Alabama, Texas getting better odds to make CFP than Florida State, Georgia

As college football conference title games shake out, the College Football Playoff picture is starting to come ever-so-slightly more into focus. And head of the slate of evening games — namely the ACC and Big Ten championship games — DraftKings offered some updated odds on the four teams likely vying for the final two spots.

Assuming Michigan wins against Iowa and Florida State beats Louisville, the Seminoles, Alabama, Georgia and Texas would likely be the four main contenders for spots No. 3 and 4. Michigan and Washington would likely have the top two spots sewn up in that scenario.

The odds for those four teams to make the playoffs are as follows, according to DraftKings:

• Alabama: -550
• Texas: -300
• Florida State: +130
• Georgia: +650

Similarly, DraftKings offered some odds for those same four teams to not make the CFP field:

• Georgia: -1000
• Florida State: -160
• Texas: +240
• Alabama: +400

(The odds update frequently and have potentially updated since publication.)

In short: Florida State might be in trouble — and these odds aren’t specifically factoring in any ACC Championship Game result. Similarly, DraftKings thinks the ship has sailed on Georgia making the four-team CFP field after losing to the Crimson Tide.

And Texas, which rolled through the Big 12 Championship Game earlier on Saturday, appears to be in good shape to potentially secure a CFP berth.

Alabama AD Greg Byrne joined the fray in posturing for playoff rankings

Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne had an interesting take on how the nonconference schedule affects its College Football Playoff chances. The Crimson Tide defeated Georgia on Saturday to claim the SEC Championship, strengthening its case to be included in the top four and compete for a national title.

However, thanks to a non-conference loss against Texas in Week 2, there’s still some debate as to whether Alabama will get in. It’s assumed the Longhorns will make it after winning the Big 12 title and that Washington will also get in thanks to an undefeated season and Pac-12 Championship. That means the Big Ten and ACC Championships will play great importance as Michigan and Florida State also hope to finish unbeaten and make the Playoff.

If both teams win, there’s a possibility that Alabama could still end up getting left out despite its SEC title victory. Byrne explained Saturday that could deter the Crimson Tide from scheduling nonconference Power 5 opponents in the future.

“If we would have played a Group of Five game instead it Texas, there’d be no debate right now,” Bryne said according to Nick Kelly of the Tuscaloosa News.