Bowl Projections: Predictions for Oklahoma State’s 2022 Postseason Partners and Landing Spots

We are less than two weeks from the start of Oklahoma State’s football season, but seeing as the Cowboys have made a bowl game each of the last 16 years, it’s probably safe to assume the Pokes will be in the postseason. But which bowl will they get an invite to, and who could they face?

Of course, that is impossible to know at this point, but that doesn’t stop talking heads from prognosticating. Let’s take a look at some way-too-early postseason predictions for the Pokes.

First, a reminder of the Big 12’s bowl affiliations.

1. Sugar Bowl vs. SEC (Big 12 Champion if not in the College Football Playoff, or highest-ranked Big 12 team)
2. Valero Alamo Bowl vs. Pac-12
3. Cheez-It Bowl vs. ACC
4. Mercari Texas Bowl vs. SEC
5. AutoZone Liberty Bowl vs. SEC
6. Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs. Big Ten

While the Cowboys were literally a couple inches short of getting into the College Football Playoff last year, so far no one is predicting they’ll get over the hump in 2022.

USC | Alamo Bowl | Dec. 29

A year after the first-ever meeting with Notre Dame in the postseason, the Cowboys could get their first-ever meeting with another iconic helmet-sticker program. Both ESPN soothsayers, Mark Schlabach and Kyle Bonagura, have the Cowboys playing the Big Ten-bound Trojans in San Antonio. OSU is 2-2 at the Alamo Bowl, winning in both of Mike Gundy bowl trips to San Antonio, most recently against Colorado in 2016. Aside from being a game against a blue-blood program, this would also be spicy statewide because it’s Lincoln Riley’s first season with USC.

Oregon | Alamo Bowl | Dec. 29

Athlon Sports’ Steven Lassan also has the Cowboys headed to the Alamo Bowl, but against Oregon. The Cowboys and Ducks have met just once, a 42-31 OSU loss at the 2008 Holiday Bowl.

Oregon | Alamo Bowl | Dec. 29

Brad Crawford of 247Sports also has the Cowboys and Ducks squaring off in San Antonio.

Oregon | Alamo Bowl | Dec. 29

Ditto for CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm.

Pitt | Cheez-It Bowl | Dec. 29

Action Sports’ Brett McMurphy has his alma mater finishing a rung lower on the Big 12’s ladder and landing in the Cheez-It Bowl in Orlando, Florida. Action Sports has the Cowboys at plus-9 points if you want to go ahead and lay some money down.

Of course, the Cowboys and the Panthers have met before. OSU defeated Pitt in nonconference matchups in 2016 and 2017, with the Pokes thumping the Panthers 59-21 in their most recent matchup. OSU defeated Miami 37-34 in the Cheez-It Bowl in 2020. The Cowboys also beat Virginia Tech in its previous iteration, the 2017 Camping World Bowl.

Arkansas | Texas Bowl | Dec. 28

The Sporting News’ Bill Bender has the Cowboys facing the Hogs at the Texas Bowl. That is the lowest among the projections I saw and would mean OSU finishes fourth in the league. OSU lost the 2019 Texas Bowl to Texas A&M.

While the bowl destination leaves me wanting more, I’d be okay with a rematch with a former Southwest Conference foe. OSU and Arkansas have met 44 times with the Razorbacks owning a 29-14-1 edge, but the programs haven’t met since 1980. OSU lost the last five meetings.