Saturday night brings us a Bedlam Series battle between #14 Oklahoma State and #18 Oklahoma.
The two ranked Big 12 teams face off in Norman at 7:30 PM for the 115th meeting between the two schools.
Oklahoma has won the last five meetings, and are currently 7-point favorites at home.
Oklahoma State: Solid Units on Both Sides
The Cowboys come into this one at 5-1. They squeaked by Kansas State in their most recent game, winning 20-18. The week prior saw the team’s lone loss, against Texas, 41-34 in overtime.
Sophomore Spencer Sanders has been leading the Cowboys offense, starting the last three games at quarterback. He’s completing nearly 70% of his passes for a total of 766 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s tacked on an additional 100 yards on the ground and another score.
The offense as a whole has played solid, scoring an average of 28 points per game.
Receiver Tylan Wallace has been in a league of his own, accounting for 588 yards and five touchdowns in just six games. His yardage output accounts for 44% of the team’s total receiving yards, and his matchup against an Oklahoma defense allowing 239.6 passing yards per game will be one to keep an eye on.
The defense has held opponents to just 17.8 points per game, although they’ve let up 142.2 yards per game on the ground. The pass defense has been stingy, led by safeties Kolby Harvell-Peel (two interceptions), Tanner McCalister (three passes deflected) and Tre Sterling (two passes deflected, one interception).
Oklahoma: Offensive Explosion
The Sooners are 5-2 on the year, winners of four straight contests. The Oklahoma offense has scored a whopping 62 points in back-to-back games. Two weeks ago it was a 62-28 win over Texas Tech, and their most recent was a 62-9 thrashing of Kansas.
Spencer Rattler leads the Sooners offense at quarterback, throwing for over 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns on the year, along with three more scores with his feet.
Rattler distributes the ball well through the air, three receivers have over 25 receptions and another three have each eclipsed three touchdowns. Marvin Mims leads the way with 418 yards and seven touchdowns.
Oklahoma has a strong three-headed rushing attack, with all runners finding success. TJ Pledger has 393 yards and five touchdowns, Seth McGowan has 428 total yards and three touchdowns, and Rhamondre Stevenson averages eight yards a carry and has scored five times.
This rushing attack against an exploitable Cowboys rush defense will be a key in winning and covering the -7 spread.
The pick
The Sooners are explosive throughout the offense, evidenced by their 46.1 points per game and 515 yards per game averages. While Oklahoma State has had strong defensive showings in recent games, the Sooners are in a class above the rest.
Couple the Sooners firepower with the fact that the Oklahoma program has had Oklahoma State’s number in the Bedlam Series of late, and I’ll be taking the home-team Sooners to win and cover.
Tylan Wallace should have opportunities to make plays against a vulnerable Oklahoma secondary, helping the cause for another high-scoring affair between these two in-state rivals.
The pick: Oklahoma -7, Over 59.5
