With college football season on the horizon, ESPN Chalk's college football experts -- Phil Steele, "Stanford Steve" Coughlin and Chris Fallica -- combine to give you betting previews of the top 25 teams, according to the ESPN College Football Rankings. They break down each team's strengths and weaknesses, along with season win total bets and national title odds.
Odds from Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook as of Aug. 22.
TCU Horned Frogs
National title odds: 30-1 (opened 30-1)
Season win total: 8
FPI win total projection: 7.4
Phil Steele
Strengths: The Frogs defense was young and banged up last year, but now have eight returning starters. After allowing 398 yards per game, their highest since 2004, this will be a more typical Gary Patterson defense that will rank at the top of the Big 12. Despite losing top wide receiver Josh Doctson, I have their receiving corps No. 8 in the country.
Weaknesses: I like the replacements at the skill positions on offense, but they do lose quarterback Trevone Boykin, running back Aaron Green and Doctson. The Frogs also rate No. 118 in the country in terms of offensive yards returning from 2015. They lose their kicker and punter from last year and are not a top-40 special teams unit.
Over/under: The Frogs have won 21 regular season games the last two years and should be just as strong as those teams. The total is just nine, but they're a 'dog at home to Oklahoma and at Baylor.
National title: TCU is my No. 2 surprise team in the nation this year. They were on my surprise teams list in 2014 and finished 12-1, nearly making the playoffs and ultimately finishing No. 3. While I have them finishing second in the Big XII, they do host Oklahoma, and a win would put them in the driver's seat in the conference. I like their odds here.
"Stanford Steve" Coughlin
How a team plays in the previous season's bowl game is the most over-analyzed thing we do in college football. I do take something away from how TCU came back to beat Oregon in the Alamo Bowl, but it really didn't have to do with the scoreboard. It had to do with how a coach gets a message through to a team, and how the team actually responds to that head coach. Without one-time Heisman hopeful QB Trevone Boykin (suspension), TCU came back from a 31-0 deficit to rally and win in OT. To see how hard the Horned Frogs competed that night, amidst all the speculation around their suspended QB tells me all I need to know about this team. They have plenty of talent and experience returning on defense, which will allow transfer QB Kenny Hill to get his feet wet. I never worry about recruiting or players stepping up in Fort Worth, because head coach Gary Patterson, has as good a track record of developing players as anyone in the country. I'll take the over.
CFB Playoff odds: With the Big 12 still not having a title game, I would think TCU has value at 30-1.
Chris Fallica
O/U: Despite all the injuries TCU suffered last year, the Horned Frogs still won 11 games. In fact, TCU has won at least 11 games seven times in the last 10 years. Many of the injured players return, talented depth has been built and key transfers will fill areas of need. I think getting out of College Station and having a year off will be good for Kenny Hill. In terms of the schedule, the Horned Frogs get Oklahoma at the right time -- OU plays Ohio State just before and Texas just after the TCU game. Yes, TCU has to go to Baylor late in the season -- but who knows what direction the Bears season might have taken by that point. And Texas will be hell-bent on revenge after a 50-7 embarrassment last year. But I don't see anything worse than 9-3. Strong over play here.
CFB Playoff odds: Great price on a team which I think will win the Big 12. There is talent everywhere, the coaching staff continually gets the best out of his team and an early-season win over Oklahoma would vault the Horned Frogs into the title contender discussion. And 30-1 would become 12-1. I think this price is one of the best out there in terms of price for a team which has a very legitimate chance to win the title.