Winning the Big 12 will be no small feat, as the conference features defending conference champ Kansas State, and national finalist TCU. Texas and Oklahoma enter their final seasons in the conference led by two Heisman Trophy candidates, QBs Quinn Ewers (+1000) of the Longhorns and Dillon Gabriel (+3000).
As Texas and Oklahoma big their farewells, the conference adds a quartet of teams this season in Houston, Cincinnati, UCF, and BYU.
How will the conference look this fall and what should bettors know before Week 1?
We have everything you need to know to bet on the Big 12 ahead of the 2023 season here.
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Favorite futures
Texas to win the Big 12 (+100)
Over 9.5 wins (-145)
Texas to make the College Football Playoff (+300)
Write it down, take a picture. I’m all the way in on Steve Sarkisian’s Longhorns this season … but stopping just short of endorsing a national championship win. That elusive feat might be still a few years away.
I’ve got Texas favored in 11 of 12 games this season with the lone dissenter coming Sept. 9 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, against the Crimson Tide. This roster is absolutely stacked, with 15 starters returning from last year’s 8-5 team that suffered all five losses by a single score. Quarterback Quinn Ewers is back under center for a second season, currently finds himself listed second on the Heisman odds board at 10-1, and will be pushed by a stacked quarterback room that includes Maalik Murphy and highly prized recruit Arch Manning. It doesn’t hurt that Texas returns its entire starting offensive line from a year ago, not to mention receivers Xavier Worthy and Jordan Whittington.
For what it’s worth, my optimism isn’t just rooted in Texas’ upside. Take a look at the rest of the Big 12. Oklahoma will be better than last year’s 6-7 campaign, but the Sooners won’t be elite. TCU is headed for a step back after last year’s 13-2 run, Oklahoma State is on the decline and defending conference champion Kansas State needs to replace half its starters from a season ago. When you scour the landscape, which programs truly have what it takes to make a serious run at the Longhorns?
What happens if this team shocks the world on Sept. 9? I shudder to think. -Joe Fortenbaugh
Oklahoma State over 6.5 wins (-105) and Big 12 title (+2800).
I think the headlines have distracted people when it comes to Mike Gundy’s Cowboys. Lots of Pokes hit the transfer portal, and they’ll almost certainly need transfer quarterback Alan Bowman to both be a hit and stay in the lineup. But I like their depth more than I thought I would, and I think their defense could rebound. I see them as equal to Baylor and Texas Tech, only their win and title odds are much more bettor-friendly. -Bill Connolly
Notable game lines
Texas at Alabama (-7)
Saturday, Sept 9, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Oregon (-3) at Texas Tech
Saturday, Sept 9, 7 p.m. ET, Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock, Texas
Oklahoma vs Texas (-7)
Saturday, Oct 7, Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas
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Conference notes
Big 12
Texas Longhorns
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