Oklahoma-Kansas: Our Picks

John Hoover

If Dillon Gabriel doesn’t play, anticipate Jeff Lebby to attempt a number of wildcat stuff once more, and it would work to an extent in opposition to a tender Kansas protection. However it additionally prevents the Sooners from throwing the soccer — and no crew in 2022, outdoors of the service academies, can do this with any sustained success. Gabriel is the important thing. If he does play, Oklahoma can and possibly will win this recreation. The Sooners had been put in as a 7-point favourite by Las Vegas oddsmakers, they usually had been wager as much as a 9-point favourite as of Thursday evening. That’s a curious line, however it means one thing. The Oklahoma protection might be taxed by a proficient, dynamic and explosive KU offense. However enhancements are on the way in which. Count on extra of the four-man defensive entrance, and fewer of the three-man. Count on improved linebacker play to contribute to slowing down the Kansas floor recreation. And the secondary — even with Billy Bowman out, Woodi Washington at security and D.J. Graham at huge receiver — can’t presumably be worse. Can it?

Remaining rating: Oklahoma 44, Kansas 40

Ryan Chapman

The Sooners seem like getting beginning quarterback Dillon Gabriel again this week, and the offense ought to get a jolt consequently. Even when Gabriel was misfiring in Fort Price, the Oklahoma offense at the least moved the soccer. On the opposite aspect of the ball, OU’s protection is staring down the barrel of a foul matchup. Kansas is averaging 215.2 yards per recreation on the bottom this season, and may have no concern operating straight at a Brent Venables protection that has allowed 310.6 speeding yards per recreation over the previous three weeks. Backup quarterback Jason Bean is a proficient runner, and it’ll be robust sledding for the Sooners to place the brakes on an environment friendly speeding assault this weekend.

Remaining rating: Kansas 34, Oklahoma 31

Josh Callaway

Oklahoma is a special crew when Dillon Gabriel performs. Assuming the Sooners’ QB1 is again into the fold, the expectation needs to be that Jeff Lebby’s offense finds at the least some semblance of a groove once more. Within the 4 video games that Gabriel began and completed, Oklahoma averaged over 40 factors per recreation. Whereas it might really feel like eternally in the past, the fact is that the Sooners have a legitimately good offense when Gabriel is underneath heart. That being stated, Gabriel is not going to magically repair all the crew’s issues. Having him again will definitely present some reduction for an OU protection that has performed very poorly the previous few weeks, however it is not the magic wand to make issues higher robotically, both. Kansas’ Jason Bean can sling it across the yard, and there is not a lot cause to assume he will not have success on Saturday if the Sooners cannot discover a solution to muster a move rush that has utterly evaded them the previous few weeks. However, in the long run, the return of Gabriel helps the Oklahoma offense do sufficient to outlive the Jayhawks at residence and get again within the win column on homecoming.

Remaining rating: Oklahoma 38, Kansas 34

Ross Lovelace

The Sooners are determined and this has became an enormous recreation. If Oklahoma loses on Saturday, a bowl recreation begins to get murky. If Dillon Gabriel returns, the Sooners’ offense must be in a lot better form than in opposition to Texas. Although Gabriel missed fairly just a few throws early in opposition to TCU, he’s clearly the best choice Oklahoma has and is able to creating massive performs. Kansas’ beginning quarterback Jalon Daniels was injured final week and appears to be trending in the direction of out this week. Although Jason Bean is a gamer, Daniels is likely one of the most proficient quarterbacks the Jayhawks have had in a really very long time. The Kansas offense remains to be a drive to be reckoned with, although, and a 5-1 file could be very spectacular. If the Sooners can transfer the ball and get the group into it, they’ll have an excellent probability.

Remaining rating: Oklahoma 34, Kansas 31