Will the Big 12 have two seasons in a row without either Texas or Oklahoma in the title game?
The 2021 matchup between Baylor and Oklahoma State marked the first time since 1998 — a span of 16 games — that neither Texas or Oklahoma played for the conference title.
The Sooners and Longhorns enter the 2022 season as the favorites to win the conference, but Baylor and OSU aren’t far behind despite some key losses. It’s far from impossible that the Big 12 could have another title game without the two programs that will soon head to the SEC.
Other conference previews: ACC, Group of Five
(All odds from BetMGM)
Favorites
Oklahoma (+200 to win the Big 12)
The Sooners enter the season as the Big 12 favorites despite a ton of transition this offseason. Former assistant Brent Venables enters his first season as a head coach at the FBS level with a transfer quarterback and an unexpected coaching change just weeks before the season after wide receivers coach Cale Gundy resigned for saying a racist word.
Former UCF QB Dillon Gabriel is that transfer quarterback and he’ll be working with former UCF offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby. The two worked together when Gabriel was a true freshman in 2019. Gabriel completed nearly 60% of his passes and averaged over nine yards an attempt that season. Finding a No. 2 running back to pair with Eric Gray will be important, along with replacing Jadon Haselwood and Mario Williams at wide receiver. But Lebby’s offenses have always been successful. While some early struggles would be understandable, this is a unit that should be pretty good.
The defense should be better, too. Venables, the architect of Clemson’s stout defense, doesn’t have the same talent in Norman, but the system should lead to an instant improvement. Assuming Nebraska isn’t making a huge leap in 2022 (OU visits Lincoln on Sept. 17), there will be plenty of time for Oklahoma to mesh in three games as a heavy favorite before Kansas State visits on the last Saturday in September.
Texas (+275)
Welcome to another offseason of Texas hype. Would this team be the No. 2 favorite to win the conference if it was, say, Texas Tech?
Maybe. But it’s easy to see why Texas is due for some significant improvement in 2022. Quarterback play should be a lot better with Ohio State…