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OU just took down Texas, and now Big Blue Nation comes to Norman with a defense that’s given up 34 in back-to-back weeks. The Cats have been living on the edge, with two one-point wins in their last three. The current ratings and the board agree almost to the decimal, so this one’s about feel, and I’d rather have the eighth-ranked defense in the country in front of the Boomer Sooner crowd. Laying the six and a half with Oklahoma.
The Matchup
- Oklahoma just beat Texas. The Sooners are 3-2 after a 27-24 win over Texas last week. The defense is the strength, rated eighth and giving up 17.6 a game. The offense is the problem: 23 points a game, rated 84th, and 10 turnovers.
- Kentucky keeps winning close. The Wildcats are 5-1 and have won four straight, including two one-point games, 35-34 at South Carolina and 35-34 over LSU. They score 35 a game but give up 28, and their only loss was 45-17 to Alabama.
- Two different games. Kentucky’s last three games finished with 66, 69 and 69 total points. Oklahoma’s offense has topped 27 points just once, against UTEP.
- Norman at night. Kickoff is 7:30 PM ET.
The Number
The current ratings have Oklahoma about four points better on a neutral field. Two and a half for home field makes it six and a half, almost exactly the board’s number. There’s no real gap here.
So why Oklahoma? The better defense at home, against a Kentucky defense that has given up 34 in back-to-back games. The risk is the Oklahoma offense, which has to score at least four times to cover. It’s a Game Pick, a lean, and like every pick we post, it lands on the receipts page win or lose.
In-Game Bets
- If Kentucky scores first. Don’t chase it. Kentucky’s defense has given up 34 in each of its last two games.
- If Oklahoma leads by a touchdown at halftime. Hold. Oklahoma’s defense is the reason we’re here.
- If it’s within a field goal late. Leave it. A lean doesn’t need a second bet.
Bottom Line
Take Oklahoma minus six and a half at . Lean. The current ratings and the board agree on six and a half, so this is a lean on the better defense at home, not a disagreement with the price.
Same-Game Parlay
One read in three legs. If Oklahoma covers, it’s most likely because its offense finally finds points against a Kentucky defense that has given up 34 twice in a row. All three of Kentucky’s last three games went over 43.5, and Kentucky has allowed more than 24.5 in two of its last three. Every leg needs the same night, so this is one position, not three bets.
The angleOklahoma scores enough against a leaky Kentucky defense.
Build it at FanDuel →FanDuel prices same-game parlays in its own builder, so there is no price here. Build the legs there and check the number before you place it.
Price: check your sportsbook for SGP pricing. Lines as posted Thursday at 4:00 PM ET; confirm them before you build the ticket. This parlay is a Game Pick.
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