College Football Betting Odds: Big 12 Favorite, Sleeper & Predictions for 2026-27

This betting guide for the Big 12 college football season will identify the favorite, sleeper, and longshot picks for conference champion. How many teams from the Big 12 can compete to raise the trophy and potentially grab a spot in the CFP?

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Big 12 Conference Winner Odds

Odds in this table are from FanDuel Sportsbook:

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Big 12 College Football Betting

The Big 12 is like a giraffe: top heavy. The bulk of the weight is in the top 2-3 teams. Last season, 10 of the 16 teams in the Big 12 lost at least four games in conference play.

Why Texas Tech Will Win

How good is Texas Tech? Last season it outscored the next-best Big 12 team (BYU) 63-14 in two victories. Only a last-minute touchdown by Arizona State kept the Red Raiders from going undefeated in the Big 12.

Here's the bad news for the rest of the Big 12: Texas Tech has 12 starters returning, and according to ESPN, 155 game starts are back (meaning the returning players on its roster started 155 games in the 2025 season).

The biggest challenge for Texas Tech will be which transfer will be calling plays. Originally that job was assigned to Brendan Sorsby, who transferred to TTU from Cincinnati. But a gambling issue led to Sorsby leaving the team. Now, the replacement for Behren Morton is uncertain. They seem set to lean into Florida State transfer Thomas Castellanos, who might break some ankles with his running game (4.1 yards per carry).

A player to watch is outside linebacker Adam Trick, who transferred in from Miami (OH) with his 8.5 sacks. He'll be given every chance to get a clear path at the opposing quarterback and running backs.

It may seem like throwaway line to say this conference is Texas Tech and the Little 11. But, that line is true. The Raiders may have an easier route to the College Football Playoff this season.

• PRESEASON ODDS (FanDuel): -105 ($105 winning bet will return $100)

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Big 12 Sleeper Bet: TCU +1700 (FanDuel)

When TCU and Texas Tech meet on Thanksgiving, the makeup of the Big 12 conference game may be on the line. The Horned Frogs are 17-to-1 to win the conference, but if they can build a good record going into their conference finale, TCU could face Texas Tech two weeks in a row. Such familiarity can create bizarre results.

TCU was 2-1 against ranked opponents last season. It lost three conference games by three points. The defense was porous, but this is a conference that rewards scoring.

This season the Horned Frogs get to host two of the three top conference opponents (BYU and Utah). The offense is troublesome for opponents: 30.7 PPG last season. TCU returns 18 starters, the most in the conference and the second-most in CFB.

• PRESEASON ODDS (FanDuel): +1700 ($100 winning bet will return $1,700)

Longshot Bet: Arizona +2200 (FanDuel)

Much has to go right for Arizona to sneak in and win the conference title. But there is a path for the Wildcats to get to the championship game. If that happens, they can shock the world.

Last season, other than a blowout on the road against Iowa State, the Wildcats only losses in the Big 12 were by six points to a ranked BYU team, and three points at Houston.

The Wildcats can put numbers on the board: 31.5 PPG in 2025 (30th among 136 Division I teams). They could possibly be underdogs in only two Big 12 games: at Texas Tech and at BYU. If any team can outscore a better team, it's Arizona, which boasts returning potential Heisman candidate quarterback Noah Fifita.

We may know right away how good Arizona can be: in Week 2 it faces BYU in Provo. Last season, the Cougars escaped with an overtime win against the Wildcats. This year, Fifita will be keen to avenge that loss.

• PRESEASON ODDS (FanDuel): +2200 ($100 winning bet will return $2,200)

Prediction: Red Raiders will dominate

You can squint and make yourself see a team other than the Red Raiders winning the Big 12. But, that's a wish, and wishes and dreams are for Disney, not your futures betting. Texas Tech has the best head coach, a proven QB, the best left tackle, and the best pass rush. The question isn't whether they will win the conference, it's whether they can go undefeated.

• PREDICTION: Texas Tech goes 9-0 and wins the conference championship over BYU.