Oklahomans in bowl games

Bowl season began Saturday with a six-bowl slate and every bowl game—from the Celebration Bowl to the College Football Championship Game on Jan. 7—will feature some connection to Oklahoma. Here is a rundown on some of those connections among the teams not based in Oklahoma. Know of one we missed? Let us know by e-mailing Ryan Aber at raber@oklahoman.com. Connections generally include players and on-field coaches unless the search needed to expand beyond that to find a connection to the state.

SATURDAY

Celebration Bowl

North Carolina A&T vs. Alcorn State

11 a.m., ABC

Alcorn State: Defensive ends coach Darius Hart played 26 games for Oklahoma State in 2009-10. Special teams coach Lane Powell was the defensive line coach at NEO for two seasons, including their 2016 playoff season.

New Mexico Bowl

North Texas vs. Utah State

1 p.m., ESPN

North Texas: Junior quarterback Mason Fine of Locust Grove and Peggs threw for 3,734 yards and 27 touchdowns with just five interceptions. Senior defensive back Ashton Preston of Edmond Santa Fe played in one game. Junior wide receiver Rico Bussey Jr. of Lawton Eisenhower has 1,017 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Senior quarterback Quinn Shanbour of Heritage Hall played in 12 games. Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Chandler Anthony of Tuttle has appeared in 12 games this season. Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Jason Pirtle of Locust Grove has played in four games, with a 22-yard catch. Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Chad Hickson played last season at Panhandle State played in two games. Freshman defensive lineman Derrick Shaw is from Broken Arrow. Redshirt freshman defensive back Jordan Roberts is from Ardmore has played in nine games with five tackles. Freshman wide receiver Colton Stacy is from Metro Christian. Redshirt sophomore Caleb Colvin is from Owasso and played at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and has seven tackles in 10 games this season. Head coach Seth Littrell is a Muskogee native and former Sooners standout. Offensive line coach Chuck Langston is an OU graduate and spent time as a graduate assistant with the Thunder. He also coached at UCO. Offensive graduate assistant Herschel Sims played at Oklahoma State.

Utah State: Junior running back Darwin Thompson, who played at Jenks and NEO, has rushed for 951 yards and 14 touchdowns and has two more touchdowns receiving. Junior defensive end Fua Leilua is an Oklahoma State transfer who has 37 tackles and 1/5 sacks. Luke Wells is the Aggies’ tight ends and inside receivers coach and spent 1999-2001 as an offensive student assistant for Oklahoma. Offensive line coach Steve Farmer played at NEO. Defensive coordinator Keith Patterson is from Marlow, played college football at East Central and started his coaching career there in 1986. He also coached at Altus, Edmond Memorial, Edmond Santa Fe, Ardmore and Tulsa.

Cure Bowl

Tulane vs. Louisiana

1:30 p.m., CBSSN

Tulane: Senior Dominique Briggs was a standout at Tulsa Union. Briggs is the Green Wave’s starting left guard. Running backs coach Jamaal Fobbs is an Oklahoma State alum, earning All-Big 12 honors as an all-purpose player in 2000. Secondary coach J.J. McCleskey is the father of former Oklahoma State wide receiver Jalen McCleskey.

Las Vegas Bowl

Fresno State vs. Arizona State

2:30 p.m., ABC

Fresno State: Senior wide receiver Michiah Quick played for Oklahoma from 2014-16, playing in 30 games for the Sooners. Quick has 15 catches for 138 yards and a touchdown in seven games.

Arizona State: Sophomore defensive back Evans Fields of Midwest City has 28 tackles this season. Fields started the regular-season finale.

Camellia Bowl

Georgia Southern vs. Eastern Michigan

4:30 p.m., ESPN

Eastern Michigan: Redshirt freshman wide receiver Quian Williams, from Southmoore, has played in four games. Defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Neal Neathery is from Stillwater. Special teams coordinator/tight ends coach Jay Nunez is from Alva. 

