Missouri Tigers at #1 Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium – Norman, Oklahoma
Saturday, September 24, 2011, 8:00 pm Eastern, TV: FX
Opening Line: Oklahoma -20 1/2
Current Line: Oklahoma -19 1/2
Opening Total: 56
Current Total: 57
Opening Money Line: Oklahoma -1300 / Missouri +850
Current Money Line: Oklahoma -1100 / Missouri +700

Last season Oklahoma went into Missouri as the number one team in the first BCS standings. Missouri knocked  off the Sooners 36-27 to end Oklahoma’s dreams of a national title. This year Oklahoma is again ranked #1 but the Tigers come to Norman, where the Sooners have won 37 straight home games dating back to 2005. Oklahoma leads the series against Missouri 66-24-5, including 31-8-5 in Norman. Missouri hasn’t won in Norman since 1966. Before last year Oklahoma had won seven straight overall in the series.

Oklahoma, under coach Bob Stoops, is 2-0 this season with wins over Tulsa 47-14 and at then #5 Florida St 23-13. Missouri, under coach Gary Pinkel, is 2-1 this season. The Tigers beat Miami-Ohio 17-6 at home before losing 37-30 in overtime at Arizona St. The Tigers rebounded with a 69-0 stomping of Western Illinois last week.

Missouri is supposed to destroy Western Illinois, of course, but Missouri outgained them by 700 yards in the 69-0 beatdown. Missouri had 744 total yards including 428 rushing yards. Missouri racked up 30 first downs in the rout.  Western had only 44 total yards and one first down.  About the only things Missouri did wrong were two turnovers and 9 penalties.

Missouri is averaging 512 yards and 38.7 points a game. The Tigers are 10th in the nation in rushing with 257.3 yards a game. Missouri has 3 turnovers and has allowed 5 sacks this season. The Tigers are 17/50 on third and fourth down conversions. The Tigers are 12/24 scoring in the red zone but only have 7 red zone touchdowns. Missouri is giving up 268 yards a game including 68 rushing yards. Missouri is allowing 14.3 points a game, but Arizona St scored 37 of the 43 points the Tigers have given up this year. The Tigers have forced 4 turnovers and 8 sacks this season. Tiger opponents are 12/42 on third and fourth down conversions.

Missouri quarterback James Franklin is 61/93 passing with 694 yards, 6 touchdowns and an interceptions, along with 47 carries, 257 yards, and 2 rushing touchdowns. Running back Henry Josey has 29 carries, 400 yards, and 3 touchdowns. Depth behind Josey could be a problem as Tiger running backs De’Vion Moore, Kendial Lawrence, and Marcus Murphy are all out until at least October. Six Tiger receivers have caught at least one touchdown pass this season. T.J. Moe has 16 catches, 172 yards, and a touchdown. Wes Kemp has 10 catches, 114 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Kicker Grant Ressel is 14/14 on extra points and 6/8 on field goals with a long of 47 yards. The Tigers have 4 other players besides the running backs listed as doubtful or out for this game including linebackers Will Ebner & Brandon Durant and offensive linemen Chris Freeman & Elvis Fisher.

Oklahoma took the opening drive 80 + yards and scored a touchdown against Florida St. It looked like it was going to be a repeat of the Sooners’ 47-17 romp the previous year in Norman. However, Florida St buckled down on defense and made a game out of it. Oklahoma took a 13-3 lead going into halftime. In the second half Florida St quarterback E.J. Manuel left the game with a shoulder injury. Back-up Clint Trickett came in and performed well. He threw a 56 yard touchdown pass to Rashad Greene that tied the game at 13 in the fourth quarter. It looked like another Sooner 4th quarter collapse was happening. However, the Sooners responded by scoring the last 10 points of the game to win 23-13. It was a gutsy performance by the Sooners in a hostile road environment against a very good team. The two defenses combined to force 5 turnovers. Oklahoma had 310 total yards, while Florida St had 246 total yards.

Oklahoma is averaging 486.5 yards a game and 35 points. The Sooners are averaging 308 passing yards a game. Oklahoma has 3 turnovers and has allowed 1 sack this year. The Sooners are 16/32 on third and fourth down conversions. The Sooners are 11/13 scoring in the red zone but only have 6 red zone touchdowns. Oklahoma is holding opponents to 323 yards including 78 rushing yards. The Sooners are allowing 13.5 points a game in two games but both games were against two of the most prolific scoring offenses in the country, Tulsa and Florida St. Oklahoma has forced 6 turnovers and 9 sacks this season. Oklahoma opponents are 10/27 on third and fourth down conversions. No team has scored against Oklahoma in the red zone in two tries this season, not even a field goal.

Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones is 53/74 passing with 574 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He also has a rushing touchdown this season. Those numbers would be good for almost any other quarterback, but pale in comparison to the video game like numbers Jones put up last year. Running back Dominique Whaley has 39 carries, 202 yards, and 4 touchdowns this season, along with 2 catches for 12 yards. Brennen Clay has 26 carries for 116 yards, and a touchdown, along with 6 catches for 40 yards. Receiver Ryan Broyles has 21 catches, 213 yards, and a touchdown. Kenny Stills was suspended for the Tulsa game but came back to catch the game winning touchdown pass against Florida St. He had 7 catches for 125 yards against Seminoles. Receiver Trey Franks is suspended indefinitely. He has 7 catches for 74 yards this season. Jimmy Stevens and Michael Hunnicutt are splitting the kicking duties. Stevens is 6/7 on extra points, and 4/4 on field goals with a long of 31 yards. Hunnicutt is 1/1 on extra points and also has a 27 yard field in his only try of the year.

Oklahoma is 2-0 against the spread this year and both games have gone under the total. Missouri is 2-1 ATS this season and the total is also 2-1. The Tigers are 13-5 ATS in the last 18 games, 4-1 in the last 5 on grass, 6-13 ATS in the last 19 against a team with a winning record, and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 as an underdog of 10.5 points or greater. The Sooners are 5-0 in their last 5 as a favorite of 10.5 points or greater, 6-1 ATS in their last 7 home games, and 14-5-1 ATS in their last 20 September games.

Oklahoma hasn’t really had an explosive offensive performance so far this season. Even the 47 point performance against Tulsa could have been better if not for the Sooners stalling in the red zone a couple of times. They have mostly relied on their defense to seal the victory. It seems like the Oklahoma offense is coiled and ready to explode against the Missouri defense that gave up almost 500 yards to Arizona St a couple of weeks ago. I like the Sooners to win and they might get the 56 point total by themselves.

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