The No. 16 Oklahoma Sooners are set to kick off their 2024 season as a member of the SEC by hosting the Temple Owls on Friday night. Oklahoma, which finished last season with a record of 10-3, aims to improve and secure a spot in the expanded College Football Playoff despite facing a tougher schedule. Meanwhile, Temple, coming off a 3-9 season in 2023, hopes to reach its first bowl game since 2019 under third-year head coach Stan Drayton. The Owls face challenges as they return only 10 starters from the previous year.
The game will start at 7 p.m. ET at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. According to the latest odds, Oklahoma is favored by 42.5 points against Temple, with an over/under set at 57.5 points. For those looking for insights before placing bets, the SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times, has been profitable throughout its existence.
Oklahoma boasts a strong offense, returning seven starters, including quarterback Jackson Arnold, who threw for 361 yards in the last game’s loss to Arizona. The Sooners also retain five of their top six receivers from 2023 while adding former Purdue wideout Deion Burks. Despite the departure of offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, now the head coach at Mississippi State, scoring is expected to remain a strength for the team.
On the defensive side, Oklahoma features two second-team All-Americans: linebacker Danny Stutsman and safety Billy Bowman. Stutsman recorded 104 tackles last season, while Bowman contributed 63 tackles. With eight returning starters on defense, including the team’s top six tacklers, the Sooners are well-prepared to face their opponent.
For Temple, the Owls will rely on a strong running game led by Maryland transfer Antwain Littleton and returning player Joquez Smith. The offensive line is described as above average, suggesting a focus on controlling the clock to keep Oklahoma’s offense off the field.
In the quarterback position, 2023 JUCO transfer Forrest Brock is likely to start over Rutgers transfer Evan Simon, while the defense returns five starters aiming to improve after allowing an average of 442 yards per game last season.
SportsLine’s projections indicate a high-scoring game, favoring the over on total points, with a prediction of 71 combined points and a strong likelihood of one side of the spread hitting nearly 60% of the time. For those interested in further analysis and picks, the details are available on SportsLine.