The Baylor Bears and No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners are set to go at it on the grass at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. This critical afternoon matchup is scheduled to get underway at 3:30 p.m. ET and ABC will televise the action.
Baylor Bears at Oklahoma Sooners Betting Preview
Oklahoma has been tabbed as the heavy favorite and is currently giving up 24 points to Baylor. The over/under for this matchup has not yet been released. It appears that there might be some solid live betting opportunities for this game.
The opening line was initially set at -21, but has recently shifted.
The Bears have gained 0.7 units so far in 2018 and are 2-2 against the spread (ATS). The team has recorded an O/U mark of 2-1. The Sooners are up 2.0 units for moneyline bettors this season. They’re 1-3 ATS and the over has hit in three of their games.
The Bears are 3-1 straight up (SU), including 1-0 SU against Big 12 opponents. The Sooners are 4-0 SU overall and are also 1-0 SU in conference play.
The Bears are coming off a resounding 26-7 win over Kansas last week. Charlie Brewer completed 19 passes on 27 attempts for 221 yards and three touchdowns. Brewer (57 rushing yards on 12 attempts) also led the ground attack. Josh Fleeks (five receptions, 65 yards, one TD) and Jalen Hurd (four catches, 60 yards) shared the receiving duties in the win.
Oklahoma enters this one having just earned a 28-21 win over Army West Point. Kyler Murray completed 11-of-15 passes for 165 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Trey Sermon (119 yards on 18 rush attempts) and the signal-caller Murray (71 yards on seven carries, one TD) spearheaded the running attack while CeeDee Lamb (four receptions, 22 yards, two TDs) and Grant Calcaterra (two catches, 47 yards) led the pass-catching corps in the win.
Baylor’s run the ball on 49.6 percent of its offensive possessions this year while Oklahoma has an overall rush percentage of 57.5 percent. The Bears have produced 177 rush yards/game and have eight touchdowns on the ground this year. The Sooners are averaging 214 rush yards per game and have 11 total rushing TDs.
If the results so far this season are any indication, then it’s looking like the Sooners ought to have the edge in all aspects of the ground game, as their backfield has produced 6.2 yards per carry while the defense is allowing a YPC of 3.5 to opponents. The Bears have recorded 5.1 yards per carry while allowing 5.3 YPC to opponents.
The Bears offensive scheme has averaged 310 yards through the air overall and has nine passing TDs so far. The Sooners have produced 288 pass yards per outing and have 12 total pass scores.
Baylor seems to have the upper hand when it comes to limiting the pass. The team’s let opponents rush for an average of 166 yards and pass for 182 yards per game. The Oklahoma defense has allowed 211.5 yards per game to opposing passers and 171.8 yards per game on the ground. The Bears are allowing an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of only 5.17 to opposing QBs, while the Sooners have given up a 5.98 ANY/A.
Offensively, Brewer has put up 687 passing yards on the year, and has connected on 50-of-76 attempts with six scores through the air and only one interception. Brewer has a 9.24 adjusted net yards per pass attempt overall, although that number sits at 7.71 over the last two games.
We expect Brewer to spread the ball around early and often in this one. Jalen Hurd (36 receiving yards and two touchdowns), Tyquan Thornton (72 yards, one TD) and Charlie Brewer (36 yards) have all been heavily involved recently.
For the home team, Kyler Murray has completed 39-of-59 passes for 680 yards, eight TDs and two INTs. Murray’s ANY/A sits at 12.05 for the season and 12.39 across his past two outings.
We expect the Oklahoma offense to mix it up in this one. Trey Sermon, Marquise Brown and Kyler Murray have combined to account for 534 total yards and three touchdowns as a trio over the last two games.
When these two schools faced each other a year ago, Oklahoma emerged victorious by a score of 49-41.
Free Prediction: Baylor Bears vs. Oklahoma Sooners
SU Winner – Oklahoma, ATS Winner – Baylor
Click Here to Start Betting Today!
Notes
Team Betting Notes
Baylor was favored by 8 points in its last game and the Over/Under was set at 54.5. The under cashed and Baylor covered in the 26-7 victory over Kansas.
Baylor has rushed for 4.02941176470588 yards per attempt across its last three contests and 4.5 over its last two.
Oklahoma has averaged 5.5 yards per carry over its last three games and 5.6 over its last two.
Oklahoma has lost one fumble this season while Baylor has let two get away.
Over its last three matchups, Baylor is 2-1 ATS and the over cashed in two of those three.
Oklahoma was favored by 29 points in its last game and the O/U going into it was 60. The under cashed and Oklahoma did not cover in the 28-21 triumph over Army West Point.
Over its last three contests, Oklahoma is 0-3 ATS and the over cashed in two of those three.
The Bears offense has created two pass plays of 40 yards or more, while the Sooners have accounted for six such plays.
The Baylor defense has allowed two pass plays of 40+ yards, while Oklahoma has given up four such plays.
The Baylor offense has created four rushing plays of 20+ yards, while Oklahoma has created eight such runs.
The Bears defense has allowed nine rushing plays of 20 or more yards, while the Sooners have given up two such runs.
The Oklahoma defense has sacked opposing quarterbacks nine times this season. Baylor has recorded eight sacks.
+++++
