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Opening Big 12 Championship Odds Favor Oklahoma at -125; Texas +150

John Perrotto

by John Perrotto in College Football

Updated Mar 29, 2021 · 2:05 PM PDT

Oklahoma Sooners QB Spencer Rattler (7) celebrates with RB Seth McGowan
Spencer Rattler (7) and Seth McGowan (1) will try to stop a twogame losing streak this Saturday in their annual meeting with Texas at the Cotton Bowl. (Photo by David Stacy/Icon Sportswire)
  • Oklahoma has opened as the odds- on -150 favorite to win its sixth consecutive Big 12 conference championship
  • Texas is the second choice after embattled coach Tom Herman shook up his staff
  • See the odds for the entire conference this upcoming season below 

The opening odds to win the Big 12 Conference in 2020 are out and the favorite isn’t exactly a surprise.

Oklahoma is the pick to make it a six-pack of conference crowns. The Sooners have won the last five Big 12 titles.

Will Lincoln Riley’s group get it done again this season, or is another team in the Big 12 Championship odds ready to steal the crown away?

2020 Big 12 Championship Odds

Team Odds
Oklahoma -125
Texas +150
Oklahoma State +600
Iowa State +1200
Baylor +1600
West Virginia +1600
Kansas State +2500
TCU +2800
Texas Tech +4000
Kansas +10000

Odds taken March 27.

Furthermore, the Sooners have participated in the College Football Playoff each of the last three years and four of the past five, though they have yet to win a game.

Sooners Reloaded for Another Run

Oklahoma, which finished 12-2 last season, has eight starters returning on both offense and defense.

The Sooners have gone 36-6 in three seasons with Lincoln Riley as coach. Riley produced Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks in 2017 (Baker Mayfield) and 2018 (Kyler Murray) while Jalen Hurts finished second in the voting to LSU’s Joe Burrow last season.

In 2020, it will be Spencer Rattler’s turn to run the offense, though he could be pushed for the job by Tanner Mordecai.

Rattler was considered one of the top quarterback recruits in the 2019 class. He saw limited action as a freshman, attempting just 11 passes.

Joining Rattler in that recruiting class were highly regarded wide receivers Jadon Haselwood and Theo Wease. Both will get a chance to step into starring roles after combining for 27 receptions as freshmen.

Oklahoma’s defense made progress under first-year coordinator Alex Grinch last season, but was still torched for 63 points by Burrow and eventual national champions LSU in the CFP semifinals.

The Sooners will rely on three newcomers to help plug holes in the leaky defense. Linebacker Reggie Grimes is a five-star recruit and a pair of junior college transfers, defensive tackles Josh Ellision and Perrion Winfrey, are being counted on the bolster the line.

Oklahoma’s two biggest non-conference tests will be a home game against Tennessee and a visit to Army.

Texas Shakes Up Staff

Tom Herman was the hottest name in the coaching cycle following the 2016 season. However, he has gone 25-15 in his three seasons with Texas, including a disappointing 8-5 record last season.

Now, the hottest thing about Herman is the seat he resides on.

The oddsmakers, though, are bullish on Texas and believe the Longhorns have the best chance of ending Oklahoma’s Big 12 dominance.

Texas did finish last season on a high note with a 38-10 rout of Utah in the Alamo Bowl and has 17 starters returning.

The Longhorns also have a new-look coaching staff with former Ohio State assistant Mike Yurcich taking over as offensive coordinator and ex-Rutgers coach Chris Ash coming aboard to oversee the defense. Ash was a defensive coordinator at Wisconsin, Arkansas and Ohio State before flaming out in New Jersey.

Texas got good news when quarterback Sam Ehlinger decided to return for his senior season rather than declare for the NFL Draft. He completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 3,663 yards last season with 32 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Standout left tackle Sam Cosmi is back to protect Ehlinger’s blind side.

Herman is also bringing in the Big 12’s best recruiting class, according to 247 Sports, led by five-star running back Bijan Robinson.

The Longhorns have a difficult test in its second game when it visits LSU. However, Baylor, Iowa State, West Virginia and TCU all come to Austin in conference play.

Hubbard Leads Cowboys

In this pass-happy era of college football, Oklahoma State will again rely on running back Chuba Hubbard. Last fall, he rushed for 2,094 yards and 21 touchdowns on 328 carries, serving as a bright spot in a lackluster 8-5 season.

Hubbard bypassed a chance to turn pro for a return to Stillwater.

Coach Mike Gundy is counting on improvement from rising sophomore quarterback Spencer Sanders, who missed the final three games last season with a thumb injury. Sanders had a 62.8 completion rate as a freshman while passing for 2,065 yards and 16 touchdowns with 11 interceptions.

Oklahoma State has 10 starters coming back on defense.

Iowa State Offense Intriguing

Iowa State was just 7-6 last season, including getting thumped 33-9 by Notre Dame in the Camping World Bowl. Furthermore, the Cyclones return just 12 starters.

Nevertheless, coach Matt Campbell’s squad could be dangerous with a skill-position group that includes quarterback Brock Purdy, tailback Breece Hall, receiver Tarique Milton and tight ends Chase Allen and Charlie Kolar.

The bad news, though, is that the Cyclones must replace four starters on the offensive line.

Keep an Eye on Baylor

Oklahoma is again the clear-cut favorite to win the Big 12 and it’s hard to bet against them.

However, Baylor looks like a good value play after losing to the Sooners in last year’s Big 12 Championship Game despite having just nine returning starters and a new coach in former LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda.

Matt Rhule left the program in great shape before leaving for the Carolina Panthers and built a winning culture in Waco. Thus, the Bears can’t be counted out.

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