What Are College Football Futures Bets?

College football futures are long-term bets, which may be placed on outcomes that aren't settled until multiple games have been played or the end of the season. The most popular examples include the outright National Championship victor, while you can also wager on college football win totals and the winner of the coveted Heisman Trophy at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Last season delivered the single best argument for betting futures early. Indiana opened 2025 as a triple-figure longshot and finished 16-0, beating Miami 27-21 in the January title game for the first national championship in program history - and quarterback Fernando Mendoza collected the Heisman on the way. Anyone holding a preseason ticket was paid at a price the market never offered again after September.

We'll explore these markets in more detail below, while appraising the best value bets in the 2026/27 campaign.

📊 Current FanDuel Futures Market

Market Type Top Pick FanDuel Odds
Heisman Trophy CJ Carr (Notre Dame) +700
National Champion Ohio State Buckeyes +550
SEC Winner Georgia Bulldogs +270
Win Totals Texas Tech Over 10.5 -200
ACC Winner Miami Hurricanes -150

💡 Pro Tip: Always check current odds at FanDuel as lines move throughout the season. View all futures markets →

*Odds subject to change. Last updated: Loading...
Click here for current FanDuel odds
Market Type When Settled Example Bet Odds Best Time to Wager
Heisman Trophy December CJ Carr (Notre Dame Fighting Irish) +700 Preseason / As early as possible
National Champion January 25, 2027 Ohio State Buckeyes +550 Preseason
Conference Winners December Georgia Bulldogs to win the SEC +270 Preseason
Win Totals End of Regular Season (December) Texas Tech Over 10.5 Wins (Big 12) -200 Summer / early in the season
To Make the Playoffs December Ohio State Buckeyes View live odds Preseason
Player Props Season End QB (Arch Manning) season passing yards over/under View live odds Preseason (where available)

⚡ Futures vs Game Bets - How Futures Differ: There are significant differences between NCAAF futures and matchday bets. Futures will tie up a portion of your bankroll for longer (potentially the entire season), while matchday bets are settled in hours. However, futures tend to unlock enhanced odds and multiple potential winners, especially when you bet early on favorites. See all FanDuel futures →

Heisman Trophy Odds 2026

Indiana quarterback, Fernando Mendoza won the award in 2025 before heading to the NFL, and quarterbacks continue to dominate the Heisman trophy odds. In fact, only five non-quarterbacks have claimed the prize in the last 21 seasons, while six of the seven 2026 Heisman favorites play at QB for their designated side.

Current Heisman Odds

The early Heisman odds have been reshaped by an unusually busy quarterback carousel. Mendoza's departure leaves Indiana starting over with TCU transfer, Josh Hoover, while Darian Mensah, who threw for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns was named MVP of Duke's overtime ACC Championship win - has moved to Miami. Sam Leavitt has left Arizona State for Lane Kiffin's new-look LSU, and 2025 Miami starter Carson Beck has moved on after a 3,813-yard season.

Here's a summary of the very latest 2026 Heisman odds from FanDuel, alongside our own value analysis:

Player Position Team FanDuel Odds Probability Value Analysis
CJ Carr QB Notre Dame +700 12.5% Threw for 2,741 yards with 24 TDs and 6 INTs as a first-year starter, at a 168.1 passer rating
Arch Manning QB Texas Longhorns +800 11.1% 3,163 passing yards and 26 TDs, plus 399 rushing yards and 10 scores on the ground
Darian Mensah QB Miami +1000 9.1% Led all Power Four passers with 3,973 yards and 34 TDs at Duke; ACC title game MVP
Dante Moore QB Oregon Ducks +1200 7.7% 3,565 yards, 30 TDs and a 71.8% completion rate across 15 games
Julian Sayin QB Ohio State +1300 7.1% Best accuracy in the country at 77.0%, with 3,610 yards and 32 TDs
Trinidad Chambliss QB Ole Miss +1300 7.1% 3,937 yards with just 3 interceptions in 445 attempts, plus 527 rushing yards
Jeremiah Smith WR Ohio State +1500 6.3% 87 catches for 1,243 yards and 12 TDs; the only non-QB in the top tier

⚠️ College Player Prop Restrictions: Heisman futures are listed as an award market rather than a player prop at most books, but individual player props are prohibited or restricted in roughly 15 states. Check your local regulations before betting. View available markets at FanDuel →

Heisman Betting Strategy

Of the seven favorites listed above, six play as a quarterback for their respective teams. Quarterbacks who represent playoff qualifiers are statistically more likely to win too, which is exactly why CJ Carr's price is worth a second look - Notre Dame missed the 12-team field at 10-2 last season despite winning ten straight, so the Irish have both the schedule and the motivation to push him into the conversation.

