UPDATE 10:30 AM
*** There is more buzz that OU will be headed to Cotton Bowl. Just got off the phone with a source that the said OU and Mizzou in the Cotton has been the talk in Norman this morning, but they also noted that Ohio State was also in play.
Oklahoma had thought it would be Arizona in the Alamo Bowl and that’s what I’m torn was the focus this past week, but now the Sooners are looking at Mizzou or potentially Ohio State as opponents in the Cotton as well.
This is gonna be a wild midday to see how this plays out, but if the Alamo gets OKstate, that almost guarantees a NY6 for OU; and that also means FSU was left out of the CFB Playoff.
Stay tuned. Those two bowl (Alamo/Cotton) options are very real, but there are some that are leaning to OU in DFW. We will see.
Just wanted to throw that out there this morning before the chaos takes place.
*******************
Obviously, there is a lot that can change tomorrow’s bowl selection but we have talked to a few sources over the last 24hrs and OUinsider has been told that there is greater than a 75% (I’d say closer to 90%) chance that it’s the Alamo Bowl.
As a matter of fact, the Sooners had their team meeting on Thursday to go over the fact most of the practices will be player-led as the staff goes on the road to recruit and do in-homes.
What we have also gleaned from that meeting is that OU introduced some new ways of going about the offense and the how things will be ran with Joe Jon Finley and Seth Littrell taking over.
As for the bowl game, I’m told Brent Venables told the team that the Alamo Bowl was almost all but set for OU. That is UNLESS some chaos took place (and it has to an extent). So, if the Sooners are to get into a NY6 Bowl, obviously, it will be the Cotton Bowl or Fiesta Bowl that takes a chance on the Sooners.
So, how would that happen? First, the Texas Longhorns will be in the CFB Playoffs, and for that to take place, there would be some movement to get the Sooners into the top 10.
Is that likely? Probably not. However, it’s not THAT out of the question. With how Texas played today, and over the last few weeks — and how OU closed out the season being 10-2 — there are some that feel Oklahoma has a chance to crack into the top 10 and garner a spot in a NY6 Bowl.
Still wouldn’t hold my breath. At least, not yet…
Opponents in each scenario and likely hood, according to sources tonight.
Alamo Bowl: Oklahoma vs Arizona - 75%
Cotton Bowl: Oklahoma vs Missouri - 10%
Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs Oregon - 15%
Alamo Bowl Take: We get that Arizona doesn’t exactly strike excitement to OU fans, but they are on a roll and have been playing really good football this season. They play an exciting brand as well, so don’t let the name on the jersey trick you all into thinking that is a boring matchup; because if you like football you will like watching the Wildcats take on the Sooners.
Cotton Bowl Take: Missouri vs OU would be a sellout and be a matchup that would go straight to the heart of any OU fan above the age of 23-years old. Revival of a great rivalry that dates back to the Big Six conference days(you read that right).
There has also been some strong head-to-head recruiting battles lately that OU has won (Cayden Green and PJ Adebawore) and Mizzou has won (Williams Nwaneri). Those recruiting battles have sparked a Twitter/X.com & message board rivalry between the two fan bases that surely would carry over into the stands and on the field if this matchup took place (fingers crossed)
Fiesta Bowl Take: Oregon and OU have a weird “rivalry” (if we use the word loosely) that seems to have started back in 2004 and ramped up in 2005 and 2006 when they played one another three straight seasons. It’s carried over in recruiting more so over the last five to six seasons.
In 2006, OU went to Eugene and recovered a fumble (Allen Patrick recovered) to only have replay official Gordon Riese say the Ducks have the ball. UO went on to upset OU that game and sparked an issue that Sooners fans never let go until OU spanked Oregon 15 years later in the Alamo Bowl 47-35 (it wasn’t really that close).
With Dan Lanning now the head coach there, and OU being very interested in him prior to hiring Brent Venables in 2022, this bowl would have some certain intrigue.
