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BOZEMAN, MT (Gambling911.com) - Being a defending champion doesn't always ensure a team will be favored to win again coming into the new season, especially in college sports where top players defect or head off to the pros. Montana State, however, will come into the 2026-2027 season as the favorite to win the 2026-2027 FCS National Champion.
BetOnline released its odds on Friday (August 28). The payout for the Bobcats will be $250 for every $100 bet.
It's the first time in a long time that we have fresh favorite atop the preseason FCS Championship odds board.
A place perennially occupied by North Dakota State or South Dakota State, last year's champ (Montana State) is currently the favorite to repeat for a reason.
The Bobcats return an unusually large portion of the team that won it.
They aren't just narrowly No. 1, either. Montana State received all 57 first-place votes in the Stats Perform preseason FCS poll and is also No. 1 in the AFCA Coaches Poll. They finished 2025 14-2, won the Big Sky at 8-0 and ended the season on a 14-game winning streak, beating Illinois State 35-34 in overtime for the national title.
BetOnline Sports & Casino has posted 2026 FCS title odds, as well as Week 1 spreads/totals, all of which you can find below.
| FCS National Champion | ||
| Montana State | 5/2 | (+250) |
| South Dakota State | 3/1 | |
| UC Davis | 5/1 | |
| Montana | 8/1 | |
| North Dakota | 10/1 | |
| Rhode Island | 28/1 | |
| Tarleton State | 33/1 | |
| Stephen F. Austin | 33/1 | |
| South Dakota | 33/1 | |
| Youngstown State | 40/1 | |
| Southern Illinois | 40/1 | |
| Illinois State | 40/1 | |
| Villanova | 40/1 | |
| Abilene Christian | 66/1 | |
| Mercer | 75/1 | |
| Idaho State | 75/1 | |
| Yale | 100/1 | |
| Tennessee Tech | 100/1 | |
| Lehigh | 100/1 | |
| Austin Peay | 150/1 | |
| Idaho | 300/1 | |
| Harvard | 300/1 | |
| UTRGV | 300/1 | |
| SE Louisiana | 300/1 | |
| Norther Arizona | 300/1 | |
| Western Carolina | 500/1 | |
| Southern Utah | 500/1 | |
| Incarnate World | 500/1 | |
| Eastern Kentucky | 500/1 | |
| Dartmouth | 500/1 |
FCS Week 1
Colgate -8.5
Fordham +8.5
Over/Under 51.5
Marist +2.5
New Haven -2.5
Over/Under 44.5
William & Mary +10.5
Villanova -10.5
Over/Under 49.5
Rhode Island -20.5
Merrimack +20.5
Over/Under 49.5
New Hampshire -11.5
Albany +11.5
Over/Under 45.5
Weber State +3
Northern Colorado -3
Over/Under 48
Idaho -3.5
Cal Poly +3.5
Over/Under 55.5
Robert Morris +5.5
Wagner -5.5
Over/Under 39.5
Central Conn. +22.5
South Dakota -22.5
Over/Under 52.5
Southern +19.5
Alabama St. -19.5
Over/Under 56.5
UC Davis -25.5
Portland State +25.5
Over/Under 62.5
Lehigh -14
Holy Cross +14
Over/Under 47.5
Eastern Washington +3.5
Northern Arizona -3.5
Over/Under 56.5
Campbell +7
East Tennessee State -7
Over/Under 55.5
VMI +34.5
Idaho State -34.5
Over/Under 60.5
SE Missouri St +2.5
Indiana State -2.5
Over/Under 52.5
Bucknell +10.5
Richmond -10.5
Over/Under 49.5
The Citadel +8.5
Wofford -8.5
Over/Under 44.5
Morgan State -7.5
- Carolina A&T +7.5
Over/Under 50.5
Bryant -4.5
Stonehill +4.5
Over/Under 45.5
Stephen F. Austin -13.5
McNeese State +13.5
Over/Under 49.5
NC Central -11.5
Texas Southern +11.5
Over/Under 51.5
Stetson +47.5
South Dakota State -47.5
Over/Under 56.5
Eastern Kentucky +4.5
Western Carolina -4.5
Over/Under 50.5
Monmouth +8.5
Tennessee Tech -8.5
Over/Under 58.5
East Texas A&M +23.5
Mercer -23.5
Over/Under 58.5
Samford +7.5
North Alabama -7.5
Over/Under 55.5
Abilene Christian -7.5
Lamar +7.5
Over/Under 49.5
Alabama A&M +2.5
Howard -2.5
Over/Under 46.5
Southern Utah +16.5
Montana -16.5
Over/Under 58.5
Prairie View +20.5
Tarleton State -20.5
Over/Under 54.5
Montana State -31.5
Utah Tech +31.5
Over/Under 56.5
- Dan Shapiro, Gambling911.com
