The Bedlam Series is set to give us another marquee contest when the No. 14 Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-1, 4-1 Big 12) and No. 18 Oklahoma Sooners (5-2, 4-2 Big 12) get together on Saturday. The in-state rivalry plays a pivotal role in the conference race this season, with a loss for either team detrimental to their chances to make the conference championship game.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 pm EST inside Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla. Oddsmakers have the Sooners as seven-point favorites in this rivalry tilt.
What to Know – Oklahoma State Cowboys
The Cowboys haven’t knocked off the Sooners since 2014, and only a few of those contests were close. Oklahoma State is in the driver’s seat in the Big 12 with its head-to-head win over Iowa State, which has the same record atop the standings.
In their last game out, the Cowboys escaped with a 20-18 victory over Kansas State on the road. Spencer Sanders completed 14-of-23 passes for 108 yards while LD Brown tallied 15 carries for 110 yards rushing. Star running back Chuba Hubbard carried the ball six times for 31 yards playing through an apparent injury.
Dillon Stoner caught seven of Sanders’ 14 completions for 62 yards, and Landon Wolf added five receptions for 31.
The Cowboys were held to just 256 yards of offense in the game, a stark contrast to the week prior, where Oklahoma State racked up 530 yards of offense in their only loss of the season to the Texas Longhorns.
What to Know – Oklahoma Sooners
After a 1-2 start to the season, the Sooners are rounding into form at the right time, having won four straight. Even with a pair of conference losses, the Sooners have not played themselves out of a bid into the conference championship, but a loss to the Cowboys would all but eliminate that hope.
Spencer Rattler threw five interceptions in the first four games but has only thrown one in his last three starts. The redshirt freshman completed 15-of-27 passes for 212 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in a blowout victory over the Kansas Jayhawks.
Rhamondre Stevenson led a rushing attack that piled up 200 yards on the ground and six touchdowns. Stevenson rushed 11 times for 104 yards and two scores in his second game back after a six-game suspension.
The Sooners emptied the bench and played a slew of offensive players in the second half. Eleven players caught passes from Sooner quarterbacks, led by tight end Austin Stogner, who hauled in three catches for 75 yards and a score.
The Pick Is In
With both of these two teams fighting for the chance to play in the Big 12 Championship Game, along with the common bragging rights that come with a rivalry contest, expect both teams to be ready for the showdown. Both teams were off last week to rest and prep for this game, so expect four quarters of sound football.
It has been six years since the Cowboys knocked off the Sooners, and while it may not happen Saturday, expect a close contest throughout.
The Pick: Oklahoma State +7
