The Oklahoma Sooners are a win away from qualifying for a bowl game after their 59-14 win over Maine. Bowl eligibility on the line in November wasn’t what anyone expected but with the way the season has gone, expectations have recalibrated.
Earning a bowl game allows the Sooners to get extra practice in, which would give them a headstart on the 2025 season. In particular, it would give the Sooners young offensive linemen critical snaps to prepare to compete for a starting job next season.
With games against Missouri, Alabama, and LSU remaining, three top 25 teams, the Sooners will have to pull off an upset to earn a postseason bowl berth. But USA TODAY Sports believes the Sooners will get there. College Football writer Erick Smith projects the Sooners to make the Texas Bowl, which takes place on Dec. 31 in Houston at NRG Stadium.
Their opponent would be a red-hot Baylor Bears team that’s won three in a row, beating Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, and TCU. In the three wins, they’ve averaged 44 points per game and, in the process, made head coach Dave Aranda’s seat a little cooler.
The last time the two teams met was in 2022, when Baylor beat the Sooners 38-35. The Bears have won the last two matchups. The Sooners’ last win came with Caleb Williams under center towards the end of the 2021 season.
Oklahoma’s search for that elusive sixth win begins when they take on the [autotag]Missouri Tigers[/autotag] this Saturday evening in Columbia.
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