NORMAN — It was unclear the place Oklahoma would find yourself for its bowl sport heading into Selection Sunday.
The hottest projection had the Sooners going to the Guaranteed Rate bowl to face Wisconsin. The Badgers had been certainly chosen for that bowl, however they’ll be dealing with Oklahoma State.
The Sooners obtained the Cheez-It Bowl as a substitute, however they’ll be dealing with a a lot harder opponent in Florida State.
The Thirteenth-ranked Seminoles will meet the Sooners at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida for a 4:30 p.m. kickoff on Dec. 29. It’ll be the eighth matchup between the two groups, with the Sooners successful six of the seven. Most notably, the Sooners defeated the Seminoles in the 2000 nationwide title sport.
The Sooners gained’t be the favourite to win this time. But for OU coach Brent Venables, it’s a chance for the Sooners (6-6) to finish a tricky season with momentum.
“It is an opportunity to continue to build your team, to try to create momentum, improve, develop confidence,” Venables mentioned throughout a Zoom name Sunday. “[We’ll] certainly be on a stage where you can continue to sell your program and a vision to both your current players and certainly [to] recruits that will be watching.
“So for us, it’s a great, great opportunity just to be able to match up with a team with the speed and the talent and certainly the history and tradition.”
But it gained’t be straightforward to do in opposition to the Seminoles, who gained their final 5 video games of the common season.
Here’s three issues to learn about the Sooners’ opponent in the Cheez-It Bowl:
1. QB Jordan Travis leads high-powered Seminole offense
The Seminoles have been one of the greatest offenses in the nation. They rank seventeenth nationally in scoring offense (36.2 factors per sport) and Thirteenth in whole offense (475.7 yards per sport).
The engine has been their quarterback.
Travis has posted stable passing numbers, finishing 199-of-315 (63 p.c) of his passes for two,796 yards, 22 touchdowns and solely 4 interceptions. But he’s been significantly efficient as a runner. He’s recorded 367 speeding yards (4.9 per carry) and is second on the crew in touchdowns (7).
The Sooners have struggled all season in opposition to dual-threat quarterbacks, they usually’ll have their fingers full with Travis.
“Jordan Travis is as dynamic and explosive as an offensive player as there is in the country,” Venables mentioned.
There are a number of good playmakers surrounding him, too. Running again Trey Benson leads the crew in speeding yards (965) and touchdowns, however fellow operating backs Treshaun Ward and Lawrance Toafili every have over 440 speeding yards and 5 touchdowns.
Johnny Wilson leads the receiving corps with 695 yards and 5 touchdowns. He ranks ninth nationally in yards per reception (19.9).
2. Seminoles simply pretty much as good on protection
They’ve been one of the most full groups in soccer.
The Seminoles rank 18th in scoring protection (19.8 factors allowed per sport) and 14th in whole protection (307.2 yards allowed per sport).
They’re led by Jared Verse, who ranks sixteenth nationally in sacks (14.5) whereas including 7.5 sacks. The Seminoles have 34 sacks as a crew.
They do rank 61st in speeding protection and have struggled in opposition to opposing speeding assaults, making it pivotal for the Sooners to set up the run sport. However, FSU has surrendered the third-fewest passing yards in the nation this season, permitting just below 160 yards per sport.
3. Seminoles may have most of their key gamers
Activity in the NCAA Transfer Portal has been at an all-time excessive and unpredictable. The Sooners have had 12 gamers, together with broad receiver Theo Wease and quarterback Nick Evers, announce their intentions to enter the switch portal.
Other OU departures through the switch portal embody defensive lineman Josh Ellison, defensive backs Jordan Mukes, Joshua Eaton, Kendall Dennis and Bryson Washington, broad receiver Brian Darby, defensive linemen Cedric Roberts and Alton Tarber, quarterback Ralph Rucker and offensive lineman Brey Walker.
That hasn’t been the case for the Seminoles. Only 4 of their gamers have entered the switch portal.
Bowl sport opt-outs will additional depart the Sooners shorthanded. OU coach Brent Venables confirmed Sunday that operating again Eric Gray, defensive lineman Jalen Redmond and offensive linemen Anton Harrison and Wanya Morris gained’t play in Orlando.
As of Wednesday, the Seminoles haven’t had any key gamers choose out. Verse advised the media he would possible play and Jammie Robinson, the crew’s main tackler, confirmed he’ll play. Travis has already confirmed that he will likely be returning for the 2023 season.
There’s nonetheless three weeks earlier than the bowl sport, and so much can change for both groups. But for now, it seems the Seminoles may have a bonus when it comes to participant availability.
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Cheez-It Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Florida State
Time: 4:30 p.m. Dec. 29
Where: Camping World Stadium
Records/Rankings: FSU 9-3 (5-3 ACC), No. 13 CFP; OU 6-6 (3-6 Big 12), unranked
TV: ESPN
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