Oklahoma vs Oregon: Valero Alamo Bowl prediction, game preview, how to watch
Oklahoma vs Oregon: Valero Alamo Bowl How To Watch
Date: Wednesday, December 29
Game Time: 9:15 pm ET
Venue: Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
How To Watch: ESPN Live stream on ESPN+
Records: Oklahoma (10-2), Oregon (10-3)
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Oklahoma vs Oregon Valero Alamo Bowl Preview
– At least as things projected out in mid-November, this could’ve been a College Football Playoff matchup. Even though a few key losses prevented that from happening, this had the potential to be one of the better bowl matchups between two top ten caliber teams.
Now, it’s a game between whoever shows up.
– Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal left to take the Miami job, Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley bolted for USC just minutes after the loss to Oklahoma State, several players from both sides are either opting out, transferring, or rumored to be doing one or the other, and there’s a whole lot of uncertainty as both programs go through a transition period.
– That doesn’t mean it can’t and won’t be fun, and it starts with Oklahoma legend Bob Stoops stepping in to take over for this while new head man Brent Venables gets comfortable. Oregon will utilize Bryan McClendon before new head man Dan Lanning takes over whenever Georgia’s season is done – he’s currently the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator.
– The time off should do Oregon a whole lot of good. That was a beaten and banged up team in the Pac-12 Championship loss to Utah. It’ll be able to run the ball, the defense – even with star pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux off to the NFL – has plenty of talent around, and the team should look and play fresher than it was at the end of the year.
– Oklahoma led the Big 12 in total offense and should be versatile enough to keep things moving with speed and efficiency. However, the secondary and defense that were ripped up a bit too often might have its hands full.
Why Oklahoma, Oregon Will Win
Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History
Valero Alamo Bowl Top Players To Know
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Why Oregon Will Win The Valero Alamo Bowl
This was hardly the Oklahoma defense it was expected to be before the season started, but it wasn’t awful. The same ideas and schemes will be in place, but the normal top parts aren’t going to be there to run it.
Start with defensive coordinator Alex Grinch riding along with Lincoln Riley to USC. That hurts, but the bigger pain comes with linebackers Nik Bonitto and Brian Asamoah opting out.
Throw in the loss of Perrion Winfrey and Isaiah Thomas a game early to the NFL, and the Sooners are missing their guys.
Oregon is missing its receivers – more on that in a moment – but it’s got the offensive line in place to rumble for the running game from the start. This isn’t a ball control team, but it could be one for stretches when needed.
However …
CFN Predictions | 2021-2022 Bowl Schedule
Why Oklahoma Will Win The Valero Alamo Bowl
This was already a thin Oregon team by the end of the season thanks to a slew of injuries and other issues, and now it’s not even close to being its normal self.
The coaching staff changes are just a part of it.
Wide receiver was already a problems, and now leading deep threat receiver Devon Williams is out to get ready for the NFL. That’s bad, but the secondary might be in worse shape, with corners Mykael Wright (NFL) and DJ James (transfer) done.
Even before everything that happened – and certainly not helped by pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux taking off to the NFL – this was an awful Oregon defense on third downs. Despite having all the speedy athletic stars to get excited about, there weren’t enough plays behind the line.
Oklahoma still has Caleb Williams around to do Caleb Williams things, and it still has leading rusher Kennedy Brooks to potentially make a statement for the next level. So …
Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History
NEXT: What’s Going To Happen, Oklahoma vs Oregon Prediction, Valero Alamo Bowl History
Oklahoma vs Oregon: Valero Alamo Bowl, What’s Going To Happen
So what do you do when you lose a whole slew of parts and just need to get through the next game? If you have the ability, you run and run some more behind an offensive front that won’t make things too hard.
Oregon will do that with Travis Dye having a huge day behind the good offensive line against the depleted Oklahoma front.
But the Sooners will get more out of their backfield.
The OU O line can’t replicate what Utah did, but it’ll give it a shot. The goal will be to pound away, allow the stars to take over, and get more physical against the Oregon front.
It’ll be sloppy for stretches, and the missing pieces will only be referenced about 1 gajillion times, but it’ll be late night fun in San Antonio.
At least it will be for Bob Stoops and his club.
Valero Alamo Bowl: Oklahoma vs Oregon Prediction, Lines
Oklahoma 36, Oregon 30
Line: Oklahoma -4.5, o/u: 60.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 1.5
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CFN Predictions | 2021-2022 Bowl Schedule
Valero Alamo Bowl History
Dec. 29, 2020 Texas 55, Colorado 23
Dec. 31, 2019 Texas 38, Utah 10
Dec. 28, 2018 Washington State 28, Iowa State 26
Dec. 28, 2017 TCU 39, Stanford 37
Dec. 29, 2016 Oklahoma State 38, Colorado 8
Jan. 2, 2016 TCU 47 Oregon 41 (3 OT)
Jan. 2, 2015 UCLA 40 Kansas State 35
Dec. 30, 2013 Oregon 30 Texas 7
Dec. 29, 2012 Texas 31 Oregon State 27
Dec. 29, 2011 Baylor 67 Washington 57
Dec. 29, 2010 Oklahoma State 36 Arizona 10
Jan. 2, 2010 Texas Tech 41 Michigan State 31
Dec. 29, 2008 Missouri 30 Northwestern 23 (OT)
Dec. 30, 2007 Penn State 24 Texas A&M 17
Dec. 30, 2006 Texas 26 Iowa 24
Dec. 28, 2005 Nebraska 32 Michigan 28
Dec. 29, 2004 Ohio State 33 Oklahoma State 7
Dec. 29, 2003 Nebraska 17 Michigan State 3
Dec. 28, 2002 Wisconsin 31 Colorado 28
Dec. 29, 2001 Iowa 19 Texas Tech 16
Dec. 30, 2000 Nebraska 66 Northwestern 17
Dec. 28, 1999 Penn State 24 Texas A&M 0
Dec. 29, 1998 Purdue 37 Kansas State 34
Dec. 30, 1997 Purdue 33 Oklahoma State 20
Dec. 29, 1996 Iowa 27 Texas Tech 0
Dec. 28, 1995 Texas A&M 22 Michigan 20
Dec. 31, 1994 Washington State 10 Baylor 3
Dec. 31, 1993 California 37 Iowa 3
Oklahoma vs Oregon Preview
Why Oklahoma, Oregon Will Win
Valero Alamo Bowl Top Players To Know