Public Money Pouring in On Texas Ahead of Big 12 Championship
Texas vs Oklahoma Big 12 Odds: Longhorns Climb to -15 Favorites
The Texas Longhorns remain in the mix for the College Football Playoff, but only if they beat the Oklahoma State Sooners. The schools will square off Saturday (noon ET) in the Big 12 Conference Championship at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The No. 7 Longhorns have climbed to 15-point favorites (-110) over the No. 19 Cowboys, including -750 on the moneyline. This after they opened at -455. Meanwhile, the Over/Under is up from 52.5 to 55.5 (-110 Over, -110 Under), matching the second highest projected total of the day.
What should bettors expect? Here’s a closer breakdown of the Texas vs Oklahoma State Big 12 odds.
Cowboys vs Longhorns 
Date & Time:
Location: Arlington, Texas
Streaming: ABC
Profitable Run for Cowboys
Oklahoma State has been one of the more reliable wagers in college football over the past few months, having covered the spread in six of their last eight games. They’re 7-5 ATS overall but 6-3 in the Big 12 football standings. Despite that, the betting public still doesn’t seem to have much faith in the Cowboys.
After opening as 11.5-point underdogs, the Cowboys climbed to +14 on Tuesday. Since then, it’s jumped as high as +16 in some markets before leveling to +15.5. That’s a strong show of faith in the Longhorns, winners of six straight since an Oct. 7 loss to Oklahoma. And the Texas vs Oklahoma State Big 12 odds may not be done moving.
Even so, Oklahoma State’s success in this position shouldn’t go unnoticed. The Cowboys are 4-1 ATS as an underdog this NCAAF season, including outright victories over Kansas State, Kansas and West Virginia in consecutive weeks. They also upset Oklahoma in the Bedlam Rivalry, ultimately ending the Sooners’ conference title hopes.
Longhorns in Familiar Territory
Texas has been a bit more volatile for bettors, going 6-5-1 ATS. But again, that hasn’t seemed to curb its support in the betting market. This is the eighth time this season in which Texas has been favored by at least 15 points. It’s 4-3 ATS (7-0 SU) in the previous seven instances. That includes last week’s 57-7 rout of Texas Tech, in which the Longhorns were 16-point favorites.
When it comes to the Longhorns, bettors might find more consistency in the Over/Under betting market. Texas has gone Under the projected total in eight of its 12 games, one of the highest rates in FBS (66.7%). Conversely, Oklahoma State has gone Under in exactly half of its 12 NCAAF games.
That’s important to remember when assessing the Texas vs Oklahoma State Big 12 odds.
Win and (Possibly) In
Texas undoubtedly needs a win to keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive. While that much is certain, oddsmakers remain skeptical of the Longhorns’ chances of qualifying for the playoff. As of Friday, the Longhorns were priced +155. That’s slightly better than Alabama (+195) but below the likes of Florida State (-140).
Should Alabama upset No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday, the Crimson Tide would be a strong candidate to leapfrog both Texas and Florida State for the fourth and final spot. If not, the Longhorns’ path would be a lot clearer. Regardless, Texas — No. 7 in the latest CFP rankings — needs to take care of its own business to have any shot at competing for a national championship. For what it’s worth, the Longhorns’ NCAA title odds are +900.
For NCAAF news, betting odds, analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine
