This is an opportunity the Sooners could have only hoped for after losing to Houston. A win at home against perennial contender Ohio State could start a win streak that puts them back in playoff contention. Having faced the Cougars dual-threat quarterback in Greg Ward should have the Sooners better prepared for Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett Home field and consistent big plays will be the difference on the Sooners' side here.

Oklahoma is offered at a nice discount as home dogs vs. Ohio State. The Sooners sucked in week 1 against a very good Houston team. Look for them to bounce back in a big way with an "upset" of the Buckeyes. My simulations have Oklahoma favored by two points in this game. Baker Mayfield is going to torch the Ohio State secondary on his way to four touchdowns Saturday evening. Boomer Sooner!

The huge swing in the spread has grabbed the headlines, while the total has received comparably much less attention. Openers of 64 have been lowered to 63, but I think big-play offense will be a recurring a theme. Baker Mayfield and his cache of weapons should have success against the young Ohio State defense. The Buckeyes won’t put up the massive numbers they’ve seen in the first two weeks, but J.T. Barrett and his playmakers should be able to move the ball on any opponent. Look for explosive plays on both sides to send this game Over the total.

The Buckeyes have won 18 straight road games and are 10-4 against the spread in their last 14 during the month of September. Credit Ohio State coach Urban Meyer for that, as he has a huge advantage over Oklahoma counterpart Bob Stoops. The Sooners are not the same team they were a year ago while the Buckeyes have the look of a top contender. My simulations give Ohio State a 68 percent chance of covering this small number.

In May, the South Point sports book opened Oklahoma as a 9.5-point favorite for this game. Early money came in on the Buckeyes, then Oklahoma lost to a very good Houston squad on a neutral field -- kind of -- at NRG Stadium in Houston. Meanwhile, Ohio State's revamped lineup this year beat the tar out of Bowling Green and Tulsa. The public loves them and hates Oklahoma, which has now failed to cover three straight, looking bad in two of them (including Clemson in January). I'll trust oddsmakers' early ratings, and mine as well, and take the value with the Sooners at home. Don't overreact to one game.

Ohio State has to avoid a slow start offensively. Defensively, it’s business as usual for the Buckeyes as they are a smothering group at every level. However, Sooners QB Baker Mayfield can create outside the framework of the play; I'd love to see Oklahoma feature RB Joe Mixon in the passing game. Look for Oklahoma to win the battle in the trenches, forcing the Buckeyes to throw more often than they want.