CFB Week 13 Power Rankings
If power rankings in college football were based on odds to win the national championship, what would the top 10 look like heading into Week 13? Let’s take a look.
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (10/11)
According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, the Crimson Tide remain favored to win the national championship at 10/11 odds. The challenge for Nick Saban’s team is to now get through the gauntlet that is the rest of the season, starting with the Iron Bowl on Saturday afternoon. Alabama is currently a 4.5-point road favorite to beat Auburn after the line opened at 3.
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2. Oklahoma Sooners (5/1)
Baker Mayfield and Co. have the next-best odds to win the national championship after dismantling Kansas in Week 12. Mayfield will be suspended for at least part of Saturday’s game against West Virginia but the Sooners remain a 22.5-point home favorite with Will Grier out for the Mountaineers. If the Sooners win the Big 12 title game next week, they’ll punch their ticket into the playoffs.
3. Clemson Tigers (7/1)
The defending national champions are seemingly flying under the radar this year with no Deshaun Watson. Ever since the Tigers lost to Syracuse, the attention has been on the other top teams in the nation. Perhaps bettors feel as though Clemson will fall again, perhaps next week in the ACC championship versus Miami. Regardless, the Tigers are 7/1 to repeat as national champions but they have to get past South Carolina first. As of this writing, the Gamecocks are receiving 53% of tickets at +14.
4. Auburn Tigers (8/1)
Auburn could potentially wind up favored to win the national championship if the Tigers were to beat Alabama in the Iron Bowl on Saturday. That may sound like a stretch considering the Tigers already have two losses this season but those losses came against Clemson and LSU. They would have knocked off the No. 1 team in the nation in two of the past three weeks, then they would have an opportunity to win the SEC championship against Georgia next week. Stay tuned.
5 & 6. Ohio State Buckeyes (8/1)/Miami Hurricanes (8/1)
These two teams both have 8/1 odds, respectively, to win the national championship despite having much different paths to get there. With two losses, Ohio State is a long-shot to even make the playoffs, let alone with the whole thing. But the playoff committee put the Buckeyes in last year despite not winning their conference or division so if they can beat Michigan and Wisconsin the next two weeks, hold your breath. Miami, meanwhile, has to beat Pittsburgh this Saturday as a 14-point road favorite and then Clemson in the ACC title game next week and the Hurricanes are in.
7. Georgia Bulldogs (10/1)
The Dawgs fell off the map after losing to Auburn two weeks ago but they could still wind up back in the playoff mix with a win this weekend against Georgia Tech and a victory over either Alabama or Auburn in the SEC title game next week. They’d still only have one loss, and to one of the teams listed above, no less. If they win their conference, it’ll be tough for the playoff committee to leave Georgia out.
8. Wisconsin Badgers (12/1)
Wisconsin hasn’t racked up many quality wins this season but the Badgers did beat both Iowa and Michigan the last two weeks when both opponents were ranked. If the Badgers beat Minnesota and then win the Big 10 championship next week, I don’t see how the committee doesn’t vote them into the playoffs. Wisconsin would be an undefeated Power 5 conference champion.
9. USC (75/1)
10. TCU(125/1)
As the odds would indicate, these two teams need a miracle to win it all at this point. Both the Trojans and Horned Frogs will be looking from the outside in come playoff time.