The 2024 Holiday Bowl features a matchup between No. 21 Syracuse and Washington State. Syracuse, led by quarterback Kyle McCord, enters the game with a strong 9-3 season record, while Washington State faces challenges with a new interim head coach and significant player transfers. The game is set for 8 p.m. ET at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, with Syracuse as the favorite.
The 2024 Holiday Bowl is set to showcase an exciting matchup between the No. 21 Syracuse Orange and the Washington State Cougars. Syracuse comes off a successful 9-3 season, highlighted by a win over Miami that kept the Hurricanes out of the College Football Playoff. Washington State, with an 8-4 record, faces the challenge of playing under interim head coach Pete Kaligis after former coach Jake Dickert left for Wake Forest. The game will take place at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego at 8 p.m. ET, with Syracuse favored by 18.5 points.
Under the leadership of head coach Fran Brown, Syracuse has had a remarkable season, finishing 9-3 overall and 5-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Ohio State transfer Kyle McCord has been instrumental in their success, leading the ACC with 4,326 passing yards and 29 touchdowns. McCord's performance in the win over Miami was particularly notable, where he threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns. Despite the challenges posed by the transfer portal, Syracuse's offense has remained resilient and effective. Coach Brown emphasized the team's commitment to playing football, stating, “We don’t opt out around here man, we play football. We like the game. We get to play football. The more football you play, the more the NFL watches” [1] [2].
Washington State enters the Holiday Bowl under challenging circumstances, having lost head coach Jake Dickert to Wake Forest and seeing significant player departures through the transfer portal. The Cougars, one of two schools left in the former Pac-12, have been forced to play an independent schedule. Despite these hurdles, they managed notable victories over Washington, Texas Tech, and Fresno State. Interim head coach Pete Kaligis, who steps in for the bowl game, faces the task of rallying a team that has seen over 30 players enter the transfer portal, including starting quarterback John Mateer. Kaligis remains optimistic, focusing on the foundation built by Dickert, stating, “It’s everything that these young men have done. It’s a foundation that’s been built. I know coach Dickert is gone, but the foundation he built for three years is a rock they still stand upon” [1] [2].
The upcoming Holiday Bowl has drawn significant attention from bettors and analysts alike. Syracuse is heavily favored, with the spread set at 18.5 points. The over/under for the game is 59 points, reflecting expectations of a high-scoring affair. A proven computer simulation model, which has generated substantial profits for bettors, predicts a strong performance from Syracuse. The model, which simulates each FBS game 10,000 times, leans towards the over on the point total and has generated a point-spread pick that hits nearly 60% of the time. Fans and bettors looking for insights can access the model's predictions on SportsLine, offering a detailed analysis of the game [1].
As the 2024 Holiday Bowl approaches, Syracuse and Washington State find themselves on different trajectories. Syracuse, with a stable roster and strong leadership from Kyle McCord, is poised to capitalize on their successful season. Meanwhile, Washington State faces the challenge of adapting to significant changes, including a new interim head coach and numerous player departures. The game promises to be an intriguing matchup, with Syracuse entering as the favorite. Fans can tune in at 8 p.m. ET to see which team will come out on top in this exciting bowl game.
"We don’t opt out around here man, we play football. We like the game. We get to play football. The more football you play, the more the NFL watches." - Fran Brown
"It’s everything that these young men have done. It’s a foundation that’s been built. I know coach Dickert is gone, but the foundation he built for three years is a rock they still stand upon." - Pete Kaligis