El Paso, Texas (Trending SEO Keywords: Sun Bowl, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Oregon State Beavers, College Football Bowl Season, Bowl Game Picks): Get ready for a historic Sun Bowl as two ranked programs, No. 16 Notre Dame and No. 19 Oregon State, collide in a battle for bragging rights and bowl season redemption. Both teams head into this matchup facing significant roster changes, adding intrigue to this second-oldest bowl game in college football history.
Irish Look to Finish Strong:
Notre Dame, despite losing key players to the transfer portal and NFL Draft, enters as 6-point favorites. Their explosive offense, averaging 39.1 points per game, boasts strong depth from past recruiting years. Look for QB Steve Angeli and RB Jeremiyah Love to step into the spotlight and showcase their talents for the future.
Beavers Aim for Upset:
Oregon State, navigating through coaching and player departures, will rely on quarterback Ben Gulbranson’s experience and playmakers like receiver Silas Bolden and running back Deshaun Fenwick to pull off an upset. Matching their program record of 19 wins in two years is within reach, adding extra motivation for the Beavers.
Beyond the Headlines:
- This marks the first Sun Bowl clash between two AP Top 25 teams since 2008.
- The Sun Bowl is expected to break its attendance record after selling out in a mere 22 hours.
- Both teams enter with strong defenses, averaging only 16.1 (Notre Dame) and 21.5 (Oregon State) points allowed per game.
Where to Catch the Action:
- Kickoff for this Sun Bowl battle is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET on Friday, December 29th.
- Watch the game live on CBS or stream it on Paramount+.
Prediction and More:
SportsLine’s advanced model, boasting significant profit on top-rated picks, projects a high-scoring affair with over 58 combined points. They also have a strong lean towards one side of the spread, which you can discover by visiting their website.
Don’t miss this top-25 clash in the Sun Bowl! Tune in to see if Notre Dame’s offensive firepower or Oregon State’s underdog grit prevails in this exciting bowl season showdown.