The College Football Playoffs Selection Committee has rendered their final set of rankings for the 2022-23 NCAAF season, pacing the top four teams into the CFP semifinals occurring on December 31st.
The United States’ best online football betting sites have produced lines for both CFP semifinal games, with each featuring point spreads that are a touchdown or higher.
The first matchup of New Year’s Eve begins at 4 PM when the second-ranked Michigan Wolverines and the third overall TCU Horned Frogs descend upon the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, with a trip to the CFP National Championship Game on the line.
TCU vs. Michigan Odds
- Fiesta Bowl Point Spread: TCU +7.5, Michigan -7.5
- Fiesta Bowl Moneyline: TCU +240, Michigan -290
- Over/Under: 58.5
The Michigan Wolverines are entering the College Football Playoffs for the second season in a row under head coach Jim Harbaugh, winning the Big Ten Conference Championship in 2021 and 2022.
The Texas Christian University Horned Frogs have made it to the final four without winning the Big 12 Conference, losing the championship game in an overtime heartbreaker to the Kansas State Wildcats.
Since the Big 12 Championship Game loss was TCU’s only blemish of the season, the CFP Selection Committee were forgiving, leaving them at the number 3 spot following Conference Championship Saturday.
The bookmakers at online college football sportsbook sites aren’t so forgiving, as they are suggesting that the Wolverines will easily dispose of TCU by a TD or more with the Fiesta Bowl betting lines they’ve posted.
If you’re not buying into the Big Ten hype and think TCU has a shot at winning, consider laying some action on their +240 moneyline odds to win and earn some serious coin.
Following the Michigan TCU game, the College Football Playoffs betting continues on into the evening as the Peach Bowl kicks off at 8 PM.
Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA, is a one hour and fifteen-minute drive from the University of Georgia’s campus in Athens and is also the site of the last victory in the SEC Championship Game against the LSU Tigers.
The stadium’s proximity to campus isn’t the only reason the Bulldogs are favored in Peach Bowl betting lines. UGA is a damn good team, and they are quietly poised to repeat as national champions while other programs grab the headlines.
Ohio State vs. Georgia Odds
- Peach Bowl Point Spread: Ohio State +7.0, Georgia -7.0
- Peach Bowl Moneyline: Ohio State +205, Georgia -245
- Over/Under: 62.0
That said, we can’t help but fantasize about a Big Ten Championship Game rematch between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines on January 9th in LA’s SoFi Stadium.
The CFP has been so dominated by the SEC thus far that their exclusion from the championship round would be refreshing. That outcome can also be profitable to gamblers willing to risk some coin on a Buckeyes win on December 31st.
Bovada is ponying up $2.05 against each dollar that members wager on Ohio State outright beating the Georgia Bulldogs in their backyard.
Here are the current CFP futures, which grant Ohio State a much better chance than TCU. Just keep in mind that these CFP odds will not pay out until after the championship game ends on January 9th.
2022-23 CFP Futures
- Georgia (#1) -135
- Michigan (#2) +275
- Ohio State (#4) +350
- TCU (#3) +1600
Source – Bovada Sportsbook, The Sporting News