The 2022 Barstool Arizona Bowl features the 9-4 Ohio Bobcats against the 7-5 Wyoming Cowboys. Here is the 2022 Barstool Arizona Bowl preview.
Ohio Bobcats (9-4)
The Bobcats won nine games to make their first game since 2019. They defeated Buffalo, Miami (OH) and Bowling Green, who all made bowl games. Their losses to Kent State and Iowa State were to teams that didn’t qualify for bowl games.
The Bobcats score 31.9 points per game, ranking them 39th in the country. They pass for 294.2 yards (ranked 18th) and rush for 138.6 yards per game (ranked 86th).
Starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke played quarterback for most of the season, but he is out for the season. C.J. Harris finished the season for the Bobcats with 393 yards, one touchdown and one interception on 50 percent completion. Five pass-catchers have at least 250 yards on the season. Sam Wiglusz and Jacoby Jones have led the team with 850 and 732 receiving yards respectively. Wiglusz has a team-high 11 touchdown catches.
Sieh Bangura leads the team with 940 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. Behind him, Nolan McCormick rushed for 283 yards and one touchdown.
Defensively, the Bobcats allow 28.4 points per game, ranking 87th in the country. They give up 293.7 passing yards (ranked 130th) and 143.7 rushing yards per game (ranked 55th). Linebacker Keye Thompson leads the team with 96 tackles. Bryce Houston has the team-high with 5.5 sacks. Torrie Cox Jr. has played well with six passes defended and two interceptions.
Wyoming Cowboys (7-5)
Wyoming won seven games to make their second straight bowl game. The Cowboys won games against Air Force and Utah State, who each made a bowl game. All five of their losses came to teams who qualified for bowl games.
The offense scores 20.8 points per game, which ranks 112th in the FBS. They average 127.8 passing yards (ranked 125th) and 187.8 rushing yards per game (ranked 37th).
Utah State transfer Andrew Peasley is the starting quarterback for the Cowboys. He has passed for 1,388 yards, nine touchdowns and eight interceptions on 51.4 percent completion. Three pass-catchers had over 200 yards this season. Unfortunately, Joshua Cobbs, their leading receiver, is in the transfer portal and will not play.
Leading rusher Titus Swen and Joey Braasch are in the transfer portal at the running back positon. Dawaiian McNeely and D.Q. James are injured and expected to miss this game, so the Cowboys will be without their top four running backs.
Their defense gives up 24.3 points per game, which is tied for 42nd in the FBS. They concede 219.8 passing yards (ranked 61st) and 149.5 rushing yards per game (ranked 68th). Linebacker Easton Gibbs has the team-high with 111 tackles. DeVonne Harris leads the team with 8.5 sacks. Cameron Stone has played well in the secondary with 10 passes defended and two interceptions.
Prediction
The Bobcats’ offense will struggle without Rourke under center. Wyoming is built on their defense and may be able to get the win even without most of their offensive playmakers.
Wyoming Cowboys 21 Ohio Bobcats 17
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