Oklahoma Listed as Odds-On Favorite to Win Big 12 Conference Championship in 2019; Texas Given 5-2 Odds

• Jalen Hurts in line to replace Kyler Murray as No. 1 QB
• Texas Longhorns — the only team to beat the Sooners a year ago — are enticing +250 contenders
• Underdog Baylor’s favorable schedule could work to the program’s advantage at +2500

The Oklahoma Sooners have been Big 12 beasts for years, claiming four consecutive crowns and looking for No. 5 as the 2019 season approaches.

Oklahoma’s pure dominance in the conference is why sportsbooks have placed the Sooners as odds-on favorites at -125 to once again win the Big 12 title.

The program’s only blemish in the 2018 season came in early October when the Sooners dropped a close game to division rivals Texas. It was the only conference game the Sooners lost in 2018. In fact, Oklahoma has only dropped three games to Big 12 teams in a four-year span.

Odds taken: 06/08/19

First thing is first: the Sooners suffered a big blow with the departure of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Kyler Murray, who was drafted first overall by the Arizona Cardinals. It will be difficult to replace Murray’s 4,361 passing yards and 42 touchdowns for the 2019 college football season.

The good news for Oklahoma is that Alabama transfer Jalen Hurts, who guided the Crimson Tide to a comeback victory in the 2017 National Championship, will potentially be the No. 1 quarterback for the Sooners this season.

Winning conference titles since 1915.

1️⃣0️⃣5️⃣ days until kickoff! #OU125#ChampU? #OUDNA pic.twitter.com/8WlrMcV8r4

— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) May 19, 2019

While Hurts knows what it takes to win, the quarterback had a rocky campaign in 2018 and lost his starting role to Tua Tagovailoa. Hurts played 12 games, completing 51 of 68 passes for 765 yards and eight touchdown passes. However, he should have a more prominent role as a senior with the Sooners, but the starting QB job has not been set in stone.

When it comes to betting on the Big 12 Conference champion, Oklahoma may be the frontrunner, but who is next?

Two-team race for Big 12 title

The odds to win the Big 12 championship is really a two-team race according to the early lines released.

While Oklahoma is the favored, bettors shouldn’t look past the Texas Longhorns — the only team to beat the Sooners a year ago — who are enticing +250 contenders.

Texas, the better value pick to win the Big 12, fell short of the conference title last season, dropping their final game of the year to the Sooners.

The two powerhouse Big 12 programs will clash in a highly anticipated match on Oct. 12 and by then, we very well could know which of the two teams is in the driver’s seat for a conference championship.

Ehlinger on the rise

A revamped Texas program, with new additions on both sides of the ball, is primed to have a huge season with quarterback Sam Ehlinger calling the plays. Ehlinger is coming off a stellar offensive season in which he had 275 completions for 3,292 yards and 25 touchdowns.

Texas should once again boast a strong defense, which allowed the second fewest points against in the Big 12 last season alongside Kansas State.

REVEALED: The cover of the 2019 summer edition of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, featuring Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger!

GET YOUR COPY: https://t.co/DFx3TCfkcV pic.twitter.com/fUghLFhkCr

— Dave Campbell's Texas Football — TexasFootball.com (@dctf) June 3, 2019

If you’re looking for a legitimate longshot to contend for a Big 12 title, consider going in on the Baylor Bears at +2300. The Bears, who finished a dismal 1-8 in the conference in 2017, had six more victories the following year to finish with an overall 7-6 record.

What’s also working in Baylor’s advantage is the program’s favorable schedule to begin the season, as they face Stehphen F. Austin, UTSA and Rice in the opening three weeks. With the potential of going 3-0 to start the season, that should give Baylor a lot of confidence heading into conference matches from there.