The 2018 bowl season kicks off Saturday in Florida, but the highest-profile game will be in Sin City, where Arizona State meets Fresno State in the Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl.
Fresno State (11-2) is the Mountain West Conference champion after going 7-1 in the MWC regular season, and then getting revenge on Boise State in the MWC title game. The Bulldogs lost both of their games this season on the road and by seven points each — 21-14 at Minnesota and 24-17 at Boise State.
Arizona State (7-5), under first-year coach Herm Edwards, finished runner-up in the Pac-12 South at 5-4. The Sun Devils won four of their final five games — with the only setback a 31-29 loss at Oregon.
The pendulum looks to swing in Fresno State's favor as Arizona State will be without its best player on each side of the ball. Wide receiver N'Keal Harry will not play so he can prepare the NFL Draft, and freshman linebacker Merlin Robertson will not play so he can be near family during a time of need.
But this is the bowl season, and it's the Pac-12 vs. the Mountain West — in Las Vegas. So all that means is anything can happen.
2018 Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl
Arizona State vs. Fresno State
Sam Boyd Stadium • Whitney, Nev.
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 .m. PT
TV Channel: ABC
Radio/Satellite Radio: ESPNU Radio, ASU Feed: Sirius 125, XM 197, Internet 959
Live Streaming: Watch Live with fuboTV – Try Free Trial; or Watch ESPN
Odds: Fresno State -6; over/under 53.5 (Vegas Insider)
KEY MATCHUP:
Arizona State offense vs. Fresno State defense
Led by linebacker Jeff Allison, Fresno State allows just 319 yards per game — 17th in the nation. The Bulldogs are 27th in the country with 130 yards rushing allowed per game. The Sun Devils are led in the offensive backfield by Eno Benjamin, who has eight games of 100 or more yards rushing. Benjamin needs just 42 yards to break the school's single-season rushing mark.
Prediction:
Michelle Gardner (The Arizona Republic): Fresno State 28, Arizona State 21
"ASU playing without perhaps its best player on each side of the ball really is pivotal."
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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