Bet on the Fiesta Bowl – Oklahoma Offense vs. West Virginia
by Russell Edward
If you bet on college football, you probably know that the West Virginia, especially when the Sooners offense is on the field. On the defensive side of the ball, West Virginia is much smaller than the offense they will line up against and it is very likely you will see the Mountaineers try to start the game combating this deficiency by sneaking a safety into the box to help with run support. While Sooners coach Bob Stoops will want to try to get a balanced attack going overall, he should take this early opportunity to strike deep through the air. If quarterback Sam Bradford can connect on a couple of early big plays, the game could be in hand early, as the Mountaineers have neither the self confidence nor the offense to come back from a large early deficit against Oklahoma.
Oklahoma Sooners –7.5
Bradford finished this season ranked number one in quarterback efficiency in the nation, so Stoops is very aware that even if the early attack does not pan out as hoped, he can still trust that it will not turn disastrous. Bradford is playing extremely well considering the lack of starts under his belt and his confidence has to be soaring. Not only does he have good arm strength and exceptional accuracy, but he also has the mobility to avoid pressure and buy extra time for his receivers when a play starts to break down.
The two-headed ground attack features running backs Allen Patrick and Chris Brown running behind an offensive line that is massive, averaging 323 pounds. Against the smallish defensive front of the Mountaineers, they will start to overwhelm quickly if given time. They will control the point of attack, and Patrick and Brown – who are both good inside runners with quick bursts – will rotate to keep their legs fresh while they tire out their opponents, who will not have the luxury of sitting for a few plays every so often.
Fiesta Bowl – January 2, 2008 in Glendale, Arizona at 8 p.m. EST
One of the main reasons to think that the Sooners will be able to cover this 7.5-point Michigan.
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