The #15 Oregon Ducks (9-3) collide with the North Carolina Tar Heels (9-4) out West in the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl. The bowl matchup will be the first time these two programs have faced each other in their respective histories.
Wednesday’s midweek showdown kicks off at 8 p.m. EST inside Petco Park in San Diego, California. Oregon is a 13-point favorite in the contest, and the over/under total is 75 points.
What to Know – #15 Oregon Ducks
Oregon had a successful season in head coach Dan Lanning’s first year in Eugene. The Ducks sat in the top 10 for most of the year before suffering losses in two of its last three games. Oregon finished in a three-way tie for second place in the Pac-12 Conference.
The Ducks scored 39.7 points and averaged 507.8 yards of total offense per game, both top 5 in college football. Oregon’s defense allowed 27.4 points and 386.1 yards of offense to opposing teams.
Former Auburn quarterback Bo Nix was reborn at Oregon, leading the Ducks’ offense after three underachieving seasons for the Tigers. Nix threw for 3,389 yards, 27 touchdowns, and six interceptions leading the Ducks’ offense.
Oregon had an 8-4 record against the spread and failed to cover their only contest held in a neutral location. The Ducks finished the season 6-2 ATS over their final eight contests.
What to Know – North Carolina Tar Heels
The Tar Heels are back in a bowl game for the four consecutive season after another solid year under veteran head coach Mack Brown. UNC won the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference but fell to Clemson, 39-10, in the ACC title game. The Tar Heels closed out the regular season with three straight losses.
On offense, the Tar Heels averaged 35.0 points and 473.6 yards of offense per contest. The Tar Heels’ defense limited opponents to 31.0 points and 438.2 yards of total offense.
Freshman quarterback Drake Maye had a record-setting rookie campaign, with many in college football suggesting he should be in the Heisman Trophy conversation. Maye threw for 4,115 yards with 35 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
UNC went 5-7-1 ATS this spread during the year and 0-1 ATS in its lone game played on a neutral field. The Tar Heels are 4-1 ATS in their previous five matchups playing as the underdog.
The Pick is In
If you like offenses that can put points on the board, then this will be the game you need to tune into. Both of these teams are guided by quarterbacks that both ranked near the top of the nation in passing statistics this season.
UNC and Oregon don’t have defenses that have the ability to slow these offensive attacks down, so we are going to lean on the over in this one, even though the number is the highest of any bowl matchup yet.
The Pick: Oregon Ducks/North Carolina Tar Heels OVER 75
