NORMAN, OKLAHOMA - SEPTEMBER 2: Head coach Brent Venables of the Oklahoma Sooners leads his team down the field before a game against the Arkansas State Red Wolves at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 2, 2023 in Norman, Oklahoma. Brent Venables’ first year in Norman, Oklahoma, was about as bad as it gets. A loss to Florida State in the Cheez-It Bowl capped off a 6-7 season, leaving the Sooners faithful shell-shocked.
This is the week where we find out. The Sooners host SMU as -15.5 point favorites. SMU QB Preston Stone invades Norman with a high-powered passing attack that finished seventh in all of college football in 2022. Stone threw for 348 yards and 3 TDs in his debut as a starter last week, propelling the Mustangs to a comfortable 38-14 win over Louisiana Tech. Is the Sooners defense a solid bet to slow down SMU and cover the spread? Here’s why I am betting on the underdog to keep this one close.
A key factor for the live betting audience will be the Sooners' defensive success on third downs. Venables’ defense couldn’t get anyone off the field last year. Opponents extended drives on 40.9% of third downs . That’ll provide a solid early indicator if the Sooner defense is up to the challenge.
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