Holiday Bowl 2014: Odds, Schedule and Prediction for Nebraska vs. USC

The 2014 Holiday Bowl should be one of the most exciting non-New Year's Day games of the season, as a prolific USC aerial attack takes on Nebraska's punishing ground game in a potential shootout that shouldn't have trouble captivating the nation.

Nebraska is led into the game by its 17th-ranked rushing attack. The Cornhuskers have been an extremely well-rounded team this season; however, they suffered a disappointing conclusion to their regular season, dropping games to Wisconsin and Minnesota before just barely edging Iowa in the finale. That led to the firing of head coach Bo Pelini.

USC's potent passing game has torched plenty of squads in 2014, capping off the regular season with a decisive 49-14 victory over Notre Dame. Although, the Trojans have been inconsistent this year, collapsing in all phases of the game against Boston College, Arizona State and UCLA. Consistency will be necessary to close out the year with a win over a tough Nebraska team.

So, will the high-flying Pac-12 squad best the ground-and-pound style of the Big Ten representative? As we await the answer to that question, here's a look at the game's viewing information, updated odds and final prediction.

Viewing Information

When: Saturday, December 27

Where: Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA

Time: 8 p.m. ET

Channel: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Betting Info (via Odds Shark):

• Over/Under: 62
• Spread: USC -7

Preview and Prediction

Eric Francis/Getty Images

Nebraska has been riding senior running back Ameer Abdullah all season long. The talented ball-carrier rushed 237 times for 1,523 yards and 18 touchdowns, averaging 6.4 yards per carry on the year. However, his production dropped off significantly over the season's final four games, as he eclipsed the 100-yard mark once and scored one touchdown in that span.

Abdullah was part of the Heisman discussion early in the season, eclipsing the 200-yard mark three times and scoring 14 rushing touchdowns in a five-game span. Unfortunately, he was set back with a knee injury the following week against Purdue and didn't appear to be back in form until the final game of the season.

The Cornhuskers must get Abudllah going early and often against a very good USC defense that ranks 27th in the nation against the run, allowing an average of 132.5 yards per game. Still, the Trojans have been exposed by a strong running game before, and rest assured Nebraska is closely taking a look at how Boston College managed to rack up 452 rushing yards on USC.

USC's recipe for success will be maintaining a balanced offense that features both quarterback Cody Kessler and running back Javorius Allen.

Kessler has been one of the nation's most prolific signal-callers this season, completing 70.7 percent of his passes for 3,505 yards, 36 touchdowns and four interceptions. He concluded the regular season in a big way, torching Notre Dame for 372 passing yards and six touchdowns.

Much of Kessler's success can be attributed to wide receiver Nelson Agholor. The junior pass-catcher has been putting on a clinic all season long, racking up 97 receptions for 1,223 yards and 11 touchdowns. He finished his season with a bang, eclipsing the 100-yard receiving mark five times in his last six games.

This passing offense will be tested by the Cornhuskers. Nebraska boasts the nation's 26th-ranked pass defense, allowing an average of just 196.3 yards per game. Although, some of that can be due to playing in the run-heavy Big Ten, as Nebraska is also allowing an average of 12.33 yards per completion.

Still, getting Allen going out of the backfield will be necessary to help open up passing lanes for Kessler. Allen is averaging 5.3 yards per carry this season, rushing 250 times for 1,337 yards and nine touchdowns. A dual-threat back, he's also racked up 40 receptions for 442 yards and another score.

Stopping the run isn't a strong suit for the Cornhuskers, as they rank 77th in the nation and allow an average of 176.5 yards per game on the ground and 4.67 yards per carry. If Allen can get off to a hot start, the Trojans offense will be difficult to slow down.

While both of these teams are dynamic in their own right, the upper hand here has to go to USC. The Trojans are the more well-rounded of the two teams, and their versatility will prove to be the difference-maker in the Holiday Bowl.

Prediction: USC 38, Nebraska 28

All team statistics and rankings courtesy of NCAA.com and current as of December 26.