A nearly two-touchdown spread between two SEC powerhouses would have seemed unhinged a few weeks ago, but anything less than that would require Oklahoma to have the ability to get in the end zone.
FanDuel has OU listed as a 13.5-point underdog heading into its SEC opener against No. 2 Georgia on Saturday in Athens, and Vegas had opened the spread at 14.5 points. No matter how stellar the Sooners' defense is, it just can't make up for the lack of scoring from the offense.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
Considering it’s a road trip to take on the back-to-back defending SEC champions, the Sooners were never expected to be favored in this one, even if they were 3-0 at this point. But this wide margin that oddsmakers have set, and the fact even that seems too slim, shows just how bad things are already going for the Sooners before conference play has even kicked off.
Vegas odds predict an easy Georgia win, but still puts too much stock into OU's offense
Both teams are coming off a win, but it sure doesn’t feel like the Sooners are. Georgia just destroyed Arkansas 45-17 in Fayetteville to begin SEC play. The Sooners barely got past New Mexico 14-6 in their non-conference finale at home.
Georgia will by far be the Sooners’ toughest challenge yet, and maybe even all season. Certainly a lot better than New Mexico, with no disrespect to the Lobos out of the Mountain West.
After watching what the Sooners have done offensively the past two games, Vegas might even have more faith in Oklahoma than Sooner Nation does.
Over three weeks, the Sooners are averaging 25 points a game, which is 99th in the FBS and second-to-last in the SEC, ahead of only Arkansas. Even that measly number is inflated by a 51-0 blowout against UTEP in Week 1.
If you only take into account OU’s last two outings, it’s averaging 12 points a game, which includes a 17-10 road loss to Michigan. While relying on explosive plays, the Sooners haven’t even snapped the ball inside the red zone in two weeks.
As hyperbolic as it sounds, the Sooners really will be lucky to drive across the 50-yard line against Georgia. The Bulldogs have a top-10 total defense that’s giving up 211.3 yards a game and 13.3 points.
The Sooners also have one of the best defenses in college football, ranking fourth in scoring defense while allowing 7.7 points per game. OU, though, doesn’t have a functional offense to complement its defense, let alone one as potent as Georgia’s.
Albeit against much weaker competition, the Bulldogs’ offense is putting up 59.3 points a game, which is more than anyone else in the FBS.
The Sooners’ defense is certainly elite, but so is Georgia’s offense. When an unstoppable force collides with an immovable object, something has to give. It will likely be the Bulldogs’ lowest point total of the season so far, but they still have the ability to put up more than 14 points on OU. The same can’t be said for Ben Arbuckle’s OU offense.
Even if you include the Sooners getting lucky with an explosive play into the end zone, it's still hard to imagine OU's defense keeping Georgia's offense under 21 points, especially with the Sooners likely being without linebacker Kip Lewis and defensive tackle David Stone.
Unless this is a 13-0 slugfest, that 13.5-point spread doesn’t feel like enough to make up for the Sooners’ offensive deficiencies.
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