Roundtable: What Bowl Game is Best For OSU?

The PFB roundtable, Friday edition, is here with scuttlebutt on our preference on bowl destination, thoughts on a Bedlam rematch, and players who have been the biggest surprise this football season.

Kyle Boone: All right, folks. First Q: Who has been the biggest pleasant surprise for you this season on either side of the ball?

Justin Southwell: Marcell Ateman. I remember him being good, but he has been great this year. He has made clutch plays all over the place. I guess I’m mostly surprised because he’s not listed as Biletnikoff semifinalist.

Phillip Slavin: He isn’t always perfect, but A.J. Green has been fantastic this season. The true sophomore was thrust into a starting position this season, and has shown talent, growth and ability. He leads the team in interceptions with four and is 6th on the team with 41 tackles. It will be fun to watch him continue to develop the next two years.

Adam Lunt: A.J. Green. We knew coming into the season he was playing well, but with his length and maturity as a true sophomore he has NFL potential.

Kyle Cox: J.D. King has to be my pick on offense. The rookie has shown to not only be a powerful runner, he can be elusive and can catch a pass or two out of the backfield. And I think he’s just scratching his potential.

Matt Harris: AJ Green by a mile and a half. Nobody knew how he and Rodarius would handle corner duties this year as new starters with little experience and A.J. has more than stepped up to the table.

Nick Welch: A.J. Green to me has been terrific this season. He was a 3-star, 72 overall recruit out of Texas and as a sophomore, leads the team in interceptions and has to be the most reliable cornerback on the roster.

Ryan Harris: A.J. Green and J.D. King have both impressed this season and I’m excited to see what the next few have in store for them. Green has been a player this defense has sorely needed while King saved the West Virginia game when Justice Hill went down. Also, I’ll give a shoutout to Tylan Wallace. He’s impressed in limited action and I think he’ll be one of OSU’s top wide outs the next several years.

Boone: Do you want to see a Bedlam rematch for the B12 title?

Southwell: Of course! The two best teams in the conference should absolutely have a shot to win the Big 12 Championship.

Matt: It would be silly to not want a Bedlam rematch for the Big 12 title. Saying otherwise is like saying you don’t want a shot at a Big 12 title, which should always be the goal. If any one of about five plays in Bedlam go differently (Mason’s overthrow, Mason’s pick, overturned fumble, etc.) then OSU might’ve won that game. The Pokes are definitely good enough to beat OU and it would be a dream to have a shot to ruin the Sooners’ season and win a Big 12 title at the same time.

Ryan: Everyone should want to see Bedlam II for all the marbles. OSU fans should want every chance they can get at winning conference championships. So what if it’s another heartbreaker? Aren’t all the losses heartbreakers at this point? Sometimes you just have to risk it for the biscuit. An OSU loss would be heartbreaking, but imagine an OSU victory.

Southwell: It’s two fold. Do I want this team to have a shot at winning the Big 12 title? Of course. Do I wish it was against someone other than OU. Definitely. It’s not a “little brother” mindset. I don’t want to face Baker Mayfield again. He’s shown too many times that he doesn’t lose big games, and a conference title game rematch against an in-state rival is a BIG GAME. So to answer your question…. *shrug*.

Lunt: My first thought was no because they’re a better team. That is such a losers mentality, so bring on all the Bedlams. Hell, let’s play them in the bowl game too.

Welch: At this point, I would say yes. Coming into this season, a disappointing season in my opinion for OSU would be failing to make a NY6 Bowl. If OSU doesn’t make the Big 12 Title game, there’s still a small possibility of making one but unlikely. However, winning a Big 12 Title would ensure making a NY6 Bowl and that I would call successful season.

Cox: Absolutely, I do. I understand that the emotional scars are still fresh for a lot of people but if you get another shot to play for a conference title, you take it. And who knows what happens.

Boone: Would you sacrifice a Texas Tech loss and thus, likely an OSU shot at the B12 this season, if Kliff Kingsbury were to be fired and be the next OC at OSU after this season?

Ryan: No. I want OSU to play for as many conference championships as they can get to. Even if Kliff is fired this year, Yurcich leaving is not a guaranteed thing, and OSU certainly isn’t firing him. Kingsbury could get a better offer, a lot of things would have to fall into place for Kingsbury to OSU to happen.

Southwell: Because there’s no guarantee Kliff would come to OSU as the OC, no. These seniors deserve a shot at a conference title.

Slavin: No. I don’t want to lose to Texas Tech. We are one more win away from leading the series with the Red Raiders. There are other talented OCs out there.

Lunt: No. I’ve never been a huge fan of Kliff’s offensive style as it fits the gadgety air raid stereotype. Although Yurcich has some downfalls, his offense is more practical given types of players OSU can get and ultimately trying to beat elite defenses.

Matt: Depends on the situation. If we’re guaranteed a Texas Tech win this weekend then that is the most preferable thing. In other words, I would rather play OU for the Big 12 championship this year than have Kingsbury as OC next year. It’s not every day that you get to have a chance to win a conference championship but there are plenty of OC’s who could do good enough damage with the offensive weapons that OSU employs every year.

Welch: I’m assuming in this scenario Yurcich gets another job or gets fired. I seriously doubt Kilff would want to stay in the Big 12 after getting hypothetically canned at Tech so I’ll say no. Give me the Tech upset and Bedlam Episode II, Revenge of the Pokes.

Cox: LOL. I love it, because it’s so ridiculous that it almost makes sense. I think both could happen, though. The question is how much Gundy would let Coach Bro take the reins from the jump. It would be a completely different scenario than when Yurcich started so maybe right away.

Boone: Which bowl game would you like to see OSU in and against who?

Southwell: It’s still too early for me to think about all of that. But it would be fun to expose USC after all the attention they’ve received this season.

Lunt:  I’d love to play a blue blood that has more traditional style – Penn State, Notre Dame.

Slavin: Before the year, I really wanted to see an OSU/Penn State matchup in the playoff. With both teams essentially out of the running for the CFP, give me that matchup anywhere. Seriously. That would be an amazing game, especially the chance to watch Justice Hill and Saquon Barkley prove who is the better back. Put it in New Orleans or Arizona. Just make it happen.

Welch: As mentioned above, I hope OSU makes a NY6. I like the Alamo, but I’d rather play in Jerry World or Atlanta than in San Antonio again. OSU versus tOSU or Notre Dame would be absolutely incredibly memorable games.

Matt:  I would love to see OSU take on USC in a bowl game. Mason would have a chance to expose Sam Darnold and it’s a game that would be a pretty fair matchup but also more than winnable for OSU, in my opinion. A bowl matchup with USC in let’s say the Cotton Bowl, is just about the best you can get without making the playoff.

Cox: At this point, the Fiesta seems like the best option within reach. Another NY6 and hopefully a win to send off a ton of big-time seniors? I’ll sign up for that.

Matt: I’d like to see OSU in any New Years Six bowl, preferably either the Cotton Bowl or the Fiesta Bowl. I’d love to see them play Ohio State for all of the brand rights. Also to potentially have Ohio State lose to both Oklahoma schools in the same season would be magical.

Boone: Put us in the Fiesta against USC. For the rights to Ronald Jones!