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. 14.
Kansas State Wildcats
National title odds: 80-1 (opened 30-1)
Season win total: 8
FPI win total projection: 7.5
Phil Steele
Strengths: Kansas State is strong at the line of scrimmage with my No. 30-rated offensive line and No. 19-rated defensive line. It has a veteran quarterback in Jesse Ertz and one of the Big 12's top secondaries. Its biggest strength is one most people overlook: my No. 1-rated special teams.
Weaknesses: The Wildcats' top returning running back, Justin Silmon, had just 464 yards last year.
Over/under (8): I have Kansas State as a three-point underdog in two games, a pick 'em in one and favored in all of the rest. I think the Wildcats have a great shot at the Big 12 title and a double-digit-win season. I am for sure going with the over on this one.
National title odds (80-1): This is one of Bill Snyder's most veteran teams ever. It had 135 starts by underclassmen last year, the most ever under Snyder. The last time he had 14 returning starters was 2012, and that team rose to No. 2 in the polls before quarterback Collin Klein got injured. I think the Wildcats are a definite play at this price.
"Stanford Steve" Coughlin
Over/under (8): When I watched this team open the season last year, I said to myself, "I'm all-in on the Purple Kats in 2017." And then through the course of this offseason, I've fallen in love with every Big 12 team.
Since Bill Snyder returned to the Manhattan in 2009, the Wildcats have won at least six games every season and posted just one losing record. Experience is there for this team. They return a very good group of wide receivers, featuring Byron Pringle and speedster Dominique Heath, along with Cal transfer Carlos Strickland. This has the makings of K-State's best offense in years, led by Ertz, who is coming off an impressive season in which he led the Wildcats to a 9-4 record while throwing for 1,755 yards and nine touchdowns and also running for 1,012 yards and 12 touchdowns. However, I would like to see him improve on his 57.6 completion percentage.
I'm not sure if KSU has enough to withstand its brutal start to the Big 12 schedule of Baylor, at Texas, TCU and Oklahoma. I like the Wildcats, but I'll stick with the under.
Chris Fallica
Over/under (8): FPI's projection for the Wildcats is 8-4, but that's assuming losses at Texas and Oklahoma State, along with home games against TCU and Oklahoma. I don't think any of those are foregone conclusions. K-State was very close to ending last year on a seven-game winning streak. Look at the losses last year -- opener on the road to Stanford, a one-point loss at WVU, Oklahoma and then Oklahoma State in a game the Wildcats were leading late. With Ertz and a solid offensive line back, along with a good front four and secondary, I think the Cats are underrated, and 8-4 is a worst-case scenario. I'd be on the over here.
National title odds (80-1): K-State can't win the national title, but I would be very interested on taking the Wildcats at 7-1 to win the Big 12 title.