2027 College Football Championship Futures: Ohio State, Notre Dame Leading the Pack

With the new college football season under two months away, it’s a perfect time to look at early College Football Championship futures. The expanded CFP will once again take place this season, with Ohio State as the current favorite, while Notre Dame isn’t far behind. Indiana, the reigning champions, is also in the mix, while finalists Miami are a long shot at the moment.

Odds courtesy of TonyBet.

College Football Championship - Outright Winner

Ohio State (+601) leads the way at +601 odds, while Notre Dame has +651 odds to win it all at football betting sites. Indiana sits at +801.

Ohio State

Ohio State enters 2026 with one of the nation’s most complete offensive cores. Julian Sayin returns after a productive first year as the starter under center, while Jeremiah Smith and Bo Jackson give the Buckeyes elite playmakers at receiver and running back. The schedule is difficult, but Ohio State has the quarterback, depth, and overall talent to make another serious championship run.

Notre Dame

Notre Dame has a legitimate path to the national championship behind QB CJ Carr, who should take another step forward in his second season as the starter. The Irish also bring back one of the country’s most experienced rosters, including most of their top defenders from last year. Replacing the production of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price is the biggest concern, but Marcus Freeman’s team has enough continuity to remain firmly in the CFP picture.

Texas

Texas fell short of the playoff in 2025, but the Longhorns remain built to contend with Arch Manning returning for his second full season as the starter. Ryan Wingo, Colin Simmons and Trevor Goosby headline a talented group of returners, while Steve Sarkisian added more help through the transfer portal. The ceiling is extremely high, although Texas must prove its supporting cast can develop quickly enough to survive another demanding SEC schedule.

Indiana

Indiana will attempt to defend its first national championship without Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, but Curt Cignetti has already shown he can reload quickly. TCU transfer Josh Hoover takes over at quarterback after producing at a high level throughout his career. The Hoosiers should again be strong defensively and in the running game, giving Hoover plenty of support. Repeating will be difficult, but Indiana has the coaching and roster foundation to remain a contender.

Oregon

Oregon received a massive boost when Dante Moore returned after throwing for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2025. His presence gives the Ducks one of the country’s best quarterback situations, and Dan Lanning continues to recruit at an elite level around him. Oregon has posted three straight double-digit-win seasons, but playoff execution remains the final hurdle. With Moore back and another deep roster in place, the Ducks have a realistic championship ceiling.

Georgia

Georgia remains one of the safest championship contenders in the country under Kirby Smart. Gunner Stockton returns after accounting for 34 total touchdowns in 2025 and leading the Bulldogs to another SEC title. The roster was young last season, which creates room for significant growth. Georgia must generate more pressure off the edge, but the combination of quarterback continuity, elite recruiting, and Smart’s postseason experience gives the Bulldogs another path to the CFP title.

College Football Championship Picks

It’s incredibly early, and the outlook will change a lot over the coming months. But when plus odds are still available for all of these contenders, it’s worth putting money down on a few teams. I like Georgia’s experience, while Ohio State’s offensive firepower is hard to overlook. Also take a flyer on Indiana. 

Picks: Ohio State (+601), Georgia (+851), Indiana (+801)/TonyBet