The 2025 College Football season is a little over a month away! To get ready for it and to celebrate the release of CFB 26, we’re making bets based on the game! I’ve simulated a full season of the game to see how it thinks the season will play out. Let’s look at some college football futures based on CFB 26!
College Football Futures Based On CFB 26
To Make College Playoffs – Chalk
After simulating a season on CFB 26, we already had a lead on some valuable college football futures bets. We’ll start with teams to make the playoffs, which can be bet on at most books. This is just one simulated season. Make sure to check back to get the full results of 100 simulations. Injuries were turned off so that the computer didn’t throw a random wrench into the system.
Some teams you’d expect to make the college football playoffs did. Your college football futures probably aren’t worth putting money on if they’re too high of a favorite unless you find a book that allows you to parlay them. That includes Ohio State (-320), Georgia (-260), Oregon (-280), and Texas (-300). EA Sports CFB 26 has confidence that all four of these teams will make the college football playoffs as the final 12.
A team that has a little more value than made the college football playoffs, according to one simulated season of CFB26, is Clemson. Clemson is currently -145 to make the college football playoffs. They’re worth throwing some money on, especially with the preseason expectations. They’re currently ranked third overall on most preseason rankings and at just -145, are a better bet to make than the first four talked about.
To Make College Playoffs – Plus Money
Finally, let’s get into some plus-money bets. The first team to make the college football playoffs in CFB26 is Miami (+185). Miami has a new quarterback in Georgia transfer Carson Beck. They also have a new defensive coordinator they hope can turn their defense into a top-five defense, like he did at Minnesota.
Next up is Michigan (+190). They made the CFP in the simulated season. The Wolverines are currently at a preseason rank of around 20 in most rankings. They’ll have to overcome some major losses. However, they just might have the right quarterback and running back combo to exceed expectations this year.
Ole Miss (+150) is also worth a shot for your college football futures. They made the CFP as the 9 seed in a simulated season of CFB 26. Lane Kiffin has been coaching at a high level for years now. Yes, they’ll need to replace the production of Jaxson Dart. However, Austin Simmons has shown flashes in limited action and will take over. Ole Miss is currently ranked around 24 on most preseason rankings.
Now let’s get into the real long shots for your college football bets. Florida (+400), Texas Tech (+500), Tulane (+800), and Duke (+1300) all made it. Florida is the only one that finds itself in the top-25 preseason rankings. The others have a long road ahead of them. However, the CFB 26 game is confident Tulane wins the AAC and that Texas Tech wins the Big-12. Florida and Duke get in by winning enough games.
National Champions
The CFB 26 had an interesting take for bets to make on the game. Perhaps the biggest longshot it called in the college football futures bets is the National Champions. After one simulated season, Miami (+4000) was crowned the champion.
Spoiler alert, I mentioned I’m working on simulating 100 seasons and gathering data on how they end. Miami is the champion in three of the first four. Maybe the game developers went to Miami University. Maybe the team just looks really good on paper after getting Carson Beck and upgrading their defensive scheme. However, winning three out of the first four makes me feel like you have to sprinkle a little bit of money on them.
For the full write-up on the College Football National Champions, see my article here.
Heisman Trophy Winner
The CFB was giving out another nice payout for college football futures when it comes to the Heisman Trophy college football bets. The five finalists came down to Arch Manning (+600), Cade Klubnik (+900), Jeremiah Smith (+900), Julian Sayin (+1800), and Jordan Maiava (+6000).
Obviously, it would be great to be able to bet a longshot USC quarterback to win the Heisman. Even though their season expectations aren’t all that high. However, remember Caleb Williams didn’t finish with a stellar record either.
EA Sports CFB 26 has a lot of belief in Cade Klubnik to help Clemson make the playoffs. They also think he puts up enough stats and wins to be named the Heisman Trophy winner. For the full write-up on how the Heisman Trophy race played out, check out my article here.
Conference Winners
The conference winners are some of the better college football futures to get down on because of their plus money. There aren’t many outright favorites that you don’t get plus money on. The one exception is in the Mountain West, where Boise State is a -130 favorite. However, the CFB 26 game simulation is confident that they will win the MWC.
Next up is the SEC. The favorite to win the SEC is the Texas Longhorns. The books have faith that Arch Manning can navigate Texas past teams like Alabama and Georgia. CFB 26 agrees, having Texas win the SEC. This is a nice college football bet to get down on. Even though they’re the favorites to win the conference, they’re +250 to win it.
Another nice college football futures bet is in the AAC. Tulane is the current favorite to win at +300. After a simulated season, CFB agrees that Tulane will win the conference, beating Navy (+375) in the conference championship game
We continue in the favorites winning their conferences in the Sun Belt. The CFB 26 game simulation has James Madison winning the conference in a simulated season. They’re the favorite to win it, but the payout is +325. Not too bad for a team that both the college football game and the books think will win the conference.
The first conference upset is in the MAC. Toledo is the current favorite to win the conference at +260, with Ohio next at +350. However, if we’re making our best based on CFB 26, they believe Buffalo will win the conference, defeating Toledo in the championship game. Buffalo is +400 to win the conference, making for a nice payout.
CFB 26 also has the ACC being won by a non-favorite. Clemson is the current favorite to win the conference at +110. CFB 26 has a lot of faith in them, crowning Klubnik as the Heisman and having them make the CFP as the 7-seed. However, in a simulated season, they lose the conference championship game to Miami (+425).
The Big 12 may be the conference that is the most up in the air. The current odds slightly favor Kansas State (+550), followed by Arizona State and Utah (+600). Baylor and Texas Tech are next at +650. After a season simulation, CFB 26 is confident that Texas Tech wins it, cashing a +650 college football bet.
The CFB 26 game has another big upset when it comes to the Big 10. Ohio State is the favorite at +200. Although a lot of preseason articles think Penn State could take it at +275. The two of them are followed by Oregon at +300. However, CFB 26 thinks Michigan (+850) pulls off an upset and wins the Big 12.
Finally, we can’t forget about Conference USA. The current favorites to win it are Liberty at +145. However, the CFB 26 simulation doesn’t have them winning it. It doesn’t have Western Kentucky (+375) winning either. Instead, it thinks Jacksonville State (+950) will win it just like they did last year.
For a fun college football futures bet, I’m parlaying Tulane, Boise State, James Madison, and Buffalo to win their conference. This pays out +14310. If you don’t have confidence in Buffalo and want to ride just favorites, Tulane, Boise State, James Madison, and Toledo to all win pays out +10317.
