Alamo Bowl Preview and Prediction: Oklahoma vs. Arizona
Here is everything you need to know about the 2023 Valero Alamo Bowl between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Arizona Wildcats.
GAME INFO
Thursday, December 28, 2023; 8:15 p.m. CT; Alamodome; San Antonio, Texas
TV: ESPN
Radio: ESPN Radio
Records: Oklahoma (10-2, 7-2 Big 12); Arizona (9-3, 7-2 Pac-12)
Rankings: Oklahoma ranked No. 12 (CFP Top 25); Washington ranked No. 14
Series History: Series tied, 1-1-0
Last Meeting: Arizona 6, Oklahoma 3 (1989)
Favorite: Arizona (-3.0)
Fun Fact: This is the first bowl game that Arizona has been to since 2017, when Rich Rodriguez’s Wildcats lost to Purdue in the Foster Farms Bowl, 38-35.
KEY PLAYERS
OKLAHOMA SOONERS
QB Jackson Arnold
Dillon Gabriel turned in one hell of a season for Oklahoma, topping 4,000 yards and 42+ total touchdowns in 12 starts. However, he’s now with the Oregon Ducks, meaning the Jackson Arnold era has officially begun in Norman. In limited action this season, Arnold has completed 18-24 (75%) for 202 yards and two touchdowns, adding 78 yards and one score on the ground. The Alamo Bowl will be the first time that Arnold will be the undisputed QB1 for the Sooners, and that will change the entire dynamic for the five-star freshman. If he lives up to the hype, Oklahoma’s offense should roll to a big day in the Alamodome.
S Billy Bowman
After linebacker Danny Stutsman was reported to be headed to the NFL, the next question that came along was what safety Billy Bowman would do. Luckily for the Sooners, the All-American announced that he’d be returning to OU in 2024, which is a major boost for the unit. Bowman ranks second in the country with six interceptions, three of which he’s returned for touchdowns (leads the country). Against an Arizona team that wants to throw the ball all over the yard, having an experienced safety like Bowman will be invaluable.
ARIZONA WILDCATS
QB Noah Fifita
The emergence of freshman quarterback Noah Fifita has been huge for this Wildcats team, which has been spectacular since he took over as the starter against Washington in the final week of September. As the starter in each of the last eight games, Fifita has thrown for 2,446 yards and 23 touchdowns to just five interceptions while completing 73.6% of his attempts. Arizona’s offense ranks 22nd national this season with 34.3 points per game and should have plenty of opportunities against an Oklahoma defense that will be missing some of its key contributors.
LB Jacob Manu
Defensively, Arizona was much improved in 2023, ranking 26th with just 20.83 points allowed per game and 36th in total defense with 340.9 yards allowed per game. Much of that defensive improvement lies in the spectacular play that the Wildcats got from linebackers Jacob Manu and Taylor Upshaw. Together, Manu and Upshaw have combined 15.0 sacks, 127 tackles, one interception, and one forced fumble. If these two can run free against an Oklahoma offense led by a true freshman quarterback, it could mean a victory for the Wildcats.
KEY STORYLINES
OKLAHOMA SOONERS
Can the Oklahoma offense still perform at an elite level without Dillon Gabriel at the controls? Jackson Arnold has been incredible in his limited time leading the Sooners’ offense, but being the starter is a completely different story. If 15 bowl practices under new offensive coordinator Seth Littrell are productive, the sky is the limit for what the OU offense is capable of. Perhaps the biggest X-Factor in this game is Arnold’s ability to run the football. With he and RB Gavin Sawchuk sharing a backfield, there will always be the threat of a run. That’s going to be something that I’d expect Oklahoma to lean on, especially with Arnold making his first-ever start.
ARIZONA WILDCATS
Can the Wildcats keep the moment from getting too big? This a team full of players who have never been to a bowl game, as this is Arizona’s first bowl game since 2017 and it comes against a blue-blood like Oklahoma. There shouldn’t be any lack of motivation for this game, but sometimes we see situations like this where a team like Arizona might play outside of what they do best, and it ends up biting them. Arizona has been lights out over the last six contests, scoring 38.8 points per game in six straight victories, and if they play within themselves, there’s a very good chance that they’ll make it seven in a row.
PREDICTION: OKLAHOMA 38, ARIZONA 34
I expect this to be one of the most entertaining games of the Big 12 bowl season, as both of these teams have a lot to prove heading into the 2024 offseason. For Oklahoma, a move to the SEC awaits and a win in San Antonio would get them to 11-2 in Brent Venables’ second year. While the national media will try and make it seem like OU will come into this game lacking motivation, Venables is a master motivator and will have the Sooners ready to roll. On the other side, Arizona will be playing for its first 10-win season since 2014 and also has a move of its own coming up, with a transition to the Big 12 coming next summer. Jedd Fisch has the Wildcats rolling right now, but I think Oklahoma’s experience in the postseason combined with a better overall roster will win the day, as OU caps its 2023 season with a one-possession win over Arizona in a late-night thriller in the Alamo Bowl.
