Sun Bowl 2014: Arizona State vs. Duke TV Info, Spread, Injury News, Time, More
The winner of the 2014 Sun Bowl between Arizona State and Duke will reach the coveted 10-win plateau, although each program thought it would get there a while ago.
The Sun Devils fell from the College Football Playoff conversation to a 9-3 record, losing two of three to close out the regular season—dooming a season that saw them beat four ranked teams in five games during an earlier stretch.
Like Arizona State, Duke also dropped two of its three season-ending games to give up its inside track to a return to the ACC Championship Game. Still, David Cutcliffe's crew showed it's ready to contend in the conference once again.
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It will be a battle of the devils, with the Sun Devils and Blue Devils going at it. Let's take a look at everything you need to know for the Sun Bowl.
When: Saturday, Dec. 27 at 2 p.m. ET
Where: Sun Bowl, El Paso, Texas
TV: CBS
Live Stream: CBSSports.com
Spread (via Odds Shark): Arizona State -7.5
So Close, Yet So Far
With absolutely no disrespect to the lovely city of El Paso, Texas, both Arizona State and Duke envisioned much different endings to 2014 than this.
Even with a chance to get to 10 wins for the second time in Duke history (the first was last year), the Blue Devils are wondering what could have been. They dropped two straight conference games when wins down the stretch were needed, giving up their shot at the ACC title.
And with how flimsy Florida State's wins have been all season long, who knows if the Blue Devils would have shaken up the CFP entirely?
Duke always had dreams of a conference title, but national championship aspirations were tangible for Arizona State through the middle of November. But right as the Sun Devils began climbing into the conversation, they fell to Oregon State followed by a loss to Arizona that took them out of the Pac-12 Championship Game.
Yeah, suddenly a trip to the Sun Bowl isn't as illustrious as what could have been.
For players and coaches who are used to moving on from one game to the next, getting motivated and realizing the stakes of this bowl game shouldn't be hard. With that said, re-discovering that fire after the chief goal has been lost can be tough for 18-to 22-year-olds.
Todd Graham and Cutcliffe both have instilled strong cultures at each program, and the chance to make a lasting statement on national TV—along with the chance to end the season on a high note—should be enough to bring out the best in both teams. But if you witness an emotional hangover, it's no secret as to what the cause will be.
Who Can Do it Bigger?
When these offenses are clicking, it usually comes in big splashes.
Duke has weapons all over its offense. Dual-threat quarterback Anthony Boone leads the way with 22 total touchdowns, but senior wideout partners Jamison Crowder and Issac Blakeney have combined for almost 1,500 yards and 12 total touchdowns among them.
After losing leading rusher Juwan Thompson to the NFL last offseason, Duke has used a committee approach to fill the void—led by freshman Shaun Wilson, who absolutely exploded for 245 yards and three touchdowns on just 12 carries against Kansas earlier this year.
The Sun Devils' attack isn't spread out, but rather dominated by receiver Jaelen Strong and running back D.J. Foster.
Foster has more than 1,600 yards from scrimmage this season, but it's Strong's eye-popping play on the perimeter that takes ASU to another level. He has 10 touchdowns on the year—most off highlight-reel plays—and figures to be a top wideout in the draft after forgoing his senior year.
Unlike Duke, though, Arizona State has the conundrum of not knowing who should be running said offense. Taylor Kelly has had his ups and downs (mostly through injury) but is certainly trending downward after being pulled for Mike Bercovici amid struggles against Arizona.
Considering the way Graham spoke of Kelly, though, you'd have to imagine he's getting the ball, per Sun Devil football:
Each defense will have a very different mentality, with Arizona State focusing on spreading out to contain Duke's stable of weapons while the Blue Devils hope to hone in on a pair of star players.
Team Injury Reports
| Brendan Landman | TE | has left the team | Out | Personal |
| Ezekiel Bishop | S | is questionable | Quest. | Knee |
| Jamal Scott | LB | is questionable | Quest. | Arm |
| Jason Franklin | LB | is questionable | Quest. | Undisclosed |
| Marcus Washington | TE | miss remainder of season | Out | Knee |
| Corey Smith | DT | miss remainder of season | Out | Hip |
| Ismael Murphy-Richardson | LB | is out indefinitely | Out | Eligibility |
| Jaxon Hood | DT | is questionable | Quest. | Personal |
| Eamonn Vain-Callahan | RB | is questionable | Quest. | Shoulder |
| Alonzo Saxton II | CB | is questionable | Quest. | Shoulder |
| Trip McNeill | OL | is questionable | Quest. | Lower body |
| Jake Sanders | OL | is questionable | Quest. | Upper body |
| Dan Beilinson | TE | is questionable | Quest. | Upper body |
| Taariq Shabazz | DE | will miss entire season | Out | Leg |
| Braxton Deaver | TE | will miss entire season | Out | Knee |
| Kelby Brown | LB | will miss entire season | Out | Knee |
Injury reports available per The Sports Network, via USA Today.
Prediction
When two high-potential offenses are involved in a bowl game, the safe bet is to go with the players who do it most consistently. There's little doubt that's Arizona State.
While both teams struggled to finish the season, only Duke's was due to offensive ineffectiveness. The Blue Devils only surpassed 30 points in one of their final four games, while Arizona State has put up an average of 42.25 points per game in its final four.
Duke has enough weapons on offense and enough ability on defense to keep it closer than the spread, but that's about it.
Prediction: Arizona State 31, Duke 24
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