Oklahoma football: Five bold predictions with five days to go
By Chip Rouse
![ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 07: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners celebrates with his team including Caleb Kelly #19 and Marquise Overton #97 after defeating the Baylor Bears 30-23 in the Big 12 Football Championship at AT&T Stadium on December 7, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 07: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners celebrates with his team including Caleb Kelly #19 and Marquise Overton #97 after defeating the Baylor Bears 30-23 in the Big 12 Football Championship at AT&T Stadium on December 7, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/7749bb44f1807b9b3b471c965af4674b7f3bbd649c537c3dfc1f64fc0c5f4d7f.jpg)
Oklahoma will average 45 points, while holding opponents to 21 points or less
For the last five seasons, Oklahoma has been among the top-five scoring teams in college football. Three different Heisman-level quarterbacks have been front and center in that offensive production, and the Sooners have another newcomer to the position this season.
Don’t look for much drop off in the scoring column this season. What will be different is the Sooners’ ability to limit its opponents’ ability to reach the end zone, thereby reducing the number of OU winning margins of seven points or less. The Sooners experienced six such encounters last season.
Oklahoma has allowed an average of 29 points a game over the past three seasons. The Sooners made a six-point improvement in this category in 2019, the first season under new dffensive coordinator Alex Grinch. They will make another six-point improvement this season. Two seasons ago, OU ranked 101st in scoring defense among 129 FBS teams. Last season, they were 68th, and if they are able to get it down to 21 points this season, they should break into the top 30.