Bowl projections and predictions 2023: What bowl game is Oklahoma playing in?

2023-11-28 06:59

What bowl game are the Oklahoma Sooners projected to play in?

It certainly wasn't the season that the Oklahoma Sooners were hoping for in 2023, but a 10-2 regular-season finish after a dismal 2022 for Brent Venables in his first season in Norman is quite the jump up. But with the Sooners' loss in Bedlam costing them a chance at playing in the Big 12 Championship Game, now all eyes are on bowl season.

As of right now, it seems like Oklahoma might just miss the threshold for being a New Year's Six team, though that's not necessarily out of the question just yet. However, its more likely that the Sooners end up playing another Power 5 team in one of the bigger, non-NY6 bowl games.

Which bowl game is Oklahoma heading to according to the latest projections, though? Let's take a look.

Oklahoma bowl projections: Sooners expected to play in Alamo Bowl

Oklahoma seems like they are heading to the Alamo Bowl according to projections from Mark Schlabach and Kyle Bonagura of ESPN in addition to the projections from Jerry Palm at CBS Sports and Brad Crawford of 247Sports as well. Every prediction for the Sooners also has OU facing the third-place team in the Pac-12, the Arizona Wildcats, in the Alamo Bowl.

It's a bit unfortunate for Brent Venables' team that the 12-team College Football Playoff doesn't begin until next year. If it were to begin in the 2023 season, the Sooners would have a legitimate case to be one of the at-large teams making it into the 12-team field after a 10-2 finish in the regular season. Alas, it appears that they are almost certainly going to the Alamo Bowl, though they could move into a New Year's Six bid depending on what happens in conference championship weekend.

Alamo Bowl recent history

2022: Washington 27, Texas 20
2021: Oklahoma 47, Oregon 32
2020: Texas 55, Colorado 23
2019: Texas 38, Utah 10
2018: Washington State 28, Iowa State 26

Oklahoma has a bit of recent experience in the Alamo Bowl, a game that features the Big 12 and the Pac-12 representatives. This also might be the last time that we see the Sooners in this game as they, of course, are heading to the SEC next season. Of course, with the dissolution of the Pac-12, who knows what the Alamo Bowl tie-ins will be moving forward.

Oklahoma bowl game recent history

2022/23 Cheez-It Bowl: Florida State 35, Oklahoma 32
2021/22 Alamo Bowl: Oklahoma 47, Oregon 32
2020/21 Cotton Bowl: Oklahoma 55, Florida 20
2019/20 Peach Bowl (CFP Semifinal): LSU 63, Oklahoma 28
2018/19 Orange Bowl (CFP Semifinal): Alabama 45, Oklahoma 34

We are all well aware of Lincoln Riley's shortcomings when it came to College Football Playoff Semifinal matchups as he went 0-2 in such bowl games in back-to-back years. However, in the past three years, we've seen the Sooners reel off a 2-1 record with only a narrow, hard-fought loss to Florida State at the end of last year, which was considered a down year for Oklahoma anyway. That speaks well of this program's moxie to consistently show up in the postseason.

When is the Alamo Bowl? Date, time, location, TV info

The 2023 Valero Alamo Bowl will be played on Thursday, Dec. 28 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX. The game is set for a 9:15 p.m. ET kickoff from San Antonio and will be broadcast on ESPN with streaming through the ESPN app and ESPN+.