Football Saturday in Oklahoma
• Florida A&M at Oklahoma •
This is the first meeting between these schools. OU is coming off a 24-7 win at UTEP, in which quarterback Landry Jones said that the Sooner were out of sync. However, the Sooners are 3-0 vs. Football Championship Subdivision schools under Bob Stoops. OU’s last contest against an FCS school had the Sooners winning 64-0 over Idaho State in 2009.
Matt’s pick: OU 54-3; Joey’s pick: OU 59-9
• Oklahoma State at Arizona •
Arizona is not Savannah State. Tucson is not Stillwater. None of that is news.
The Cowboys and Wildcats are squaring off for the third consecutive year. OSU won in 2010 and 2011, but has lost three of the four times it has played in Tucson. Both teams are 1-0 coming in to the game that’s being broadcast on the Pac 12 Network. The what?
Matt’s pick: OSU 35-14; Joey’s pick: OSU 31-21
• Tulane at Tulsa •
It’s the C-USA opener and home opener for the Golden Hurricane. Tulsa is 7-1 against Tulane all-time and has won all three games played in Tulsa. TU has won five of its last six home openers – it’s only loss coming to OSU last year.
Matt’s pick: Tulsa 31-16; Joey’s pick: Tulsa 34-14
• Central at Pittsburg •
The comeback came up short for the Bronchos last week in their MIAA opener against Missouri Southern. This week, things don’t get any easier as UCO travels to Pittsburg, Kan., to take on the Gorillas, the No.1 team in Division II. Pitt State has won the last three contests between the two schools – the season openers in 2008-2010.
Matt’s pick: PSU 48-13; Joey’s pick: PSU 45-21
• Southern Nazarene at East Central •
Both teams are looking for their first win as they compete for the first time as rivals in the Great American Conference. ECU won the only previous meeting between the two, a 37-30 double overtime thriller in Bethany in 2008.
Matt’s pick: ECU 24-21; Joey’s pick: ECU 31-21
• Northeastern State at Missouri Southern •
NSU fell to the top-ranked Pitt State Gorillas in their first MIAA contest last Saturday. The RiverHawks have their first road trip today in Joplin, Mo. This is first meeting between the schools.
Matt’s pick: MSSU 48-13; Joey’s pick: MSSU 34-31
• Colorado State-Pueblo at Northwestern •
The Rangers are coming off a tough loss in their Great American Conference opener at Ouachita Baptist. They will go out of conference today as the host the ThunderWolves, who have won 16 consecutive regular season games. NWOSU won the last matchup between the two, 34-28, in 2009 in Alva.
Matt’s pick: CSU-P 28-18; Joey’s pick: CSU-P 42-21
• Lindenwood-Bellevue at Panhandle State •
OPSU was handed a tough 55-14 loss in Rolla, Mo., last weekend, and are anxious to play before a home crowd today. The host the Lindenwood-Bellevue Lynx, a program that earned its first-ever win last weekend against Avila, 43-37.
Matt’s pick: LU 28-10; Joey’s pick: OPSU 28-21
• Bacone vs. Langston •
The state’s only two NAIA football schools (until OBU starts play next year) face each other on a neutral site. The Lions are the home team on the scoreboard at Booker T. Washington in Tulsa. It’s also the first Central States Football League game for both teams. Langston took the contest last season, 25-16.
Matt’s pick: BC 17-10; Joey’s pick LU 28-24