The No. 21 Texas Longhorns (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) will be in Stillwater to battle the 11th-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-1, 2-1) Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Texas vs. Oklahoma State odds, and make our expert college football picks and predictions.
After suffering its 1st loss of the season last week — 43-40 at TCU in double overtime — Oklahoma State returns home to battle Texas in a game which will make or break the conference championship ability for each of these teams.
Cowboys QB Spencer Sanders has been playing terrific since the 2nd half of a 37-35 Fiesta Bowl win Jan. 1 against Notre Dame. Suffering an injury in the season opener, Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers was able to return 2 weeks ago to help lead a surprising 49-0 rout at Oklahoma. In last week’s 21-17 escape against visiting Iowa State, the freshman showed why he’s considered among the best young QBs in the country. Along with star RB Bijan Robinson and WR Xavier Worthy, Texas looks like it might finally be back if not this year, in 2023.
The Oklahoma State defense has not been the top-5 unit it was last season under departed defensive coordinator Jim Knowles (now with Ohio State). But new DC Derek Mason has kept the defense in the top half of the NCAA rankings. With the offense behind Sanders reverting to the days when it was scoring to win games, the defense is good enough to win the Big 12.