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Oklahoma Football: Preview, prediction, live stream vs. FAU

By Justin Heisey

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Rodney Anderson #24 of the Oklahoma Sooners runs the ball down field for a 41 yard touchdown in the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal Game agains the Georgia Bulldogs at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Rodney Anderson #24 of the Oklahoma Sooners runs the ball down field for a 41 yard touchdown in the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal Game agains the Georgia Bulldogs at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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Here’s a look at the full breakdown of Saturday’s matchup between the Oklahoma football and the Florida Atlantic Owls.

The Florida Atlantic Owls were already a team to watch going into 2017 with the hiring of Lane Kiffin just before the national title game featuring Alabama and Clemson. He took an Owls program from 3-9 in 2016 to 11-3 in 2017 which included a Conference-USA title and a blowout win over Akron in the Boca Raton Bowl.

The Owls open up the season just outside of the AP Top 25 and will look to make a statement week one against the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Oklahoma Sooners are coming off their second College Football Playoff appearance and will have a new identity in 2018. The Sooners lose Baker Mayfield but plan on playing former Texas A&M Aggie and soon to be Oakland Athletic Kyler Murray to start the season. Murray certainly showed flashes of greatness against West Virginia last season, but will he be the answer for the departing Mayfield?

With Week 1 rapidly approaching, let’s dive into the matchup between Lane Kiffin’s FAU Owls and the Big 12 favorite Oklahoma Sooners.

Date: Saturday, Sept. 1
Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Norman, Okla.
Venue: Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
TV: FOX
Live Stream: FOX Sports Go

Players To Watch

FAU

Oklahoma

Keys To Victory

If Florida Atlantic wants to escape Norman with the upset, it needs to do two things. First, the Owls need to get Devin Singletary rolling early and often. He finished 2017 with 1,918 yards and 33 total scores and was even able to pick up 68 yards and a score against a strong Wisconsin defense last season. Oklahoma doesn’t exactly have the strongest of defenses with only five returning starters from a sub-par 2017 defense and Singletary could have a field day if they get him going early.

Secondly, the Owls need to get stops. Florida Atlantic returns 10 starters from a team that gave up 22 points per game last season and a strong showing against a new quarterback could help guide the Owls to a blockbuster upset.

If Oklahoma expects to stay in the top 10 going into Week 2, it needs to score points. This likely won’t be a problem for Oklahoma who has averaged 40.3 points per game over the previous five seasons. One big contributor for this stat, however, was Baker Mayfield who graduated and was selected first overall by Cleveland.

Kyler Murray has looked really good going into this season and certainly has the athleticism to do damage in this game but he needs to keep the points coming in case the defense can’t stop the Owls’ potent offense.

Betting Odds

Courtesy of Oddshark

Point Spread: Oklahoma -23
Over/Under: 66.5

Next. Oklahoma: Game-by-game predictions for 2018. dark

Prediction

The Sooners likely have it mostly figured out on offense especially with guys like Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Rodney Anderson in play and Kyler Murray’s in-depth knowledge of the playbook having been a Sooner for two years prior. The Sooners come out on top in this one but not without a few scares from the Owls along the way. Smart money picks the Sooners to win but takes the Owls to cover.

Final Score: FAU 31, Oklahoma 45

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