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Oklahoma State Cowboys 2020 Preview: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead with what you need to know.
Photo Credit: Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports
Oklahoma State Cowboys 2020 Preview: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead with what you need to know.
Photo Credit: Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports
CBS writer Ben Kercheval recently broke down the Big 12’s schedule.
Can anyone dethrone Oklahoma?
The coronavirus currently has sports on hold, but if the 2020 football season will be played, Oklahoma will be looking to win their sixth straight Big 12 championship.
CBS writer Ben Kercheval recently broke down the Big 12’s schedule, and yet again has Oklahoma on top with an 11-1 record, their sole loss being against Texas.
Kercheval cited the losses of WR Jadon Haselwood to injury and Trey Sermon transferring, but is giving the Sooners the benefit of the doubt when it comes ro restocking offensively.
“It’s been five seasons since OU has lost more than one conference game.” He said. “Among playoff contenders, only Clemson and Ohio State can say that. Are the Sooners due for an extra loss? Perhaps, but they should be favored in every game this year.”
He projected Texas, Oklahoma State and Iowa State to go 9-3.
Oklahoma is currently set to reopen in-person classes in the upcoming fall semester.
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With a current four-straight Big 12 Championship’s, Oklahoma is again the clear favorite on BetMGM at -110.
Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, Vegas is still pushing out lines for seasons that could eventually be on hold. With four-straight Big 12 Championship’s, Oklahoma is again the clear favorite to win the conference at -110, per BetMGM.
Odds via BetMGM. Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated March 30 at 9:50 p.m. ET.
Despite sending another promising crop of star-studded players to the NFL Draft, the Sooners have several returning players that will aid in the quest of another conference championship. Creed Humphrey will anchor an offensive line that has bolstered a top offense for several years, and will be looking to do the same next year. Jadon Haselwood will be looking for a much bigger role with CeeDee Lamb moving on to the NFL and Kennedy Brooks will look to continue to average a ludicrous amount of yards per carry. Ronnie Perkins and safety Delarrin Turner-Yell will return to command a defense that took tremendous strides under defensive coordinator Alex Grinch.
Want to get in on the action? Place your bet now at BetMGM.
Texas follows Oklahoma with second best odds to win the conference at +130. After posting an 8-5 record in 2019, Sam Ehlinger will return for his senior year with the Longhorns to help commandeer the offense.
Oklahoma State has third-best odds at +800. Star’s Chuba Hubbard and Tylan Wallace are bypassing the NFL and returning for the Cowboys, and Spencer Sanders will have nearly a full year of experience at quarterback in his second season.
Here are the full odds for the conference:
Oklahoma -110
Texas +130
Oklahoma State +800
Iowa State +1600
Baylor +2500
West Virginia +2500
Kansas State +3500
TCU +4000
Texas Tech +8000
Kansas +12500
*Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
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With some big games ahead in 2020, Vegas has released lines for games next season. They open up as underdogs in their three biggest games.
Spring ball would be just around the corner if the NCAA had not shut down sports for the foreseeable future. Even without spring practices happening, Texas and their success in 2020 is still a huge question. With some big games ahead next season, Vegas has released lines for some of the Longhorns’ top matchups.
Much like last season, the two dates to circle on your calendar for the Longhorns will be Sept. 12 against LSU and Oct. 10 against Oklahoma. Once again, Texas will go into those games as underdogs. The Longhorns have opened up as 6.5-point underdogs on the road against the Tigers, while the Sooners are 4.5-point favorites.
In LSU’s visit to Austin in 2019, the Tigers were the same 6.5 point favorites. Texas did not cover the spread, losing by seven. As for the Red River Shootout, the Longhorns lost to Oklahoma 34-27 but covered the 10.5-point spread.
Oklahoma State presents itself as a sneaky team in the Big 12 for next season, expected to compete for a spot in the conference championship game. Playing Texas in the season finale this year, the matchup between the Cowboys and Longhorns will be an important one.
