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ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) predicts the outcome of each college football game ahead of each weekend. With the regular season behind us, the model has updated its predictions for bowl season.
The model sees the Cardinals as a substantial favorite, giving the team a 74.7% chance to win. This means the Huskies have just a 25.3% chance to pick up a bowl win in Jedd Fisch’s first season at the helm.
Fresh off an appearance in the national championship last season, the Huskies took a step back in 2024. Without star quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and several star wide receivers, the team finished the regular season with a 6-6 record in Year 1 under Fisch. The team picked up impressive wins over Michigan and USC, but fell in the Apple Cup rivalry game to Washington State.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, finished with an 8-4 mark. The team’s best wins came over Clemson and Pittsburgh, while a loss to Stanford hurt the team’s resume. Jeff Brohm’s squad did finish on a positive note, however, winning 4 of their final 5 contests.
This Sun Bowl matchup will be the first-ever meeting between these schools. The Cardinals have appeared in the Sun Bowl once before, all the way back in 1957. In that game, the Cardinals defeated the Drake Bulldogs. The Huskies, meanwhile, have played in the game 4 times in history. The Huskies most recently took the trip to El Paso in 2002, losing to Purdue.
This B1G vs. ACC matchup will kick off from Sun Bowl Stadium on New Year’s Eve at 2 p.m. ET.
Bryce Lazenby covers college football for Saturday Down South. A Nashville native, his previous stops include FanSided, Dimers, and The Leaf-Chronicle.
