The Oklahoma Sooners will welcome the Cincinnati Bearcats into the Big 12 just before they themselves leave for the SEC next season in a Week 4 matchup. The welcoming party, however, will be a road trip for the Sooners, now 3-0, as they travel to Cincinnati to take on the 2-1 Bearcats.

This year's Oklahoma football team comes in ranked as the No. 16 team in the country where they are likely to face their first bit of competition this season. The Sooners' football team has all but boat-raced their previous opponents in Arkansas State (73-0), Southern Methodist (28-11), and Tulsa (66-17), giving them the nation's largest point differential at plus-139. This gives Oklahoma the third-best scoring offense in the country, not to mention the seventh-best scoring defense that's only given up 28 points all season.

There are some who believe that this year's Oklahoma team is vastly underrated. That could be the case, but after watching the Sooners go 3-0 during their first three games last season and then losing their next three conference games against Kansas State, TCU, and Texas, finishing the season seventh in the Big 12 and with a 6-7 overall record — they can't be trusted quite yet.

Brent Venables still has a lot to prove after his first season. Granted, he walked into quite a mess, with a program in shambles after watching their prized head coach and quarterback suddenly just up and leave. Can this year's Sooner's football team avoid going on another losing streak? Let's get into some Oklahoma Week 4 predictions.

4. Oklahoma football gets into a shootout for at least three quarters

Oklahoma was the only team in the country last year with a top-15 offense and yet still had a losing record. That's because their defense was atrocious. They gave up an average of 461 yards a game and were one of the worst in the country at stopping teams on third down. Even if Cincinnati lost to a much less talented Miami (OH) team last weekend, the Bearcats have averaged 25.5 points per game. Oklahoma did a lot of restructuring to their defense through the portal this offseason, but it has yet to be truly tested. This week has the ability to be that first test.

We know Oklahoma's quarterback, Dillon Gabriel, can score points, so that's likely not to be an issue. The over/under in this is 57.5, according to FanDuel, which feels about right.

3. Andrel Anthony has a breakout game

Andrel Anthony is looking like he may be Gabriel's favorite target moving forward. The Michigan transfer who couldn't find playing time with the Wolverines seems to be settling in nicely with the Sooners' high-powered passing offense. So far, Anthony has 14 catches for 254 yards and only one touchdown. Anthony's production, I believe, is only going to increase as the season goes along, including with this game that could be a bit of a back and forth for a while. Anthony goes for 110 yards and two touchdowns.

2. Oklahoma makes crucial third-down stops to Cincinnati's offense

As noted, Oklahoma football's defense couldn't get off the field last season because they could never stop teams on third down. If you're looking for proof that this is a different-looking Oklahoma team from last season, the proof will be in that pudding.

1. Oklahoma goes to 4-0

This game will be very pivotal for Oklahoma. Being their first real test and the beginning of conference play, we'll find out just how real they are. They'll still have much better competition down the road, but just seeing how they operate on the road against better competition will be telling to see if there is actually real improvement with this team. Oklahoma football continues on a good note for the 2023 season and gets their fourth win, something they couldn't do until mid-October last season.