In what might be one of the most bizarre non-conference battles of the entire 2015 college football season, the Oklahoma State Cowboys will open up the season on the road against the Central Michigan Chippewas on Thursday.
ODDS ANALYSIS
There was a point that Okie State was lined at -19 in this game. That didn't last long. The number had risen all the way up to -24.5 as of Monday morning, and now sits at -24.
The total is set at 54.5.
KEY MISMATCH
The Chippewas might have had the best defense in the MAC last season, but they’re going to be overmatched in this one. They’ve lost all of their linebackers from last year, and they are switching from a 4-2-5 to a more traditional 4-3 this season. The last thing you want to do when you are switching defensive formations is run up against an incredibly talented quarterback.
Mason Rudolph busted onto the scene last year for the Pokes as a redshirt freshman, leading the team to 28, 38 and 30 points in his first three games as a collegiate. Those games happened to come against Baylor and Oklahoma on the road and Washington in the Cactus Bowl.
With nine of the 10 top pass catchers coming back from last year's team and much of the Mike Gundy offense revolving around the short to medium passing game, there's going to be a lot of pressure on the new CMU linebackers to diagnose plays correctly right off the bat in a brand new defensive scheme.
KEY STAT
32.8 – Oklahoma State's third down conversion percentage last year, which ranked No. 117 in the nation. One has to figure that that will improve this season, and if that turns out to be the case, the offensive production should rise dramatically.
BETTING ANGLE
The Chippewas are just 2-7 ATS in their last nine games played outside of the MAC, including going just 1-3 ATS against power conference foes the last two seasons combined.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Central Michigan is bringing back a nice core of players as well, led by Cooper Rush, who threw for seven touchdowns in a wacky Bahamas Bowl last season. That said, with Dan Enos leaving the program, there are a lot of questions whether this is anywhere near a bowl team.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma State is the team du jour right now in the Big XII, almost like what happened with TCU last season. Now, we're not suggesting that the Cowboys are going to run the table here and reach the College Football Playoff, but a game against a Central Michigan team which many figure to fall into the back of the MAC this year shouldn't be all that difficult.
We hate laying big numbers like this on the road under any circumstance, particularly the opening game of the season, but this just seems like too good of a call to pass up on when it comes to playing the Cowboys at anything less than -30.
Oklahoma State 42, Central Michigan 10
The college football lines for this Thursday game surfaced at BookMaker before anywhere else on the internet. The Oklahoma State Cowboys are favored at -19.5 alongside a total of 54.5. Gamble on the game between every commercial break with BookMaker's live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen on the next play or how many points will be scored in the next quarter. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The duel between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Central Michigan Chippewas will take place at Kelly/Shorts Stadium on Thursday, September 3, 2015. This 7:00 p.m. ET kickoff can be seen live on ESPNU.
