It will be No. 22 Oklahoma State versus Texas A&M in the TaxAct Texas Bowl on Dec. 27 in a battle of what used to be a somewhat familiar Big 12 matchup.
The Cowboys (9-4) have been a stable program under Mike Gundy, who will be finishing up his 19th season in Stillwater. If he and Oklahoma State can secure a win in the Texas Bowl, it would be the second time in three seasons they would finish with a 10-win season. Although they are coming off a much disappointing rout by Texas in their last appearance in the Big 12, it was at least in the Big 12 Championship Game.
That's something the Aggies (7-5) can't say. In fact, consistency is something the Texas A&M program has lacked for some time, as they'll be on their fourth head coach since 2008 after firing Jimbo Fisher. They'll be relying on Mike Elko, the former Duke head coach, but former Aggies defensive coordinator under Fisher two seasons ago. To finish out the 2023 season, Elijah Robinson will have the interim duties to gain the Aggies their first bowl win since 2020.
Believe it or not, the last time these two teams faced each other was in the 2019 Texas Bowl, which saw Texas A&M football walk away with a 24-21 victory. Can the Aggies do it again or will a plethora of opt-outs and portal transfers cause them to suffer their second straight loss? Let's get into some Texas Bowl predictions.
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Texas A&M football's Jaylen Henderson throws for 220 yards, one touchdown, and one interception
Jaylen Henderson entered the season for the Aggies football team as the third-string quarterback, but when Conner Weigman and Max Johnson both went down with injuries, it was his turn to take the reins. In relief of the more experienced two, he's performed admirably, completing 52-of-77 passes for 704 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions while rushing for two touchdowns.
Ollie Gordon rushes for 110 yards or more and a touchdown
Ollie Gordon was the nation's top rusher in 2023, rushing for 1,614 yards. He had eight games in which he rushed for 100 yards or more and accounted for 20 touchdowns with another one receiving. Gordon is a lethal back that can be a threat in the backfield or out of it. It should be a good matchup between Gordon and Texas A&M's rushing defense that ranked 17th in the country, holding teams to 106.7 yards per game and 3.27 yards per carry. Gordon was first entering the portal, but has since says he'll be returning to Stillwater, via his X account, starting with the Texas Bowl.
Oklahoma State football beats Texas A&M in the Texas Bowl
The winner of the Texas Bowl in five out of the last six games has been from the Big 12, except for in 2019 when the Aggies beat the Cowboys. However, times have changed, and Texas A&M football is a program in the middle of transition that could be suffering from a lack of motivation to play. That's where the stability from Gundy's Oklahoma State program comes heavily into play.
Oklahoma State football will arguably have the best player on the field in Gordon, while defensive players like Fadil Diggs and Walter Nolen for Texas A&M were supposed to stop him but have since moved on through the portal.
As much as Texas A&M fans would love to beat a former Big 12 opponent, they honestly will probably be glad to see the season come to a merciful end with hopefully better days ahead in a new era under Elko. The Cowboys win by at least one score.
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