Tag: Cheez-It Bowl

Social media reacts to the Oklahoma Sooners’ 35-32 loss to Florida State in the Cheez-It Bowl

What did social media have to say following the Oklahoma Sooners’ 35-32 loss to Florida State?

It’s never fun to be on the losing end of a contest. Especially one so hard-fought as the Oklahoma Sooners’ 35-32 loss to Florida State in the Cheez-It Bowl.

There were bright spots. The Sooners’ rushing attack was spearheaded by an offensive line missing four starters and was led by true freshmen running backs Jovantae Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk.

Oklahoma showed toughness against a good Florida State team and had a chance to win a game in which they were double-digit underdogs. It wasn’t perfect and they have work to do to improve from 6-7, the worst record they’ve had since 1998.

But there’s a lot to like about the Sooners’ performance despite the loss. Let’s take a look at how social media reacted to the final game of the 2022 season.

Best photos from the Oklahoma Sooners 35-32 loss to Florida State in the Cheez-It Bowl

The best photos from the Oklahoma Sooners’ 35-32 loss to the Florida State Seminoles in the Cheez-It Bowl.

It wasn’t the ending that many would have liked as the Oklahoma Sooners fell to 6-7 with their 35-32 loss to the Florida State Seminoles in the Cheez-It Bowl. That 6-7 record represents the first losing season for Oklahoma since 1998, the final year of the John Blake era.

The Sooners didn’t shy away from running the football with their true freshmen backs, Jovantae Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk. The former four-star backs from the 2022 class accounted for 42 carries, 208 yards, and two touchdowns. It was mostly a strong performance in the run game from the two and an offensive line that was down four starters in Anton Harrison, Wanya Morris, Andrew Raym, and Chris Murray.

For what seems like the millionth time this season, the Sooners lose a close game in which the offense was good enough to win, but the defense couldn’t get stops in the second half.

Going into the offseason, Oklahoma has to improve its defense. It’s going to be hard to win games when your defense allows 30 or more points and 24 in the second half.

For the last time in the 2022 season, here are the best photos from the Oklahoma Sooners game.

Pass protection and pass defense struggle as Sooners fall 35-32 to Florida State

Despite a strong first half showing from the defense, the Oklahoma Sooners allowed 24 second half points and fall 35-32 to Florida State.

The Oklahoma Sooners and the Florida State Seminoles played a fantastic game in the Cheez-It Bowl, but the Sooners couldn’t get enough stops in the second half to avoid their first losing season since 1998.

Oklahoma came out with a clear game plan to run the football with their true freshmen [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] and [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] leading the way. It was an effective plan as the Sooners jumped out to a 14-3 lead in the first half, and took a 17-11 lead into halftime.

Despite a running game that produced 260 yards on 59 attempts, averaging 4.4 yards per carry, the Sooners’ offensive line struggled to keep [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] clean throughout, allowing seven sacks. The most costly pressures came on the Sooners’ final drive.

After going down 35-32 on a go-ahead field goal from Florida State kicker Ryan Fitzgerald, the Sooners got the ball back with about a minute to play. However, their final drive was foiled by a false start penalty on Drake Stoops that pushed the Sooners from 2nd and 1 with about 38 seconds to play to 2nd and 6 with 28 seconds remaining after the ten-second runoff. Gabriel overthrew Brayden Willis on a downfield throw before hitting Gavin Sawchuk in the flat for a few yards. On the next play, Gabriel dropped back to pass and had no time to allow the play to develop. The Sooners’ offensive line folded, and the final seconds ticked off the clock.

Missing four starters along the offensive line, the Sooners’ passing game was unable to find much of a rhythm because of the Florida State pass rush. Gabriel hit a few deep balls to [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag] and got Oklahoma on the board with a touchdown throw to [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] to get the Sooners on the board.

Oklahoma’s defense played well in the first half, keeping the top-20 Seminoles offense mostly in check and coming up with huge fourth-down stops. The second half was a different story, though, as [autotag]Jordan Travis[/autotag] and Florida State began to hit chunk plays down the field in the passing game.

The Seminoles scored 24 second-half points, and the Sooners dropped another close game in a season where they weren’t very good in one-score games.

