OddsShark says that the consensus is Oklahoma -13.5. Get your bets in.
Staff Predictions
Dan Swany
Straight Up (4-4): Texas Tech
Against the Spread (4-4): Texas Tech
Commentary: Screw it, the Red Raiders will win the evening match-up against the Sooners and there will be a huge party in Lubbock. Alan Bowman will return to his pre-injured form and make some spectacular throws, I tab him with 4 pass TDs. Our defense will shine bright and shut OU down to only allow a few field goal points the entire second half. Tech wins this one and we become bowl eligible after the clock expires. Wreck ‘em Tech!!!
Keith
Straight Up (5-3): Oklahoma
Against the Spread (5-3): Oklahoma
Commentary: I just don’t have the confidence in the Red Raiders right now to rise to this occasion. My little Red Raider heart wants to believe that we’re going to see a shut down defensive effort, stellar special teams, and the offense is going to be back in Houston game form. My head on the other hand is scared of the offensive firepower of Oklahoma. The Red Raiders will need to really limit big plays and they’ve shown themselves to be susceptible to running quarterbacks and the deep ball. Kyler Murray is the best in the country in reeling off the big ones and his outside receivers are exceptional as well. I don’t hold out a lot of hope that this one stays close, although I’m not pretending that Oklahoma isn’t at least beatable. If the Red Raiders can really control the ball and time of possession (like Army did) and can limit the big play, then they have a shot. Tech’s red zone defense is excellent and OU’s red zone offense is atrocious. Who knows, maybe field goals are the difference!
Michael_LSRR
Straight Up (4-4): Oklahoma
Against the Spread (4-4): Oklahoma
Commentary: OU’s offense is undeniably good, and their defense is a group of highly touted recruits who will figure things out quickly under McNeill. Jay mentioned on the podcast that he predicted OU would jump out ahead 21 early, and Tech would get within 14 a few times. I could see that happening here.
Michael LaBarre
Straight Up (6-2): Oklahoma
Against the Spread (8-0): Oklahoma
Commentary: This line is hard to figure out. Oklahoma is good, but they have glaring ISU sues, they’re on the road, and Tech has the ability to play like a Top 15 team at times. However, I’m going to go with the Sooners for this one. Based purely off stats, since I haven’t been able to watch much Tech lately, Bowman hasn’t played super well against Iowa State and West Virginia. Meanwhile, Oklahoma has a Heisman capable quarterback and possibly the best high school player of all time in Kyler Murray. The lowest OU has scored in Big 12 play was 37 against Iowa State, and three of their five games they have scored more than 50. Ruffin McNeill has somewhat fixed the OU defense like he did with Tech in 2007 when he took over. Since he took over for the horrid Mike Stoops, OU has averaged 20.5 points defensively. Given it was two impaired offenses, he has fixed defenses before, and some of those points were garbage time points. This line is tricky, but I’m going with the Sooners
Spencer
Straight Up (3-5): Oklahoma
Against the Spread (2-6): Oklahoma
Commentary: The spread is a big number, but I just think the offensive fire power for the Sooners will be too much to overcome. All the advanced stats point to this being such an overwhelming mismatch, it’s hard to see a scenario where Tech overcomes that. The defense can do it’s part in forcing turnovers to slow down the Sooners, the special teams will have to continue to perform at a high level (maybe get D Bowman’s head on straight on returns), and then you’ll need the offensive line to really step up. We haven’t seen Tech able to capitalize on night, home, conference or blackout games to negate a mismatch like this in some time.
Brian
Straight Up (6-2): Oklahoma
Against the Spread (5-3): Oklahoma
Commentary: I went against my gut last week and we got a bad beat, especially after ISU scored the touchdown after the safety, covering the spread. Not making the mistake again. I think Tech will look valiant at times, but eventually the Sooners overwhelm us. Our defense can only do so much, and if Bowman doesn’t shake off what I believe to be post-injury jitters, we won’t be able to keep up. OU keeps us at arms length all game
Seth
Straight Up (4-4): Oklahoma
Against the Spread (3-5): Oklahoma
Commentary: Well, I’m nervous to quite nervous about this game. It’s funny how the spread works and with it starting at Oklahoma -10.5 and moving to 13.5, I think that Vegas is somewhat underestimating the Sooners and they are a legitimate top 4-7 team, so it would take a real upset, the kind that’s for the ages, for Texas Tech to overcome the Sooners. Prove us (everyone but Dan, the true hero among us) wrong Red Raiders.
Community Predictions (5-3)
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