The SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl is creating some buzz in my head. Don’t ask me why, but I think this could be a sneaky good bowl matchup. We have the Big Ten going up against the Pac 12 and we know what a Pac 12 team did against a Big Ten team this season. Those aren’t the two teams however, it just makes you think. The matchup is between Wisconsin (8-4) and Arizona State (8-4). If you told me at the beginning of the year that we were going to see these two matchup in a bowl game, I would have thought it would have been at the Rose Bowl. However, it is not and it is in the Las Vegas Bowl. With that being said here is my preview for the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl.
Wisconsin
I counted this Wisconsin team out after the embarrassing back to back losses against Notre Dame and Michigan. However, this Wisconsin team went on to win seven out of their last eight games and looked dominant doing it. This is the same Wisconsin team that was still in contention to play in the Big Ten title game up until the last week of the regular season. Now at the beginning of the year if you asked me who the best player on Wisconsin’s offense was I would have said Graham Mertz. Right now I am asking myself the same question and the answer is different. The best player on this Wisconsin offense is none other than running back Braelon Allen. Allen rushed for 1,109 rushing yards this season and had 12 rushing touchdowns as well. This is a very run heavy Wisconsin offense as the Badgers average 215.4 rushing yards per game. Wisconsin will control the tempo of this game and Arizona State will be in trouble.
Defensively, the Badgers rank top five in rushing yards allowed per game and total yards allowed per game. If Wisconsin’s defense didn’t step up in a big way this team was going to be in trouble this season. Wisconsin’s defense gives up 16.4 points per game and has been solid since their embarrassing loss to Michigan. Look for Wisconsin’s defense to cause some serious chaos to this Arizona State offense.
Arizona State
Jayden Daniels came into the season and was considered a threat to win the Heisman trophy. However, the inconsistency this season killed him. Daniels finished the regular season with 2,221 passing yards to go along with 10 passing touchdowns and 9 interceptions. He also finished with 6 rushing touchdowns as well. The Sun Devils however will be without their top two running backs as one is transferring and one is opting out of the bowl game. The Sun Devils average just under 30 points per game, but without those two top running backs it will make life a lot harder for Jayden Daniels. Daniels will need to do more and in times this season that he has had to do more, he has crumbled under the pressure. This Wisconsin defense is no slouch either, so watch Daniels’ inconsistencies come up in this one.
Defensively, the Sun Devils have been pretty good in 2021. Allowing fewer than 200 passing yards per game and giving up just over 129 rushing yards per game as well. If the Sun Devils want to win this game they need to make Graham Mertz throw and create turnovers that way. If they allow Braelon Allen to rush at will, the Sun Devils defense will be in for a very long night of work.
Prediction:
Wisconsin is a six point favorite with the over/under set at 41. I lean the over here as I think Wisconsin will put up points and Arizona State could do just enough to help with the over. However that is not my official play. My official play is Wisconsin -6. Wisconsin should dominate this game from start to finish, I like the Badgers up to -10 in this matchup. Arizona State is going to struggle to get anything going against this talented Wisconsin defense.
-Chris Jones (@cjoneswho1212)
Featured Image (allegiantstadium.com)
Feeling tired, unable to focus and low on energy? We can help. Go to shockedenergy.com today and get yourself Shocked Energy today! Obtaining maximum energy with healthy ingredients. Use the promo codes “CGS21” or “CGSN” for 10% off your order today.
Tired of soreness and pain slowing you and your workouts down? Change that. Melt stress away anytime, anywhere with the ExoGun. Designed to give you the ultimate recovery utilizing percussive therapy and deep tissue massage, it will change your recovery life FOREVER. Follow this link (Exogun) for 10% off or use code promo code CGS10 at checkout!
