The four College Football Playoff semifinalists have finally been selected, and it’s one of the best crops we’ve had yet.
We didn’t get here without some controversy, but one thing is for sure: This field of four is set to give us a phenomenal New Year’s Day of college football action.
With the field down to just those four teams, let’s take a final look at this season’s CFP National Championship odds.
CFP National Championship Odds 2024
NCAAF odds used for these best bets are from Monday, Dec. 4, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Michigan (+180)
- Alabama (+200)
- Texas (+260)
- Washington (+700)
CFP National Championship Best Bet
Michigan (+180)
The Wolverines are the favorites, but they’re still the best bet because they’re No. 1 for a reason.
This has been the best team in the country all year, and with odds just a touch above Alabama’s, there’s still outstanding value to be had.
Jim Harbaugh is back on the sideline, and his team is playing with a chip on its collective shoulder.
The Wolverines have felt doubted and disrespected all year, and having been paired in a semifinal with Alabama despite earning the top seed, they will feel that fuel has been added to the fire.
The motivation will be there, and so is the talent; Will Johnson should be back to anchor one of the country’s best defenses while rising star quarterback J.J. McCarthy and record-setting runner Blake Corum make the Wolverines’ offense nearly impossible to stop.
CFP National Championship Contenders
Alabama (+200)
How can you bet against the Crimson Tide with Nick Saban on the sideline and hardware on the line?
Jalen Milroe has pulled off one of the most remarkable in-season turnarounds you’ll ever see from an individual player, as he has Alabama primed to compete for a championship once more after an immense win over Georgia that snapped the Bulldogs’ 29-game win streak.
This isn’t the most talented Alabama team we’ve seen on either side of the ball, but they can bring a physicality that Michigan has rarely encountered.
It’s not too common to find a Saban team that’s been underestimated, making this group an extremely dangerous one heading into a massive Rose Bowl semifinal.
With star defenders like Kool-Aid McKinstry in the secondary and Dallas Turner up front, the Tide can roll with anyone.
Texas (+260)
The Longhorns are in for one huge reason: They own perhaps the most impressive win in the country with a Tuscaloosa triumph over Alabama, one of the rarest resume pieces in college football.
Steve Sarkisian has been vindicated in Austin, but now he’ll face his toughest test yet in a solid and still-undefeated Washington team.
This Texas team is undoubtedly talented, but it doesn’t always show up to the fullest extent.
Quarterback Quinn Ewers embodies this duality to a T. He can make as many throws as anyone in the country, but on any given Saturday, he may or may not put it all together.
D-lineman T’Vondre Sweat might be the squad’s best player, however, and he’s a good bit more consistent. He’ll be a bigger threat at the line of scrimmage than Washington has seen all season.
CFP National Championship Sleeper
Washington (+700)
The Huskies shouldn’t be the favorites by any stretch, but the gap between their odds and the next longest is just too broad.
This team is undefeated and came out unscathed through unquestionably the toughest conference this season. That’s an accomplishment to be proud of.
Michael Penix Jr. might be the best quarterback in this year’s playoff, and while coach Kalen DeBoer might not have the resume of some of the other skippers, he can match wits with the best.
This team is super talented even beyond Penix, with edge star Bralen Trice highlighting the defense and the wideout trio of Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Jalen McMillan providing Penix with an incredible arsenal of weapons.
Washington’s resume is outstanding with not one, but two wins over No. 8 Oregon, as well as road triumphs over No. 14 Arizona and No. 19 Oregon State and impressive wins over tough squads from Utah and USC.
It wouldn’t be hard to envision the Huskies adding yet another feather to their cap with a win over Texas in the Sugar Bowl.
Where is the College Football National Championship 2024?
The location of the College Football Playoff National Championship changes each year.
In 2024, the CFP title game will take place at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
When is the College Football National Championship?
The College Football National Championship Game will be played on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024.
The game will take place a week after the Playoff Semifinals, which will ring in the new year at the Rose Bowl Game and Allstate Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 2024.
College Football National Championship History
Previous College Football National Championship Winners
All teams listed below won the National Championship during the College Football Playoff era.
- 2023: Georgia
- 2022: Georgia
- 2021: Alabama
- 2020: LSU
- 2019: Clemson
- 2018: Alabama
- 2017: Clemson
- 2016: Alabama
- 2015: Ohio State