Alamo Bowl: Reeling Arizona Will Try To Keep Up With Oklahoma State

The Valero Alamo Bowl has its deal with the Pac-10 and the Big XII, which taken at face value should produce an intriguing bowl matchup. And that’s where this game gets dicey; both Arizona and Oklahoma State are coming off losses to their top rivals in the regular season finale, giving up a combined 77 points. Of course the Wildcats and Cowboys scored a combined 70 points, so perhaps we’ll remember the Alamo Bowl as a high-scoring, last-team-with-the-ball-wins affair.

Need more intrigue to guide your remote control to ESPN on Wednesday, Dec. 29 for the 9:15 p.m. (ET) kickoff?

The Wildcats finished the season 7-5 and riding a four-game losing streak. Believe it or not, the Wildcats -- now unranked, obviously -- made it as high as No. 9 in the AP poll during the first half of the season. Their coach is Mike Stoops, perhaps best known for being Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops’ former defensive coordinator and younger brother. He’s led the Wildcats to bowl games (including a win in 2008) each of the last two seasons, which has kept pundits and the like from annually questioning his job security.

Brother Bob, meanwhile, handed Oklahoma State their final loss two weeks ago; the Cowboys finished 10-2, ranked 16th in the AP poll. The other loss came in October to Nebraska. Oklahoma State has Mike Gundy at the helm; like it or not, until he wins, say, a national championship, he’ll be known for reminding the media how old he is.

An interesting note: This game will serve as a preview for a home-and-home series the two schools start next season, as Arizona heads to Stillwater, Okla., next September. The Cowboys head to Tucson in 2012.

Bowl selections will continue to roll in all night, and we’ll be following them all right here. Stay tuned to this StoryStream through the selection show and browse our complete college football 2010 postseason schedule. Connect with Oklahoma State fans at SB Nation’s Cowboys Ride Free and Arizona fans at Arizona Desert Swarm.