Since Urban Meyer took over at Ohio State the Buckeyes are 38-3 straight up and 24-17 against the spread. Ohio State’s consistency and dominance over the rest of the field make the Buckeyes the biggest favorite on the board to advance to the College Football Playoff this season.
Ohio State leads odds to make 2015 College Football Playoff, followed by TCU, Bama, FSU
Ohio State leads, with the Buckeyes followed by TCU and Alabama. This article was provided to SB Nation by OddsShark.com.
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State is set at a betting line of -350 to advance into the four-team playoff this season, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com, with the odds of them missing the playoff posted at +225.
The consensus among most fans and sports bettors seems to be that after Ohio State, TCU and Alabama are the biggest favorites to earn a playoff berth this season. Both schools are going off at +170 to make the playoff and -250 to miss out on the four-team tournament.
Odds to Make College Football Playoff
Ohio State -350
TCU +170
Alabama +170
Florida State +250
Auburn +300
USC +300
Baylor +400
Georgia +400
Oregon +400
Will the Pac-12 be represented in the playoff again? The Oregon Ducks advanced to the national championship game and finished last season with a 13-2 SU and 10-5 ATS record. Transfer quarterback Vernon Adams has the physical tools to excel in Oregon’s spread offense, and if he can master the playbook in Eugene the Ducks (+400 to make the playoff) could get back into the mix.
There could also be a changing of the guard in the Pac-12 as USC (+300) is the betting favorite to win the conference on the college football futures. After years of being held back by sanctions, the Trojans seem to have built their way back up into a contender. If the Trojans can find the consistency that has eluded them in recent years they could be a threat.
The two teams most likely to spoil TCU’s shot at a Big 12 title are Baylor (+400 to make the playoff) and Oklahoma (+900). Baylor was the only team to beat TCU last season, topping the Horned Frogs 61-58 at home.
Plenty of other teams could also be in the running for a playoff spot this season including the Jameis Winston-less Florida State (+250), Auburn (+300), Georgia (+400), Clemson (+500), LSU (+500), Michigan State (+500) and Notre Dame (+500).
And one prop bet at the sportsbooks asks “Will a two-loss team make the four-team playoff?” Yes is going off at +170 while No pays +250. It would likely take a particularly wild season for a two-loss team to advance with so many teams figuring to have no losses or only one.