New Orleans Bowl

Middle Tennessee State vs. Appalachian State

8 p.m., ESPN

Middle Tennessee: Redshirt senior offensive lineman Ty Watkins was a standout at Westmoore. Wide receivers coach Austin Silvoy spent the 2011 season as wide receivers and tight ends coach at UCO.

DEC. 19

Frisco Bowl

San Diego State vs. Ohio

7 p.m., ESPN

Ohio: Redshirt senior wide receiver Papi White of Seminole has 58 catches for 897 yards and nine touchdowns. He also has a rushing touchdown. Freshman offensive lineman Hagen Meservy of Jenks has played 10 games. Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Kaieem Caesar is from Cache and has four tackles. Offensive coordinator Tim Albin is a Woodward native, graduate of Northwestern Oklahoma State and Northeastern State and served as the head coach at NWOSU, leading the Rangers to the 1999 national title. Prior to being promoted to head coach, he was the offensive coordinator and head men’s and women’s cross country and track and field coach there.

DEC. 20

Gasparilla Bowl

Marshall vs. South Florida

7 p.m., ESPN

Marshall: Junior wide receiver Obi Obialo is an Oklahoma State transfer who has 38 catches for 473 yards and four touchdowns.

South Florida: Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Sterlin Gilbert served in the same position at Tulsa in 2015. Offensive line coach Matt Mattox was the co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Tulsa in 2015.

DEC. 21

Bahamas Bowl

Florida International vs. Toledo

11:30 a.m., ESPN

Florida International: Head coach Butch Davis was born in Tahlequah and raised in Bixby. He coached at several Oklahoma high schools before making the jump to college as Oklahoma State’s tight ends and receivers coach from 1979-83. Defensive coordinator Brent Guy was a walk-on at Oklahoma State before becoming a starter there. He served as a graduate assistant and recruiting coordinator there before two separate stints as the Cowboys’ linebackers coach.

Toledo: Tight ends/special teams coach Robby Discher was a graduate assistant at Oklahoma State in 2014-15.

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Western Michigan vs. BYU

3 p.m., ESPN

BYU: Support services coordinator Jasen Ah You is the brother of former Oklahoma defensive end C.J. Ah You.

DEC. 22

Birmingham Bowl

Memphis vs. Wake Forest

11 a.m., ESPN

Memphis: Redshirt freshman linebacker Cade Mashburn is from Norman and has four tackles and a forced fumble in seven games. Redshirt senior linebacker Jackson Dillon of Ringling has 25 tackles and seven sacks. Freshman offensive lineman Nigel Brannon is a John Marshall graduate. Junior defensive back Tito Windham redshirted at Oklahoma in 2015 and has 51 tackles and two interceptions. Head coach Mike Norvell was a Tulsa assistant from 2007-10. Defensive backs coach T.J. Rushing is from Pauls Valley.

Armed Forces Bowl

Houston vs. Army

2:30 p.m., ESPN

Houston: Kicker Dalton Witherspoon of Moore, who also spent time at NEO, is a sophomore who made all 70 of his extra-point tries and was 7 of 9 on field goals. Running backs coach Kenith Pope is an Oklahoma grad, served as the Sooners’ defensive ends coach from 1995-97 and as Oklahoma State’s defensive ends coach from 1987-90.

Army: Freshman defensive lineman Hunter Richard is from Edmond North.

Dollar General Bowl

Buffalo vs. Troy

6 p.m., ESPN

Troy: Junior safety Will Sunderland is a Midwest City product who started his college career at Oklahoma. He played in 12 games with 19 tackles and an interception.

Hawaii Bowl

Louisiana Tech vs. Hawaii

9:30 p.m., ESPN

Hawaii: Junior offensive lineman J.R. Hensley is a former Edmond Santa Fe standout who starts at left guard.

