Houston-Oklahoma Game Coverage- Thursday

Cougar Football
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A lot more game/score predictions from national writers today; most aren’t believers of the Cougars. Most of the links have descriptions to go along with why they chose, but I’m only including their predictions in this post:

Game/Score Predictions

CBS Sports writers
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/features/writers/expert/picks/straight-up/1
Entire staff, to include Dennis Dodd and Jon Solomon, picks OU. Fans currently pick OU at 69%

Tom Fornelli
Pick Six: Don't underestimate Oklahoma and Florida State in Week 1 - CBSSports.com
He was part of the writers in the last link, but he gives a score prediction of OU 35-21

Bruce Feldman

Feldman has us beating the spread, but thinks we wear down in the 4th - OU 30-23

Stewart Mandel

Mandel has us also beating the spread (11.5), but just barely: OU 38-27

Jim Ross (Yes, the former WWE announcer and OU homer penned an article for FoxSports)

Gives the Coogs a lot of credit, but picks OU 31-21

Athlon Sports
http://athlonsports.com/college-football/oklahoma-sooners-vs-houston-cougars-preview-and-prediction-2016
Expect a hard-fought game, and a close score through halftime as the two sides knock off the rust of a long offseason, but for Oklahoma to pull away in the second half. OU 41-24

Bill Connelly (S&P+)

Oklahoma by 19.5 over Houston (per S&P+).

Joseph Duarte
https://thefootballbrainiacs.com/ou-oklahoma-sooners-football-houston-cougars-local-take

Our intrepid beat reporter talks with the OU site and gives a prediction: OU 28-20. Good read though.

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Rece Davis of College Gameday on whether the Coogs can stun OU:

https://twitter.com/ESPN_ReceDavis/status/771425175640375296

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Kickoff Week games that will have the biggest playoff impact

1. No. 15 Houston vs. No. 3 Oklahoma, NRG Stadium (noon ET, ABC/ESPN3)

What it means for the winner: The Cougars would gain instant credibility as a playoff contender with a win, starting the season exactly where they left off – with a marquee win over a Power 5 heavyweight. It’s only the first step, though, in what needs to be an undefeated season. An Oklahoma win would separate the Sooners as long as Houston has success in the American Athletic Conference.

The road back for the loser: A Houston loss would end the Cougars’ playoff hopes. Coach Tom Herman knows, though, the American champ has a great chance to end the season as the highest-ranked Group of 5 team, which means a spot in a New Year’s Six bowl. If OU loses, don’t count it out (remember that loss to Texas last year?) – especially if it’s a close game and Houston wins the American.

Under pressure: The entire Group of 5. Houston is the best hope to represent the Group of 5 in the top four, but if the Cougars lose, so do the five FBS leagues with it.

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ESPN picks: Experts see huge years for Clemson and FSU

ESPN “experts” picked who would make the playoff…not a single one picked the Coogs to make it.

Matt Hinton of USA Today pulled all the rankings that “mattered” to come up with a Comprehensive Top 25

Coogs come in 17th. The computers hate us (Sagarin, FPI and S&P+) as we aren’t ranked in the Top 25 on any of them.

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Tom Lugenbill, Dave Pasch, and Greg McElroy 6 minute video from the Alumni Center

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In the beginning, we won’t see much of a bump in revenue… It’s usually a pro-rated deal with the Big12.

I think it takes something like 5 years before you get the FULL dividend $$$