Gundy said He Expects Chuba and maybe Spencer Sanders to play in Texas Bowl
Bowl selection day is full of events. You have the "Mothership" of sports in ESPN announcing all of the College Football Playoff teams, the CFP rankings, and then the New Year's Six bowl match-ups. After that Twitter and social media generally confirm all of the other bowl match-ups.
Then for those bowls, there is usually a teleconference featuring both head coaches complimenting the bowl, each other and each other's teams. We got all of that with Oklahoma State and Texas A&M being invited to the Academy Sports and Outdoors Texas Bowl in NRG Stadium on Dec. 27 at 5:45 p.m.
Oklahoma State is playing Texas A&M in the Academy Sports and Outdoors Texas Bowl.
Texas Bowl
It is a good match-up between one of the teams tying for third in the Big 12 Conference and a former Big 12 team that is now in the SEC. There will be some premier players in the game and for Oklahoma State fans wondering about which Cowboys would play. Could quarterback Spencer Sanders return and play after is thumb surgery back Nov. 18? Would Cuba Hubbard play in the bowl or bow out and look ahead to the NFL?
I saw Sanders on Saturday night at the Oklahoma Class 6A-I State Championship Game between Owasso and Jenks and Sanders looked pretty good. He also ran around some in the Cowboys practices last week on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday morning.
Hubbard was there too, but he has been quiet about his future. He told me he would wait and see what his draft grade was from the NFL. He has been cryptic in social media expressions.
Head coach Mike Gundy was neither cryptic of quiet when asked about the availability of both players on the Texas Bowl teleconference.
"There is nothing to hide (with Spencer) as everybody knows he is coming off an injury and he will be released... I think his follow up is the 16th or 17th (Dec.)," Gundy elaborated. "So he would miss half of our bowl prep, but there is a chance they would release him 100 percent the 16th or 17th, so it is not for sure."
As for Chuba Hubbard, Gundy seemed much more certain of his All-American running back and the nation's leading rusher, who Gundy will spend some extra time with later this week at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show in Atlanta, Ga. on Thursday at the College Football Hall of Fame. Gundy will be there with Hubbard a finalist for the Maxwell Award and the Doak Walker Award.
"Yes, I haven't talked to him about it, but I would expect him to play in this game," Gundy said somewhat matter of fact. "I think Chuba will be playing next year too. How's that."
That last part, Gundy said with more certainty. I know this, I have heard that there is a chance that Hubbard would play at Oklahoma State next year. Again, I think the draft grade would likely carry a lot of weight.
Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher certainly knows who Hubbard is. Word of his prowess has reached the SEC.
"I think he has all the things, great body explosion, speed, balance, runs with his pads low, has the ability to make you miss, and he can hit the home run," Fisher said. "He can catch the football and he blocks well. He is the complete guy and he has done it the entire time he has been at Oklahoma State, so he is going to be a tremendous challenge. They know how to use him and get him in space and do the right things, He will be a huge challenge for our defense."
Especially if he is out there. I'm not just going on Gundy. I think he is one of those guys that wouldn't duck out on his teammates. Now, next year. That is a big wait and see.