What bowl matchup do you all prefer? What bowl? Will you be upset if it’s the Alamo Bowl (most likely as of 10:30 tonight when I spoke with some sources) ? Love to hear your thoughts.
*** I know some have wondered how this offense will be ran schematically with Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley now at the helm.
With that question in mind, I went and spoke with a strong source on that subject, recently, and was told, “The offense is keeping same concepts and same system and verbiage, with a few wrinkles here and there,” the source said. “(OU) will have some nasty to it, though. (Oklahoma) wants to be the bulldog and to do that (the offense) has to be tough and everyone has to be willing to block and be aggressive in every facet of what is being asked of them. But nothing is changing with the scheme.”
That part on being the ‘bulldog’ is exactly what one would expect from a JJF and Littrell led offense. Oklahoma will still throw it around a lot, and try to be aggressive over the top, but you will see more carries from Gavin Sawchuk and the RBs moving forward. Something I know OU fans want to see.
Just thought I’d pass that tidbit and quote along.
*** On that same note, sources I spoke over the last few days seem very confident in what they have returning at the OL position in 2024. They also feel that if they can add a few OL in portal ( for depth and some experience) that the 2024 version of the Sooners’ offensive line will be really good.
A player that intrigues a few sources is London (EN) 2024 OL commit Daniel Akinkunmi.
A source told OUinsider about Akinkunmi, “He is so long and can already bend so well. He’s also so smart that you can see the potential there and there’s a lot,” the source said. “You can’t help but see and feel that he will have a chance to be something because he also plays with an edge and is willing to put in the work and learn. Those types generally grow fast and reach the goals and standard of play that is being asked of them. Why (OU) likes him so much. (Akinkunmi) isn’t too highly rated, but everything is there for him to be that overachieving type that contributes and helps (OU) win.”
Again, another really intriguing quote that shows how much this staff values evaluation on talent and certain intangibles that fit what BV and his staff want in their players and system.
*** There is more buzz that OU will be headed to Cotton Bowl. Just got off the phone with a source that the said OU and Mizzou in the Cotton has been the talk in Norman this morning, but they also noted that Ohio State was also in play.
Oklahoma had thought it would be Arizona in the Alamo Bowl and that’s what I’m torn was the focus this past week, but now the Sooners are looking at Mizzou or potentially Ohio State as opponents in the Cotton as well.
This is gonna be a wild midday to see how this plays out, but if the Alamo gets OKstate, that almost guarantees a NY6 for OU; and that also means FSU was left out of the CFB Playoff.
Stay tuned. Those two bowl (Alamo/Cotton) options are very real, but there are some that are leaning to OU in DFW. We will see.
Just wanted to throw that out there this morning before the chaos takes place.
*******************
Obviously, there is a lot that can change tomorrow’s bowl selection but we have talked to a few sources over the last 24hrs and OUinsider has been told that there is greater than a 75% (I’d say closer to 90%) chance that it’s the Alamo Bowl.
As a matter of fact, the Sooners had their team meeting on Thursday to go over the fact most of the practices will be player-led as the staff goes on the road to recruit and do in-homes.
What we have also gleaned from that meeting is that OU introduced some new ways of going about the offense and the how things will be ran with Joe Jon Finley and Seth Littrell taking over.
As for the bowl game, I’m told Brent Venables told the team that the Alamo Bowl was almost all but set for OU. That is UNLESS some chaos took place (and it has to an extent). So, if the Sooners are to get into a NY6 Bowl, obviously, it will be the Cotton Bowl or Fiesta Bowl that takes a chance on the Sooners.
So, how would that happen? First, the Texas Longhorns will be in the CFB Playoffs, and for that to take place, there would be some movement to get the Sooners into the top 10.
Is that likely? Probably not. However, it’s not THAT out of the question. With how Texas played today, and over the last few weeks — and how OU closed out the season being 10-2 — there are some that feel Oklahoma has a chance to crack into the top 10 and garner a spot in a NY6 Bowl.
