Oklahoma’s dominant victory over No. 7 Alabama meant so much to Brent Venables’ program.
It was a signature performance after a long season that gives hope for what the Sooners can be in the future under the third-year head coach.
The scene after the game will be burned into the memories of the OU seniors that battled through so much throughout their careers.
And it will also help the Sooners in the future, as the 24-3 victory was Oklahoma’s sixth of the year. Bowl eligibility not only extends the program’s 26-year streak, but it meant the team earned nearly a month of extra practices, which will be key for the development of OU’s young talent.
After the College Football Playoff bracket is set, the Southeastern Conference has bowl tie-ins with the Citrus Bowl, the Texas Bowl, the Las Vegas Bowl, the Music City Bowl, the Gator Bowl, the Liberty Bowl, the ReliaQuest Bowl, the Birmingham Bowl and the Gasparilla Bowl.
The victories by Florida and the Sooners on Saturday mean the SEC currently has 13 teams who are bowl eligible, so the Sooners could also head to another bowl than the contracted bowls above if needed.
With a trip to a bowl secured, Sooners on SI will track Oklahoma’s bowl projections for the first time this year:
ESPN
Kyle Bonagura: Oklahoma vs. Virginia Tech in the Gasparilla Bowl (Dec. 20 at 2:30 p.m. in Tampa, FL)
Mark Schlabach: West Virginia vs. Oklahoma in the Independence Bowl (Dec. 20 at 8:15 p.m. in Shreveport, LA)
CBS
Jerry Palm: Oklahoma vs. Kansas in the Frisco Bowl (Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. in Frisco, TX)
247 Sports
Brad Crawford: Oklahoma vs. USF in the Birmingham Bowl (Dec. 27 at 11 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. in Birmingham, AL)
