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The Arkansas State Red Wolves go on the road to begin the season as they take on the Oklahoma Sooners for the first game of the season! This game will continue our college football odds series as we hand out an Arkansas State-Oklahoma prediction and pick. We will also let you know how to watch the game.
Arkansas State finished 2022 with a record of 3-9. They did not have a good season, and they ended the year 1-7. With their 1-7 conference record, the Red Wolves finished in dead last in the Sun Belt. They open up this season with a new team, and they are hoping to be a little bit better, and possibly even make a bowl game. Only time will tell, but Arkansas State has a lot of changes to make.
Oklahoma finished the season on a cold streak last year. They lost four of their last five games, and they finished 6-7 on the year. In the BIG 12, the Sooners finished 3-6, and they were a coin toss every week they played. This season, Oklahoma needs to clean up their defensive presence, but they are optimistic heading into the start of the season.
Here are the college football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Arkansas State-Oklahoma Odds
Arkansas State: +36.5 (-110)
Oklahoma: -36.5 (-110)
Over: 58.5 (-105)
Under: 58.5 (-115)
How to Watch Arkansas State vs. Oklahoma
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN app
Time: 12:00 PM ET/9:00 AM PT
*Watch college football LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Arkansas State Will Cover The Spread
Arkansas State needs to get on the board early. Oklahoma allowed the second most yards per game last season in the BIG 12. They allowed almost 190 rush yards per game and over 260 pass yards. Arkansas State brought in J.T Shrout from Tennessee/Colorado, so they did have a little bit of an upgrade in that department. Shrout should give the Red Wolves a better chance to move the ball downfield with some yardage, and Oklahoma was not good last year with their pass defense. If the Red Wolves can find a way to get their passing game going, they should cover the spread.
Arkansas State's big problem was their run game. They have a decent offensive line to run behind, and the Sooners were not good with their run defense last season. If Arkansas State can keep the ball moving north and south with the run, and use up the clock on offense, they should be able to keep this game within 36 points.
Why Oklahoma Will Cover The Spread
There has been a lot of talk about how bad Oklahoma was last season. It is definitely warranted, but let's look ahead to this season. The Sooners brought in some very good players as through the transfer portal, and through recruiting. Pair that with the return of their starting quarterback, the Sooners are looking pretty good heading into this season. If the Sooners can just take advantage of a far inferior team, they will be able to cover the spread.
Last season, Oklahoma started the season off against a similar team in similar teams in UTEP, and Kent State. Those are two teams they should have beat by a lot more, but they did win both games by 30+. Arkansas State should prove to be much worse than those two teams, so Oklahoma should have no problem handling their business. They were 4-2 at home in their awful 2022 season, and they were much better than the two teams they were meant to beat.
Final Arkansas State-Oklahoma Prediction & Pick
Do not overthink this game. Oklahoma was brutal last season, but these games can get ugly very quickly. It will come down to how much the Oklahoma defense has improved, but I will put my trust in them. 36.5 points is a lot, but I expect Oklahoma to put up 45+ points in this game.
Final Arkansas State-Oklahoma Prediction & Pick: Oklahoma -36.5 (-110), Over 48.5 (-105)
