Oklahoma vs. Baylor Betting Odds has Bears a -14.5 Favorite
Carrie Stroup here with your Oklahoma vs. Baylor betting odds for Thursday Night Football. Remember to claim your FREE $100 here at Sportsbook.com and start betting on this game LIVE – EVERY PLAY right up to the final second.
Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Baylor -14.5 & 74
Opening Line & Total: Bears -14 & 73
One of the biggest games in school history takes place on Thursday night as No. 5 Baylor hosts Big 12 rival, No. 12 Oklahoma in Waco.
Last season, the Bears played spoiler as they upset then-No. 1 Kansas State. This season, they are the team with national title aspirations, and will be looking to avenge last season’s 42-34 loss in Norman. While they were unable to get the victory, they had success running the ball, gaining 252 yards on the ground. However, that offense is not near as electric as this season’s team is, and this game is also in Waco where Baylor is 16-2 ATS at home over the past three seasons. Art Briles has completely turned the program around, and a win over Bob Stoops and Oklahoma would go a long way in cementing their place as legitimate national title contenders. However, the Sooners are playing for a lot as well, as a win here puts them right back into the Big 12 title race. OU quarterback Blake Bell has had his ups and downs, but he can still be very good running the ball. In the victory over Baylor last season, Bell scored the winning touchdown by running 55 yards to the end zone. However, he must have a big game throwing the ball too, because the Sooners are going to have to score a ton to keep up with the Bears who lead the nation in both scoring (63.9 PPG) and total offense (718 YPG). For the Sooners to stay in this game, they are going to have to dominate the time of possession with one of the best rushing attacks in the country.
The Sooners enter Thursday night’s game ranked 14th in the country in rushing, with 234 yards per game. They are the prime example of running back by committee, with four players having rushed for at least 235 yards. Brennan Clay (90 carries, 538 yards, 3 TD) is the leader of the bunch, and is a strong running back that is very patient when hitting the hole. If Oklahoma is going to be able to run the ball, then the playmakers on the outside will have a chance to make big gains all night. One of those guys to look out for is Jalen Saunders (35 catches, 431 yards, 5 TD), who is quickly becoming QB Blake Bell’s go-to receiver, and he is coming off an outstanding performance in the Sooners most recent game, a 38-30 victory against Texas Tech two weeks ago. In that game, Saunders had 153 yards and two touchdowns, providing the big plays that his team needs in order to keep up with Baylor. Sterling Shepard (33 catches, 391 yards, 5 TD) is another guy that has the ability to attack the Baylor defense deep. While the offense is going to have to score some points, the defense is going to have to make some plays too. The Sooners rank 14th in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 18.8 points per game. However, they have not been challenged by an offense like this. Aaron Colvin is an outstanding cornerback, and he is going to be a key in slowing down the Bears' great passing attack. He is also very good against the run, and will be used all over the field. The Sooners defense must play well, because if they don’t, the Bears could turn this game into a rout early.
The Bears offense enters the game ranking first in the country in scoring (63.9 PPG) and passing (417.3 YPG), but they also rank seventh in rushing with 301.1 YPG. What Baylor is doing on offense right now is downright scary. Quarterback Bryce Petty is emerging as a legitimate Heisman trophy candidate, throwing for 2,453 yards and 18 touchdowns, while throwing only one interception. Petty has one of the strongest arms in the country, and has the ability to go deep to receivers Antwan Goodley (38 catches, 894 yards, 8 TD) and Tevin Reese (33 catches, 824 yards, 8 TD) Both of these receivers have elite speed that can take it the distance every time they touch the ball, forcing the safeties to stay back and make sure they don’t get beat deep. This opens up running lanes for Lache Seastrunk, who is one of the elite running backs in all of the country. On the season, he has rushed for 869 yards and 11 touchdowns, on a staggering 9.1 yards per carry. Seastrunk in the offseason was very confident in his team’s ability, and so far he has more than backed up his talk. While the offense gets most of the credit for their incredible production, the defense is quietly putting together an incredible season. The Bears rank 6th in the country in scoring defense, giving up a mere 15.9 points per game. The defense started to show improvements late in last season, and have continued throughout the 2013 campaign. Senior Ahmad Dixon has played very well all season, and is one of the leaders on the Bears defense. He currently has 40 tackles on the year, and is a factor in both the run and the pass. Waco will be rocking like never before on Thursday night, and the key will be whether the Bears can handle the atmosphere in a positive way, or if they come out too emotional and make mistakes.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
