College Football Playoff: Odds and Best Bets to Make 12-Team Field
We're now entering Week 10 of the 2025 college football regular season. Raise your hand if you had the Indiana Hoosiers to be -5000 betting favorites to make the playoff. Now, for everyone who had the Texas Longhorns making the postseason once again, I want you to go stand in the corner.
Lastly, if anyone predicted or bet Arch Manning to win the Heisman Trophy, I think you should lick the Christmas flagpole. Okay, maybe that’s a bit harsh, especially considering I would be one of them.
Forgiveness is a key in life, and self-forgiveness is the master key. Much like Manning needs to do, we must move on from mistakes.
There are wins to be had, and for every Manning bust, there's a Diego Pavia, who we didn't even think would be able to play this year. Watching this kid play should be high on everyone's priority list this Fall.
I don't know how much we'll see him play on Sundays, so you'd better get your fill now. The Vanderbilt quarterback is 24 years old and putting up Lamar Jackson-level numbers, averaging 8.5 yards/pass and 5.5 yards/rush. Vanderbilt may be one of our best bets to make the College Football Playoff.
Another quarterback playing in the state of Tennessee is first-year Volunteer, Joey Aguilar. He has the Vols in a position to make the postseason, and we may see an interstate matchup at the end of the season to determine who goes to the playoff.
The Vols will need to get by the Oklahoma Sooners first, though. Brent Venables' defense down there is top ten in the nation, giving up just over 1 point/drive.
Let's check the betting odds for teams to make the college football playoff, and from there, we can nail down a few best bets.
Doc’s Sports offers college football expert picks for every game on our college football predictions page.
Betting Odds to Make the College Football Playoff
Indiana: -5000
Texas A&M: -5000
Alabama: -833
Oregon: -345
Notre Dame: -333
Georgia: -333
Ole Miss: -250
Miami: -250
Texas Tech: -200
Georgia Tech: -110
Vanderbilt: +150
Louisville: +225
BYU: +275
Tennessee: +275
Tulane: +300
Texas: +350
Cincinnati: +350
USF: +350
Best Bets to Make the College Football Playoff
Vanderbilt: +150
This might be a fashionable pick this week to make the CFP, but I don't care.
Raise your hand if you know what Vanderbilt’s mascot is. Yes, the Commodores, of course.
These boys are for real. We got a taste of what Paiva is capable of in 2024, and after he was granted an injunction by the Tennessee courts over the Summer, the stage was set for a Vandy playoff run.
They travel to Austin this week for a showdown with the Longhorns. The moneyline odds for Paiva and the Commodores currently sit at even money. That’s after they opened at (+120).
Get ahead of the game and take Vandy now as a best bet to make the college football playoff.
BYU: +275
The Brigham Young Cougars were in the conversation last season to potentially make the playoff. Unfortunately, back-to-back November losses to Arizona State and Kansas canned those chances.
They’re undefeated once again this year, ranked 10th in the AP Poll, and ready to learn from last year and finish strong.
Standing in their way are the Texas Tech Red Raiders, whom they'll play next week after receiving a much-needed rest.
Not only are the Cougars the only undefeated team remaining in the Big 12, they’re also the only team without a conference loss. Texas Tech may be better on paper. However, they’re at least comparable. Their respective betting odds (-200) to make the playoff, though, are not.
Tennessee: +275
The goal in Week 14 is to hold plus-money tickets for both Vanderbilt and the Tennessee Volunteers, who'll face off that week at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.
Every year, the Vols have one of the scariest schedules in college football, and 2025 was no different. If they can hold serve at home this week opposite the Oklahoma Sooners, they have the rival Florida Gators waiting at The Swamp a couple of weeks later.
It won't be easy for Tennessee, but they've proven they can play with the best with their razor-close overtime loss to Georgia.
More Betting Odds to Make the College Football Playoff
Oklahoma: +500
North Texas: +500
Memphis: +500
USC: +550
Virginia: +550
JMU: +700
Michigan: +850
Utah: +850
Missouri: +900
Navy: +1000
Duke: +1200
Washington: +1400
TCU: +1600
Boise State: +1600
SMU: +2500
Arizona State: +2500
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