Texas is seen as underdogs against Oklahoma State, getting 2.5-points on the road. The Longhorns have struggled to win against the Pokes, let alone cover the spread. Before getting a win this season at home, Oklahoma State had won eight out of the last 10. During the same stretch, Texas was 3-7 against the spread.
Despite being seen as a favorite to win the conference in the public eye, Vegas sees it differently. Going into the three biggest games of the season, Texas will be considered underdogs. Luckily for Tom Herman, he is 11-5-1 against the spread as underdogs throughout his time at Texas.
As long as UT can keep games close, they will always have chances to win them with Sam Ehlinger under center.
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Analyzing the 2020 Big 12 Tournament odds and futures, with sports betting picks, tips and best bets.
The 2020 Big 12 Conference Tournament kicks off Wednesday at Sprint Center in Kansas City. The tournament features two matchups Wednesday, and four battles Thursday. The Kansas Jayhawks secured the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament, and a handful of teams are in good shape for at-large bids whether they win the tourney or not, while others need a deep run. Below, we look at the futures odds to win the Big 12 tournament.
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday, March 11 at 10:45 a.m. ET.
Regular-season record: (28-3, 17-1 Big 12)
The Jayhawks enter the tourney as the hottest team in the conference, winners of 16 in a row. They’re also a very impressive 7-2 ATS across their past nine outings, so remember that as you bet single games through the postseason. Kansas is likely to land as one of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament barring an absolute disaster in their first game in this tournament.
Get some action on this event or others by placing a bet at BetMGM.
Kansas will be challenged by Baylor, a team they split with during the regular season. They won in Waco against the Bears 64-61 Feb. 22, so if they match up in the Final, expect to sweat out every minute. They’ll have a pro-Jayhawks crowd filling the seats in Kansas City, so that adds to their chances.
The FAVORITE IS WORTH A BET AT +105, as the Jayhawks are on a tear right now.
Regular-season record: (26-4, 15-3 Big 12)
The Bears looked like they were a slam-dunk No. 1 seed for most of the season, but they faltered down the stretch, going 2-3 straight up and 1-4 against the spread, losing to Kansas, at TCU and at West Virginia in the final month. As such, they’re not nearly as strong of a play as the favored Jayhawks. In fact, it’s Kansas, and then the drop-off is precipitous.
If you pick two teams to play, BAYLOR IS WORTH A SMALL-UNIT BET AT +315, but they’re playing their worst ball of the season.
Regular-season record: (21-10, 9-9 Big 12)
The Mountaineers humbled Baylor 76-63 in the regular-season finale March 7, bouncing back after a late three-game skid, and a 1-6 SU stretch between Feb. 8-29. Their late-season swoon really makes this a wide-open tourney, especially if Kansas somehow stumbles. Still, the Mountaineers were really bad down the stretch, and they played .500 ball in the conference. There’s not much value at this price. AVOID.
Regular-season record: (18-13, 9-9 Big 12)
The Red Raiders gave Kansas a scare in the regular-season finale, but they dropped each of their past four to go from an NCAA Tournament certainly to a bubble team in need of some quality wins. They got hot last season en route to their first-ever Final Four. Can they do it again? A four-game skid to close out the season suggests otherwise. AVOID.
Regular-season record: (19-12, 9-9 Big 12)
The Sooners might be the best value on the entire board. Some talking heads have them projected as a 9-seed for the NCAA Tournament, but they will likely breathe easier on Selection Sunday with a win or two in this tournament. Like Baylor, Texas Tech and West Virginia, the Sooner had their issues down the stretch. They lost three in a row from Feb. 15-22, although two of those losses were to Baylor and Kansas, so there’s no shame in that.
A SMALL-UNIT PLAY TO WIN THE BIG 12 AT +1600 IS A GREAT VALUE. Their defense ranks 36th in the country with a 39.9 defensive field-goal percentage. They’re also 20th in the nation in free-throw percentage at 76.6.
