Saturday marks the first time a Texas team will play a bowl game in the state in 2018, as Houston prepares to face off against Army in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Houston finished the year off with a thud after losing quarterback D’Eriq King to a knee injury. However, the Cougars still get a quick trip up the road to Fort Worth for an exciting bowl game against a 10-2 Army squad.

By every usual metric, Houston is a better team. The Cougars have a wide point differential and boast one of the most productive offenses in America. But when an option team comes to town, you never know what’s going to happen.

Here’s our full preview of the 2018 Armed Forces Bowl, presented by TicketCity.

Armed Forces Bowl details

When: 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 22

Where: Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth

Point spread: Army -4.5

What channel is Houston vs. Army on?

Houston vs. Army will be broadcast live on ESPN. It can also be streamed live on WatchESPN.

How can I buy tickets to Houston vs. Army?

Click here to buy tickets to the Armed Forces Bowl at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth.

Armed Forces Bowl preview

Defending the troops

Houston has its work cut out going against Army’s aggressive option attack. The Cougars will be without top defensive lineman Ed Oliver, and will have to rely on a group of inconsistent linebackers to get stops consistently, along with some help from safeties.

The Cougars played Navy early in the year, so they have some familiarity with defending the option. However, Army is a much more balanced team. The Black Knights average nearly 30 points per game as an option team and hold opponents to just 18 points per game.

Choking offense

Army played one elite offense earlier in the year. The Black Knights faced off against the Oklahoma Sooners in a rare pay-per-view game earlier in the year, and gave them everything they could handle. Army held onto the ball for nearly 45 minutes and held the Sooners to merely 355 total yards.

The Black Knights will undoubtedly employ the same ball control strategy against a Houston defense that has struggled to consistently get stops. Navy held the ball for more than 42 minutes against Houston, and mustered 527 yards. The Cougars will have to get the running game going to have a chance.

Glimpse into future

Houston, unfortunately, will be playing without its two best players. Defensive tackle Ed Oliver decided to forego the bowl game and focus on training for the 2019 NFL Draft. Quarterback D’Eriq King suffered a torn meniscus against Tulane and has not played since.

However, the Cougars will have plenty of intriguing future pieces playing. Former Hebron quarterback Clayton Tune threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns against Memphis. He should be better with a Winter’s worth of first-team reps. With Oliver gone, TCU  transfer Isaiah Chambers should play a bigger role on the defensive line. Both will be foundational pieces heading forward.

Players to watch

Army: LB Cole Christiansen

Christiansen is a dynamic linebacker who makes plays all over the field. He finished second on the team with 71 tackles, and also led the way with 12 tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries. Army – shocker – is a unit-based team, but Christiansen consistently stands apart for the elite defense.

Houston: Sophomore WR Marquez Stevenson

Other than perhaps King, no player benefited more from an offensive coordinator change than Stevenson. The Shreveport sophomore went from 36 yards receiving to an inch away from the 1,000-yard mark. Stevenson accumulated 100 receiving yards in five games, and posted 11 all-purpose touchdowns.

Score prediction: Houston 31, Army 28