The 2022 Las Vegas Bowl features the 6-6 Florida Gators against the 9-3 Oregon State Beavers. Here is the 2022 Las Vegas Bowl preview.
Florida Gators (6-6)
First year head coach Billy Napier matched the Gators 2021 record at 6-6 and qualified for their fifth consecutive bowl game. Their most impressive wins came against Missouri, South Carolina and most impressively No.7 Utah. Each of these teams made bowl games. The losses came to four teams which finished the season in the top 25, Kentucky who was ranked at the time, and a bad loss to Vanderbilt.
The offense scores 31.8 points per game, ranking them 43rd in the country. They average 227.5 passing yards (ranked 69th) and 213.7 rushing yards per game (ranked 15th).
Florida has a handful of injuries and opt outs which will certainly impact this game. Star quarterback Anthony Richardson will not be available. Transfer Jack Miller III is expected to make his first start in replacement. He has attempted 14 passes in his career. Luckily for the Gators they’re heavy on the run with 827 yards from Montrell Johnson Jr. and 705 from Trevor Etienne.
Defensively Florida is tied for 90th in the country at 28.75 points per game. They allow 239.7 passing yards per game (ranked 89th) and 176.2 rushing yards per game (ranked 101st). Ventrel Miller will be absent this game who is 3rd on the team with 75 tackles.
No.14 Oregon State (9-3)
Oregon State won 9 games earning them their second consecutive bowl game for the first time since 2013. They have strong wins over Boise State, Fresno State and Oregon. All three losses have come against teams currently ranked in the top 12.
The Beavers score 32.4 points per game, which is good for 37th in the country. They pass for 200.3 yards per game (ranked 103rd) but rush for 199.2 yards per game (ranked 27th).
Quarterback Chance Nolan is in the portal who played in five games. But quarterback Ben Gulbranson will play who was more consistent and played in nine games this year. The real damage will come from the running game. The trio of Damien Martinez, Jam Griffin and Deshaun Fenwick combined for 1,902 yards and 17 touchdowns. The Oregon State offensive line is considered one of the best in the country, anchored by underclassmen Braeden Daniels Jr. and Andrew Vorhees.
The defense allows 21.4 points per game which puts them at 31st in the country. They give up 228.2 yards per game (tied for 74th) and 114 yards per game on the ground (ranked 20th). Cornerback Rejzohn Wright is injured for this game which will hurt in the secondary. Pac-12 All-American Omar Speights Jr. leads the team with 77 tackles and will be a player to watch against this strong Florida rushing attack.
Prediction
Florida is tackling a lot of opt outs and injuries that will factor in this game. Additionally, Oregon State has a large advantage with a strong offensive line and rushing attack. Florida has notably been very weak against the run this year and will struggle to contain the Beavers.
Florida 17 Oregon State 27
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