Alabama vs. Oklahoma Total Prediction
With the number sitting in the high-70s, will tonight’s Capital One Orange Bowl matchup between the Oklahoma Sooners and Alabama Crimson Tide turn into a shootout for bettors?
Game Snapshot
253 Oklahoma Sooners vs. 254 Alabama Crimson Tide
8:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, December 29, 2018
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Public Betting Trends
According to oddsmakers from online sports book BetNow.eu, the Crimson Tide are 13.5-point favorites to beat the Crimson Tide. The total, meanwhile, sits at 79 points. As of this writing, 58% of the public betting tickets wagered on this matchup are on the Sooners.
Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma HC Lincoln Riley said Thursday that he is not interested in any NFL jobs right now. “I can’t tell you how I’m gonna feel in 10 years, but no, not right now,” Riley said Thursday. “If I wasn’t at one of the elite programs in the country, maybe, but no, I’m very happy where I’m at right now.” Riley’s name came up in connection with the NFL in late October, after the Browns — who selected former OU QB Baker Mayfield with the first pick in the 2018 NFL Draft — fired Hue Jackson, and he denied having any interest in that job. The most recent denial comes days before the end of the NFL regular season, and there are bound to be multiple head coaching vacancies as soon as next week.
Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama co-defensive coordinator Pete Golding said Thursday that he has not had any communication with Oklahoma regarding its DC position. The Sooners struggled mightily on the defensive side of the football before Mike Stoops was fired, with Ruffin O’Neil replacing him in an interim role. So it makes sense that the name of Golding, who has helped lead a unit that ranks tenth in the FBS in total defense, would come up in connection with the opening. The Crimson Tide, who face Oklahoma in Saturday’s College Football Playoff semifinal, are ranked fourth in scoring defense.
Betting Trends
Oklahoma
The Sooners are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games versus SEC opponents.
Alabama
The Crimson Tide are 5-2 against the number in their last seven games overall.
Prediction
If Alabama winds up making key adjustments to slow down Oklahoma’s offense then the scoring might grind to a halt in the second half. Still, the only play on the total tonight is the over. The Sooners are horrendous defensively and assuming Tua Tagovailoa is healthy, then the Tide might score on every possession. While Kyler Murray has yet to see a defense this good, this OU offense is too good to be held in check for four quarters. The over is 13-3 in the Sooners’ last 16 games overall, is 4-1 in their last five non-conference games and is 7-1 in their last eight games coming off a win.
Capital One Orange Bowl Prediction: Oklahoma/Alabama over 79