DEC. 26

First Responder Bowl

Boston College vs. Boise State

12:30 p.m., ESPN

Boise State: Director of operations and external relations Taylor Tharp helped design the Statue of Liberty play that helped the Broncos beat Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.

Quick Lane Bowl

Minnesota vs. Georgia Tech

4:15 p.m., ESPN

Minnesota: Tight ends coach Clay Patterson is from Morris and played at NEO and Southeastern. He started his coaching career at Southeastern from 2003-05 and was NEO’s head coach from 2016-17. Offensive line coach Brian Callahan was a graduate assistant at Oklahoma in 1995.

Georgia Tech: Co-offensive line coach Ron West was Tulsa’s co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2009.

Cheez-It Bowl

California vs. TCU

8 p.m., ESPN

TCU: Keenan Reed of Tulsa Washington and NEO is a junio cornerback. Co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach Curtis Luper was Oklahoma State’s running backs coach from 2005-08 and played for the Cowboys. Defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Chad Glasgow was a three-year letter winner at Oklahoma State. 

DEC. 27

Independence Bowl

Temple vs. Duke

12:30 p.m., ESPN

Duke: Deputy head coach/offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Zac Roper was an undergraduate assistant coach at Oklahoma from 1996-98. Associate head coach/defensive backs coach Derek Jones spent the 2006 season in the same position at Tulsa.

Pinstripe Bowl

Miami vs. Wisconsin

4:15 p.m., ESPN

Wisconsin: Director of Player Development and Assistant Director of Football Operations Kadero Watson was a graduate assistant at Oklahoma in 2010 and returned for a two-year stint as assistant director of event management in 2012-13.

Texas Bowl

Baylor vs. Vanderbilt

8 p.m., ESPN

Baylor: Junior offensive lineman Dalton Justice is from Thomas and played in one game.

Vanderbilt: Redshirt sophomore safety Austin Quillen, from Jenks, played in six games with one tackle. Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Jackson Winrow is from Shawnee. Freshman defensive lineman Sean Sadler is from Edmond Memorial. Defensive line coach C.J. Ah You played for Oklahoma and began his coaching career as a Sooners’ quality control assistant in 2014-15.

DEC. 28

Music City Bowl

Purdue vs. Auburn

12:30 p.m., ESPN

Purdue: Junior defensive lineman Alex Criddle, who is from Broken Arrow and went to Tulsa Edison, has two tackles.

Auburn: Head coach Gus Malzahn was Tulsa’s offensive coordinator in 2007-08. Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele was an assistant at Oklahoma State in 1984-86. Tight ends/h-backs coach Larry Porter is a former Oklahoma State assistant.

Camping World Bowl

West Virginia vs. Syracuse

4:15 p.m., ESPN

West Virginia: Redshirt junior Kelby Wickline is the son of former Oklahoma State offensive line coach Joe Wickline and has played in 11 games. Head coach Dana Holgorsen was Oklahoma State’s offensive coordinator in 2010. Offensive line Joe Wickline coached the offensive line at Oklahoma State from 2005-13.

Syracuse: Defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Brian Ward was Tulsa Union’s defensive coordinator in 2006. Defensive tackles coach Vinson Reynolds was a graduate assistant/quality control coach at Oklahoma State in 2008-09 and the defensive line coach at UCO in 2010.

Alamo Bowl

Iowa State vs. Washington State

8 p.m., ESPN

Iowa State: Redshirt freshman tight end Charlie Kolar of Norman North had 11 catches for 137 yards and three touchdowns. Redshirt senior running back Mike Warren is from Lawton. Senior wide receiver Carson Epps is from Jenks. Freshman wide receiver Shawn Shaw Jr. is from Jones. Tight ends coach Alex Golesh was a graduate assistant at Oklahoma State in 2008.

Washington State: Head coach Mike Leach was the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma in 1999, Bob Stoops’ first season. Outside receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr., had two stints with the Sooners, as an assistant from 1999-2001 and as a recruiting and offensive specialist in 2016.

