Sportsbook Big 12 Gambling Preview | Betting Odds

[Qbins Missile Crisis]

NCAAF: Sooners favored in tough Big 12

Oklahoma leads a tough Big 12 that has five teams ranked in the Top 15 of the Coaches Poll, the most of any conference.

Sportsbook.com will be previewing all the major conferences leading up to the first college game of the year in late August. Note that Odds-to-Win the Big 12 are listed in parenthesis.



Oklahoma Sooners (6:5)

2007 Record: 11-3, 6-2 Big 12
2008 Over/Under in Wins: 10.5

Oklahoma won the Big 12 championship the last two years and five out of the last eight, but they have some serious competition this year despite their hefty 6:5 odds. Quarterback Sam Bradford is back to lead the team in his sophomore year, and their potent offense could be even better with the no-huddle.

The Sooners’ defense was forced to replace some starters, but a program of their caliber doesn’t rebuild, they reload. Bob Stoops’ squad has taken some verbal hits after losing their last two BCS games to Boise State and West Virginia, but they are a legitimate NCAA title contender at 5:1 odds.

Missouri Tigers (11:4)

2007 Record: 12-2, 7-1 Big 12
2008 Over/Under in Wins: 10

Expectations are sky high as Missouri looks for its first league title since being co-champions of the Big 8 in 1969. There are many reasons why fans think this is the year starting with senior quarterback Chase Daniel, one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy at Sportsbook.com at 5:1 odds.

Daniel helped lead the nation’s 9th best passing attack, and they should be just as good this season. The defense was solid last year but should be even better with almost all their starters returning. Missouri doesn’t have Oklahoma on the regular season schedule, and they lost to them twice last year, including in the conference title game. Can they finally get over the hump?

Texas Longhorns (3:1)

2007 Record: 10-3, 5-3 Big 12
2008 Over/Under in Wins: 9

The Texas program isn’t used to being an underdog, especially to a team like Missouri, but that’s what happens when you lose three conference games the year before. Longhorns’ coach Mack Brown delivered a national title in 2005 with quarterback Vince Young, but he’s still under a lot of pressure to win again.

Another person feeling the heat is junior quarterback Colt McCoy. McCoy had a sophomore slump last year after a great freshman campaign. Throw in the fact that Texas lost their top running back and wide receiver, and that the defense has another new coordinator, and these conference odds seem a tad optimistic.

Texas Tech Red Raiders (8:1)

2007 Record: 9-4, 4-4 Big 12

Texas Tech may be the biggest Wild Card in the ultra-competitive Big 12. That’s what happens when you combine the nation’s number two total offense with a vastly improving defense. The offense almost needs no introduction with quarterback Graham Harrell (10:1) and wide receiver Michael Crabtree (10:1) both Heisman Trophy candidates.

You would like to see a little better balance with the rushing attack (119th in the nation in 2007), but you can’t argue with the number of points they put on the board. All indications are that the nation’s 45th ranked defense is improving by the day. That makes Texas Tech a very solid value at 8:1 to win the conference.

Kansas Jayhawks (12:1)

2007 Record: 12-1, 7-1 Big 12
2008 Over/Under in Wins: 7.5

Kansas had one of the more remarkable seasons in 2007, going 12-1 overall and even beating ACC’s Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl. Their only loss of the season was 36-28 to Missouri in a game played in Kansas City, but the Jayhawks’ accomplishments were downgraded due to an easy schedule that didn’t include Oklahoma, Texas or Texas Tech.

The schedule gets considerably harder this season with all three of those teams on the docket in addition to Missouri. However, Kansas will still be dangerous in the spread offense, and the defense is one of the most underrated in the country, making their 7.5 win total very enticing to Kansas backers from coast to coast.

Big 12 Field

Nebraska is 12:1, but that seems to be giving too much credit to new coach Bo Pelini. Colorado (25:1) has made the Big 12 Championship game four times in the last seven years (winning once) and they provide value at those odds.

Oklahoma State (40:1) is another very good offensive team, but lack a good enough defense to be able to contend. Texas A&M (40:1) would have much better odds if they weren’t stuck in the South division with Oklahoma and Texas.
Kansas State (75:1) is still a long way from their conference title team of 2003. Iowa State and Baylor are 100:1 long shots each.