Coming into the game as double-digit underdogs against a top-15 team in the country, the Sooners received fantastic performances from Barnes and Sawchuk. Both running backs went over 100 yards rushing in the game to help lead the Sooners’ offense. Sawchuk suffered a costly fumble in the second half that led to Florida State points. It was an unfortunate moment for the former four-star running back, but one he’ll learn from moving forward.

Gabriel wasn’t very efficient in the game, but he didn’t have much time to sit back and scan the field. The Sooners’ quarterback was 14 of 24 for 243 yards and a touchdown. He also had 24 yards on 13 carries, including seven sacks. Marvin Mims led the Sooners in receiving with two catches for 77 yards, and Jalil Farooq had a solid game with four receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown. Farooq also had two carries for 14 yards to continue to cement himself as the Sooners’ dual-threat receiver heading into 2023.

Many of the problems that the Sooners dealt with on the defensive side of the ball reared their ugly head in the loss. The defense couldn’t sustain their level of play for four quarters. Tackling was an issue at times, and Oklahoma couldn’t get the necessary stops in crunch time.

Falling to 6-7, the Sooners still go into the offseason with positive momentum after securing the No. 5 recruiting class as of the early signing period. What cost Oklahoma in the Cheez-It Bowl were the same things that were going to be question marks this offseason anyway. Despite that, it’s still another disappointing loss in what’s been a disappointing first season for Brent Venables with the Oklahoma Sooners.

As Venables and his coaching staff go into the offseason, improving the defense will be priority number one for the program. They’ve made nice additions in the transfer portal and in the recruiting class, but those additions have to raise the overall talent and depth on the roster to help the Sooners play complete games in 2023.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Sooners to honor Mike Leach with helmet decal for Cheez-It Bowl

The Oklahoma Sooners will honor coaching legend Mike Leach during the Cheez-It Bowl with Pirate helmet decal

The college football world was stunned by the sudden passing of longtime coach Mike Leach. Though the majority of his career was spent as the head coach at Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State, his one year in Norman sent ripple effects through the Oklahoma Sooners and beyond.

His impact helped the Oklahoma Sooners land Josh Heupel to be the quarterback that ushered in the Bob Stoops era and launch the “air raid” into college football nomenclature.

But Mike Leach’s influence went beyond the X’s and O’s. Coaches and players, past and present, talked about the man he was as they mourned the loss of a legend who did things his way.

And as the Oklahoma Sooners get set to take on the Florida State Seminoles in the Cheez-It Bowl, the Sooners will don a pirate flag decal on the back of their helmets to honor Mike Leach.

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

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.

The 2022 finale is upon us as the Oklahoma Sooners get set to take on the Florida State Seminoles in the Cheez-It Bowl in Orlando.

Oklahoma will have to work without their starting offensive tackles, and arguably their best offensive player, Eric Gray. They still have a lot to work with on offense with Marvin Mims, Brayden Willis, Jalil Farooq, and Drake Stoops. Jovantae Barnes and Jacob Sexton will make their first starts, which will provide a possible preview of a couple starters heading into 2023.

Get ready for the game by checking out our final Sooners Wire staff predictions of the year.

Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

With several key opt outs on the offensive side of the ball, Dillon Gabriel is going to need to play some pretty perfect football for the Sooners to win this game. Jacob Sexton and Tyler Guyton will have their hands full with a potent Florida State pass rush.

Consider this the Jovantae Barnes coming out party. He’s going to rush for over 100 yards and hit the end zone twice. Gabriel will throw for another two touchdowns.

The defense will show some improvement after the regular season finale and hold the Seminoles under 30 points.

Sooners 38, Seminoles 28

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Up Next: More Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

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Florida State vs Oklahoma Cheez-It Bowl Prediction Game Preview

Florida State vs Oklahoma game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Cheez-It Bowl on Thursday, December 29

Florida State vs Oklahoma prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch. Cheez-It Bowl, Thursday, December 29

Florida State vs Oklahoma Cheez-It Bowl Prediction Game Preview

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Florida State vs Oklahoma How To Watch

Date: Thursday, December 29
Game Time: 5:30 ET
Venue: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
How To Watch: ESPN
Record: Florida State (9-3), Oklahoma (6-6)
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Florida State vs Oklahoma Cheez-It Bowl 5 Things To Know

Cheez-It Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

– There was a time not too terribly long ago when this was a national championship matchup. Okay, so it was over 20 years ago when they met for the BCS Championship – a 13-2 Oklahoma win – but these are still two powerhouse-infrastructure/expectation programs looking to use this as a possible launching pad.

