2021 College Football Playoff National Championship Preview
Since 2014, betting on college football has been enhanced by the CFP Selection Committee placing four teams into the NCAAF playoffs for a chance to play for a National Championship. Once a team has made the CFP, all that it takes to win it all is a two-game winning streak, which is exciting to fans and bettors across the country. The added attention at sportsbooks encourages them to produce more betting opportunities each January.
Our preview of the 2020-21 NCAA College Football Playoffs will reveal how we think the season will go down and which teams will advance to the final four and play for a title. Along the way we'll provide the legalities involved, our list of top-rated sportsbooks accepting wagers on the title game, and strategies to give bettors a competitive edge when picking which team will be crowned champion of NCAA Division I FBS.
*COVID-19 Update: The only conferences that will play their football schedules beginning in the fall of 2020 will be the ACC, Pac-12, SEC, Big 12, Big Ten, AAC, C-USA, and Sun Belt. The CFP Selection Committee has announced its intentions to select four teams to play for a National Championship in Miami on January 11, 2021.
Is it legal to place an online bet for the CFP National Championship?
Yes. Placing a bet on the NCAA College Football National Championship is legal in the USA and there are two options.
- Domestic - Some states have legalized sportsbooks and have made it available via in-person facilities or online apps, and allow for CFP betting.
- International - Betting websites that operate outside of the USA are legal to wager with because federal gambling laws do not say that it is forbidden. These offshore sportsbooks are ideal for bettors that are not located near a region that allows for domestic sports wagering.
Best USA Friendly Sportsbook To Bet On Football Games
Software
In House
Compability
Site Rating
Bovada Sportsbook
50% Bonus Up To $250 For New Players
Bovada is one of the leading US friendly sportsbooks and offers betting odds for the College Football Championship. If you are a United States resident and are looking for a legally licensed sportsbook to place your bets with, then Bovada is an excellent choice.
Pros
US Friendly
Most reputable name in online sports betting
Generous $250 welcome bonus
Easy deposits via credit cards and Bitcoin
Extremely Reputable - They've never missed a payout
Owned and operated by the trusted Bodog brand
Sports betting, poker and casino with 1 account
Offers the best variety of betting odds and props for the NCAAF football championship game
Cons
Only Players from the US, Mexico and Brazil accepted
Excluded US States: DE, MD, NJ and NV
Top Legal NCAA CFP Betting Sites
Below you'll find our list of legal online sportsbooks that provide a variety of national championship odds as well as NCAAF playoff and bowl game betting lines for US and international gamblers. They have each been vetted by our team of professionals, and offer bettors a safe and reliable gaming environment.
| Site | Review | Bonus Offer | USA | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Read Review | 50% Max $250 | Play now | |
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2020-21 College Football Playoffs - The Final Four Teams
Sugar Bowl: Notre Dame (4) vs. Alabama (1)
Spread: Alabama -19.5, Money Line: Notre Dame +725/Alabama -1300, Over/Under: 66.0
- January 1, 8:45 pm - New Orleans, LA
Rose Bowl - Ohio State (3) vs. Clemson (2)
Spread: Clemson -7.5, Money Line: Ohio State +260/Clemson -320, Over/Under: 65.0
- January 1, 6 pm - Pasadena, CA
National Championship Game: - TBD
- January 11, 8 pm, Tampa, FL
ODDS TO WIN 2020-21 CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Futures odds for the eventual NCAA College Football National Champion typically debut within 24-48 hours of the previous year's title being awarded, allowing for year-round betting. Below you will find the pre-season odds for this year, as well as the current NCAAF championship odds for comparison.
CFP National Championship - Past Winners By Year
2020
No.2 Clemson 25
No.1 LSU 42
2019
No.2 Clemson 44
No.1 Alabama 16
2018
No.4 Alabama 23 OT
No.3 Georgia 20
2017
No.1 Alabama 31
No.2 Clemson 35
2016
No.2 Alabama 45
No.1 Clemson 40
2015
No.4 Ohio State 42
No.2 Oregon 20
College Football Semifinals – Past Results By Season
2019
No.1 LSU 63
No.4 Oklahoma 28
No.2 Ohio State 23
No.3 Clemson 29
2018
No.1 Alabama 45
No.4 Oklahoma 34
No.2 Clemson 30
No.3 Notre Dame 3
2017
No.3 Georgia 54 OT
No.2 Oklahoma 48
No.4 Alabama 24
No.1 Clemson 6
2016
No.2 Clemson 31
No.3 Ohio State 0
No.1 Alabama 24
No.4 Washington 7
2015
No.1 Clemson 37
No.4 Oklahoma 17
No.2 Alabama 38
No.3 Michigan St. 0
2014
No.2 Oregon 59
No.3 FSU 20
No.4 Ohio State 42
No.1 Alabama 35
2020-21 CFP National Championship Betting Preview
For a few moments in mid-August of 2020, it seemed as if college football was destined to be canceled for the season due to COVID-19 and its continuing spread. One by one, NCAA conferences decided to cancel fall sports, but a few dug in their heels, intent on competing.
Now that the dust is starting to settle and we have a clearer picture as to what is happening this college football season, we can offer some thoughts on how we think the playoffs seeding will look and what results we can expect.
All conferences outside of the SEC, ACC, Big 12, Pac-12, Big Ten, AAC, C-USA, and Sun Belt will not be competing in 2020, and Notre Dame, which does not belong to a conference for its football schedule, has decided to join the Atlantic Coast Conference for one season.
The current odds leaders for each Power 5 conference are the University of Alabama Crimson (SEC), Clemson Tigers (ACC), and Oklahoma Sooners (Big 12), Ohio State Buckeyes (Big Ten), and Oregon Ducks (Pac-12). We expect Clemson and Alabama to be selected to the four-team CFP bracket, but the University of Texas Longhorns will play spoiler in the Big 12 and also qualify for the NCAAF playoffs by defeating the Sooners.
That leaves one position remaining, and we believe that it will be awarded to Georgia. In 2017, when all college football teams were playing, the SEC sent two teams to the final four, so there's no reason to believe that it won't happen again with two major conferences sitting out for the year.
Those two SEC teams that made the CFP in 2017 were Alabama and the Georgia Bulldogs, and we think that'll happen again this year. Georgia is coming in hot off of an excellent 2019 effort that saw them go 12-2, with one of the losses being to the eventual national champion, the LSU Tigers.
This year, the Bulldogs look to reload and replace departing QB Jake Fromm with transfer from Wake Forest Jamie Newman. We think head coach Coach Kirby Smart has Georgia positioned to win the SEC, and have what it takes to deliver a shocking defeat to the Crimson Tide in the conference championship game. Alabama will still make the CFP as the #4 seed.
That will set up Georgia and Alabama for an instant rematch in the CFP semifinals, with Texas and Clemson facing off in the opposite game. We predict that Alabama and Clemson will advance, with Clemson eventually winning the 2020-21 NCAAF National Championship, and end Tigers' QB Trevor Lawrence's collegiate career in style.
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