College Football Playoff 2021-22: Updated Odds, Predictions Against the Spread

Alabama may not have dominated the entire 2021 regular season, yet it still ended up in the same position it was last year: the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. And the Crimson Tide will now look to add another national championship to head coach Nick Saban's resume.

Having won six national titles since 2009, including three since the CFP format was implemented in 2014, Alabama enters this season's playoff as the favorite to again win it all. It will need to beat Cincinnati in the Cotton Bowl first and then either Michigan or Georgia in the championship game.

It's always possible one of these other three teams will knock off the Crimson Tide, but Saban's sides can never be counted out this time of year, especially one that may be peaking at the right time.

Here's everything you need to know heading into this season's College Football Playoff.

College Football Playoff Schedule, Odds

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Friday, Dec. 31

Cotton Bowl: No. 1 Alabama (-13.5) vs. No. 4 Cincinnati, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Orange Bowl: No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 Georgia (-7.5), 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Alabama Will Win Big, Cover Spread in Cotton Bowl

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Alabama is favored to beat Cincinnati by nearly two touchdowns in the Cotton Bowl, and that shouldn't come as a surprise. There's a stark contrast between the two programs' CFP experience.

The Crimson Tide are here pretty much every year. Since the CFP was introduced in 2014, Alabama has made it in seven times in eight seasons. The only time it missed out was the 2019 campaign. And it may not have made it this year if the team had lost to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.

The Bearcats are not only in the CFP for the first time in program history, but they're also the first Group of Five team to get there. They're the only undefeated team in this year's playoff, but did their AAC schedule prepare them enough to potentially beat Alabama?

It may not take long to figure that out after the Cotton Bowl kicks off on New Year's Eve. If Alabama gets off to a strong start and puts Cincinnati in an early hole, the Crimson Tide may just roll to a lopsided victory by relying on their talent, depth and experience.

Alabama sophomore quarterback Bryce Young is likely going to be the Heisman Trophy winner, and he's taking his game to yet another level with the stakes raised. He passed for 421 yards and three touchdowns and added a rushing score in the SEC Championship Game against Georgia's top-ranked defense.

Cincinnati's defense has played well this season, but it hasn't faced many offenses like Alabama's. And because of that, it's going to become clear early in the Cotton Bowl that the Crimson Tide will have plenty of offensive success against the Bearcats.

In Alabama's five previous CFP semifinal wins, it has won by at least 17 points four times. It rarely struggles at this point in the season, and that will be the case again when it wins handily against Cincinnati.

Prediction: Alabama wins by at least 14 points

Michigan Covers Spread, but Georgia Wins Orange Bowl

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Georgia is the only one of the four CFP teams that isn't a conference champion, and it's the only one coming off a loss. However, the Bulldogs are still favored to beat Michigan by 7.5 points in the Orange Bowl, which is an indication of just how dominant they were throughout the regular season.

Even after giving up 41 points and 536 total yards to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, Georgia still ranks first in the country in points allowed per game (9.54) and second in total yards allowed per contest (254.4). And the Bulldogs faced some solid competition during their conference schedule, including a season opener against Clemson.

Still, Michigan is going to be a better team than many of the ones Georgia has faced. The Wolverines also have a ton of momentum heading into their first CFP appearance, as they ended the regular season with a 42-27 win over Ohio State before cruising to a 42-3 victory over Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Michigan has won five games in a row and boasts offensive players who could have some success against the Georgia defense. That includes senior running back Hassan Haskins, who has scored nine touchdowns over the Wolverines' past three games.

Whether the Bulldogs can win may depend on how their offense performs. They scored only seven points in the second half of the SEC title game and senior quarterback Stetson Bennett threw a pair of interceptions.

With how well Georgia's defense should play against Michigan, it won't need a ton of offense to be victorious, just enough to stave off the Wolverines. And that's what the Bulldogs will get.

It should be a competitive game, so Georgia won't win by eight or more points. However, it will prove it's the better team and find a way to pull out a victory late, advancing to the CFP National Championship Game for the first time in four years.

Prediction: Michigan covers spread; Georgia wins

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