First look Big 12 Championship: Oklahoma State vs. Texas odds and lines
Skip Snow USA Today Staff Writer

The Oklahoma State Cowboys (9-3) and Texas Longhorns (11-1) clash in the Big 12 Championship Game Saturday. Kickoff at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, is slated for noon ET (ABC).
Below, we look at Oklahoma State vs. Texas odds from FanDuel Sportsbook. 
Oklahoma State is No. 21 in the US LBM Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports. The Cowboys failed to cover a -17 on Saturday, but clocked a 40-34 overtime win -- in comeback fashion -- against BYU. Two of OSU's 3 losses came in September. The Cowboys went 7-2 in Big 12 play.
No. 7 Texas clobbered Texas Tech 57-7 Saturday, covering a -14. The Longorns, who went 8-1 in league action, lead the Big 12 in scoring defense. Helped by a staunch run defense and 15 interceptions, UT has allowed just 17.3 points per game (1st Big 12, 13th FBS).
2023 betting stats
ML: Oklahoma State 9-3 | Texas 11-1
ATS: Oklahoma State 7-5 | Texas 6-5-1
O/U: Oklahoma State 6-6 | Texas 4-8

Oklahoma State vs. Texas head-to-head
UT is 26-11 over a 37-game series initiated in 1916, but played seldomly until the mid-1990s. OSU has held sway in recent years, however, including last season when the Cowboys rode a 4th-quarter comeback to a 41-34 triumph. Oklahoma State is 6-2 against Texas since 2015.
Against the number, the Cowboys have that same mark (6-2) in the last 8 meetings while the O/U has been an 4-4 betting proposition.

From Tulsa World Sports Writer Bill Haisten

Based mostly on Texas’ run defense and deep talent pool, my prediction on Saturday’s Big 12 Championship game is a 38-21 Longhorn triumph over Oklahoma State.

The Longhorns had the wherewithal to win at Alabama. It was on that date – Sept. 9 – that Texas scored 21 fourth-quarter points, rallied for a 34-24 victory and finally escaped from an extended period of mediocrity.

In 2010-22, the Longhorns were a shameful 91-72 and lost nine times in 13 meetings with Oklahoma State.

While it’s been interesting and a little sad to watch Nebraska’s two-decade decline, the Longhorn slump was inexplicable because the excessively advantaged, dripping-in-money University of Texas is located in the heart of such a rich recruiting territory.

While OSU has been a model of doing more with less, Texas would recruit really well and then fail year after year after year.

In 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2021, Oklahoma State had teams that defeated Texas and would finish with at least 10 wins. Looking back, those OSU victories weren’t upsets. Each of those Longhorn teams finished with at least five losses.

While some of those Texas teams were more talented overall, the Cowboys had coaching and philosophical consistency. OSU clearly was clearly better with regard to the development of its athletes. OSU would sign three-star kids, transform them into four-star performers and then beat Texas players who had been nationally celebrated recruits.

In 2010-22, while Mike Gundy built a system in Stillwater, Texas had four head coaches: Mack Brown, Charlie Strong, Tom Herman and now Steve Sarkisian.
Another mind-blowing indictment of Texas: OSU was better at quarterback in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2021.

During its 2022 homecoming game, OSU rallied from a two-touchdown deficit to beat Texas 41-34. After that fun weekend, the Cowboy season unraveled.

Success against the Longhorns has been a major piece in the Gundy program’s body of work, but this 2023 Texas team is the best version of Texas since Colt McCoy quarterbacked the 2009 Longhorns to a perfect regular season, the Big 12 title and a spot in the BCS Championship game.

This season’s Longhorn defense is anchored by the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year – 362-pound tackle T’Vondre Sweat. Against Texas, Rice averaged 1.1 yards per rush attempt. Baylor averaged 1.9, Houston 0.7, Kansas State 1.0 and Iowa State 0.4

You might say, “Those Texas opponents didn’t have Ollie Gordon.”
True, but OSU’s Gordon run game was stuffed all day by a six-loss UCF team. While Gordon enters the postseason as the national rushing leader, and with 20 TDs and an average of 6.5 yards per carry, he did muster only 25 yards on 12 carries against UCF.


In that 42-point loss at UCF – only one week after the glory of Bedlam – Oklahoma State’s run-game total amounted to 52 yards. If UCF had the ability to stifle OSU’s run game, you have to believe Texas can make it very difficult for the Cowboys to flourish.

Only one team had an excellent rushing performance against Texas. As OU rallied for its dramatic win over Texas in October, the Sooners ran the football 43 times for 201 yards.

You may or may not believe in such a metric, but the current 247 Sports Talent Composite ranking is worth mentioning. It is based on the recruiting rankings of a program’s players. The Alabama roster is No. 1. Georgia is No. 6. Texas is No. 6 and OU is 12th.
Oklahoma State is 55th, but, of course, did find a way to conquer OU on Nov. 4.
For what it’s worth, there’s a massive gap between No. 6 and No. 55 on a talent chart. If you consider that Texas has all of that talent along with improved coaching from the Sarkisian staff and more effective standards on strength and conditioning, then it should make you feel concerned for the Cowboys.

