2014 College football futures betting: National Championship odds and predictions

Over the next few weeks, we will be taking an in-depth look at the upcoming college football season. Want more? Read our full preview.

The BCA-era is finally behind us, and the National Championship will be decided in a playoff format this season, slightly changing the dynamic of how bettors will decide upon where to find value in national title odds.

Here's a look at an odds comparison for the teams in the preseason AP Top 25, with a three-pack of teams worthy of a closer look.

Odds courtesy BetOnline, Bovada, The Greek.

(2) Alabama Crimson Tide +650, The Greek

Alabama enters the season on a two-game losing streak.

Once again: Alabama enters the season on a two-game losing streak.

Nick Saban is not happy. At SEC Media Days, he had to answer questions about whether or not motivation was an issue for his squad in their Sugar Bowl loss to Oklahoma.

AJ McCarron has moved on, but there's still plenty of talent in Tuscaloosa. Coach Saban has been bringing in elite recruiting classes for years, and gets a great band-aid at the quarterback position in Jacob Coker.

Coker has garnered some Heisman chatter in the summer months, and will play with a standout wide receiver in Amari Cooper, and a deep backfield, headlined by another Heisman candidate in T.J. Yeldon.

(5) Ohio State Buckeyes +3500, The Greek

The Buckeyes may have lost Braxton Miller, but don't bury them just yet.

The team remains very much in the hunt for one of the four spots in the inaugural College Football Playoff. They send out J.T. Barrett into a quarterback-friendly system that is deep at the skill positions - a prime situation for the redshirt freshman to show off his dual-threat talents.

The team's defense is much improved, with a defensive front that has the potential to be dominant. Going up against a soft schedule will help too.

(11) Stanford Cardinal +4000, widely available

The Cardinal will need to replace 10 starters this season, but they will still be a major player in the Pac-12 - the team replaced nine starts entering the 2012 season, including Andrew Luck, yet still came out on top of the Pac-12 and won their Rose Bowl game.

Quarterback Kevin Hogan now enters his third year at the helm with his best group of receivers yet. Of those 10 lost starters, only four came on the other side of the ball, so a unit that led the Pac-12 in scoring defense a year ago should only continue to frustrate opposing offenses.

The Cardinal have won at least 11 games and appeared in a major bowl game in each of the last four seasons, so qualifying for the College Football Playoff is right in their wheelhouse.

More 2014 College football futures betting articles:

Conference winners odds
Win total odds
National Championship odds