No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners vs. No. 21 Missouri: Sooners Wire Predictions

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The Oklahoma Sooners return home for the first time in a month to welcome their old Big 8 and Big 12 foe, the Missouri Tigers, to Norman. The two sides will meet for the 98th time in a game that has massive College Football Playoff implications.

A win keeps the Sooners alive in their bid to return to the playoff for the first time since 2019. A loss likely knocks them out of the CFP picture and opens the door for someone else.

Missouri isn't really in the playoff picture at the moment, but if they wanted to make a case for inclusion as a three-loss team, beating Oklahoma would provide them a huge resume boost. They boast the No. 6 scoring defense in the SEC and the No. 1 defense in the conference in total yards allowed per game.

The Sooners may be favorites in this game; however, Missouri is a team that can't be taken lightly. Who wins? Here are this week's Sooners Wire Staff Predictions.

Sooners are the Better Team

Missouri and Oklahoma enter Saturday with similar records. The Sooners are at 8-2, and Mizzou is at 7-3. But upon looking at who the teams have played, predicting the winner becomes much easier. OU is playing to stick around in the College Football Playoff. Missouri, which owns zero wins over ranked opponents, is well out of that picture. Sure, the Tigers might strike here or there with a great running game. It's just that Oklahoma should be more than ready.

Oklahoma 27, Missouri 17

Eric Bolin, Sooners Wire Contributor

Oklahoma on Upset Alert

Missouri is absolutely capable of going into Norman and knocking the Sooners out of the playoff picture, and Oklahoma needs to treat the Tigers with the same intensity that they did teams like Michigan, Tennessee and Alabama. Mizzou’s defense is excellent, and it won’t be easy for OU’s offense on Saturday. However, the Tigers are very run-heavy on offense, and it’ll likely stay that way, regardless of whether Beau Pribula or Matt Zollers gets the start. Containing star RB Ahmad Hardy and getting their own run game going are the keys for Oklahoma if they want to avenge a heartbreaking loss in CoMo last year.

Oklahoma 30, Missouri 23

Aaron Gelvin, Sooners Wire Contributor

Stop the Run, Stop the Tigers

Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy is one of the best offensive players this Oklahoma defense has faced all season. He leads the nation in rushing and has nearly 1,000 yards rushing after contact. If Oklahoma can play a disciplined game against the run and limit Hardy's effectiveness, they'll have another big day defensively. True freshman quarterback Matt Zollers has a lot of potential, but he hasn't played against a defense like Brent Venables' yet.

Offensively, the Sooners have a lot to prove. The Missouri defense is statistically the best unit they've seen since the Red River Showdown. It will be a tough test for John Mateer and the Sooners' offense. There are plenty of playmakers for Oklahoma to work with, but they need to find a rhythm offensively.

Ultimately, the difference may once again come down to special teams, and the Sooners have arguably the best special teams unit in the nation.

Oklahoma 23, Missouri 16

John Williams, Sooners Wire Lead Writer

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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Sooners Wire Staff Predictions for Oklahoma Sooners vs. Missouri

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