College is days–nay, hours–away and the time is now to get comfortable with the outlook in each major conference and get down the future bets that can be so profitable over the course of a football season. After running through the Pac-12 and Big Ten, it’s now time to take a look at the Big 12.
For all the changes other conferences have undergone with regards to team composition, the Big 12 has been refreshingly free of any realignment, which has kept their school rivalries intact. Every game counts as the Big 12 is the only power conference with a round-robin schedule that determines the champion without an extra game.
And with the first-ever championship game in the new four-team College Football Playoff to be played in the heart of Big 12 country in Arlington, Texas, the Big 12’s heavy hitters will be desperate to nab a spot and get the conference in the national title game for the first time in five years.
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Big 12 College Football Preview and Predictions
Overview
It was a great year for the Baylor Bears as they zoomed to an 8-1 record in the Big 12 last season. The Bears held off Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Texas by a game to claim their first outright conference championship since 1980 and their first Big 12 title after joining the conference in 1996.
[sc:NCAA240banner ]Key to the Bears’ dominance last season was the outstanding form of their quarterback Bryce Petty. Petty threw for 4,200 yards with 32 touchdowns last campaign, by far the best in the conference. As if his contributions with his arm weren’t enough, he also led the Big 12 with 14 rushing TDs. Although they lost the Fiesta Bowl to massive underdogs University of Central Florida, 52-42, the Bears should still be satisfied with their accomplishments and will be confident heading to the new Big 12 season.
Baylor is priced at +2,500 to win the National Championship in 2015.
Favorites – Oklahoma Sooners and Baylor Bears
Even though Baylor won the conference last year, it is Oklahoma that has been tabbed as the favorite to win its ninth Big 12 championship this season. Media representatives in a 2014 Big 12 Football Preseason Poll were in unison in selecting the Sooners as the team to beat this year with 47 of the 56 first-place votes and a total of 548 points.
Coming in second was last year’s champion Baylor, who grabbed the other nine first-place votes and finished with 508 points. Rounding out the top five were Kansas State (377), Texas (376) and Oklahoma State (312).
The Sooners relied on their defense last season, allowing just 22.1 points per game last campaign. That stifling defense was there for all to see in the Sugar Bowl game last year where they stunned Alabama, 45-31. Oklahoma is +1,200 to win the first-ever College Football Playoff.
On the other hand, the Baylor Bears were an offensive juggernaut as they tore up the opposition with an average of 52.4 points per game, which was tops in the entire NCAA last season.
Their offense took center stage but the Bears’ defense was also a key reason behind their success last year. In the three seasons from 2010 to 2012 the Bears gave up 30.5, 37.2, and 37.2 points per game on the defensive end. Last year, they significantly cut that output back to 21.2 points per game.
Player to Watch – Trevor Knight (Oklahoma)
Much has been said about the exploits of Bryce Petty with Baylor last season but it was Oklahoma’s quarterback Trevor Knight who ended up last season with a Bowl win. He finished with a quarterback rating of 125.0 and threw for 819 yards and nine touchdowns to five interceptions last season. But it was his performance in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama that really stole the show and made fans take notice of his immense potential.
He connected on 32-of-44 passes for 348 yards and four touchdowns as he torched the vaunted Alabama defense for 45 points. It marked the first time Knight topped the 200-yards passing mark and considering that this was his last appearance on a football field, fans are eager to see if he can replicate that performance for Oklahoma next season.
Best Game on the Schedule
November 8 – Baylor @ Oklahoma
The top two teams last year, as well as the prohibitive favorites this coming season, face off in Oklahoma in what could surely be the championship decider. Last year, the Bears thrashed the Sooners 41-12 on their home field. This time around Oklahoma has the home field advantage as they look to regain the Big 12 title.
Writer’s Prediction
Oklahoma (+1,200) has the more favorable schedule this time around, with their toughest Big 12 games–namely Baylor and Oklahoma State–being played at their home field. The Sooners with Trevor Knight calling the plays will go on to win their ninth Big 12 title.
Create a betting account now and see if you can predict who will win the College Football Playoff this upcoming season.
