Sooners Favored Big: Can Houston Cover the Spread?

Houston Cougars (0-1 SU, ATS 0-1) vs Oklahoma Sooners (1-0 SU, ATS 1-0)

Date: 7:45 EST Saturday, September 7th

Location: Memorial Stadium (Norman, OK), Norman, OK

TV: SECN

Point Spread: Hou +29.5/Okl -29.5

Money Line: UH +1927/OU -8083

Over/Under: 49.5

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Oklahoma is the heavy favorite in this week two non-conference matchup, with the point spread sitting at -29.5. The game is set for 7:45 ET at Memorial Stadium in Norman, OK, and will be broadcast on SECN. The over/under line is at 49.5 points. The money line odds have Houston at +1927 and Oklahoma at -8083. Houston comes in with a 0-1 record, while Oklahoma is 1-0 on the season.

Head-to-Head Matchup:

The Houston Cougars and Oklahoma Sooners did not have any head-to-head matchups last season. But over the last three times playing each other, the Houston Cougars have a record of 2-1. The Houston Cougars also had the edge vs. the spread in these games, at 2-1. These games averaged a combined total of 64 points per game leading to an over/under record of 2-1.

Houston Cougars Recent Form:

After a disappointing start to their season, Houston is looking to bounce back from a 27-7 loss to UNLV. The Cougars, who were -3.5 point favorites, not only lost straight-up but also failed to cover the spread. The game’s total score of 34 points was well below the over/under line of 55.5 points.

UNLV took an early lead, and Houston was unable to recover, trailing 14-0 at halftime. The Cougars managed to score in the fourth quarter, but by then, UNLV had extended their lead to 24 points, making Houston’s late touchdown inconsequential.

In their 27-7 loss to UNLV, Houston’s offense was limited to 247 total yards, with just 38 yards coming on the ground. The Cougars managed 14 first downs and 209 passing yards, but they were unable to establish a consistent rushing attack.

Donovan Smith completed 15 of 30 passes for 135 yards, while throwing two interceptions. His passer rating for the game was 34.72. Mekhi Mews was the leading receiver, with three receptions for 57 yards.

Looking at Houston’s defense, they allowed 311 total yards in their most recent game, with the majority of that coming on the ground. The Cougars gave up 198 rushing yards on 46 attempts but managed to hold UNLV to 7 completions on 14 pass attempts for just 113 yards through the air. Houston’s defense also gave up two passing touchdowns but did come up with one interception.

Away Injury Report

Oklahoma Sooners Recent Form:

Oklahoma is off to a strong start this season, moving to 1-0 after a dominant 51-3 win over Temple. The Sooners, favored by -42.5 points, not only won but also covered the spread. The over/under line was set at 57.5 points, but the game finished with a combined 54 points, hitting the under.

Oklahoma took control early, leading 17-0 after the first quarter. The Sooners added 17 more points in the second quarter, making it 34-0 at halftime. Temple managed to score a field goal in the third quarter, and the teams traded touchdowns in the fourth, resulting in a final score of 51-3 in favor of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma’s offense was in top form in their 51-3 victory, with 393 total yards and 18 first downs. The Sooners’ ground game was particularly effective, racking up 235 rushing yards and a touchdown. Jackson Arnold led the way through the air, completing 68% of his passes for 141 yards and four touchdowns, resulting in a passer rating of 121.83.

Taylor Tatum was the leading rusher for the Sooners, averaging 13.8 yards per carry, while Jalil Farooq was the top receiver with one catch for 47 yards.

Oklahoma’s defense was dominant in their most recent game, holding Temple to just three points and 197 total yards. The Sooners picked off two passes and limited Temple to 128 passing yards on 12 completions. Against the run, Oklahoma allowed only 69 yards on 36 attempts.

Home Injury Report

Betting Trends

• Across the Houston Cougars last five road games, the team averaged 21 points per game while allowing 36. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 2-3, while going 1-4 straight-up.
• Across their five previous home games, Oklahoma has an ATS mark of 2-3. Their straight up record in these matchups was 3-2 while averaging 34 points per game.
• Through their last five games as the betting underdog, the Houston Cougars have a strong record vs the spread going 3-2. Their straight up mark in these contests is 1-4.
• The Oklahoma Sooners have played well in their last three games as the betting favorite, going 3-0 straight up and 2-1 against the spread.

Free Pick

Houston is already one of the worst offenses in college football, and they are facing one of the best defensive units across the country. Even at -29.5 points, I’m still feeling good about Oklahoma covering. The Cougars don’t even have a good enough offense to put up some garbage points. This should rule out the chance of a late back door cover. I like the Sooners at -29.5.