Las Vegas Sun

By Case Keefer

Tue, Jan 12, 2016 (12:02 p.m.)

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney vowed his team would return to the national championship in the future after last night’s 45-40 loss to Alabama in the game.

The odds are behind his proclamation. Clemson opened as the favorite to win the 2016-2017 college football title Tuesday at William Hill sports books.

The Tigers sit at the top of the future betting board at odds of 6-to-1, narrowly edging Alabama at 7-to-1. It’s the first time in six years — since Auburn won the BCS national championship in 2010 — that the defending national champion isn’t the favorite to repeat.

A quick look at the teams’ depth charts goes a long way in explaining. Twelve of the 22 players making up Alabama’s first-string this season were seniors, as opposed to only five starters from Clemson exhausting their eligibility.

Both teams will endure a rash of underclassmen declaring for the NFL Draft. Alabama running back and Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry is expected to be among them, but second Heisman runner-up and Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson will not be. A true sophomore this season, Watson must play one more season of college football after setting a championship game record with 478 total yards in the loss to Alabama.

Watson’s victim in the college football playoff semifinals, Oklahoma, falls in behind Alabama and Clemson at 10-to-1 odds.

The Crimson Tide opened as an 8-to-1 third choice at this time last year before completing their fourth championship season in the last seven years. The Tigers nearly became a somewhat long-shot champion after posting at 20-to-1 odds.

Check below for full odds to win the 2016-2017 college football national championship.

Clemson — 6-to-1

Alabama — 7-to-1

Oklahoma — 10-to-1

Baylor — 12-to-1

Stanford — 15-to-1

Michigan — 15-to-1

Ohio State — 15-to-1

Notre Dame — 15-to-1

Florida State — 15-to-1

Tennessee — 15-to-1

LSU — 20-to-1

Ole Miss — 30-to-1

Oregon — 30-to-1

Iowa — 30-to-1

USC — 30-to-1

Houston — 30-to-1

Florida — 30-to-1

Michigan State — 30-to-1

North Carolina — 40-to-1

TCU — 40-to-1

UCLA — 40-to-1

Oklahoma State — 40-to-1

Louisville — 40-to-1

Georgia — 50-to-1

Utah — 50-to-1

Arkansas — 50-to-1

Washington — 75-to-1

Auburn — 75-to-1

Miami — 75-to-1

Wisconsin — 75-to-1

Northwestern — 100-to-1

West Virginia — 100-to-1

Washington State — 100-to-1

Texas A&M — 100-to-1

Arizona State — 100-to-1

Nebraska — 100-to-1

Texas — 150-to-1

Mississippi State — 150-to-1

Arizona — 150-to-1

Virginia Tech — 200-to-1

Texas Tech — 200-to-1

Penn State — 250-to-1

Missouri — 250-to-1

BYU — 250-to-1

Pittsburgh —300-to-1

San Diego State — 300-to-1

Georgia Tech — 300-to-1

Boise State — 300-to-1

California — 300-to-1

Field — 100-to-1

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.

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