The 2016 edition of the Valero Alamo Bowl is the highest-ranked game in its history thanks to a heavyweight showdown between the No. 12 Oklahoma State Cowboys and No. 10 Colorado Buffaloes.Oklahoma State (9-3) came up short in its Bedlam matchup against Oklahoma, spoiling a seven-game tear and losing its chance at a Big 12 championship. Alas, there is plenty of motivation for the high-flying offense Thursday as the team looks to set the tone for next year.Ditto for Colorado (10-3), which wants to put a Pac-12 Championship Game loss behind it by securing an 11th win in the program's first bowl game since 2007.This rivalry that dates back to 1920 might offer the best non-College Football Playoff bowl of the year. So no, college football fans won't want to miss out. Here is everything to know.Valero Alamo Bowl 2016Date: Thursday, Dec. 29Time (ET): 9 p.m.Location: Alamodome, San AntonioWatch: ESPNLive Stream: WatchESPNTickets: ScoreBig.comOver/Under: 62Spread: Colorado (-3)Team Injury ReportsInjury reports courtesy of USA Today.Balancing ActOklahoma State drummed up nine wins this year, including triumphs against ranked Texas and West Virginia teams, due to a tightrope balancing act that would make a gymnast blush.Quarterback Mason Rudolph attempted 416 passes on the year, completing 63 percent of them for 3,777 yards and 25 touchdowns with only four interceptions.Rudolph wasn't just dumping passes off short while posting these numbers, either, as PFF College Football pointed out:As if this efficient deep attack wasn't enough, the Cowboys ran the ball 450 times, totaling 2,032 yards and 30 touchdowns. Four rushers scored a minimum of five touchdowns in the process.The biggest hiccup on the year for the offense was the 38-20 loss to Oklahoma to close the season, where Rudolph didn't throw a score while counterpart Baker Mayfield cruised to three.Redemption awaits the Cowboys on Thursday should the offense shake off the sluggish performance and get back to doing what it did all year. The problem is what looks like an identical spread attack capable of matching it blow for blow.A Decade in the MakingIt has been a quite a long time since the Buffaloes played in a bowl game, so it is nothing short of good news to know quarterback Sefo Liufau is healthy and ready to go.Liufau missed time due to an injury during the Pac-12 title game against then-No. 4 Washington and promptly had three of his 13 attempts intercepted in the 41-10 loss. It's not exactly what the Buffaloes had in mind, but like the Cowboys, redemption awaits.The loss was an injury-riddled anomaly considering Liufau has thrown for 2,171 yards and 11 touchdowns against six interceptions on the year with another seven touchdowns on the ground. Lead back Phillip Lindsay rounds out the offense with his 1,189 yards and 16 touchdowns on a 5.2-yards-per-carry average.Colorado posted 40 or more points six times this year while besting ranked teams such as Washington State and Utah, so the Cowboys aren't taking the test lightly."Colorado has a wide variety of skill players, and those guys are what makes their team go," Oklahoma State cornerback Ramon Richards said, according to STATS LLC (via ESPN.com). "They kind of remind me of what Baylor had a couple years ago. The quarterback gets the wheels turning. Those are the type of teams I like to play againstthe type of challenge I like."The Buffaloes know a thing or two about playing against spread offenses themselves thanks to Pac-12 play, so the admiration goes both ways.For Colorado, besting Oklahoma State at its own game is the best way to secure a much-needed bowl win and create some headway for the program as it looks toward the future.PredictionThis almost seems like a matchup where it is impossible to pick a winner.Upon closer inspection, though, a few things stick out. For one, Rudolph's ability to take deep shots down the field is outstanding. But it will struggle in the face of a strong Colorado pass defense, which could mean he only operates short and intermediate routes.Two, Oklahoma destroyed the Cowboys on the ground for 341 yards and two touchdowns on 6.6 yards per carry. Even if Liufau isn't 100 percent, the run-first offense can keep it on the ground and find plenty of success.Look for an angry Buffaloes team seeking a bowl win for the first time in a long time to jump out to a lead and then squat on it with the running game.Prediction: Colorado 34, Oklahoma State 30Statistics courtesy of ESPN unless otherwise specified. All betting information courtesy of OddsShark.Follow Chris Roling (@Chris_Roling) on Twitter
Click here to read full news..