This bowl hit a bad snag of really, really bad games from 2013 to 2019 when it was called the Russell Athletic Bowl and then the Camping World Bowl.

There were seven straight games of blowouts to various degrees, and then it became the Cheez-It Bowl. Oklahoma State beast Miami 37-34 in 2020, and last year Clemson pushed past Iowa State 20-13. These OU and FSU might keep it going.

– Florida State might have turned a corner under head coach Mike Norvell, but it puled up out of a three-game losing streak nosedive to close with five straight wins induing a total domination of Miami and a shootout victory over Florida. Throw in the early season win over LSU and it’s been a great year. Winning this would be a sweetener.

– Yeah, Oklahoma fell off a cliff. Lincoln Riley took the fun – and eventual Heisman winner Caleb Williams – out to LA, and Brent Venables was in charge of being the next star up to keep the program’s success going.

After a 3-0 start, OU lost six of its last nine games – including a 49-0 embarrassment against Texas – but it beat Oklahoma State, got bowl eligible, and now this is the first game of the rest of the program’s life.

– Oklahoma’s recent bowl history is all about context. Yeah, it’s just 3-5 in its last eight, but four of those five were College Football Playoff losses. Under Riley it hung 55 on a depleted Florida team in the 2020 Cotton, and put 47 on a depleted Oregon in last year’s Alamo.

– This signals the return to the bowl circuit for a Florida State program that was a given to get to one of these things since 1980. It missed out in the last two years after losing to Arizona State in the 2019 Sun, and it lost three of its last five – starting with a blowout loss to Oregon in the first ever College Football Playoff game – after winning three straight bowls.

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Why Florida State Will Win The Cheez-It Bowl

Oklahoma is missing a few very, very important players.

RB Eric Gray is off to the next level, a few NFL-caliber offensive linemen – Anton Harrison and Wanya Morris – aren’t playing, and the defense loses some parts, too.

On the flip side, Florida State is getting back a few of its key players for this. It starts with QB Jordan Travis, continues with future NFL pass rusher Jared Verse, and in all, this is about as close to normal as FSU might get from here on for a bowl that’s not among the New Year’s Six elite.

The Seminoles will move the chains. The rushing attack under Norvell is doing what it’s supposed to, Travis is excellent on third downs, and it should all work against an Oklahoma defense that was last in the Big 12, struggles to get of the field, and doesn’t do much in the mix to help control the time of possession battle.

Yeah, the Sooner offense likes to move quickly, but it doesn’t help the D. The team is 0-5 when allowing 200 rushing yards or more. Florida State averages 218 yards per game on the ground.

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Why Oklahoma Will Win The Cheez-It Bowl

Just keep up the pace.

The defense won’t be able to do much to slow down the Sooners, but even without Gray running the ball the offense should be able to keep up. There aren’t a lot of turnovers, there’s a good balance, and QB Dillon Gabriel is experienced enough to spread the ball around and keep the attack moving.

Yeah, Gray carried the workload, but there’s just enough of a rotation to go along with Gabriel getting on the move to potentially keep the Florida State defense honest.

As long as Gabriel is able to connect on the midrange throws and come up with manageable third down chances, this should be a back-and-forth fight.

The run defense has to sell out. Jordan Travis might be terrific at getting the ball into the hands of his playmakers, but everything chances for this OU D when it can hold on up front.

Just don’t get gouged, come up with a few takeaways – 5-2 when generating multiple turnovers – and …

Cheez-It Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

NEXT: What’s Going To Happen, Florida State vs Oklahoma Prediction, Cheez-It Bowl History

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Jacob Sexton draws tough assignment in first career start for the Oklahoma Sooners

Making his first career start, Jacob Sexton has an opportunity to shine with a tough matchup against Florida State’s Jared Verse.

Bowl opt-outs have become the norm for college football as players look to preserve their health ahead of NFL draft preparations. One bowl opt-out is another man’s opportunity. For the Oklahoma Sooners, that man is true freshman offensive tackle, Jacob Sexton.

Anton Harrison and Wanya Morris are headed to the league and will not be playing in the bowl game for the Sooners. So Oklahoma will have a new tandem at offensive tackle, Tyler Guyton and Sexton. Guyton will make his fifth start for the Oklahoma Sooners this season. He filled in for Morris and Harrison throughout the season. He may not have been a starter all year, but Guyton was a pivotal part of the Sooners’ offensive tackle rotation, playing 311 snaps after transferring from TCU.