There are various trends that you can use to inform your own Heisman predictions and picks. Here are some examples and the betting strategies that you build on top of them:

Trend Success Rate Example Betting Strategy
Quarterback Wins 16 of the last 21 (76%) since 2005 Back CJ Carr at +700 Fade non-quarterbacks, while focusing on starting QBs
Representing a Playoff Team The winner has come from a playoff team in the majority of years since 2014 Target quarterbacks who play for Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia or Texas Check team futures and identify those with the highest probability of reaching the playoffs
Preseason Favorites Rarely Win Mendoza was outside the preseason top 10 in 2025 Early favorites often fade in the betting market While preseason betting unlocks the highest odds, consider splitting your stake between the favorite and one mid-priced riser after Week 1

Regardless of your broader strategy when picking college football futures, it's important that your picks are informed and data driven. If you do pick a quarterback Heisman winner, for example, look for players with a completion rate above 60.0% and a minimum of 7.0 yards per individual passing attempt.

Note that 2025 was a compressed passing environment - North Texas's Drew Mestemaker was the only FBS quarterback to clear 4,000 yards, and Mensah led the Power Four with 3,973. That matters when you set your own benchmarks: a 3,500-yard, 30-touchdown season is now firmly inside the Heisman range. By tracking early performance stats and averages, you can make more informed long-term bets.

🎯 Heisman Value Bets for 2026/27

We'll bring this section to a close by picking our best value Heisman betting odds for the 2026/27 campaign. These include:

  1. Back CJ Carr Early at +700: Carr threw for 2,741 yards with 24 touchdowns against just six interceptions in his first season as the starter, at a 168.1 passer rating - the best mark of any quarterback in this group. Notre Dame's schedule opens with Wisconsin in Green Bay and features a Week 10 trip from Miami, giving him two national showcase windows. At +700 you are getting the market favorite at a triple-figure price.
  2. Consider Trinidad Chambliss at +1300: Chambliss threw 3,937 yards with only three interceptions in 445 attempts last season and added 527 rushing yards, a dual-threat profile that voters have historically rewarded. Ole Miss finished third in the final AP poll at 13-2, so the platform is there even under new head coach Pete Golding.
  3. Consider Wide Receiver Jeremiah Smith at +1500: Travis Hunter's 2024 win proved a non-quarterback can still get there. Smith caught 87 passes for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns in 13 games last season and remains the consensus best player in college football, catching passes from the nation's most accurate quarterback on the preseason No. 1 team.
 Bet $5 Daily, Get Up To $1,000 - Place Your Heisman Bets at FanDuel →

College Football Win Totals 2026

You can also bet on college football win totals in 2026. This is expressed as an over/under market for each team, in which sportsbooks will set different win totals as individual betting lines. Popular college football over under win totals include 6.5 and 9.5, with these lines driving significant betting volumes.

Team Win Totals Over/Under

Below, we've compiled a selection of the most popular college football over under win totals for 2026/27. You'll also find our recommended picks and a summary of the win-loss records from last season.

Team Regular Season Win Total Over Odds Probability Last Year's Record (Conference) Our Pick
Notre Dame 11.5 +160 38.5% 10-2 (Independent) ❌
Texas Tech 10.5 -200 66.7% 12-2 (8-1 Big 12) ✅
Indiana 10.5 +105 48.8% 16-0 (9-0 Big Ten) ❌
Miami 10.5 -110 52.4% 13-3 (6-2 ACC) ✅
Oregon Ducks 10.5 +100 50.0% 13-2 (8-1 Big Ten) ✅
Ohio State 9.5 -166 62.4% 12-2 (9-0 Big Ten) ✅
Georgia 9.5 -180 64.3% 12-2 (7-1 SEC) ✅
Texas 9.5 +120 45.5% 10-3 (6-2 SEC) ✅
Penn State 8.5 -166 62.4% 7-6 (3-6 Big Ten) ❌
Michigan 8.5 +140 41.7% 9-4 (7-2 Big Ten) ❌

Win totals cover the 12-game regular season only and exclude conference championship games and the playoff. Lines and prices move daily - check the current number at FanDuel before you stake.

