Oklahoma State football set to face Wisconsin in Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix

Scott Wright, Oklahoman
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STILLWATER — Oklahoma State is heading back to the desert for bowl season.

The Cowboys will conclude the 2022 season against Wisconsin in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl at 9:15 p.m. on Dec. 27 at Chase Field in Phoenix.

OSU has never played Wisconsin, just like it had never played Notre Dame before last season’s Fiesta Bowl matchup on Jan. 1 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

After a 7-5 regular season, the Cowboys will take on a Wisconsin team that went 6-6 with a 4-5 record in the Big Ten, taking fifth place in the Big Ten West division.

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Running back Dominic Richardson and the Oklahoma State football team now know where they're going for bowl season.
Running back Dominic Richardson and the Oklahoma State football team now know where they're going for bowl season.

It’s a hectic time for Wisconsin, which is going through a coaching change and learned on Sunday that its starting quarterback has entered the transfer portal.

But on the OSU side, head coach Mike Gundy said he feels good about his quarterback, redshirt senior Spencer Sanders, being healthy enough to play in the game after a shoulder injury limited his ability over the second half of the season.

Sanders missed nearly three full games because of the injury.

“I think Spencer’s doing really well, obviously much better than he was two weeks ago,” Gundy said on the bowl announcement press conference Sunday evening. “It’s not an injury that we examine. It’s just a ‘how do you feel’ injury. My personal opinion is, I can’t imagine he won’t feel good in even another week.”

More:Five things to know about the Wisconsin Badgers, who will face OSU in Guaranteed Rate Bowl

Wisconsin Badgers running back Isaac Guerendo (20) makes a 27-yard reception during the fourth quarter of the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Badgers scored the game-winning TD (a Graham Mertz QB sneak) on the drive.
Wisconsin Badgers running back Isaac Guerendo (20) makes a 27-yard reception during the fourth quarter of the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Badgers scored the game-winning TD (a Graham Mertz QB sneak) on the drive.

OSU must also brace for more movement with players entering the transfer portal, which officially opens Monday. Linebacker Mason Cobb has announced his plan to hit the portal, and others could follow.

Last year, Gundy allowed players in the portal to play in the bowl game but has not made any decision on that plan yet.

“We’re gonna look and see where we’re at and what we’re dealing with,” Gundy said. “When you look at our team right now from a health standpoint, we have to be a little careful with what we’re gonna do or not do, because we need enough healthy guys to practice over the next three weeks, and then, obviously, get out there and play a good, competitive game.”

OSU has twice played in this bowl. The first occurred when it was known as the Insight Bowl, with OSU defeating Indiana 49-33 in 2007.

The second came when it was called the Cactus Bowl, with the Pokes beating Washington 30-22 in 2015.

Those two games were played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, but the bowl is now housed at Chase Field, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ baseball stadium in Phoenix.

Guaranteed Rate Bowl

OSU VS. WISCONSIN: 9:15 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 27, at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz. (ESPN)

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State football to face Wisconsin in Guaranteed Rate Bowl