Where to place your money on conference championship Saturday.
Texas Longhorns vs. Oklahoma Sooners (-7.5)
Moneyline: Longhorns +250, Sooners -310
Betting Total: 78 points
The Red River rivalry will be renewed at AT&T Stadium this Saturday in the Big 12 Championship game (Noon, ABC). The Texas Longhorns got the better of the Oklahoma Sooners on Oct. 6, winning 48-45, but they’re sizable underdogs here.
The Sooners’ offense, led by Kyler Murray, has been nearly unstoppable this season. They’re the best in the nation in points per game (50.3) as well as yards per play. Murray, who has a 37-7 TD-to-INT ratio and completed 70 percent of his passes while averaging 12 yards per attempt, certainly wasn’t at fault when his team fell to Texas earlier this year. Murray looked sharp in victory in West Virginia last week, and his top target, Marquise Brown, had a career day (11 catches, 243 yards).
The Longhorns’ last two efforts are a bit concerning, as they put up just 24 points against Iowa State and Kansas, respectively, but Oklahoma’s 100th-ranked scoring defense should help Sam Ehlinger and company get back on track. This game has all the makings of another high-scoring shootout, so take the Over.
Prediction: Oklahoma wins, 45-38
The play: Texas vs. Oklahoma Over 78 points and Alabama moneyline Parlay (+129)
You can bet on this game now by clicking the button below. No deposit needed.
Alabama Crimson Tide (-13) vs. Georgia Bulldogs
Moneyline: Crimson Tide -500, Bulldogs +410
Betting Total: 63.5 points
The SEC Champion will be decided on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA (4 p.m., CBS). A pro-Georgia Bulldogs crowd would not be a surprise, but an Alabama Crimson Tide defeat would be stunning.
Georgia was the first team to experience probable Heisman winner Tua Tagovailoa in full force, as the Hawaii native led Alabama to a second-half comeback in last season’s National Championship game. Tagovailoa has run roughshod through the SEC this year, tossing 36 TDs compared to just two INTs, all while hardly ever playing in the fourth quarter. His performance in the Iron Bowl last week was among his finest efforts of the year, as he went 25 for 32 and threw a season-high five TDs with no INTs. The Bulldogs are 11th in points per game allowed this year, but no one has had an answer for Alabama in 2018.
The Crimson Tide defense is among the finest units in the country as well, as they’re fourth in points per game allowed. They posted consecutive shutouts earlier in the year, stumping LSU and Mississippi State. Jake Fromm is a talented signal caller bolstered by a solid running game, but it seems unlikely that he’ll match strides with Tagovailoa.
Despite Alabama looking like a better team on paper, it’s hard to endorse them as nearly two-touchdown favorites in this spot. They only beat Georgia by three points last year. Use them in any and all parlays this weekend, but avoid betting the Tide against the spread this week.
Prediction: Crimson Tide wins, 35-24
The play: Texas vs. Oklahoma Over 78 points and Alabama moneyline Parlay (+129)
You can bet on this game now by clicking the Bet Now button below. No deposit needed.