Win Totals Strategy

In addition to considering the above odds and lines, it's important to consider other factors before making your own college football win totals predictions. We'll summarize these in more detail below, while analyzing how they're likely to impact your betting strategies.

  • Schedule Strength: Ohio State's number is the most schedule-sensitive on the board. The Buckeyes visit Texas in Week 2 in what is comfortably the biggest non-conference game of the season, then have to navigate a Big Ten that contains Oregon and the defending champions. Even so, they went 12-0 in the 2025 regular season, and the over needs only 10 wins from 12.
  • Returning Production: Teams returning a proven quarterback and his primary target offer the clearest edge. Ohio State bring back both Julian Sayin (77.0% completions, 3,610 yards) and Jeremiah Smith (1,243 yards), while Notre Dame return CJ Carr. Oregon return Dante Moore after a 30-touchdown season. These are the profiles that hold up over a 12-game sample.
  • Coaching and Coordinator Changes: This was one of the busiest carousels in years, and it cuts directly into several win totals. Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU, James Franklin left Penn State for Virginia Tech, Matt Campbell moved from Iowa State to Penn State, and Kyle Whittingham left Utah for Michigan. First-year head coaches at Penn State and Michigan are being asked to clear 8.5 wins immediately - that is a lot of faith to price in.
  • Transfer Portal Activity: The portal reshaped three contenders. Miami replaced Carson Beck with Duke's Darian Mensah, the Power Four's leading passer. Indiana replaced Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza with TCU's Josh Hoover, who threw for 3,472 yards but also led this group with 13 interceptions. LSU brought in Sam Leavitt from Arizona State, though he is coming off a season shortened to seven games by foot surgery.

💰 Win Total Best Bets

Before you place your college football win totals bets in 2026, here's our pick of the best value lines at the time of writing:

  • Ohio State Over 9.5 Wins (-166): The Buckeyes went 12-0 in the 2025 regular season before losing the Big Ten title game to Indiana, and Ryan Day has never won fewer than 10 regular-season games. They return the most accurate quarterback in the country and the best receiver in college football. Even losing at Texas, this needs 10 wins from the remaining 11.
  • Notre Dame Under 11.5 Wins (-190): The Irish are being asked to go 12-0 or 11-1 in a season where they open against Wisconsin in Green Bay and host Miami in Week 10. They went 10-2 last year with a 0-2 start, and this number leaves no margin at all for the sort of early stumble they have had in each of the last two seasons.
  • Miami Over 10.5 Wins (-110): A coin-flip price on the ACC's clear best team is the standout value on this board. Miami reached the national title game at 13-3, Duke's 3,973-yard passer has replaced Carson Beck, and the conference behind them is priced at +750 and longer. A near-even-money return on the most talented roster in a weak league is the best risk-reward pairing we can find.
 Bet Win Totals at FanDuel - Get Up To $1,000 in Bet Resets →

Conference Championship Odds

Other popular college football futures predictions include Conference picks. From the stacked SEC Conference to a Big Ten that has produced three straight national champions, each market offers variable value and different levels of risk. You'll find the latest conference championship odds below, as we focus on the so-called Power Four divisions.

