Sportsbooks expect SEC rivals to be back on top next season

Monday’s College Football Playoff national championship game was only the second one in the last nine years that didn’t feature either Alabama or Georgia.

The Southeastern Conference rivals have combined to win eight of the last 15 national titles. Oddsmakers expect them to be back in contention next season when the CFP expands to 12 teams.

Circa Sports made Alabama and Georgia the 5-1 co-favorites to win the 2025 championship.

“They are really consistent programs who have the best players from top to bottom,” Circa college football oddsmaker Connor Hower said. “Both coaching staffs have been there for a while and both are returning high-level quarterbacks from teams that recruit the best, even though they have to play each other and play in a tough conference.”

The Crimson Tide upset the two-time defending national champion Bulldogs in the SEC title game this season before losing to Michigan in overtime in the CFP semifinals.

Alabama returns quarterback Jalen Milroe, the 8-1 favorite at Caesars Sportsbook to win the Heisman Trophy. Georgia returns QB Carson Beck, 12-1 to strike the Heisman pose.

Texas, which was upset by Washington in the CFP semifinals, is the 7-1 third choice at Circa to win the national title in its first season in the SEC.

“Texas has to play Georgia, so that’s tough for them,” Hower said. “But they’re recruiting at a really high level and return a lot, especially along the line of scrimmage. They’ll have really high-level quarterback play, whether that’s (Quinn) Ewers or (Arch) Manning.

“But you can make an argument who should be third. It’s between Texas and Michigan and some others. For most of these teams, their floor is so ridiculously high.”

Michigan is the +850 fourth favorite and Ohio State is the 9-1 fifth choice. They’re followed by Oregon at 12-1, Louisiana State at 15-1 and Mississippi at 17-1.

“They’re betting Ole Miss and that team’s doing well in the portal, especially defensively, which has been their weaker side of the ball,” Hower said. “They’ll have a third-year starting quarterback (in Jaxson Dart), and (coach) Lane Kiffin’s teams always score points. If they shore up their defense, they should be a threat.”

Ewers is 10-1 to win the Heisman. Dart is 15-1 and Manning is 125-1.

Hower made yes/no title odds on all 134 Football Bowl Subdivision schools. Florida State and Penn State are each 20-1. Notre Dame and Southern California are each 25-1 and Clemson is 30-1.

With QB Michael Penix Jr. leaving Washington for the NFL, the Huskies’ odds are 50-1 to win it all next season.

UNLV is a 5,000-1 long shot.

$30 to win $40K

A Caesars bettor in Nevada placed a $30 parlay Nov. 27 comprised of seven NFL division winners that paid $40,760.18 on Sunday.

The gambler correctly predicted the winners of the AFC East (Bills, 11-1), AFC West (Chiefs, -4,000), AFC North (Ravens, -350) and AFC South (Texans, +750), as well as the winners of the NFC East (Cowboys, +750), NFC West (49ers, -5,000) and NFC North (Lions, -600).

The parlay paid off at odds of 1,359-to-1 after Buffalo beat Miami 21-14 on Sunday to clinch its fourth straight division title.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.