NRG Stadium – Houston
Kickoff: Saturday, 12:00 p.m. ET
Line: Oklahoma -10.5, Total: N/A

Conference champions, #3 Oklahoma and #13 Houston, start their 2016 campaigns with a marquee matchup.

Oklahoma entered last season ranked No. 19 and only went up from there, with a Red River Rivalry loss to Texas the only blemish on their 11-1 (9-3 ATS) regular-season record. As 3.5-point favorites in the BCS Playoffs, a halftime lead turned into a 20-point loss to Clemson as the Sooners were outrushed 312 yards to 67. Despite some losses in the WR and LB units, OU can compete for a national title with the talent they’ve retained, including Big-12 Offensive Player of the Year QB Baker Mayfield and First Team All-Big 12 RB Samaje Perine. September non-conference games against Houston and Ohio State, both top-ten teams to finish last season, could make or break Oklahoma’s playoff hopes. College football pollsters and pundits doubted Houston and first-year head coach Tom Herman all season, and could not have been more wrong. An impressive Week 2 win as 13-point underdogs at Louisville (an 8-win team) was part of a ten-game win streak to start the year. The Cougars’ lone loss of the season was at UConn, the only game superstar QB Greg Ward did not start because of an ankle injury. Left out of the BCS Playoff picture, UH beat Florida State 38-24 as 7.5-point underdogs in the Peach Bowl to cap off a 13-1 season as the #8 ranked team. Ward is back, but Houston has a lot of production to replace around him. The offense, which produced 40.4 points per game last year (10th in nation), will rely heavily on transfers RB Duke Catalon (Texas) and WR Ra’Shaad Samples (Oklahoma State). The defense is stout up front against the run, but inexperienced in the secondary. It could be Houston’s fatal flaw in big games this year. These teams last met in 2004, when Oklahoma won 63-13 as 40-point home favorites. Since 2014, Oklahoma is 5-1 ATS (6-0 SU) in September games, but 0-4 ATS (1-3 SU) in neutral field games. Houston is 6-0-1 ATS (5-2 SU) as an underdog and 7-3 ATS (8-2 SU) in non-conference games in the past two seasons.

Oklahoma’s offense ranked 4th nationally with 43.5 points per game, and retains many of its key players. Heisman hopeful QB Baker Mayfield posted 3,700 passing yards, 36 passing TD and seven rushing TD in his first season after transferring from Texas Tech. He’s joined by the prolific RB duo of Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon, who combined for 2,565 yards from scrimmage and 28 TD a year ago. WR Sterling Shepard is gone after a 233-catch, 3,482-yard career, but there are plenty of playmakers for Mayfield to throw to. Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year WR Dede Westbrook gained 743 receiving yards on 46 catches as a junior college transfer, and graduate transfer WR Geno Lewis caught 55 passes for 751 yards at Penn State two years ago. 6’5” TE/WR Mark Andrews is a red-zone weapon who raked in seven TD catches last season. With three starting offensive lineman returning, OU should maintain its dynamic offensive production. The Sooners defense could be a different story, as four First Team All-Big 12 performers are gone from a unit that allowed 22.0 points per game (28th in the nation). DL Charles Walker, who tallied 10 TFL and 6 sacks playing through a wrist injury last season, could become a lethal pass-rusher this year. LB Jordan Evans (49 solo tackles, 5 TFL, 4 pass breakups) is now the alpha dog of an inexperienced linebacking unit. The secondary held opponents to 6.0 yards per pass attempt (13th in the nation), and S Ahmad Thomas (49 solo tackles, 3 INT) and CB Jordan Thomas (5 INT) are back to lead a robust defensive backfield.

QB Greg Ward was one of two FBS players to tally over 2,000 passing yards and over 1,000 rushing yards last season (the other was Clemson’s Deshaun Watson). Ward threw for 17 TD and ran for another 21. No. 1 WR Demarcus Ayers left for the pros, moving WR Chance Allen (56 receptions, 752 yards, 6 TD) into the spotlight. Oklahoma State transfer WR Ra’Shaad Samples, a four-star prospect coming out of high school, should have a major role as a slot receiver. The RB tandem of Kenneth Farrow and Ryan Jackson (combined 1,583 yards from scrimmage and 16 TD last season) is gone, leaving RB Duke Catalon to take the reins. Catalon was a highly-touted recruit who transferred from Texas after redshirting in his first year. Houston’s defense lost five starters from a season in which they ranked 20th nationally with 20.7 points allowed per game. Opponents were held to 3.2 yards per rush (6th in the nation), but gained 7.7 yards per pass attempt (94th). Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando, coming off under-the-radar successes as DC at UConn, FIU and Utah State, installed a new 3-4 scheme last summer. Beastly NT B.J. Singleton was key to the run-stuffing success of the defensive front, and he’ll anchor the line again in Year 2 under Orlando. OLBs Steven Taylor (10 sacks, 18.5 TFL) and Tyus Bowser (5.5 sacks, 6.5 TFL) make a formidable edge-rush duo that hopes to make up for a lack of experience in the secondary. CB Brandon Wilson was the only player in the nation to score multiple TD as an offensive (two as a rusher), defensive (on a fumble return and an INT return) and special teams (two kickoff returns) player. He’ll be flanked by a group of promising, athletic DBs who have a started a combined six games.