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The Oklahoma State vs. Texas Tech line allows plenty of room for the Red Raiders to cover at home. This one was coming in at -20 in favor of the road team Oklahoma State. You can get this game at Sportsbook.com here.
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: OSU -17 & 78.5
Opening Line & Total: Cowboys -19 & 78.5
No. 2 Oklahoma State tries to keep its perfect season intact when it travels to Lubbock, TX to take on the slumping Red Raiders.
Oklahoma State survived a scare last week with a late win over Kansas State, but Texas Tech getting outscored 93-27 during two straight losses is much more scary for bettors. The Cowboys posted their fifth 50-point game last week as QB Brandon Weeden threw for 502 yards against KSU. The Red Raiders are the only team to have beaten Oklahoma this year, but they have also dropped four of their past five games, including three at home. TTU is 7-1 SU (6-1-1 ATS) in the past eight home meetings with Oklahoma State, but the Cowboys beat them 34-17 in Lubbock last year and are averaging more than 50 points per game with 557 total YPG in 2011. They have been unfazed in opposing stadiums, going 9-0 ATS on the road in the past two seasons and winning their four road games this year (Tulsa, Texas A&M, Texas and Missouri) by an average of 15.0 PPG.
With last week’s performance, Weeden upped his numbers to 343 passing YPG, 18 TD and 3 INT in six Big 12 games this season. He lit up the Red Raiders for 356 yards last year, but only threw one touchdown with two picks. Star WR Justin Blackmon caught that TD pass, and also grabbed nine other passes for a total of 207 yards. And in the past two games, Blackmon has a ridiculous 26 catches for 377 yards and 4 TD. But the Cowboys have proven they can also run the football. Sophomore RB Joseph Randle has 915 rushing yards (6.1 YPC) with a whopping 20 total touchdowns, finding the end zone 11 times in the past three weeks alone. Randle also had his best game of his freshman season in Lubbock last year, gaining 139 total yards and a touchdown.
The Cowboys defense continues to get shredded on a weekly basis, surrendering 461 total YPG (110th in nation) and allowing 24+ points in seven straight games. However, they have the best turnover margin in the country (+1.9 per game), thanks to the defense racking up 28 takeaways in the past seven contests.
Texas Tech QB Seth Doege has 369 pass YPG, 13 TD and 6 INT in conference play, but most of his numbers last week at Texas (40-of-55, 381 yds, 2 TD, 0 INT) occurred after the game was no longer in doubt. One reason he has been struggling is the loss of top RB Eric Stephens who was injured in the loss to Texas A&M that began the team’s 1-4 slide. Stephens averaged 114 rushing YPG on 5.2 YPC, and TTU is averaging 92 rushing YPG on 2.9 yards per carry in four games without him.
The Red Raiders gave up 439 rushing yards to Texas last week and are now the nation’s third-worst run defense at 249.4 rushing YPG allowed. They are also fourth-to-last among FBS teams in sacks (1.2 per game) and have surrendered 43.4 PPG in their past five contests.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
