The Oklahoma Sooners need just one more win to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff and complete their Red November, and at least on paper, the final boss happens to be the easiest.
The No. 8 Sooners host LSU at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium for their first game during the month of November against an unranked team. After three wins in a row over top-25 opponents, the Sooners are right in the middle of the playoff picture, and beating LSU would lock in their spot during the final week of the regular season.
Score prediction for Oklahoma-LSU
These are two programs that went in opposite directions of preseason expectations. While most national experts predicted the Sooners to at least improve on a 6-7 season last year, few expected them to be legit CFP contenders in Year 4 under Brent Venables, who had one of the hottest seats in college football in August.
Meanwhile, in Baton Rouge, the Tigers were among preseason national championship favorites with a Heisman Trophy contender at quarterback with Garrett Nussmeier, and it seemed like Brian Kelly had LSU back as a national power. But for the regular-season finale, neither Kelly or Nussmeier will be making an impact as Kelly was fired in the midst of a disappointing 7-4 season and Nussmeier is sidelined with an injury.
Even before Kelly and Nussmeier became non-factors, though, the Tigers were already stalling on offense and relying on their defense. Both units have only declined as the season has progressed.
The Sooners are also lagging offensively, but their defense is playing better than any unit in the country. Even if OU can't get moving on offense this week and is without some playmakers on both sides of the ball because of injuries, the Sooners still aren't as decimated as LSU, which will struggle for every yard against the Sooners.
This could be one of those games where one team just finally gives after a long season, while the other is powered by what's ahead.
Prediction: Oklahoma 31, LSU 3