Sugar Bowl 2016: Updated Odds and Preview for Ole Miss vs. Oklahoma State

It was a foregone conclusion Saturday, but made official Sunday. The Ole Miss Rebels and Oklahoma State Cowboys will meet in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.

It’s been a combined 116 years since either Ole Miss (46) or Oklahoma State (70) participated in the prestigious bowl game in New Orleans.

Both of these teams earned the right to play in this game due to finishing with the second best conference record in the Big 12 and SEC. Thanks to the Baylor Bears losing to the Texas Longhorns on Saturday, the Cowboys finished second in the Big 12 thanks to the head-to-head tiebreaker over the TCU Horned Frogs. Head coach Mike Gundy had this to say, in a statement per the Cowboys' website:

"We are very excited about our invitation to the Allstate Sugar Bowl. What a great opportunity for our young men who have worked so hard over the last 11 months. Congrats to Ole Miss and their team. We're looking forward to a great game in a historic bowl."

Ole Miss (9-3, 6-2 SEC) finished with the second best conference record in the SEC, thanks in part to Alabama’s win over Florida in the SEC Championship game. This will be the ninth time ever the Rebels will play in the Sugar Bowl and first since 1969. Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze had this to say, in a statement per the Rebels' website:

"

I’m proud of our program for being one of the few to make it back to a ‘New Year’s Six’ bowl. My childhood was spent hearing Rebel fans talk about Archie leading us to a Sugar Bowl win, and I’m thrilled for our players, coaches and fans to return to New Orleans and represent the Southeastern Conference. Oklahoma State is an outstanding team and we have a great challenge in front of us, but I know Rebel Nation will come in force and provide us tremendous support as they have in every bowl game.

"

Here are the updated odds and a preview of this surefire high-scoring affair.

2016 Sugar Bowl Odds

Matchup: Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss

Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome—New Orleans, Louisiana

When: Jan. 1, 2016

Opening Line: Ole Miss (-7), per OddsShark.

Laquon Treadwell Is the Difference Maker

There's going to be a lot of points scored in this game.

Both the Cowboys and Rebels are top 10 in the nation in scoring, both averaging at least 40 points per game. If there's defense meant to be had in this game, it won't come until late when the game's on the line, if that.

The hope for Ole Miss is that this year's bowl result pans out better than last year. The Rebels lost 42-3 to TCU in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 31, with the Horned Frogs scoring the first 42 points of the game.

It'll be a different Ole Miss team taking the field in this one, mainly because the Rebels will have star wide receiver Laquan Treadwell in the lineup. Treadwell missed the Peach Bowl last season due to a gruesome knee injury.

This year, Treadwell is the leader of the Ole Miss offense. He's gone over 1,000 yards receiving, and he could be the top receiver taken in the upcoming NFL draft. There was a point where Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin told Greg Ostendorf of ESPN.com that he's better than he was last year, which is a scary thought.

"Each week as the games go by, I just feel more and more confident," Treadwell told Ostendorf back on Oct. 30. "I feel like I’m supposed to be out there and I’m supposed to be making a play."

Had Treadwell not gotten hurt and played the full 13 games last year, there's a good chance he could've had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. He needs only 50 yards to pass Donte Moncrief for third all time in program history in receiving yards. He would need an epic 300-yard-plus day to come close to either Shay Hodge or Chris Collins, but two touchdowns would make him the fourth Rebels receiver ever to record 20 touchdowns in his career.

Freelance journalist David Ubben filled out his Biletnikoff ballot, with Treadwell on the list, but it makes one wonder if Treadwell would get more consideration if he were in the Big 12:

Treadwell is drawing comparisons to Dez Bryant, from the likes of 105.3 The Fan's Jeff Cavanaugh, and it's not hard to see why. He's a 6'2" receiver with good hands, quality downhill speed and strength to beat any defensive back one-on-one.

If the game comes down to which receiver can make the best play in the passing game, Treadwell's talent will trump all for Oklahoma State, which is why he's the X-factor.