Oklahoma Sooners at Missouri Tigers
Saturday, 10/23/2010, 8:00 PM EST; TV: ABC
Opening Point Spread: Oklahoma -4
Current Betting Line: Oklahoma -3
Opening Total: 52.5
Current Total: 53
Current Moneyline: Oklahoma -155 / Missouri +135
Oklahoma heads out on the road for a contest featuring two unbeaten teams that lead their respective divisions in Big 12 Conference. The Sooners are coming off a 52-0 win over Iowa State Saturday that followed a bye week after winning four of its first five games by narrow margins. OU also has an added distraction in preparing for this week’s contest, as the team debuted as the No. 1 team in the BCS standings. “We’re going up to play a 6-0 team at Missouri and they’re not handing anything out right now,” said head coach Bob Stoops. “It means absolutely nothing.” Oklahoma leads the all-time series 66-23-5, winning seven straight over the Tigers and 19 of the last 20 meetings. In games played at Columbia, the Sooners hold a 31-15 advantage. The program hasn’t been a road favorite of three points or less over the last three years and is 3-1 ATS in this spot in its last four opportunities. The current line sees Oklahoma as a 3 point road favorite but be sure to check out the college football betting lines page to shop around since this number is around the key spread of 3.
The Sooners offense is coming off a big-time performance led by quarterback Landry Jones, who completed 30 of 34 passes for 334 yards and three touchdowns versus the Cyclones. Wide receiver Ryan Broyles was his main target in catching 15 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown, while running back DeMarco Murray paced the rushing attack with 112 yards. That type of offensive performance is one reason the squad has had at least a 15-point lead in each game this season and has never ended a quarter trailing in a game. Saturday will also mark the 24th time a Sooner has been the site of ESPN College GameDay. The program is 16-7 in those games, including an 11-5 mark away from Owen Field.
Missouri is meeting Oklahoma for the first time since the 2008 Big 12 Championship Game after also playing the 2007 title game matchup. The Tigers lost both of those contests, getting knocked off as the top-ranked team in 2007 by a score of 38-17 and 62-21 the following year. “Our players are very well aware of No. 1, how good Oklahoma is, and No. 2, how it’s such a big game,” head coach Gary Pinkel said. The team last opened 6-0 in 2006 and will be trying to win its first seven games for the first time since an undefeated 1960 season. Missouri has made four previous appearances on GameDay and gone 1-3 in those contests. The squad is 2-8 ATS off a win against a conference rival and 13-18 ATS in its last 31 games overall.
The Tigers find themselves No. 11 in the first BCS poll, while ranking second nationally with13.3 points allowed per game. Missouri tallied seven sacks in last Saturday’s 30-9 win over Texas A&M, clamping down on a team that came in averaging 35 points per game. The defensive line has raised its play since losing freshman All-American defensive end Aldon Smith to a fractured fibula, amassing 14 sacks over three games. Pinkel will be focused on the most important stat of all for his football team, posting 28-straight wins when winning the turnover battle. Through six games, Missouri ranks 19th in the nation in turnover margin (+.83).
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