The top two teams in the College Football Playoff rankings — Alabama and Miami — were upset over the weekend, and they will both likely fall out of the top four of the rankings.
Miami can still likely get into the final four with a win over Clemson in the ACC Championship, but Alabama will need some help to reach the playoffs for the fourth straight year. As a result, the national championship odds have changed, and a new team has supplanted Alabama as the favorite to win it all.
According to Bovada, Oklahoma is now the favorite to win it all. The Sooners and Heisman favorite Baker Mayfield are now at 4-1 odds to win the championship, but they first have to defeat TCU in the Big 12 championship.
Alabama is now tied with Auburn and Clemson for the second-best odds to win the title at 17-4.
Clemson and Auburn have direct paths to reaching the playoffs. If they win their conference championship games against Miami and Georgia, respectively, they'll be in the playoffs. Auburn is out with a loss, while Clemson might have a slight chance of still making it even if they lose to the Hurricanes.
The Crimson Tide will need help after losing to Auburn in the Iron Bowl. An Oklahoma loss could do the trick for Alabama, and there would also be a heated argument for Alabama to reach the final four over Ohio State if the Buckeyes defeat undefeated Wisconsin in the Big 10 title game.
For now, the Sooners and first-year head coach Lincoln Riley are the favorites, but they have a tough task ahead on Saturday as they battle for the Horned Frogs for the second time this season. Oklahoma won the first meeting 38-20.
