ALAMO BOWL

OU vs. Arizona

When: 8:15 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 28

Where: Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas

TV: ESPN (Cox 29/HD 720, Dish 140, DirecTV 206, U-verse 602/HD 1602)

Radio: KRXO-FM 107.7, KEBC-AM 1560

Line: OU by 1.5

Over/under: 62.5

Scouting Arizona

Record: 9-3 (7-2 Pac 12)

Best player: Jacob Manu is Arizona's leader on defense. The sophomore linebacker ranks first in the Pac 12 in tackles (108) this season, and he also has 9.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks to his name. Manu has an incredible nose for the football, and he'll look to disrupt OU's offense in San Antonio.

The case for Arizona: The Wildcats ended the regular season on a sixgame winning streak, which included four AP Top 25 victories. Redshirt freshman quarterback Noah Fifita is 6-2 since becoming a starter this season, and his losses came against Washington and USC by only nine combined points. Fifita is a good decision maker, and he has talented receivers such as Tetairoa McMillan and Jacob Cowing at his disposal. And with Manu leading a defense that's only allowing 20.8 points per game, Arizona is dangerous on both sides of the football.

The case for OU: The Sooners can keep up on the scoreboard. Dillon Gabriel ranks sixth in the nation in passing yards (3,660), and receivers such as Drake Stoops and Nic Anderson are serious threats. Gavin Sawchuk has also recorded at least 100 rushing yards in each of the last four games. And while Arizona's passing game is strong, OU's defense can cause problems. The Sooners have proven playmakers such as safety Billy Bowman, who's tied for second in the nation in interceptions (six). OU is just as balanced as Arizona, making it an intriguing matchup.

Score prediction

OU's postseason experience could be the difference maker.

Arizona hasn't appeared in a bowl game since 2017, and it'll be the biggest stage yet in Fifita's young career. But Gabriel is a seasoned quarterback, and OU's defense is led by a pair of juniors in linebacker Danny Stutsman and Bowman.

It'll be a good one in San Antonio. But OU has been there before, beating Oregon in the 2021 Alamo Bowl, and it'll also get a boost from a crowd that figures to mostly consist of crimson. Prediction: OU 38, Arizona 35