Can Ohio State go back to back?
The Buckeyes begin the season as the co-favorites to win the national title with Texas. Both Ohio State and the Longhorns are at +500 to win it all ahead of their Week 1 matchup in Columbus.
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So far, Georgia is the only team to win back-to-back titles in the College Football Playoff era. The Bulldogs took down Alabama at the end of the 2021 season to win the national title and then demolished TCU at the end of the 2022 season to win it all.
Those two titles for the Bulldogs came in the four-team version of the CFP. Ohio State’s title a season ago came in the first 12-team playoff as the Buckeyes had to win four games. Ohio State blew out Tennessee at home and Oregon in the Rose Bowl, then held off Texas in the Cotton Bowl and Notre Dame in the national championship game.
Both the Buckeyes and Longhorns enter the season with new starting quarterbacks. We shouldn’t have to introduce you to Texas’ starter, as Arch Manning is the summer Heisman favorite ahead of his first season as a full-time starter.
In Columbus, former Alabama signee Julian Sayin is in line to take over for Will Howard. Sayin was the No. 2 pro style QB in the class of 2024 when he signed with the Crimson Tide and enrolled early. But he entered the transfer portal a month after he signed with Alabama following Nick Saban’s retirement and ultimately went to Ohio State.
Arch Manning didn’t get many snaps in Texas’ CFP semifinal loss to Ohio State last season, but he’ll be leading the Longhorns in Columbus in Week 1 this season. (Matthew Visinsky/Getty Images)
(Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Sayin is +1800 to win the Heisman and his teammate Jeremiah Smith is another one of the top favorites at +1000. Smith was simply dynamic as a true freshman in 2024 and was one of the best wide receivers in college football.
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They both will be getting plays from a new offensive coordinator in 2025 as well. With Chip Kelly now the offensive coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders, Brian Hartline will be Ohio State’s new play caller. Kelly called plays in his only season in Columbus after Ryan Day relinquished play-calling duties.
Former Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia is also Ohio State’s new defensive coordinator after Jim Knowles went to Penn State. Knowles, a Pennsylvania native, is now the highest-paid defensive coordinator in college football.
Overall, the top five favorites to win the title all come from either the SEC or Big Ten. Georgia is the No. 3 favorite at +650 ahead of Penn State at +750 and Oregon at +800. Gunner Stockton is set to be Georgia’s QB after taking over for Carson Beck in the SEC title game.
The Nittany Lions return QB Drew Allar and a host of other key contributors as they look to make another postseason run. Penn State dominated SMU in the first round and beat Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl before losing to Notre Dame in the semifinals.
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Oregon won the Big Ten title in 2024 thanks to a regular season win over Ohio State and a Big Ten title game win over Penn State. The Ducks will have former UCLA QB Dante Moore as their starter with Dillon Gabriel off to the NFL. The potential loss of WR Evan Stewart for the entire season because of a knee injury could loom large.
The first team outside the two powerhouse conferences on the board is Clemson at +1300. The Tigers could be the best value pick among all the favorites. QB Cade Klubnik broke out in 2024 and both the offense and defense return a ton of talent.
Notre Dame is at +1400 to win it all and ahead of both Alabama and LSU. The Tide and Tigers both missed out on the playoff field in 2024 and have the best odds of any team that failed to make the postseason a year ago.
2025 national title odds
Ohio State (+500)
Texas (+500)
Georgia (+650)
Penn State (+750)
Oregon (+800)
Clemson (+1300)
Notre Dame (+1400)
Alabama (+1500)
LSU (+1500)
Michigan (+2200)
Ole Miss (+2500)
Tennessee (+3000)
Texas A&M (+3000)
Miami (+3000)
