If the 3-0 West Virginia Mountaineers are going to be thrust into the national spotlight with a legitimate chance of getting into the College Football Playoff, they have their opportunity on Saturday against the No. 14 Oklahoma Sooners.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The Sooners are understandably favored in this game at -7.5, but all of a sudden, after WVU beat up Maryland last week, there is a lot of momentum in the betting world in coming out of Morgantown, which is why this is a lower number than you might have expected.
Considering the fact that these two offenses have combined for five 40+ point games offensively out of six games, it's understandable that the total is one of the higher releases of Week 5.
KEY MISMATCH
Last season, these two teams met early in the year in Morgantown, and it was a coming out party for Samaje Perine. He rushed for 242 yards and four touchdowns, breaking the record for the most rushing yards by a freshman in college football history.
Can the Mountaineers slow him down this time around? It's not likely.
West Virginia has allowed 143.5 rushing yards per game already this season, and that has come against a really bad schedule.
KEY STAT
9.7 – The number of yards per pass attempt which Baker Mayfield is averaging this year.
Oklahoma hasn't had a quarterback with this good of a start to the season since the days of Sam Bradford, and the Sooners could really benefit if they can get the ball down the field in a hurry with their passing game to open up holes with Perine and the ground game.
BETTING ANGLE
The Sooners have had a history of struggling early in the Big XII season, and that's why Bob Stoops is on a rather toasty seat at the moment.
Oklahoma is just 1-7 ATS in its last eight played October games.
It's also worth mentioning that the Sooners are 1-5 ATS in their last six games against teams with winning records.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Skyler Howard is really improving with every throw he makes for West Virginia, but we aren't buying into this team quite yet. Anyone can put up great numbers against Georgia Southern, Liberty and Maryland, and we don't think that those victories make the Mountaineers worthy of a spot in the Top 25.
Oklahoma has been far more tested this season, and Mayfield has passed all of his tests. He and Perine should be able to get this offense moving in a hurry, and we would be stunned if the Sooners didn't get into the 40s again in this one.
If Oklahoma is going to reach that 40-point plateau, we can't see a situation in which it doesn't cover this spread. It's a dangerous play, knowing that this has been the exact type of game which the Sooners have lost historically, but we are going to go against the grain and back the hosts anyway.
Oklahoma 45, West Virginia 27
The college football lines for this Saturday game surfaced at BookMaker before anywhere else on the internet. The Oklahoma Sooners opened up on Sunday at -7.5. 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 West Virginia Mountaineers and the Oklahoma Sooners will take place at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Saturday, October 3, 2015. This 12:00 p.m. ET kickoff can be seen live on FOX Sports 1.
