Sun Bowl Preview: Louisville Cardinals vs. Washington Huskies
The Louisville Cardinals (8-4) and Washington Huskies (6-6) will complete their respective seasons in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl on Tuesday, December 31 at 2:00 PM ET at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas. According to recent college football betting odds, the Cardinals are favored with a point spread at -2.5 (-110) at Bookmaker.
Louisville Cardinals Betting Preview
The Cardinals have looked good in recent performances, as they are on a two-game win streak. Their latest victory was a 41-14 outing over the Kentucky Wildcats.
They were running away with this game with a 20-0 lead at the half. This marked the first time since 2017 winning the Governor’s Cup, which showed a statement to their rival. Tyler Shough completed half of his 18 throws for 128 yards, but Isaac Brown stood out with 26 carries totaling 178 yards and two touchdowns.
Offensively they looked great with 486 yards and just one turnover. However, the defense was even better in holding the Wildcats to 328 yards and five turnovers. It also helped that they had control of the ball for roughly 35 minutes.
The Cardinals are ninth in the nation for averaging 36.6 points a game. Defensively they hold teams to 23.2 points each game and rank 51st. This is a great margin if their offense can continue to post these numbers.
Washington Huskies Betting Preview
The Huskies have lost two out of their last three games, with both of the losses against teams inside the top 10 in the nation. Their latest defeat was a 49-21 performance against the top-ranked Oregon Ducks.
With a disappointing 21-point outburst allowed in the second quarter, you could tell the Huskies were not equipped to handle the momentum that the Ducks had. Demond Williams Jr. completed 17 of 20 passes amounting to 201 yards and a touchdown.
They allowed the Ducks to get 458 yards and could only get 244 yards themselves, and both teams had a turnover each. This does not look good heading into the bowl game because their defense is having issues stopping the passing game.
The Huskies put up 22.5 points a game and are 110th overall. Their defense comes in at 41st for allowing 22.8. This margin offers no room for error, which shows they could be in trouble if their defense continues to suffer.
Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick
Bookmaker has the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl betting odds ready, with the Cardinals favored by 2.5-points. Market analysis indicates the Cardinals have a 74.5 percent chance of winning this outright.
Shough will not play since he declared for the draft, which could harm their offense. The Huskies have a core unit on both sides of the ball to get it done here.
Final Pick: Washington Huskies +2.5 (-110)
