With the end of July nearing, we are only a month away from the commencement of the 2021 college football season.
On Saturday, September 4th, the WVU Mountaineers kick off their campaign. However, Kansas takes the lead by starting off the Big 12 Conference on Friday night.
The opening week of college football sees WVU begin their season with an away game against Maryland. West Virginia sportsbooks have already released betting lines for the game, indicating that the Mountaineers are favored to win.
At DraftKings WV Sportsbook, the Mountaineers have a spread of -3.5 and a moneyline of -165.
In terms of conference performance, WVU ranks in the middle of the pack, while a familiar team is projected to be at the top according to predictions and sportsbooks.
Once again, the Oklahoma Sooners are the frontrunners to win the Big 12 at the start of the season. With the presence of the Heisman favorite as their quarterback in Norman, their anticipation for a successful year is justified.
Now, let’s delve into the complete Big 12 Conference and assess how WVU compares to the top contenders.
Big 12 Football Odds At WV Sportsbooks
WVU Mountaineers 2021 Overview
In Morgantown, Neal Brown embarks on his third season with greater expectations compared to previous years. Demonstrating remarkable progress under his leadership, the Mountaineers successfully returned to a bowl game in 2020.
WVU had a disappointing first year but managed to regain stability towards the end of the schedule. Finishing strong, they won two out of their last three games in 2019, establishing momentum for the upcoming season.
Despite the chaos surrounding health and safety measures, the Mountaineers managed to achieve a commendable 6-4 record, ultimately securing a triumph in the Liberty Bowl.
The team is confident in their junior quarterback, Jarret Doege, and believes they can achieve great things.
Coach Brown discussed the team’s future prospects during the Big 12 Football Media Day on ESPN. Having experienced positive outcomes in recent years, he expressed his thoughts on the team’s trajectory, as reported by WVNews.
In 2019, our team was relatively young. Unfortunately, we faced setbacks as we lost both spring practice and our summer in 2020. Despite these challenges, we managed to improve our performance, securing two victories against ranked teams and concluding the season with a 5-7 record. Building upon this progress, we carried our momentum into 2020, achieving a 6-4 score and securing a victory in the Liberty Bowl. It’s worth noting that we came incredibly close to reaching our goal of becoming an eight-win team.
WVU’s coach continued:
“We have made significant progress, transitioning from a near-bottom ranking in 2019 to a mid-tier position in 2020. The next crucial phase lies ahead, where we must continue to advance.”
Despite having the chance to compete this season, the Mountaineers are positioned with the sixth-best odds to win the conference according to WV sportsbooks.
The teams ranking ahead of them include the Sooners, Iowa State, Texas, Oklahoma State, and TCU.
The Big 12 title game odds for WVU are listed at +2500 on DraftKings. Additionally, there are odds of +800 for WVU to qualify for the conference’s championship tilt.
The win total for the year was set at seven for the Mountaineers by the online sportsbook.
Despite not being prepared for playoff qualification at the moment, West Virginia can expect another prosperous autumn.
Big 12 Football Betting Favorites
According to the odds, Oklahoma remains the top contender for a National Champion title in the Big 12. The Sooners are determined to secure their seventh consecutive conference championship this season and are currently favored at -180 to achieve this feat.
DraftKings has set the odds at -450 for OU to reach the conference final, showcasing their remarkable potential to dominate their schedule and achieve an outstanding record.
Spencer Rattler, the quarterback for the Sooners, is widely recognized as the frontrunner for the Heisman award in the preseason. You can find him listed at +800 on FanDuel Sportsbook WV.
Rattler, teamed up with the imaginative play-caller Lincoln Riley, is set to pose numerous challenges for the other teams in the Big 12 conference.
After a sluggish beginning, Rattler gradually found his stride throughout his debut season. He displayed growing confidence and led Oklahoma to a triumph over Iowa State, securing the conference title. Furthermore, he maintained his exceptional performance in the bowl game.
Rattler achieved a total of four touchdowns, accumulating approximately 250 yards on 14 completions.
The team that could pose a challenge to OU is the one that it narrowly defeated in last December’s title game.
With the return of their quarterback, Iowa State poses a formidable challenge for opponents in the upcoming season. The team is favored with odds of +275 to emerge as the conference champions and has a favorable chance at -140 to secure a spot in the title game once again.
Brock Purdy, who plays as the Cyclones’ quarterback, is considered one of the top players at his position. At DraftKings, he is listed with odds of +3500 to win this year’s Heisman trophy, placing him at the 10th-best position.
In terms of conference championship odds, Texas and Oklahoma State form the next level of teams. The Longhorns are listed at +300, while the Cowboys stand at +360.
Last year, Texas had a record of 7-3, while OSU ended the season with a record of 8-3.
The Longhorns are typically a favored choice, but it could be a favorable time to bet against them this year. With Steve Sarkisian as their fresh head coach and Sam Ehlinger making his way to the NFL, they have undergone significant changes.
TCU is the sole team positioned ahead of WVU, with odds of +650 for the conference.
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