Renck: To enjoy bowling around these parts for most of the last decade, we had to watch highlights of Pete Weber screaming, “” The last time CU and CSU appeared in a bowl game in the same year was December 2016, when “Black Beatles” by Rae Sremmurd topped the charts and Disney’s “Moana” stole kids’ hearts. Our state is better when the programs are good. Pride comes tinged with regret with these berths. Both had clear paths to reach their conference championship games but stumbled against Kansas (CU) and Fresno State (CSU). But, given their recent past, there is no need to apologize for postseason bids. Now, can they achieve another significant accomplishment this season and end their respective four-game losing streaks in bowls? So Sean, who has the better matchup? CU vs. BYU in the Alamo Bowl or CSU vs. Miami of Ohio in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl?
Keeler: Moana! Pete Weber! Rare air indeed, my friend. While both games are pretty close on paper, I’m leaning Buffs with the matchup edge. Ya know why? Because Coach Prime is bringing his stars to the party — he says Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders will play in San Antonio — and because the Cougars fail what I call “The K-State Test,” in that they don’t have a workaround to counter CU’s strengths. BYU ranked sixth in the Big 12 in sacks allowed per game (1.33) and 10th in rushing offense (159 yards per game). The only way to beat CU is with an offensive line and a bellcow back who runs enough to keep Shedeur chilling on the sidelines. The Cougs ain’t that team.
Renck: The odds run in CU’s favor because of simple math: who is playing and who is not. Credit to coach Deion Sanders for stressing the importance of this game as Heisman front-runner Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders, despite having millions of reasons to sit out, will play against BYU. “We don’t tap out,” Coach Prime said. CSU, meanwhile, has watched two of its best defenders — all-conference linebacker Buom Jock and lineman Nuer Gatkuoth — enter the transfer portal following the departure of coordinator Freddie Banks. Any bowl featuring Snoop is cooler. But there is no way to deny that CU’s chances of winning are better.
Keeler: Oxford, Ohio is great, but the RedHawks aren’t. Still, losing Jock and Gatkuoth really hurts. And when you add wideouts Caleb Goodie and Jamari Person to the departures list, along with Banks, that’s a lot of key moving parts to try and soldier through over a pretty tight preparation window. The Rams have depth, but it’s going to be tested this month. Big time.
Renck: Miami reached its conference championship game. This is a good team, and given CSU’s offensive issues, it feels like the extra time off will create more problems than solutions for quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi. It would be interesting if Jay Norvell chose the bowl to hand over play-calling duties to Matt Mumme for a test run. As for CU, BYU will be ready. Kalani Sitake will make sure of it. Along with Sanders and Kenny Dillingham, he was in the National Coach of the Year conversation. This matchup is what bowls are about: offensive shootouts. BYU averaged 30.8 points per game behind quarterback Jake Retzlaff. The Cougars defense leans heavily on interceptions. Not ideal against Sanders. Look for CSU to lose close, and for the Buffs to close out the careers of Shedeur and Hunter with a milestone, if not a memorable victory.
Keeler: Even if BYU doesn’t fit the K-State mold, the Cougars did what CU couldn’t — beat the ‘Cats, and handily. There are more than a few good reasons for that, starting with Retzlaff, the kind of mobile, two-way threat who can give CU’s more downhill linebackers headaches. BYU’s defensive front is stout. Its secondary fears nobody — the Cougs led the Big 12 in team picks, with 20 — and its kicker has NFL range. CU overwhelmed Big 12 defenses this year with basically four WR1s in a league that had very few good cornerbacks. Kansas had a few, though. BYU does, too. The Buffs can pull this out, but the Cougs are gonna make ’em earn it. The hard way.
