CFB coaches and oddsmakers agree on the top-4 teams, but not much after that

USA TODAY Sports' coaches poll deviates quite a bit from the odds.

Futures odds aren’t an exact ranking of how teams are expected to perform because big bets can swing odds and cause teams to leap or drop a few spots. And other factors beyond actual ability can also change the order of odds. However, it isn’t exactly the worst ranking system. By and large, the better the team, the shorter the odds. And the worse a team is, the longer its odds.

With that in mind, I took a look at the recent USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll to cross-check the rankings with national championship odds at Tipico Sportsbook. And while the coaches and odds agree on the top four teams — Alabama (+190), Ohio State (+330), Georgia (+350) and Clemson (+1200), with a considerable gap between three and four — there were a few discrepancies after that may reflect who the coaches see as overrated and underrated.