Arizona Bowl Prediction: Ohio and Wyoming Finish Out the Season in Tucson

Friday afternoon, the school soccer world will see one other step in its evolution happen as the oldsters at Barstool Sports activities will televise the Barstool Sports activities Arizona Bowl between the Ohio Bobcats and the Wyoming Cowboys at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona. Barstool was slated to broadcast the Arizona Bowl final yr, however Boise State needed to step apart from the sport as a result of points associated to the COVID-19 virus.

School Soccer Predictions for Each 2022-23 Bowl Recreation

Wyoming (7-5) enters this bowl sport going through its share of adversity, because the Cowboys have misplaced seven gamers to the switch portal. Moreover, working again Titus Swen has been dismissed from the staff. He led Wyoming with 1,039 dashing yards and eight touchdowns through the common season. The Cowboys additionally enter with a two-game dropping streak, dropping a 20-17 heartbreaker to Boise State adopted by a 30-0 loss at Fresno State. Protection is the power of the staff as they’ve restricted groups to 23.4 factors and 369.3 yards per sport, which is spectacular contemplating the struggles of the offense (20.8 ppg).

It was a tricky begin to the 2022 season for Ohio, because the Bobcats had been simply 2-3 following a 31-24 loss at Kent State of their MAC opener. Nonetheless, they proceeded to rattle off seven straight wins to clinch the MAC East title earlier than dropping to Toledo within the convention championship sport. The power to get the staff to reply at such a excessive degree is a testomony to move coach Tim Albin and his employees’s capability to get their gamers to purchase into the tradition and messaging set in place. Scoring factors wasn’t a difficulty for many of the season as Ohio is averaging just below 32 factors per sport, which offsets the protection’s prevention efforts (28.4 ppg allowed). The second half has seen enchancment because the Bobcats have not given up greater than 24 factors in a sport since a 55-34 win over Akron on Oct. 8.

This would be the third time these groups have confronted one another. Wyoming received the primary two matchups, each by one level, from a home-and-home collection that occurred in 2007 and ’08.

Barstool Sports activities Arizona Bowl: Ohio (9-4) vs. Wyoming (7-5)

Kickoff: Friday, Dec. 30 at 4:30 p.m. ET
The place: Arizona Stadium (Tuscon, Ariz.)
Broadcast Outlet: Barstool TV
Unfold: Ohio -1
Tickets: As little as $35 on SITickets.com*

When Ohio Has the Ball

The Bobcats boast quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who was named MAC Participant of the 12 months after main the convention in various classes, together with whole offense (318.6 ypg), passing (3,256 yards), and landing passes (25). He is an enormous motive why Ohio enters with the convention’s most explosive offense however he will not play within the bowl sport. Rourke suffered a season-ending harm within the Nov. 15 win in opposition to Ball State with backup CJ Harris assuming the reigns. A sophomore, Harris has gone 27-for-52 for 359 yards with a landing and an interception in his two begins, including 77 yards and three scores on the bottom. The issue is that after placing up 38 factors in opposition to Bowling Inexperienced, the Bobcats managed simply seven within the MAC Championship Recreation loss to Toledo.

Rourke’s harm places extra stress on the backfield to provide. Luckily, Ohio does have Sieh Bangura, the MAC Freshman of the 12 months. Bangura leads the staff with 940 dashing yards and 12 touchdowns, though he has been bottled up since Rourke’s harm. Within the final two video games, Bangura has totaled 152 yards and two scores on the bottom. When Harris takes off, his prime targets will probably be Sam Wiglusz (69 rec., 850 yds., 11 TDs) and Jacoby Jones (42, 732, 5).

Wyoming performs powerful protection and can attempt to take management on the line of scrimmage. The Cowboys have been capable of generate constant stress this season (34 sacks) and can little question attempt to rattle Harris. Additionally they will attempt to bottle up Bangura and the Bobcats’ working sport to drive them to must take to the air. Wyoming will probably be with out Cameron Stone within the secondary, as he has entered the switch portal and is headed to Hawaii. Search for linebacker Easton Gibbs, who’s second within the Mountain West with 111 tackles, to be across the ball all sport.

When Wyoming Has the Ball

Consistency from the quarterback place will probably be an amazing place to start out for the Cowboys if they’re going to win the soccer sport. Andrew Peasley has accomplished 51.4 p.c of his passes for 1,388 yards whereas throwing practically as many interceptions (eight) as touchdowns (9). It is going to be attention-grabbing to see how aggressive Wyoming is with its passing assault contemplating Ohio’s vulnerability by way of the air (293.7 passing ypg allowed). There is a ton of uncertainty within the backfield following Titis Swen’s dismissal in addition to season-ending accidents suffered by No. 2 and three rushers Dawaiian McNeely (5.7 ypc) and D.Q. James (8.7 ypc). That leaves Peasley (330 yds., 2 TDs) as the one Cowboy nonetheless with the staff who posted 60 dashing yards through the common season.

That ought to simplify the Bobcats’ defensive sport plan, as they need to be capable of concentrate on corraling Wyoming’s passing assault. Vonnie Watkins (13.0 TFLs, 3.5 sacks) and Bryce Houston (11.0, 5.5) must trigger all of the havoc they will up entrance in opposition to an offensive line that has stood fairly tall (15 sacks allowed) this season.

Ultimate Evaluation

Wyoming ought to have a bonus when it comes to crowd help, as many followers will journey all the way down to Tucson from Laramie to flee the chilly winter climate. So, anticipate the Cowboys to get off to a quick begin and preserve this sport attention-grabbing all through the afternoon. Offense could also be exhausting to return by with the Bobcats lacking their MVP quarterback and Wyoming’s tasked with carrying the load given the state of the backfield. Ohio nonetheless has its No. 1 working again and has performed a few video games with its backup signal-caller working the offense in order that continuity could also be sufficient to assist the Bobcats earn their tenth win to shut out 2022 on a constructive word.

Prediction: Ohio 20, Wyoming 17

Podcast: Previewing the CFB Playoff and Breaking Down the Matchups to Watch and Predictions

– Written by Scott Whittum, who’s a part of the Contributor Community.

*Value as of publication.