Updated 2019 College Football Championship Odds – Nov. 26th Edition

With conference championship matchups going on all around the country this coming weeknd and the ensuing College Football Playoff Selection process getting underway this coming Sunday, Dec. 2 in Grapevine, Texas, now is a perfect time to take a look at the most recent odds to win the 2019 College Football Championship.

With that thought in mind, here’s my expert look at the favorite, my ‘smart’ pick to win it all and my top longshot.

Updated 2019 College Football Championship Odds – Nov. 26th Edition

Who will take over the No. 4 spot in the #CFBPlayoff rankings?

— ESPN CollegeFootball (@ESPNCFB) November 24, 2018

The Favorite

• 2019 College Football Championship Odds: Alabama -250

I watched the top-ranked Crimson Tide (12-0) annihilate a very good Auburn team this past weekend and all I can say is that it looks like it’s going to take a minor miracle for anyone to upset the Crimson Tide. No…I’m serious, if you think I’m exaggerating. Alabama can run the ball with their committee of talented backs. They can most definitely throw the ball now with gifted quarterback Tua Tagovailoa under center. Alabama also still defense as well as ever (13.8 ppg, third) despite the loss of a bunch of elite players from last season’s unit.

I love the fact that Nick Saban has recognized that he has a supremely gifted passer in tagovailoa and that he’s opened up the offense to suit his star quarterback’s talents. Just think about it…Alabama is ranked sixth in passing nationally (332.1 ypg) while ranking a far more modest 31st in rushing (205.9 ypg). In year’s past, those numbers sould be reversed, but the arrival and generally, jaw-dropping play of Tua Tagovailoa has made the Tide more explosive offensively than they’ve ever been (49.0 ppg, 2nd) and right now – that’s just not fair!

The Smart Pick

• 2019 College Football Championship Odds: Clemson +350

Look, you can choose any other team as your favorite team to upset Alabama but the fact of the matter is that there is only one program that can compare to the Crimson Tide’s annual excellence and that’s second-ranked Clemson (12-0).

As I wrote a few weeks back, Clemson has made three consecutive appearances in the CFP while making consecutive appearances opposite Alabama in the national championship game in 2016 and 2017 and winning it all in their second title tile, thanks mostly to the talents of former superstar signal-caller Deshaun Watson.

Over their last three seasons prior to the current 2018 campaign, Clemson has gone 40-4 under head coach Dabo Sweeney while recording 10 wins or more every year since 2011, Swinney’s third year at the school. Now, Clemson has another team that looks capable of challengint Alabama – or anyone else for that matter – for the national championship.

The Tigers have another quarterback that looks like he could make minced-meat out of Alabama’s defense in true freshman Trevor Lawrence. Clemson ranks fifth nationally in scoring (45.7 ppg) and an even more impressive fourth in points allowed (14.0 ppg).

Lawrence has passed for 2,488 yards with 22 TDs and just four interceptions while completing 66.0 percent of his passes. Clemson has an outstanding defensive line that features at least four future NFL performers, two of whom will almost assuredly be first round draft picks.

Look, if you saw the Tigers last season, then you know Kelly Bryant’s ability to consistently pass the ball is why they came up short once they reached the playoffs. Now, with the strong-armed Trevor Lawrence under center, Clemson’s chances of winning it all, look pretty damned good – and that makes them a smart futures odds pick, no doubt!

The Longshot

• 2019 College Football Championship Odds: Oklahoma +1400

I know sixth-ranked Oklahoma (11-1) has a mediocre defense that gives up a generous 32.8 points per game to rank 100t nationally, but the Sooners also lead the nation in scoring and have an offense that is virtually unstoppable in putting up 50.3 points per contest. Quarterback Kyler Murray has been nothing short of phenomenal in throwing for 2,674 yards with 37 TD passes and just seven interceptions while completing a blistering 70.6 percent of his passes. In addition to that, Murray has added 853 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground to cement his candidacy as one of the top Heisman trophy contenders in the country this season.

Sure, Oklahoma isn’t going to stop any of the parcipants in this year’s College Football Playoffs if they get their as a sixth-ranked longshot right now, but they also don’t look like they can be stopped – by anyone – and that means they could potentially beat anyone in a shootout. At a value-packed +1400, I think Oklahoma is worth a wager!