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A bowl game that’s lost some luster due to transfer portal entries and opt outs, the Guaranteed Rate Bowl features the Big 12 and Big Ten. For the 21st consecutive year, the Wisconsin Badgers are bowl eligible. This will be Oklahoma State’s 17th consecutive year with a bowl berth
When: Tuesday, December 27th @ 10:15 PM ET
Where: Phoenix, Arizona
Who: Wisconsin vs. Oklahoma State
Spread & Total: Wisconsin -3.5; O/U 43
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Tale of the Tape: Wisconsin Badgers
After a 2-3 start with an out of conference loss to Washington State and blowout losses to Illinois and Ohio State, Wisconsin made an uncharacteristic move by terminating head coach Paul Chryst. This was the first time Wisconsin let go of a head coach since 2005. They turned to defensive coordinator and Badger great Jim Leonhard, who got the ship in the right direction. Wisconsin won four of their last seven to continue their bowl streak. Wisconsin hired Cincinnati’s head coach Luke Fickell in one of the more surprising moves this offseason. Leonhard will still coach the bowl game.
Offensively, Braelon Allen is the catalyst that drives this team. He has nearly half of the team’s rushing attempts (208 of 429), rushing for over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns. The passing game struggled for Wisconsin this year. It’s a bottom-10 passing offense among bowl eligible teams.
Defensively, Wisconsin was sound. If you watched the Big Ten West at all this season, this should be no surprise. Wisconsin’s 31 sacks were the 4th most in the Big Ten, trailing only Penn State, Michigan, and Ohio State. Their 15 interceptions only trailed Illinois for most in the conference, the 10th most nationally.
Opt Outs
OG Tyler Beach
C Joe Tippman
NT Keeanu Benton (36 tackles; 4.5 sacks)
LB Nick Herbig (47 tackles; team leading 11 sacks)
CB Jay Shaw (31 tackles; six pass deflections)
CB Justin Clark
Transfer Portal Departures:
QB Graham Mertz (Starting QB; 19 touchdowns to 10 interceptions)
RB Isaac Guerendo (Backup RB; 64 carries, 385 yards, and 5 touchdowns)
WR Stephan Bracey
TE Jaylan Franklin
OT Logan Brown
LB Tristan Monday
CB Semar Melvin
S Titus Toler
Players to Know:
RB Braelon Allen
Named to All-Big Ten Football Second Team. Back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons and 10+ touchdowns for Wisconsin.
S John Torchio
Named to All-Big Ten Football Second Team. 50 total tackles. Five interceptions led the team, tied for 10th nationally. Returned two for touchdowns.
Tale of the Tape: Oklahoma State Cowboys
An offense led through the air will look different in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. Quarterback Spencer Sanders has opted out of the bowl game and entered the transfer portal. They will still have their top-three receivers, who all had over 500 receiving yards. Oklahoma State’s leading rusher, Dominic Richardson, is also in the portal, committing to Baylor. True freshman Ollie Gordon has 50 total carries on the season, the most of active players in this bowl game.
This Oklahoma State defense is one of the worst among bowl eligible teams – and they still have bowl opt outs and transfers. The Cowboys will be without two edge rushers and their leading tackler in Cobb.
Opt Outs:
DT Brandon Evers
DE Tyler Lacy (3 sacks)
Transfer Portal Departures:
QB Spencer Sanders (2,642 passing yards; 17 touchdowns to nine interceptions. Second leading rusher with 483 yards and eight touchdowns)
RB Dominic Richardson (Starting RB; 543 yards and eight scores to lead team)
WR Langston Anderson
C Eli Russ
DE Trace Ford
LB Mason Cobb (led team with 96 tackles)
CB Jabbar Muhammed (48 tackles, led team with nine pass deflections)
CB Thomas Harper (30 tackles, two breakups, and an interception)
Player to Know:
DB Jason Taylor II
All-Big 12 Football First Team Selection. 87 tackles was second to Cobb. Six interceptions led the team, while seven pass deflections was second.
QB Garrett Rangel & Gunnar Gundy
Unsure of which will start in the bowl game to replace Sanders. The duo combined to complete 52% of their pass attempts for 729 yards (5.9 YPA), five touchdowns and seven interceptions
Bowl Game Trends:
- Big 12 is 14-4 in Guaranteed Rate Bowl history, winning six of last seven
- Mike Gundy is making his 17th consecutive bowl appearance in 18 years at Oklahoma State (11-5)
- Wisconsin: 7-1 in last eight bowl games.
Game Synopsis:
Both teams are without starting quarterbacks and multiple key pieces on defense. The best offensive player in this game is Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen, and he gets a bad Oklahoma State rush defense without their leading tackler. I think this shorthanded Wisconsin team utilizes their run game to beat up on a bad Oklahoma State defense. Badgers send Leonhard off with a win as they turn to the Fickell era.
Bowl Mania Pick To Win: Wisconsin
Bowl Mania Confidence: 17/43
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