A whole lot of cowboy hats are in the forecast for college football’s bowl game season this year in Phoenix. The Valley of the Sun hosts not one, but two top-ranked Oklahoma teams in the Insight and Fiesta Bowls that are sure to be some of the best football of the bowl season.
The 23rd Annual Insight Bowl at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, will pit the Big 12 dynasty Oklahoma Sooners (9-3, 6-3 Big 12) against the Big Ten contender Iowa Hawkeyes (7-5, 4-4 Big Ten). Oklahoma, led by quarterback Landry Jones, comes into the game with a number 14 ranking and eight games with 40 or more points scored.
Iowa conquered twelfth-ranked Missouri 27-24 in the 2010 Insight Bowl and looks to defend their title. Sophomore Marcus Coker, who had 219 yards and two touchdowns in last year’s game, will lead his team to their fifth victory over a ranked opponent this season with a win over Oklahoma.
The Insight Bowl will be played on December 30 and broadcast on ESPN at 8:00 p.m. MST.
Across town, the third-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys (11-1, 11-1 Big 12) will take on the fourth-ranked Stanford Cardinal (11-1, 8-1 PAC 12) in the 41st Annual Tostitos Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Offense will be the name of this game. Oklahoma State, led by quarterback Brandon Weeden, scored 50 or more points six times this season and was widely speculated to be headed for the BCS Championship in New Orleans.
Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck is one of five finalists for the Heisman Trophy and the anticipated number one NFL draft pick for 2012. Under Luck’s leadership, the Stanford Cardinal have been the epitome of consistency with two consecutive 10-win seasons and 14 of the last 15 games with 30 or more points.
The Fiesta Bowl will be played January 2, 2012, and broadcast on ESPN at 6:30 p.m. MST.