Sexton, on the other hand, will get a big bump in playing time this week when the Sooners face the Florida State Seminoles. Sexton played in seven games for the Sooners but hasn’t played double-digit snaps since the loss to TCU in Week 5.

Stepping into the starting lineup, Sexton will get all he can handle facing a top-20 Florida State defense and first-round NFL draft prospect Jared Verse.

Verse was arguably the highest-regarded defensive player in the transfer portal a year ago, and he lived up to that billing after a 7.5 sack season for the Seminoles. Though Verse will line up on both sides of the Florida State defensive front, he spent most of his time on the right side, which will likely be where the Seminoles put him early and often to test Sexton to start the game.

Sexton, a former four-star player in the 2022 recruiting class, is a highly-regarded player in his own right. He was the No. 20 offensive tackle in the class and held offers from big-time Power Five programs Alabama, Texas, Texas A&M, Michigan, Notre Dame and Tennessee.

This is a challenge for Sexton and the Sooners offensive line. Regardless of how he performs, it will provide valuable teaching tape for the true freshman as he looks to lock down a starting role at left tackle as a true sophomore in 2023.

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow John  we a a C on Twitter @john9williams.

5 takeaways from Oklahoma’s Cheez-It Bowl depth chart

5 takeaways from the Oklahoma Sooners Cheez-It Bowl depth chart.

Oklahoma will look different when it takes the field against the 13th-ranked Florida State Seminoles on Thursday evening in the Cheez-It Bowl. The Sooners will have some fresh faces in new spots as they look to avoid finishing below .500 for the first time since 1998.

Starters [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag], [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag], [autotag]Wanya Morris[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Redmond[/autotag] have opted out of the bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft. That leaves voids on both sides of the ball the Sooners have had three weeks to plan for. What were the results of that planning? Well, we have the answers, as Oklahoma released its depth chart for the game.

With that info out, here are five takeaways from the depth chart below.

Oklahoma’s Opponent: 5 Florida State Seminoles to know ahead of the Cheez-It-Bowl

Oklahoma will have its hands full as they take on No. 13 Florida State. Here are five Seminoles to know.

Oklahoma has landed in Orlando and has been practicing since Christmas weekend. On Thursday, they take on the No. 13 Florida State Seminoles, who will have the de-facto home-field advantage. Florida State is arguably the best team Oklahoma has played this year, aside from the TCU Horned Frogs, who will be representing the Big 12 in the College Football Playoff.

Florida State is rising back up the ACC ranks in Mike Norvell’s third season in Tallahassee. He’ll have a very physical and talented Seminoles team ready for the Sooners.

The Seminoles have some real difference-makers on both sides of the ball. With Oklahoma at a disadvantage due to NFL opt-outs and transfer portal entries, it will make things even harder for the Sooners. Who are the Seminoles’ difference makers? Here are five players to be aware of as the Sooners look to finish the season on a high note.

5 Oklahoma Sooners to watch on defense vs. Florida State

Oklahoma takes on Florida State in the Cheez-It Bowl. Here are five Sooners to watch come game time.

Oklahoma has arrived in Orlando and has been preparing for its matchup with the No. 13 Florida State Seminoles. The Seminoles represent one of the toughest teams Oklahoma will have faced this season and that’s only magnified by the fact that the Sooners will play without three starters on offense and one of their best defenders.

Starting tackles Anton Harrison and Wanya Morris will be out alongside star running back Eric Gray. The loss of defensive tackle Jalen Redmond is where we turn our focus.

Redmond, despite all the inconsistent performances by this defense, was one of the more disruptive forces throughout the season. Oklahoma takes on a very good Florida State offense that is led by dual-threat quarterback Jordan Travis and flanked by running back Trey Benson and wide receivers Johnny Wilson, Mycah Pittman, and Ontaria Wilson.

With no Redmond and a few other depth guys missing thanks to the transfer portal, Oklahoma will have its hands full. However, this opens the door for playmakers to step up on defense, which may provide a glimpse of Oklahoma’s defense in 2023 and beyond. Here are five defenders to watch as the Sooners take on the Seminoles.