Oklahoma State entered the bowl with a four-game win streak against Texas A&M.
Oklahoma State entered the game with an 8–4 record (5–4 in conference) and ranked 25th in the AP Poll.
The Cowboys finished in a four-way tie for third place in the Big 12.
Their 2011 team won that season's Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas (as the game was then named) over Northwestern, 33–22, and their 2016 team lost that season's Texas Bowl to Kansas State, 33–28.
Texas A&M entered the game at 7–5 (4–4 in conference), having finished in fourth place in the SEC's West Division.