Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

Florida State atop Vegas odds to win 2015 college football national championship

Florida State 2014

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Florida State wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin (1) is surrounded by teammates after scoring the game-winning touchown against Auburn University in the 2014 BCS Championship NCAA College Football game on Monday, Jan. 6, 2014 in Pasadena, Calif. Florida State defeated Auburn 34-31.

Less than 24 hours after they stood underneath a stream of garnet and gold confetti at the Rose Bowl, the Florida State Seminoles are taking in another shower.

Praise and expectations are raining down on the 2013-2014 BCS national champions. Florida State is not only ranked No. 1 in every season-ending poll, but also in all the look-ahead rankings to next season.

Las Vegas oddsmakers indirectly nodded in agreement Tuesday afternoon by posting Florida State as the favorite to win next year’s national championship. The LVH Superbook has the Seminoles at 5-to-2 to win a second straight title.

Perennial favorites Alabama and Oregon fall right behind at 5-to-1. Powerhouses from the other two major conferences, Oklahoma and Ohio State, round out the top five at 12-to-1.

Florida State is more than deserving of its place at the top of the betting board after beating Auburn 34-31 to win the program’s first national championship in 14 years.

The Seminoles could return as many as 16 starters next season, including quarterback Jameis Winston, who’s out to join Archie Griffin as the second-ever two-time Heisman Trophy winner.

Winston’s favorite targets Rashad Greene, who had nine catches for 147 yards against Auburn, and Kelvin Benjamin, who caught the game-winning touchdown, have important decisions to make on whether to declare for the NFL Draft. But even if the Seminoles lose both of them, it wouldn't be enough to knock them off their perch.

Auburn could have as many as 16 starters back — 10 on offense, including quarterback Nick Marshall and running back Tre Mason — which is reflected in its 20-to-1 price. That’s 50 times lower than where the Tigers opened at this time last year.

A few 1,000-to-1 bets on Auburn gave the Superbook a scare up until Benjamin’s touchdown with 13 seconds remaining last night. Consequently, none of the 50 options in the 2015 future book are higher than 300-to-1.

Teams will have a tougher path next year, needing to win one extra game to claim a title with college football ditching the BCS for a four-team playoff.

Check below for the LVH Superbook’s full list of odds to win the 2015 college football national championship. I’ve bolded four that seem to carry the most value.

Florida State — 5-to-2

Oregon — 5-to-1

Alabama — 5-to-1

Oklahoma — 12-to-1

Ohio State — 12-to-1

Auburn — 20-to-1

LSU — 20-to-1

UCLA — 20-to-1

Baylor — 20-to-1

Michigan State — 25-to-1

Wisconsin — 25-to-1

Stanford — 30-to-1

Arizona State — 30-to-1

Ole Miss — 35-to-1

USC — 50-to-1

Texas — 50-to-1

Missouri — 60-to-1

South Carolina — 60-to-1

Oklahoma State — 60-to-1

Georgia — 60-to-1

Texas A&M — 60-to-1

Notre Dame — 60-to-1

Clemson — 60-to-1

Kansas State — 60-to-1

Florida — 75-to-1

Michigan — 75-to-1

Washington — 100-to-1

Iowa — 100-to-1

Arizona — 100-to-1

BYU — 100-to-1

Mississippi State — 100-to-1

Tennessee — 100-to-1

Miami — 100-to-1

North Carolina — 100-to-1

Nebraska — 100-to-1

Virginia Tech — 100-to-1

Northwestern — 100-to-1

TCU — 200-to-1

Texas Tech — 200-to-1

Utah State — 300-to-1

Boise State — 300-to-1

Georgia Tech — 300-to-1

Oregon State — 300-to-1

Pittsburgh — 300-to-1

Washington State — 300-to-1

Utah — 300-to-1

Duke — 300-to-1

Louisville — 300-to-1

Vanderbilt — 300-to-1

Field — 100-to-1

Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.

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