2022 Big 12 title odds: Who can grab championship life by the horns?

It's a traditional axiom for a once traditional conference, but the more things change in the Big 12, the more they stay the same - at least on the oddsboard. However, the question between now and the end of the regular season is, "Will things stay the same for Oklahoma?"

With pending defections and subsequent realignment coming, 10 teams are still without divisions. That means the calculus for how to bet this market is different than the SEC and Big Ten.

Big 12 championship odds

The favorites

Texas is in Year 2 of the Steve Sarkisian era, while Oklahoma has a new boss at the helm in Brent Venables. Ironically, both schools are favorites to meet in the Big 12 Championship Game after they announced their intent to move to the SEC.

As expected, the Sooners - who are lined as 2.5-point favorites in lookahead "Game of the Year" markets - are perceived to have the slight edge for the Red River Showdown at the Cotton Bowl. Whoever takes that game will have the inside track for the conference's top spot. As a result, you're better off betting your pick for league champion to win that game and using that capital later to wager on the team's moneyline in the Big 12 Championship.

Given how closely Oklahoma and Texas have played each other in recent years, there's too much uncertainty to buy either team at such a short price. Whoever loses the Red River Showdown will likely be thrown into a chaotic battle for second place, replete with tiebreakers to see who earns a rematch in Dallas.

The sleepers

Six of the 10 teams in the Big 12 have played for the conference title in the last five years. If it weren't for Lincoln Riley and his rotating stable of quarterbacks, it might be more. Now that Riley is gone - as well as his quarterback of choice - there's reason to believe the Sooners might be left home on the first Saturday of December for a second straight year.

Baylor and Oklahoma State are getting credit for a season that saw them meet in Dallas. But while Dave Aranda and Mike Gundy return, there are some questions about each roster's continuity.

With Gary Patterson out at TCU and West Virginia's defense in limbo, neither team is attractive at odds short of 20-1. In Ames, Matt Campbell will have to replace many of the familiar names on Iowa State's offense.

As a result of all of the uncertainty, there's room for a long shot to lose a couple of games and still make it to the title game on a tiebreaker, like Baylor did last season.

Adrian Martinez infuriated Nebraska fans and backers alike for what felt like a decade of highs and lows, but the transfer's high-variance style of play could give Kansas State another gear against its toughest opponents.

The biggest wild card is Texas Tech. Thanks to new management, the Red Raiders now possess attacking styles on both offense and defense, as well as a top recruiting class. Plus, Texas Tech gets Oklahoma, Texas, and Baylor at home. Maybe it's a year too soon, but at 40-1, you'd rather be early than late on a big mover in what could be a wide-open conference.

Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.