Valero Alamo Bowl
December 29
Oklahoma (10-2) vs. Oregon (10-3), Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas, 9:15 p.m., ESPN
Oklahoma -6.5 – O/U 63.5
The Alamo Bowl is one of the best early bowls every year, generally because it pairs two of the best teams outside of the New Year’s Six teams. The same is true this year … kind of. Both Oklahoma and Oregon had dreams of the College Football Playoff, that is, until both of them lost two of their last five games. The Sooners dropped games against Baylor and Oklahoma State down the stretch while Oregon lost to Utah … and Utah. The Utes exposed Oregon’s every last weakness in both the regular season game and in the Pac-12 Championship. And it’s those weaknesses that Oklahoma will most certainly be trying to expose in the bowl game. The problem for the Sooners is that they don’t have the personnel on defense to pull that off completely. Oklahoma does have a good rushing defense, but it’s passing defense is atrocious. The good news for them is that Oregon’s strength is on the ground. The Ducks’ defense is almost a carbon-copy of Oklahoma’s, with strength against the run and weakness against the pass. But that’s where this game’s storyline is most likely to develop. Oklahoma can and will pass the ball consistently, and Oregon won’t be able to stop them. The Ducks will put some points on the board, but when they need to get a stop, they won’t be able to get one. (Add to that the fact that both teams are dealing with interim coaching staffs and numerous opt-outs. Oklahoma is slightly less hamstrung by those factors…)
Prediction: Oklahoma 34-27
Result: Oklahoma 47-35
Record:
Bowl season: SU – 16-8; ATS – 13-11-0; O/U – 10-14-0
Overall: SU – 608-189; ATS – 380-331-6; O/U – 341-364-12
Copyright © 2021 by Doug DeBolt.
