NCAAF Updated National Championship Odds: Oklahoma Schools Make Move

One of the big winners of Week 7 around college football was Oklahoma as the Sooners benched quarterback and former Heisman Trophy betting favorite Spencer Rattler for freshman Caleb Williams and rolled past TCU 52-31 to stay unbeaten. The Sooners are now +1200 fourth-favorites on the NCAAF odds to win the national title.

Analysis College Football 2021

Williams became the first Oklahoma true freshman to start at quarterback since current OU assistant coach Cale Gundy in 1990 (Gundy’s first start was vs. Iowa State). Williams completed 18 of 23 passes for 295 yards and four touchdowns (243.4 passer rating) and rushed nine times for 66 yards and a score. He compiled 361 total yards and accounted for five TDs in the game.

His 295 passing yards and four passing TDs were both the most ever by an OU true freshman quarterback. Williams’ 261 passing yards in the first half were the most ever by an OU true freshman QB in any half (redshirt freshmen Sam Bradford had 350 passing yards vs. North Texas in 2007 and Spencer Rattler had 290 yards vs. Missouri State in 2020). The Sooners averaged a season-high 9.1 yards per play (525 yards on 58 plays).

Williams was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week. Williams is the fourth Oklahoma true freshman to earn a Big 12 Offensive or Defensive Player of the Week award. The others were running back Adrian Peterson (three honors in 2004), running back Samaje Perine (three honors in 2014) and wide receiver Marvin Mims (one honor in 2020).

The win was the Sooners’ 15th straight, which is the seventh longest in program history and is the their longest since winning 20 in a row over the 2000 and ‘01 seasons. The 15-game streak is also the longest active one in the country (next longest is 11 by Georgia).

Oklahoma should have little trouble winning again this week at terrible Kansas. A win would give the Sooners their first 8-0 start since 2004. Oklahoma is 78-27-6 (.730) all-time vs. Kansas and has won 15 straight in the series. It is OU’s longest active winning streak against an opponent.

The Sooners have scored at least 34 points in each of their last 12 games against Kansas. It is the longest such streak in school history against a single opponent (next longest is 11 straight games against Kingfisher College from 1908-19 and vs. Texas Tech [current]).

Could both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State be unbeaten when they meet later this year? The Cowboys are now +4000 to win a title after beating Texas 32-24. Tanner Brown’s fourth field goal of the game gave Oklahoma State its first lead, and Spencer Sanders’ scrambling 10-yard touchdown run with 2:18 to play capped the win. Texas built leads of 17-3 and 24-13 behind three touchdowns from Bijan Robinson.

In the fourth quarter, Oklahoma State had 170 yards of total offense. Texas had one yard of total offense in the fourth quarter. The Cowboys ran 26 offensive plays in the final stanza to the Longhorns’ six. It market the first time in school history OSU has beaten AP-ranked opponents in three consecutive games. Okie State is at Iowa State on Saturday.

The big loser in Week 2 was former No. 2 Iowa, which was spanked at home by unranked Purdue 24-7, fell to No. 11 in the AP Top 25 and is now +6000 to win a title. Purdue outgained Iowa by nearly 200 yards (464-271) and the Boilermakers’ defense had four interceptions. Purdue limited Iowa to six yards in the third quarter and 86 yards in the second half.

Iowa had no answer for the Boilermaker offense, specifically wide receiver David Bell. The junior finished with 11 catches for 240 yards and one touchdown, nearly outgaining the Hawkeyes by himself. Purdue quarterback Aiden O’Connell completed 30-of-40 passes for 375 yards and two touchdowns. Purdue snapped Iowa’s streak of 12 consecutive overall wins and nine straight conference wins. Iowa had played 36 straight games without a double-digit defeat (2018 vs. Wisconsin, 28-17). The Hawkeyes are off this week.

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