Oklahoma face Wisconsin The Game’s Guaranteed Rate Bowl Tuesday featuring two programs going through different transition periods. Wisconsin is in the midst of a transition to take over the program after Luke Fickel was pulled away. CincinnatiInterim coach Jim Leonhardt will coach bowl games, including back-to-back wins, after the Badgers are 4-3 after the dismissal of Paul Christ. Purdue When Maryland.
Oklahoma State entered the year as one of the Big 12 favorites, but injuries disrupted what could have been a special team. The defensive line lost multiple starters and things completely fell apart after quarterback Spencer Sanders missed time. A 7-5 finish is a disappointing end for the Cowboys, but the Guaranteed Rate Bowl provides an opportunity for a new beginning.
The Cowboys and Badgers have never played throughout their program’s storied history. Oklahoma State coach Mike Gandy is 11-5 in bowl games, but Wisconsin has won seven of his last eight bowl games.
How to Watch the Rate Guaranteed Bowl Live
date: Tuesday, December 27 | time: 10:15 PM ET
position: Chase Field — Phoenix, Arizona
tv set: ESPN | Live stream: Hubo TV (Try it for free)
Oklahoma vs. Wisconsin: What You Need to Know
Transfer roulette: These two teams entered 2022 with two of the most experienced quarterbacks in college football. But after Spencer Sanders and Graham Mertz each entered the transfer portal, both programs are dealing with the unknown: Oklahoma State will likely start freshman Garrett in his Wrangell. Kansas When west virginiaFreshman Myles Burkett threw more passes than Wisconsin senior Chase Wolfe, but little has been shown as to who will start. Needless to say, bowl games look a little different than the regular season.
Migration and Consistency: Seventeen years ago, Gandy was promoted to head coach at Oklahoma State University. That same year, Wisconsin interim coach Leonhardt was undrafted in the 2005 NFL Draft after a career all-American. Once the game is over, Leonhard will move out of his alma mater as Fickel will take over at Madison. These two programs of his are in very different places. The Guaranteed Rate Bowl gives Oklahoma State a chance to find a new quarterback and prepare for the future, but for the Wisconsin player, it’s a final hooray for the highly successful defensive player with his coordinator.
Weaknesses Weaknesses: Thanks to a wave of injuries, Oklahoma State has fallen from one of the top defensive programs in college football to the eighth-worst Power Five program in the sport. The Cowboys were very bad at passing, allowing over 269 yards per game. Even including Mertz, Wisconsin ranked outside the top 100 in pass offense. The Badgers brought in dynamic offensive coordinator Phil Longo to run the offense in 2023. They would do well to showcase some of the outside weapons Longo will have to work with against the porous Oklahoma secondary.
Guaranteed Rate Bowl Predictions, Picks
With both quarterbacks starting, the Guaranteed Rate Bowl becomes a true mystery box. But injuries showed what life after Spencer Sanders would look like for Oklahoma State. Wisconsin is rebuilding in the passing game, but dynamic running back Braylon Allen and a top-notch defense are enough to keep Phoenix out of the way against a battered Cowboys roster. Prediction: Wisconsin -3.5
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