Cheez-It Bowl Betting 2023 Odds, Predictions, Preview

The Florida State Seminoles defeated the Oklahoma Sooners 35-32 in the 2022 Cheez-It Bowl.

Check out last year's coverage here below and tune back in with us soon for the 2023 Cheez-It Bowl Odds, Picks and Predictions.

Mike Norvell is turning things around in Tallahassee. The Florida State Seminoles have had their best season since 2016, and they have the opportunity to finish with 10 wins for the first time in six years too with a win over the Oklahoma Sooners in the Cheez-It Bowl.

Florida State is close to a double-digit favorite in this game as Brent Venables is already on the hot seat after leading Oklahoma to its worst record in over two decades in his first season.

That will add a layer of intrigue to the Cheez-It Bowl taking place on Thursday, December 29, 2022, at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN from Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.

Oklahoma Sooners vs. Florida State Seminoles Betting Prediction

Florida State has been a team on a mission over the second half of the season. After back-to-back gut-wrenching losses to North Carolina State and Clemson, the Seminoles rallied to win their last five games and averaged 43.6 PPG in those victories.

They beat Florida and Miami to be the top team in the Sunshine State, and they will be looking to end the season on a high note against a team that is just playing out the string in Oklahoma.

Score Prediction: Florida State 38, Oklahoma 20
Best Bet: Florida State -9.5 (-110)

Oklahoma Sooners vs. Florida State Seminoles Betting Odds

Cheez-It Bowl Betting Resources

• Date: Thursday, December 29, 2022
• TV-Time: ESPN, 5:30 p.m. ET
• Venue: Camping World Stadium
• Location: Orlando, Florida
• Expert Picks

Oklahoma Sooners Betting Analysis

Oklahoma ranked 12th in Offensive SP+, but the Sooners will be missing quite a few of the starters from that unit in this game. Offensive tackles Wanya Morris and Anton Harrison both opted out of the Cheez-It Bowl in order to focus on the NFL Draft, and star running back Eric Gray is also saving his body from the extra wear and tear.

That will really hurt Oklahoma’s ground game as Gray was a Second Team All-Big 12 selection that ran for 1,366 yards (6.4 YPC) and 11 touchdowns in 2022. Neither Jovantae Barnes nor Marcus Major was as effective as the tandem combined to average just 4.4 YPC in a platoon behind Gray.

Dillon Gabriel was not as effective as offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby hoped he would be after transferring to Oklahoma from UCF. Gabriel put up nice numbers, completing 63% of his passes for 2,925 yards (8.5 YPA) with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions.

However, that pales in comparison to what we have seen from starters in this system over the last decade. Marvin Mims Jr. was a First Team All-Big 12 selection with 52 receptions for 1,006 yards and six touchdowns, and tight end Brayden Willis was a true red zone threat with 35 catches for 456 yards and seven touchdowns.

The Sooners have a mediocre defense, but what else is new? Even though Brent Venables was brought in to fix this side of the ball, Oklahoma was ranked 66th in Defensive SP+.

Jalen Redmond opted out of this game in order to prepare for the NFL Draft, and that’s a hit along the defensive line. However, this defense is pretty much intact aside for the absence of Redmond.

Florida State Seminoles Betting Analysis

The Seminoles received great news when Jordan Travis announced that he would both play in this bowl game and return for another season. Travis isn’t the type of quarterback that will thrive at the next level, but he is a star at this one.

He was a Second Team All-ACC selection after completing 63.2% of his passes for 2,796 yards (8.9 YPA) with 22 touchdowns and four interceptions. Travis is a superb runner too and picked up 367 yards and seven TDs on the ground while averaging 7.6 YPC when you exclude sack yardage.

Trey Benson heads a three-man backfield for Florida State alongside Treshaun Ward and Lawrance Toafili. Benson (6.8 YPC) and Ward (6.4 YPC) are the big play threats, while Toafili is the short yardage rusher.

Meanwhile, Johnny Wilson is a receiver that will be playing on Sundays and caught 35 passes for 695 yards and five touchdowns this season. The offensive line has improved by leaps and bounds too as it was one of the worst position groups in the Power Five under former coach Willie Taggart.

Florida State’s defense ranked 31st in SP+. The Seminoles allowed 20.8 PPG (17th nationally) and 320.3 YPG (13th nationally). Their two best players will be turning pro next season, but First Team All-ACC defensive end Jared Verse and First Team All-ACC safety Jammie Robinson will play in this game. That gives FSU a humongous boost as they are both game changing talents.

Cheez-It Bowl History

The Camping World Bowl debuted in 1990 and has had a variety of different sponsors, notably the Russell Athletic Bowl from 2012 to 2016. The game debuted in 1990 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida. The first 11 years of this bowl took place in South Florida under various names such as the Blockbuster Bowl, Carquest Bowl, MicronPC Bowl, and MicronPC.com Bowl. The game moved to the Citrus Bowl in Orlando starting in 2001 as the Visit Florida Tangerine Bowl, then transitioned into the Mazda Tangerine Bowl, followed by the Champs Sports Bowl from 2004 through 2011. 

Camping World took over sponsorship of this bowl in 2017, as teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Big 12 Conference are represented.

In 2018, Syracuse outscored West Virginia 17-0 in the fourth quarter to record a 34-18 comeback victory, giving the ACC its second win in the past four seasons in this bowl. The combination of the favorite and 'under' has cashed in three straight in this bowl game. The 'under' has also connected in 12 of the last 14 games, while the losing team has scored 14 points or less in eight of the last 11 games. 

The Big 12 lost for the second straight year as Iowa State was blown out by Notre Dame, 33-9 in the 2019 installment. The Fighting Irish played in this game for the first time since losing to Florida State in 2011.

In 2020, the bowl was renamed the Cheez-It Bowl, a game name previously used in the former Cactus Bowl in Arizona. Oklahoma State of the Big 12 edged Miami (Fla.) of the ACC by a 37-34 score in a high-scoring affair, covering as 1-point favorites as the 'over' easily hit.

Clemson of the ACC topped Iowa State of the Big 12 on Dec. 29, 2021 in Orlando in low-scoring affair, 20-13. The Tigers posted a 10-win season for the 11th consecutive season as a result. The favorite has now cashed in six consecutive Cheez-It Bowls and/or the previously named Camping World Bowl, with the 'under' going 5-1 across the past six.