The Oklahoma at Oklahoma State betting matchup is exhilarating every season, but the 2023 meeting might be the most important one ever considering it is the last for the foreseeable future and the winner will have permanently temporary bragging rights. The Sooners are leaving the Big 12 for the SEC next season, so won’t meet OSU at least until the Power 5 form their own college football league which almost seems inevitable at this point.
It also doesn’t hurt that the 2023 Bedlam features two really good teams with the #9 Sooners (7-1) visiting #22 Oklahoma State (6-2). OU is coming off their first loss of the season last week, 38-33 at Kansas, but are still -5.5 favorites in Stillwater on Saturday afternoon.
Why Oklahoma Has Value at -5.5
The Sooners may have got caught looking ahead to this game last week, having their 7-game win streak to open the season snapped at Kansas as -7 point favorites. Make no mistake the Jayhawks are a solid team at 6-2 and their crowd was amped up for that game, but most people assumed that was one Oklahoma was going to get if they wanted to be a College Football Playoff team – which they of course still can be with a win on Saturday.
OU should be playing with plenty of intensity in the Oklahoma at Oklahoma State betting matchup considering their loss last week. The Sooners have also won 7 of the last 8 in the Bedlam Series and have 91 wins in the series’
Of course winning the game and covering the -5.5 are two totally different experiences, but the Sooners have the nation’s #4 scoring attack (41.9 ppg) and the #7 total yard offense (489.8 ypg). On the flip side of that, the Cowboys give up the 2nd most yards in the Big 12 at 409.3 ypg.
Why Oklahoma State Has Value at +5.5
Sure Oklahoma’s loss last week was somewhat of a surprise considering they were undefeated and a TD favorite on the road in Lawrence, but maybe it was actually a long time coming. Of OU’s seven wins, there were some close calls such as 31-29 at home against UCF in week 8 as -17 point favorites.
Also, although OSU has lost 7 of the last 8 Bedlam matchups, they did win 37-33 in Stillwater in the 2021 game. The Cowboys are clicking too, starting off 2-2 but winning four straight since including victories over above .500 teams Kansas State (29-21), Kansas (39-32), and West Virginia (48-34).
If the OSU defense struggles on Saturday – which is a very distinct possibility – the Cowboys offense should be able to hang in the game considering they’ve scored 39+ points in three straight games. A big factor in that is Sophomore RB Ollie Gordon II who is absolutely dialed in right now with five straight games of 120+ yards rushing including 270+ in each of the last two with 6 TDs on the ground.
Free Week 10 Oklahoma at Oklahoma State Betting Pick
It’s hard to blow out a team that can run the football, and OSU can definitely gain yardage on the ground behind Gordon. The Sooners have struggled in two straight games, and the Cowboys have momentum which makes one wonder if the wrong team might be the favorites here.
Free Pick: Oklahoma State +5.5
