Since their 2000 national championship, Oklahoma is one of the most consistent contenders in college football. Oklahoma has finished inside the top ten of the national rankings 15 times in the past 20 years. Most important of all, the Sooners have successfully passed the coaching baton from Bob Stoops to Lincoln Riley. Stoops hired Riley as his offensive coordinator with the plan that he would succeed him. Riley took the reins in 2017 and has never had a final betting on College Football national ranking lower than 7th. Concurrently more of the same is expected for 2021.
2021 Oklahoma Sooners Betting Odds
| Sooners | Odds |
|---|---|
| Odds to win National Championship: | +700 |
| Odds to win Big 12 Conference: | -143 |
| 2021 Regular Season Win Total: | 11 |
2021 Oklahoma Sooners Team Overview
Riley put his quarterbacks on the final stage of the Heisman Trophy award ceremony in his first three seasons. Two of those quarterbacks (Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray) left with the Heisman. Oklahoma has four total college football playoff appearances with three under Riley. However, once the Sooners made the playoffs, they lacked the defense to finish.
Now OU’s defensive woes are methodically going away. Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch is solving past problems. Thus, Riley and the Sooners are again the odds-on sportsbook favorites to win the Big 12 championship and make the college football playoff.
Lincoln Riley is one of the most brilliant offensive minds in football. In fact, each offseason, NFL coaches constantly pick his brain. Riley has often been mentioned as an NFL head coaching candidate. But he loves the college life of Norman, Oklahoma, and the ability to dominate the Big 12. Specifically at Oklahoma, he leads a marquee name-brand program.
Quarterback Spencer Rattler best exemplifies Riley’s coaching prowess. Last year as a freshman, Rattler developed quickly under Riley’s watch. Rattler will be far better and more consistent in 2021. Equally important, Riley is an ace recruiter, and Rattler will be surrounded by top-shelf talent.
Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch may prove to be the final piece of the national championship puzzle for Oklahoma. Although the unit has more room for improvement, the days of Oklahoma’s defense being a liability are clearly over.
2021 Oklahoma Sooners Schedule Highlights
The first game action pits Oklahoma at the Tulane Green Wave on September 4. Tulane is a solid American Athletic Conference program but nowhere near OU’s class.
On September 18, OU will renew its old Betting on College Football rivalry with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Once upon a time, it was one of the great rivalries in college football history.
October 2 brings a potentially dangerous game at the Kansas State Wildcats. Consider that K-State beat Oklahoma in each of the past two seasons.
October 9 is the famed Red River Shootout at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas against the Texas Longhorns. Steve Sarkisian is the new Texas head coach. And he’ll be looking to get a leg up on Riley and the Sooners.
November 20 features a visit from the Iowa State Cyclones. Last December, ISU lost to OU in the 2020 Big 12 championship game. Iowa State is expected to field the best team in program history for 2021.
The regular-season finale at the Oklahoma State Cowboys on November 27 won’t be easy either. Concurrently, Oklahoma State is a tough out for any Big 12 team, except for the Sooners. Oklahoma has a stranglehold on this series known as “Bedlam.”
2021 Oklahoma Sooners SBG Best Bet: Oklahoma to win Big 12 Conference.