Red River rivalry draws big college football betting action for 2024 Texas-Oklahoma SEC showdown

College football's big games take on greater importance as the 2024 season continues through October. Week 7 features four major Top 25 matchups, including the annual Red River Rivalry in Dallas between the No. 1 Texas Longhorns and the No. 18 Oklahoma Sooners. Both teams are rested and ready for a bye week, and this SEC'Showdown' attracts large spectators and betting campaigns.

This is despite the fact that sports fans and bettors in Texas and Oklahoma cannot place bets within their borders at US sports betting. However, other options are available for fans of their favorite college football teams or all NCAA games. Leading offshore betting sites such as BetOnline in Panama and partner site SportsBetting.ag continue to accept bets from sports fans in Texas, Oklahoma and also in the heavily populated areas of California and Florida.

But just as betting on this year's polarizing political cycle and the US presidential race has become most popular among Americans, watching and betting on the annual Red River Showdown has also become most popular. This year's 120th edition of the Red River Rivalry has greater impact on the new 12-team playoff and SEC Football rankings, with the Texas Longhorns currently ranked No. 1 in the nation.

“No matter what the status of both programs, the Red River Rivalry always attracts a very good response, not only from the die-hard fans and bettors in Texas and Oklahoma, but across the country,” said SportsBetting.ag sports betting manager an E -Mail. “At this point in Week 7, it’s the third-most played game.”

That's what's behind the Big Ten battle in Eugene between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Oregon.

• No. 1 Texas (-14.5) vs. No. 18 Oklahoma (in Dallas, Texas) | 3:30 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+

College football odds from BetOnline and partner SportsBetting.ag are updated regularly and are subject to change, including in props and live betting. All times East and betting favorites (-) listed.

Betting requirements for sports betting

BetOnline also offers Texas -14 (-128 odds) and is looking for more betting options on the Longhorns. That's partly because BetOnline reports that the Oklahoma Sooners took the second-most bets in Saturday's college football games behind Ohio State (-3). By game day kickoff, the Longhorns-Sooners contest is expected to be one of the highest-stakes games this season alongside Ohio State-Oregon.

“We opened this line in Texas -9 back in May. Of course, the Longhorns exceeded expectations, while the Sooners were all about the status quo, so the number has moved towards the favorite,” adds BetOnline affiliate SportsBetting.ag.

The Longhorns are ranked in the top five in the country in yards per game, yards per game and points per game. Texas has one of the best offensive lines in college football in front of returning QB Quinn Ewers (oblique injury on September 14th). But Oklahoma counters with a defense that has registered 19 sacks (No. 5 in the country), led by edge rusher R Mason Thomas (5.5).

Texas is the biggest betting favorite (-14.5) in this series since 2005, when the Longhorns last won the national title (Vince Young was QB and Rose Bowl MVP and current North Carolina coach Mack Brown was the Longhorns' head coach) . But 9 of the last 11 Longhorns-Sooners football games have been decided by 8 points or less. Oklahoma has won four of the last five meetings, including 34-30 last season as a five-point underdog when the Sooners were ranked No. 12 and Texas was ranked No. 3 in the country.

Sooners freshman QB Michael Hawkins Jr. is a Dallas native and is playing in his fourth game while making his second start. He's a speedster with a tackle threat, but will be without a number of leading OU receivers on the injured list. Hawkins will be Oklahoma's first quarterback to start as a true freshman in the Red River Showdown. He will need time to pass and escape as Longhorns freshman edge rusher Colin Simmons leads Texas with 6 tackles for loss and 4 sacks. His pass-rushing grade of 90.2 Pro Football Focus ranks seventh nationally among all edge rushers who have played at least 20% of their team's snaps.

Simmons plays alongside senior DT Vernon Broughton, PFF's highest-graded defensive tackle (87.7). The Texas Longhorns are the No. 1 secondary in the country, according to PFF, as they lead the nation in coverage rating and have posted just a passer rating of 57.7, the third-worst in America.

Texas has a big game next Saturday in Austin against the Georgia Bulldogs. But first things first: The Longhorns will win and avoid any upset by the Sooners. The lean is still Oklahoma's way when betting on the spread, but a better game is under the game's total score of 49 points.

You can bet on it.

MORE FROM FORBES

ForbesCollege football picks, Week 7 odds and top 25 betting report including Ohio State-Oregon and Texas-OklahomaFrom Jay GinsbachForbesMLB Playoffs Divisional Series schedule, odds and betting previewFrom Jay GinsbachForbesStanley Cup odds 2024/25: Avalanche-Golden Knights open season in Las VegasFrom Jay GinsbachForbesRed River Rivalry headlines Week 7 of college footballFrom Tom Layberger