Fancy a wager? Bet these longshots in 2016

Leicester City's shocking run to the English Premier League title as 5000/1 underdogs is a story unheard of in sports history.

With such a large number of conferences and the frenzy of recruitment playing such a large role in college athletics, an underdog of that size would never be able to capture the College Football Playoff.

That doesn't mean the sport is void of value when it comes to picking longshot winners, it just means you have to choose wisely when filling out that bet slip.

Here's five longshots worth a look for the 2016 National Championship (odds in brackets).

Washington (40/1)

The Pac-12 was left out of the playoff this season, but conference champion Stanford made sure a good showing was put in, thrashing Iowa 45-16 in the Rose Bowl. The Huskies look to be on the verge of a breakthrough in Chris Petersen's third season with the program. The Pac-12's top defense returns eight starters, and with quarterback Jake Browning entering his second season under center, the Huskies could make waves in 2016. Each team in the conference faces major questions heading into next season, and a Pac-12 title could launch Washington to the College Football Playoff.

Florida (40/1)

While getting competent quarterback play from Will Grier, Florida rolled to a 6-0 start in 2015. Grier was subsequently suspended for a year due to performance enhancing drugs, and transferred out of the program. Jim McElwain was forced to play Treon Harris, who was clearly overwhelmed as the Gators sputtered down the stretch. Somehow they still managed an SEC East title and a decent showing against Alabama in the conference championship game. Despite losing numerous starters to the NFL draft, Florida is loaded all over the field, and new quarterback Luke Del Rio looks more than capable through spring practice. Most people see Tennessee or Georgia as the SEC East favorite, but the Gators took that title last year with basically no quarterback. Imagine the possibilities with one?

Louisville (60/1)

Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson announced himself on the national stage in the Music City Bowl last season, piling up 453 total yards and four touchdowns. He showed no signs of cooling off in the Cardinals spring game, throwing for an insane eight touchdowns. With 18 starters returning, including a loaded defense, Jackson's breakout could see the Cardinals join Clemson and Florida State among the ACC's elite. A conference title would almost certainly lead to a playoff berth, and if Clemson's success last year taught us anything, a dual-threat quarterback with a dominant defense is a scary sight for opponents.

South Florida (1000/1)

Before you laugh at the fact a 1000/1 team shows up on this list, quickly scroll up and take a look at Leicester City's odds for this season one more time. In the 16-year existence of the South Florida program, the Bulls have never won 10-plus games. Despite this fact, at 1000/1, Willie Taggart's bunch are too good not sprinkle a couple bucks on. The team won seven of its last eight games to finish the regular season, and certainly enter 2016 with some solid momentum. While the Bulls may not play in a Power-5 conference, the AAC has suddenly garnered an enormous amount of respect. In 2015 alone, Memphis hammered Ole Miss, Temple smashed Penn State, and Houston easily beat Florida State in the Peach Bowl. It certainly won't be easy, but if South Florida can run the table, including a home non-conference matchup with the Seminoles, then they have as much right as anyone to a spot in the College Football Playoff.