Comments

BOWL AT A GLANCE: Oklahoma vs. Oregon, Holiday Bowl, Dec. 29, San Diego -- Although Oregon strongly pitched its accomplishments to Bowl Championship Series officials, the Ducks were left out of the elite mix after suffering their lone defeat to top-ranked USC. Despite losing starting QB Kellen Clemens to a season-ending injury, Oregon ranks among the national leaders in scoring (36 points), passing (310 yards) and total offense (449 yards). The Oklahoma defense is re-establishing its reputation as a sturdy unit behind the leadership of LB Rufus Alexander. The two teams were hesitant about meeting in a bowl since they're scheduled to play next season, but in the end, the matchup was too appealing.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: RB Adrian Peterson -- With another month to heal his tender ankle, Peterson could be terrific in the bowl game. He set an OU record for most rushing yards in a half with 210 after the break in the Nov. 26 win over Oklahoma State. The performance pushed Peterson over the 1,000-yard mark despite missing all, or most, of four games because of his injury.

QB Rhett Bomar -- The Oklahoma coaches expressed satisfaction all season with the progress of Bomar, a redshirt freshman who's matured in his position and benefits from Peterson's ability to run at full strength. Bomar is coming off a three-touchdown passing performance against Oklahoma State.

PRO POTENTIAL: DT Dusty Dvoracek -- One of the most difficult interior linemen to block in the Big 12, Dvoracek ranks among the conference leaders with 12 tackles for loss.

OT Davin Joseph -- The leader of the Oklahoma line, Joseph is not only a solid blocker, but also possesses the versatility NFL teams like after playing different spots while with the Sooners.

ROSTER REPORT: LB Demarrio Pleasant was arrested Dec. 2 on a domestic abuse complaint and released on $1,000 bail. When asked about the situation, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said he still needed to gather facts before addressing the matter. ... C Jon Cooper underwent surgery to repair a broken right ankle he suffered Nov. 19 at Texas Tech. While he'll miss the bowl game, Cooper is expected to participate in spring practice. ... Defensive coordinator Brent Venables announced he was not interested in the coaching vacancy at his alma mater, Kansas State. Venables initially expressed interest in the job, but was never contacted by K-State officials. It was also speculated that offensive coordinator Chuck Long might be a candidate, but he too was never contacted by K-State.