Big 12 Bowl Projections: Sooners to face incoming and ascending Big 12 squad in Bowl Season
The regular season is over, and all that awaits before knowing OU’s bowl destination is championship weekend. The Oklahoma Sooners just missed out on the Big 12 title game. It’s the third season in a row that the Sooners won’t play for the conference title.
Things are improving at Oklahoma, but after running the Big 12 to the tune of 14 conference championships, it stings a bit not to be able to play for one more.
Still, 10-2 is better than 6-6. The Sooners are showing they’re a program on the right track as they get ready for the SEC. Recruiting is better on both sides of the ball and in 2023, we began to see glimpses of Brent Venables’ recruiting classes impacting the game.
In Oklahoma’s bowl game, we’ll likely get to see more of the youth the Sooners have added since Brent Venables’ arrival. Who will they play? Let’s take a look at the latest Big 12 Bowl Projections via USA TODAY Sports.
Independence Bowl: Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. Cal Golden Bears
All-Time Series: Texas Tech leads 1-0
Cal had a surprisingly good season in their last year in the Pac-12. They’ll head to the ACC next season, but before they head east, get an opportunity to knock of the Texas Tech Red Raiders. The last time the two sides met was in 2004, a 45-31 win for Tech in the Holiday Bowl. Cal was the No. 4 team in the country that season and Sonny Cumbie lit them up for 520 yards and three touchdowns. The quarterback on the Cal side? Aaron Rodgers.
Gasparilla Bowl: UCF Knights vs. Syracuse Orange
All-Time Series: Syracuse leads 3-0
UCF was the only new member in the Big 12 to reach bowl eligibility with their 6-6 season. The Knights and the Orange played a three-game series from 2001-2003, with Syracuse winning by an average of 9.3 points per game.
First Responder Bowl: Iowa State Cyclones vs. Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
All-Time Series: Louisiana leads 1-0
2020 was a weird season. Iowa State beat Oklahoma and made it to the Big 12 title game. But they started the year with a loss to Billy Napier (now at Florida) and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns in Ames, Iowa. You know Matt Campbell hasn’t forgotten that.
Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Kansas Jayhawks vs. Northwestern Wildcats
All-Time Series: Northwestern leads 2-0
Kansas and Northwestern played a home-and-home series in 2003 and 2004. The two games were decided by 11 points. Northwestern rallied to earn bowl eligibility after firing their head coach early in the season amidst abuse allegations. Kansas just secured their first eight-win season since 2008 and got the news that Jalon Daniels will be back for 2024. Can Jason Bean get the Jayhawks one more win?
Texas Bowl: Kansas State Wildcats vs. Texas A&M Aggies
All-Time Series: Series Tied 8-8
A new direction for the Aggies under Mike Elko. How will that impact their preparation for the Texas Bowl? Kansas State will roll with Avery Johnson at quarterback after Will Howard declared for the transfer portal.
Pop Tarts Bowl: Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. North Carolina Tar Heels
All-Time Series: No Previous Matchups
Mike Gundy and Mack Brown. Two coaches Oklahoma fans are very familiar with and two of the longest-tenured coaches at their respective institutions.
Alamo Bowl: Oklahoma Sooners vs. Arizona Wildcats
All-Time Series: Series Tied 1-1
The Oklahoma Sooners and Arizona Wildcats played a home and home series in 1988 and 1989. With Barry Switzer at the helm in 1988, the Sooners won 28-10. Under Gary Gibbs in 1989, Oklahoma suffered a 6-3 loss in Tuscon.
Liberty Bowl: West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Auburn Tigers
All-Time Series: Series Tied 1-1
Auburn nearly pulled off a huge upset in the Iron Bowl. A touchdown on 4th and 31 from Jalen Milroe to Isaiah Bond broke the hearts of Tigers fans worldwide. West Virginia finished strong with a win over Baylor to move to 8-4, a far cry from the last place finish they were predicted to suffer in the preseason.
Cotton Bowl: Texas Longhorns vs. Missouri Tigers
All-Time Series: Texas leads 18-6
The Texas Longhorns still have an outside chance to make the College Football Playoff. If that doesn’t happen, it’s still a successful season for the Longhorns. A matchup with a resurgent Missouri team would make for a fun Cotton Bowl to close the year.
College Football Playoff
Rose Bowl: Michigan Wolverines vs. Florida State Seminoles – Florida State leads the all-time series 2-1.
Sugar Bowl: Georgia Bulldogs vs. Oregon Ducks – Georgia leads the all-time series 2-0
Michigan passed their biggest test of the season, beating Ohio State and doing so without Jim Harbaugh on the sideline. Sherrone Moore likely earned quite a few head coaching interviews in the future with how he’s handled Harbaugh’s absence.
If Florida State beats Louisville in the ACC title game, they’re in the playoff.
Oregon vs. Washington in the Pac-12 title game and Georgia vs. Alabama in the SEC title game are “win and you’re in” scenarios. There’s certainly a chance for a one-loss Georgia to still make it if they lose to the Crimson Tide on Saturday, but they can’t bank on that.
CFP National Championship: Georgia Bulldogs vs. Oregon Ducks
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