Tennessee vs Oklahoma Odds & Picks Week 4: Vols Offense Is Too Good

Oklahoma, an underdog at home? That’s a rarity, to be certain. But it’s also a reality for the Sooners’ first game against a fellow SEC opponent, in this case, high-powered Tennessee visiting Norman as a 7-point favorite on Saturday night.

It’s the first time Oklahoma has been a touchdown underdog at home since 1998, according to ESPN. Tennessee enters averaging 63.7 points per game and at 2-0 ATS against FBS opponents, having smashed North Carolina State and Kent State. Oklahoma covered against Temple and Tulane, but in between got a scare from 27.5-point underdog Houston in a narrow 16-12 victory.

Tennessee vs Oklahoma Odds

Matchup Page: Tennessee vs Oklahoma, 7:30 pm ET

Odds as of September 17

Tennessee vs Oklahoma Picks – Week 4

What to make of this offensive explosion we’ve seen from the Volunteers? Tennessee leads the nation in scoring, after pummeling an FCS program (Chattanooga, 69-3), an average ACC team (N.C. State, 51-10) and perhaps the worst squad in FBS football (Kent State, 71-0). But the Vols clearly know how to take care of business, and their attack is very balanced with running back Dylan Sampson sharing the national lead with nine touchdowns.

Oklahoma, though, is not Kent State. While quarterback Jackson Arnold has cooled considerably since his four-touchdown effort against Temple in the season opener, the Sooners’ defense remains very solid—it’s allowing an average of 11.3 points and 77.7 rushing yards, and it has yet to allow a rushing TD.

And while this will be the first true road start for Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava, it’s Sampson who largely powers this Tennessee attack. Oklahoma’s offense? Against Tulane, Arnold was the Sooners’ leading passer and rusher. That Oklahoma D is really good, to be certain, but Sooners simply don’t have many legitimate weapons on the other side of the ball.

Tennessee vs Oklahoma Week 4 Pick: Tennessee -7 (-115)

Can Tennessee continue this scoring pace, even on the road against one of the nation’s better defenses? The better question is, can Oklahoma keep up? In addition to scoring at will, Tennessee has gone four full games without allowing an offensive touchdown, tied with Georgia for the longest current streak in the nation. Oklahoma needed turnovers and short fields to pull away from Tulane—something they can’t rely on this week.

Tennessee vs Oklahoma Week 4 Pick: UNDER 57.5 (-110)

*picks made as of Tuesday, September 17 at 1:45 pm ET

Tennessee vs. Oklahoma News

Oklahoma’s offense could get a needed boost from the return of receiver Nic Anderson, who caught 31 passes for 798 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. Anderson has been dealing with lingering injuries since fall camp, but Arnold told reporters in Norman on Monday that he expected the wideout to be back Saturday against Tennessee, according to The Oklahoman newspaper.

Tennessee vs Oklahoma Prop Pick: Dylan Sampson 100 Rushing Yards, +225

Sampson has been the backfield workhorse for the most productive offense in the nation, scoring nine touchdowns and averaging 119 rushing yards per game. He averaged 6.6 yards on 20 carries against N.C. State, and expect a similar workload for the tailback against the Sooners.

Tennessee vs Oklahoma Betting Trends