And then there is this: Since the Longhorns were beaten by OU, they were challenged all the way to the finish line of victories over Houston (31-24), Kansas State (33-30 in overtime) and TCU (29-26).

As Texas attempted to sustain its lead in the Big 12 standings and cling to the bubble of the College Football Playoff picture, you would think that the Longhorns would double their efforts and ferocity in the fourth quarter of close games. Instead, Kansas State had a 16-3 advantage in fourth-quarter scoring. TCU had a 20-3 advantage.

Last week, Texas closed its 11-1 regular season by crushing Texas Tech 57-7.
It feels like the Texas of last week is the one that’ll play in Arlington on Saturday.

Finally, it feels like it’s Texas’ turn to get a Big 12 trophy.
As Texas is near the end of its run in the Big 12 Conference, the SEC-bound Longhorns should be at a maximum level of motivation. They and their fans must be sick of having lost nine times to Oklahoma State, and when you examine all of the factors of this Big 12 Championship, it feels like a 38-21 outcome.

HOW DID POKES EVEN GET HERE????
This weekend, Oklahoma State will play in its second Big 12 title game in three years.
Roughly 11 months ago, that didn’t seem like a realistic possibility. But, at 11 a.m. Saturday, the Cowboys will face No. 7 Texas at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The past 365 days of OSU football have been chaotic. There was a transfer portal exodus, a Division II defensive coordinator hire, a disastrous start to the season and now, a chance for a conference crown.

Here’s five key moments from the past year at OSU.
Dec. 5, 2022: Spencer Sanders enters the transfer portal

After five years in Stillwater — four as the starting quarterback — Sanders decided to transfer, eventually landing at Ole Miss. He wouldn’t be the only high-profile player to leave.
In total, OSU lost 18 scholarship players in the transfer portal last winter. As fans online questioned the culture of the program, Jabbar Muhammad, Mason Cobb, Dominic Richardson, John Paul Richardson, Stephon Johnson Jr. and Thomas Harper bolted from OSU.

In a change of pace, Mike Gundy and OSU’s coaching staff embraced the transfer portal this offseason, scoring more than a dozen transfers. After claiming during the season the Cowboys wouldn’t be big on the portal, OSU rallied with key additions.
Jan. 9, 2023: Alan Bowman signs with OSU
The Cowboys snagged their transfer quarterback replacement in the portal, adding sixth-year quarterback Alan Bowman. Bowman wasn’t a touted transfer recruit at that point. He’d shown signs of being a quality starter throughout three seasons at Texas Tech, but injuries kept him from being consistent.

Pile on him sitting out for two seasons at Michigan and question marks surrounding Sanders’ replacement.
It took until the fourth game before Bowman was even named the true starter, splitting reps at quarterback with Gunnar Gundy and Garret Rangel. But through the regular season, Bowman finished with 2,808 passing yards and 10 touchdowns, earning an honorable mention on the All-Big 12 list.


He wasn’t the only notable transfer in this class for OSU. The Cowboys banked on additions like De’Zhaun Stribling, Dalton Cooper, Justin Kirkland and Anthony Goodlow to replace lost talent.

Jan. 12, 2023: Derek Mason announces “sabbatical” after one year with OSU
Before playing in the 2022 Fiesta Bowl, OSU lost defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to Ohio State. His replacement, Derek Mason, was a veteran coordinator, an ideal option for smooth transition with a stout OSU defense.

His stay would last less than a year, with Mason announcing he would take a sabbatical from the sport.
Instead of again going for an experienced hire, OSU coach Mike Gundy opted for youth. He pulled Bryan Nardo from the Division II ranks, implementing a 3-3-5 defensive scheme. At the time of his hire, Nardo was 37.

Since then, the Cowboys’ defense hasn’t been dominant, but they’ve made plays when it matters. They have also been burned by big plays throughout the season.

Sept. 16, 2023: OSU loses to South Alabama at home
The Cowboys logged a brutal home loss under Gundy against the Jaguars, falling to 2-1 on the season. OSU would lose the following game against Iowa State, stumbling to a 2-2 record heading into the bye week. It was the worst start to season for the program since 2016.

Nov. 4, 2023: OSU defeats Oklahoma, fifth straight win
With fans pouring onto the field at Boone Pickens Stadium, the Cowboys cemented their fifth straight conference win against OU in the final Big 12 version of Bedlam.

After losing to ISU, the Cowboys posted wins against Kansas State, Kansas, West Virginia, Cincinnati and OU. Excluding the Bearcats, those four teams finished in the top eight of the conference standings.

The win against the Sooners factored in more than just another win. It was crucial in the Cowboys cementing a berth in the conference championship. Had OSU lost to BYU this past weekend, OU would’ve faced Texas.

Great in-depth analysis. Help us, Obi Wan Ke-Gundy. You're our only hope.

for those of you looking for new coaches....

OSU lost defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to Ohio State. His replacement, Derek Mason, was a veteran coordinator, an ideal option for smooth transition with a stout OSU defense.

He was previously HC at Vandy and DC at Auburn.