After a nearly eight-decade hiatus, No. 12 Utah and No. 14 Oklahoma State will resume their series in Stillwater, Oklahoma in what will be the Big 12 opener for both teams.
Both teams are riding high with 3-0 records and eager to establish themselves as one of the favorites in the Big 12 Conference. Both teams were predicted to finish in the Top 3 so the winner will have the inside track to the Big 12 title.
“They’re all significant, right,” said Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy. “In college football, every game counts.”
The last time these teams met was on October 20, 1945, when Oklahoma State overwhelmed the Utes with a 46-6 victory in Salt Lake City.
Viewing Information
Date: Saturday, September 21
Time: 2:00 p.m. MT
TV: FOX
Announcers: Jason Benetti, Brock Huard, Allison Williams
Location: Boone Pickens Stadium (52,305) — Stillwater, Oklahoma
All-Time Results
Oklahoma State 46, Utah 6 (1945)
Betting Lines
The Spread: Oklahoma State -2.5
Money Line: Oklahoma State -140, Utah +120
Over/Under: 52.5
When betting lines first opened, Utah opened as a 2.5-point favorite on the road, however, as of Thursday night, that switched to Oklahoma State as a 2.5 favorite now. The over/under opened at 51.5 and has since jumped to 52.5. In regards to the money line, oddsmakers are favoring Oklahoma State at -140 with Utah at +120. The money line simply involves picking the winning team. With Oklahoma State at -140, those picking the Pokes would have to risk $140 to win $100. However, for those picking the Utes, one would win $120 for his/her $100 wager.
SP+, a predictive analytics tool created by ESPN’s Bill Connelly, has Oklahoma State beating Utah 28-27. So far this year, SP+ is 3-0 in its Utah picks. Bill gives Utah a 49% chance of beating the Pokes, which is up compared to ESPN’s Football Power Index. As of right now, the FPI gives Utah a 40% chance of beating Oklahoma State.
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Oklahoma State vs. Utah Preview
What adds to the intrigue of this matchup is the quarterback duel between Utah’s Cam Rising and Oklahoma State’s Alan Bowman — both who are in their seventh year of eligibility. At ages 25 and 24, respectively, the duo’s combined age of 49 is notably older than the starting quarterbacks in this Sunday’s NFL matchup between the Colts and the Bears as Anthony Richardson and Caleb Williams are both 22.
Rising, who missed last week’s 38-21 win against Utah State due to a finger injury sustained against Baylor, is eager to return to the field. “As a kid, you dream of playing in big-time football games, and this is a great Oklahoma State team. I’m excited to get out there,” he stated.
In limited action this season, Rising has been impressive, completing 18 of 29 passes for 346 yards and seven touchdowns. The Utes’ ground game is led by Micah Bernard, who has amassed 274 yards on 41 carries, while four receivers have already racked up over 100 receiving yards.
On the other side, Bowman has been on fire, throwing for 396 yards and five touchdowns in last week’s 45-10 rout of Tulsa. Over three games, he’s completed 67% of his passes for 967 yards, eight touchdowns, and only two interceptions, with De’Zhaun Stribling emerging as his go-to receiver with 17 catches for 295 yards and two scores.
However, the Cowboys’ standout running back, Ollie Gordon II, who rushed for 1,732 yards last season, has struggled to find his rhythm, totaling just 216 yards in three games and averaging 3.5 yards per carry. Gundy remains optimistic, noting that while they faced challenges in running the ball against Tulsa, there were moments of success that highlighted Gordon’s potential.
This long-awaited showdown is poised to be a significant chapter in both teams’ seasons, and with so much at stake, fans can expect an electrifying atmosphere in Stillwater.
Big 12 Power Rankings: BYU, KSU, UCF Move Up — Arizona, Kansas Fall
Prediction: No. 14 Oklahoma State 24, No. 12 Utah 21
This will be one of the biggest games in the Big 12 this season with the winner getting an inside track to the Big 12 title.
It sounds like Cam Rising is going to try and play for Utah which will be a big boost if he does as the Ute offense has struggled without him this year. We don’t know how significant his injury was and if he’s coming back early just because of how important the game is.
Many people expected Rising to be out several weeks so if Rising is only 60-70% healthy, I don’t see him leading the Utes to victory. However, if he’s close to being 100%, and his finger injury doesn’t impact his throwing ability, then I think the Utes can get it done.
Having said that, there are still too many question marks at the moment for Utah and because of that, I’m giving the edge to the Cowboys in a close one. And no matter what happens Saturday afternoon, a seventh-year senior will be walking out with a victory.
