Oklahoma State a 'Lock' to Win Big 12 Championship Next Season
The Big 12 is wide open with the new 16-team league, but Oklahoma State is among the best.
Utah and Kansas State led the way in the Big 12’s preseason poll and are the betting favorites to win the conference. Despite finishing third in the preseason poll, OSU has a strong case to make it to Arlington and escape with its first Big 12 title since 2011.
In Bleacher Report’s recent article picking the betting locks for 2024 conference championships, Adam Kramer picked OSU as the Big 12 favorite. At +750, OSU has solid value, particularly considering the amount of returning talent it has.
The Cowboys’ continuity could help them stake their claim for the Big 12 in the opening weeks of conference play. After an interesting nonconference slate, the Cowboys open conference play with the Utes in Stillwater before traveling to play the Wildcats in Manhattan a week later.
READ MORE: Oklahoma State Star LBs Make Butkus Award Watch List
If OSU can make it out of those games unscathed and beat West Virginia the following week, they will enter a bye week before playing six games against teams that all finished in the bottom half of the Big 12 preseason poll.
Over the past few weeks, OSU’s roster has been graced with numerous spots on watch lists. From Ollie Gordon’s inclusion on the Doak Walker Award watch list to Nick Martin and Collin Oliver making the Bednarik, the Cowboys have plenty of players among the best in college football.
Last season, OSU stumbled in the first week of conference play but finished the Big 12 slate 7-1 to secure a spot in the championship game, eventually falling to Texas. The Cowboys’ misfortunes early last season killed any outside shot of a College Football Playoff appearance. However, the new 12-team format that guarantees a spot for the five highest-ranked conference champions gives Mike Gundy one of his best opportunities to compete for a national title if things go well.
READ MORE: Fox Sports Analyst Joel Klatt Believes Oklahoma State will be 'Really Good' in 2024
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IVAN WHITE
Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.