Trotter: Ward and Houston’s offense will give a retooling Sooners defense fits early on. But eventually, Oklahoma’s devastating rushing attack coupled with Mayfield’s opportune playmaking will prove too much for the Cougars in the second half. Oklahoma 41, Houston, 30.
Khan: It’s difficult to account for a quarterback like Ward – Florida State learned firsthand last season – and I’ll bet he gives the Sooners’ defense a lot of headaches. Can the Cougars pressure Mayfield enough and force enough turnovers to hang on when Oklahoma inevitably starts piling up the points? I’m going to go out on a limb and say yes, they can. Houston 34, Oklahoma 31.
No. 3 Oklahoma (minus 11) vs. No. 15 Houston at NRG Stadium in Houston
The last time the Cougars went into a huge early season game this highly ranked was 1991 against Miami, and it did not turn out well for Houston. Can another much-hyped bunch of Coogs be heading for a similar fate? … OKLAHOMA 38-24.
Oklahoma 34, Houston 30: First off, I love that this game is being played at 11 a.m. It’s not the most fashionable time, but one of the best games of the weekend will get a featured window to give college football fans a legitimate full day of outstanding football. Houston could spring an upset, and the showdown between professional disrespect hunter Baker Mayfield and ex-NASCAR driver Greg Ward Jr. will be a lot of fun. The Sooners get one more stop late to seal the win.
FoxSports Sooners looking to make statement early against Houston
“I don’t tie years together; I never have,” Stoops said. “If they were living off the past they sure got woke up in the Orange Bowl. That was all over on that night. Point being: years, in my mind, don’t tie together. You have new people, new guys in new positions, different schedule. It’s a whole new thing.”
Ft Worth Star Telegram Houston’s quest for College Football Playoff begins with Oklahoma
If ever a season opener meant more to a college football team’s fan base than Saturday’s debut for the Houston Cougars, it would be hard to quantify when and where it was played.
Guerin Emig: Spencer Tillman advises OU to “run it down their throat” Saturday against Houston
“Oklahoma will have an image and impression edge. But if you look at their two losses last year, they were against dominant, physical defensive fronts. That’s when they got it handed to them. You won’t find that at the University of Houston. They won’t have that.
Listen to Spencer, OU. Run the ball into our defensive front over and over.
The Cougars’ defense believes that they will be ready come kickoff to face the monster nicknamed “Boomer Sooner.” The confidence that UH possesses comes from both last season’s success and an important component within the defense’s culture.
“Love,” Taylor said. “A genuine love for each other.”
Ok, so I was not the only one thinking that, I will also advise OU to spend their time trying to run it down our throat, when that fails, give it another 30 doses.