2024 College Football Playoff odds indicate a strong favoring of Ohio State and Texas as they approach the semifinal matchups. The highly anticipated Capital One Orange Bowl is scheduled for Jan. 9, while the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic will follow on Jan. 10.
As of Jan. 3, Ohio State holds a 6-point advantage against Texas in the first semifinal, while Notre Dame is slightly favored by 1.5 points over Penn State in the second semifinal.
With the national championship game just weeks away, it’s worth examining the spreads for the four potential title matchups. Here are the odds from DraftKings Sportsbook as of Jan. 3:
No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 5 Texas
Longhorns -3
No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 8 Ohio State
Buckeyes -7
No. 5 Texas vs. No. 7 Notre Dame
Longhorns -2.5
No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 7 Notre Dame
Buckeyes -6.5
These national title spreads reflect the prevailing odds as the semifinals approach, with Ohio State positioned as the frontrunner in this playoff race.
Following a surprising defeat to Michigan that concluded their regular season, the Buckeyes have decisively outperformed their playoff competition. They defeated ninth-seeded Tennessee 42-17 in the opening round and surged to a 34-0 lead against top-seeded Oregon in the quarterfinals, ultimately winning 41-21.
As a result, Ohio State emerges as the +100 favorite to secure the national title and enters its semifinal clash with Texas as a 6.5-point favorite.
Should the Buckeyes overcome the Longhorns, they would be favored by 6.5 points against Notre Dame and 7 points against Penn State.
Conversely, if Texas manages to upset the favored Buckeyes, they would become the favorites against both Penn State (by 3 points) and Notre Dame (by 2.5 points) in a prospective championship matchup.
While the Longhorns have two CFP victories to their name, their wins have not been as commanding as those of Ohio State. Texas secured a 38-24 victory over No. 12 Clemson in the first round, followed by a narrow 39-31 win against No. 4 Arizona State in the quarterfinals, which required two overtimes to determine the outcome.