Power 4 Conference Winners

SEC Conference

Team FanDuel Odds Probability Value Analysis Our Pick
Georgia Bulldogs +270 27.0% Defending SEC champions at 12-2, and Gunner Stockton returns after 2,894 yards, 24 TDs and 462 rushing yards ✅
Texas Longhorns +340 22.7% Arch Manning's second year as starter, but 10-3 last season and Ohio State visit in Week 2 ❌
Oklahoma +850 10.5% 10-3 last season and ranked 10th in preseason, but the Sooners have to travel to Michigan in Week 2 ❌
Alabama +900 10.0% Went 11-4 and reached the playoff, but look set to hand the offense to Keelon Russell, who has just 15 college attempts ❌
LSU +900 10.0% Lane Kiffin's first year with Sam Leavitt at QB, but 7-6 last season and Clemson visit in Week 1 ❌
View All SEC Odds at FanDuel →

Conference Betting Strategy

Across the Power Four conferences, futures betting unlocks excellent value, but the shape of each market is very different this season. The ACC is by far the most concentrated, with Miami alone accounting for a 60.0% implied probability. The Big Ten's favorite sits at just 35.7%, while the SEC is the flattest board of all: Georgia lead on only 27.0% and five teams are priced at +900 or shorter.

The SEC and Big Ten Conferences offer the most potential winners, as collectively they include 16 of the top 25 ranked preseason teams. However, it's the Big 12 that offers the widest gap between favorite and field, with Texas Tech at even money and everyone else +500 or longer.

Picking the SEC winner in 2026/27 unlocks the highest odds among the four favorites, but you can increase your chances of winning by Dutching. This would involve taking your stake and distributing it between two or more potential outcomes, in order to guarantee at least a nominal profit.

Using our own Dutching calculator, you could take a $100 stake in the Big 12 and split it between BYU (+500), Utah (+900) and Kansas State (+1600) - staking $51.20, $30.72 and $18.08 respectively. This reveals a guaranteed return of $307.23 (and profit of $207.23) if one of your picks prevails, while unlocking a combined implied probability value of 32.6%.

📊 Conference Betting Considerations

  • SEC: Nine of the top 25-ranked teams in preseason ply their trade in the SEC, and this is the flattest of the four boards - Georgia lead on just 27.0% implied probability. The conference has not produced a national champion in three seasons. Whoever you back, there may be value in hedging against your pick in the conference final. [View SEC Odds at FanDuel]
  • Big Ten: The national champion has come from the Big Ten in each of the last three seasons, the conference's first three-peat in 83 years. Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana are all priced at +300 or shorter and account for a combined 87.7% implied probability, so there is very little value beneath the top three. [View Big Ten Odds at FanDuel]
  • ACC: The ACC is the least predictable league in the country on matchday - Duke arrived at last season's title game at 7-5 and beat 10-2 Virginia in overtime - but the futures market disagrees, making Miami a -150 favorite. That is a short price in a conference where the champion has come from outside the preseason favorites more than once. [View ACC Odds at FanDuel]
  • Big 12: Texas Tech broke through for the program's first Big 12 title last season with a 34-7 win over BYU, and are now priced at even money to repeat. With BYU at +500 and Utah at +900 despite 12-2 and 11-2 seasons, this division still unlocks the best dutching and hedging opportunities. [View Big 12 Odds at FanDuel]
 Bet $5 Daily, Get Up To $1,000 on Conference Winners at FanDuel →

Additional College Football Futures

Some of the best college football futures bets are props. Such wagers can unlock significant value and help you to leverage any detailed knowledge that you have about individual players and teams. Below, we'll take a closer look at the best season-long props and how to bet on them.

Player Prop Futures

Player specials focus on metrics like passing, rushing and receiving yards, while such markets usually comprise over/under lines. Availability varies enormously by state and by sportsbook - college player props are prohibited or restricted in roughly 15 jurisdictions - so always open the market in your own account before you plan around a line.

Prop Bet Type Example Pick 2025 Baseline FanDuel Line Strategy
Passing Yards Arch Manning (Texas) O/U 3,163 yards, 26 TDs Check live line Only one FBS quarterback cleared 4,000 yards in 2025, so treat any line above 3,500 with caution. Manning's rushing volume also caps his attempts
Rushing Yards Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame) O/U 1,372 yards on 199 carries, 18 TDs Check live line Love finished 8th nationally in rushing yards at 6.9 per carry. Notre Dame's soft opening slate favours the over if the line sits near his 2025 total
Receiving Yards Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State) O/U 87 receptions, 1,243 yards, 12 TDs Check live line Smith missed a game in 2025 and still finished 4th nationally. With Sayin back at a 77.0% completion rate, the target share is secure

⚠️ Player Props Restrictions: Season-long college player props are not offered everywhere, and single-game college player props are prohibited or restricted in roughly 15 states. Check your state regulations before betting on any player-specific markets. Check available markets in your state at FanDuel →

Alternative Team Futures

Outside of classic college football futures like conference winners, there's a host of alternative team props available online. These will focus on collective metrics that aren't directly related to outright wins, such as scoring, match victories and whether or not a side will go undefeated during the regular season.

