The stars are finally aligning for the Georgia Bulldogs to potentially run the gauntlet once more. Fresh off their latest SEC victory, Georgia enters its cupcake week date at home vs. Charlotte with a dazzling 9-1 record and a 7-1 mark in SEC play. Beating the tar out of Texas at home 35-10 will do that for you. With that ninth win, Georgia has roughly a 99-percent chance of making the playoff right now.
So with that in mind, have Georgia's national championship odds improved? You betcha! ESPN Analytics are giving Georgia a 13.1-percentage chance of winning the College Football Playoff, not to mention a 25.8-percent chance to make it to the national title bout. The only teams with better odds of doing both are a pair of undefeated Big Ten teams in Ohio State and Indiana. They may play soon.
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, here are the latest betting odds for this year's national champion.
- Ohio State Buckeyes: +185
- Indiana Hoosiers: +500
- Texas A&M Aggies: +800
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish: +1000
- Georgia Bulldogs: +1100
- Oregon Ducks: +1300
- Texas Tech Red Raiders: +1400
- Alabama Crimson Tide: +1500
- Ole Miss Rebels: +1700
Shockingly, Georgia comes in at only fifth in the national championship odds department. While +1100 seems fair, why are Texas A&M and Notre Dame ahead of them? Furthermore, should we really be giving +500 odds to do something the Hoosiers have never done, which is to win three or more playoff games in a row to be crowned champions? They have never won a single playoff game before!
Georgia should be among the teams who can realistically win it all, but please give them better odds.
Why Georgia Bulldogs may not have the best odds to win national title
Looking at the four teams with better odds than them in Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M and Notre Dame, there may be some method to the madness. Since Ohio State and Indiana have played largely cupcake Big Ten schedules, they will almost certainly meet in Indianapolis for the right to be the No. 1 seed. The loser will likely drop a spot or two, but definitely not out of the top four seeds with a bye.
As far as Texas A&M is concerned, the Aggies have only played bottom-half teams in the SEC this year to get to 10-0 (7-0) on the campaign. They still have to play Texas, but the Longhorns may be an 8-4 (5-3) team if they stumble vs. the Aggies. Georgia would get to Atlanta if the Aggies were to lose. The only other way Georgia plays for the SEC Championship is if Alabama were to lose the Iron Bowl.
In short, Georgia's odds of winning a national title are not as good as what Ohio State, Indiana, and Texas A&M have working for them right now because they are locks to get to Indianapolis and Atlanta, while Georgia is not. As for Notre Dame, the only logical explanation for why this may be the case is the Fighting Irish do not play in a conference. At 10-2, they likely make the playoff as an at-large team.
To tie a bow on this, Georgia may be the most dangerous team in college football right now because it has been battle-tested and is peaking at the right time. Again, Ohio State, Indiana, and Texas A&M have all yet to lose a game. At least two of them will before the end of the season. Could Georgia deliver the knockout blow? That is within the realm of possibility. Short Georgia at your own peril then.
Georgia's national championship odds are improving, but the betting public is not quite their on them.