2024 Big 12 championship odds, picks: Utah, Kansas State lead favorites; Coach Prime has Colorado a value play

The Big 12 enters the 2024 season as the most open major conference in college football. Of the expanded league’s 16 teams, eight have at least 12-1 odds to win the conference as founding members Texas and Oklahoma resign to join the SEC.

The Sunflower State stands out as the center of the Big 12 world, as Kansas State and Kansas are both among the three programs with the best odds. However, the Pac-12 newcomers also give the conference some serious firepower in Year 1. Utah is co-favorite with the ‘Cats, while Arizona is next in line at No. 4.

Last season, heavy preseason favorite Texas won the crown after posting odds of +125. However, Oklahoma State rallied from +2800 to reach the Big 12 title game. The year before, Kansas State had odds of +2500, but shocked TCU in the title game by winning its first Big 12 championship in a decade. Unquestionably, a team well outside the group has a chance to make its mark in 2024; but to make this choice more complicated, only six teams in total have odds worse than 20-1.

Without further ado, here are the 2024 Big 12 title odds, according to the SportsLine consensus and some of the teams that could attract better this offseason.

Best bet – Utah (+350): On paper, Utah is the class of the Big 12. The Utes have won 39 games over the last four full seasons and have won two of the final three Pac-12 titles. Utah’s offense was a problem last season, but it brought back quarterback Cameron Rising and tight end Brant Kuithe. USC transfer Dorian Singer headlines a trio of talented wide receivers that should immediately elevate what has been the Pac-12’s worst passing attack. Under Kyle Whittingham, defense will never be an issue. Utah appears to be the most complete team in the conference and deserves to be highlighted as it enters its first season in the Big 12.

Worst bet – Kansas (+650): Frankly, there isn’t a truly bad bet on the board. Eight teams – half the conference – have odds of 12-to-1 or better, and deservedly so. Kansas emerging as the best team in the Big 12 wouldn’t be a huge surprise. Ultimately, the reason we have them as the worst bet comes down to one factor: Jalon Daniels. The Kansas quarterback is arguably the best offensive player in the conference when healthy, but he missed the entire Big 12 roster last season with a nagging back injury. Unlike last season, Kansas does not have a clear backup plan, with former player Cole Ballard the likely backup. With such a big question mark, Kansas is slightly overvalued as the third betting favorite in the Big 12, ahead of Oklahoma State and Arizona.

Value Pick – Oklahoma State (+1200): The Cowboys might not be a sexy pick fresh off a trip to the Big 12 title game last season, but enough to fall to the seventh-best odds in the conference? Oklahoma State boasts the third-highest returning production in the country, headlined by superstar running back Ollie Gordon II and star edge rusher Collin Oliver. Defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo struggled a bit in his first season, but the Cowboys found their groove as the season went on. If Oklahoma State can at least split a Big 12 opening streak against Utah and Kansas State, the Cowboys will be in the driver’s seat to return to the Big 12 championship game — and perhaps win their first Big 12 title since 2011.

Shot in the Dark – Colorado (+4000): There are 10 teams with odds of 20-1 or better, but for a long shot, why not spend a few dollars on Colorado? It’s true that the Buffs’ path is incredibly difficult. There’s a chance things don’t work out and CU is barely fighting for a bowl game. But if Colorado’s moves magically happen, the Buffaloes will boast one of the highest hypothetical ceilings in the Big 12. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders and cornerback Travis Hunter are future first-rounders, the skill positions are strong, and the trenches were built from the zero (although we’ll see if that’s a good thing). Essentially, this is a +4000 bet that five new offensive linemen can build chemistry in one offseason. It’s not a huge bet, but it’s certainly worth trying with such long odds.