by Rod Pearson
Sunday, Nov 12, 2023
Game Time: 12:00 pm ET, Saturday, November 18, 2023
Venue: LaVell Edwards Stadium (LES), Provo, UT
Where to Watch: ESPN Networks
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Oklahoma -24, BYU +24; Over/Under: 57 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Oklahoma -24, BYU +24; Over/Under: 57 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Oklahoma -24, BYU +24; Over/Under: 57 points
Season Record
Oklahoma Sooners: 8-2 (5-2) (2nd place, Big 12)
BYU Cougars: 5-5 (2-5) (10th place, Big 12)
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Recent Form
Oklahoma Sooners: won their last game at home against the West Virginia Mountaineers 59-20.
BYU Cougars: lost their last game at home against the Iowa State Cyclones 45-13.
Oklahoma Sooners vs BYU Cougars Preview and Analysis
Oklahoma is entering this game with an 8-2 record overall and they have a 5-2 record in their conference games too. They are 5-0 in their home games, 2-2 in their road games, and they are also 1-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be on the road for this game. They won their last game against West Virginia 59-20. Dillon Gabriel was the starting QB and he completed 23/36 passes for 423 passing yards, 5 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Gavin Sawchuk led the team in rushing yards with 135. Drake Stoops led the receivers with 164 receiving yards on 10 receptions and 3 TDs. Billy Bowman led the defense in that game with 4 solo tackles and 3 assisted tackles while no one on the defense recorded a sack in that one. Jacobe Johnson and Reggie Pearson each came away with 1 interception for them in that game.
BYU is entering this game with a 5-5 record overall and they have a 2-5 record in their conference games too. They are 4-1 in their home games, 1-4 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be at home for this game. They lost their last game against Iowa State 45-13. Jake Retzlaff was the starting QB and he completed 10/27 passes for 104 passing yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions. Jake Retzlaff led the team in rushing yards with 64. Isaac Rex led the receivers with 52 receiving yards on 3 receptions and 1 TD. Max Tooley led the defense in that game with 4 solo tackles and 3 assisted tackles while Tyler Batty led the defense in sacks with 1. No one on the defense came away with an interception for them in that game.
Oklahoma vs BYU Prediction
The current betting odds have Oklahoma listed as a 24 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. Oklahoma is 8-2 overall this season and they have looked good in most of their games but they are 5-2 in their conference games and those 2 losses have been costly. They must run the table to have any shot at the Big 12 Championship but they just pulled off a big win at home against West Virginia and will be looking to carry over that momentum here. BYU is only 5-5 overall this season and they have looked really bad in their conference games with their 2-5 conference record. They also lost big at home to Iowa State in their last game and don't have much of an offense without their starting QB who is injured now. BYU has also struggled on defense all season and won't be able to keep points off the board against this Oklahoma offense. Oklahoma got back on track last week after losing 2 games in a row and they will use this game against a banged up BYU team to keep their momentum as they try to run the table. The best way to place a bet here is on Oklahoma to cover the spread in this game.
Oklahoma BYU Prediction: Our NCAAF Pick for Saturday, November 18, 2023 (12:00 pm ET start time) is Oklahoma 49 BYU 17.
Don't miss our champion handicappers free picks and expert football picks today. And if you enjoyed this Oklahoma Sooners BYU Cougars prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our weekly NCAAF predictions and previews.
NCAAF Betting Trends
Oklahoma Sooners: 7-3 ATS in all games. 5-1 ATS after 1 or more consecutive wins against the spread. 6-3 ATS after gaining 325 or more passing yards in the last game. 9-5 UNDER after playing a game where 70 total points or more were scored. 7-2 UNDER after a win by 21 or more points.
BYU Cougars: 13-23 ATS in all games. 2-7 ATS against conference opponents. 15-25 ATS after a loss by 21 or more points. 23-13 UNDER after a loss by 21 or more points. 22-8 UNDER after allowing 42 points or more last game.
Key Injuries
Oklahoma Sooners: T. Guyton (OL) day-to-day - Undisclosed. M. Major (RB) day-to-day - Shoulder. B. Smith (TE) day-to-day - Undisclosed. K. Helms (TE) out for season - Knee. A. Anthony (WR) out for season - Knee. K. McIntyre (TE) Out indefinitely - Undisclosed. J. Harrington (DB) out for season - Knee. J. Rowe (DB) out for season - Undisclosed. P. Picciotti (LB) out for season - Undisclosed. D. Graham II (WR) Out indefinitely - Undisclosed.
BYU Cougars: D. Lassiter (WR) day-to-day - Undisclosed. K. Slovis (QB) day-to-day - Arm. C. Haws (DT) day-to-day - Undisclosed. J. Daley (DE) day-to-day - Undisclosed. H. Ropati (RB) out for season - Knee.
Notable Quotes
“It’s the standard here, and I’m blessed to be a part of it. Every day you walk by the Heisman Park and you see those guys. So for me, it’s just chasing the standard of being a part of something greater than myself.” - Dillon Gabriel after their win against WVU in their last game.
“That’s a good question. I don’t have all the answers to that. I will probably have better answers for you on Monday after watching the film. But my first response to that is probably guys not believing in the system and not believing in what we’re doing.” - Kalani Sitake on his team’s defense after their loss against ISU in their last game.
Starting Lineups
Oklahoma Sooners
WR Anderson, Nic
WR Farooq, Jalil
WR Stoops, Drake
TE Stogner, Austin
QB Gabriel, Dillon
RB Sawchuk, Gavin
BYU Cougars
WR Lassiter, Darius
WR Roberts, Chase
WR Hill, Keanu
TE Rex, Isaac
QB Slovis, Kedon
RB Robbins, Aidan
FB Fakahua, Mason
Statistical Leaders
Oklahoma Sooners
Passing: D. Gabriel (3069)
Rushing: T. Walker (442)
Receiving: D. Stoops (692)
Touchdowns: D. Gabriel (11)
BYU Cougars
Passing: K. Slovis (1716)
Rushing: L. Martin (494)
Receiving: C. Roberts (524)
Touchdowns: L. Martin (5)
Coaches:
Oklahoma Sooners: Brent Venables (2nd season)
BYU Cougars: Kalani Sitake (8th season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
