Oklahoma College Football CFP Betting Odds

Lincoln Riley is 2-2 when it comes to coaching Heisman Trophy winners and future No. 1 picks. Baker Mayfield was Riley’s first great quarterback, lighting up scoreboards on his way to winning the 2017 Heisman Trophy and was the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Kyler Murray followed in his footsteps last season, and now Jalen Hurts is looking to make it three in a row. He has little chance of being the first pick in the draft per NFL Draft odds, but he has the third shortest Heisman Trophy odds.

Odds to Win College Football Playoffs
Oklahoma +1000

Oklahoma is no stranger to the College Football Playoff, but the Sooners are hoping the third time is a charm in terms of getting their first win. They lost in a shootout to Georgia at the Rose Bowl in 2017, and they couldn’t stop Alabama in the Rose Bowl last year. The Sooners gave up 99 points in those two losses, so it’s clear where they need to improve.

Offensive Outlook

Hurts was the most coveted transfer in modern college football history at the end of last year. He was 26-2 in two seasons as a starting quarterback at Alabama, and successful talents like him just don’t come available in the transfer portal.

It will be interesting to see how Riley decides to use Hurts’ skillset. Hurts is not a prolific passer in the mold of Mayfield or Murray, as he surpassed 200 passing yards in a game just seven times at Alabama, and he had only one 300-yard game in three seasons in Tuscaloosa.

He will certainly throw the ball more than he did with the Crimson Tide, but Riley will be sure to utilize Hurts’ legs too. Hurts averaged over five yards per carry on nearly 400 carries in his first three seasons, and his mobility gives Oklahoma a lot of options in the red zone. He is projected to run for over 1,000 yards per player props betting odds.

The Sooners have some excellent running backs in Kennedy Brooks and Trey Sermon. The two combined to run for over 2,000 yards and 25 touchdowns last year with Brooks averaging an incredible 8.9 yards per carry, but the ground game might not be as productive this season.

This offensive line is very inexperienced. All five projected starters are underclassmen, and the only returning starter from last year is center Creed Humphrey. That is something to watch and keep in the back of your head if Oklahoma struggles early.

Defensive Outlook

While the offense is probably set to take at least a small step back, the defense should really improve under new defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. Grinch made a name for himself by turning Washington State’s perennially bad defense into a very good unit, and Riley hiring him to replace Mike Stoops is a huge upgrade.

The defense returns nine starters from last season, so Grinch has at a lot at his disposal. However, the pass rush was unable to bring a lot of pressure and the pass defense ranked dead last in the nation in 2018.

Kenneth Murray is a tackling machine and is the leader of the defense at middle linebacker. There could be a lot of moving pieces as Grinch tinkers to find the right fit, but Murray will be the lynchpin.

Two weeks ago, the defense took a hit when it was announced that experienced defensive back Tre Norwood would be lost for the season due to an ankle injury.

Schedule

Oklahoma has a very manageable non-conference schedule, and the Sooners are heavy favorites by the college football betting odds in their games against Houston, South Dakota, and UCLA. They won’t face a test until the Red River Showdown, and they don’t play difficult opponents in back-to-back weeks all season.

Season Projection

The Sooners should have no trouble winning the Big 12 again. Oklahoma is clearly the best team in the conference, as both Texas and Iowa State are simply a tier below. Hurts should put up incredible numbers in this offense, and Grinch will make sure the defense is better.

The question is whether or not Oklahoma can beat the better teams in the country. The Sooners just don’t have the same amount of talent that you see at Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State, and they would likely be an underdog in both playoff games. There is good value in Oklahoma to make the College Football Playoff at +200, but winning it is another story.

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