3 Underdogs That Can Win the Big 12 in 2023

Through the past and present, Big 12 football has become known for its polarity.

Before founding member Colorado returns in 2024, the Big 12 is already hosting four new teams in 2023: welcome to the party, BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF!

With this season's expansion, that will make for a total of six teams that have never won a football conference title here, while Oklahoma has earned nearly 50 dating back to the days of the Big 8.

Entering 2023, Texas (+105) and those Sooners (+380) currently lead the way to win the 2023 Big 12 Conference Championship game at FanDuel Sportsbook. For the Longhorns, they are attempting to win their first conference crown in football since 2009 -- ESPN NFL analyst Sam Acho was a fierce linebacker on that team.

Still, we should definitely give teams outside of the 'Horns and Sooners some attention. After all, let us not forget that Oklahoma and Texas are both headed for the SEC next season.

We have officially gone consecutive years without Oklahoma winning the conference title, which always feels like a rarity for Big 12 football. Last year, Kansas State edged out eventual CFP finalist TCU with an overtime field goal to be named champions, while Baylor bruised up Oklahoma State in 2021.

Despite the powerhouse programs revving back up, let's highlight a few underdogs in the Big 12 that have a legitimate shot at winning the 2023 championship game at Texas' AT&T Stadium (home of the Dallas Cowboys).

Here are the Big 12 conference championship odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

*Denotes 2022 Big 12 Championship Game participant

Kansas State Wildcats

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +500

In 2022, Kansas State won its first conference football title in 10 years. With a dominant and dynamic ground game (208.3 rushing yards per game), K-State dazzled to a 7-2 record in Big 12 play. Can they follow up one of the best campaigns in school history with another trip to "Jerry's World" this December?

The Wildcats will return quarterback Will Howard after alternating between him and journeyman Adrian Martinez in 2022. Last year, Howard passed for 1,633 yards at a 59.8% clip, sporting an impressive touchdown-to-interception ratio of 15:4. Howard also used his legs to produce three additional scores. He is now going through the motions to begin the season as the starter for the first time ever.

ESPN College Football Power Index (CFPI) has the Wildcats at 9.8, which is not strikingly high but still falls within the top 30 schools in the nation.

Bill Snyder's glory days may have long passed in Manhattan, but current head coach Chris Klieman has made solid progress since taking over in 2019 -- he'll begin his fifth season at the helm by hosting Southeastern Missouri on September 2nd.

Texas Tech Red Raiders

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +1100

Unfortunately for residents of Lubbock -- and quite surprisingly -- Texas Tech football has never won the Big 12.

Beginning Big 12 membership in 1996, the Red Raiders' last conference title came in 1994 within the Southwestern Conference, the former pride of the Lone Star State featuring eight schools from Texas prior to its dissolution.

Still, it's shocking to realize that Texas Tech won zero titles through both the Mike Leach and Kliff Kingsbury eras. Even when Patrick Mahomes was the starting quarterback, their best record was merely 7-6. Fast forward to now, and head coach/native Texan Joey McGuire is back for his second season, seeking to build off an 8-5 campaign in 2022.

A favorable note for the Red Raiders this year: they are not scheduled to play Oklahoma, and they don't have the "Battle For The Chancellor's Spurs" -- Tech's annual matchup with the Longhorns -- until the regular season's final week. That should give the Red Raiders ample time to build momentum for a run into the postseason.

TCU Horned Frogs

FanDuel Sportsbook Odds: +2100

In head coach Sonny Dykes' first year at the helm for Texas Christian, he produced one of the greatest seasons in school history, tying a TCU record with 13 wins. Of course, Dykes has large shoes to fill with the outgoing Gary Patterson, who led the Horned Frogs for the last 21 campaigns.

TCU was well on its way to winning the Big 12 last year before a gutsy performance from the aforementioned Wildcats stole the show in Dallas. Quarterback and reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year Max Duggan has departed for the NFL, so they will turn to Chandler Morris to now take the snaps in Fort Worth.

The Horned Frogs (13.0) are the Big 12's next-best team after Texas (21.9) and Oklahoma (16.9) right now, according to ESPN's CFPI.

Texas Christian is currently stuck between two very high-profile games -- last season's CFP Championship shellacking at the hands of Georgia and next year's opener against Deion Sanders and Colorado on September 2nd.

Keep this in mind: with Boulder returning from the Pac-12 to the Big 12 next year, TCU will be seeing the Buffs more frequently in coming seasons. So, which way will the Frogs trend in 2023?

Longer Shots

Iowa State Cyclones +4000

Well, they have not raised a conference football banner in Ames since the year the Titanic sank. Still, with a 5.6 rating in the 2023 ESPN CFPI and a 40/1 market payout, the Cyclones don't seem like the worst option for a long shot. Head coach Matt Campbell is headed for his eighth season, and their defense has been stout despite a poor record in 2022. Iowa State allowed only 20.2 points per game last season, which was the 18th-best clip in the nation. Hey, they say that "defense wins championships."

Oklahoma State Cowboys +5000

In 2021, Oklahoma State was on the verge of winning its first Big 12 title in over 10 years, but Baylor managed to outlast the Cowboys in a physical championship contest. However, we saw Okie State regress last season, going 4-5 through conference play. Still, Mike Gundy is back for his 19th season as head coach in Stillwater, and with rival Oklahoma leaving for the SEC by next year, the Cowboys will likely play the entirety of 2023 with a massive chip on their shoulder. They always seem to play fast at Oklahoma State; are they worth the risk to win the next Big 12 title game at 50/1?

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.