Alamo Bowl: #14 Arizona vs #12 Oklahoma Odds, and Picks (Dec 28)

• Arizona closed the regular season at 9-3, after winning six straight games.
• Oklahoma ended with three straight wins of their own, climbing to 10-2.
• These two teams last met on September 16, 1989, in a game Arizona won 6-3.

The college football season has reached the bowl games! Let’s preview the 2023 Alamo Bowl between the Arizona Wildcats and the Oklahoma Sooners. This is the highest-ranking matchup of the non-major bowls.

How to Watch

• ESPN

Preview

Arizona had their best season since 2014 this year, entering this bowl game with a 9-3 record. They also snapped a 5-season drought of no bowl appearances. The Wildcats are thriving in head coach Jeff Fisch’s 3rd season, after he took over a program that went 1-16 in 2020-2021. After winning six games in a row, Arizona will enter this game with a lot of momentum as they aim to match their best win total since 2000.

Oklahoma had another solid season, but didn’t do quite enough to make the CFP. They have the best win of any team outside of the top-4, having beaten #3 Texas, 34-30, earlier in the season. Despite their two subsequent road losses to Kansas and Oklahoma State, the Sooners have played at an elite level all year so far. They’ll have an interesting test here against a scorching-hot Arizona team in a great bowl matchup.

Prediction

This year’s Alamo Bowl is sure to be a great game, with two high-ranking and capable teams facing off. The Sooners have a prolific offense, having scored 50 or more points in 5 games this season. On the other hand, their defense has been vulnerable, and could be exposed by an Arizona team with a high-flying offense of their own. I see this being a close and competitive game, with the red-hot Wildcats winning it.

NCAAF Picks:

• Arizona 35, Oklahoma 31 ()