Oklahoma Sooners vs. No. 13 Florida State Seminoles: Sooners Wire staff predictions

The Oklahoma Sooners face a stiff challenge when they take on the Florida State Seminoles in the Cheez-It Bowl. Here are our Sooners Wire staff predictions.

Well, here we are. The last Oklahoma football game for 2022.

Oklahoma started the year with a first-time head coach. Six wins and six losses later, Oklahoma is in Orlando to take on a sneaky good FSU team led by Jordan Travis, a dynamic dual threat QB.

Oklahoma enters the game without significant talent. Offensive starters Anton Harrison, Wanya Morris, and Eric Gray opted out in preparation for the NFL draft. Defensively, Jalen Redmond did the same.

So how does Oklahoma upset the No. 13 team in the country with some of their best players gone? Empty the tank. Gadget plays, aggressive playcalling, and playing with an edge and emotion.

Oklahoma will likely rely heavily on quick passes, screens and the run game to keep Florida State’s first round EDGE Jared Verse at bay especially with new offensive tackles.

I see a lot of yards after the catch from Jalil Farooq who also scores on Thursday. Conversely, with no Eric Gray or Marcus Major, Gavin Sawchuk will be RB2. Will we get to see his track speed in the open field?
Gabriel tosses a touchdown to Brayden Willis, who plays his final game as a Sooner.

Defensively, I believe Oklahoma struggles early before settling in. Travis is a wizard in the pocket evading the rush and can be a dynamic guy running the ball. Oregon transfer Trey Benson has rushed 141 times for 965 yards and 9 TDs, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. The combination of he and Travis will be tough, especially with no Redmond upfront.

In the end, I think Oklahoma’s losses offensively may be a bit too much to overcome considering they haven’t had live game reps to simulate the type of defensive line FSU boasts. Seminoles win.

Seminoles 37, Sooners 24

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