By Chris Harris Contributor
Updated 10/4/23 4:29am ET
Doug Kezirian explains why he feels more teams can win the national championship this season than any other year in the CFP era.
National championship betting odds indicate this season is as open as any we have seen in the College Football Playoff era.
Georgia is the consensus favorite at +300 after five weeks. Since the CFP began in 2014, a favorite has had longer odds at this juncture only once, according to SportsOddsHistory.com. Plus, entering Week 6, five schools with odds of +950 or shorter is tied for the most in the playoff’s existence.
Similarly, five schools received first-place votes in this week’s Associated Press poll. That is more than any other season after five weeks. We saw four teams at this juncture in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2019.
Two-time defending champion Georgia received the most votes in this week’s poll with 35 but that is a significant drop from 55 the previous week. Last Saturday, the Bulldogs trailed 10-0 at Auburn before rallying to a 27-20 win. Georgia is 0-5 against the spread (ATS) this season, which essentially means it is performing below expectations despite an undefeated record.
Michigan (+400), Ohio State (+750), Texas (+750) and Florida State (+900) all received first-place votes. The Longhorns have a high-profile game this Saturday against rival Oklahoma and U.T. is a six-point favorite at the Cotton Bowl.
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