Oklahoma vs. West Virginia Betting Odds – Week 4

Written by:
Carrie Stroup
Published on:
Sep/20/2014
Oklahoma vs. West Virginia Betting Odds – Week 4

Carrie Stroup here with your Oklahoma vs. West Virginia betting odds for Week 4.  Place your 1st bet here, get your 2nd bet FREE up to $100.

Sportsbok.ag Line & Total: Oklahoma 8 & 65.5

Opening Line & Total: Sooners -10.5 & 61.5

No. 4 Oklahoma looks to get conference play started out on the right foot as it travels to Morgantown to take on a dangerous West Virginia team.

These two schools have played some very interesting games in the past few seasons, with the Sooners wining last year’s meeting, 16-7. Turnovers played a huge role in that game, as both teams turned the ball over four times each. That was a big reason why the outcome was low-scoring despite the two teams combining for 822 yards. The Sooners have failed to cover the spread in the past three games in this series, including the 2012 meeting in Morgantown when the Sooners won 50-49 as double-digit favorites. West Virginia is coming off a big win against Maryland, winning 40-37 on a last-second field goal. QB Clint Trickett threw for 511 yards in the victory, with 216 of them going to WR Kevin White. For the Mountaineers to have a big season, they must play better at home in conference play. After pulling off a shocking upset against Oklahoma State last season, the Mountaineers lost their final three home games. The Sooners got a strong non-conference win by crushing Tennessee 34-10 last weekend in Norman. The defense had a big performance with three forced turnovers including a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown. Oklahoma was very good on the road last year in Big 12 play, going 3-1 SU with its only loss being to Baylor. In the three wins against Kansas, Kansas State and Oklahoma State, the Sooners won by an average 11.3 points. Both teams have negative betting trends, as road favorites of 3.5 to 10 points in the first month of the season after closing out the previous year with 3+ straight wins are 8-31 ATS (21%) in the past 10 seasons, but home underdogs with a good offense (400+ total YPG), after outgaining an opponent by 225+ total yards in their previous game, are 5-26 ATS (16%) in the past five seasons. The Sooners will be thin on the defensive line with DT Charles Walker (undisclosed) out, DE Matt Dimon (elbow) doubtful and DL Quincy Russell (personal) questionable for Saturday's game. Although DBs Daryl Worley (suspended indefinitely) and Brandon Napoleon (knee) are both out for WVU, four other injured players have been upgraded to probable: RB Rushel Shell (hand), LB Wes Tonkery (leg), CB Ishmael Banks (academics) and DB Terrell Chestnut (thigh).

The Oklahoma offense has been great in the early part of the season, as the unit ranks 15th in scoring (44.7 PPG), 34th in passing (293.3 pass YPG) and 42nd in rushing (196.7 rush YPG). However, the unit will be missing a key player in RB Keith Ford (194 rush yards, 5.7 YPC, 5 TD) due to a foot injury. While Ford will be missed, the cupboard is not bare in the backfield for the Sooners. RBs Samaje Perine (177 rush yards, 5.5 YPC, 1 TD) and Alex Ross (132 rush yards, 6.3 YPC, 3 TD) are both more than capable of getting the job done on the ground. QB Trevor Knight (860 pass yards, 8.5 YPA, 4 TD, 2 INT) has continued to develop as a passer, and has helped out the offense immensely. Defenses are unable to load up in the box, and if they try to, Knight has shown that he has the ability to hurt them on the outside. WR Sterling Shepard (17 catches, 335 yards, 2 TD) is one of the most explosive players in all of the country, able to take a screen pass and turn it into a 70-yard touchdown. The Sooners have playmakers all over the field on offense, but appear to be a title contender because of an elite defense. Senior LB Geneo Grissom (12 tackles, 1 INT, 1 TD) is a star in the making on a unit that allows only 11.0 points per game (8th in nation). In the secondary, there are playmakers all over the field.  Last week, the Volunteers were driving to cut the deficit to two possessions in the fourth quarter, when DB Julian Wilson took an interception back 100 yards for a touchdown to help the Sooners seal the victory. Sophomore CB Zack Sanchez has an interception in each of the team’s three games. The Mountaineers will throw the ball a lot, so this secondary is going to be tested.

West Virginia made headlines in Week 1 by hanging with 22-point favorite Alabama in a 33-23 loss, which started a current 3-0 ATS run. The Mountaineers rank fifth in the country in passing (410.3 YPG), while ranking 39th in scoring (39.0 PPG). QB Clint Trickett (1,224 pass yards, 9.1 YPA, 7 TD, 1 INT) has improved significantly, evidenced by his 75.4% completion rate. Senior WR Kevin White (32 catches, 460 yards, 2 TD) has shown to be one of the elite receivers in all of the country.  At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, he is a great combination of size and speed. Trickett has shown early in the year that he is confident throwing the ball up and letting White go get it. Workhorse RB Rushel Shell (51 carries, 207 yards, 4.1 YPC, 2 TD) will be a key in this game. The Mountaineers are going to have to be able to run the ball, as the Sooners are going to be preparing for the passing game. If Shell isn't bothered by his hand injury and can get going early, that will open some one-on-one opportunities on the outside. However, if the Mountaineers are going to pull off the upset, they must play much better defense. The unit ranks 55th in the nation in scoring defense (23.3 PPG allowed), and will be tested by the Sooners offense. Junior S Karl Joseph (24 tackles, 12 solos) is one of the best safeties in the country. In the season opener against Alabama, he had 18 tackles (7 solo), and is the type of guy that shines in the biggest moments. He will be asked upon to help against the run as well, so look for Joseph to line up all over the field on Saturday.

- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter

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