Oregon State and Notre Dame meet on Friday in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl in front of a nationally-televised audience on noon.
The game will be aired on CBS. Oregon State will be the visiting team and Notre Dame will be the home team.
Here is a look at some players to watch on both teams that could have a major impact.
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Notre Dame
Linebacker JD Bertrand had a team-high 75 tackles, 2.5 sacks and four pass breakups and his presence will be key in limiting big plays by Oregon State.
Defensive end Javontatae Jean-Baptist had 9.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. He will be someone Oregon State hopes can be slowed down in the pass rush.
Safety Xavier Watts had seven interceptions during the season and was named and American Football Coaches Association All-American. He’ll be one of the top players to watch in this game.
Quarterback Steve Angeli will make his first start for the team in place of Sam Hartman, who opted out of the Sun Bowl. Angeli completed 19 of 25 passes and threw four touchdowns in limited action this season. How he handles the pressure of his first start will be key to team’s success.
Jayden Thomas will be key at wide receiver and will be one of the key players Angeli will look to as a receiver.
Oregon State
Third string quarterback Ben Gulbranson will get the start vs. Notre Dame after backup Aidan Chiles announced he is entering the transfer portal. The team’s starter this seasson, DJ Uiagalelei, is also transferring. Gulbranson started nine games last season, including a 30-3 victory over Florida in the 2022 Las Vegas Bowl. Gulbranson threw for 165 yards and had two total touchdowns in the victory.
Wide receiver Silas Bolden will be key for the Beavers. He had 718 receiving yards in the regular season. He will be one of Gulbranson’s top targets.
Linebacker John McCartan will be key to the team’s success in trying to slow down the Notre Dame offense. He had 4.5 sacks and 44 tackles.
Defensive back Kitan Oladapo and his 63 tackles will be key in trying to slow down a very good Notre Dame offense.
Running back Deshaun Fenwick and his 500 yards rushing will be key for the Beavers. He had five TDs rushing.
More: Sun Bowl history Notre Dame, Oregon State part of Sun Bowl’s fascinating gridiron history
Felix F. Chavez can be reached at fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on X (Formerly Twitter)
The Oregon Ducks will face the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. The Buckeyes handled business in the first round of the College Football Playoff and will now face the Ducks in the quarterfinals. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. PT on New Year’s Day.
What do the Vegas oddsmakers say about the upcoming matchup between Oregon and Ohio State?
Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel carries the ball as the No. 3 Oregon Ducks host the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes will play in the Rose Bowl for a trip to the College Football Playoff semifinals. The Buckeyes are coming off a 42-17 dismantling of the Tennessee Volunteers in the first round of the CFP. That performance was enough for Ohio State to now be a slight favorite over the No. 1 ranked Oregon Ducks.
It’s nearly a pick ‘em, but Ohio State is a one-point favorite as of now. The over/under is set at 53.5 points.
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The odds makers have loved the Buckeyes all season, and they still do. Not only is Ohio State a slight favorite over Oregon, they also have better odds to win the national championship.
Texas is the overall favorite to win the national championship with odds of +340. Ohio State has the second best odds of +380. Oregon is third with odds of +400.
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Oregon and Ohio State treated the country to one of the best games of the 2024 regular season when they played in October. The Ducks outlasted the Buckeyes in a 32-31 thriller at Autzen Stadium in Eugene.
The Ducks were underdogs in that game too, but prevailed and won outright. Now, the two will play against each other in the “Granddaddy of Them All” in the Rose Bowl. The winner will play the winner of the Texas-Arizona State game in the semi-finals.
What are the other games in the quarterfinal slate?
Indiana Hoosiers linebacker Rolijah Hardy (21) and linebacker Aiden Fisher (4) tackle Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jadarian Price (24) during the second half of a game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in first round of the College Football Playoff on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in South Bend. Notre Dame defeated Indiana 27-17. / Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The quarterfinals in the College Football Playoff will kick off when No. 3 Boise State plays No. 6 Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl at 4:30 p.m. PT on Dec. 31.
The New Year will start off with No. 5 Texas and No. 4 Arizona State in the Peach Bowl at 10 a.m. PT on Jan. 1.
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Following the Rose Bowl between Oregon and Ohio State to finish off the quarterfinals is No. 2 Georgia and No. 7 Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl at 5:45 p.m. PT on New Year’s Day.
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After years of talk and anticipation, the 12-team College Football Playoff is finally here, and it brought a lot of intrigue and entertainment over the weekend.
We got big wins for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Penn State Nittany Lions, Texas Longhorns, and Ohio State Buckeyes, while others like the Indiana Hoosiers, SMU Mustangs, Clemson Tigers, and Tennessee Volunteers saw their seasons come to an end short of the national championship.
While this first round of action whittled down the playing field to eight teams, it also gave us a good look at what some of these teams are capable of in the postseason environment.
Which ones are capable of winning the national championship, though?
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That’s a different question. There are still some heavyweights in the conversation, but also some long shots who may have stated their case to be considered as a longshot option.
Let’s take a look at the latest numbers, according to BetMGM.
Here’s a look at the full odds:
We will take a look at the full odds again next week after the quarterfinal games are played.
GAINESVILLE. Fla. — Former Oregon signee Dallas Wilson, a five-star receiver from Tampa, is getting the full-court press from Florida.
A day after Wilson watched the Gators beat Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa, he made an official visit to Gainesville and was given a front-row seat to Florida’s basketball game against North Florida.
Wilson was decked out in royal blue — shorts, beanie and Jordan-brand basketball shoes — as he watched the Gators (12-0) remain undefeated in convincing fashion, 99-45.
The 6-foot-3 Wilson, who caught 41 passes for 677 yards and nine touchdowns at Tampa Bay Tech this season, initially committed to Oregon in January 2023. But his mother died later that year and now his grandmother has an illness that contributed to his decision to ask for his release from the Ducks and play closer to home.
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Wilson would be another solid piece for Florida coach Billy Napier, whose recruiting class vaulted roughly 40 spots to No. 11 in 247 Sports’ final composite rankings.
The Gators already added former UCLA receiver J. Michael Sturdivant in the transfer portal. He joined an incoming recruiting class that includes receivers Vernell Brown III, Naeshaun Montgomery and Muizz Tounkara.
Wilson’s agent is Vernell Brown Jr., who played for the Gators and previously worked under Napier in a player development role.
Former Oregon football signee Dallas Wilson attends a Florida basketball gamer against North Florida Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Gainesville, Fla. Wilson, a five-star receiver is considering signing with the Florida. Credit: AP/Alan Youngblood
Florida must replace starting receivers Chimere Dike and Elijhah Badger, both seniors who transferred to Gainesville last season. Dike caught a team-high 42 passes for 783 yards and two touchdowns. Badger finished with 39 receptions for 806 yards and four scores.
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