5 Biggest Long Shots to Win the National Championship

The TCU Horned Frogs and Georgia Bulldogs will hit the field for the CFP National Championship Game on Monday, Jan. 9. Not only does TCU have the chance to hoist the trophy, but the Horned Frogs can also become the biggest longshot to win it all this century.

Trading at +20000 before the 2022 season began, oddsmakers and bettors weren’t giving the long-shot Horned Frogs much credit. In fact, TCU had a preseason win total of just 6.5 games at both DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook.

Now, the 13-3 Horned Frogs are 12.5-point underdogs against the Bulldogs at SoFi Stadium with the opportunity to make history on a multitude of levels.

Here’s our look at the five biggest long shots to win the National Championship since 2000.

5 Biggest Long Shots to Win the National Championship

2002 Ohio State Buckeyes (+1900)

Not only were the ‘02 Buckeyes long shots to win it all ahead of the season, but they also entered the Fiesta Bowl National Championship Game as 12-point underdogs to the reigning champion Miami Hurricanes.

Miami was sporting a 34-game winning streak, and Ohio State second-year head coach Jim Tressel and the Buckeyes topping the ‘Canes in double overtime is still magical over 20 years later.

Tressel’s ‘02 squad boasted 14 returning starters, with linebacker Matt Wilhelm and safety Mike Doss earning All-American honors during the undefeated season. Though Ohio State thrived by playing tough defense and winning ugly, first-year running back Maurice Clarett's 1,237 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns garnered national headlines and earned him the Big Ten Freshman of the Year Award.

Did you know Clarett stripped Miami safety Sean Taylor following an interception to set up an Ohio State field goal during the championship game?

2019 LSU Tigers (+3300)

Despite playing a historically difficult schedule, the ‘19 Tigers put up video-game numbers and proved unstoppable with a plus-398 point differential. LSU also beat seven top-10 teams. 

Quarterback Joe Burrow threw 60 touchdown passes en route to winning the Heisman Trophy. Wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson both topped 1,500 receiving yards, and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire scampered to over 1,400 rushing yards. The offensive line also won the Joe Moore Award as the nation’s best unit.

Add another 14 players from the defense who are playing regularly in the NFL, and this truly was a team for the ages.

Did you know Burrow threw seven first-half touchdown passes during the 2019 Peach Bowl semifinal game against the Oklahoma Sooners?

Read why Georgia will win the CFP National Championship. 

2014 Ohio State Buckeyes (+4000)

Buckle up, the ‘14 Buckeyes went on a roller-coaster ride en route to hoisting the College Football Playoff National Championship trophy. 

Back-to-back Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and No. 1 quarterback Braxton Miller suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the summer, and third-year head coach Urban Meyer was quickly on the hot seat following a Week 2 loss to the Virginia Tech Hokies.

It was the third loss in four games for Ohio State dating back to the prior season, and the Buckeyes dropped to 22nd in AP Top-25 Rankings. Those preseason +4000 odds definitely weren’t the longest number available ahead of their title run.

A nine-game winning streak followed before No. 2 quarterback J.T. Barrett suffered an ankle injury in the season finale against the Michigan Wolverines. Third-string quarterback Cardale Jones took charge and earned Big Ten Championship Game MVP honors before taking down the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide and No.2 Oregon Ducks to cement the historic run.

Future NFL stars Joey Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott, Micheal Thomas, and Marshon Lattimore lent a helping hand, too.

Did you know Elliott scored eight touchdowns in the final three games of the 2014 season, including four in the national championship?

2003 LSU Tigers (+4000)

The ‘03 Tigers embodied the mantra "defense wins championships," and this was the first of seven national titles for head coach Nick Saban. LSU allowed the fewest yards (255.40) and points (11) per contest in the nation, and with the stakes the highest, the Tigers also held the high-scoring Oklahoma Sooners to just 154 yards and 14 points in the Sugar Bowl to win it all.

Though a number of Tigers went on to successful pro careers, the ‘03 team’s success foreshadowed what was ahead for Saban and his coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher went on to win a national championship as head coach of the Florida State Seminoles in 2013 and defensive coordinator Will Muschamp won the 2021 National Championship as the co-defensive coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs.

Did you know title-winning quarterback Matt Mauck was asked to switch his position and play safety by Saban before the 2001 season?

Check out our TCU vs. Georgia best bet.

2010 Auburn Tigers (+5000)

Good luck finding another national champion of Auburn’s ilk. This collection of Tigers didn’t crush recruiting rankings, and they also didn’t graduate a legion of "who’s who" to the pros. These Tigers simply rolled out the perfect repertoire of role players around their two superstars. 

Defensive tackle Nick Fairley was a one-man wrecking crew on defense. His sack and three tackles for a loss against Oregon in the national championship gave him respective year-long totals of 11.5 and 24, and the sophomore earned the SEC Defensive Player of the Year honor, was named a consensus All-American, and won the Lombardi Award. The Auburn defense allowed just 3.5 fourth-quarter points per game with Fairley leading the way.

Of course, there was also superhero quarterback Cam Newton. Name an award or trophy, and Newton won or raised it ahead of being selected first overall in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. His athleticism was unmatched by opposing defenders, and his 2010 showing ranks among the most memorable single-season performances in college football history.

Did you know Newton never started an FBS collegiate game before the 2010 season?

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