Ride angry Stoops, Oklahoma as 15-point favorites over Texas Tech

Road trips are wearing on Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops.

But like many of their college football brethren, the Sooners are a different team within the friendly confines of their home field.

Over the past two seasons, Oklahoma has covered only one of five games as a Big 12 Conference road favorite. The Sooners lost all four of the non-covers outright by an average of 17 points.

But cast Oklahoma as a home favorite, and it has been a different story since the start of the 2006 season. During that span, when placed in the role of a home favorite in league play, the Sooners are 11-5 against the spread.

The Sooners, who were whipped 33-19 at Texas A&M last week, will have a handful of situational and technical edges in their corner today at Owen Field.

Oklahoma is a home favorite, and off a straight-up loss, it has compiled a 12-5 ATS mark in that role in the past eight-plus seasons.

Add to that the Sooners will be out to avenge last year's blowout loss to Texas Tech.

Stoops reportedly was in somewhat of a foul mood during Tuesday's meeting with the media, saying he refused to get into "excuses and reasons" for his team's failings.

Look for quarterback Landry Jones and running back DeMarco Murray, a Bishop Gorman High product, to get Oklahoma's offense rolling.

As they say in Norman, "If Bob ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." Ride the angry Stoops and his Sooners as 15-point favorites over the Red Raiders.

Eight more plays for today (home team in CAPS):

■ BAYLOR (+3) over Texas A&M -- The Aggies still are riding high after beating Oklahoma. The Bears got stroked on the road by Oklahoma State, and they were pushed around by A&M last year in a 38-3 rout. Baylor has the situational and psychological edges.

■ Mississippi State (+13½) over ALABAMA -- It has been a long time since the Crimson Tide played a regular-season game without any real chance of ultimately playing for the national title. Mississippi State is coming off a bye and should have a little more spark in its step.

■ Mississippi State-ALABAMA (Under 47½) -- The Bulldogs' offense lives primarily by the run (218.7 rushing yards per game), while the Crimson Tide's defense allows only 125.8 yards per game on the ground. Alabama has scored 24 points or fewer in four of its past six games.

■ Iowa State (-2) over COLORADO -- The firing of Colorado coach Dan Hawkins does not lend itself to a premium effort by the Buffaloes, especially when quarterback Cody Hawkins is the ousted coach's son.

■ Utah (-5½) over NOTRE DAME -- Freshman quarterback Tommy Rees gets his first career start against a capable Utes defense that will be out to erase a weak showing last week against Texas Christian. Although Utah's Bowl Championship Series hopes are no longer, a trip to South Bend is motivation enough.

■ TULANE (-4) over Rice -- The point spread suggests the line would be pick'em if these Conference USA bottom feeders were to meet on a neutral field. Tulane, however, is the better team and should be able to exploit an Owls pass defense that ranks 119th of 120 Division I teams by allowing 303.4 yards per game.

■ Oregon (-19½) over CALIFORNIA -- The Golden Bears lost veteran quarterback Kevin Riley and must rely on relatively untested Brock Mansion. Oregon averages an NCAA-high 54.7 points per game and has scored at least 42 points in all nine games.

■ ARIZONA (-4½) over Southern California -- With no postseason hopes and its home date against Oregon two weeks in the rearview mirror, USC has to be running low on emotional fuel. The Wildcats should rebound from last week's 42-17 embarrassment at Stanford.

Last week: 4-5 against the spread

Season: 31-37-3

Texas-based handicapper Paul Stone of Vegassportsauthority.com is providing college football analysis for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.