The Associated Press Top 25 Poll in college football has been instrumental to the sport since its inception in 1936. Helping choose the national champions, the most qualified teams for bowl games, and giving fans bragging rights, the AP Poll is still used in 2019.
However, in 2014, everything changed. While the AP Poll was, and still is, an essential part of college football rankings, the establishment of the College Football Playoff and its own ranking system has trumped the AP Poll every midseason since.
Now in its fifth year, the first CFP rankings will be released tonight on ESPN at 7 pm ET. The rankings will be released every Tuesday henceforth until Selection Sunday on December 8.
In preparation for tonight’s big reveal, BetOnline has released a slew of prop bets. Like all other odds we present on this site, we offer a college football betting guide to prepare our readers as informed sports wagerers.
The most important prop bets that BetOnline is accepting action on are the Top Four rankings. At the end of the year, the four teams picked on Selection Sunday will battle for the National Championship.
Leading up to December 8, the four teams with the best chances of winning the title are ranked each week.
As the odds currently sit, LSU is favored to be the #1 team in the CFP rankings come tonight. With -150 odds to be ranked first in the CFP poll, LSU currently holds the top spot in the AP Poll.
Which team will be ranked #1 in the first College Football Playoff rankings?
- LSU -150
- Ohio State +225
- Alabama +300
- Clemson +500
Alabama is predicted to be the #2 team in the rankings at +150 odds. The Crimson Tide are currently ranked second in the AP Poll as well. The last three national champions– Clemson in 2018 and 2016 and Alabama in 2017– were ranked #2 in the final CFP Poll, so this spot might even be lucky.
Which team will be ranked #2 in the first College Football Playoff rankings?
- Alabama +150
- LSU +200
- Ohio State +200
- Clemson +300
Alabama is also favored to be the #3 team, but of course, they cannot be second and third. If Bama is #2, Ohio State’s +160 odds make them the second most-likely pick at #3.
Which team will be ranked #3 in the first College Football Playoff rankings?
- Alabama +125
- Ohio State +160
- Clemson +275
- LSU +350
Clemson, the reigning College Football Playoff champions, is heavily favored to be the #4 team in the rankings at -200. Even being the fourth-ranked team, the Tigers would still be eligible for the playoff to defend their title.
Which team will be ranked #4 in the first College Football Playoff rankings?
- Clemson -200
- LSU +300
- Ohio State +350
- Alabama +500
The next prop bets are centered around the fringe teams and their projected rankings. BetOnline is taking bets on over/unders for the first CFP rankings of Penn State, Georgia, Oregon, Oklahoma, Utah, Minnesota, and Baylor.
Although Baylor’s over/under is set at #13.5 and hope seems bleak, Oklahoma was ranked #15 in the first CFP Poll of 2015 before making the playoffs later that season. Regardless of their initial positioning, almost any team in the rankings has a shot at the playoffs.
What will be Penn State’s College Football Playoff ranking?
- Under #5 -160
- Over #5 +120
What will be Georgia’s College Football Playoff ranking?
- Over #6 -120
- Under #6 -120
What will be Oregon’s College Football Playoff ranking?
- Over #7 -120
- Under #7 -120
What will be Oklahoma’s College Football Playoff ranking?
- Over #8 -180
- Under #8 +140
What will be Utah’s College Football Playoff ranking?
- Over #9 -120
- Under #9 -120
What will be Minnesota’s College Football Playoff ranking?
- Over #11.5 -140
- Under #11.5 +100
What will be Baylor’s College Football Playoff ranking?
- Under #13.5 -180
- Over #13.5 +140
