This week’s matchup is going to be Oklahoma State at Oklahoma, better known as BEDLAM. This week will be a battle over the state. 

Last year, Mike Gundy led his Cowboys to a win over the Sooners. Though the numbers are against them with the series record showing the Sooners leading 90-19-7. Although, the Sooners haven’t had one of their usual seasons this year going into bedlam. Led by new head coach Brent Venables, who is seeking a first bedlam win at home. 

This year the Cowboys are struggling a little bit more than last year when their star quarterback Spencer Sanders got a shoulder injury during the K-state, which would lead him to miss up until last week at Iowa State in the fourth quarter. This week I assume he will be full go once game time comes around. The Cowboy’s defense is nothing like the past, but what new Defensive coordinator Derek Mason has been trying to implement is beginning to seep thru with his 3-4 sets adding more speed to the field. They have struggled this year with misalignments and what looks to be getting calls confused. The defense needs to have a big day on Saturday for them to have a chance in this. 

The Sooners this year are not up to par as their previous seasons but that’s what happens when most of the staff is brand new with brand new schemes and styles. The talent is there for the Sooners and has shown glimpses of what they can do when they fully grasp new offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby’s plays. Although, the Sooners have struggled quite a bit after week three. They haven’t seem fluid and as smooth as it should be for this level of football. With that being said, when it’s worked, it’s worked to a T against Kansas and Iowa State. However, this year from the outside looking in was about the defense and it shows that it’s there at times and others not so much.  But I do see the direction its going and think in the next few years if not sooner we’ll see a different Sooner defense.

The Sooners have a good shot Saturday if they can get the ball moving early along with a couple of capitalized defensive stops. But if the Cowboys come out on top of their game and protect Sanders throughout the game then he will cause a big problem for the Sooners.  If Sanders gets his feet moving and picks up yards then look for a Cowboys close victory.

Throughout the last 3 weeks the Sooners are playing better having lost to Baylor at home by 3 and on the road in Morgantown by 3.  OSU has been playing poorly with Sanders out and has really been hamstrung by his injury.  Our formula likes OU to cover the 7.5 points but with this being a rivalry game we would lean towards taking OSU plus the 7.5 points.