DEC. 29

Peach Bowl

Florida vs. Michigan

11 a.m., ESPN

Florida: Running backs coach and special teams coordinator Greg Knox is a Northeastern State grad and started his coaching career as a graduate assistant there in 1988-89.

Belk Bowl

South Carolina vs. Virginia

11 a.m., ABC

Virginia: Director of football development and performance Shawn Griswold was the strength and conditioning coach at Tulsa from 2008-10.

Arizona Bowl

Arkansas State vs. Nevada

12:15 p.m., CBSSN

Arkansas State: Redshirt senior quarterback Justice Hansen of Edmond Santa Fe has thrown for 3,172 yards and 27 touchdowns this year. He’s also rushed for six scores. Senior running back Warren Wand of Edmond Memorial has rushed for 652 yards and four touchdowns. Wand also has a receiving touchdown and is the Red Wolves’ punt returner. Redshirt junior defensive end T.J. Harris of Edmond Santa Fe played in five games and had three tackles. Redshirt junior receiver Dahu Green of Westmoore started his career at Oklahoma and has two catches for 23 yards. Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Andre Harris Jr. is a Putnam City North alum who starts at left guard. Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Justin Dutton is from Guthrie and started late in the season at right tackle. Cornerbacks coach Trooper Taylor was Oklahoma State’s co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2008. Safeties coach Allen Johnson played at UCO and was a quality control coach at Oklahoma State in 2006.

Nevada: Freshman running back Devonte Lee is a John Marshall alum who has 177 yards and six touchdowns on 42 carries. Junior punter Quinton Conaway of Edmond North is averaging 43.04 yards per punt and has 14 punts of 50 or more yards. Head coach Jay Norvell was Oklahoma’s co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach from 2008-14.

Cotton Bowl

Clemson vs. Notre Dame

3 p.m., ESPN

Clemson: Defensive coordinator Brent Venables was the co-defensive coordinator for Oklahoma from 1999-2003 and the defensive coordinator from 2004-11.

Orange Bowl

Alabama vs. Oklahoma

7 p.m., ESPN

Alabama: Junior running back Josh Jacobs of Tulsa McLain has 512 rushing yards with 11 touchdowns, plus two receiving touchdowns. Jacobs was named MVP of the SEC Championship Game.

DEC. 31

Military Bowl

Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech

11 a.m., ESPN

Cincinnati: Safeties coach Jon Tenuta was Oklahoma’s defensive backs coach in 1995.

Virginia Tech: Head coach Justin Fuente is from Tulsa, starring at Tulsa Union before starting his college career as a quarterback at Tulsa. Offensive coordinator Brad Cornelsen is a Texhoma native and was a graduate assistant at Oklahoma State in 2001-02 and a quality control coach there in 2008. He was a student assistant at Northeastern State in 2000 and the offensive coordinator there in 2009-11. Special teams coordinator and tight ends coach James Shibest was a graduate assistant at Oklahoma State in 1990-91. Offensive line coach Vance Vice is a Bristow native and a 1990 graduate of Oklahoma State. Wide receivers coach Holmon Wiggins was the running backs coach at Tulsa in 2011.

Sun Bowl

Stanford vs. Pittsburgh

1 p.m., CBS

Stanford: Diron Reynolds, who spent the 2015 season as Oklahoma’s defensive line coach, is now in the same position with the Cardinal.

Pittsburgh: Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Jaylen Twyman is the nephew of Oklahoma cornerback Parnell Motley.

Redbox Bowl

Michigan State vs. Oregon

2 p.m., Fox

Oregon: Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks and tight ends coach Marcus Arroyo spent two season as the running back coach at Oklahoma State in 2015-16.

