Kent State vs. Oklahoma Picks and Prediction, Saturday, October 4, 2025
Use Code WWWC The Kent State Golden Flashes (1-3) and the #5 Oklahoma Sooners (4-0) will meet in a non-conference showdown on Saturday afternoon in this Kent State vs. Oklahoma prediction. Kent State is coming off an ugly 66-10 loss in Florida State, failing to cover as massive 45.5-point dogs. Oklahoma just won at home against #22 Auburn 24-17, barely covering the 6.5-point spread in the process. Kickoff is set for 4:00 EST and can be found on the SEC Network. Keep reading to see our Kent State vs. Oklahoma prediction, and check out all of our best NCAAF Predictions!
Kent State is a Heavy Underdog
The Kent State Golden Flashes lined themselves up with a non-conference slate that may have been a bit out of their league. They opened the season with a small win over Merrimack, a team outside of the FBS. Since then, the Golden Flashes were getting 46.5 points against Texas Tech, 24 points against Buffalo, 45 points against Florida State, and now 45.5 points against Oklahoma. One would hope that the tough road will help them in conference play, as they only lost to Buffalo by three points as their only MAC opponent of the year so far.
The Golden Flashes have turned the offense over to a freshman, as Dru DeShields is their starting quarterback in his first year on campus. He stands 6'2 and weighs 185 pounds, while passing for 642 yards with a strong 5-1 TD-INT ratio. His best game came against Buffalo when he had 279 yards and two touchdowns in the near loss. DeShields is mobile when he needs to be, as he has 52 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Gavin Garcia is their lead back in his third season with the team. He had 544 yards on the ground last season, and already has another 175 rush yards this year, but has not yet found the end zone.
Cade Wolford is a 5'10 freshman running back, but he is the team's top receiver this year with nine catches for 238 yards out of the backfield. Wolford had four touchdowns in the passing game, with Dashawn Martin leading the team with 117 yards as their top receiver. Their defense has four sacks with two interceptions on the year, with no player getting multiple sacks or picks yet.
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Sooners Climb the Rankings
The Oklahoma Sooners opened the season 18th in the nation, but have climbed all the way up to 5th in the recent polls after an impressive 4-0 start. They have two strong wins on the season so far, including a victory over #15 Michigan and #22 Auburn, and now have one last tune-up before getting back into SEC play. This could potentially be a lookahead spot for the Sooners, as the Red River Rivalry is looming in their next game against Texas.
John Mateer has had an excellent start to his career at Oklahoma after spending three seasons with Washington State. He was the full-time starter last year, finishing the season with 3,139 passing yards. So far this year, he has 1,215 passing yards with a 6-3 TD-INT ratio. Mateer has passed for at least 270 yards in all four games this season, and also leads the team in rushing with 190 yards on the ground. However, Mateer is out with a broken hand suffered against Auburn on Sept. 20. Michael Hawikins Jr. will make his first start for the Sooners. Tory Blalock is not far behind his quarterback, as the 5'11 freshman running back has 179 yards and three touchdowns through the first four games.
Their top target in the passing game has been tight end Jaren Kanak, the strong 6'2 senior, who has 18 grabs for 307 yards. Isaiah Sategna III leads the team with 22 catches and has added 184 yards with a touchdown. Their defense has 16 sacks, but surprisingly has not had an interception yet this year. Their sack leader is defensive tackle Jayden Jackson with three as a 6'2, 320-pound sophomore.
Kent State vs. Oklahoma Prediction and Picks
Spread Pick for Kent State vs. Oklahoma
- Kent State +45.5 (5 units)
This is a look-ahead spot for Oklahoma, as they are climbing the national rankings and have a date with Arch Manning and their rival Texas Longhorns, in their next game. Now, the look-ahead spot does not mean they are going to lose here; it just means they won't win by 46 or more. One of the main reasons is that the Sooners will be willing to pull their starters earlier than usual. If they end up getting up 21 or more, they will be willing to pull their first teams to remain healthy in their game against Texas. Kent State was listed as a 24-point dog against Buffalo and only lost by three. Add to the fact that Mateer is out and Kent State can cover. This game won't be as close, but they will cover the spread again here.
Take Kent State with the points.
Over/Under Pick for Kent State vs. Oklahoma
- Under 53.5
The bet for the side and the total are not always directly correlated, but when you take the underdog getting 45.5 points, it also makes sense to back the under. If Oklahoma is to cover this massive number, they will have to score at least 40 of points on their own, which won't be necessary here. Kent State does not have a strong enough offense to move the ball against Oklahoma; they only scored 10 points against Florida State and will likely put up a similar number here. Oklahoma will cruise to a victory here without the need to run up the score in this one-sided battle.
Take the under.
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