No. 13 Oklahoma at BYU Cougars: Sooners Wire Staff Predictions
The Oklahoma Sooners go on the road for one final time in the Big 12. This trip is one they’ve never taken: Provo, Utah.
Oklahoma has only played the Cougars twice before, but never in Provo. The Sooners hope to scratch BYU from the short list of teams Oklahoma has never defeated.
The Sooners still have a lot to play for. They’ll need help, but a berth in the Big 12 title game isn’t out of the question.
The Sooners are a heavy 24.5-point favorite going into the 11 a.m. CT kick. How will the game turn out? Like we do each week during the season, the staff here at Sooners Wire provides their predictions for Oklahoma vs. BYU.
Weather a Factor?
This is a game the Oklahoma Sooners really should have no problem with. The only way it’s close is if they turn the ball over, have dumb penalties or the weather plays a major factor.
Right now, it’s supposed to be in the 40s with a slight chance of rain. BYU doesn’t have a good running attack, and it also struggles to throw the ball. Starting quarterback Kedon Slovis’ availability is still in question.
Defensively the Cougars struggle against the run and pass and have trouble creating pressure. But they are actually pretty good at forcing turnovers and in turnover margin.
I think this game will look closer on the scoreboard than it will actually be, but only because of the weather. If the weather wasn’t a factor, I’d expect Oklahoma to blow it open. But with Oklahoma’s struggles in inclement weather, and it potentially coming into play, I have the Sooners getting up big early and coasting.
Sooners 27, Cougars 10
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Run Game Continues to Hum
2009 was the last time BYU and Oklahoma played. The game was in Arlington and Heisman winner Sam Bradford watched helplessly in the second half after a big hit knocked him out the game. The Sooners lost 14-13. And it set the tone for the rest of that season: Injuries and inconsistencies ruined their season.
Oklahoma comes in feeling great after arguably its most complete performance against a Power Five opponent in a win over West Virginia. BYU has quarterback injury issues and is missing some talented defenders.
As long as Oklahoma respects its opponent and shows up from the beginning, I expect it to win by 21 or more.
Dillon Gabriel accounted for eight touchdowns against WVU, and this week he’ll toss three touchdowns, with Nic Anderson and Jalil Farooq each getting one.
The run game continues to hum, and we see two rushing touchdowns along with over 200 yards on the ground.
Defensively, the Sooners will force BYU QB Jake Retzlaff or Kedon Slovis (if he’s healthy enough, he will start) into a few mistakes, and that will provide the separation they need.
Oklahoma 42, BYU 17
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Gavin Sawchuk Game
On paper, this is a huge mismatch. But BYU is a well-coached team that plays with toughness and physicality. If the Oklahoma Sooners aren’t prepared to match the Cougars’ intensity in a road environment that’s been itching for a game of this magnitude for decades, it could be closer than one would think.
Given the early start time and the chance of inclement weather, there’s a good chance, the Oklahoma Sooners get off to a sluggish start offensively. But as the game goes along, they’ll find their footing and hit some big plays in both the run and pass game.
The Cougars are one of the worst run defenses in college football, allowing 180 rushing yards per game. They’ve allowed 285 rushing yards per game the last two weeks to West Virginia and Iowa State. Sounds like a recipe for disaster against an Oklahoma run game that’s performing the best it has all season.
Gavin Sawchuk’s recorded more than 100 yards each of the last two weeks and he’ll go over the century mark again this week in a comfortable Sooners win.
Oklahoma 38, BYU 13
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Sooners Cover the Spread
The experts over at College Sports Wire are expecting a big win for the Oklahoma Sooners. Each of the four analysts believes Oklahoma will cover the spread.
USA TODAY Sports
In their Top 25 predictions for week 12, each of the staff members at USA TODAY Sports has the Sooners beating BYU.
Longhorns Wire expects Big Win
11 a.m. games on the road are usually difficult, and going to Provo to face BYU would usually make that all the more true. Albeit, the Sooners looked like a team on a mission against the West Virginia Mountaineers. Oklahoma makes another statement. – Joey Hickey, Longhorns Wire
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