Big 12 Best Bets for Week 3: Matchups, Odds, Picks, Predictions
The Sooners' hands could be full when they visit Nebraska. Let's dive into that matchup and more with our Week 3 Big 12 best bets.
Big 12 league play doesn’t fully get underway until October, but there’s no shortage of compelling storylines heading into Week 3. Oklahoma visits a Cornhuskers team that just fired its coach, Texas tries to build on its near upset of Alabama, and the surprising Jayhawks look to move to 3-0.
Here are our best bets for the Big 12 in Week 3 (odds via Caesars Sportsbook, BetMGM, and FanDuel Sportsbook; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Big 12 Week 3 Schedule and Odds
(odds via Caesars)
- Texas State (+30) at Baylor (O/U 53)
- Oklahoma (-11.5) at Nebraska (O/U 65)
- Towson (OFF) at West Virginia (OFF)
- Ohio (+17.5) at Iowa State (O/U 49)
- Tulane (+15.5) at Kansas State (O/U 48)
- Kansas (+10) at Houston (O/U 62.5)
- Texas Tech (+10.5) at NC State (O/U 55.5)
- Arkansas-Pine Bluff (OFF) at Oklahoma State (OFF)
- Texas-San Antonio (+11) at Texas (O/U 61.5)
Big 12 Week 3 Best Bets
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Big 12 Week 3 Top Picks
Nebraska +11.5 ★★★
It’s not comfortable to back a Cornhuskers squad that's lost eight of its last nine games, including a 45-42 Week 2 humiliation at home to Georgia Southern that finally cost head coach Scott Frost his job. But coaching changes tend to spark underachieving teams, at least in the short term. That's why we should expect a determined Nebraska effort when the Sooners come to town.
As bad as the Huskers’ record was under Frost, they’ve been a consistent moneymaker in the underdog role, covering during seven of their previous eight contests when catching points. Nebraska has also scored 28-plus points during all three of its 2022 outings. That scoring ability should keep the school in the game against an Oklahoma offense that's been sputtering at times.
A lot of the value in this line has disappeared throughout the week after Nebraska opened as +14.5 dogs. But I’m still comfortable pulling the trigger at 10.5 or better. You can also find the Cornhuskers' moneyline at +340 through DraftKings. That's worth considering against an Oklahoma team that we’ve seen slip up in hostile road environments before.
Kansas +10 (-110) ★★★★★
We successfully backed the Jayhawks in Week 2 as two-touchdown underdogs in West Virginia, and they rewarded us with an outright victory. There’s no reason not to go back to the well in Week 3 when Kansas faces a Houston squad that hasn’t really proven it’s worthy of laying double digits against a decent Power 5 opponent.
Kansas has now covered during five straight matchups going back to the 2021 season, and the school leads the nation while averaging 55.5 points per game. Sure, an emotional letdown is always a concern after a significant road upset. But the Jayhawks avoided one in 2021 after their shocking win at Texas, nearly upsetting TCU the following week as 21-point pups.
Meanwhile, Houston is coming off a pair of overtime games to start the season, losing 33-30 in Week 2 at Texas Tech after opening with a 37-35 win over UTSA. Back-to-back OT games can take a mental toll, and the Cougars might be tempted to exhale a bit with Kansas coming to town. That would be a mistake considering the Jayhawks' recent improvement.
Texas -11 ★★★★
Injuries to starting quarterback Quinn Ewers and backup Hudson Card give us the opportunity to back Texas at a discounted price. There's also hangover potential for the Longhorns after an emotional one-point loss to Alabama in Week 2.
I’m happy to grab the bargain and take a Longhorns squad that should have beaten the No. 1 team in the nation if it had been more effective in the red zone (or if a safety wasn't overturned following a debatable roughing-the-passer call).
Card was under center for most of the game in Week 2. But Texas still moved the ball throughout the contest while gaining 25 first downs, though the Longhorns settled for field goals on four of their five scoring drives.
Ewers is out until late October, and Card might need to sit too with an ankle injury. But no matter who’s the signal-caller, Texas should be able to move the ball on the ground against a UTSA defense that ranks 113th in the nation in points allowed per game.
Texas’ defense should take it the rest of the way after allowing just 16 first downs against the Tide. Expect the Longhorns to improve to 9-1 against the spread over their last 10 non-conference outings.
Where to Bet on Big 12 Picks
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Big 12 best bets made 9/13/2022 at 12:02 p.m. ET.
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