The Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl features two completely different teams, as our Ohio vs. Wyoming prediction indicates the edge to take for one specific team in Tucson. One team passes first, the other stops the pass, but who can run the ball more effectively to win the Arizona Bowl in the long run?
Ohio vs. Wyoming Betting Preview
- Spread
Ohio (-2.5) - Moneyline
Ohio (-140); Wyoming (+120) - Over/Under
42 points - Game time
4:30 p.m. - Location
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ - Predicted weather
65 degrees, mostly sunny, mild winds - How to watch
Barstool, fuboTV
Every bowl game preview needs to be vetted for as much information as possible, even if it’s hard to come by nowadays. With opt-outs, transfers, and the general nature of these games being played a month after the season, information is as scarce as some of the talent on each roster.
However, the questions for Ohio and Wyoming aren’t nearly as grand as some of the other matchups on Friday.
Prediction for Ohio vs. Wyoming
The biggest question for Ohio is how the quarterback situation will pan out against Wyoming’s stout defense. Kurtis Rourke absolutely ripped defenses to shreds, but the Bobcats’ offense has been a mid-tier unit by all accounts since his season-ending injury.
In his place, CJ Harris fared well enough to clinch the MAC East against Bowling Green but ultimately not well enough to even compete with Toledo in the MAC Championship Game.
Harris is a mobile QB, who is still finding his accuracy to each level of the field. That will be tested against a Wyoming defense that limits the opposing offense incredibly well. The Cowboys’ linebacking corps, led by Easton Gibbs, will challenge Harris’ ability to find receivers open over the middle of the field.
Jake Haener certainly found his success aginst Wyoming in the last game we saw the Cowboys, but Harris is not Haener. That’s no indictment on Harris’ overall skill level either, as he’s more of a run-first, throw-second type of quarterback at the moment.
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That may give the Wyoming defense some struggles early on, but with Wyett Ekeler and Gibbs patrolling the middle of the field, there’s enough talent on Wyoming’s defense to spy Harris while still maintaining their defensive principles.
It could be a long day for Ohio if they don’t get some success out of their rushing attack to ease the situational football for Harris.
On offense for Wyoming, they certainly weren’t world-beaters by any stretch of the imagination in 2022. The Cowboys scored more than 28 points in just two games and fewer than 20 points in each of their last three.
The offense was helped by RB Titus Swen this season, but with his departure, how will Wyoming fare with a lack of success elsewhere in 2022? Ohio’s defense was historically bad at stopping the pass, but that isn’t who Wyoming is on offense.
Expect a low-scoring affair and the ground game of Ohio to help Harris out in the long run. On offense, each team has a lot to answer and much more to prove for next season.
Sieh Bangura gets the job done, and the Bobcats return to Athens as Arizona Bowl champs.
Prediction: Ohio 24, Wyoming 13
