College Football Playoff Odds: 12 Teams Will Cash Tickets In 2024

I love betting college football futures every year.

The obvious markets that experienced NCAA handicappers flock to are the college football national championship odds and the expansive college football win totals, which offer over/unders for every team in FBS.

But in recent years, the College Football Playoff odds market has become arguably the most interesting market of all.

That’s especially true in 2024, where college football playoff expansion guarantees that 12 teams will cash futures tickets in this market. 

College Football Playoff Odds 2024

College Football Playoff Predictions

• Ohio State – The Buckeyes are loaded with one of the best, deepest rosters in college football. It would take an epic collapse to keep them from a 12-team playoff field.
• Georgia – The Bulldogs will play a challenging SEC schedule, and 13-0 doesn’t seem likely. But quarterback Carson Beck and the roster talent are just too good for the Bulldogs to be completely left out of the postseason.
• Oregon – The Ducks have plenty of new Big Ten foes to prepare for, but they’ll likely be the more talented team in at least 11 of their 12 regular-season games. The home game against Ohio State on Oct. 12 could very well give Oregon a path to a first-round playoff bye. 
• Texas – The Longhorns are the only CFP team from 2023 that retains their head coach and quarterback in 2024. Even against a tougher SEC schedule, Texas should remain postseason-bound.
• Notre Dame – Nine returning defensive starters, another ACC quarterback transfer, and a relatively soft schedule? Notre Dame will coast off its brand power and lofty record, even if it drops high-profile games against Texas A&M, Florida State, or USC. 
• Penn State – The Nittany Lions rarely crack the top four, but they rarely drop below the top 12. This new playoff model was essentially made for their benefit.
• Miami (FL) – Mario Cristobal has improved the overall quality of the roster and used the transfer portal to his advantage. Now that transfer quarterback Cam Ward is wearing a Hurricanes jersey, Miami has all the pieces it needs for its long-awaited return to the postseason.
• Utah – Kyle Whittingham and the Utes consistently compete for championships because of smart quarterback play and great talent at the line of scrimmage. That formula should translate nicely in a new conference, assuming they can survive the top-to-bottom depth of the underrated Big 12. 
• Missouri – Quarterback Brady Cook and the Tigers’ potent offense returns this season with a less dominant defensive line. That might not be a dealbreaker against an SEC schedule that dodges Texas, Georgia, Ole Miss, LSU, and Tennessee.
• West Virginia – Here’s a total dark-horse pick that’s currently priced at +1500. West Virginia has clear deficiencies, such as lack of elite talent on its defensive line. Still, the Mountaineers have a great run game, complemented by a dynamic quarterback in Garrett Greene. They dodge Utah, play Kansas State in Morgantown, and could open the season with a massive, attention-stealing win against Penn State. 
• SMU – I’m skeptical that the Mustangs are one of the 12 best teams in FBS this season, but their schedule sets up wonderfully for a run to the ACC title game. 
• Memphis – I like Memphis to grab the automatic G5 playoff bid. The Tigers have an early trip to Florida State and a very manageable AAC schedule to play after that. Even if the Florida State game is a competitive loss, a 12-1 Memphis could still easily be the highest-ranked G5 team when the calendar flips to December.