The Big 12 – otherwise known as the Oklahoma Sooners stomping ground – rarely rates out as one of the best conferences in the country. That has everything to do with the fact that the Oklahoma Sooners have dominated it in past seasons regardless of whether it was Bob Stoops or Lincoln Riley overlooking the program. You have to go back to 2014 when the Baylor Bears pulled off the feat to find the last time a team other than Boomer Sooner came out triumphant. Since the turn of the century, the Oklahoma Sooners have cashed in on the Big 12 futures odds at online sportsbooks 12 times! While the Sooners are once again locked in as odds-on favorites to pull off the feat a fifth straight season, the Texas Longhorns proved it shortened the gap by splitting both meetings last season. Does Tom Herman’s squad have it in them to see it all the way through this time around? We’re about to find out!
ODDS TO WIN BIG 12
Oklahoma -175
Texas +463
Iowa State +975
Baylor +1164
TCU +1395
Oklahoma State +1730
Texas Tech +2103
West Virginia +4000
Kansas State +4800
Kansas +14500
FAVORITE TO BACK: Oklahoma -175
So Lincoln Riley has proven to be pretty good at this head coaching thing. Since making his home in Lincoln back in 2017, the Sooners have won the Big 12 title twice and participated in the College Football Playoff once. It won the revenge matchup with the Longhorns in the B12 title game, and then went on to give the Alabama Crimson Tide major headaches in the CFP even after falling into what looked to be an insurmountable 28-0 hole only minutes into the second quarter of the semifinals matchup. Though it was never in a position to ultimately advance to the finals, at least Boomer Sooner went down swinging! That said, the Sooners are yet to come out triumphant in a bowl game under Riley’s watch.
With Jalen Hurts now running the offensive attack, it likely won’t skip a beat. Riley is an offensive genius, so the loss of Kyler Murray won’t be as big for the program like the loss of Will Grier will be for the West Virginia Mountaineers. Where immense improvement will be needed however is on the defensive side of the ball where the Sooners proved to be a sieve in conceding better than 32 points and 448 yards per game. The bottom line here is that OU has dominated the Big 12 seemingly forever. Until someone knocks them off, it’s worth having Boomer Sooner stock in your portfolio at betting sites.
UNDERDOG TO BACK: Texas +463
After dominating the Georgia Bulldogs for the entirety of the Sugar Bowl, San Ehlinger boisterously proclaimed that the University of Texas football program was back. Call the betting markets unconvinced. Since hitting the board as +275 dogs to finally unseat Oklahoma as the team to beat in the conference, the Longhorns have seen their rate of return swell to +463 with the opening week of the college football betting season finally upon us. Should Texas fail to live up to Ehlinger’s proclamation, it will have been 10 years since the burnt orange came out the last team standing in what’s usually been a competitive Big 12.
That’s no longer the case as top-heavy the conference has been for the last handful of seasons as Oklahoma shock and awed its way to four straight B12 titles since the championship game returned. Herman and his staff have done a tremendous job on the recruiting trail since making their home in Austin. So much so that Texas has noticeably closed the gap on the Sooners. The Horns chances of competing for the Big 12 title will ultimately depend on Ehlinger going through a tough B12 slate unscathed and the defense being able to successfully replace nine defensive starters. So long as Texas beats LSU at home and doesn’t overlook West Virginia for Oklahoma the following week, it will get back to the conference title game. What happens then is anyone’s guess, though I’m bullish on the Hook ‘em Horns seeing it all the way through!
LONGSHOT TO BACK: Baylor +1164
I’ve come away extremely impressed with what Matt Rhule and his staff have done in Waco since taking over the defunct program back in 2017. The Bears went on to win just one game that season, but bounced back tremendously in 2018-19 to win seven overall games which included a thrilling 45-38 outright win and cover in the Texas Bowl against Vanderbilt. While it’s likely crazy to think Baylor has it in them to pull off a shocker and win the Big 12 for the first time since 2014, it has the talent on hand to at the very least throw a wrench into the proceedings and pull out some big time upsets.
Betting markets look to also be bullish on the Bears doing just that! Baylor initially hit the board at 33-1 to win the conference, but now only offers up a near 12-1 return with its season opener against Stephen F. Austin less than a week away. With a quarterback like Charlie Brewer back again under center, the offense looks to be in great shape. It won’t mean much of anything however unless the defense shows stark improvement. Regardless, Baylor only leaves the state of Texas three times and gets all the teams figured to be Big 12 title contenders in the comforts of McLane Stadium. This big dog just might have some teeth!
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