College Football Betting: Houston at Oklahoma

By BetOnline August 29, 2019

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The Oklahoma Sooners enter 2019 hoping that Alabama transfer quarterback Jalen Hurts can serve as a suitable replacement for Heisman Trophy winner/top NFL draft pick Kyler Murray. That remains to be seen but the Sooners definitely don’t have an ‘easy out’ in their opening game of the season. Houston is in the midst of transition with new head coach Dana Holgorsen bringing back only 12 returning starters. That’s the bad news–now the good news: the starters include 3 offensive linemen, preseason first team AAC QB D’Eriq King and first team AAC wide receiver Marquez Stevenson.

HOUSTON AT OKLAHOMA
LINE: OKLAHOMA -22

At the start of the college football season big line moves are often seen in games featuring marquee teams. The public loves to lay big prices with elite teams like Clemson and Alabama and bet them up. That isn’t the case in this matchup as the early money has come on the underdog:

Oklahoma opened a -26 point favorite when the game was originally posted in early June but money came for Houston and the game was bet down to -21.5. There’s been a slight uptick toward Oklahoma and the current line is Sooners -22. Houston landed a serious upgrade in a head coach with Dana Holgorsen replacing Major Applewhite who reportedly spent more time in ‘battles of will’ with players and staff than he did actually coaching football. Hologorsen’s ‘Air Raid’ offense is a perfect fit for the personnel on hand and it would be hard to find a quarterback better suited to run it than D’Eriq King. Cougars have nice depth at wide receiver and a capable running back in Patrick Carr.

Oklahoma’s defense was miserable last year ranking #124 in total defense and #96 in scoring defense giving up 32.4 PPG. They were also #129 out of 130 FBS teams in passing defense allowing 291.4 yards per game. Making matters worse–the already shabby pass coverage took another hit when cornerback Tre Norwood was lost for the season. Jalen Hurts has a tough act to follow, and it feels like a lot of people don’t think he’ll live up to expectations. The public leans toward Oklahoma in this game, but the sharps felt their was value with this potentially-explosive Houston team so that’s what has moved the number. Hurts isn’t as mobile as his predecessor and will be playing behind an offensive line that lost four starters to the NFL.