Still wouldn’t hold my breath. At least, not yet…
Opponents in each scenario and likely hood, according to sources tonight.
Alamo Bowl: Oklahoma vs Arizona - 75%
Cotton Bowl: Oklahoma vs Missouri - 10%
Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs Oregon - 15%
Alamo Bowl Take: We get that Arizona doesn’t exactly strike excitement to OU fans, but they are on a roll and have been playing really good football this season. They play an exciting brand as well, so don’t let the name on the jersey trick you all into thinking that is a boring matchup; because if you like football you will like watching the Wildcats take on the Sooners.
Cotton Bowl Take: Missouri vs OU would be a sellout and be a matchup that would go straight to the heart of any OU fan above the age of 23-years old. Revival of a great rivalry that dates back to the Big Six conference days(you read that right).
There has also been some strong head-to-head recruiting battles lately that OU has won (Cayden Green and PJ Adebawore) and Mizzou has won (Williams Nwaneri). Those recruiting battles have sparked a Twitter/X.com & message board rivalry between the two fan bases that surely would carry over into the stands and on the field if this matchup took place (fingers crossed)
Fiesta Bowl Take: Oregon and OU have a weird “rivalry” (if we use the word loosely) that seems to have started back in 2004 and ramped up in 2005 and 2006 when they played one another three straight seasons. It’s carried over in recruiting more so over the last five to six seasons.
In 2006, OU went to Eugene and recovered a fumble (Allen Patrick recovered) to only have replay official Gordon Riese say the Ducks have the ball. UO went on to upset OU that game and sparked an issue that Sooners fans never let go until OU spanked Oregon 15 years later in the Alamo Bowl 47-35 (it wasn’t really that close).
With Dan Lanning now the head coach there, and OU being very interested in him prior to hiring Brent Venables in 2022, this bowl would have some certain intrigue.
What bowl matchup do you all prefer? What bowl? Will you be upset if it’s the Alamo Bowl (most likely as of 10:30 tonight when I spoke with some sources) ? Love to hear your thoughts.
*** I know some have wondered how this offense will be ran schematically with Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley now at the helm.
With that question in mind, I went and spoke with a strong source on that subject, recently, and was told, “The offense is keeping same concepts and same system and verbiage, with a few wrinkles here and there,” the source said. “(OU) will have some nasty to it, though. (Oklahoma) wants to be the bulldog and to do that (the offense) has to be tough and everyone has to be willing to block and be aggressive in every facet of what is being asked of them. But nothing is changing with the scheme.”
That part on being the ‘bulldog’ is exactly what one would expect from a JJF and Littrell led offense. Oklahoma will still throw it around a lot, and try to be aggressive over the top, but you will see more carries from Gavin Sawchuk and the RBs moving forward. Something I know OU fans want to see.
Just thought I’d pass that tidbit and quote along.
*** On that same note, sources I spoke over the last few days seem very confident in what they have returning at the OL position in 2024. They also feel that if they can add a few OL in portal ( for depth and some experience) that the 2024 version of the Sooners’ offensive line will be really good.
A player that intrigues a few sources is London (EN) 2024 OL commit Daniel Akinkunmi.
A source told OUinsider about Akinkunmi, “He is so long and can already bend so well. He’s also so smart that you can see the potential there and there’s a lot,” the source said. “You can’t help but see and feel that he will have a chance to be something because he also plays with an edge and is willing to put in the work and learn. Those types generally grow fast and reach the goals and standard of play that is being asked of them. Why (OU) likes him so much. (Akinkunmi) isn’t too highly rated, but everything is there for him to be that overachieving type that contributes and helps (OU) win.”
Again, another really intriguing quote that shows how much this staff values evaluation on talent and certain intangibles that fit what BV and his staff want in their players and system.
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