The Oklahoma Sooners face the Navy Midshipmen in the Armed Forces Bowl on Friday.
I offer the best bets for the Oklahoma vs Navy matchup, as the Sooners hope to come away with a win despite the transfer portal devastating the team. Almost all of the Midshipmen's key players are playing, but they are still 3-point underdogs in Friday's game at noon ET (ESPN) from Fort Worth, Texas.
Who will help the Sooners in this matchup with key offensive players like quarterback Jackson Arnold and running back Giovante Barnes absent? And how will the Midshipmen play against a weak defense?
Our college bowl game waiver wire tracker will bring you the latest on the waiver wire and how it will affect college bowl game odds.
Oklahoma vs. Navy - college soccer player predictions: Armed Forces Bowl
College soccer predictions made on Thursday; odds are subject to change. Our new college soccer betting tool helps you find the best odds for any market among legal sports bettors in your area!
Blake Horvat Touchdown Prediction: Over 1.5 touchdowns (+300 on FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Michael Hawkins Jr. prediction: Over 35.5 yards (-114 on FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Eli Heidenreich Prop pick: Over 23.5 yards (-114 on FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Oklahoma vs. Navy touchdown prediction
Blake Horvat Over 1.5 touchdowns ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Best odds: +300 via FanDuel | Estimated probability: 25.00%
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Most of the Suners' main scorers are absent for this game, so it's best to take a Midshipmen player. Instead of betting that Horvat will only score one touchdown, I am betting that he will score at least two, which he has already done four times this season.
The Sooners will be missing at least 11 defensive players in this game, and their defensive line and linebacker corps will be much thinner than they were during the season. Horvath and the Midshipmen running attack, which has averaged 249.0 yards per game this year, will benefit greatly.
Blake Horvat is out 💪😤 pic.twitter.com/rx4wy1ckrg
- FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 14, 2024.
The Sooners have one of the best defenses in the country. But they won't be themselves on Friday, as so many players are out. You can bet on Horvat to score just one touchdown, as he has done in eight games this year.
However, the price of such a prediction is very high. So as one of my predictions for this week's college game, I'll take a chance on him scoring twice in a game against a team that is not what it was earlier this year.
Brenden Schaeffer also backs Horvat in his prediction for the Oklahoma vs. Navy game.
Best predictions for the Oklahoma vs. Navy game
Michael Hawkins Jr. Over 35.5 passing yards ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Best odds: -114 on FanDuel | Estimated probability: 53.27%
Hawkins will take the field as the quarterback on Friday, and he already has experience playing. He stepped into the Sooners' starting lineup against the Auburn Tigers and completed 10 of 15 passes for 161 yards. Although he has yet to gain 200 yards in a game this year, Hawkins is enjoying success in the running game.
In the game against the Tigers, he ran 14 times and gained 69 yards. Later in the game against the Texas Longhorns, Hawkins gained only 27 yards but ran 20 times. In every game in which Hawkins threw at least 15 passes, he also ran more than 12 times.
The Midshipmen have been allowing 160.2 yards per game this season, ranking 80th in the nation. They are also allowing 4.3 yards per attempt. If Hawkins runs at least 12 times again, he could surpass that total.
Eli Heidenreich Over 23.5 passing yards ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Best Odds: -114 on FanDuel | Estimated odds: 53.27%
It's been an inconsistent campaign for Heidenreich. He has gained more than 80 yards on three occasions, but has gained less than 10 yards in five games. However, he has gained more than 23.5 yards in six of 12 games.
Heidenreich doesn't need many passes to reach that total. He gained 41 or more yards in five of six games when he had at least six picks. He should have plenty of room to maneuver to reach that low total in a game against a defense that is short on rebounds.
