College Football Bowl Predictions Part III (New Year’s Day and Beyond): Auburn-Wisconsin, Kansas State-UCLA, and More

Dec 6, 2014; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys players celebrate a field goal against the Oklahoma Sooners in overtime. The Cowboys defeated the Sooners in overtime 38-35. at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

TicketCity Cactus Bowl- Tempe, Ariz.

Washington Huskies vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Line: Washington by 5.5

Saturday Blitz Vegas Bowl Prediction: Oklahoma State Wins 34-30

Mike Gundy has not had a losing season since his first year at Oklahoma State in 2005. And he is 5-3 in bowl games. The trends that both of those numbers point to will assure a Cowboys victory this year in the Cactus Bowl. Washington is a good, tough, physical team under Chris Petersen. But they are no more physical than Oklahoma, and look at what the Cowboys did to the Sooners to get to a bowl game. This is a mentally tough football team.

And that mental toughness will lead to a Cowboys victory.

The Big 12 has proven itself to be much deeper than the Pac-12, especially the Pac-12 North, and the Cowboys will expose that along with Kansas State. After all the quarterback issues this year, Gundy found plenty of success at the end of the year in Mason Rudolph. He will have a field day against an inconsistent Washington defense.

Although the Huskies will score a lot themselves on the ground and with efficient quarterback play, Petersen’s team, despite having a very bright future, will come up just short. Oklahoma State, riding a wave of momentum, is not going to go out with a losing record.

Gundy and his players will make sure of that.

Next: Birmingham Bowl Prediction: East Carolina vs. Florida