College Football Playoff First-Round Odds, Picks & Predictions: Notre Dame On Upset Alert?
On Sunday, the committee released the introductory 12-team College Football Playoff bracket. First-round action kicks off on Dec. 20-21 at home stadiums, the first time playoff matchups will occur on campus. Texas will host Clemson, SMU will debut in the CFP at Penn State, and Indiana will remain in-state at Notre Dame. These home teams are favored over a touchdown, while Ohio State is a seven-point favorite versus Tennessee for the right to take on top-seeded Oregon. Below are the opening odds for the first round in the 2024-25 College Football Playoff, which begins on Friday, Dec. 20, and my bets.
Click any college bowl odds below to place a bet. You can also explore promo codes from the best sports betting sites.
college football playoff: first-round odds
Opening Spreads After Selection Show
|
first-round lines
|
||
|---|---|---|
|
texas vs. clemson
|
||
|
penn state vs. smu
|
||
|
notre dame vs. indiana
|
||
|
ohio state vs. tennessee
|
Current First-Round Odds
No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame: Friday, Dec. 20 (8 p.m. ET)
No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State: Saturday, Dec. 21 (Noon ET)
No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas: Saturday, Dec. 21 (4 p.m. ET)
No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State: Saturday, Dec. 21 (8 p.m. ET)
Eli’s Picks: Indiana +7.5 (-108, DraftKings Sportsbook)
Considering market perception around the Hoosiers, I believe this spread is the most inflated of the four games. Both teams rank in the top five in turnover differential, showcasing their favorable fortune. Nevertheless, the Irish are far more vulnerable against the run, ranking 64th in success rate and 71st in adjusted line yards allowed, respectively. The Hoosiers can play ball control with Justice Ellison and Ty Son Lawton in a hostile road environment, allowing them to hang within a score.
I’ll have a full write-up on the first-round odds for Notre Dame vs. Indiana closer to kickoff.
cfp championship odds
No. 1 Oregon (13-0), the lone undefeated college football team, is tied with Texas for the best odds to win the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. On Saturday night, the Ducks clinched the top seed with a victory in the Big Ten championship game versus Penn State. Just before it began, the No. 2 Bulldogs beat the No. 5 Longhorns in overtime for the SEC title.
As noted above, Texas will host Clemson in the first round on Saturday, Dec. 21.
- Join TheLines.com’s free sports betting Discord — with over 4,900 community members and our staff sharing bets daily.
Where Can You Bet On Player Props For First-Round Odds?
Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia don’t permit gambling on college football player props.
Illinois, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, and Virginia are the states that ban wagering on games involving in-state schools or player props. Other states with legal online sportsbooks, such as North Carolina, allow wagering on college basketball player prop odds, including for players on in-state teams.
Latest College Football Betting News
RELATED ARTICLES
