College football’s big games are becoming increasingly meaningful 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 holding and deployment actions.

That’s despite the fact that sports fans and bettors in Texas and Oklahoma cannot bet within their state lines at US Sportsbooks. But there are other options available for fans of their favorite college football teams or NCAA games. Leading offshore betting sites such as BetOnline in Panama and affiliate site SportsBetting.ag continue to take bets from sports fans in Texas, Oklahoma as well as hugely populated California and Florida.

But just as betting on this year’s polarizing political cycle and the US presidential race have become the most popular among Americans, so too has watching and betting on the annual Red River Showdown. This year’s 120th edition of the Red River Rivalry has a bigger impact on the new 12-team playoffs and the SEC football standings, with the Texas Longhorns currently ranked No. 1 in the country.

“No matter the status of either program, the Red River Rivalry always attracts a very healthy draw, not only from the die-hard fans and bettors in Texas and Oklahoma, but from across the country,” SportsBetting said. ag sportsbook manager in an email. “It is the third most betting match at this point in week 7.”

That’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 PM | ABC/ESPN+

College football odds from BetOnline and affiliated SportsBetting.ag are updated periodically and are subject to change, including props and live betting. All Eastern times and betting favorites (-) listed.

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BetOnline also offers Texas -14 (-128 odds) for more betting action on the Longhorns. That’s partly because BetOnline reports that the Oklahoma Sooners have taken the second-most number of bets behind Ohio State (-3) during Saturday’s college football games. Going into game day kickoff, the amount of money wagered on the Longhorns-Sooners game should be one of the most heavily bet games this season, along with Ohio State-Oregon.

“We opened this line back in May on Texas -9. Of course, the Longhorns have exceeded expectations, while the Sooners have been about status quo, so the numbers have shifted toward the favorite,” added BetOnline partner SportsBetting.ag.

The Longhorns rank in the top 5 in the country in yards per play, yards per game and points per game margins. Texas has one of the best offensive lines in college football in forward or returning QB Quinn Ewers (oblique injury September 14). But Oklahoma counters with a defense that has recorded 19 sacks (No. 5 in the country) led by edge rusher R Mason Thomas (5.5).

Texas has been the biggest betting favorite (-14.5) in this series since 2005, the last time the Longhorns 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 going 34-30 last season as a 5-point underdog when the Sooners entered at No. 12 and Texas was ranked No. 3 in the country.

Sooners freshman QB Michael Hawkins Jr. is originally from Dallas and is playing in his fourth game while making his second start. He’s a duel-threat speedster but will be without a number of OU’s leading receivers on the injured list. Hawkins becomes the first Oklahoma quarterback to start in the Red River Showdown as a freshman. He needs time to pass and escape with Longhorns fellow freshman edge rusher Colin Simmons leading Texas with 6 tackles for loss and 4 sacks. His 90.2 Pro Football Focus pass rushing grade 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-rated defensive tackle (87.7). The Texas Longhorns secondary is ranked No. 1 in the country according to PFF, as they lead the nation in coverage percentage and have given up just a 57.7 passer rating, the third-lowest in America.

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

You can bet on it.

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