Oklahoma Missouri Betting – Big 12 Unbeatens Meet In Prime-Time Clash
The Oklahoma Sooners and Missouri Tigers face a lot of questions as they prepare for a huge week-eight encounter. We’ll see how those questions get answered.
NCAA football betting: Oklahoma Sooners @ Missouri Tigers
Online BettingOdds: Oklahoma -3
Why To Bet On Oklahoma
The Sooners can't quite be considered a fully-formed championship-caliber team; they still need to prove that they belong at the top of the Bowl Championship Series standings. However, there are certainly signs which indicate that Oklahoma is rounding into form. OU played what was by far its most complete game of the season this past Saturday against the Iowa State Cyclones. While it's true that the Cyclones aren't an elite opponent, one must realize that Oklahoma didn't exactly flourish against other teams it was supposed to beat earlier in this 2010 season. The Sooners barely skated by Utah State at home and almost coughed up a last-minute fumble that would have allowed a shaky Texas Longhorns team to tie OU in the final minutes. Against Iowa State, however, America saw a team that looked like the vintage Sooners of old. Oklahoma didn't allow a single point to an Iowa State team that hung 52 points on the Texas Tech Red Raiders earlier in the year. OU's offense was dominant, rolling up 672 yards and, more impressively, balancing those yards very evenly: 347 came through the air and 325 came on the ground. Quarterback Landry Jones played the best game of his two-year OU career, hitting 30-of-34 passes for 334 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. If Oklahoma plays with this kind of crispness against Missouri, forget about it - the Sooners won't be stopped.
Why To Bet On Missouri
If Oklahoma's offense is rolling heading into this game, Missouri has the defense that can stop the Sooners in their tracks. Playing at home in Columbia, Missouri, the Tigers could rattle OU's offense and throw Landry Jones out of the rhythm he established against Iowa State. Missouri's defense, guided by coordinator Dave Steckel, has allowed just 22 points in its last three games combined. The Tigers have also allowed more than 13 points in only one of their first six games. This defense is extremely well schooled and is consistently blending physical interior line play with good decision making at all positions. The Tigers respond well to athletic quarterbacks, stay home on misdirection plays, and don't get beaten deep on vertical pass attempts. Oklahoma might have flourished last week, but the Sooners have not yet shown that they can be consistent at a high level. If Missouri can land the first punch in this game and shut down OU running back DeMarco Murray, it will have an excellent chance of winning this game.
How The Game Will Play Out
Oklahoma is not a proven team, but Missouri really isn't, either. Missouri was fortunate to beat San Diego State at home, and the teams Missouri has beaten would not qualify as elite. OU has been in this situation more often than Missouri has, so in a close and hard-fought game, one should give the edge to the Sooners.
Oklahoma Missouri Betting Pick: Oklahoma
