Alabama shifts to betting favorite to make CFP

Alabama’s odds to make the College Football Playoff shifted significantly Monday, with the Crimson Tide going from small underdogs to odds-on favorites to earn a spot in the 12-team field at multiple sportsbooks.

Alabama began Monday as a +105 underdog to make the CFP at ESPN BET but by the end of the day was a -200 favorite.

The Crimson Tide (9-3) fell to No. 13 in last week’s CFP rankings after losing to unranked Oklahoma. They rebounded with a win over Auburn on Saturday in the Iron Bowl but did not make the SEC championship game.

The latest CFP rankings will be released Tuesday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN), followed by the final selections Sunday after this weekend’s conference championship games. The top five conference champions in the CFP rankings and the next seven highest-ranked at-large teams will make up the field.

Two other teams on the bubble, SMU and Clemson, are facing off in the ACC championship game Saturday, with the winner earning an automatic bid. An SMU win would seemingly boost the Crimson Tide’s hopes of reaching the playoff. SMU is a 2.5-point favorite over Clemson to start the week.

SMU is -240 to make the playoff at ESPN BET, and South Carolina (+500), Miami (+600) and Ole Miss (+2500) are underdogs to get into the field.