The Valero Alamo Bowl is set to take place on Thursday night and it will be a matchup between the Arizona Wildcats and Oklahoma Sooners. These are two top-15 teams set to square off and it should be the best bowl game of the day.
Arizona is coming into this game with a record of 9-3 on the year, and this Wildcats team was a pleasant surprise this season. The Wildcats won just one game two years ago, and this is clearly a program on the rise.
Oklahoma had a disappointing stretch during the regular season that set them at 10-2 on the year. The Sooners were the lone team to beat Texas, but they didn’t even make the Big 12 Championship Game.
Oklahoma is coming into this game a three-point underdog against the Arizona Wildcats on Thursday night.
Wildcats Winning With Offense
Arizona has been solid on both sides of the ball this season, but the offense has been the most impressive part of this team. The Wildcats are averaging 34 points per game this season, and most of their work is done through the air.
Quarterback Noah Fifita has taken over this offense as he threw for 2,515 yards and 23 touchdowns this season. Arizona will need to find balance in this game, but they will establish the pass first.
Playing defense has been a challenge for Arizona this season, and that could present challenges against a good Oklahoma team. The Wildcats are catching a big break, and they will need to take advantage of that.
Sooners Playing Shorthanded
The Oklahoma Sooners are coming into this game without quarterback Dillon Gabriel as he has decided to transfer to Oregon. Gabriel was one of the best players in the country this season, and his absence will hurt this team.
Look for the Sooners to run the football in the Alamo Bowl in an attempt to find holes in the Arizona defense. Oklahoma just can’t stick to its traditional game plan as they no longer have the talent needed.
The defense for Oklahoma has been a major issue all season long, and that unit will need to play its best game of the year to win this game. The Sooners have the talent to get the job done, but now they must prove it on the field.
Arizona Rolls to Bowl Win
Oklahoma would have no trouble keeping up with Arizona if they were fully healthy, but they are without too many stars in this game. It’s going to take points to win this game, and Oklahoma just doesn’t have the playmakers needed to win this game.
Arizona is a team with a ton of confidence, and they are going to be on the attack throughout this game. The Wildcats will take advantage of a bad Oklahoma defense in order to light up the scoreboard in this matchup.
Bet on the Arizona Wildcats at -3.0 as they are going to roll to a big win in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Thursday night.
