Week 3 featured the revenge game of the season, with Ole Miss taking down Lane Kiffin's LSU. Miami only scored 33 points against Wake Forest after putting up 45 on Stanford and 77 against Florida A&M, while Texas, Georgia, Ohio State and Indiana all had blowout wins.
Despite an interesting week in the Big 12, no Big 12 teams are currently in the top eight national title contenders. In fact, the SEC and the Big Ten dominate the rankings, along with Notre Dame, an Independent. The ACC also has one school in the top with the Hurricanes.
Here is where the title contenders stand courtesy of FanDuel after three weeks.
Ohio State (+500)
The odds seem a little out of order. Ohio State lost to Texas in Week 2, yet the Buckeyes have the highest odds. They have the roster
to win the title, with quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, plus a host of talented defenders. They are the team to beat in the Big Ten and certainly will make the playoffs.
Texas (+550)
Texas is the No. 1 team in the country, and they have arguably the best win of any team in college football right now with their win against Ohio State. However, questions remain about whether they can win it all. Ohio State has a trustworthy quarterback who has proven himself in previous seasons. Arch Manning has not done that, and even in the game against the Buckeyes, Manning's numbers were not the greatest. Right now, I would bet on Ohio State before I would bet on the Longhorns.
Georgia (+600)
Georgia is Georgia, so they're naturally going to be one of the favorites to win the National Championship. The Bulldogs are not battle-tested yet, with wins against Tennessee State, Western Kentucky, and Arkansas. Their game in two weeks against Alabama should show whether the Bulldogs are actually competitors, but they've certainly looked the part in the first few weeks.
Notre Dame (+650)
I have a hard time seeing the Irish as a team that will win it all. Wisconsin gave them a real run for their money in the first half of that game. They never pulled away from Michigan State. Simply put, Notre Dame isn't beating the easy teams like a National Champion should. They also don't have the running game they used to. Most likely, they will make the playoffs and maybe even win a game or two. But they will not win the National Championship.
Miami (+800)
The final score in their first ACC game was a lot closer than most probably thought it would be, especially given they were 21-point favorites. However, the score doesn't reflect the Hurricanes' domination. They had a 31-7 lead halfway through the third quarter and quarterback Darian Mensah only had four incompletions but threw three touchdowns. Miami almost did it last season; they certainly have the firepower to do it this year.
Indiana (+850)
This is not the 2025 Indiana Hoosiers. Indiana doesn't seem as unstoppable as last year's team. They also haven't faced any stiff competition and aren't scheduled to play a ranked team until mid-October. Their game against Ohio State will be the real test of whether they can be National Champions again.
LSU (+1500)
How did they lose to Ole Miss and still get favored over the Rebels? For most of the game, it looked like Ole Miss was going to win. Based on how the first half went, it's surprising that it ended up so close. LSU also left that game with multiple injuries and quarterback Sam Leavitt did inspire much confidence. Lane Kiffin is not getting LSU a win in the National Championship this year.
Ole Miss (+1900)
This is a smart bet because if Ole Miss wins, it would pay out pretty well. Ole Miss has a quarterback who is capable of winning a championship in Trinidad Chambliss. He led the Rebels to an emotional win over LSU, and they remain undefeated heading into their next game against Florida, which is now ranked. They may be flying a little under the radar now, but watch out for Ole Miss as a serious contender.
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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: College football national championship odds after a few Week 3 upsets
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