Betting Preview: Oklahoma Sooners vs Texas Longhorns

The historic Cotton Bowl in Dallas will be the setting for Saturday’s marquee Big 12 matchup between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns. And fans should be treated to some major offensive fireworks, with the Sooners and Longhorns both averaging over 40 points per game coming into this one.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

This game opened with the Sooners favored by either 9.5 or 10 points depending on where you look. Barring something dramatic, it’ll mark the seventh consecutive year in which Oklahoma will be favored by at least a touchdown against Texas.

Oklahoma News & Notes

What is it about the Sooners and difference-making quarterbacks? Two years ago, it was Baker Mayfield; last year, it was Kyler Murray. The latest edition: Jalen Hurts, who has been absolutely sensational while throwing for 1,521 yards and 14 touchdowns and adding 499 yards and seven scores on the ground through the first five games.

So does Oklahoma have a weakness? Sure – and while it might seem like a small one, it could decide Saturday’s game. The Sooners come in having averaged a ridiculous 91.2 penalty yards per game, the third-highest total in the FBS. Their 12.6 yards per penalty ranks dead last, and they draw just 58.2 penalty yards per game on average.

Texas News & Notes

Sam Ehlinger might not generate the same buzz as his Oklahoma counterpart, but the Texas quarterback has been terrific in his own right this season. Ehlinger threw for 211 yards and two scores while adding 45 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns in last week’s 42-31 win over host West Virginia, and he has averaged four total TDs per game in 2019.

But the Longhorns are susceptible to the pass – and that could be their undoing against an Oklahoma offense that averages 355 yards per game through the air. Texas has surrendered an average of 325 passing yards per contest, a major reason why they’ve already surrendered 30 or more points three times in their first five games (4-1 O/U).

Betting Pick: Sooners ATS

Few teams can hang with Hurts and the rest of the Oklahoma offense – and with this Texas defensive unit getting obliterated through the air, Oklahoma is a strong pick to cover at the Cotton Bowl.