It’s too soon to give up on the Sooners. Oklahoma is coming off a tough loss to Michigan, a game that exposed some offensive inconsistencies but also showed flashes of the physical, defensive-minded identity that Brent Venables continues to build. Yes, they fell short in a marquee road matchup, but Oklahoma should be highly motivated to deliver a statement performance in front of its home crowd. Before they go back on the road to face Georgia, one of the toughest teams in the SEC, the Sooners will likely want to shake off any signs of weakness and fight for the full 4 quarters vs Los Lobos on Saturday.
While it’s likely Oklahoma will want to preserve its starters’ health for back-to-back weeks that will be full of Bulldogs and Longhorns, coach Venables understands the importance or morale, and he’ll let his team play hard vs New Mexico. Los Lobos will likely enter the game with confidence, but this is a major step up in class. They have put a lot of points on the board early this season, 108 combined through their first 2 games, yet they have not faced a defense with Oklahoma's speed and depth.
Ultimately, the Michigan loss may work in Oklahoma's favor. Expect a focused and energized effort back at home, where the Sooners should be eager to bounce back. The combination of arguably superior talent, home-field advantage, and added motivation makes Oklahoma a solid pick to cover the 23 points on Saturday.
Oklahoma vs New Mexico prediction: Oklahoma -22.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to -23.5 (-115).
