Ultimate 2017 college football betting guide

With the 2017 college football season rolling into action, now is the time to lock down those value bets. Looking beyond Alabama and the heap of favorites to win it all, two of ESPN Chalk's college football betting experts, Phil Steele and Will Harris, are here to help you find value.

Below is our 2017 college football betting guide, covering the best values among teams to win the College Football Playoff, season win totals, conference titles and Heisman Trophy contenders. If you're looking to wager on college football this season, this is the primer you need to read.

For an individual look at how to bet on each of the top 25 teams this season, check out our team-by-team previews.

Note: Odds courtesy of the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook unless otherwise noted.

Previews for Top 25 teams | Ultimate betting guide | Week 1 best bets

Best title bets

Steele

While none of the teams I list below are in my projected four for the College Football Playoff, there is great value on these teams. A small wager on one of them could return a significant amount.

Washington Huskies (20-1)

This number appears high for a team that made the playoff last season and is a favorite to get back to the conference title game. Washington was my No. 1 surprise team last season, and the Huskies sure enough made the playoff. This season, they have 14 returning starters, including quarterback Jake Browning, and their No. 14 ranking on my "Experience Chart" is the highest of any Pac-12 team. They do have to travel to Stanford, and if they win the North Division, the Huskies will likely have to face Southern California, who beat them 26-13 in Seattle last season. Still, this team represents solid value and could be favored in all 12 games.