College football betting: Ohio State is bettors' overwhelming national title pick so far

Ohio State is the midsummer favorite of bettors to win the College Football Playoff.

The Buckeyes have gotten over 50% of the money wagered on the national champion at BetMGM so far as bettors are in love with their odds. Ohio State opened at +600 and has been bet down to +350 thanks to the influx of cash.

Ohio State is also the most-bet team to win the national title as that money comes from nearly 25% of bets. It’s easy to see why bettors are putting their money behind Ohio State. The Buckeyes have Heisman favorite C.J. Stroud at quarterback and Jaxson Smith-Njigba may be the best wide receiver in the country. Running back Treyveon Henderson is tied for the fifth-best odds to win the Heisman and the defense should be vastly improved in 2022.

The school hired Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to run the defense at the end of the 2021 season. Knowles’ units at the other OSU have been some of the best in the country in recent years while Ohio State’s defense has struggled.

The Buckeyes also have a schedule that will make it a shoo-in for the playoff if it goes 12-1. In addition to playing Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State, Ohio State opens with Notre Dame and also plays Wisconsin and Iowa in 2022. It’s a schedule that looks to be one of the toughest in the country.

While Ohio State is bettors’ pick so far, Alabama remains the favorite to win the title at +190. The Crimson Tide have gotten the second most bets and the second-most money. Nearly 20% of bets are on Alabama to win the national title, though those bets make up just 17% of the handle. The money on Ohio State dwarfs the money on Alabama so far.

USC is a distant third choice of bettors to win the national title. The Trojans are now +2000 to win the national title thanks to the arrival of former Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley, former Sooners QB Caleb Williams and a host of other transfers. Approximately 6% of bets and money are on USC to win the title.

2022 National Championship favorites

• Alabama (+190)

• Ohio State (+350)

• Georgia (+350)

• Clemson (+1200)

• Texas A&M (+2000)

• USC (+2000)

• Oklahoma (+3500)

• Notre Dame (+4000)

• Texas (+4000)

• Michigan (+5000)

• Oregon (+5000)

• Utah (+5000)