Regular-season record: (19-12, 9-9 Big 12)
The Longhorns looked to be rolling into the postseason, winning and covering five in a row from Feb. 19-March 3; however, they were smashed 81-59 at home by a mediocre Oklahoma State team, casting doubt on their viability and landing them right back on the bubble in need of two wins to realistically have a shot at the NCAA Tournament, if not an overall win. Confidence is low, as they were swept by Baylor, swept by Kansas and went 1-1 against Texas Tech and West Virginia. AVOID.
Regular-season record: (16-15, 7-11 Big 12)
The Horned Frogs were a thorn in people’s sides down the stretch, and they even beat Baylor Feb. 29 by a 75-72 count in Fort Worth. They were 2-4 SU/3-3 ATS in their final six games, and they lost two games to Kansas by a total of 23 points, showing they have nothing for the top seed. They also had an ugly 46-point loss at Texas Tech Feb. 10 which sticks out like a sore thumb. AVOID.
Regular-season record: (17-14, 7-11 Big 12)
The Cowboys finished with three wins to close out the regular season, hotter than any lower seed. In a wide-open Big 12, they have just as good of a chance as any to run to the Final, but can they beat Kansas? They lost by 15 and 25 to the Jayhawks, and were swept by Baylor by a total of 15 points. They were also pounded by West Virginia in two games by an average of 16 points. AVOID.
Regular-season record: (10-21, 3-15 Big 12)
K-State lost 10 straight games from Feb. 1 to March 4 before winning the final against Iowa State. Nothing to see here. AVOID.
Regular-season record: (12-19, 5-13 Big 12)
The Cyclones dropped 10 of their final 13 contests, and they were 1-5 ATS in their final six, so remember that for their first-round matchup. I-State lost two games to Kansas by a total of 46 points, two to Baylor by a total of 27, etc. No chance the Cyclones find any magic. AVOID.
Want some action on this tournament? Place a bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.
Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
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Thirty schools have won men’s NCAA Championship titles, including 15 multi-time winners. That begs the question: Who has the most?
National champions have been crowned in men’s collegiate golf dating back to 1897.
The Intercollegiate Golf Association, which was later re-named as the National Intercollegiate Golf Association, sponsored the season-end tournament from 1897-1938.
In that time frame, Yale dominated, earning 20 NIGA titles from 1897-1936, including nine consecutive from 1905-1913. The Bulldogs’ lone NCAA Championship came in 1943. Ivy League-rival Princeton has 11 NIGA titles of their own, dominating the 1920s. They as well have just one NCAA title (1940). Harvard also won six in seven years from 1898-1904, and Michigan won consecutive titles in 1934-35.
For the last 81 years, starting in 1939, the NCAA has assumed responsibility. Thirty schools have won NCAA titles, including 15 multi-time winners. That begs the question: Who has the most?
Number of titles: 16
Years won: 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1977, 1982, 1984, 1985
Notable past players: Fuzzy Zoeller, Fred Couples, Steve Elkington, Bruce Lietzke, John Mahaffey, Bill Rogers, Blaine McCallister, Billy Ray Brown and Jim Nantz (yes, that Jim Nantz).
The first dynasty in the NCAA era, Houston won each of its 16 titles in a 29-year period, but has yet to win in the last 35 years.
Check out Draft Wire’s exclusive interview with Oklahoma State defensive back prospect Alvin Green
If your favorite team is looking for an under-the-radar defensive back prospect in the 2020 NFL draft, Oklahoma State’s Alvin Green should be on their short list.
An experienced defender who leads by example, Green recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about his decision to return for his senior season in Stillwater, how he approaches covering receivers with differing skill sets, and what kind of impact he’ll have at the next level.
AG: I just felt like I had more to accomplish on the field honestly. I wasn’t done yet. I had some personal goals or achievements that I was still striving for. As I continued to think about it, playing another season of college football with my brothers started to sound better and better to me.
AG: I’ve played a lot of football throughout my time, and mostly at the cornerback position. I have a lot of experience under my belt. Playing in a pass-happy conference like the Big 12 has prepared me for what’s next. I know that all of us rookies will face a steep learning curve as we get acclimated to the NFL but playing against these high-powered Big 12 offenses should have at least given me a little hint of what to expect.
