2013 National University Holiday Bowl: game preview, odds and prediction
By Jack Crosby
In the final bowl game on Monday night, the Texas Tech Red Raiders of the Big 12 Conference will take on the Arizona State Sun Devils of the Pac-12 Conference in the National University Holiday Bowl in San Diego.
Texas Tech was an emotional favorite of the country as they got off to their 7-0 start under first-year head coach, and former QB, Kliff Kingsbury. However, they then ran into the heart of their Big 12 schedule and they haven’t won a game since, and most haven’t even been close. They put up a good fight for most of the game against the BCS-bound Oklahoma Sooners, but couldn’t finish that one off in the end.
Arizona State had one of their more successful seasons in recent memory in the second year of the Todd Graham era in Tempe. They got hot down the stretch and were able to capture the Big 12 South championship, but were taken care of easily by the Stanford Cardinal at home in the title game, showing that they still have some work to do to be the top dog out west.
Date: Dec. 30
Start Time: 10:15 PM ET
Location: San Diego, CA
Stadium: Qualcomm Stadium
TV Info: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN app
Odds: Arizona State -14.5
Prediction: The experienced Stanford defense was able to figure out how to stop the Sun Devil offense led by dynamic QB Taylor Kelly, who had a breakout campaign this year. Texas Tech, however, will not.
With these two offenses, we might have ourselves a shootout in the Holiday Bowl, which is usually what this game brings us, and it’ll be a shootout that will bring upon an 11th victory on the year for Arizona State and some momentum that can take into 2014.
Arizona State 42, Texas Tech 28