Fansided

25 games that will shape the 2019 College Football Playoff

By Jeremy Morris

AUBURN, AL - NOVEMBER 25: Jarrett Stidham #8 of the Auburn Tigers rushes during the fourth quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Jordan Hare Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
AUBURN, AL - NOVEMBER 25: Jarrett Stidham #8 of the Auburn Tigers rushes during the fourth quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Jordan Hare Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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Running back Rodney Anderson #24 of the Oklahoma Sooners  (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Running back Rodney Anderson #24 of the Oklahoma Sooners  (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Week 8: Oklahoma at TCU

The Sooners are riding a four-game win-streak against TCU coming into 2018. The teams met twice in the span of a month last season, first in Norman then again in the Big 12 Championship Game in December.

Baker Mayfield is obviously gone but Oklahoma running back Rodney Anderson accounted for 290 yards from scrimmage and 4 touchdowns in one of the games last year. He will return as a senior to try to haunt TCU’s nightmares at least one more time in October.

TCU won 11 games last season though and they won’t be a pushover, especially at home against Oklahoma. They lost a lot of offensive players to graduation, including quarterback Kenny Hill, and several on defense as well. But the one area that may be their biggest strength in terms of returning starters is defensive line. Ben Banogu, Ross Blacklock and Corey Bethley are all back along the defensive front. Oklahoma will have a good offensive line again but they did lose All-American and two-time All-Big Ten tackle Orlando Brown, Jr.

I would lean towards picking Oklahoma but if the TCU defensive line can contain the running game and force Kyler Murray to beat them with his arm, they have a good chance. This will be his first major road test and as good as he may be, there’s no way to tell how someone may perform in their first major test on the road in a hostile environment. If this is a night game, which it likely will be, expect TCU to have quite a home-field advantage for the Sooners and Murray.