The annual meeting between Texas and Oklahoma at the venerable Cotton Bowl in Dallas is one of college football’s most unique spectacles. The backdrop of the game is the State Fair of Texas, known for various fried delicacies, and the stadium is always divided between the burnt orange of Texas and the scarlet of Oklahoma. Usually, this game also matches two of the top programs in the nation, but that is not the case this year, as neither team is ranked coming into the game for the first time since 1998. Oklahoma comes in having given up 55 points to TCU on Saturday, along with 668 yards of offense. The rushing defense was particularly bad, as the Horned Frogs averaged almost nine yards per carry on 41 attempts. Starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel remains in the concussion protocol, so the Sooners have three different potential signal callers. Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers has been out since Week 2, when he sprained his shoulder against Alabama, and coach Steve Sarkisian has not announced if Ewers will return, or if Hudson Card will play again. Card was 21 of 27 for 303 yards and three scores in a defeat of West Virginia. So there is lots of chaos – and lots of mediocrity – ready to ensue in Dallas on Saturday. Check out the latest AP top 25 rankings in the sport as well as some insights that will help your online betting choices.
NCAA News: Top 25 Betting Opportunities
#1 Alabama Crimson Tide
#2 Georgia Bulldogs
#3 Ohio State Buckeyes
#4 Michigan Wolverines
#5 Clemson Tigers
#6 USC Trojans
#7 Oklahoma State Cowboys
#8 Tennessee Volunteers
#9 Ole Miss Rebels
#10 Penn State Nittany Lions
#11 Utah Utes
#12 Oregon Ducks
#13 Kentucky Wildcats
#14 N.C. State Wolfpack
#15 Wake Forest Demon Deacons
#16 BYU Cougars
#17 TCU Horned Frogs
#18 UCLA Bruins
#19 Kansas Jayhawks
#20 Kansas State Wildcats
#21 Washington Huskies
#22 Syracuse Orange
#23 Mississippi State Bulldogs
#24 Cincinnati Bearcats
#25 LSU Tigers
In the Big 12 preseason media poll, TCU was projected to come in seventh in the conference, and Kansas was projected to finish 10th (there are only 10 teams in the Big 12 right now). We see that the media is often wrong, though, as both teams are undefeated going into their game on Saturday. Kansas has not hosted a top-20 matchup in 14 years; in 2008, Kansas was ranked #19 when they hosted #8 Texas Tech. Kansas has a 5-0 record for the first time in 13 years, and the last time a head coach won his first four games at TCU, the United States was mired in the Great Depression when Francis Schmidt made his debut in 1929. The two offenses are rolling right now, as TCU ranks second in the nation in total yards (549.5) with quarterback Max Duggan. Kansas is #12 in the nation in points per game (41.6) with quarterback Jalon Daniels. Expect a lot of adrenalin to start the game, which usually means a slow start on offense until the players calm down a bit – but then get ready for a track meet.
It looked like LSU was going to crash and burn after Week 1, when they lost to Florida State in coach Brian Kelly’s debut. Since then, though, the Tigers have played well, and they could make it 3-0 in SEC play if they can upset the Tennessee Volunteers at home. The team looked star-crossed in that opener, as they made mistake after mistake before roaring back from being two touchdowns behind – only to see the extra point try blocked at the end of regulation. The LSU offense is still fairly pedestrian, which could cause problems against a Tennessee team ranked #2 in the nation in points per game (48.5). Josh Heupel’s offense runs at a quick tempo, which has been wearing opposing defenses down. In their first four games, the Volunteers have already completed 16 plays covering 30 or more yards. LSU would like B.J. Ojulari (3 ½ sacks in three games) to pressure Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker, but Hooker can run, and he also gets the ball out quickly. Since he took the starting job in Week 3 of 2021, Hooker has either thrown or run for 45 touchdowns against just two picks. The time slot could be a problem for the visiting Volunteers, as LSU is 8-0 in games that begin before noon since 2000.
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