CFP National Championship Odds updated ahead of Week 1

The college football season is officially upon us, and the teams with the best odds to win the 2023 national championship have been released according to FanDuel. It’s the usual suspects at the top with Georgia and Alabama both coming in as the favorite to meet in a rematch of the 2021 title game.

The SEC and Big Ten lead the way with three teams each ranked in the top 10 of the 2023 national championship odds, while the ACC has two and the Pac-12 and Big 12 each come in with one. As with every season, there will be plenty of surprises along the way with teams inevitably rising and falling from these initial rankings.

However, this gives an idea of how things are expected to shake up in Week 1. You can view the full 2023 national championship odds below.

Georgia Bulldogs (+200)

Georgia has won the past two national titles and now has its sights set on a three-peat in 2023. The Bulldogs lost a total of 25 players from those teams to the NFL Draft (10 this offseason), including starting quarterback Stetson Bennett.

Carson Beck has been named the starter to replace Bennett. He’ll have tight end Brock Bowers, who led the team with a combined 119 catches for 1,824 yards and 20 touchdowns the past two seasons, as his main target. The Georgia defense should remain among the best in the country thanks to the return of five preseason first team All-SEC players, including DL Mykel Williams and LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson.

Alabama Crimson Tide (+600)

Betting against Nick Saban always comes with some risk. The Crimson Tide coach has more national championships than anybody in college football history with seven, including six since arriving in Tuscaloosa in 2007.

Alabama missed the College Football Playoff in 2022 after losing to Georgia in the 2021 title game. The last time that happened, Saban and company responded by completing an undefeated season in 2020 to defeat Ohio State in the championship. The Crimson Tide have still yet to announce a quarterback to replace No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young, but figure to be the Bulldogs’ biggest competition entering the season.

Ohio State Buckeyes (+700)

The Buckeyes were a missed field goal short of taking out Georgia in a CFP semifinal game last year. Now, thanks to a number of talented skill players returning on offense, they look to be right back in the mix to compete for a championship in 2023.

Ohio State’s receiving corps features not one, but two players listed as first team AP All-Americans in Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. It also returns its top three rushers after ranking third in the Big Ten with 192.4 ground yards per game. The only question is who will win the quarterback battle between Kyle McCord and Devin Brown, but either player will have plenty of weapons at his disposal.

Michigan Wolverines (+850)

Michigan has won the Big Ten championship each of the past two seasons, but never made it past the semifinals of the Playoff. However, many believe this is the best Wolverines team that coach Jim Harbaugh has had as he enters his ninth year in Ann Arbor.

That’s because of returning stars such as running backs Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards, who helped Michigan rank fifth in the country with 238.9 rushing yards per game. Quarterback JJ McCarthy also contributed on the ground and will aim to take a step forward as a passer in his second season as starter. The defense should also remain strong after ranking seventh in the country last season in yards allowed per play (4.7).

LSU Tigers (+1200)

LSU went from a 6-7 finish in 2021 to 10-4 this past year in Brian Kelly‘s inaugural season, winning the SEC West. That has set the bar high in Baton Rouge as the Tigers hope to challenge Alabama and Georgia for not only the conference crown, but a national title.

Quarterback Jayden Daniels returns to lead the offense after throwing for nearly 3,000 yards and 17 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He’s also a danger with his legs after leading LSU with 885 yards rushing and 11 TDs in 2022. Defensively, stars such as LB Harold Perkins Jr. and DL Mekhi Wingo return to give the Tigers an extremely balanced squad.

Clemson Tigers (+1600)

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney led the Tigers to six straight College Football Playoff appearances and two national championships from 2015-20. However, Clemson has been absent from the CFP each of the past two seasons.

The Tigers have boasted one of the top defensive units each of the past two years and should again be in that mix thanks to the return of linebackers Barrett Carter and Jeremiah Trotter. The real question is whether the offense can find some life under Cade Klubnik, the No. 1 quarterback in the 2022 recruiting class. Running back Will Shipley returns following his first 1,000-yard season and will help keep defenses honest.

USC Trojans (+2000)

USC will without a doubt have one of the most explosive offenses in the country highlighted by reigning Heisman winner quarterback Caleb Williams. The defense is the only thing standing in its way from reaching the CFP and competing for a national championship.

The Trojans ranked 93rd in the country this past season with 29.3 points allowed per game and 124th in yards allowed per play (6.5). They honestly didn’t look much improved in their season opener against San Jose State on Saturday, giving up 28 points and 396 yards to the Spartans. It seems, much like last year, they’ll have to rely on Williams and playmakers such as Dorian Singer and Mario Williams to outscore opponents.

Penn State Nittany Lions (+2000)

The Nittany Lions’ only two losses last season came against Ohio State and Michigan, both of which made the College Football Playoff. If Penn State is to have any shot this year, it will need to notch a win in at least one of those games.

The Nittany Lions should boast a strong rushing attack with Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, who became the first freshman duo in Big Ten history to rush for at least 700 yards apiece. Former five-star Drew Allar takes over at quarterback and projected top 10 NFL Draft pick Olu Fashanu will hold things down on the offensive line.

Teams with the next best national championship odds in 2023

Florida State Seminoles (+2500)
Texas Longhorns (+2500)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+3000)
Tennessee Volunteers (+4000)
Oregon Ducks (+4000)
Washington Huskies (+4000)
Texas A&M Aggies (+6000)
Utah Utes (+6000)
Oklahoma Sooners (+6500)
Wisconsin Badgers (+7000)
Ole Miss Rebels (+10000)
North Carolina Tar Heels (+12000)
Kansas State Wildcats (+15000)
Iowa Hawkeyes (+15000)
UCLA Bruins (+15000)
South Carolina Gamecocks (+15000)

Outside of the top eight, these remaining teams figure to have the best chance to claim a title in 2023. Florida State and Texas round out the top 10 tied with odds of +2500 and each has a quarterback who ranks in the top five in preseason Heisman odds in Jordan Travis and Quinn Ewers, respectively.

Ultimately, it’s shaping up to be an exciting year with just three days until Week 1 officially kicks off on Thursday.