Some things are simple.
Oklahoma State has won nine straight games against Texas Tech and finished ahead of the Red Raiders in the Big 12 standings every time.
Before that, the Red Raiders had a big advantage in the all-time series between the two schools, leading 21-12-3. Texas Tech was 9-4 against the Cowboys through the first 13 seasons of the Big 12 Conference. But starting in 2009, the final year of the Mike Leach era at Texas Tech, Mike Gundy's Cowboys pulled ahead of the Red Raiders.
Preseason prognosticators definitely expected that to continue this season, as do Las Vegas oddsmakers this week.