Season record: 34-29-2
Last week: 2-1 (Troy/UT-San Antonio over 55.5, Oregon State -10, Fresno State -3)
Defense ruled the day in the Cure Bowl, leaving the over with little to no hope. However, things got better as Oregon State and Fresno State both covered easily.
#20 Texas Longhorns (8-4) vs. #12 Washington Huskies (10-2) | December 29 | 8:00 PM CT | Alamodome (San Antonio, TX)
Line: Texas -4 | Total: 67.5
The Alamo Bowl always seems to get an exciting matchup and this year’s iteration figures to be another one. The game will feature two gunslingers in Texas’s Quinn Ewers and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr.
It is hard to talk about Texas without mentioning running back Bijan Robinson. The talented back ran for 1,580 yards this season, but has announced he will not play in the Alamo Bowl. So, too, will running back Roschon Johnson and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown.
Without Robinson and Johnson, that means Ewers will have to elevate his game. He has shown that ability at times, but has also been erratic at others. On the season, Ewers completed only 56.6% of his passes
Washington has been taken advantage of through the air when they have played competent quarterbacks. Michigan State, Stanford, UCLA, Arizona State, Arizona, and California all threw for three or more touchdowns against the Huskies. While that did not happen in the Huskies’ final four games, Oregon and Washington State both put up large passing totals.
While Washington may give up plenty of yards, they are effective at getting after opposing quarterbacks. The Huskies have a sack rate of 8.12%, which is good 22nd in the country. With this game likely to be a shootout and Ewers being prone to mistakes, this could be a major factor.
Michael Penix leads the country in passing yards per game at 362.8 per game. Penix has also announced he is returning for the 2023 season.
I don’t take that announcement lightly, Washington +4 is my pick.
Pittsburgh Panthers (8-4) vs. #18 UCLA Bruins (9-3) | December 30 | 1:00 PM CT | Sun Bowl (El Paso, TX)
Line: UCLA -3.5 | Total: 54.5
El Paso is probably not where these Pittsburgh and UCLA expected to be at the beginning of the season, but that is where these two teams will meet for the Sun Bowl. UCLA has struggled down the stretch, losing two of their last three. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has won four straight.
The Bruins have had issues defensively, as they allow 5.71 yards per play. Most of that comes through the air, as they rank 120th in the country in passing yards per game allowed. However, UCLA is much better against the run, allowing only 124.7 rushing yards per game.
This would seem to be a good matchup as Pittsburgh has the ACC’s leading rusher in both yards and rushing touchdowns. That is, if running back Israel Abanikanda were playing in this game. Abanikanda recently announced he is opting out to prepare for the NFL. He accounted for 21 of Pittsburgh’s 46 touchdowns as a team.
Pittsburgh will also be without starting quarterback Kedon Slovis, who is once again entering the transfer portal. Slovis started 11 of 12 games and accounted for 10 of the Panthers’ 12 touchdown passes. In his place will be Nick Patti, who has completed 9 of 20 passes on the season with a touchdown. Patti, too, will head to the transfer portal after the conclusion of the game.
Pittsburgh had one of the ACC’s top defenses, allowing only 319.7 yards per game. The Panthers will be significantly affected on this side of the ball, too. Key players at all three levels will not be suiting up in the Sun Bowl. Defensive end Deslin Alexandre (8.5 hurries, 5.5 sacks), middle linebacker SirVocea Dennis (First team All-ACC), and safety Brandon Hill (67 tackles) have all announced their decisions to skip this game.
For UCLA, opt-outs do not appear to be much of a factor, if at all. Latest reports show that quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and running back Zach Charbonnet are both practicing.
Give me UCLA -3.5.
OUTTA HERE!
Clarknado Sports 
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