College Football National Championship Odds: Oregon, Oklahoma Surging in Big Ten, SEC
Following a Week 1 of college football that featured several matchups that impacted the college football national championship odds in a major way, Week 2 didn't lead to much change atop the oddsboard.
While programs from the Big Ten and SEC like Ohio State, Penn State, Georgia, and Texas continue to be the clear championship favorites following Week 2, it's two other programs from those conferences that may have had the best showing on Saturday.
Oregon had a statement win over Oklahoma State, handing the Pokes their worst loss in over a century, and Oklahoma proved it's ready to be competitive after beating Michigan in the only top-25 matchup of the week. Should you back the Ducks or Sooners with your college football picks?
π Live college football national championship odds 2025-26
The latest college football national championship odds; college football odds update in real time:
π Week 2 college football national championship odds movement
- College football national championship odds favorites like Ohio State (+575), Penn State (+650), Georgia (+650), and Texas (+800) saw little to no movement after beating up on lesser programs in Week 2
- After beating Clemson last week, LSU (+1000) looked like it would surge up the board, but a not-so-pretty showing against Louisiana Tech has stalled the Tigers' odds
- Two of the biggest risers up the board in an otherwise quiet week are Oregon (+1100) and Oklahoma (+3500) after they had the flashiest wins on Saturday
- Clemson (+2000) continues to slip down the oddsboard after the Tigers followed up their loss to LSU by needing a comeback to beat Troy in Week 2
- Losses from Michigan (+5000), Florida (+8000), SMU (+10000), and Arizona State (+17500) have lengthened their college football national championship odds
π¦ Can the Ducks take flight and win the title?
π Oregonβs splashy win against Oklahoma State
In the CBS game of the week at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, it didn't take long to recognize that it wouldn't be much of a game at all. The Ducks beat up on Oklahoma State with ease following Mike Gundy's comments that seemed to light a fire under Dan Lanning's bunch. Oregon beat a Power Four program 69-3, which was a bigger deficit than several championship contenders had in Week 2 against low-tier Group of Five and FCS teams.
The biggest takeaway from the game was how well new starting QB Dante Moore played. The former five-star recruit threw three touchdowns with an adjusted completion rate of 80% while accounting for two big-time throws and zero turnover-worthy plays. Moore is firmly in the Heisman Trophy odds race and looks like the Big Ten's top option to bring home the award.
With Will Stein calling plays and Moore surrounded by playmakers like Kenyon Sadiq and Dakorien Moore - while playing behind an elite offensive line led by Isaiah World (6-8, 318 lbs) - the Ducks have one of the scariest offenses in the country. And you just know to trust Lanning's defense, which held the Pokes to just 211 yards, especially with Matayo Uiagalelei and A'Mauri Washington on the D-line.
This is a legitimate and obvious championship contender.
π’ Oregon's national championship odds (+1100)
With everything the Ducks lost to the NFL, including Heisman Trophy finalist Dillon Gabriel, the Ducks were grouped in the second tier of national championship contenders coming into the season. Clearly, Lanning has rebuilt this team and has it playing at the same level as other college football national championship odds contenders.
Oregon sits No. 1 in SP+ through two weeks, ranked top 10 in both offense and defense, and has a plethora of future NFL players on both sides of the ball. Moore taking a step forward was the key, and he's already proven he's grown from his true freshman season at UCLA two years ago.
The Ducks' first true test doesn't come until they hit the road to play Penn State on Sept. 27, in what will be a whiteout game for the Nittany Lions, but that's the only game on their schedule where they likely won't be favored. Given the Ducks' short College Football Playoff odds and early success, I would have no problem backing them with a $10 bet paying a $110 profit.
π ΎοΈ Was Oklahoma's booming victory over Michigan a sign?
π John Mateer's Heisman statement
Brent Venables bringing QB John Mateer and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle from Washington State is already paying dividends for Oklahoma. The Sooners handled business in a big way against Michigan on Saturday night, winning by double digits as a 4.5-point betting favorite in a game they never trailed.
Arbuckle's creativity on offense was overshadowed by Mateer's gutsy performance, where his tough running was interspersed with Johnny Manziel-style passing plays out of structure. There's still so much season left, but Mateer's Week 2 showing was the biggest statement in the Heisman Trophy odds race yet. He threw for 270 yards with three big-time throws and added 74 yards on the ground with 33 after contact while totalling three touchdowns against what was the No. 1-ranked defense by SP+.
If Mateer, Arbuckle, and Deion Burks can continue to create explosive plays on offense, the Sooners will be in the College Football Playoff hunt. It already looks like Oklahoma's defense is set to be one of the best in the country after it shut down Michigan freshman phenom Bryce Underwood, holding the Wolverines to under 300 yards.
So have the Sooners shown enough to justify a national championship bet?
π΄ Oklahoma's national championship odds (+3500)
Can Venables really take a team that went 6-7 last season (and lost to Navy in its bowl game) and turn it into a national champion one season later? It's all on Mateer's shoulders, and although he's looked the part of a Heisman winner through two weeks, this sample size is way too small to buy in - even if a $10 winning bet pays a $350 profit.
Believe me, I love Mateer as a Heisman contender after what he did against Michigan, but this is a Wolverines squad that was struggling at times with New Mexico last week. Sure, the Sooners have the premier players at key spots like Mateer, Burks, R Mason Thomas, Kendal Daniels, and Peyton Bowen, but questions about the run game, offensive line, and wide receiver depth remain.
The Sooners are just ranked No. 23 in SP+ on offense and have programs like Texas, South Carolina, Tennessee, and LSU to play down the stretch. If you're sipping the Sooner Kool-Aid, I'd much rather bet on Mateer to win the Heisman than OU to win the title.
β College football national championship FAQs
Who is the college football national championship odds favorite?
Ohio State (+575) is the college football national championship odds favorite. The Buckeyes' odds imply a 14.81% probability that they'll win the title for the second straight season.
When will the college football national championship be decided?
The 2026 college football national championship will be decided on Monday, Jan. 19.
When does the College Football Playoff start?
The 2025-2026 College Football Playoff begins Friday, Dec. 19, with the first of four first-round games; the other three will be played Saturday, Dec. 20. The quarterfinal games will then be played on Wednesday, Dec. 31, and Thursday, Jan. 1.
The semifinal games will be Thursday, Jan. 8, and Friday, Jan. 9, with the championship game slated for Monday, Jan. 19, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.
Not intended for use in MA.
Each betting site featured on SBR has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission.
Related Articles
