Houston Cougars vs Oklahoma Sooners betting odds and tips

Houston Cougars – +950 at Bovada
Oklahoma Sooners – -1666.67

The Oklahoma Sooners open the season as heavy favourites with NCAAF betting sites, but the last time these teams met in 2016 the Houston Cougars pulled off the upset. The over/under total for this game is posted at a sky-high 83 points and that is no surprise with the offenses and defenses each team has.

OU ranked dead last in the nation last season in pass defense and while they are stacked on offense, the D is a major concern for the season and for this game. Ex-Alabama QB Jalen Hurts takes over under center and he has big shoes to fill, as the last two Sooners quarterbacks won the Heisman Trophy.

Houston went 8-5 last season and were 6-7 ATS. They have not only failed to cover the spread in 12 of their last 16 road games, but they have also failed to do so in five of their last seven non-conference games.

OU finished 12-2 last season, falling to Alabama in the college football semi-finals. They were 6-7-1 ATS and they have covered the line in 15 of their last 22 home games.

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Houston ranked in the top 10 in the nation last season in points per game and yards per game and return QB D’Eriq King, who led the FBS in TD (50) despite missing the last two games with an injury. The top three WRs are back, including Marquez Stevenson (1,075 receiving yards last season), and RB Patrick Carr (868 rushing yards last season) and former Texas back Kyle Porter are also in the fold.

New defensive coordinator Alex Grinch takes over for an Oklahoma D that ranked last in the Big 12 in total defense. Nine starters return for the D, but they struggled last season and they will be tested in this game to say the least.

Hurts was 26-2 as a starter for Alabama and inherits a lot of weapons this season. The RB duo of Trey Sermon and Kennedy Brooks combined for 2,003 yards and 25 TD and Hurts has no lack of targets as well with WR CeeCee Lamb (1,158 yards, 11 TD) and TE Grant Calcaterra (first team All Big 12) leading the pack.

Houston were also poor on defense last year, ranking 126th out of 129 FBS teams in total D. Star DE Ed Oliver is gone and the top two tacklers are also no longer with the Cougars. Injuries ravaged the D last season and while healthy now, there are still big concerns, especially up front.

Houston Cougars betting trends

• 2-5 ATS in their last seven non-conference games
• 4-12 ATS in their last 16 road games
• 1-4 ATS in their last five games
• Over record of 4-0 in their last four games

Oklahoma Sooners betting trends

• 15-7 ATS in their last 22 home games
• Over record of 5-1 in their last six home games

Houston vs Oklahoma betting predictions

Houston Cougars +22.5 @ -111.11 with Bovada

This game has two teams with a dynamic offense and major issues on defense. It will be a big-time shootout, but can the Cougars keep up? Both teams will light up the scoreboard and while Oklahoma have too many weapons and should win, the Cougars will cover what is a very generous spread.