College Football Playoff: Dramatic shift in odds for SMU, Alabama to make 12-team field

The odds to make the College Football Playoff have swung quite a bit in the wake of Saturday’s results in conference championship games, particularly the ACC title game.

According to FanDuel, SMU has now moved to -670 to make the field after enduring a heart-breaking, last-second loss to Clemson. Vegas is heavily favoring the Mustangs to make the field.

That comes at the direct expense of Alabama, which has moved to +430 to make the field.

Prior to the second half of the ACC title game, Alabama might have been smooth sailing to the final berth in the College Football Playoff field. SMU trailed Clemson 24-7 at the half and was in definite danger of falling below the Crimson Tide in the rankings with a blowout loss.

Instead, Rhett Lashlee‘s squad fought tooth and nail with the season on the line, ultimately tying the game at 31 with less than 30 seconds to play.

A win, though, was elusive.

Clemson managed to quickly march into field goal range, where Nolan Hauser connected on a 56-yard attempt to win the game. That sent Clemson to the College Football Playoff as a conference champion.

It also might have ended Alabama’s remaining hopes. That’s certainly what the Vegas odds seem to imply.

Even after the game, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney was already campaigning for SMU to remain in the College Football Playoff field.

“What a game,” Swinney said after the win. “That’s a playoff football team. SMU, they better be in the dang playoffs. What a comeback by those guys.”

The College Football Playoff rankings will be unveiled on Sunday afternoon in a show that begins at noon ET on ESPN. The final CFP rankings and bracket reveal will be within the first 30 minutes of programming.