While the Oklahoma Sooners and the USC Trojans are completely out of the College Football Playoff picture, there is a strong possibility that they could face each other in this year's installment of the Alamo Bowl. Oklahoma is just coming off its second conference loss of the year to Oklahoma State in Bedlam, while USC now has three defeats on the season after falling to Washington last Saturday.
So why would this higher-end, mid-tier bowl game be so utterly fascinating for not just the casual college football fans out there, or even the sickos themselves? Well, it has everything to do with a well-documented coaching change from two offseasons ago. Former Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley left Norman to lead USC. His star quarterback Caleb Williams would follow him to Los Angeles.
Although Oklahoma had a middling first season a year ago under first-time head coach Brent Venables, the Sooners are improving to be a team capable of winning around nine or so games. After coming up one game short of making the playoff a year ago, USC has pulled back considerably, and could conceivably finish the regular season with a disastrous 7-5 mark for their newfound standards.
Even if the Sooners meet the Trojans in San Antonio for the Alamo Bowl, no way Williams play in it.
Hearing USC-Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl. Long way to go.
— Dennis Dodd (@dennisdoddcbs) November 10, 2023
This is because Williams still projects as the No. 1 overall pick in next spring's 2024 NFL Draft.
Oklahoma's potential bowl game matchup could actually be against USC
Look. It might be a troll's speciality in this theoretical bowl game matchup, but you have to remember these bowl games are created so that you can watch them, more likely than not on ESPN. Sure, we will all tune into the two national semifinals and the national title bout, maybe a few of the New Year's Six Bowls if time permits in our busy lives? But if you want a different bowl game experience, watch this!
There is no love lost between Riley and his former employers fanbase. They have a special nickname for him that is an acronym pronounced the same way as a Heisman-winning quarterback out of the University of Florida's surname. I am not talking about Steve Spurrier or Danny Wuerffel. Even if Williams is not there in-person, he may not even be there in spirit because he has the NFL to go to!
Ultimately, this is the type of matchup I would love to see in a bowl game of this caliber. If it were the Cotton Bowl or the Fiesta Bowl, oh, no question, I am so there. But with Oklahoma vs. USC possibly on the horizon in the Alamo Bowl, I may have to skip out on Christmas presents this year because my finances are all going towards this once-in-a-lifetime trip to San Antonio. You don't even know, bro?!
Oklahoma actually played in the Alamo Bowl two years ago, with Williams suiting up for Bob Stoops.