Did the former Power 5 on the college gridiron shrink to the Power 3 with the latest conference realignment, as many suggest, or can the Big 12 prove there are still four viable leagues to play for the College Football Playoff Championship?
The Big 12 barely slips into the top 20 of the NCAAF betting sites for the 2024-25 title, with conference favorite Kansas State the first team outside of the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten and Southeastern Conference showing up on most boards.
2024 Big 12 Championship Odds
| Team | Odds Range |
|---|---|
| Kansas State | +325 to +350 |
| Utah | +350 to +380 |
| Kansas | +550 to +750 |
| Arizona | +650 to +800 |
| Texas Tech | +800 to +1200 |
| UCF | +1000 to +1200 |
| Iowa State | +1200 to +1500 |
| Oklahoma State | +1200 to +1400 |
| TCU | +1600 to +2000 |
| West Virginia | +1900 to +2500 |
| Colorado | +3300 to +4000 |
| Baylor | +5000 to +6000 |
| Cincinnati | +5000 to +8000 |
| Arizona State | +10000 to +12500 |
| BYU | +10000 to +12500 |
| Houston | +12500 to +18000 |
Can the Big 12 Push 3 Teams Into Playoffs?
What will define the Big 12’s place at the CFP table could be a simple case of placing at least 2, maybe 3, teams into the expanded playoffs. Getting only 1 team in would be a bit of an embarrassment, especially if that lone entry didn’t qualify as one of the top 4 conference champs.
Had the new format been in existence last season, the Big 12 would have placed two teams into the CFP – Texas and Oklahoma. The Longhorns and Sooners now reside in the SEC, and the Big 12 needs at least two teams to step up to become perennial football powers.
Heisman Candidates Lead K-State & Utah
According to the college football futures, Kansas State and Utah are expected to be the two football powers at least for the 2024 season, and the one thing they share is having a top-notch quarterback under center.
Kansas State suffered a huge loss in the transfer portal when Will Howard departed for Ohio State. The good news is the Wildcats have a former top recruit in Avery Johnson ready to step in and replace Howard.
Johnson is among the top 20 candidates to win the Heisman Trophy and could be a top 5 candidate in 2025 if he can direct the Wildcats to the Big 12 crown, with Kansas State generally priced around 7/2 to do just that.
Utah is one of the newcomers to the Big 12, but the Utes have veteran leadership with head coach Kyle Whittingham and 25-year-old senior QB Cam Rising. The Utes are priced right alongside or just behind Kansas State, with Rising an inviting longshot for the Heisman.
Since they aren’t scheduled to face each other in the regular season, are we destined to see the Wildcats and Utes square off in the Big 12 Championship?
Basketball Powers KU & Arizona Next in Line
A couple of schools known more for exploits on the hardwood are the top challengers to Kansas State and Utah for the Big 12 football title. Sharp sportsbooks are selling the Kansas Jayhawks at +550 and higher, with the Arizona Wildcats +650 and up.
Jalon Daniels surprised some by returning to Kansas and gives the Jayhawks a dual-threat quarterback with plenty of experience. Unfortunately, some of that experience has been on the trainer’s table with injuries each of the past two seasons.
Arizona has experience returning at quarterback as well in Noah Fifita, who comes off a season in which he threw for more than 2,800 yards and 25 scored. The Wildcats were dealt a very tough schedule, however, with road dates at Kansas State and Utah in September.
Red Raiders Lead Middle Tier of Challengers
A dark horse pick in the Big 12 a season ago, Texas Tech consistently runs fifth on the list of favorites to win its first league title since Spike Dykes coached the Red Raiders to a share of the Southwest Conference crown in 1994.
Joey McGuire is now in his third year in Lubbock and is quietly assembling a talented roster through an outstanding recruiting and transfer portal. And trust me, you have to be a helluva’ salesman to convince people to come live in Lubbock.
Mike Gundy, who is now a very mature 56-year-old, has one of the top running backs in the country, and Ollie Gordon II will be running behind an experienced O-line. The Cowboys are a solid value play fetching +1200 or higher returns at sportsbooks.
Joining the Red Raiders and Cowboys in the middle of the odds are the UCF Knights and Iowa State Cyclones, each paying +1000 and higher to take home the top prize.
Prime Time Comes to the Big 12
Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes made a lot of noise last September before reality caught up to them. With his son Shedeur Sanders at quarterback, will Deion and Co. be a force to reckon with in the Buffaloes’ first Big 12 season?
Willie Fritz arrives in Houston to take over a Cougars program that fell apart last season. It will be a tough slate for Fritz to navigate with an early road trip to Norman to meet Oklahoma and then drawing consecutive home dates with Kansas State and Utah in Weeks 8 and 9.
