Unfamiliar foe
Oklahoma and Georgia have never met before on the football field, but a couple of Sooners are acquainted with Bulldog players from their high school days.
Bowl season begins Saturday with a five-bowl slate, and every bowl game — from the Celebration Bowl to the College Football Championship Game on Jan. 9 — will feature some connection to Oklahoma. Here is a rundown on some of those connections among the teams not based in Oklahoma for Saturday's game:
Dec. 16
Celebration Bowl Grambling vs. North Carolina A&T
11 a.m., ABC
Grambling: Junior defensive back Tre’von Cherry of Tulsa East Central has played in seven games, with five tackles.
New Orleans Bowl
Troy vs. North Texas Noon, ESPN
Troy: Senior defensive back Tyquae Russell of Midwest City and NEO has 47 tackles and five pass breakups. North Texas: Sophomore quarterback Mason Fine of Locust Grove threw for 3,749 yards and 28 touchdowns and ran for another score. Senior kicker Trevor Moore of Edmond North made 19 field goals and all 52 of his extra points. Junior defensive back Ashton Preston of Edmond Santa Fe started nine games and had 38 tackles. Sophomore wide receiver Rico Bussey Jr. of Lawton Eisenhower played in 12 games with 43 catches for 613 yards and six touchdowns. Senior quarterback Quinn Shanbour of Heritage Hall appeared in all 13 games, throwing for 34 yards and a touchdown. Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Chandler Anthony of Tuttle played in two games. Redshirt freshman wide receiver Jason Pirtle of Locust Grove has two catches for 27 yards in 12 games. Sophomore running back Trever Merrell of Davis played in four games. Redshirt freshman wide receiver Kerry Hall started his college career at Northwestern Oklahoma State. Sophomore offensive lineman Chad Hickson played last season at Panhandle State. Freshman defensive back Jordan Roberts is from Ardmore. Head coach Seth Littrell is a Muskogee native and former Sooners standout. Offensive line coach Chuck Langston is an OU graduate and spent time as a graduate assistant with the Sooners. He also coached at UCO. Offensive graduate assistant Herschel Sims played at Oklahoma State.
AutoNation Cure Bowl Western Kentucky vs. Georgia State
1:30 p.m., CBSSN
Western Kentucky: Redshirt junior Mik’Quan Deane of Tulsa Memorial and NEO has 11 catches for 57 yards and a touchdown. Redshirt sophomore Jaylon George of NEO has two tackles.
Las Vegas Bowl
Boise State vs. Oregon 2:30 p.m., ABC
Oregon: Co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks and tight ends coach Marcus Arroyo spent two season as the running back coach at Oklahoma State in 2015-16.
New Mexico Bowl
Marshall vs. Colorado State 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Marshall: Sophomore wide receiver Obi Obialo, a transfer from Oklahoma State, has 18 catches for 228 yards in nine games. Colorado State: Redshirt sophomore linebacker Conrad Harker, who transferred from Oklahoma State, played in 12 games with one tackle.
Camellia Bowl
Middle Tennessee vs. Arkansas State
7 p.m., ESPN
Middle Tennessee: Wide receivers coach Austin Silvoy spent the 2011 season as wide receivers and tight ends coach at UCO. Arkansas State: Junior quarterback Justice Hansen of Edmond Santa Fe, who started his career at Oklahoma, has thrown for 3,630 yards and 34 touchdowns with 15 interceptions. He’s also run for 387 yards and six scores and caught two passes for 48 yards. Junior running back Warren Wand of Edmond Memorial is the Wolves’ leading rusher with 669 yards and six touchdowns. He also has 13 catches for 121 yards. Redshirt sophomore defensive end T.J. Harris of Tulsa Washington played in nine games with eight tackles. Wide receiver Dahu Green of Westmoore sat out the season after transferring from Oklahoma. Defensive back Brock Appiah (Edmond North), and offensive linemen Justin Dutton (Guthrie) and Andre Harris Jr. (Putnam City North) were freshmen for the Red Wolves this season. Cornerbacks coach Trooper Taylor spent the 2008 season at Oklahoma State. Safeties coach Allen Johnson was a quality control coach at Oklahoma State in 2006 and played for UCO. Wide receivers coach/special teams coordinator Luke Paschall spent the 2008-10 season as a quality control coach (2010) and offensive graduate assistant (200809) at OSU.