A sold-out Sun Bowl welcomes the 8-4 Oregon State Beavers of the Pac-12 and FBS Independent Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who went 9-3 in 2023, for one of just a handful of all-ranked matchups in bowl season.
Can Oregon State overcome their off-season losses, or will Notre Dame have too much fight for the Beavers? Ahead of the game, we’ve got the latest college football betting odds, DFS picks, and a Sun Bowl prediction.
Sun Bowl Betting and DFS Preview
All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and correct as of Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023. Want to take advantage of the Sun Bowl odds? Visit the College Football Network live college football odds page to place bets in your state.
- Spread
Notre Dame -6.5 - Moneyline
Notre Dame -230, Oregon State +190 - Over/Under
41.5 points - Game time
2:00 p.m. ET - Location
Sun Bowl, El Paso, TX - Predicted Weather at Kick
57 degrees, 6 mph winds, periods of cloud - How to Watch
CBS, FuboTV
Looking to back the Beavers in bowl season? Need Notre Dame to dominate to deliver some dollars? If you’re going to take advantage of the Sun Bowl odds, consider some of the following factors before you part with your hard-earned cash.
Oregon State was one of a few potential opponents for Notre Dame whom the Irish had a history, and the teams head to the Sun Bowl with the Beavers holding a 2-0 head-to-head advantage following wins in 2001 and 2004. A full-strength Oregon State might have been considered the favorite to extend that streak, but it’s Notre Dame who is the fancied team.
Oregon State has only faced one opponent as an underdog this year, and that was the drubbing at the hands of bitter rivals Oregon. They failed to cover in that game too, contributing to a 6-6 record covering the spread in 2023. The Fighting Irish are 8-4 covering this year, including four times in their last five games, and our Sun Bowl prediction indicates that run is continuing.
With significant offensive losses for both teams, it’s a low total points line for the Sun Bowl, and Oregon State games haven’t gone over the line in the last two. However, there’s enough electric playmakers on the Notre Dame offense to withstand their opt-outs and ensure that they add to an 8-4 “over” record that includes five straight games sailing past the total point line.
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
Oregon State Depth Chart | Notre Dame Depth Chart
- QB Ben Gulbranson, Oregon State
- QB Steve Angeli, Notre Dame
- RB Deshaun Fenwick, Oregon State
- RB Isaiah Newell, Oregon State
- RB Jake Reichle, Oregon State
- RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
- RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
- RB Gi’Bran Payne, Notre Dame
- WR Jimmy Valsin III, Oregon State
- WR Silas Bolden, Oregon State
- WR Jesiah Irish, Oregon State
- WR Jayden Thomas, Notre Dame
- WR Jordan Faison, Notre Dame
- WR Jaden Greathouse, Notre Dame
- TE Jermaine Terry II, Oregon State
- TE Eli Raridon, Notre Dame
There are four college football games on Friday to compile your DFS team from. If you’re new to DFS, Fanduel Superflex contests require you to select a quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, and a “Superflex” that can be any of the above or a tight end.
Your Sun Bowl picks have been absolutely ravaged by opt-outs, with all the top-scoring players from each team either in the transfer portal or on their way to the NFL. Running backs Damien Martinez and Audric Estime, quarterbacks Sam Hartman and D.J. Uiagalelei, plus Oregon State tight end Jack Velling — one of few legit fantasy tight ends — are all out of action on Friday.
MORE: College Football Bowl Game Opt-Out Tracker
However, that does present an opportunity for players to emerge. With Martinez out, expect Deshaun Fenwick to handle a heavier load, giving him the potential to showcase the skill set that has already resulted in him averaging 5.6 yards per carry while tallying seven total touchdowns. Meanwhile, Notre Dame true freshman Jeremiyah Love’s explosiveness should on full show.
There’s also plenty of receiving talent for the backup QBs to rely on. Notre Dame’s trio of Jayden Thomas, Jaden Greathouse, and Jordan Faison all averaged over 14.0 yards per catch this year. Furthermore, Oregon State’s Silas Bolden is already a versatile, legitimate fantasy weapon with 128.2 points, having tallied over 700 yards and seven total touchdowns.
Prediction for the Sun Bowl
Okay, so we’ve furnished you with the Sun Bowl odds and some DFS picks. Now, it’s time to close this thing out with our prediction.
Notre Dame has been a big draw for the Sun Bowl, can they live up to that value with an impressive win? Or can the remaining Beavers out-fight the Irish to give interim head coach Kefense Hynson a debut win in the 2023 season finale?
A much-fancied team to contend in the Pac-12, Oregon State fell short of expectation in 2023, falling to four wins in the conference despite defeating reigning champion Utah and playing eventual champion Washington and a blossoming Arizona team close in tight defeats. A politically unstable and uncertain season culminated in losing their head coach.
While they’ve averaged 33.8 points per game this season as a top-30 offense, the Beavers will be without starting QB Uiagalelei and primary backup/rotational snap-taker Aidan Chiles, who both followed Jonathan Smith out the door. Star running back Martinez is also out, with Oregon State losing over 5,000 yards and over 40 touchdowns of offensive production.
They’ll also be without leading tackler and star linebacker Easton Mascarenas and their most productive defensive backs in Akili Arnold and Jermod McCoy, dramatically impacting a defensive unit that has been able to hold even the most explosive offenses in check at times during the season. They’ve allowed an average of 21.5 points per game, but expect more on Friday.
Of course, Notre Dame being without starting quarterback Hartman and leading rusher Estime means the Fighting Irish won’t be at their offensive best, but backup QB Steve Angeli is highly regarded inside the program, and the rest of the offense is hardly inexperienced. The majority of a defense that allowed just 16.6 points this year is expected to play in an easy win.
Prediction: Oregon State 13, Notre Dame 30
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