For most of the past couple of seasons, the spotlight on Oklahoma State had been on star Canadian running back Chuba Hubbard, whom the school and its fanbase affectionally referred to as the ‘Canadian Cowboy’.

But presently, the team is in need of a new identity as the Sherwood Park, Alta., native announced earlier in the month that he was leaving school to focus full time on preparing for the NFL draft.

While Hubbard will be undoubtedly missed, it’s important to note that in 2020 the running back did not come close to replicating the jaw-dropping numbers he put up in 2019, which saw him finish the season with the eighth-most votes for the Heisman Trophy.

With Hubbard now out of the mix, perhaps the spotlight turns to Oklahoma State’s defence and other star Canadian, linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga. According to the Associated Press, the Cowboys rank second in college football in third-down defense at .263 and have a pass rush that is tied for 12th with 3.2 sacks per game.

Miami is led by star quarterback D’Eriq King, who transferred from Houston ahead of this season. He helped guide the Hurricanes to as high as seventh in the AP Top 25 poll earlier in the year and he’s in the running for several awards.

Players to watch

Oklahoma State: Ogbongbemiga, who hails from Calgary, is the Cowboys’ leading tackler (76) and also has 2.5 sacks and a team-best three forced fumbles. He was named the No. 2 overall prospect on the CFL’s Fall Scouting Bureau Rankings. Wide receiver Tylan Wallace, who has 53 receptions for 877 yards and six touchdowns, is a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which is awarded to the top receiver in college football. He was also a finalist in 2018.

Miami: King has thrown for 2,573 yards with 22 touchdowns this season against just five interceptions. He’s also added another 520 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. King recently announced that he would skip entering the NFL Draft to return to Miami next season.

How to Watch

On TSN2, TSN Direct and the TSN App beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. PT on Tuesday, Dec. 29.