Liberty Bowl

Missouri vs. Oklahoma State

2:45 p.m., ESPN

Missouri: Redshirt sophomore quarterback Micah Wilson, from Tulsa’s Lincoln Christian, has played in one game this season. Head coach Barry Odom is from Ada and served as an assistant coach there. Defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach Ryan Walters was a graduate assistant at Oklahoma in 2012. Ada’s Brian Odom, a Southeastern Oklahoma State graduate who started his collegiate career at OU, is the Tigers’ outside linebackers coach. Interim tight ends coach Garrick McGee is from Tulsa and played quarterback at Oklahoma. McGee was an assistant at Langston from 1996-98. Offensive line coach Brad Davis played at Oklahoma.

Holiday Bowl

Northwestern vs. Utah

6 p.m., FS1

Northwestern: Curtis Shaner, the associate director of equipment services for football, spent five years as an equipment manager at Oklahoma State.

Gator Bowl

North Carolina State vs. Texas A&M

6:30 p.m., ESPN

North Carolina State: Cornerbacks coach George Barlow was an Oklahoma outside linebackers/safeties coach in 1998 after spending the previous two seasons as a graduate assistant. Defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable was Oklahoma State’s linebackers coach in 2000.

Texas A&M: Junior tight end Jace Sternberger is from Kingfisher and played at NEO. Sternberger emerged as one of the nation’s top tight ends this season, with 47 catches for 804 yards and 10 touchdowns.

JAN. 1

Outback Bowl

Mississippi State vs. Iowa

11 a.m., ESPN2

Iowa: Associate athletic director Charlie Taylor spent eight years in the Oklahoma athletic department before joining the Hawkeyes in June 2016.

Citrus Bowl

Kentucky vs. Penn State

Noon, ABC

Kentucky: Sophomore quarterback Terry Wilson is a Del City grad from Oklahoma City who has thrown for 1,768 yards and 11 touchdowns and run for 518 yards and four more scores. Sophomore wide receiver Isaiah Epps of Jenks has eight catches for 76 yards. Freshman wide receiver Darren Edmond is from Norman, though he went to high school in Kentucky.

Fiesta Bowl

LSU vs. UCF

Noon, ESPN

LSU: Wide receivers coach Mickey Joseph was the head coach at Langston in 2011-12 after three seasons there as an assistant coach and in 2004-05 coached running backs at Central Oklahoma. Assistant head coach and running backs coach Tommie Robinson was the running backs coach at Oklahoma State in 2001.

UCF: Head coach Josh Heupel won a national championship as a quarterback at Oklahoma in 2000 and was an assistant coach for the Sooners from 2006-14. Tight ends coach Jon Cooper was a three-year starter at center for the Sooners and was a two-year graduate assistant in Norman. Quarterbacks coach Jeff Lebby signed with the Sooners out of high school but an injury ended his playing career, though he graduated from the school. Secondary coach Willie Martinez served in the same position at OU in 2010-11. Wide receivers coach Darrell Wyatt spent four seasons as an assistant at Oklahoma and has had two different stints at Oklahoma State.

Rose Bowl

Washington vs. Ohio State

4 p.m., ESPN

Ohio State: Freshman safety Josh Proctor is from Owasso and played in 10 games with one tackle. Offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Kevin Wilson was offensive coordinator or co-offensive coordinator at Oklahoma from 2002-10.

Sugar Bowl

Texas vs. Georgia

7:45 p.m., ESPN

Texas: Redshirt freshman tight end Reese Leitao is from Jenks and has played 13 games. Freshman quarterback Casey Thompson is the son of former OU quarterback Charles Thompson and played at Newcastle and Southmoore. Co-offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Herb Hand served in the same capacity at Tulsa from 2007-09. Offensive line coach Derek Warehime is from Choctaw, was a standout at Tulsa and began his coaching career with the Golden Hurricane.

Georgia: Freshman offensive lineman Owen Condon is a Bishop McGuinness product who has played in three games this season. Offensive line coach Sam Pittman is from Grove, had the same position at Oklahoma in 1997-98 and was also an assistant at Beggs High.