SAN ANTONIO — No. 16 Oklahoma (10-2, 7-2 Big 12) takes on No. 14 Oregon (10-3, 7-3 Pac-12) in the Valero Alamo Bowl at 8:15 p.m. on Wednesday night in San Antonio on ESPN.
The matchup marks the first between the schools since 2006, when the Ducks beat the Sooners 34-33. Both teams will be with interim head coaches, as Lincoln Riley left the Sooners for USC, and Mario Cristobal left Oregon for Miami. The game will be OU’s first since its Nov. 27 loss to Oklahoma State.
Here are predictions from The Daily’s sports desk for the game:
Mason Young, sports editor: Sooners 34, Ducks 10
Will Bob Stoops get the tequila bath he entertained on Tuesday? It’d be a fitting finish for the former Sooners coach from 1999-2016, who has returned as OU’s interim head man for this contest. Facing Oregon, a squad in a similar situation with Bryan McClendon as its interim, he has an opportunity to get revenge on the program that controversially defeated him in ‘06.
His success largely relies on the performance of freshman quarterback Caleb Williams, who’s making his first postseason appearance after taking over starting duties midseason. Williams’ poise, if gelled with interim offensive coordinator Cale Gundy’s playcalling, provides OU the chance for a strong offensive outing.
In his final game before joining Riley’s staff at USC, outside linebackers coach Brian Odom will take the reins of the defense. Can he execute former OU and now USC defensive coordinator Alex Grinch scheme well enough to flummox the Ducks offense? To do so, he’ll need help from senior leaders like linebacker DaShaun White and safeties Pat Fields and Delarrin Turner-Yell.
Ultimately, I think there’s a good chance each of these questions are answered well, and the Sooners transition admirably from the Riley era to Brent Venables leadership thanks to Stoops’ willingness to bridge the gap.
Chandler Engelbrecht, assistant sports editor: Sooners 35, Ducks 18
A novel could be written about how much the Sooners have gone through since their Bedlam loss. Wednesday’s game will serve as that novel’s final chapter.
Oklahoma’s bout against Oregon isn’t for a national title, it isn’t even for a New Year’s 6 bowl. But, this game will tell us a lot about both programs, which both had to go through unexpected coaching searches before the postseason even arrived.
Whichever team comes on top in the Alamo Bowl will probably be the team that stayed the most together after their former head coach bolted.
That said, I’ll take the Sooners to ultimately come out on top in this one. With Williams still at the helm of OU’s offense, I think that’s enough to power the unit past an Oregon team that’s still battling injury issues. I’ll predict a four touchdown performance for him, and I’ll say redshirt senior running back Kennedy Brooks will have a 150-plus yard performance in what’s likely his last game in an OU uniform.
Austin Curtright, assistant sports editor: Sooners 24, Ducks 14
It feels like it’s been a millennium since Oklahoma played its last game, and the roster looks significantly different now. Former starting quarterback Spencer Rattler and tight end Austin Stogner transferred to South Carolina, and Brian Asamoah, Isaiah Thomas, Nik Bonitto and Perrion Winfrey opted out to prepare for the NFL draft.
Especially for OU, which was picked by many to win the national championship prior to the season, a spot in the Alamo Bowl is seen as a disappointment. However, a lone bright spot perhaps, is to get another look at Williams, who will take on a Ducks defense decimated by injuries and opt-outs.
Sooners fans have been left in flux since the hiring of Venables, and Jeff Lebby as offensive coordinator, as they hope Williams elects to return for his sophomore season. Perhaps a win, and a big performance, will convince Williams that Norman is his collegiate home.
I’m predicting a solid showing from Williams, with a pair of touchdowns and over 250 total yards, along with Brooks, who will go for over 100 on the ground with a touchdown of his own. As for the defense, look for younger contributors such as sophomore defensive end Reggie Grimes and freshman linebacker Danny Stutsman to step up as replacements for the shorthanded defense.
