Ohio State Football: Buckeye Blitz, College Football Playoff Edition
#4 Oklahoma vs. #1 LSU — 4 p.m. ET on ABC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia
Line: LSU -13.5
In the second-largest point spread of the CFP era (Alabama was favored by 14 against Oklahoma last year), the Sooners (12-1) aim to shut down the No. 1 ranked Tigers (13-0) and Heisman-winning QB Joe Burrow.
Led by QB Jalen Hurts and WR Ceedee Lamb, the Oklahoma offense is difficult to match, but the quartet of Burrow, RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (if healthy, questionable for Saturday’s game), and WRs Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson has left defenses scrambling for answers.
Offensively, the teams are almost identical in yards per game – LSU averages 554.3, Oklahoma 554.2 – but LSU has been more efficient in scoring, averaging 47.8 points per game compared to 43.2 by Oklahoma.
On defense, both teams have NFL-caliber players – Jim Thorpe Award-winner DB Grant Delpit for LSU, and First Team All-Big 12 LB Kenneth Murray for Oklahoma – but the defenses as a whole are middle of the pack in the FBS.
Anything less than a combined point total of 70 would be shocking. Nerves can limit offenses and cause turnovers in big games, but Hurts has been in big games like this before and former Buckeye Joe Burrow seems to be made for moments like these.
Oklahoma can hang tough for a half (maybe three quarters), but I see LSU pulling away late to take the Peach Bowl and move on the national championship game on their home turf in New Orleans.
LSU 47, Oklahoma 31
Next. This could be the game of the decade. dark
The 2019 college football season is nearing its end, and with that, we have arrived at the two biggest games up to this point. Anything can happen in college football, and the four teams competing on Saturday hope that “anything” can translate to “champions.”