Updated CFP National Championship Odds After Week 5: Alabama Off And Rolling

• Clemson (+230) is the odds-on-favorite to win the college football national championship with Ohio State (+250) and Alabama (+300) close behind
  
• Georgia (+1400) manhandled Auburn in Week 5, setting up a monster SEC matchup with the Crimson Tide on Oct. 17
  
• The Gators (+1400) are early contenders for a CFP spot with senior QB Kyle Trask tossing 10  touchdowns through the season’s first two games
  

After missing the College Football Playoff for the first time in the format’s existence last year, many believed Alabama belonged in a tier below Clemson and Ohio State. But with their 52-24 dismantling of No. 21 Texas A&M on Saturday, the Crimson Tide showed they shouldn’t be left out of any national championship discussion.

Nick Saban’s team is now at +300, just behind Clemson (+230) and Ohio State (+250) on the Bovada board. Before our placing our college football bets, let’s examine all the movement over the past week.

THE BIG THREE

Since the creation of the CFP, there have been 24 playoff bids in six years. Clemson, Alabama, Oklahoma and Ohio State have combined for a whopping 17 of them.

Clemson (+230) won its 32nd consecutive regular-season game on Saturday night (a 41-23 win over Virginia), and given the sorry state of the ACC, it’s safe to say the Tigers will make the tournament. Justin Fields and Ohio State (+250) don’t begin play until Oct. 24, but with a lack of serious competition in the Big Ten, it’s also difficult to see the Buckeyes missing out.

Mac Jones finished with 435 passing yards today, the 4th-most in a game in Alabama history.

This is Nick Saban’s 19th career win by 25+ points vs a ranked opponent. That is tied with Tom Osborne for 2nd-most in the AP Poll Era (since 1936). Only Bobby Bowden has more (20). pic.twitter.com/0zlF8bvVLR

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 3, 2020

Alabama (+300) has a much tougher ride in the SEC, but their offense is going to be hard to stop. Redshirt junior Mac Jones threw for 435-yards and four touchdowns against the Aggies and junior running back Najee Harris already has five scores in two games. Add in All-American receivers Jaylen Waddle and Devonta Smith and a strong defense and you have a serious national title contender that people might have been sleeping on.

WHO GETS THE 4TH SPOT?

With Oklahoma (+6600) already having lost back-to-back Big 12 games, there appears to be an opening for some fresh blood in the CFP. Georgia (+1400) looked playoff-ready in a dominant 27-6 victory over Auburn on Saturday, but their looming Oct. 17 matchup with the Crimson Tide could spell trouble. The Bulldogs host No. 14 Tennessee this Saturday.

Florida (+1400) is also off to a hot start. Senior QB Kyle Trask is just the third player in SEC history with 10 passing touchdowns through the first two games of a season while generational tight end prospect Kyle Pitts already has six TD receptions.

KYLE PITTS.

6 QUARTERS. 6 TOUCHDOWNS. pic.twitter.com/or8R1FsVQ7

— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 3, 2020

Over the next month, the Gators will face Texas A&M (this Saturday), LSU and Georgia so we’ll quickly learn if Dan Mullen’s team is for real.

Looking ahead to Week 6, Clemson will perhaps face their toughest test of the year when they host the Hurricanes. Miami Florida (+6000) has enjoyed an impressive 3-0 start, but Bovada currently has them as 14-point underdogs to the Tigers.