Ohio State vs. Notre Dame: Betting History Of College Football National Championship

“I don’t like college football because the favorite wins the National Championship yearly.” Stop us if you’ve heard that one. It’s one of the most common complaints from those arguing against college football, especially with bettors lining up to bet on the odds of OSU vs. Notre Dame. But do the favorites always win in college football national championship history?
Below, we’ll review the history of college football’s championship odds and betting. From strings of SEC dominance and the Saban dynasty to the genesis of the College Football Playoff, we’ll lay out roughly the last two decades of the title game.
Keep up-to-date with TheLines for this year’s championship coverage and more college football betting content.
2025 National Championship Odds: Ohio State Vs. Notre Dame
Compare national championship odds from the best college football betting sites below. Click on OSU vs. Notre Dame odds to place a bet. Browse the best sportsbook promo codes before betting on the 2025 national championship game.
Beating The Stigma: Preseason Favorites Don’t Always Win
Full transparency: reliable historical odds in college football are challenging. It’s an emerging betting market today and isn’t as well-documented as leagues like the NFL and MLB. We uncovered the title game and futures odds dating back to 1998 and 2002, respectively.
The bottom line is that preseason favorites don’t win the title yearly. More teams with preseason odds of +2500 or longer have won the championship since 2002 than favorites have. Just two preseason favorites captured the title between 2002 and 2020 – Alabama (2017) and USC (2004). However, the preseason favorite captured the title in two of the last three seasons during the pitch of the Georgia run and Alabama dynasty.
In 2024, Washington opened at 40-1 and nearly joined the elite underdogs in college football history. They fell short of becoming one of the teams with the longest odds to win a title, a list that includes 2010 Auburn (50-1), 2014 Ohio State (40-1), and 2019 LSU (25-1).
College Football National Championship Betting history
Regarding National Championship game odds, favorites have seen much more success.
National title game betting favorites have won and covered the last five championships. Georgia put the exclamation point on that in 2023, setting championship and bowl game records en route to a 65-7 win over TCU as -14 favorites. Before 2019, Alabama was favored in four straight championship games, covering none but winning two titles.
Favorites of -6 or more are just 4-10 against the spread with eight outright losses (those favorites began 1-5 outright since the introduction of the BCS in 1999). Favorites between -3 and -6 saw much more success, going 6-2 ATS and losing just once outright (Tennessee +5.5 in 1999 won outright).
Like most sporting events, late-week or day-of movement strongly indicates a winner. In 2023, TCU saw some early line movement, pushing the number below +14. However, just hours before kickoff, Georgia took heavy action, moving the line multiple points. Of course, the Dawgs covered quickly.
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National Championship Game Odds By Year
Year | Result | Odds |
---|---|---|
2025 | TBD | OSU -8.5 |
2024 | Michigan 34, Washington 13 | MICH -4.5 |
2023 | Georgia 65, TCU 7 | UGA -14 |
2022 | Georgia 33, Alabama 18 | UGA -2.5 |
2021 | Alabama 52, Ohio State 24 | BAMA -8.5 |
2020 | LSU 42, Clemson 25 | LSU -5.5 |
2019 | Clemson 44, Alabama 16 | BAMA -6 |
2018 | Alabama 26, Georgia 23 (OT) | BAMA -4 |
2017 | Clemson 35, Alabama 31 | BAMA -6.5 |
2016 | Alabama 45, Clemson 40 | BAMA -7 |
2015 | Ohio State 42, Oregon 20 | ORE -6 |
2014 | Florida State 34, Auburn 31 | FSU -6.5 |
2013 | Alabama 42, Notre Dame 14 | BAMA -10 |
2012 | Alabama 21, LSU 0 | LSU -1.5 |
2011 | Auburn 22, Oregon 19 | AUB -1 |
2010 | Alabama 37, Texas 21 | BAMA -4 |
2009 | Florida 24, Oklahoma 14 | UF -4 |
2008 | LSU 38, Ohio State 24 | LSU -3.5 |
2007 | Florida 41, Ohio State 14 | OSU -7 |
2006 | Texas 41, USC 38 | USC -7 |
2005 | USC 55, Oklahoma 19 | USC -1 |
2004 | LSU 21, Oklahoma 14 | OU -7 |
2003 | Ohio State 31, Miami 24 (2 OT) | MIA -11 |
2002 | Miami 37, Nebraska 14 | MIA -8.5 |
2001 | Oklahoma 13, Florida State 2 | FSU -10 |
2000 | Florida State 46, Virginia Tech 29 | FSU -5.5 |
1999 | Tennessee 23, Florida State 16 | FSU -5.5 |
Note: College Football introduced the BCS system in 1998 and the College Football Playoff system in 2014. Odds taken are at the opening. Numbers may differ with older title games.
College Football Futures Odds By Year
Season | Champion | Preseason Odds |
---|---|---|
2023 | Michigan | +900 |
2022 | Georgia | +350 |
2021 | Georgia | +600 |
2020 | Alabama | +300 |
2019 | LSU | +2500 |
2018 | Clemson | +400 |
2017 | Alabama | +250 |
2016 | Clemson | +700 |
2015 | Alabama | +700 |
2014 | Ohio State | +4000 |
2013 | Florida State | +1600 |
2012 | Alabama | +550 |
2011 | Alabama | +600 |
2010 | Auburn | +5000 |
2009 | Alabama | +1200 |
2008 | Florida | +600 |
2007 | LSU | +800 |
2006 | Florida | +1000 |
2005 | Texas | +800 |
2004 | USC | +300 |
2003 | LSU | +4000 |
2002 | Ohio State | +1900 |
2001 | Miami | +500 |
Note: Reliable futures odds data begin with the 2002 season.
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