12/4/2022 football Edit

What to know about FSU's Cheez-It Bowl opponent Oklahoma

Curt Weiler • TheOsceola

Senior Writer

Florida State is bowling for the first time since 2019.

And it will be doing so in its home state and against a somewhat familiar opponent.

The Seminoles (9-3, 5-3 in ACC) will play Oklahoma (6-6, 3-6 in Big 12) in the Cheez-It Bowl at Orlando's Camping World Stadium on Dec. 29 at 5:30 p.m.

Oklahoma leads the all-time series 6-1 and has won the last six games against FSU, including consecutive wins in 2010 and 2011, since the Seminoles won the first matchup between them in 1965.

FSU will take on a familiar coach in OU first-year head coach Brett Venables, who was previously Clemson's defensive coordinator. Venables was Clemson's defensive coordinator from 1999 through 2011 and his first year at Oklahoma has not gone particularly well. The Sooners' 6-6 regular season is the program's worst since 1998.

While Venables was known as an elite defensive coordinator, his Sooners defense has struggled in his first season as a head coach.

OU ranks 120th out of 131 FBS teams this season in total defense (450.5 yards per game), 94th in yards per carry allowed (4.4) and 99th in scoring defense (29.6 points per game allowed). The Sooners are eighth out of 10 Big 12 schools in all three defensive metrics.

This leads to what could be a big game for an FSU offense that ranks ninth nationally in yards per play (6.86) this season. Especially if the multiple FSU offensive players with decisions to make decide to return or at the very least play in this bowl game.

On the other side of the ball, the Sooners' offense has been efficient this season when it has had starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel. In 11 games this season, Gabriel threw for 2,925 yards with 24 touchdowns, six interceptions and competed 63 percent of his passes.

"He's an extremely talented quarterback. You see the way that he's played this year, he just continues to get better," FSU head coach Mike Norvell, who faced Gabriel when he was Memphis head coach and Gabriel was at UCF, said. "His vision, his arm talent, the things that he can do, he just has that natural playmaking ability that shows up throughout the course of a game."

OU's passing offense has been anchored in targeting standout wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr., who is second in the Big 12 in receiving yards (1,006) and yards per catch (19.4) with six touchdown catches. While Mims is a junior and expected to go pro after this season, he said he intends to play in OU's bowl game.

The Sooners also had success on the ground this season, rushing for 2,599 yards and 25 touchdowns this season while ranking 28th nationally with an average of 4.99 yards per carry.

However, Venables said in the introductory Cheez-It Bowl press conference Sunday that starting running back Eric Gray (1,364 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns this season) will not play in the bowl game after declaring for the NFL Draft on Saturday.

Venables also said that starting offensive tackles Wanya Morris and Anton Morrison won't play in the bowl game. Additionally, defensive lineman Jalen Redmond (10 tackles for loss, four sacks) will not play in the bowl game.