Market Example Pick FanDuel Odds Value Analysis
Undefeated Regular Season Ohio State Check live odds Ohio State finished the regular season with a 12-0 record and a 9-0 conference run, and Indiana went 16-0 across the whole campaign. A rare outcome, but it has now happened in back-to-back years
National Champion Miami to win the National Championship +1100 Beaten finalists last season and the shortest ACC price by a distance, yet still 8.3% implied. The clearest route to the playoff on the board
Regular Season Wins Texas Tech to Win Over 10.5 Games -200 The Red Raiders went 12-2 with an 8-1 conference mark and are even money to repeat as Big 12 champions

College Football Futures Betting Strategy

Before you pick and bet on specific cfb futures for 2026/27, it's important to consider the timing of your wager. You must schedule your college football futures bets to reflect the nature of the market and its typical line movements, with this key to maximizing value.

When to Bet Futures

Each NCAAF futures bet is different, particularly in terms of what triggers line movement and when odds changes occur. Below, you'll find a summary of the most popular futures and when to bet on them (or adjust your lines).

Market / Strategy Bet Window Timing Reasoning
Win Totals March - July Before initial line movement FanDuel posted 2026 win totals in March. Lock in value early, especially when backing relatively low-priced outcomes
Heisman Trophy Late August / Early September Prior to Week 1 matches being completed Access high value odds while informing your picks with Week 0 and Week 1 averages
Adjusting Lines Early Season After watching the first 3 gameweeks This enables you to view teams and identify early performance and result trends - Ohio State at Texas in Week 2 will move several markets at once
Hedging Opportunities Midseason Conference Matchups Protect profits by hedging outright picks - Perhaps in Championship finals

💰 Bankroll Management for Futures

Whether you bet on the latest Heisman odds 2026 or conference winners, bankroll management is key when picking futures. Here are some key strategic tips to help maximize your starting bankroll:

  • Max 10% of bankroll in futures: Remember, college football futures will tie up a portion of your bankroll over time. To maintain liquidity, bet no more than 10% of your total bankroll on futures markets.
  • No more than 2% per bet: You should also bet a suitable bet unit as a percentage of your futures bankroll. Cap this at 2% per wager as a general rule, although this can be adjusted depending on odds and value.
  • Leave room for hedging: You should also set aside a percentage of your futures bankroll for hedging. This creates insurance and allows you to guarantee profits ahead of a Conference game or National Championship final. You can use our hedging calculator to know the exact amounts to guarantee profit or minimize losses.
  • Track with a Bankroll Calculator: You can also use our Bankroll Calculator to manage your funds. This enables you to set a viable bankroll and bet unit, which can be managed according to your risk profile.
Bet Responsibly at FanDuel - Set Your Limits →

How to Hedge College Football Futures

Hedging describes the process of opposing an existing bet with additional wagers. The purpose of this is to protect profits when your original wager is close to winning. So, if you pick Georgia to win the SEC and they ultimately face Texas in the Conference game, you can potentially guarantee a nominal profit by backing the Longhorns to win.

Hedging Strategy

Of course, there are various cfb futures scenarios that can play out during a season. Here are some of the most common and the best potential hedging strategies.

