Let’s break down the teams atop the Big 12 betting odds, with them likely to move sooner rather than later. But, first things first. This isn’t your father’s Big 12. The days of the conference being ruled by the likes of the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners are over. It’s the second season of the new-look Big 12 after the two teams departed for the SEC. However, that doesn’t mean the conference is any less entertaining.
Utah (+400)
The Utah Utes are currently atop the Big 12 betting odds board at +400 and are ranked as the No. 20 team in the nation. Quarterback Cam Rising opted to retire from football this offseason, with Devon Dampier Jr. in as the starter after transferring from the University of New Mexico. Joining him was his offensive coordinator, Jason Beck. The Utes are 2-0 with wins over UCLA and Cal Poly. In Week 3, they take on Wyoming before diving into conference play.
Things won’t be easy. The Big 12 betting odds are tight for a reason. Kyle Whittingham and the Utes begin the Big 12 slate by hosting Texas Tech in Week 4. According to Phil Steele, the Utes are 35-7 straight up and 26-16 against the spread at home since 2018. If the Utes can clear the Red Raiders, they’ll be in the driver’s seat to make the conference championship game. Their rivalry game against BYU on October 18 in Provo could prove to be a tricky one. Baylor will also give them a challenge when they travel to Waco in Week 12.
Texas Tech (+480)
The Texas Tech Red Raiders (+480) did one thing over the offseason. Spend. Then they spent some more. In fact, there were recruiters out there who grew frustrated, as Texas Tech was outbidding other teams for players and now has roughly a $25 million roster, surpassing the $20 million Ohio State spent on last year’s roster to win the National Championship. We saw their softball team take a similar approach and were one win away from winning it all.
The Red Raiders, ranked 21st, have a relatively easy schedule, as they get to avoid teams like Baylor and Iowa State in conference play. We’ll get to find out if the money was well spent when they hit the road to take on Utah in Week 4. If they’re able to leave with a win, their next-toughest game would be in Week 18 when they face Arizona State on the road. Even though ASU made the College Football Playoff last season, the Red Raiders were one of their rare losses.
Iowa State (+700)
The Iowa State Cyclones are coming off an impressive 11-3 mark from a season ago and have quickly jumped out to a 3-0 record in 2025 and are ranked 14th in the country. They defeated a ranked Kansas State team in Week 1. That win isn’t as impressive as it was in the moment. Kansas State narrowly defeated FCS North Dakota in Week 2 and fell to Army as 17.5-point home favorites in Week 3.
The Cyclones don’t play Utah or Texas Tech in the regular season, so +700 might be a bargain with room to hedge if the Cyclones can navigate their relatively easy Big 12 schedule and make an appearance in the Big 12 Championship game.
The Rest
Both TCU (+800) and Baylor (+900) have the talent on paper to win their conference. TCU has only played one game so far, their one-sided win over the North Carolina Tar Heels. As for Baylor, they fell to Auburn in Week 1 but won a double-overtime game at Southern Methodist University. Baylor will play at TCU in mid-October, and the Big 12 betting odds will likely look much different by then.