Oklahoma vs Texas

Without a doubt the biggest game this week is a familiar one, having been renamed the Red River Rivalry. Once again both bring in vast amounts of talented players, who are well-coached and primed for such a contest. Oklahoma arrives wearing the crown of number one after Baylor battering 49-17. Behind Sam Bradford, the Sooners are one of the most prolific scoring teams in the country, averaging 49.6 points per game. Bradford continues to be one of the most accurate chuckers of the pigskin in the country. The only time the sophomore ever has problems is when heavy pressure gets after him. This will be the assignment of Texas’ defensive front to make Bradford hesitant. Oklahoma is 11-7-1 ATS versus ranked teams in neutral settings.

The Texas defense is showing they are indeed a much more aggressive group under first-year coordinator Will Muschamp, who has the Texas defenders meeting at the quarterback this season. "We've been doing a good job all season," Muschamp said. "I kept telling the guys not to worry about sacks, because we were getting to the quarterback. I told them the sacks would come."

Quarterback Colt McCoy has been a more polished performer as a junior and will start garnering Heisman consideration if he keeps playing this well. Besides his usual pinpoint accuracy, McCoy has been a very effective runner, maybe too effective. Coach Mack Brown needs to find a ball-carrier that can carry the load and let McCoy not feel he has to do everything. Texas is only 2-8 ATS playing Top 10 teams at neutral sites.

This will not be the week for either team to be even slightly off their game. Media types questioned if Texas would look ahead playing a fair Colorado club on the road, and they waxed them 38-14. The Longhorns are outscoring teams by 35.8 points a game and are 21-8 ATS off two or more consecutive games playing Over the Total.

In much the same manner, Oklahoma has been completely dominant, also winning by 35.8 PPG. The only hiccup the Sooners have had was against TCU, gaining only 25 net yards on the ground, however were able to fully exploit the Horned Frogs secondary, passing for a season high 411 yards. Coach Bob Stoops club is 9-1 ATS after out-gaining the opposition by 125 or more total yards in two consecutive games.

Bookmaker.com has Oklahoma as 6.5-point favorites in Dallas with a total of 55.5. Besides the obvious intrigue of the Big 12 battle, the total shows quite a contrast between the two contestants. The Longhorns are 13-1 OVER after out-rushing opponent by 100 or more yards in three straight games, while Boomer Sooner is 9-1 UNDER on a neutral field where the total is between 52.5 and 56.

Oklahoma is the more complete team in this tussle and has won six of last eight, including 28-21 last season. When these Big 12 schools compete, many times the games are competitive, though not necessarily close, with nine of the last 10 decided by double digits. With Texas the underdog, bettors might take heed the dog is 13-7 ATS when these two collide. The winner has gone on to the Big 12 South title nine of 12 years.

Kickoff is at appropriately at high noon Eastern on ABC.