Scenario Original Bet Hedge Opportunity Tips
Heisman Trophy Leader Preseason bet on CJ Carr at +700 Bet against Carr in December once the finalists are named Use the Hedge Calculator to reveal your hedge bet stake
Conference Champion Georgia Bulldogs to win the SEC at +270 Bet against their opponent in the Championship game Calculate your potential profit per stake before confirming your hedge stake
National Champion Miami to win the National Championship at +1100 Hedge your futures pick in selected playoff games Pick tight and competitive playoff matches to hedge, guaranteeing maximum value
Win Total Texas Over 9.5 wins at +120 Bet under if the line is still available in November Seek to lock in at least a nominal profit if Texas stall late in the SEC schedule

📈 Worked Hedging Example - Utah Big 12 Championship Hedge

  • Preseason: Bet $100 on Utah to win the Big 12 at +900 = $1,000 total return
  • Utah qualify for the Conference final against Texas Tech
  • Texas Tech are priced at -160 to win the game (an implied probability of 61.5%)
  • Back Texas Tech with $615.38 - which returns $1,000 if they win
  • Total outlay is $715.38, so you bank a guaranteed profit of $284.62 whichever team wins

Championship game price shown is illustrative - use the live number on the day and run it through the calculator before staking.

Ready to hedge your bets? Place hedge bets at FanDuel for guaranteed profits →

Tracking Your Futures Bets

Of course, college football futures odds can change over the course of a season. So, we'd recommend that you track your college football futures over time, so that you can identify real-time value and potential hedging opportunities.

Odds Movement Tracking

The real issue with tracking some cfb futures is that odds can fluctuate after every single game. Other markets may adjust according to more sporadic events, such as a player injury or loss. Here's an overview of how specific events can impact selected NCAAF futures.

Event Example Impact on Odds Your Action
Big win Ohio State win at Texas in Week 2 - National Championship price shortens from +550 to +400 Shorten Hold your position
Player Injury Notre Dame QB CJ Carr out injured - 2026 Heisman odds drift from +700 to +1200 Lengthen Hedge your original bet proactively
Heavy Team Loss Undefeated conference team experiences heavy and surprise loss - conference futures odds drift from +270 to +450 Lengthen Significantly Evaluate and monitor the next result before considering hedging

🛠 Tools for Tracking

Best College Football Futures Bets

Analysis of futures betting markets and the potential outcomes can help you to identify value bets. These are characterized as betting lines where the actual probability value is higher than the odds imply. Through our own expert analysis, we've been able to identify and share our college football futures best bets.

Expert Futures Picks

Below, you'll find six of our expert futures picks for 2026/27. These have been selected from the biggest markets, while they take into account everything from the latest Heisman odds to estimated college football win totals.

Category Our Pick FanDuel Odds Reasoning Confidence
Heisman Trophy CJ Carr +700 24 TDs to 6 INTs and a 168.1 rating as a first-year starter, on a national TV schedule High
College Win Totals Ohio State to Win Over 9.5 Games -166 Went 12-0 in the 2025 regular season and return both Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith High
Conference Winners Miami Hurricanes (ACC) -150 Beaten national finalists who upgraded at quarterback in a conference priced at +750 and longer behind them Medium
National Champion Ohio State Buckeyes +550 Preseason AP No. 1 with 40 first-place votes, and the Big Ten has produced three straight champions Medium
Longshot BYU to win the Big 12 Conference +500 Matched Texas Tech's 12-2 record and 8-1 conference mark last season, yet are priced at five times the stake Low
Futures Special Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia, Notre Dame and Miami to each reach the Playoffs Build at FanDuel All five sit inside the preseason AP top seven, though Notre Dame missed the field at 10-2 last season Low

Ready to Place Your Futures Bets?

Get started with our expert picks at FanDuel

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Best Sites for College Football Futures

Whether you're searching for real-time Heisman trophy odds or want to wager at the latest conference championship odds, it's important to identify the best value sportsbooks. After all, odds can vary significantly between different sportsbooks, as can the range of futures markets available.

Sportsbook Comparison

Below, you'll find an at-a-glance summary of the top five sportsbooks for college futures betting. There's certainly an extensive selection of FanDuel college football futures, while DraftKings unlocks the most team and player prop markets.

Sportsbook Futures Range Odds Quality Cashout (Y/N) Best For
FanDuel Extensive Competitive ✅ Beginners Sign Up
BetMGM Extensive Market Leading Boosts ✅ Variety
DraftKings The Most Props Average ✅ (Partial) Props Betting
Caesars Good Competitive ✅ Rewards
BetRivers Limited Fair ✅ Fast Withdrawals