Oklahoma Sooners 2016 College Football Betting Odds Preview

Posted by Jordan Walters on Tuesday,July 5, 2016 4:17, EDT in

After winning 11 games and reaching the four-team CFB Playoff in 2015, the Oklahoma Sooners look like they very well could improve on last season’s solid campaign – by winning it all in 2016. Thanks to this college football lines preview on the Sooners, you’re going to have a great idea of what likely lies in store for Bob Stoops’ football program this coming season. Now, let’s get started.

Taking a Look at Oklahoma’s 2016 College Football Betting Odds Preview

Offense

The Sooners were an explosive bunch in 2015, ranking seventh in the nation in total offense (530.2 ypg) and a stellar fourth in scoring (43.5 ppg). More importantly, Oklahoma didn’t suffer a ton of losses on offense with seven starters back from last season’s squad.

Oklahoma’s offense is led by Heisman Trophy candidate Baker Mayfield and gifted running backs Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon. The Sooners do have to replace No. 1 wide receiver Sterling Shepard and rebuild an offensive line that loses a whopping four starters, but there is plenty of young talent for Bob Stoops to work with and a quarterback at the helm that is clearly special.

Defense

Oklahoma ranked a sold 40th in total defense a year ago (365.3 ypg) and even more impressive 28th in points allowed (22.0 ppg).

The Sooners have seven returning starters on defense, but they lost their most dominant players with linebacker Eric Striker, defensive end Charles Tapper and linebackers Dominique Alexander and Zack Sanchez all moving on.

That’s a loss of four first-team All-Big 12 selections, 265 tackles, 16.5 sacks and nine interceptions, so clearly, the Sooners have their work cut out for them on this side of the ball.

The good news for Stoops is that defensive end Charles Walker, linebacker Jordan Evans, safety Ahmad Thomas and cornerback Jordan Thomas were all good enough to earn second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2015, so they’ve clearly got plenty of talent, even though linebacker is a concern

By The Numbers

Oklahoma went 6-2 ATS over its last eight games in 2015.
The Over is 6-2 in Oklahoma’s lat eight games.
The Sooners are 7-0 SU and 6-1 ATS in their last seven Big 12 games.

2016 Prediction

With seven starters back on both sides of the ball, an elite quarterback, two gifted running backs and a solid defense, I see no reason to believe the Sooners won’t get back to the four-team playoff a the very least in 2016.

With TCU breaking in a new starting quarterback and Baylor in the midst of a huge scandal that cost head coach Art Briles his job, the Sooners’ biggest conference competition could come from in-state rival Oklahoma State.

Right now, I say the Sooners look like a great bet against their 2017 national championship odds as a value-packed +800 pick.