Oklahoma-Oklahoma State: Our Picks

John Hoover

Given the severity of huge performs the Sooners price themselves final week in Morgantown — a dropped TD cross, one other TD cross negated by an pointless penalty, a fourth-down faux punt, two missed discipline objectives — there’s no cause to assume the Sooners are going to beat Oklahoma State. Besides, that’s actually how shut OU was to not simply beating West Virginia, however beating them handily. Let’s assume Oklahoma State goes to place up yards and factors and first downs (OU is a hundred and thirtieth nationally in first downs allowed) towards one of many nation’s worst defenses. So the Oklahoma offense wants to attenuate the errors and play keep-up. Dillon Gabriel isn’t a precision thrower within the parts, and it’ll be blustery on Saturday night time. However he’s going towards the 128th-ranked cross protection in all of school soccer. Gabriel has to have the ability to produce some success towards the OSU secondary. However steadiness is essential for the OU offense. Eric Grey must get his touches — he’s been over 100 dashing yards seven occasions this season and his season dashing complete is on the cusp of getting into legend standing. Simply 200 extra yards and he’ll crack the college’s high 10. Stability would be the key for the OU offense. If Gabriel struggles together with his accuracy once more, or if the Sooner offensive line can’t transfer the sticks and put factors on the scoreboard, Oklahoma could have no likelihood. I feel that is the sport the Sooners get these issues synched up offensively.

Closing rating: Oklahoma 38, Oklahoma State 35

Ryan Chapman

Bedlam received’t arrive with its traditional luster on Saturday night time even supposing ABC picked up the sport in prime time. Accidents have robbed the Cowboys of chasing a Faculty Soccer Playoff berth and Oklahoma at 5-5 is enduring its worst season since at the very least at the very least 2009, however that might return to 1998 if the Sooners don’t win out. Spencer Sanders goes to offer it a go for OSU, and his presence ought to show to be the distinction. The Sooners proceed to wrestle towards cell quarterbacks, and OU has proven time and again towards Kansas State, Baylor and West Virginia the lack to get out of its personal manner. In every of these video games, Oklahoma dedicated loads of psychological errors and left huge performs on the sector, unable to provide profitable performs and rise to the second. The veteran Cowboys will be capable of exploit that, serving to notch this system’s second straight Bedlam win.

Closing rating: Oklahoma State 34, Oklahoma 31

Josh Callaway

Will probably be very unusual if Bedlam does in truth go by the wayside when Oklahoma goes to the SEC. Late November soccer on this state simply means these two groups get collectively, and regardless that the collection is lopsided in OU’s favor, it at all times appears like something can occur when the Sooners and Cowboys share the identical discipline. Oklahoma comes into the 2022 version a wounded animal, and Mike Gundy’s squad smells blood within the water. That is OSU’s likelihood to drop the hammer on the Sooners in Norman in a manner they have not actually carried out ever within the historical past of the collection. Oklahoma is enjoying poorly and their confidence must be severely shaken after a debacle loss towards lowly West Virginia final weekend. However, all that being stated, the emotion of this sport ought to increase the Sooners’ degree of play. This sport will greater than doubtless be aggressive and determined within the fourth quarter, with one or two performs being the large tipping factors. It’s simply laborious to think about a scenario the place Spencer Sanders, assuming he’s wholesome, would not wreak havoc on an OU protection that has had subsequent to no resistance towards quarterbacks who can escape the pocket and run. Dillon Gabriel has a bounce again outing at house, however it will not be sufficient. Oklahoma cannot get the cease when they should, and the Pokes take house Bedlam for a second straight season.

Closing rating: Oklahoma State 41, Oklahoma 34

Ross Lovelace

The Sooners are favorites in Vegas but when Spender Sanders is enjoying, like he claimed he was every week in the past, I simply can’t see it occurring. Oklahoma has struggled mightily towards working quarterbacks this season, and even injured, Sanders is without doubt one of the most gifted sign callers the Sooners have confronted. Oklahoma State’s secondary has proven cracks, so there’s no query the large performs will definitely be there, however Oklahoma’s inconsistency to attach on deep passes may loom giant. If it weren’t for accidents, the Cowboys may very properly be undefeated or have a single loss on the season, and this could all be a distinct story. Senior Night time, the final house sport of the season and Bedlam on the Palace ought to carry sufficient momentum for Oklahoma to have an opportunity on the finish.

Closing rating: Oklahoma State 38, Oklahoma 24