Bowl Projections: After a Bedlam Win, Where and Who is Oklahoma State Predicted to Play for its Bowl

The Cowboys can start thinking big now.

You already know, but it’s nice to hear again that Oklahoma State beat then-No. 9 Oklahoma 27-24 on Saturday in the last Bedlam on any future football schedule.

The win cleared the Cowboys’ path to Arlington to play for a Big 12 for the second time in three years and with that comes bigger and better bowl matchups. Well, actually, maybe not. OSU had a NY6 projection last week, but none a week later even after the Bedlam upset.

Here’s a look at where pundits from across the country predict OSU to end up for its bowl destination and who the Cowboys could play there.

Utah | Valero Alamo Bowl | 9:15 p.m. Dec. 28 | San Antonio, Texas

By this point would this count as an all Big 12 Alamo Bowl?

This future Big 12 matchup in San Antonio was the most popular pick of the week for the Cowboys, as both of ESPN’s writers and Brett McMurphy had this projection. I trust McMurphy and he was even at Bedlam to witness that win in-person, so I was thrown off considering he had OSU in the Cotton Bowl last week. I assume it has more to do with how other teams are shaking out and Texas missing the CFP, taking the Big 12’s NY6 slot with a win in the Big 12 championship game.

OSU will actually host Utah at Boone Pickens Stadium in 2024 after the Utes leave the Pac-12 for the Big 12 at the end of this academic year. I’m not sure if that urges those in charge to avoid the matchup or lean more to it.

USC | Valero Alamo Bowl | 9:15 p.m. Dec. 28 | San Antonio, Texas

This has been a frequent projection since I’ve started doing these bowl projections. This week, Brad Crawford from 247Sports has the prediction.

USC has lost three games now, but the Trojans are still a big draw no matter what so the Alamo Bowl will probably claim them if at all possible. However, potential No. 1 NFL Draft pick Caleb Williams would probably sit this one out.

Watching Ollie Gordon break every NCAA rushing record against this terrible USC defense would be entertaining, though.

Oregon State | Valero Alamo Bowl | 9:15 p.m. Dec. 28 | San Antonio, Texas

One more Alamo Bowl matchup.

Bill Bender from The Sporting News also has the Cowboys going to San Antonio, but to play Oregon State in all orange OSU matchup.

OSU beat OSU 52-36 in 2019 on the road. The OSU in Stillwater was the one that won, just to be clear. The two were scheduled to face again in Boone Stadium Stadium in 2020 but that game was canceled during a COVID-19 stricken season.

Notre Dame | Pop-Tarts Bowl | 5:45 p.m. Dec. 28 | Orlando, Florida

I know Marshall would be thrilled about another trip to Orlando for Disney World, I mean football.

CBS Sports still has this projection, but this destination becomes less likely with every OSU win, though.

This matchup would the second time in three years that the Cowboys met Notre Dame, and 2021 was the first meeting ever. That last time was a lot of fun, though, and OSU still has a logo.

Texas A&M | TaxAct Texas Bowl | 9 p.m. Dec. 27 | Houston, Texas

At first I was confused at what Steven Lassan of Athlon Sports was thinking here, but there are no guarantees in Stillwater, I guess.

If OSU drops one of the next three to a team with a losing record (which they all have), then this could be a likely landing spot depending on how the rest of the Big 12 shakes out. The worst part of this set of projections is that it has OU in the Alamo Bowl over OSU. However, that matchup is with USC, and money talks, so that may be a headline the Alamo Bowl can’t resist no matter what the Bedlam result was.

This would be a disappointing ending, though, considering the Cowboys’ turnaround, a Bedlam win and having Ollie Gordon in the Heisman race.