Present Iteration: Insight Bowl
Past Iterations: Insight.com Bowl, Copper Bowl
Toasting Town: Tempe, Arizona
Vintage: 1989
Combatants: Oklahoma (9-3) vs. Iowa (7-5)

Iowa met a Big 12 opponent in the Insight Bowl last season. Bob Stoops was in the crowd, wearing an Iowa sweatshirt. Stoops played at Iowa. He’s an Iowa fan. He maintains a close relationship with Kirk Ferentz, an Iowa assistant when Stoops was a player and later a graduate assistant. Sentiment aside, this is a game Stoops needs to win.

Oklahoma Sooners [SRS 6]
Best Wins: Texas A&M (11), Missouri (19), Texas (21), Kansas State (22), Florida State (24)
Losses: Oklahoma St. (2), Baylor (14), Texas Tech (62)
Famous Alum: Olivia Munn

The Sooners’ season did not go as expected. Oklahoma was supposed to compete for the BCS Title. They won nine games. Injuries played a part, but so did inconsistency and mistakes. The Bedlam loss can be forgiven. There’s no real shame in getting RGIII’d, but dropping a game to Tommy Tuberville’s Texas Tech as a 28-point favorite at home was inexcusable. Oklahoma did not play a more talented all season. They’ve no one to blame but themselves.

Offensively, Oklahoma must stay multi-dimensional and not abandon the run too quickly. They should be able to move the ball against Iowa with an orthodox running game and with the Belldozer. They also must get better play from Landry Jones. No touchdowns and five interceptions his final three games in 144 passing attempts is not getting it done. Defensively, needs the same pressure they’ve created all season (37 sacks). McNutt and Davis can create matchup problems for a shaky secondary. Vandenberg will hit them if he has time and gets in rhythm.

Iowa Hawkeyes [SRS 36]
Best Wins: Michigan (9), Pittsburgh (50), Northwestern (58)
Losses: Michigan St. (15), Nebraska (23), Penn St. (29), Iowa St. (48), Minnesota (83)
Famous Alum: Tom Brokaw

The Hawkeyes collapsed down the stretch in 2010, had a brutal offseason and continued their malaise through 2011. Fortunately, their schedule forgave them. Their three missed teams in the B1G were Wisconsin, Ohio State and Illinois. They coasted to 7-5 and, playing in the B1G, a solid bowl game.

Marcus Coker’s suspension will be huge. To say Iowa relied on the big fella would be an understatement. The 230-lb sophomore ran for 1,384 yards and 15 touchdowns on 281 carries. He was their focal point and there’s no obvious replacement. Iowa’s next leading rusher had 79 yards on 18 carries. Defensively, their pass defense could be a concern against Oklahoma. Iowa did not get much pressure during the season, 84th in the country in sacks. The Sooners have one of the nations’ best offensive lines.

For Recreational Purposes: Oklahoma (-13.5)