Apparently, nobody in the Big 12 wants to play the Sooners, who are one victory away from a perfect record in Big 12 play following their statement 56-28 thrashing of West Virginia two Saturdays ago. And word in the conference is that nobody wants to play the Cowboys either, going by their turnaround season that has seen them go from a 2-2 start to one more victory away from a Big 12 title. And to prove their credentials, the Cowboys stormed past the Horned Frogs in a 31-6 win at TCU in their last outing; a road victory that came after the Frogs had looked indomitable in a 62-22 thumping of Baylor. But as fate has it, the Oklahoma Sooners (9-2, streaking on 8 wins) and the Oklahoma State Cowboys (9-2, streaking on 7 wins) will be meeting at Norman in arguably the biggest game of college football week 14, as the two square it out for the all-important Big 12 championship. Read on as below for a brief college football betting preview of this crucial showdown.
Oklahoma State vs Oklahoma Big 12 Championship Odds & Betting Pick
Where: Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, OK
When: Saturday, December 03, 12:30 PM ET
TV: Fox
Radio: Oklahoma State / OklahomaStream Option: Sooner Sports
NCAA Football Lines: Oklahoma (-11), OVER/UNDER 77.5
Why Bet on Oklahoma State?
While Baker Mayfield has been getting most of the hype in the Big 12 as the best quarterback, Oklahoma State’s signal-caller Mason Rudolph has been silently having a solid year, throwing 25 touchdown passes against just four picks, with the likes of James Washington and Jalen McCleskey being the main beneficiaries of his passes. Having the dependable running back tandem of Chris Carson and Justice Hill, along with an improving defense (which has held three of the last five opponents to 20 or fewer points), has also helped the Cowboys a great deal. For the most part, though, the Cowboys can only go as far as Rudolph takes them, so the onus will be on the QB to have a strong game in leading his team against the uber-talented Sooners.
Why Bet on Oklahoma?
With 35 touchdown passes against 8 interceptions, Mayfield doesn’t need much of an introduction as one of the best arms in the game. In fact, his combination with star wide receiver Dede Westbrook has arguably been the most lethal QB-WR combo in the nation. Mayfield, Westbrook an OU’s aerial game has, however, been just one part of the high-powered Oklahoma offense that boasts of two of the most dynamic running backs in the nation Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon; a key reason why the Sooners have been torching opponents all season to the tune of 45.2 points per game (second-best in the nation). Defensively, the Sooners have generally struggled when facing equally talented offenses, but the fact that they have allowed a little under 20 points per game in their last four outings should be a reason for hope as they seek to contain Rudolph and his gang this weekend.
Betting Predictions and Picks
In the previous edition of this Bedlam Series, the Sooners came on top, and dominantly so with a 58-23 victory in Bedlam. And from the current look of things, this year’s edition shouldn’t be much different. Both teams have solid offensive units– with OU ranking #2 in points scored, #10 in passing yards and #25 in rushing yards per game while OSU ranks #14 in points scored, #6 in passing yards and #79 in rushing yards per game—but the Sooners look to have an edge on the account of their superior battle-tested backfield. In addition, the Sooners will be getting this tilt at home, which should favor them, considering they are 10-1 SU in their last 11 games at home.
Rudolph and the Cowboys are certainly capable of holding their own and keeping things decent, but with OU still harboring darkhorse playoff hopes, we expect the Sooners—who are 11-2 SU in their last 13 overall vs. Oklahoma State and 8-3 ATS in their last 11 meetings against the OSU—to outplay Oklahoma State for a big win plus cover.
Final Score Prediction: Oklahoma 45, Oklahoma State 30
Writer’s NCAA Football Pick: Oklahoma (-11)
