As the 2017 College Football Season gets ready, many heavyweights will be battling to win the exciting Big 12 conference. The Oklahoma Sooners have been the institution that has ruled the Big 12 for the last two seasons, so as a result they are priced as a heavy initial favorite. Here is our breakdown of the Big 12 favorites to win, along with our best dark horse play. The betting odds to win the Big 12 football championship this season have been provided by BetOnline.
TOP FAVORITES
OKLAHOMA -135 - After a successful conference title retain in 2016, the Sooners once again require a price tag to take back out of the gate here in 2017. Playing chalk on a conference future proposition is a risky move. Given the unpredictable landscape of the Big 12 and the Sooners propensity to get upset (look no further than their defeat as an 18-point favorite against Texas in 2016), takers can be taking a bath very quickly here. Oklahoma has great talent at quarterback in Baker Mayfield, who may very well be invited to New York at the end of the regular season for the Heisman ceremony. However, Oklahoma has to see how it does under first year coach Lincoln Riley and that is a huge question mark. We still say stay off Oklahoma as there is a lot of risk with minimal upside.
OKLAHOMA STATE +450 - The Pokes are a team that always find themselves in the Big 12 conversation but never get the essential wins they need to get over the proverbial hump. However, the Cowboys feature a truly gifted wide-receiver in James Washington and he will likely wreak havoc on a defensively-porous Big 12. With Oklahoma remaining an enigma at this point, this may finally be the Pokes’ year.
TEXAS +850 - The hire of Tom Herman has sent a jolt of excitement across The Lone Star State, as his achievements at Houston are certainly an exclamation. Herman is the architect of a Houston Cougars squad that won the AAC and dominated Florida State in the 2015 Peach Bowl in route to a 13-1 season. Longhorn fans are excited and enthusiastic at the prospect of Herman harnessing exceptional depth at quarterback to cultivate similar results for the Burnt Orange in 2017. However, Herman has to adjust to playing at the Power Five level and thus we would not make any recommendations to take action on Texas, just quite yet.
BEST DARK HORSE
WEST VIRGINIA +1400 - The transfer of Will Grier to the Mountaineers instantaneously makes WVU a team worth considering for a potential dark horse. If Grier can emulate or replicate any of his highlights while playing for the University of Florida, the Mountaineers could be in for a big year as they feature a deep stable of running backs and return many key starters on defense. However, the question remains is can West Virginia build off of a 10-win season in 2016 or have they hit their ceiling? Given the fact that the Mountaineers were in the mix until the final stages of the 2016-17 season, they may be worth a look here at the price offered.
Odds to Win the 2017 Big 12 Conference
(Visit BetOnline for up to the minute Big 12 title odds.)
- Arizona +8000
- Arizona State +5000
- California +20000
- Colorado +2500
- Oregon +1200
- Oregon State +8000
- Stanford +650
- UCLA +1000
- USC +110
- Utah +2500
- Washington +225
- Washington State +1200