AG: I wouldn’t say that I have a preference per se. I do enjoy being right up in the wide receiver’s face though. I like to get my hands on him and re-route him a little bit. I definitely enjoy playing press man.
AG: You wanna be more physical with those bigger, taller receivers. I have to use my finesse to my advantage with those guys. I’ll probably have a lower center of gravity with those 6-foot-6 receivers. I try to nag and disrupt them whenever I can. If they’re running an in-breaking route for example, I can use my quickness and shiftiness to be one step ahead of him. With those smaller and faster receivers, I also try to disrupt them at the line of scrimmage. I try to bully them a little bit. I try to assert my dominance on those smaller guys.
AG: I‘ve faced some pretty stiff competition in the Big 12. Not just receiver wise, but quarterback wise as well. Receiver wise, a guy like Allen Lazard comes to mind. I’ve squared off with CeeDee Lamb and Jalen Reagor. Those guys were all different but all very talented in their own right. It was fun to compete against all of those guys.
AG: You have to be willing to compete on a snap-by-snap basis. You also have to have a short-term memory to play this position. You can’t beat yourself up if something doesn’t go your way. You gotta pick yourself up and get ready to compete on the next snap. Lastly, you have to be a film junkie.
AG: Chuba is the type of running back that has the ability to see a tiny hole and punish you for it. He’ll see one cut and he’s gone. He has the ability to beat you to the edge as well. That’s the thing with Chuba. We knew he was coming to compete every day. He always gives it his all. You gotta be on your P’s and Q’s at every practice. Practicing against him, of course we couldn’t really hit him because we’re all trying to stay healthy. We still got to compete against him and we had to learn how to stay low and maintain your leverage.
AG: I feel like with whichever team that I’m blessed to go to, I’ll make a significant impact on the back-end of their defense. With my size and speed, I have the ability to match up with bigger and smaller receivers alike. I feel like I’m gonna provide a great boost to whichever team decides to take a chance on me.
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Previewing Monday’s Oklahoma State Cowboys at Kansas Jayhawks betting odds and lines, with college basketball betting picks.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys (14-13, 4-10 Big 12) hit the road to tangle with the Kansas Jayhawks (24-3, 13-1 Big 12) at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan., at 9 p.m. ET Monday. We analyze the Oklahoma State-Kansas odds and betting lines, while providing college basketball betting tips and advice on this matchup.
The Jayhawks were ranked 3rd in last week’s USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll and are expected to be No. 1 when the new poll is released later Monday.
1. The Cowboys are flying high after drumming in-state rival Oklahoma Saturday by an 83-66 score as 1 1/2-point favorites.
2. Kansas won the first meeting 65-50 in Stillwater, Okla., covering a 7 1/2-point spread as the Under (137) comfortably cashed.
3. The Jayhawks have won 12 straight games dating back to Jan. 11. They’re 9-3 ATS during the impressive span, including 5-0 ATS across the past five outings.
Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 11 a.m. ET.
Kansas 73, Oklahoma State 61
AVOID. Yes, Kansas (-1667) should keep the good times rolling, but there is no way to justify laying almost 17 times your return on investment. My personal limit is the -170 to -180 range, so this is way too much bother for such a small return.
New to sports betting? One must wager $16.67 just to profit $1 for Kansas to win. Whereas, Oklahoma State (+900) offers a 9-to-1 payoff, but that isn’t happening.
OKLAHOMA STATE (+15, -110) is coming in on a high note after blasting Oklahoma. Kansas (-15, -110) is also coming off a big win, beating then-No. 1 Baylor 64-61 on the road Saturday. However, you can expect a bit of a drop-off in intensity and emotion against a much less challenging opponent.
The lean in this one is to the UNDER 134.5 (-110), although I don’t have a strong opinion one way or the other. The Under has hit in the past two road games for the Cowboys, and easily cashed in the first head-to-head meeting, too. The Over is 5-1 in the past six home games for Kansas, so the trends are all over the place. The best play here is to AVOID, or go lightly on Under.
Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.
Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
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Limping into Gallagher-Iba Arena, Oklahoma heads back to Norman, Okla., with a black eye.
Limping into Gallagher-Iba Arena, Oklahoma heads back to Norman, Okla., with a black eye.
The Sooners had their backs against the wall following two losses to projected one-seeds Kansas and Baylor over the past week. With no games coming easy in the Big 12, Oklahoma laid an egg against bitter rival Oklahoma State.
The Sooners got out to a hot start, leading the Cowboys by 10 with 11:34 remaining in the first half. From there, the Sooners were in for a world of hurt while surrounded by ‘America’s brightest orange’.
After shooting over 50% to start, Oklahoma could not buy a basket slipping all the way down to 38% shooting when the final buzzer sounded.
Despite being down by just six points at the half, the body language of Oklahoma’s veterans Brady Manek and Kristian Doolittle set the tone as to where the game was going to go for the final 20 minutes.
“Brady’s been here before,” Lon Kruger told reporters postgame. “He knows he’s gotta bounce back and get his head up and keep working to make shots.”
Doolittle took a shot to the face while battling for a rebound and was unable to compose himself to keep pushing following the accidental contact. Kruger feels confident that the duo can help reset the tone moving forward saying that “they’re veteran guys that know that there’s four left… but it’s one loss and we gotta bounce back and play the next four.”
The Sooners’ fortunes looked as if it would change just as Oklahoma State had them on the ropes in the early stages of the second half when Austin Reaves took over offensively.
Reaves came out of the locker room like a bat out of hell as he attacked the Cowboys defense in the paint. With no regard for his body, Reaves nearly single-handedly got the Sooners into the double-bonus with 12:40 to go in the second half.
“As a player, (you) do what you can do to see your team get momentum and move forward and just try to do what you can do to win,” Reaves said postgame.
His effort never wavered even when the game was well decided as the Cowboys pulled away late. His performance against Oklahoma State is something he attributes to his parents.
“It was just how I was raised,” Reaves said. “My parents wouldn’t let me quit on a game if we were down, even if were up. You just play to the last buzzer.”
Reaves’ play in the second half helped cut the Sooners’ deficit to six, something coach Kruger largely attributed to him.
Oklahoma will look to pick themselves up off the canvas following their three-game skid as they play host to Texas Tech on Tuesday in Oklahoma City at Chesapeake Energy Arena at 8p.m. on ESPN2.
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Oklahoma (16-11, 6-8) lost its third consecutive game for the first time all season, giving Oklahoma State (14-3, 4-10)…
Oklahoma (16-11, 6-8) lost its third consecutive game for the first time all season, giving Oklahoma State (14-3, 4-10) its fourth Big 12 win of the season.
The Sooners lost 83-66 on the road at their in-state rival.
Here are three takeaways from the game.
Simply put, Oklahoma forgot how to play basketball. The Sooners were sloppy from the 10-minute mark of the first half to the final buzzer. After a hot start and holding a 10-point lead in the first half, Oklahoma fell apart under the raucous crowd inside Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Lack of attention on defense, cheap fouls, poor shot selection… the list goes on and on. The Sooners simply got ran off the court in Stillwater, Okla.
Just when the Sooners needed him most, Austin Reaves became the hero Oklahoma did not want but needed. With the Sooners on the canvas, Reaves took it upon himself to nearly single-handedly put Oklahoma in the double-bonus.
Putting the team on his back, Reaves did about everything he could to get the Sooners in the game.
Brady Manek was M.I.A. against the Cowboys. Manek was one of eight from the floor and was scoreless from behind the arc. Despite scoring a career-high against the Pokes in Norman, Manek could not get anything to go tonight. Having the Sooners go the way Manek goes has its upside, but today was the lowest of lows.
Oklahoma looks to rebound from three straight losses on Tuesday when they faceoff against Texas Tech in Oklahoma City.
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