College Football – Texas Looks Impossible to Beat in the Big 12

In roughly two weeks, college football teams will start lining up on football fields throughout the United States in anticipation of the 2009 NCAAF Season.

All eyes will be on Florida in the SEC and USC in the Pac-10, but BetOnline online sportsbook betting fans would be amiss to not take a look at one team in particular in the Big 12, the Texas Longhorns.

The Longhorns look particularly difficult to beat this year in the Big 12, but there’s a reason that the Big 12 is always one of the most difficult conferences for gamblers to find a winner. There’s just a lot of competition.

Let’s take a look at the contenders, got a shot, and pretenders to the Big 12 crown.

Contenders

Texas Longhorns +165 – - They return QB Colt McCoy, WR Jordan Shipley, and their best offensive linemen. They also return some key players on defense and Coach Mack Brown knows how to win the big one as he coached Texas to an upset of USC in the BCS Championship game a few years ago. So, what’s the problem? None. They should be a lock unless injuries hit.

Oklahoma State Cowboys +700 – - The return of their starting QB, RB and their best WR is only a good thing because they return two key starters along the offensive line. Yes, Oklahoma is the sexier pick to win the Big 12, but Oklahoma State has the requisite firepower and protection to do it.

Got a Shot

Oklahoma Sooners +200 – - Oklahoma with only a “shot” to win the Big 12? Am I crazy? Yes I am, but I can’t endorse the Sooners after seeing what happened to Georgia, 2008’s pre-season #1, a year ago. Georgia, like Oklahoma in 2009, returned key players on offense, but didn’t return enough key offensive lineman. Look what happened? The same could happen to the Sooners who will have a great defense and return Sam Bradford QB. Because they have to replace three offensive linemen, Bradford won’t provide any real advantage over Oklahoma State and Texas. At 2 to 1, they are an underlay to win the Big 12.

Kansas Jayhawks +400 – - Everything looks good for Kansas in 2009 except for their schedule. They have to play Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech. That won’t be easy and then, should they traverse that schedule, will probably have to play Texas in the Big 12 Championship Game. They’ve got the team to win a lot of games in 2009, but the schedule is incredibly difficult.

Nebraska +400 – - The odds on Nebraska to win the Big 12 are much lower than some gamblers might have anticipated, but it makes sense. Nebraska returns key starters along their offensive and defensive lines and Coach Bo Pelini has really changed the attitude in Lincoln. This could be a very good team and because they beat Clemson in the Gator Bowl last year, the next step, a Big 12 Championship, might be closer than a lot of college football fans think. Beware the Conrhuskers in 2009.

Pretenders

No other team in the Big 12 really has a shot. Baylor and Iowa State have no chance of making a dent in the Big 12. Programs like Colorado, Kansas State and Texas A&M are still a few years away from being good every year, and both Texas Tech and Missouri lost too much on both sides of the ball to contend.