Picking favorites is easy. Well, not necessarily easy. A chalk doesn't always perform like a chalk, especially in a sport as volatile and chaotic as college football.

But betting on favorites is undeniably boring, and that is not something that will take place here.

With the season closing in, we are thrilled—and I mean thrilled—to welcome back Locks of the Week. For now, this B/R staple will focus on future betting across college football. Soon enough, we will do this exercise for every single week of the season, tracking results along the way.

At the moment, however, we're hunting for value. Here are teams capable of pulling off unlikely title runs in the months ahead.

For the latest spreads on futures and games, head to DraftKings.

Big Ten Championship: USC (+2200)

Now, let's get a few things straight before we begin. The concerns surrounding Lincoln Riley's ability to field a balanced team are very real.

Offensively speaking, Riley is a wizard. There is no denying this. On defense, however, it's fair to question if the ingredients will ever come together.

As the Trojans enter the Big Ten, one of the most overrated teams over the last few years suddenly feels a tad underrated. That isn't to say that all these problems will be fixed at once, although USC has certainly tried to address some of them.

Quarterback Miller Moss, who threw six touchdowns in the team's bowl game, looks like a solution. If he's not the guy, transfer Jayden Maiava, a player oozing with fun, could be. The weapons are in place and the offensive line should be solid.

So, what about that defense?

There isn't a lack of talent, especially up front. Getting the most out of it will be up to new coordinator D'Anton Lynn, who left rival UCLA to join the Trojans.

The schedule, outside of a road trip to Michigan, isn't all that bad. USC avoids Ohio State and will play Penn State at home. While a handful of teams certainly make more sense, this is a reasonable opportunity to buy low on a team that should score a lot.

SEC Championship: Missouri (+1800)

As it stands, the Tigers are outside the top five in the SEC when it comes to championship odds. Considering the power and potential at the top of the conference—starting with Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss and Alabama—it makes sense that Missouri would slot in right behind.

But at these odds? This feels pretty juicy.

Luther Burden III and Brady Cook are one of the deadliest wide receiver-quarterback combinations in America, and they will be absolute bears to deal with every week. While the departure of running back Cody Schrader is a big one, Missouri did well to replace him (and fill other holes) through the transfer portal.

The defense followed a similar formula, adding significant bodies to the two-deep. While it won't be the star of the show, it should be good enough if the offense does its part.

The schedule, however, is where this bet becomes more compelling. Playing at Texas A&M and Alabama won't be easy, but the rest is a gift by SEC standards.

In 2023, we saw a taste of what this program was capable of. The Tigers won 11 games, hung tough against LSU and Georgia in both losses and showcased a new ceiling.

If they can get a few swing games to go their way, 18/1 could look like an absolute steal.

Big 12 Championship: Arizona (+1000)

While it might be lagging in terms of elite teams and revenue, the new-look Big 12 won't be short on drama.

Arizona is one of the new faces entering the conference, and it does so on an extremely high—albeit slightly complicated—note.

There was nothing complicated about last season. After a 3-3 start, the Wildcats closed with seven straight wins. Quarterback Noah Fifita emerged as a star when thrust into action. His favorite target, wideout Tetairoa McMillan, did the same.

When Jedd Fisch left for Washington, Brent Brennan was named head coach. His biggest win thus far was ensuring that Fifita and McMillan didn't leave, and it was a massive victory.

The roster largely stayed together, and it has experience and talent on both sides of the ball. The offensive line could be a strength, and that's great news for a young, emerging QB. The defense has enough, especially in the back seven, to cause some problems.

In terms of the prospects of winning the conference, September will tell us plenty. Arizona plays at Kansas State and at Utah in back-to-back games, with a bye week wedged in between.

The two favorites to win the Big 12 also happen to be two of the tough places to play in the country. If the Wildcats can pull off one of these wins, they should be in a favorable position down the stretch.

It won't be easy, but having two of the best offensive players in the nation could carry this team to new heights.

ACC Championship: NC State (+700)

Most believe the ACC will be won by Florida State or Clemson. Given recent history and overall roster talent, this makes plenty of sense. Miami, with a talented new quarterback, is also a part of that conversation. (At least for some.)

To the average fan, NC State is not in this conversation. But given a mix of new arrivals and some quality returning pieces, that should change.

The addition of quarterback Grayson McCall is seismic. The former Coastal Carolina star has the athletic traits to change an offense, and he should do that here. The fact that he has a plethora of pieces around him, headlined by wideout Kevin Concepcion, could see the nation's No. 72 scoring offense from a season ago take a big leap.

An early home game against Tennessee should tell us plenty about this team, although a road game at Clemson a few weeks later is the most important moment on the schedule. From there, it really opens up.

The Wolfpack won't play Florida State, Miami or Louisville during the regular season—three of the four teams it ranks behind in terms of ACC conference odds.

Winning the conference championship game is another conversation entirely, although the ingredients are all in place for a team like this to come slightly off the pack.

Florida State is completely rebuilding its roster, and Clemson has not been on completely stable footing for a few years. This conference is still very much up for grabs, and NC State is in a really nice spot at 7/1.