One of the premier out-of-conference match-ups will happen early in the season between two teams that are the favorites to win their conferences. The Ohio State Buckeyes are slight favorites to win the Big Ten despite losing most of their starters from last season, while the Oklahoma Sooners are massive favorites to win the Big 12. These two teams have met only twice before with each team winning one game.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Ohio State Buckeyes +4.5
Oklahoma Sooners -4.5
ODDS ANALYSIS
The Sooners are the favorites coming into this one and have been great in non-conference play over the last few seasons against teams not named Clemson. Oklahoma has knocked off Tennessee twice as well as Notre Dame and Alabama during that timeframe, providing big wins for the conference. Ohio State has had the same issues with Clemson, but won the national title two years ago and trounced Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl last year. Whichever team wins this match-up should have an early leg up to make the College Football Playoff.
WHO TO WATCH
There’s no question who is running Ohio State’s offense this year. After splitting a lot of the work with Cardale Jones in 2015, the team belongs to JT Barrett now. Barrett was the star of the 2014 team that ended up winning the national championship before suffering a fractured ankle in Ohio State’s win over Michigan in the Big Game and had to cheer from the sidelines as Jones led the team. He doesn’t have the same passing prowess that made Jones did, but is one of the best running quarterbacks around. Barrett has run for over 1600 yards in two seasons in Columbus and could pick up 1000 yards this season if he stays healthy.
Raekwon McMillan is one of the few returning starters on a defense that lost more than any unit in the nation and will be asked to take on a leadership role in 2016. McMillan was a First Team All-Big Ten selection last season and was somewhat underrated on a team with so much NFL talent. He’s a tackling machine that can fill gaps as well as any inside linebacker in the country and will be the man the Buckeyes look to in order to stop Oklahoma’s running game.
The Sooners should be one of the most talented offenses in the country with a quarterback/running back combo that’s second to none. Baker Mayfield lit up the skies last season, topping the 300-yard mark six times and throwing more than five teams as many touchdowns as he did interceptions. He was assisted by a great running back duo in Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon that combined to reach the end zone 28 times last season.
With Eric Striker gone, the Sooners need another linebacker to make plays this season. Jordan Evans will be the man in the middle on this unit and is the leading returning tackler from 2015. Evans is the only returning starting linebacker from last season and will be the gel of the unit early in the season.
LIVE BETTING
The Sooners were a perfect 6-0 at home last season and 4-2 against the number, while the Buckeyes trounced Michigan in the only played they played as an underdog in 2015. Both teams have veteran signal callers but while Oklahoma has a lot of veteran players, Ohio State is very young and may make some mistakes.
QUICK PICK
If this game was played later in the season, Ohio State would have more of a chance, but the Sooners are proven and playing at home and thus the pick to win here.
College Football Odds: Oklahoma 27, Ohio State 20
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