When it comes to sorting out the Big 12 in 2018, it looks like there are the College Football Betting favorites Oklahoma, TCU and then everyone else. Yes, Tom Herman may have the Texas Longhorns on the rise, but are they ready to catch and pass the Sooners and the Horned Frogs? West Virginia will make some noise on offense, but can they win big games on the road? Can they play defense when it counts? Oklahoma State is breaking in a new quarterback, and Baylor is still working their way out of their Art Briles-instigated malaise. What can we expect to see out of the Big 12 this season from a sports betting perspective? Here are five predictions we have for you to bear in mind.
Their defense will be one of the best in the Big 12, so they’ll stay close with teams, but with so many new faces at important positions, the established players that Texas and West Virginia have at the top skill positions will give them the advantage in the head-to-head matchups.
5 Fearless College Football Betting Predictions for Big 12 in 2018
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Texas beats Oklahoma
The Longhorns went 7-6 in Tom Herman’s first season, and five of those losses came by no more than 10 points. When the Longhorns and the Sooners squared off at the State Fair of Texas, Oklahoma only won by five. Herman was known for his offensive acumen at Ohio State as Urban Meyer’s coordinator and then at Houston, but Texas’ defense really stepped up in the second half of last season, and six starters return on that side of the ball, wich is why they are one of the College Football Betting favorites to win the division. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger looks like the future at Texas, and graduate transfers Calvin Anderson (O-line) and Tre Watson (tailback) should make a big difference. Can the Longhorns turn a win under the eye of Big Tex into a conference championship? That remains to be seen, but Iowa State, TCU, and West Virginia all play at Texas, with the toughest road game a matchup at Oklahoma State.Take the over when West Virginia takes the field
Coach Dana Holgorsen is known for his high-flying attack, and quarterback Will Grier is ranked atop the nation’s college quarterbacks. Last year, he threw 34 touchdown passes and picked up 3,490 yards through the air in 11 games. Tailback Kennedy McCoy leads a deep backfield, and All-American wideout David Sills will line up across the formation from Gary Jennings, giving Grier to terrific targets. The O-line is solid, particularly in pass protection, and the Mountaineers will need every yard the line can get them because their defense not only permitted 31.5 points per game last year, but they are returning just four starters. So expect the scores to be big for West Virginia games this season.Baylor gains bowl eligibility
Yes, Baylor lost at home to Liberty and UT-San Antonio last year. They went 1-11 for the season under head coach Matt Rhule. However, the tumult of the past couple of years in Waco has passed, and in the second half of the season, Baylor improved. Eight of those 11 losses were by no more than two touchdowns, and they almost knocked off Oklahoma, falling by just eight points. Sophomore quarterback Charlie Brewer returns with more experience and confidence, and wideouts Denzel Mims, Chris Platt and Jalen Hurd should all contribute. The defense will need to improve — and they only return five starters — but the Bears’ schedule has enough winnable games for them to go bowling.TCU will slide down the rankings behind Texas and West Virginia
TCU has a rebuilding year coming for their offensive line, and they also have a new quarterback in Shawn Robinson.
Their defense will be one of the best in the Big 12, so they’ll stay close with teams, but with so many new faces at important positions, the established players that Texas and West Virginia have at the top skill positions will give them the advantage in the head-to-head matchups.
