2024 Big 12 Championship Odds: Utah Opens as a Favorite in First Season in Conference

Utah and Kansas State opened as the favorites by the 2024 Big 12 Championship odds from our best college football betting sites as the conference expands with four new teams.

Like many of the conferences in college football, the Big 12 will look a little different this year. With the death of the Pac-12, the Big 12 has added Utah, Arizona, Arizona State, and Colorado, who had previously been in the now-defunct conference.

This comes after adding UCF, BYU, Cincinnati, and Houston last offseason. But unlike those four programs, Utah is already expected to compete for the conference title. The Utes are right there with the 2022 champs, Kansas State, and the program also sits atop the college football playoff odds for the Big 12.

While Utah and Kansas State have the shortest odds to win the conference, it's Colorado who has made the most buzz this offseason. With QB Shedeur Sanders leading the way, a favorite to go No. 1 by the 2025 NFL Draft odds, the Buffaloes will be the most talked about program in the conference.

However, Arizona may be the sneakiest contender with the offensive talent the Wildcats bring back, including QB Noah Fifita, a Heisman Trophy odds contender. 

Here is our look at the 2024 Big 12 championship odds (odds via our best college football betting sites).

2024 Big 12 Championship odds

(Odds updated May 1)

Favorites to win 2024 Big 12 Championship

Utah (+350 via DraftKings)

Kyle Whittingham might be one of the five best coaches in college football. He gets more out of his roster than pretty much any bench boss in the country and somehow won eight games last year with a pig farmer at QB while his starter, Cameron Rising, recovered from an ACL tear.

With Rising back in the fold, Utah looks poised to hit the ground running during its Big 12 debut. In two seasons with Rising under center, Utah reached back-to-back Rose Bowl's and had a 20-8 record overall. After missing all of last season, Rising is healthy, as is three-time all-conference tight end Brant Kuithe.

Utah even added Dorian Singer from USC via the portal to give Rising another talented pass catcher. That's all without mentioning Utah's defense, which is always ferocious. The Utes have several potential All-Big 12 defenders, led by linebacker Karene Reid. There's a reason that in its first season in the conference Utah has the shortest college football championship odds in the Big 12.

Kansas State (+350 via FanDuel)

Utah had been the Kansas State of the Pac-12 for a long time, and now the two might actually play each other in the Big 12 Championship game. Like Utah, what the Wildcats lack in blue chip talent, they make up for in coaching and grit. Head coach Chris Klieman won the conference two years ago and has finished ranked in each of the last two seasons.

While Klieman lost veteran QB Will Howard to Ohio State via the portal, Kansas State has high hopes for sophomore Avery Johnson behind center. Johnson, an Elite 11 finalist, showcased his ability in limited action as a freshman (12 total TDs). Alongside him on offense is bell cow DJ Giddens and Penn State transfer Dante Cephas.

Defensively, Kansas State is always among the best in the Big 12. It returns linebacker Austin Moore and cornerback Jacob Parrish to anchor a unit that was top 30 in the country in points allowed last season.

Kansas (+750 via Caesars)

The Big 12 is just full of overachieving coaches and nobody overachieves more than Lance Leipold. After turning Wisconsin-Whitewater into a D-III power, he rebuilt Buffalo, and it only took him two seasons to get Kansas to nine wins for the first time since 2007.

Between Leipold's willingness to embrace zany plays and his ability to find hidden gems on the recruiting trail, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Kansas push for a Big 12 Championship. The Jayhawks return one of the most exciting QB-RB duos in the country in Jalon Daniels and Devin Neal. Defensively, Cobee Bryant is one of the best players in the conference after making first-team All-Big 12 in back-to-back seasons.

Colorado Big 12 Championship odds

(+4000 via FanDuel)

The elephant, or buffalo, in the room when looking at the Big 12 is Colorado. No team in the conference is talked about more than the Buffaloes, for better or worse. Deion Sanders has been criticized for his roster-building (or teardown) and strategy, and after winning his first three games last year, the hype exploded.

Of course, following those three victories, Colorado finished 1-8 and its four wins came against TCU, Nebraska, Colorado State, and Arizona State. Those programs combined to go 18-30. Still, Colorado is nothing if not entertaining, and Deion's son Shedeur is an extremely talented QB. But even if Travis Hunter is playing both ways, he can't overcome this roster.

Colorado built its 4-8 roster through the portal last year, and when Deion was unhappy with the results, he went back to the well. The Buffalos are slated to start upwards of 10 new transfers this season, including at all five spots on the offensive line.

2024 Big 12 Championship odds over time

(Odds via DraftKings)

Recent Big 12 Championship winners

How to bet on the Big 12 Championship

The Big 12 is an interesting conference to bet on with it losing its two blue blood programs, Oklahoma and Texas, to the SEC. With four new programs joining the Big 12, including two that should be among the most talented teams in the conference immediately, it's hard to gauge exactly how this will all play out. The best way to decide which team to bet on is to look at returning production, recent coaching success, and which teams bolstered their rosters in the transfer portal. 

Utah stands out as a team that not only ranks highly in returning production, but also has a veteran QB in Rising and a coach in Whittingham who has won in multiple conferences. Arizona is another interesting program to focus on, though, head coach Brent Brennan is in his first season at the helm. 

Big 12 Championship FAQs

Who's the favorite to win the Big 12 Championship?

Utah and Kansas State opened as the favorites to win the 2024 Big 12 Championship with odds as low as +310, representing an implied win probability of 24.39%.

How is the Big 12 Championship game determined?

The two teams with the best in-conference winning percentage will play in the Big 12 Championship game.

When is the Big 12 Championship game? 

The Big 12 Championship game will be played Saturday, Dec. 7 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex.

Who won the Big 12 Championship last year?

The Texas Longhorns rolled to a 49-21 victory over the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the 2023 Big 12 Championship game.

College football odds pages

Here are our best college football betting sites:

• Caesars Promo Code: SBRBONUS1000 | Read our Caesars Review
• BetMGM Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our BetMGM Review
• bet365 Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our bet365 Review
• BetRivers Promo Code: SBRBONUS | Read our BetRivers Review
• FanDuel Promo Code | Read our FanDuel Review
• DraftKings Promo Code | Read our DraftKings Review

(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.

Related pages

• Best Sports Betting Sites | Best Sportsbook Promos (U.S. only)