ten conference. 

How to Read NCAAF Championship Odds

When reading NCAAF championship odds, you’ll come across “+” and “-” odds. 

The “+” typically indicates an underdog, whereas the “-” is the favorite. 

When it comes to betting, here’s how to view these lines: 

• With “+” odds, you’ll win the amount associated with it when you wager $100. For example, if a team is +600, you’ll win $600 if you place a $100 bet and they win. 

• With “-” odds, you must wager the amount associated to win $100. For example, if a team is -600, you must bet $600 to win $100. 

Where to Bet on NCAAF Championship Winner

• FanDuel Sportsbook: When it comes to betting on the college national champion, FanDuel is always a go-to spot for me. It offers plenty of promotions, including a new player-friendly welcome bonus, and always has competitive odds. New users can currently claim the following offer: Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins.

• Caesars Sportsbook: We mentioned that you can supplement your national championship “Futures” bet with wagers on individual games, and Caesars Sportsbook routinely offers odds boosts to enhance your potential winnings. Use our promo code WSNDYW and claim the welcome offer: Bet $1, Get 10 100% Profit Boost Tokens.

• BetMGM: BetMGM routinely offers free-to-play games that can add bonus bets to your virtual wallet. Additionally, there’s 24/7 customer support available should you have any questions about NCAAF championship betting. Register with BetMGM today with our promo code WSNSPORTS and claim your welcome bonus: Get Up to $1,500 in Bonus Bets*.

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NCAAF Championship Winner History

Since 2014, the College Football Playoff has been how national champions are decided. When it was first implemented, it featured four teams.

Then, in 2024, it switched to 12 teams. The change proved worthwhile as the champion, the Ohio State Buckeyes, were the No. 8 seed and beat the No. 9, No. 1, No. 5, and No. 7 seeds, respectively, to win it all. 

Since the College Football Playoff was introduced, the Alabama Crimson Tide’s three titles have led the way. 

Below is a list of the national champions since the College Football Playoff came to be.