Which Ohio Team Will Win A College Championship Next?

In case you didn't know, Ohio sports betting launches on Jan. 1, 2023. Bookies.com is the go-to source for the best Ohio sportsbook promo codes and offers, as well as the best place for NFL and college football picks – just in time for the College Football Playoff (and other college football bowl games), as well as the NFL postseason.

The Buckeye State has a great history of success at both the college and professional levels, and it got us thinking about championships odds across Ohio sports, and which teams are best positioned for success in the short term.

While betting is not live on Ohio betting apps until the new year, you can still sign up now at the likes of BetMGM Ohio and Caesars Sportsbook Ohio to score early sign-up deals like $100 in free bets. It truly is a great time to be an Ohio sports fan.

With all that in mind, Bookies.com oddsmaker Adam Thompson has created his hypothetical odds as to the next major college program from Ohio to win a national championship. He's focused particularly on the major sports - football, basketball, hockey and baseball.

Next week, he reveals his odds for the next pro team from Ohio to win a title. 

Next Ohio College Championship Odds

Ohio State Football Favored

They needed a favor to make the College Football Playoff, and they got one. USC's Pac-12 title game loss to Utah helped Ohio State’s football team jump into the No. 4 spot, earning them a shot at the defending champion Georgia Bulldogs in the CFP semifinal. 

Oddsmakers on college football betting sites have the Buckeyes with the third-lowest odds of any team, at +360. Georgia are big favorites at -130, with Michigan at +280 and TCU at +1800.

There’s no denying the strength of this Ohio State team, which went 11-1 and ranked sixth in total offense and 11th on defense. None of its wins were by single digits. But Georgia is a formidable opponent.

Even if the Buckeyes don’t win the national championship this year, they’re still in a prime position to win the next college title in the Buckeye State. OSU has been to the playoff four times in eight seasons and will be led by recruiting classes that have ranked Top 5 the last three seasons, and again for the Class of 2023. 

Other Leading Ohio Title Contenders

The Buckeyes’ women’s basketball team went to the Sweet 16 last year and is looking to take another step now. They’re currently 6-0 and the fourth-ranked team in the nation. OSU wasn’t anywhere near the initial championship conversations in preseason but pounded No. 5 Notre Dame 87-75 on Nov. 8 and are making people take notice. That said, South Carolina, Stanford and UConn were the teams to beat in preseason and not much has changed in that regard. 

The OSU men’s hoops squad took care of No. 21 Texas Tech and was 4-1 heading into a showdown with No. 17 Duke. The Buckeyes just re-entered the polls at No. 25 and are a massive +10000 to win the 2023 NCAA Men's Tournament. 

Xavier’s hoops team hasn’t been to the tournament since 2017-18, but it won the NIT championship last year and begins anew with new (old) coach Sean Miller, who was jettisoned out of Arizona after numerous violations were alleged. Miller may have the Musketeers as legit Big East contenders or more in short order. 

The Dayton Flyers have the same title odds this year as their big brother in Columbus. They haven’t made the Big Dance since 2016-17, when Archie Miller left for Indiana. 

The Field

There are 11 NCAA Division I universities in Ohio, some of which have potential for a breakout run. Cincinnati leads the charge. The Bearcats football team advanced to the College Football Playoff just last season, but the squad graduated nine picks in the 2022 NFL Draft and was a good-but-not-spectacular 9-3 this year. With coach Luke Fickell leaving for Wisconsin, Cincy may be on the way to a modest rebuild. 

The Bearcats men’s hoops team is a consistent challenger in the AAC (and Big East before that) but has advanced out of the second round of the NCAA Tournament just once since 2001. 

Special Mentions

This list was only for major sports in NCAA Division I programs. That left out teams that likely could win national titles in the coming years, including Ohio State’s synchronized swim team, which won its 28th title in 2022; and Mount Union football, which has 13 NCAA Division III titles since 1993.