There’s not a league in college football quite like the Big 12. On any given Saturday, the top team in the league could fall to the cellar-dweller, and it really wouldn’t be that surprising.
Some conferences claim to have depth or parity unlike anything fans will find anywhere else, but the Big 12 has the data to back up the claims.
Counting the aftermath of Week 9, we’ve seen a total of 39 conference games. In those games, betting underdogs are a combined 24-15 against the spread and an astonishing 18-21 straight up. Where else are you going to see underdogs winning games — outright — at nearly a 50% clip?
That’s not all, though.
As Big 12 Vice President of Communications & Strategy Clark Williams noted on Sunday, the Big 12 is unlike any other league in just how competitive the games are from start to finish.
It’s not just the fact that Vegas can’t seem to figure out the league hierarchy — the games are back-and-forth from the first whistle to the last.
According to Willaims, the Big 12 leads all FBS conferences with 17 lead changes in the fourth quarter of conference games this season. Additionally, the Big 12 has seen a total of 86 lead changes and ties this season, which also paces FBS leagues.
The Big 12 has always been among the most entertaining leagues in college football, but in 2024, it’s risen to an entirely new level. If you’re a college football fan and you’re not tuned into the Big 12 every weekend, you are seriously missing out.
