Conference championship week has arrived across the college football landscape, bringing a high-stakes matchup for all the glory in the Big 12. On Saturday, December 6, the Texas Tech Red Raiders look to secure their first-ever Big 12 title against the BYU Cougars, also competing for their first championship after moving into the conference just three years ago.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Texas Tech enters as -11.5 favorites on the initial listing with -455 odds to win on the Moneyline. Meanwhile, BYU holds +350 odds to win outright. The game total is set at O/U 50.5 combined points.
Big 12 Championship analysis
Of course, these two teams each notched 11-1 overall records and 8-1 finishes in conference play. However, this game carries a little extra meaning after they met earlier this season on November 8 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. Ahead of that Week 11 tilt, the Red Raiders also entered the contest as -11.5 favorites with a total of 51.5 points, so it appears not much has changed since then. Why’s that? The outcome of the previous meeting resulted in a blowout victory for Texas Tech as the home team emerged with a 29-7 win.
In that outing, quarterback Behren Morton and his offense struggled greatly to find the end zone with just two touchdowns throughout the course of the day, largely riding the backs of an elite defense to one of the biggest wins in program history. BYU managed to create only 255 total yards on offense and didn’t score its first points until the game’s final frame. The biggest cause of that sluggish attack was that the Cougars found their rushing attack — typically quite strong with 175.0 rushing yards per game — bottled up to the tune of just 67 yards against a formidable front seven.
Whether the result changes this time around at AT&T Stadium in Arlington remains uncertain, but it’s not difficult to see why Texas Tech enters this rematch as heavy favorites. The Red Raiders average over 40 points per game with one of the most high-octane offenses in the sport, and they deploy one of the nation’s best defenses on the opposite side that ranks in the top-10 teams in both points and yards allowed to opponents with a Heisman candidate in linebacker Jacob Rodriguez. BYU also boasts plenty of talent on both sides of the ball, especially with Bear Bachmeier and LJ Martin headlining an offense scoring over 30 points per game backed by an impressive defense. However, the first meeting between these contenders wasn’t particularly close in the end.
This rematch should prove interesting, especially with a College Football Playoff appearance guaranteed for the eventual winner. The stakes don’t get much higher than now, so watch for the Big 12 Championship to provide plenty of drama in this grudge match.
