Bowl Projections: After Week 8, Where and Who is Oklahoma State Predicted to Play for its Bowl

Bowl projections should be a little bit more enjoyable now considering four weeks ago we weren’t sure a bowl berth was even possible for the 2023 Cowboys. Now, Oklahoma State is a win away from extending its 17-year bowl streak with a matchup against a struggling Cincinnati squad up next at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Here are some projections from outlets across the country, predicting where and who the Cowboys will play for their 18th straight bowl game under Mike Gundy.

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

This is maybe the most intriguing bowl matchup for the Cowboys. Three outlets have this prediction in The Action Network’s Brett McMurphy, Jerry Palm of CBS Sports and Steven Lassan from Athlon Sports.

We all remember the last time Lincoln Riley had to go up against Gundy and Co., and he even has the same quarterback still in Caleb Williams, who won the Heisman Trophy last season. And OSU still has Collin Oliver. The lead-up to this game would be a blast, and watching Ollie Gordon rush for an infinite amount of yards against the Trojans’ air, I mean defense, would be entertaining.

Also, would this be the hardest OU fans ever cheer for their Bedlam rival?

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

Bill Bender (what a name) of The Sporting News also has OSU in the Alamo Bowl but against a different OSU. These two orange OSUs met in 2019 when the Cowboys started their season with a 52-36 win in Corvallis.

Representing the Pac-12 in one of the conference’s top bowl affiliations would be huge for the Beavers, though, as one of the last two standing in the Pac-12, so this could be a more challenging task than USC for the Pokes.

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

Both of ESPN’s writers who did the outlet’s predictions, Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach, have the Cowboys going on a rare business trip to Orlando, home to the “Most Magical Place on Earth.”

Although OSU and North Carolina have never met, it would be a reunion for Mike Gundy and former Texas coach Mack Brown. That meeting and the fact the Tar Heels have one of the top NFL quarterback prospects in Drake Maye would make this an intriguing matchup. I also can’t think of many better destinations for fans in December than Orlando.

Miami (FL) | Pop-Tarts Bowl | 5:45 p.m. Dec. 28 | Orlando, Florida

College Football News also has OSU headed to the Pop-Tarts Bowl, but for a rematch from the Cowboys’ last trip to Orlando.

OSU beat Miami 37-34 in 2020 when the bowl was known as the Cheez-It Bowl. That’s the game you probably remember as the “Brennan Presley Game” after he caught six passes for 118 yards and three touchdowns.

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

Brad Crawford of 247Sports has the Cowboys in an ole’ Big 12 reunion in the Texas Bowl.

Although the Texas Bowl and a trip to Houston aren’t all that enticing, a matchup with Texas A&M is. The two have met only once since Texas A&M left the Big 12 to lose more in the SEC. The only meeting since was in 2019, also in the Texas Bowl, and the Aggies narrowly won 24-21.