GAME DAY: Sugar Bowl Preview

Oklahoma State is here for the first time in 70 years, and they've had good practices. They’ve enjoyed the experience without any incidents. Just two minor curfew violations earlier in the week.  

Thursday night they changed hotels to get farther away from the New Year's Eve madness in the French Quarter.

Friday's Sugar Bowl is the last go-round for several OSU players, leaders like senior receiver David Glidden and quarterback J.W. Walsh, and they're motivated to end their careers on a high note.

"I've tried not to think of it, but it's there. Me and J.W. particularly have talked about it often,” said Glidden. "I'm just glad this is my last game as a Cowboy. Guys look up to J.W. and stuff when he speaks, but between he and I we've done a lot of reflecting and stuff."

Head coach Mike Gundy added, “J.W. will always have a place with the OSU family with the way he's handled his career. He’s had a great three weeks of preparation as he has in every game. He’ll give us great effort."

Walsh may or may not start tonight. Mason Rudolph has progressed well enough during the weeks after his foot surgery that he's expected to play a significant amount of snaps. As OSU fans know Rudolph and Walsh present different challenges for opponents, but Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze says his team will be ready for both quarterbacks.

"We've been able to get 14 practices in and when you have three practices like a give week for a given deal, that makes it more difficult,” Freeze explained. "That should not be excuse; if we get beat, that should not be because we didn't prepare for two different quarterbacks cause we've had the time to do that and that's made it much more manageable."

Ole Miss is favored by about a touchdown, and one of the key areas to watch will be how well the OSU offensive line holds up against the Ole Miss front seven. Expect the Cowboys to be very motivated, and it would be fitting if receiver and punt returner Jalen McCleskey makes a big play or two.  His father J.J. patrolled the secondary for the Saints here in the Superdome for several years.

Kickoff is just after 7:30 tonight in New Orleans.