The Current Buzz Newspaper Two 1 | Page 28

SPORTS BUZZ Oklahoma, Oklahoma State ready for bowl season By John Tranchina As for Oklahoma State, the No. 17 Cowboys (9-3) will travel to Orlando to face No. 22 Virginia Tech (9-3) in something called the Camping World Bowl. The Cowboys will be seeking a 10- win season for the third time in the last four years and for the sixth time in the last nine. As a reference point, before 2010, Oklahoma State had just two 10- win seasons in its long history. Heisman Trophy Winner Baker Mayfield Photo by Ty Russell Courtesy Sooner Sports NORMAN, Okla. – The state of Oklahoma is well-represented during the 2017-18 holiday college football bowl season. The University of Oklahoma (12-1) has enjoyed an outstanding year. After claiming their third straight Big 12 Conference championship on Dec. 2 in a convincing 41-17 victory over TCU, OU is now ranked No. 2 in the country and will participate in the College Football Playoff for the second time in the last three years. The Sooners lost 37-17 to then- No. 1 Clemson in the national semi-final Orange Bowl on Dec. 31, 2015, but this time they are hoping for a better result when they face the SEC champions, No. 3 Georgia (12-1), in the semi- final on Jan. 1 in the Rose Bowl. If Oklahoma beats Georgia, they will face the winner of the other semi-final between defending national champion Clemson (12- 1) and 2016 champion Alabama (11-1) for the 2018 National Championship on Mon. Jan. 8 in Atlanta. 28 | Biletnikoff Award Winner James Washington Photo Courtesy OSU Athletics Of course, OU is powered by senior quarterback Baker Mayfield, who also just won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first Sooner to win the coveted award since Sam Bradford in 2008. Mayfield, who finished second in the nation (to Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph) in passing yards this season with 4,340, completing 71 percent of his passes with 41 touchdowns and just five interceptions, also made the AP All-America team. Mayfield was joined on the All-America First Team by two Sooner teammates: offensive tackle Orlando Brown and tight end Mark Andrews. www.thecurrentbuzz.net Quarterback Mason Rudolph, as noted above, led the nation January 18-January 20 World of Wrestling Flo Tulsa Nationals Expo Square Tulsa, OK 918-366-4411 www.worldofwrestling -roller.com January 18-January 20 Western Hills Winter Bluegrass Festival The Lodge at Sequoyah State Park Wagoner, OK 405-273-8548 [email protected] w C w January 19 Chris Angel Raw: The Mindfreak Unplugged Winstar Casino & Resort Thackerville, OK 1-800-622-6317 www.winstarworlcasino.com January 19-January 20 Tulsa Oilers vs. Idaho Steelheads BOK Center Tulsa, OK 918-632-7825 www.tulsaoilers.com [email protected] w January 19-January 20 Red River Showdown Go-Kart Racing Stephens County Fair & Expo Center Duncan, OK 940-256-2459 www.redrivershow down.com [email protected] in passing with 4,553 yards, completing 65 percent of his passes for 35 touchdowns, with nine interceptions. He also won the prestigious Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, which honors, in addition to on-field excellence, character, citizenship, scholastic achievement and leadership qualities. OSU wide receiver James Washington, who ranked second in the nation with 1,423 receiving yards, on 69 receptions along with 12 touchdowns, was also named a First Team All-American and won the Biletnikoff Award as the top receiver in the country. January 19-January 21 Oklahoma City Home & Garden Show Oklahoma State Fair Park OKC, OK 405-301-5525 www.oklahomacity homeshow.com raeanns@market placeevents.com January 19-January 21 International Finals Rodeo Oklahoma State Fairgrounds OKC, OK 405-235-6540 www.ifrodeo.com January 20 OSU Cowboys vs. OU Sooners Gallagher-Iba Arena Stillwater, OK 705-744-5745 www.okstate.com w